Chapter 251. Wailing Graffiti
With his newly gathered information, Charles felt his heart steadied considerably. No matter how formidable the relic, it was still a non-living thing. Also, it seemed to be bound by certain limitations.
Whenever it replaced a door, a faint red light would shimmer overhead. As long as he kept this in mind, his adversary wouldn't be able to easily trick him into opening any unintended doors.
But a new problem soon presented itself to Charles. How was he supposed to find Door 7 with Door 3's interference?
Charles ran a hand over the door in front of it. It was Door 15. Clearly, relying on numerical order was futile. The doors here were not arranged in any discernible pattern.
Charles strolled up and down the dusty metallic corridor as he pondered on his next step. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He began to pry at Door 15 with his dagger.
"Captain, this is Door 15, not Door 7," Feuerbach remarked from the side.
"I know!" Charles snapped back.
Despite being as sturdy as it was, the door soon gave way under Charles's persistent efforts with both his revolver and dagger.
He stepped inside to find no tangible objects in the room. The only thing he saw were walls gleaming with a metallic sheen and an abstract, horrifying graffiti portrait.
The figure was drawn in a grotesquely twisted pose, with its limbs knotted like braids. All its organs, except for the mouth, were sewn shut with needles and thread. Its mouth was agape, in apparent agony.
The sudden encounter with such an image under the oppressive dark environment was unsettling. Feuerbach instinctively took a step back. Chart your course back to the origins of this substance at n0v^lbin
Staring at the graffiti, Charles pondered for a brief moment before speaking to it as if it were a person.
"Do you know Tobba? The one you played Texas Hold'em with."
The graffiti remained silent to Charles' question. It didn't climb out of the wall nor make a single sound, as though it were just any other ordinary painting.
Charles let out a sigh as he mentally berated himself for trusting the words of the eccentric Tobba.
Just as he turned around and decided to think of another strategy, his gaze landed on something that had abruptly appeared on the corridor wall, sending a jolt through his heart.
The graffiti that had just been inside the room moments before had instantly teleported onto the corridor wall, its sewn-shut eyes seemingly staring blankly at him.
The oppressive atmosphere weighed down heavier on the dimly lit corridor. After all, everything contained by the Foundation was far from benign.
A trace of annoyance flickered across Charles' visage as he closed the door and turned to face the terrifying 372 on the room's wall.
"Is this amusing to you?"
A soft thud echoed from within the room. Charles' gaze shifted to find the marker pen on the floor.
He cast a glance at 372 on the wall and pondered for a moment before walking over to pick up the pen.
The moment Charles grasped the pen, a tremendous force yanked him toward the metall wall. As if possessed, his hand began to move on its own and quickly wrote on the wall.
Very soon, a few lines of the seascape's language appeared on the wall.
Conditions: 1. Find a container; 2. Attach the Wailing Graffiti; 3. Take the Wailing Graffiti above water.
Reward: Guide the Captain to the Soul Printer.
[Agree? Disagree?]
"Ah, so 372 wants to communicate with me through this pen and wants me to bring it out of here," Charles muttered to himself as he read the text on the wall.
The conditions seemed reasonable, or in fact in Charles' favor, in exchange for the location of 319.
"I agree," Charles voiced his decision. As soon as his words fell, the pen in his hand moved on its own to swiftly draw a circle around the word "Agree".
Swish!
The text on the wall erupted into flames and in that instant, Charles felt a weight settle upon him as if he had shouldered something on himself.
The marker pen started scribbling once more on the wall.
Exit the door, turn left, walk 15 meters ahead. Soul Printer will be on the left.
"Found it!" Excitement painted Charles' face as he dashed out of the room and followed the wall's direction in search of the so-called Door 7.
Exit... turn left... walk 15 meters... On the left.
Charles turned to his left and stared at the plain wall before him. A mix of astonishment and realization flickered across his countenance.
The so-called Door 7 was a hidden door all along. No wonder he couldn't find it no matter how hard he looked.