The narrow service corridor reeked of mold and cold metal, a claustrophobic reprieve from the relentless hum and incessant yellow. Alex leaned against one of the exposed pipes, trying to steady his breathing. The adrenaline from his clash with the amorphous creature still pumped through his veins, but now it was tinged with a strange excitement. He'd fired a weapon, he'd fled, he'd survived. And most importantly, the System had rewarded him.
He glanced at the small "Basic Stealth" icon glowing in his lenses. A translucent guide superimposed itself over his vision, explaining: Reduced walking noise, increased perception of non-visual close threats. Minimum Excitement Point consumption for sustained use. Interesting.
"Okay, chat," Alex said, his voice still a little hoarse. His chest camera captured the dark corridor and pipes; his lens camera, the floating System text. "Looks like I passed my 'don't get eaten instantly' exam. And as a reward, I get... ninja mode? This is getting better. Any infiltration experts out there got some tips for me?"
The chat, ever present, offered advice:
[Solid Snake]: "Maintain distance. Use cover. Sound is your enemy. And leave no trace."
[Batman]: "Stealth is key. Know your environment, anticipate your prey, and use darkness to your advantage."
[Agent 47]: "Silence is a tool. Discretion, an art. Every step must be deliberate."
[User_Sneaky]: "Stealth mode, activate! Dodge the critters!"
Excitement points received: +700 (for new abilities)
Alex absorbed the advice. He decided to test the skill. He rose cautiously, focusing on controlling his steps to walk as softly as possible. And it worked. The squeak of his shoes on the service corridor's carpet was almost inaudible. His chest camera showed him moving with unexpected fluidity. His ears—or perhaps the System—were sharper. He picked up faint distant creaks and scrapes he would have ignored before.
"Wow. This is... effective," Alex murmured, impressed. "I can hear my own paranoia clearer now. Thanks, stealth."
He continued down the narrow corridor, which eventually led him back to the familiar yellow hallways. The difference was noticeable. Now, every shadow, every flickering light, seemed to harbor potential danger that his amplified senses perceived. He moved with a newfound awareness, like a predator in its own hunting ground, or perhaps, a more cunning prey.
Hours passed in this new mode. Alex realized "Basic Stealth" consumed his excitement points slowly but steadily. He'd have to manage it. The monotony of the yellow hallways returned, but this time, Alex used it to his advantage. He focused on details he'd overlooked before: a pattern of stains on the wall, a subtle change in the carpet's color, a stretch where the hum was slightly higher-pitched.
"Chat, this is an existential 'spot the seven differences' game," Alex commented, whispering to avoid breaking his stealth. "If anyone can tell me what these weird stains mean, I'll give them my million... virtual points prize."
The chat responded with theories and insights:
[Sherlock Holmes]: "Stains are indications of patterns. Are they organic? Chemical? Repetitive? The answer lies in observation."
[Dana Scully]: "It could be a biological marker. Or residue from the anomaly itself. Analyze it, Echo."
[Jonas Kahnwald]: "Everything is connected. The stains are part of the cycle. Are they everywhere?"
[User_Theory]: "Those stains are from Smilers! Run from them!"
Excitement points received: +850 (for mystery and theories)
Alex approached one of the stains. It was dark, a dull reddish hue, spreading like a root across the wallpaper. It had a sticky texture. As he brought his lens camera closer, the image magnified slightly, revealing tiny filaments.
"This isn't pretty," Alex said with a shiver. "Definitely not spilled coffee. It looks... organic. And not the kind you see in a nature documentary."
He continued his stealthy exploration, following a series of these marks that seemed to form a trail. He moved with a deliberation that would have been impossible hours ago. His excitement points slowly dropped, but curiosity propelled him forward. If these stains were a trail, where did they lead?
The trail led him to an area where the hum was almost unbearable, a resonance that vibrated in his teeth. The lighting was chaotic, and the air felt heavier, almost electric. That's when his chest camera caught something: a silhouette. Sitting on the floor, back against the wall.
It was a human.
Alex stopped dead, stealth activated to its maximum. His lens camera gave him a closer view. The man was emaciated, his clothes in tatters. He stared blankly into space, his eyes wide and lifeless. Beside him, a small pile of scattered objects: a broken flashlight, a couple of empty cans, a blurred family photo. He looked... broken.
The chat exploded with reactions:
[Rick Grimes]: "Human! Be careful! You don't know if they're friend or foe."
[Joel Miller]: "Don't approach without a plan, Alex. The broken ones are the most dangerous."
[Bruce Wayne]: "Assess the threat. Don't assume. And prepare for the worst."
[User_Empathy]: "Poor guy! He's broken! Help him, Echo!"
[Walter White]: "An unpredictable variable. What benefit or risk does he represent?"
Excitement points received: +1500 (for surprise and moral dilemma)
Alex remained motionless, watching him. What had happened to him? Was it Level 0, the solitude, or some entity? The family photo sent a pang through his stomach. He remembered his chat's messages about whether he had family. Empathy hit him hard.
"Chat..." Alex whispered, his voice hushed. "I just found someone. He's... he's in bad shape. Not moving. Not reacting." His chest camera moved closer, showing the man's expressionless face.
The man carried no visible weapons, just despair. Alex slowly lowered the pistol. This wasn't a threat, not the kind he could shoot. This was different. This was human. This was someone like him, trapped in this hell.
Cautiously, Alex took a step towards the man. Then another. The System gave him no notification. No excitement points for "basic empathy." But the audience, he felt it, was on the edge of their seats.
"Hello," Alex said softly, his own voice sounding strange against the constant hum. "My name is Alex. Are you okay? Do you need help?"
The man didn't respond. Only a slow, almost imperceptible blink from his empty eyes. It was as if his soul had already left his body. Alex knelt, his lens camera zooming in on the blurred photo. A woman and two smiling children.
"What happened here?" Alex asked, a new urgency in his voice. He looked around, searching for signs of a struggle, of an entity. But there were only yellow walls, the hum, and the man's silence. It was the epitome of tragedy in this place.
More comments poured in:
[Chihiro Ogino]: "He is suffering. Give him your help. Don't leave him alone."
[Lee Abbott]: "If he can't defend himself, he's dead weight. But everyone deserves a chance."
[Michael Scott]: "It's a team situation! Take him with you! You'll inspire millions!"
[Tony Stark]: "An uncontrolled variable. But sometimes, a good deed is the best asset."
[User_Hopeful]: "Give him your water! Give him some hope!"
Excitement points received: +1800 (for compassion and human drama)
Alex thought for a moment, his hand resting on his backpack. He had three bottles of almond water and the rations. He could help. But at what cost? The man was broken. Caring for him would be an immense burden, a risk. But leaving him... leaving him in that state, at the mercy of whatever dragged in the darkness, felt wrong.
"I can't leave him here," Alex decided, his voice firm. It was a choice born from his own morality, not a chat suggestion or a point calculation. He pulled a bottle of water and a ration from his backpack. He knelt, and with slow movements, offered the bottle to the man. "Drink this. Please."
The man didn't react. Alex had to support his head and bring the bottle to his lips. A few sips. That was all. The man reverted to his catatonic state.
"Okay. This is... more complicated than it looked," Alex murmured, his chest camera showing the man's unexpressive face. The chat was still buzzing with comments, but Alex felt the weight of the situation. He had encountered the broken humanity of the Backrooms, and it wasn't as simple as shooting a Duller.
This encounter marked a new challenge: not just surviving, but perhaps, helping others. A mission that didn't come from the System, but from his own heart. And that, he knew, was far more dangerous than any creature.