Chapter 722

"Oh, sorry, I forgot... taking away what a person already possesses and then returning it to them doesn't count as a trade at all; it was my oversight, I apologize to you."

"Look, how about this?"

"State your wish, and I will help you realize it."

"Want to become an O5? Become the emperor of the anomalous world?"

"Or want to become a reality bender? Experience the pleasure of doing whatever you want?"

"Or live the most luxurious life in this world? Full of energy, no illness, surrounded by the world's top girls, every day filled with fine wine, luxury cars, parties, nudity, jewelry, and gold?"

"How about that? I'm generous enough, right? And sincere enough, right?"

It silently permeated the deep recesses of people's hearts, sketching out beautiful pictures, tempting them to fall.

This is a temptation that is difficult for anyone to resist, except for the holy and those with lofty ideals.

For those whose lives are dark and lightless, and who are tired all day, they are even more willing to make a deal.

Even if the price is their own soul.

"Ah? How can you use this to lure a researcher? How many people can withstand this kind of test?"

"No, you're overestimating us poor guys; how about we negotiate a little, and after a hundred years, I'll be dead and you'll be alive."

"Only children make choices; adults want it all, right? Today I'll be an O5, tomorrow I'll have three thousand beauties in my harem, and the day after I won't eat beef."

"You guys really dare to think; I don't have so many requirements, just being a rich person is fine."

"No, no, no, I just need a catgirl who loves me and enough money to live well without working."

"No, why are you guys starting to compete? 3999 is probably gone anyway, what's the use of you guys competing like this?"

"It must be useful! Maybe there's a big shot watching the barrage and comments right now, and we can pick a cheap one to negotiate a price."

"Then my request is simpler: just a healthy body and the conditions to play games for a lifetime without leaving the house."

Just as the audience was choosing the path of depravity and fantasizing about enjoying a life they had never experienced, some still held firm to their original intentions.

A player with a purely numerical ID spoke up:

"Look at you guys, can you have some ambition? What is bestowed by others can be taken back by others at any time; only what is obtained by one's own hands can be enjoyed securely."

The harsh wording made the audience very ashamed for a moment, but just as they were about to start reflecting, this player added:

"If it were me, I'd worship the other party as my foster father on the spot. Foster father is above, please accept this child's bow!"

To this, the vast audience exclaimed: "F*ck you!"

……

To be honest, Taloran was a little tempted.

He was tempted for a moment, and then he was tempted for a moment.

As a Level 3 researcher at the Foundation, his experience in dealing with 'anomalies' and this group of SCPs could already be called rich.

The more an SCP is proficient in human nature, the more it deserves attention—of course, those who were once human and are not dangerous objects are not included.

Moreover, Taloran had made a preliminary judgment about the other party.

The other party was definitely not as simple as the reality bender it claimed to be; at the very least, it was divinity-level, or even more terrifying.

It's just that.

He still didn't understand why the other party always wanted him to sleep.

Could it be that if he were awake, it wouldn't be able to manipulate his body and thus fail to do certain things?

But no matter what, as long as the other party played wantonly with reality, he could not let the other party achieve its wish.

He was always a member of the Foundation.

Upon joining, he swore to the Foundation and to all of humanity that his limited life would practice the 'Mission Statement'.

Like the pioneers of the Foundation, like the many who sacrificed themselves for the Foundation.

The owner of this voice must be very powerful.

Is he not afraid?

Afraid.

But he cannot be afraid.

He had a vague premonition that he must not lose even more.

Taloran looked at his dear family on the screen, revealing a happy smile, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly:

"．．． Truly a nice condition."

"Then you..."

"However... I refuse!"

"Uh..." The voice paused, its tone seemingly carrying a hint of anger.

"Perhaps my attitude toward you was a bit too good, making you forget what respect is."

"There is an old saying in the East: 'Those who know the times are heroes'."

"In order to let dear you realize how big the gap between us is, let's continue the game."

Taloran's phone floated up 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 all animals.】

【To avoid further collateral damage to the natural world and its biodiversity.】

【Theoretically, if Researcher Taloran spends the rest of his life in a small shed, the shed should be far away from all animals and isolate plants as much as possible.】

Suddenly, the scenery before Taloran changed.

He was standing in an empty, dark space; apart from the light of the phone, there was only a bright spot not far away.

It was a dilapidated shed with only a frame, drafty on all four sides.

Taloran grabbed the phone, struggling against an invisible, immense force.

He forcibly deleted the description about himself and changed that passage to:

【Theoretically, Researcher Taloran is currently researching how to eliminate the influence of 'SCP-3999'; current suggestions include launching it into the sun.】

In an instant, the environment around Taloran changed once again.

He was in a laboratory, the cold light casting deep shadows.

Behind Taloran, an instrument hummed as it operated, the screen filled with dense data, as complex as the stars.

And on the table lay a theoretical report on destroying 'SCP-3999'.

"The sun?" The voice laughed in anger, seemingly not expecting Taloran to dare to use its power to deal with it.

"Fine, fine, since that's the case, then we have nothing left to talk about."

The phone suddenly slipped from his hand and stuck to the 4-meter-high ceiling—a height that a scholar like Taloran could never reach no matter how he jumped.

In Taloran's terrified eyes, lines of text appeared.

【Theoretically, Researcher Taloran's family members will be executed one by one.】

【This procedure shall be carried out by highly trained agents selected from the following multiple Mobile Task Forces—including Omega-8, Lambda-12, Psi-7, Tau-5, and Iota-10.】

【The aforementioned agents will undergo retraining in military tactics, special weapons, and tactical exercises.】

【Selected agents must score 30 or higher on the 'Hare Psychopathy Checklist'.】

【The agents first executed Researcher Taloran's mother, then his father.】

【All life forms within the building will be terminated.】

【Subsequently, they arrived at the location of Researcher Taloran's sister, who is currently a student at Pennsylvania State University.】

【After executing her, any roommates within the building will be purged.】

【Finally, it can be done by using a Remington 700 sniper rifle equipped with a silencer to shoot her in the head at close range.】

【Then, nail these corpses to the wall outside Researcher Taloran's office door, pour 10 liters of gasoline on them, and ignite them. Researcher Taloran will be restrained and forced to kneel before the corpses.】