Chapter 334: 334: The Searcher
Chapter 334: The Searcher
“Special Event Step Three: [Save My Wife]
Requirement: Based on the map coordinates provided by Mr. Aha, rescue his wife.
Optional requirement (+): Try to mend the relationship between the two before bringing Mr. Aha’s wife back.”
“Good luck… Hurry and bring my wife back.”
Mr. Aha seemed worried about his wife, but after giving his instructions, he crossed his legs and continued reading the day’s newspaper.”
…….
Back in the corridor area.
The strong Evil Qi still shows no signs of abating… It continues to affect lives in this corridor, occasionally allowing us to see the red liquid spilling from the walls.
The real strength of Mr. Aha far outweighs the overall difficulty of the Fate event.
Even when choosing a faction, the System reminded us that we must be very careful of Mr. Aha, despite seeking refuge with the lighthouse and gaining protection from the park administrator.
Killing Mr. Aha was the key to passing the event flawlessly.
An opportunity in disguise, but in reality, a deadly trap.
…….
Our team members understood this well.
They all agreed with Han Dong’s choice to join the “Horror Strange Tales” faction.
Next, they needed to figure out how to rescue Mr. Aha’s wife.
“It’s almost impossible to sneak through this time… Mr. Aha’s wife is in the most strictly regulated area; we’ll have to come into contact with the ‘Searchlight Arm’.
Once exposed, you all do your best to hold them off, and I will rescue Mr. Aha’s wife in the shortest possible time.”
“What if… the rescue target also has attacking abilities?”
Abe asked a question that had to be considered.
If Mr. Aha’s wife herself was a monstrously evil Strange Tale, who had been left here for nearly a century, she might have even more extreme emotions.
Then it could turn into a situation where we’re caught in the middle of a pincer attack.
“You all just take care of the ‘Searchlight Arm’… I’ll deal with his wife.”
Abe nodded, his animal ears flickering slightly.
“Okay… I’ll take care of whatever is fused with the Silent Hill. I have some experience.
Last time, the Fate Space I entered with other upperclassmen was a small branch of the Silent Hill game series. I’m familiar with some of the monster features, which is why I felt a bit familiar when I saw the Searchlight Arm creature.
With Mia’s Demon Sword and Winry’s help, holding off this group of Searchlight Arms for a while shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Alright!”
As we ascended the spiral staircase.
“Strange… Why didn’t it trigger the alarm? We made quite a ruckus when we opened the door downstairs.”
It was odd. The security level of the Regulatory Office was no different from when Han Dong had snuck in earlier. The tall legs were still patrolling the corridors as usual.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Abe said in a low voice, “Nicholas, do you think it might be a… sensory problem.
These ‘Searchlight Arms’ need to directly light up or ‘see’ the target in order to trigger the alarm?”
“That seems to be the case… These creatures seem to have concentrated all their ‘senses’ into the Searchlight Arm.”
Han Dong silently noted this trait, proceeding according to the points marked on the map.
The closer we got to the location where ‘the wife’ was detained, the more Searchlight Arms there were.
A new type of Searchlight Arm, the ‘Searchlight Arm’, had even appeared in the corridor.
The Searchlight Arm grew from the end of a thick arm, whose palm was clasped tightly against the wall.
The Searchlight Arm could rotate freely at the end, like a surveillance camera.
It was hard to find an opportunity to bypass it, only to find out that there were four such ‘Searchlight Arms’ growing in the corridor ahead… there was no gap to sneak through.
“We’re three corridors away from our destination… Let’s make our move here.”
“Alright!”
The team, who had never planned to sneak through the entire course, chose this place as the turning point.
Whoosh!
Four flashes of the blade.
Mia instantly severed the four Searchlight Arms in the corridor… But the fallen Searchlight Arms still had a lighting function, its light flashing across Mia’s leg.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle…
All at once! Some sort of electromagnetic interference sound echoed in Mia’s mind.
Her vision also began to flash and blur.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle! The metal surface of one of the fallen Searchlight Arms began to hum.
With every ‘sizzle’ of the electromagnetic interference, this hum seemed to grow wilder… Mia felt as if she was fast-forwarding through a movie.
A few flashes later.
Wearing a steel screaming helmet, wrapped in rotten wire, one hand holding a huge axe and the other a Searchlight Arm, below the waist wearing an apron, the [Searchlight] was fully formed.
It was the core existence of the Regulatory Office that Mr. Aha had mentioned… a creature born from the union of human technology and the Park Administrator.
Its figure is the classic monster from Silent Hill – Pyramid Head.
Inheriting the horror and pressure traits of Pyramid Head, while also possessing some special traits of the Park Administrator… Mr. Aha had also warned that when encountering this thing, the main strategy should be to delay it rather than to fight directly.
“Retreat!”
Just as Mia felt danger due to her basic survival instinct and attempted to retreat.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle! Electromagnetic interference…
A sensation like a fast-forwarded television screen hit her again.
The screen jumped!
The huge axe previously dragged behind suddenly appeared above Mia’s head… there was no time to dodge.
Caw!
At the critical moment, a crow’s caw echoed!
A ‘Crowman’, flapping his wings, embraced Mia’s waist at the crucial moment, dragging her backwards.
Clang!
The huge axe heavily fell to the ground.
Ancient, strange wires began growing from the massive gap carved into the ground by the axe… If the axe had landed on Mia, it would likely have been fatal.
“Nicholas… Thank you.”
Mia looked sideways at Han Dong, who had transformed into a ‘Crowman’, and a blush rose to her cheeks.
“By emitting a special electromagnetic field to interfere with brain waves, the attack also seems to carry a bizarre ‘electrical wire’ special effect.
Winry will take out some spare metal to make a temporary closed helmet that can effectively shield electromagnetic wave interference.”
“Alright!”
Winry began forging the helmet on the spot. A common metal helmet without a form requirement could be crafted within a minute…
And during the time Winry was blacksmithing.
Han Dong, disregarding danger, flew through the corridor in his Crowman form, heading straight for the [Searchlight].
However…
Whiz!
A swooshing sound passed by Han Dong’s ears.
Han Dong even brushed past the [Searchlight]…
Interestingly, the [Searchlight] didn’t seem to have any desire to attack Han Dong, who was coming straight at it, nor did it try to release any sort of electromagnetic wave to interfere.
After getting past it, Han Dong made an ‘OK’ gesture to his teammates, signaling that he would go find Mr. Aha’s wife first.
And in doing so, he also confirmed one thing: the creature relied entirely on the Searchlight in its hand to locate targets, and if the Searchlight didn’t capture a target, it wouldn’t launch an attack.
However…
Tap, tap, tap!
High-heeled footsteps echoed ominously in the corridor, coming from multiple directions.
Dozens of Searchlight beams were closing in fast.