Chapter 702: Ceiling

What are you standing there doing?

Hurry up and catch up!

At the police station basement entrance, the red-haired Awakened One frowned, scolding the suddenly halted leather-armored man.

His talent is to absorb fire, enhancing all attributes, especially strength.

Before, he could absorb geothermal and solar energy outside.

But inside this trial tower, though everywhere is burnt ruins, he senses no trace of fire.

Irritable, his strength declines.

Facing the leather-armored man whose emotions are somewhat out of control, he naturally has no pleasant expression.

It's fortunate the leather-armored man acted so arrogantly in the safe zone, reportedly even forming a gang, slaughtering survivors for fun.

Unexpectedly, after entering, he's as useless as trash, running faster than anyone.

In the shadows.

The leather-armored man, hearing the voice, slowly lifted his eyes, a hint of gloom flashing in them.

Outside, which survivor seeing him isn't respectful?

If the other party weren't the captain chosen by the squad, he wouldn't have been able to tolerate him.

Everyone's trash, you aren't also afraid of Triangle Head!?

He squeezed out an ugly smile, holding a newspaper with only a corner left, and handed it over:

"I'm looking at... the stuff on it."

"I think maybe we can find a clue..."

"For example..."

The red-haired man snorted, casually taking the newspaper and glancing at it twice.

Squinting his eyes.

The photo on that newspaper is really too blurry.

His brow unmoved, he couldn't make out anything.

"How?"

"Do you still want to learn from those psychic-system Awakened Ones? Preparing to gather clues?"

"Stop dreaming, stop saying we don't have that ability."

"Even if you let those psychic-system outsiders in, they're just a bunch of trash."

He snorted coldly.

As a strength-system, their thinking is likewise affected by talent.

Although becoming an Awakened One greatly improves thinking efficiency and observation.

But strength-system still prefers to settle battles with force.

"Using the brain to break through?"

"Not much better than a bear programming."

"I think maybe the Arbiter isn't that simple a monster."

"I've seen that Silent Hill..."

Seeing the team leader mock his overreach, the leather-armored man suppressed his anger and explained quietly.

His strength attribute is low, largely because he's actually a pseudo-dual-system.

"Alright."

"Whatever it is, even if it's a meme, so what?"

"Do you think you can solve it, or find something?!"

A bit impatient.

Everyone has been surviving since the apocalypse broke out.

The most basic rule, everyone knows.

In the past six months, he's seen too many self-important 'clever people' who thought they could crack the mission.

But often, out of a hundred, ninety-nine dig their own graves.

The remaining one gets everyone killed.

"Just do what the system says!"

"The plan is set, just follow it! Don't go off-track!"

After recalling the painful memory, the red-haired man finished scolding and turned to enter the basement.

Left alone, the leather-armored man stayed where he was.

The reason is simple.

Not long ago, their safe zone vicinity encountered a meme incident.

Heart-devouring Demon, a meme that indiscriminately devours human hearts.

The psychic-power Awakened Ones in the gathering place, relying on their memory replay talent, volunteered to solve it.

When he racked his brains, having everyone capture wild dogs to obtain hearts, then using fake hearts to deceive the meme to solve the problem.

But absurdly,

The meme monster didn't eat their hearts, but turned all the survivors in the gathering place into dogs.

Until they set out, the safe zone's high level still tried to rescue the barking psychic-power Awakened Ones.

Head bowed.

Footsteps sounded.

Watching the companion who walked into the basement.

He hesitated for a moment, but still threw away the newspaper in his hand, not thinking any further.

The leader's words were harsh, but they were true.

It's not that they don't want to think or seek more clues.

Just, the bloody painful lessons are far too many.

Following the system's advice may not be optimal, but it certainly won't cause major issues.

Don't court death, and you won't die.

wuuuu!!

The shrill alarm blared, signaling that safety time was over.

Hiding in the police station basement, everyone idly rummaged through the basement's miscellaneous items.

The space was spacious, with blue stone constructing several cage-like areas.

This place had once been used to imprison prisoners and as an office for prison guards.

Perhaps because it's hidden underground, this place is somewhat damp.

Mold green clung to the corners, and the open cells held strange torture devices.

Faint footsteps echoed from above—the wandering triangular monster outside the police station.

"Wait a moment."

"Wait for the main force to arrive nearby, then we'll join forces to kill the outside monster."

They felt somewhat numb.

The red-haired leader sat on an oak long table, turning a lighter with his fingertips; the occasional flame gave the basement a faint light.

Their breathing was heavy.

Seeing this, the leather-armored man pulled a glow stick from his belt, snapped it, and bright green light instantly lit the surroundings.

As survivors who had made it to this day, everyone carried plenty of combat supplies before heading out.

If space props weren't so rare, they wouldn't mind carrying an armory with them.

"I'll go check the back; I hear water sounds."

In silence.

The leather-armored man stared at the basement layout, lost in thought.

For some reason, he constantly felt a suppressed unease.

Water vapor mingled with a rotten stench—perhaps abandoned sewer pipes lay here.

The police station's layout didn't match his memory of Silent Hill's era.

A blend of the 70s and 90s?

Looking at the dark crimson torture devices in the cell, he couldn't help but feel doubtful.

In the newspaper, was that girl burned to death—or released innocent?

Lost in thought, the leader waved a hand and coldly instructed:

"Don't leave the basement; if you find a water source, mark it."

"Ake's talent lets him draw power from water."

Leaning against the damp wall, an Awakened One with scale-like armor gave the leather-armored man a friendly smile.

But he, lurking in the shadows, wore a grim smile.

"Still need 4 points... 4 people..."

Hands braced on the filthy sink, the leather-armored man muttered to himself, instinctively glancing at his reflection in the mirror.

I... look utterly exhausted.

Bright red blood vessels filled the eyeball.

A foul stench rushed into the nostrils as a broken pipe spewed murky wastewater.

On the cracked mirror, white blotches spread like mold.

Before fleeing to the police station, he seized the chance to kill another warzone Awakened One.

Though it was a group ambush, the final strike was his.

Recalling that person's vengeful expression before death, he felt little emotion.

"Red-haired Asel can also be killed..."

Just killing other warzone Awakened Ones surely won't net enough heads.

Though they were all warzone Awakened Ones, everyone sensed this—yet no one spoke of it.

"Hide your strength..."

"I can't kill monsters, but..."

They let out a low laugh.

He slowly rose to his feet, preparing to turn and leave.

But the unease in his heart grew stronger.

"Why do I always feel like someone's watching me?"

Before leaving the toilet, he glanced at the mirror out of the corner of his eye—his reflection was slightly blurred, but otherwise normal.

He gave a self-mocking smile.

He shook his head and turned to leave.

On the gray-white toilet ceiling hung the corpse of the person he had killed himself.