Chika Fujiwara almost immediately dropped the clothes she had just collected, spun around fiercely, grabbed Gao Hai's hand, and desperately pulled him into the sentry box.
Because of the Rescue Team Badge still pinned to his body, the rescue team member who had already returned to the sentry box stepped out, grabbed Gao Hai's shoulders and arms, and dragged him inside.
The rescue team uniform quickly materialized on Gao Hai's body. In this critical moment, he unhesitatingly intensified his use of the Obsession Item, directly shifting his identity from explorer to rescue team member.
But the swollen humanoid gripping him did not let go.
Not only did it not let go, but its grip visibly tightened, to the point where Gao Hai nearly lost his footing and was pulled to the ground.
What was going on?
Rescue teams were supposed to save explorers and tourists. Even if this thing had become something different from the anomalies in the upper Great Slide area, it should still follow that rule. Why wouldn't it release him?
[Explorer... I... have come to save you...]
The thing mumbled as it spoke, massive amounts of water surging from its mouth with each word, mixed with pus, emitting a nauseating stench.
In that instant, Gao Hai was yanked up and suspended in mid-air.
On one side, Chika and the rescue team member gripped his hands and shoulders; on the other, the firefighter tugging his leg.
Both sides exerted superhuman force. As the rescue team member and firefighter pulled simultaneously, Gao Hai immediately felt like he was about to be torn in half.
"Chika, let go!"
Gritting his teeth, Gao Hai shouted. The girl immediately looked at him, confirmed his expression, and released her grip. Gao Hai then pulled the scalpel from his watch, spun around, and severed the firefighter anomaly's hand in one strike.
Splash!
Suddenly losing the pull from behind, Gao Hai plunged into the water, only to be dragged into the sentry box by the rescue team member.
Chika Fujiwara slammed the door shut the moment Gao Hai entered. The firefighter's severed hand had just regrown; it managed only one step forward before being locked outside.
Thud—
A heavy knocking sounded from outside.
The sentry box itself seemed to possess special power. The anomaly did not destroy the door but instead knocked obediently, just as in the security guard rules—attempting entry solely through knocking.
[Explorer... don't give up...]
Amid the knocking, the thing's muffled voice continued.
[We... will save you... out...]
[Don't give up... you can... still get out...]
[Hold on... we... will save you...]
In the heavy knocking, the thing's words carried a tone of desperate resolve.
Sitting on the ground, Gao Hai closed his eyes.
His head began to throb.
Though seated, he felt a rush of blood to his brain, as if suspended upside down in mid-air for a prolonged time.
He seemed to hear sounds.
Not from the thing outside the door.
But muffled voices penetrating through the rock walls.
[Hold on!]
[Don't give up!]
[We'll definitely save you!]
In the darkness, someone behind him—in a place he couldn't see—shouted at him repeatedly.
No, that's not right... completely wrong...
That wasn't me.
The person in that scene wasn't me.
Who was it?
Who exactly was it?
[Don't give up, Andres!]
[Hold on a bit longer; we'll save you. Hold on, please, you have to hold on.]
[This time we'll succeed for sure. Don't give up; let us try once more, okay?]
Where and when did that happen?
Andres...
Was that person's name Andres?
What had he done? Why was he seeing, feeling this scene—as if...
"Gao-kun, are you okay?!"
Chika Fujiwara's worried little face filled Gao Hai's view.
Their cheeks nearly touched; one more step and they'd kiss.
Normally, Chika Fujiwara would never act this way toward the opposite sex—especially someone known for just one day. But now, facing Gao Hai, her comrade through life and death, the girl disregarded her shame, gripped his shoulders tightly, nearly pinning him to the ground.
"Don't do that; I might think you're confessing to me."
Gao Hai blinked, regaining clarity, and teased lightly.
He now understood what had happened.
Core obsession.
The second core obsession of the instance.
During his passage through the [Blood Vessel], he must have contacted the Red Nut Gray Hole's second core obsession.
Though he couldn't recall the process for some reason, the contact had imposed another identity atop his [role-play] one—one recognizable by anomalies without clothes or words. That's why the firefighter clung relentlessly: in its eyes, Gao Hai had only one identity.
That identity was... during the Red Nut Gray Hole's operation, before supernatural events, the origin of it all—the first trapped person's identity.
Andres.
That person's name was Andres.
In this moment, Gao Hai learned the second core obsession's pre-death name.
Unlike Li Zhaodi from the first game, Andres's name drew no gaze, no attraction from the core obsession. It was as if asleep; even knowing so much about it—including its name—brought no attention or curse.
In that sense, this thing was rather benign?
Gao Hai never imagined describing a core obsession—an instance's big boss horror—as [benign].
"I'm fine. Time to move; no time to waste. You ready?"
Gao Hai took a deep breath, placed a hand on Chika Fujiwara's shoulder, and asked seriously.
"Mission guaranteed!"
Chika Fujiwara's expression turned solemn; she straightened and replied earnestly.
Gao Hai had briefed her on all key points. In Maki's world, the explorers were returning and would soon reach the entrance.
Next, Chika had to don explorer clothes after their base check in the quarantine zone, replace one of the three members, and carry three security uniforms—ensuring Kaguya and Maki could swap quickly upon approach, then transmit to the security timeline.
Gao Hai or the rescue member couldn't deliver; he was [watched], and the member, as his Obsession Item, would draw the white-dress woman blocking doors and springs. Entering the base meant likely GG.
The knocking outside had stopped.
Under the occupants' [ignore], the firefighter didn't persist—proving even without playing security guards, the knocking anomaly followed rules: [things knocking on the sentry box door will give up after a time if ignored].
Chika Fujiwara shed her explorer suit and donned the exploration personnel uniform.
After several changes, she was somewhat accustomed to swapping before Gao Hai—still shy, but movements fluid.
Incidentally, while she changed, Gao Hai temporarily dismissed the rescue member. Though knowing it wasn't Lao Guo anymore—not human, no desire—having it present felt off.
Does this mean I don't want other males seeing Chika Fujiwara change?
That implies strong possessiveness toward her?
Gao Hai pondered.
The girl opposite had finished changing and vanished before him.
Now, he could only track via Maki's updates.
"Phew..."
Gao Hai leaned against the wall, messaged Maki that Chika had arrived, then waited silently.
Would it go smoothly?
Gao Hai admitted some anxiety.
Chika had been reliable, but now she acted alone in his fatal first-loop spot—he worried intensely, unable to calm.
One minute, two...
Gao Hai sat silently, fingers tapping the floor lightly, eyes closed, breathing steady.
Five, six...
Tapping quickened slightly; brows furrowed.
Sixteen, seventeen...
Gao Hai opened his eyes, staring at the empty sentry box—him alone—irritation rising.
Finally, at minute 19, Maki messaged.
{Maki Shijo: Maki and Auntie met Fujiwara-san. We're in the personnel lounge small room. We'll swap to security uniforms next; ETA two minutes. Hai-kun, your side?}
Maki's voice calm, straightforward as always.
{I know. I'm ready. Tell me when you're about to zip up; we'll sync entry.}
Gao Hai replied instantly, stood, resummoned the rescue member to don security uniform, and did the same with his prepared clothes.
From first-loop experience and Susan/Lixer's words, donning security clothes anywhere teleports to the sentry box—the timeline guarding the Great Slide.
Now for the moment.
{Almost done; zippers last. Hai-kun, 3-second countdown.}
Maki messaged again.
Gao Hai prepared with her, counting final three seconds.
3, 2, 1—
Everything shifted instantly.
Sentry box renewed; Maki, Kaguya, Chika stood beside Gao Hai; rescue member ahead, facing the mangled security guard corpse on the bed.
Though faceless, crushed horror, at five security guards crowding the box, it seemed briefly stunned.
________________________________________
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