[Work completed, work result — Good.]
"Pfft..."
The pneumatic gate in front of them gradually opened, and Arthur and Komini finally left the G-01-05 containment room once again.
However, their expressions were far from good.
This was something the Guide had not explained—even in the world of Terraria, while the body might not feel tired, the mind still could…
Mining continuously for ten hours straight was something even a hardcore gamer couldn't endure.
Now, they had melted all the ore they brought back into ingots.
Hmm—one Lead Pickaxe, thirteen Platinum Ingots, and a large number of miscellaneous items…
It was quite the harvest.
"Komini, let's disband here… Our work is done. Let's rest for a while…"
At the clock-out area, Arthur gave his instructions.
However, he didn't need to remind Komini not to talk about Terraria…
Well—more precisely, after the Guide applied cognitive interference to her, she wouldn't talk about it anyway.
"Okay…" Komini was also extremely tired at this moment. She nodded and swayed back toward her dormitory.
So…
It was time for Arthur to end his day's work.
Lying on the soft bed in his dormitory, just before succumbing to overwhelming drowsiness, he still waved his hand and checked his attribute panel.
Name: Arthur
Identity: Employee (Training Department)
Level: 3
Courage: 2 HP: 178
Prudence: 3 SP: 56
Discipline: 3
Justice: 2
EGO Accessory: Gaze of the Evil Thing (Neck)
EGO Equipment: Decisive Heart, Grinder MK4
Another five Life Crystals.
Arthur let out a sigh of relief.
With 178 life points, he was already far above the attributes of a normal Level 5 Employee.
And Komini's 98 health—along with the Terra Blade—was barely enough for her to protect herself in this small Branch.
Closing his eyes, Arthur's consciousness, mentally exhausted from eighteen hours of continuous work, finally sank into darkness.
...
He didn't know how much time had passed.
In the pitch-black darkness, the incessant alarm on his watch woke him up.
'How long has it been?'
He forced his eyes open and reached out to check the time.
AM 8:35.
"So early?"
Even though his mental fatigue hadn't completely dissipated, Arthur still got up.
There was no other choice—Lobotomy Corporation's energy production requirements for its Employees were extremely strict…
But soon, he realized something was wrong.
'Power outage?'
Arthur reached out and flicked the light switch, but there was no response.
'...'
Silent, his hand resting on his Decisive Heart, Arthur quietly walked out of the Employee dormitory.
The corridor outside was empty.
It wasn't until he neared the central Control Department of the Training Department that he finally saw a few figures.
They were all swaying, with extra limbs growing from their bodies, yet blood flowed freely from wounds that hadn't fully healed.
Their appearances were drastically distorted.
But they all shared one thing in common: having lost all consciousness, they were tightly clustered around the "doctor."
'SCP-049-2…'
Arthur stood frozen in the corridor, dumbfounded.
How long had he slept for so many things to happen?!
And it wasn't over yet…
Just as he was still processing it, a piercing red alarm echoed throughout the entire Training Department.
With heavy metallic thuds, all the department's gates slammed shut, completely sealing it off from escape.
From not far away, the floor elevators began operating. When they reached this level, soldiers in red jumpsuits and Rabbit helmets poured out in large numbers.
'Rabbit Team?'
Arthur raised an eyebrow—then relaxed.
Because he knew the Rabbit Team couldn't appear in a Branch. The contract between L Corporation and R Corporation only covered the main Branch.
It was a dream…
He was seventy to eighty percent sure.
Arthur lightly cut a shallow line across his palm with Decisive Heart.
'It doesn't hurt…'
Completely relaxed, Arthur was struck by a Rabbit Team bullet the next instant.
"Hoo—"
Arthur suddenly jolted awake in reality, his clothes soaked with cold sweat.
'What kind of dream was that…'
He sat up and raised his hand to check the time again.
AM 4:15…
He had only slept for four hours. After being forced awake again, he had no mood left to continue sleeping.
Changing into a fresh suit, Arthur forced himself to perk up, picked up his Decisive Heart, and headed toward the central Control Room of the Training Department.
Even though he knew it was fake, he still had to go check on SCP-049.
"Senior, good morning… It's only 4 AM. You're up this early?"
The night-shift Employee looked at Arthur—dark circles under his eyes—and expressed clear surprise.
"I couldn't sleep," Arthur replied flatly. "Give me work authorization for G-01-12. I'll go check on it."
"Eh…" The Employee clearly didn't understand what this senior was thinking.
However… Lobotomy Corporation never refused voluntary overtime.
Work started. Work panel opened.
Worker: Arthur
Subject: Anomaly G-01-12
PE-BOX energy collected: 0/20
Perhaps he really was overthinking it…
As soon as he entered, Arthur realized this.
The containment room was clean and orderly. Even the clerk's corpse lying at the center had its bloody internal organs neatly removed and carefully arranged on the floor.
Hmm… Only one "doctor" resided in this entire corridor.
049 sat calmly in what had once been an Employee's chair, diligently writing something unknown in a small notebook.
"Doctor?"
049 didn't look up, but it easily sensed Arthur's presence.
"Is there any research work you need my help with?"
"No. Just came in to look."
Arthur pulled a chair from the corner and sat down.
"Are you satisfied with your current research?"
"Of course…" 049 stopped writing, a faint chuckle escaping from beneath its bird-beak mask.
"Working with you is indeed much more pleasant than with my old friends…"