CH 76.5

Fei murmurs, wondering, “where could the Nightmare’s owner… be?”

Suits shakes his head and simply replies, “we have zero clues right now, but at best, we’ve moved just over ten storeys down. It would certainly only become more dangerous the more we descend, too.”

Though as he speaks, he also develops an odd feeling. There seems to be a strange sense of déjà vu caused by the Nightmare.

He quickly pushes aside the initial dismissiveness he had towards this Nightmare at the beginning, as he realises that, this Nightmare, might actually be related to the truth in the Tower somehow. At least, this strange sense of déjà vu coming from the exploration so far is worthy of a reminder for him to reconsider his past experiences in Nightmares.

In the complete silence, Teen seems to have found some stationery from the surroundings. He is writing on it on his own.

While writing, he speaks up for all to hear, “first, elevator One, stopped on the 36th floor, with buttons for seven, eighteen, twenty-nine and thirty-two. Thirty-two corresponds to the 24th floor where we are, and is safe. Elevator Two is stopped on this floor.

We do not know for certain which floor number seven corresponds to, but it must be between the 24th and 36th floor. It is likely to be the 26th or 27th floor, but it is beyond our capabilities of verification for now; the floor is dangerous.

Now, we can check on eighteen and twenty-nine; and also, elevator Two.

Currently, we have found four elevators and two cargo elevators. It seems the elevators cannot be called to another floor. They are only usable when the elevator is found on the floor it is stopped.

If so, when we first reach a floor, we should first check for dangers, then check for stopped elevators and cargo elevators, and check for the actual floor number, before finishing off with sweeping for clues over the entire floor.”

He puts the pen down with a clank to conclude, “that’s all.”

Teen then lowers his head to mull over what he said for a bit, and everything seems to be in place, so he makes a copy of the material and hands it and a pen over to Jiang Shuangmei, telling her, “write down the information on elevator Two as you learn of them. If we end up meeting up later, we can exchange the paper.”

Besides, writing things down helps reinforce memories; human recollection is notoriously unreliable, but Teen is not going to mention that.

Jiang Shuangmei takes the piece of paper without making any fuss.

They check the 24th floor thoroughly once more, and is certain there are no clues left behind. They’re about to leave.

Just before they enter the elevator lobby, Mystic suddenly asks, “do you… not feel anything?”

“What?”

Mystic takes a few deep breaths, and closes her eyes to speak with a voice so soft it is barely audible, “feel… the weakness… in the building. Shaking… We don’t have much time!”

That last sentence was yelled out loud, spooking the Missiontakers.

Suits stares at her for bit before asking, “are you the Mystic? I didn’t want to assume, but… Well, I’ll believe in you.”

Jiang Shuangmei can’t help but ask, “what?”

Mystic remains silent.

Suits explains, “Mystic… They say that this Missiontaker has once used a special utility card for which she paid a rather strange price. It made her extremely sensitive, even downright schizophrenic, but she is also able to notice things that no one else can.”

Teen adds, “however, a defining feature of schizophrenia is that Mystic herself cannot tell if her senses and what she is feeling is actually a hallucination or if it is really happening.”

Suits nods, not commenting on the medical accuracy, and instead tells them, “although I think that what Mystic just said would also make sense. There must be a time limit of some sort for leaving the building.

We can still focus on collecting information for the first run, but from now on, time is of the essence. Everyone should also prepare themselves so that you’re adjusted for it by the time the second run starts.”

“Mystic, can you tell when that danger you are feeling would come to pass?” Teen asks.

Mystic seems to fall into thought for a while, but shakes her head, “I cannot tell, but… there is still a bit of time,” she murmurs, “not a lot, but some time remains.”

Suits nods, and translates it, “it seems that there would be one more, or two more hours at best.”

Jiang Shuangmei “…”

Oi, how did you actually manage to communicate the information?!

Though… Would there really be such mysterious, almost supernatural-like powers? You know, the Tower doesn’t actually have any supernatural or fantasy-related Nightmares. So what’s this… Intuition?

Jiang Shuangmei is looking at Mystic curiously, but she also doesn’t ask.

She turns to look at her companions – Fei is already following her, but Shen Yünjü is still standing there hesitantly, looking out at the burning city and the scenery around him. He looks like he’s somewhat out of it.

Jiang Shuangmei calls out to him a few times to stop his thinking. Shen Yünjü comes back around, and follows her.

Then they enter elevators One and Two respectively to head for different floors.

In the meantime, Lin Qin and Wu Jian are still descending through what feels like countless stairs.

Wu Jian could almost see himself as walking down into the depths of Hell.

… Terrifying.

Thankfully, the presence of the dalao Lin Qin is making him feel secure.

Wu Jian, and Fei, for that matter, isn’t that much like other Missiontakers who have come down from the higher floors. He’s not really arrogant, and in fact, he can admit without shame that yes, he’s exactly the kind of powerless Missiontaker who needs the dalao’s fighting strength to help.

Yup, he finds no shame in that.

Anyway, despite the weariness he is feeling from the stairs and the rather spooky atmosphere, all in all, the two of them have been safe the entire time. They do not meet any of the dangers the other Missiontakers have faced thus far.

They have kept a steady pace while descending the stairs. Soon enough, they’re already in the tens of the floors.

Suddenly, Lin Qin stops.

He looks up at the paint that identifies the floor number of this floor.

This is the 16th floor.

Lin Qin furrows his brows. He seems to be mulling over something, like some sort of doubt has suddenly beset him, before he suddenly pushes open the fire exit on this floor to enter.