Chapter 721

Taloran was not a person who liked to go to extremes... well, who hasn't had some extreme thoughts in their life?

Not wanting to go to work, hoping the company building would collapse, or simply wishing for the Earth to explode.

When research made no progress and the project supervisor passed their own pressure onto a staff member like him, Taloran would also sincerely wish for the other party to be promoted to O5 early and vanish from the face of the earth.

As for now, Taloran still felt everything was very unreal.

Like a dream, a bubble, a shadow.

He had also always been puzzled as to why his first half of life had been so steady, only to be suddenly transferred to Site-118, with a mysterious guy appearing in his mind.

It is said.

There is a method that allows an unlucky person who has woken up in a nightmare to quickly escape the dream.

——To die in the dream.

If this is a dream, then he is awake.

If this is not a dream... where did this hellish reality get so many demons and monsters?!

……

The audience watched the method of breaking the situation that Taloran thought of, their eyes burning with intensity.

Hoping that Taloran would quickly find a way to directly defeat this reality bender who, just by the sound of their voice and style of speech, was clearly no good.

"Go for it, use the other party's ability to compile rules to defeat them in reverse!"

"Farewell, Taloran."

But some also noticed the difference between the other party and a reality bender.

"I always feel the other party's identity is not quite right... since when do reality benders need to write articles to distort reality?"

"It does seem wrong, since when can reality benders be influenced in reverse?"

"If this is not a unique ability of 'SCP-3999', and it's neither an ability in the 'Reality' domain nor the 'Thaumaturgy' domain... could it be an ability in the 'Narrative' domain?"

"Narrator? Whatever is spoken, must be staged?"

"This is no different from getting whatever one wishes for; getting what one wishes for seems more convenient."

……

Herta Space Station.

"No, there is a clear difference..." The Herta puppet sat beside Asta, frowning.

"Reality benders distort reality based on their own perception of the world."

"Narrators compile stories, and the world, characters, and plot within the story will all act according to their thoughts."

"However, if this hypothesis is true, why is 'SCP-3999' unable to manipulate Taloran?"

"Could it be simply because, as it said, it and Taloran are two personalities of the same person?"

……

The shaft was deep and claustrophobic, even though the bottom had enough space for an adult to lie flat and live.

But the faint light existing only at the bottom, and the near-solid darkness looming above, were enough to drive an adult insane.

Before Taloran's blade could fall, the description related to 'SCP-3999' changed once again.

【Item #: SCP-3999】

【Danger Level: Apollyon】

【Special Containment Procedures:】

【'SCP-3999' is currently uncontainable and is facilitating a ZK-class reality failure scenario.】

【The most feasible plan is for Researcher Taloran, who is considered the focus of 'SCP-3999', to sever all contact with human self-identity.】

【To avoid further collateral damage to Earth and the various societies upon it.】

【Theoretically, Researcher Taloran must not leave the Foundation.】

The last character fell.

The skin first felt a chill, then suddenly went numb.

As Taloran watched blood gush from his wrist, he felt a touch on a spiritual level.

Without any warning, a blinding, scorching white light rushed in like a tide.

His eyelids closed instinctively due to the stinging pain; he subconsciously turned his head and raised a hand to cover his eyes.

After a while, he slowly opened his eyes and, through the gaps in his fingers, cautiously observed the scene around him.

This was no longer the deep, dark shaft, but a bright and tidy office.

It was as if it had been organized by another version of him in the world.

A wide desk occupied a corner, with documents and notes neatly arranged;

The air was filled with a unique scent—the smell of books, toner, and ink mixed together, a familiar yet strange aura.

Pain came from his wrist; he looked down to see layers of white gauze wrapped around the wound, seeping with threads of crimson.

Although it was the height of summer, Taloran felt a chill in his heart, completely unable to understand how the other party had done it.

Is this really reality distortion...

He wanted to ask a few questions, but opened his mouth and didn't know where to start.

He walked silently to the bookcase and, through the glass door, saw a family photo.

In the photo were his parents, his sister who studied at Pennsylvania State University, and himself.

On a beach shining with golden light reflected by the sun, the family was smiling brilliantly.

Taloran, however, felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar—ever since joining the Foundation, he had never had the time to accompany his family on such a vacation.

And at that time, his sister had just started high school.

After staring into his own eyes in the photo for a few seconds, Taloran put it back with some difficulty, sat down at the computer, and pulled up a series of travel photos and videos.

But he clearly had no such memories...

It was as if, in this world, someone else had lived his life for him.

But his badge, the small photo in his wallet... all proved from the side that it was he who had forgotten those beautiful pasts.

What on earth is going on...

Taloran felt he had broken into a sweat; his clothes stuck to his body, very uncomfortable, very awkward.

Just like the feeling this reality gave him.

Is this a dream? Or reality?

Is he at the original site? Or in the shaft? Or in another damn office?

What exactly is in his brain?

Why can it distort reality and mess everything up just by modifying text?!

Is that its power, or the power of his phone?

As if sensing Taloran's emotions, that unknown existence smiled and said:

"You see, the resistance you think you have is of no use in front of me."

"Your little cleverness and those insignificant little actions pose no threat to me."

Then, this guy, suspected to be the real 'SCP-3999', said:

"I thought about it just now; perhaps throwing you directly into the shaft isn't very good."

"Although I don't like you, after all, you and I are one; you should receive corresponding decency."

"Do you like the office I prepared for you?"

Where Taloran's gaze could not reach, in the shadows of the world, a figure lurked.

It sang a fallen melody in an eerie and moving language, every note carrying a trace of magic, intoxicating to the listener.

"As long as you promise me that after a while, you will sleep obediently, it's not impossible for me to let you and your family live out a normal life."