However, with Fala's reminder, X 's actions within the Inner Lobotomy Corporation became much bolder.
As the dream faded, X slowly opened his eyes.
Almost instinctively, he raised his hand and carefully felt along his left arm—
In that not-long-ago "dream," it had been viciously cut by the cold, razor-sharp circular saw of O-05-76.
His fingertips repeatedly brushed over the skin. Aside from a strange soreness and weakness in the arm muscles, there was no sign of any wound he had expected—there wasn't even the slightest hint of pain.
X let out a long breath. The weight hanging over his heart finally lifted.
This exploration of an Abnormality's world had taught him two more things.
First: not every Abnormality's domain within the Inner Lobotomy Corporation was like One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds, complete with an adorable anthropomorphized core.
For example, the O-05-76 he had dared to enter today—an Abnormality that had tormented him for an entire day and night during actual work.
Its world was no monastery or forest, but an extremely oppressive and unsettling sealed room.
The walls and ceiling were densely covered with cameras of every conceivable model, along with countless metal keyholes of varying sizes and shapes.
And when you summoned the courage to peer into those pitch-black keyholes, you would discover—
On the other side of every single one was a lifeless, grayish-white eyeball, silently and motionlessly staring back at you.
They were exactly the same as the eyes of its surface-world form.
Though it lacked the blood-soaked brutality of reality, the fear of being watched by countless unknown gazes was even more capable of crushing a person's sanity and will on a psychological level.
So much so that even after waking up, the image of those eyes in the keyholes still lingered in X 's mind.
Fortunately, there hadn't been only X in that room—there had also been a blind man.
How should one put it… after hearing the blind man muttering things like "I can finally see nothing" and "it's all just hallucinations," X had basically guessed the nature of this Abnormality.
Especially when he saw that the man's eyes had clearly been stabbed out by his own fountain pen, X became even more certain of his conclusion.
"Don't look at it."
That was the key to dealing with O-05-76.
The second thing X learned was this—what the girl named Fala had said was correct.
His self in the inner world really was extremely tough.
He had personally witnessed employees wearing armor with a 0.7 physical resistance modifier being shredded into minced meat by that circular saw in just two seconds.
And yet, in that Abnormality's world just now, even though he had accidentally triggered some kind of mechanism and taken the saw head-on, the result was merely the sensation of his arm bones being hacked hard once.
There was no severing of limbs—he could hardly even call it a serious injury.
To endure that terrifying circular saw head-on for a full second and come away with nothing more than "strained muscles and shaken bones" was already an absurdly frightening level of durability.
"Well, whatever… as long as I'm fine."
Although his left arm still retained a bit of lingering soreness and weakness, it didn't interfere with normal daily activity. X decided not to dwell on it any further.
He checked the time and saw that there was still plenty of it left. After some thought, he reluctantly got out of bed.
"I didn't write yesterday's diary… since it's still early, I should hurry and make it up."
—
DAY 14
Manager's Office
"Did that program take effect?"
X had only just written the first character in his diary when the green logo symbolizing B suddenly appeared.
"I thought you'd wait another day or two before showing up again."
X 's hand paused slightly, then he quickly closed the open diary.
"I haven't had the chance to use that program yet. Yesterday's work was pretty busy… I didn't find an opportunity to ask Angela anything."
"No? …Well, that's not important."
The writing continued to appear:
"Anyway, it's time to tell you the second secret."
"Ask yourself honestly—how much do you really know about this company?"
"Hm… know?"
X thought it over carefully, then shook his head and gave an answer similar to the one from their first conversation.
"The answer is no. Even though I've already met the head of the Control Department, I still basically know nothing about the company."
As he said this, a sudden spark flashed through X 's mind, as if overlooked clues were being connected together at this very moment.
He sharply sensed that he had grasped a hidden thread that had long been lurking in the shadows.
"B, the second secret you want to tell me wouldn't happen to be 'don't trust this company,' would it?"
X suddenly looked up and asked.
"…That's right."
The text output on the screen paused noticeably because of X 's sudden question.
The green light of the logo even seemed to flicker slightly.
This near "instant-answer" level of insight was clearly something B hadn't anticipated. As a result, its response was much slower.
But after a moment of adjustment, the text appeared again:
"There was once a time when everyone in this company worked toward the same goal…"
"But that is no longer the case. This company is far darker than you imagine—countless times darker."
"Fortunately, even in its current state, there is still someone within the company worthy of your trust."
"That woman named Fala. Although she may still lie to you, I can guarantee that she harbors absolutely no ill intent toward you."
"Is that so…?"
It had to be said—B's information was delivered with extremely skillful guidance and persuasion.
Almost step by step, in a gradual manner, it was leading X toward a preset cognitive trap—so subtly that even X himself might not have fully realized it.
Not to mention Fala's seemingly independent outside support—
After last night's contact within the Inner Lobotomy Corporation, now faced with B's words, even if X didn't fully believe them, his remaining vigilance inevitably loosened.
But X had never stopped thinking.
"Starting with planting my suspicion toward Angela through that program, and now coordinating with Fala…"
X spoke slowly.
"B, your goal from beginning to end has simply been to gain my trust. Am I wrong?"
"And those first two so-called secrets were merely preparation for the final one."
X 's gaze locked tightly onto the green logo on the screen.
"The preparation for the final secret—the one you're desperately trying to convey to me."
"Why go to such lengths, B? What exactly is that secret?"
"…"
"You give me a very contradictory feeling. Every conversation is filled with an anX ious frustration, like someone resenting iron for not becoming steel, mixed with a fear that someone important to you might suffer…"
X 's eyes seemed to pierce through the cold digital projection, as though trying to see the true manipulator hidden behind it.
"Who are you, really?"
"…"
Faced with X 's questioning, B unusually chose not to answer. It had been silent ever since, not a single word.
"I know very clearly that between graduating from university and entering Lobotomy Corporation, there is a very obvious gap in my memories."
Without receiving any reply, X lowered his head, his voice somewhat subdued.
"If you really were once my friend… then I hope you can tell me everything."
"Being so familiar yet unable to recognize each other is painful—for you and for me."
X raised his head once more.
"Please, tell me, alright?"
This time, there was no trace of that sharp, all-seeing gaze in his eyes—only a heartfelt plea.
"The truth of all this. The truth of Lobotomy Corporation. The truth of the memories I lost. And… your truth. What exactly is it?"