Whatever it was, I didn't want to know.
That thing lunged at me, and I managed to kick it away mid-air. It struck against a wall, creating a sizeable hole. I was then about to restrain it, but it disappeared.
I then noticed a quick skitter in my peripheral vision. It ran away.
I wanted to give chase, but I have some more pressing issues to prioritize.
Anyway, I discovered a whole new area.
The whole thing that I've made on the wall. Well, behind it revealed a marvelously spacious area that was hard to describe. It was my first time witnessing structures like these.
There were these tall and wide, oddly conjoined structures with hundreds of windows on them. The windows felt like multiple oppressive eyes.
As if my every single move was under surveillance.
There were four square green patches on the ground and a circular platform in the middle. I thought the green patches were grass, but they weren't. They were grass indeed, but made out of a malleable clay-like material; it was another mock display.
There were no doors, and there were even windows near the ground level.
The one redeemable feature about this place was that it wasn't invaded by the sickening yellow shade and the electric buzzing.
The color was neutral, similar to an interior of a bureaucratic or banking institution. It was bland, but it provided me with some comfort.
I leaped forward, aiming for the tallest structure, breaking one of the windows. The room was empty, as always, but the ceiling lights were a whitish blue for a change.
I explored the area, opening doors and kicking away several foundations. Some things were worth checking this time; there was a mannequin. It had no clothes on display; it was naked and white.
A large rectangular banner was displayed behind it, and again, I couldn't decipher the language. There was a structure in the banner, akin to a huge manor.
However, the size was colossal compared to a manor; I could tell that much.
I thought that maybe the words had some clue; it would be a boon. I can easily learn a language, but I don't have a lot of reference, nor is there anyone around speaking this kind of language. There was only one hope, one patron.
[ Divine Protection of Understanding Foreign Languages ]= You can understand any foreign language upon hearing or reading it once, but it doesn't apply to any ancient tongues.
Od Laguna is always looking out for me. What a generous patron...
I then turn to the banner, and the words now make sense, as if I've been reading these words for a long time. I furrowed my brows, looking for any clue.
"The Grand Re-Opening..." I muttered, eye squinting. "New York Boulevard Mall..." The banner displayed an expansion of a mall, a big shopping place, and there was a date at the bottom.
I don't know how to read this; the numbers were confusing, but it was most certainly a date.
April 8, 2000.
I have no idea what that meant; there wasn't a format like that where I came from.
This place was growing stranger every day. This place is like a prison, but for what or for whom? I doubt that this whole place was made for me.
I ignored the banner and continued walking forward, looking for anything useful. A foul stench caught my nose, another lost soul. However, this time, the decay wasn't as advanced.
It was recent.
A sharp turn and there it was, the poor lost soul. It was another one of those men wearing strange yellow armor, but this time, it was different. There was a mask on his face, and his armor was thinner instead of the bulky ones that I've come across.
An oblong-shaped device was strapped behind his back, and the tip was covered in red paint. A breathing apparatus... It has to be. That's the only thing that I can surmise.
This man was curled in a fetal position. His last thoughts were of his caring mother, based on his curled position, a sad sight. There was a small rectangular card beside him, an identification card.
"Terrence Hardin. ASync Research Institute Employee Card."
A small smile appeared on my face; the divine protection to understand foreign languages was paying off. A heavy pressure on my chest subsided upon learning a clue.
Whatever this infinite place was, a certain group of people was studying it.
Maybe if I return this card and mark this place, they'll lead me to an exit. It's a research institute; they'd surely want their dead back. That's a guarantee.
I explored the area again, looking for any extra clues.
A device, shaped like a black baton, had a button near the tip of it. I pushed it, and the device lit up, projecting a cone of bright white light. A tool that the man must've dropped.
I muttered a quick prayer for the man and the clues that he provided. I made sure to make a mental note of the location of this man, along with the man who died from a great height.
Now, these two dead men were of average build. They don't have any powerful capabilities, so I doubt they've strayed far from the checkpoint or starting point of their research institute.
However, they might've been displaced like me and then died alone.
No matter, with my speed, I can cover a lot of distance. I've put the exploration of that room full of water on hold for now; making contact with this ASync is now the priority.
"!?" I felt a tingle as I left the area. My senses were telling me that someone was watching me. Was it that monster from before? I turned behind, and the sensation was gone, abruptly vanishing.