บท 139: Interview with SCP-682 Part 1

Zhang Jue stood on the hotel's roof, letting the cold wind blow against his face. Today's conversation with Dr. Li resolved his long-standing doubts. But it also added many new suspicions. He now knew that there was a mysterious organization that had been trying to kill him since the first day he had arrived at the Foundation.

Such a big grudge.

MRW.

He looked at the three letters in his hand and searched his mind for information repeatedly but came up empty. It was neither an acronym for any SCP Object nor groups of interest by the Foundation. Come to think of it, all those foundation documents he'd read were made up by the people in his world, so how could an organization exist specifically to kill him?

Did he really think it was the Anti-Zhang Jue Volunteer Group? That organization is presumed to only exist in this world.

It was normal that he didn't know about it. From Guan Peng's transfer order, it seemed that this organization's personnel had probably infiltrated the top brass of the Foundation. It was even possible that a certain O5 Member was their leader.

Of course, he didn't believe all of Dr. Li's words. After all, if Dr. Li could fool him the first time, he could fool him the second time.

When he returned to Site-14, he had to investigate the matter again. He lived in Site-14 for more than half a year. I thought there was nothing he did not know inside. But now, it seems that Site-14 is way deeper than he thought it would be.

Zhang Jue remembered what Yang Wenbai had said to him before he retired.

"Compared to the anomalies that are feared. People are the most frightening thing in this world."

...

The next day tomorrow, is the third day. This is a special day because today is the day Zhang Jue can finally go to see SCP-682. As the largest Foundation site in the world, the Site-19 containment room is much larger and more complex than Site-14. Usually, only the staff in charge of the area would get a map of part of the area.

The Foundation takes the containment of SPC-682 very seriously. Its containment room and disposal lab are in a separate building. However, according to Zhang Jue's request, his meeting with SCP-682 was not allowed to be monitored or recorded.

So early this morning, the containment staff in charge of SCP-682 set about sending SCP-682 to a specially designed room. The person in charge of containing SCP-682 was a female researcher in her 50s called Melanie.

After SCP-682 was sent to Site-19, she studied the lizard in great detail. But it was clear that she could not kill SCP-682 either. Therefore, she could only retreat and weaken SCP-682 to the point that it could not hurt and break through the containment even if she succeeded.

She tried to communicate with SCP-682 several times in an attempt to find the reason for SCP-682's hatred toward humans. But SCP-682 is simply not willing to pay attention to her. To be precise, SCP-682 does not want to pay any attention to anyone. So, she was a little curious about this meeting.

She had heard of Zhang Jue's name, the Foundation's Special Advisor. She was very curious to know what this Advisor was going to say to SCP-682.

SCP-682 was sealed in a container filled with hydrochloric acid, lying motionlessly inside. But Melanie knew that if she let her guard down a little, it would immediately turn into a demon that reaped human lives.

She sat at the door of the temporary containment room, waiting for the arrival of that Advisor Zhang.

8:50, ten minutes before the appointed time. A sound of footsteps came.

Melanie looked deeper into the corridor, and he saw Bellamy walking towards her with a young man in his twenties.

A young Advisor?

Melanie was a little surprised. She had worked at the Foundation for decades and naturally knew the weight of the title. She did not expect the Advisor would be so young. She certainly didn't think the Foundation had gone crazy.

In fact, in some major matters of decision-making that were made by the Foundation, almost every time was the correct decision. Mankind is walking on a tightrope, if you are not careful, you will fall into the land of misery, and the Foundation is the hand that holds the balance for mankind.

The Foundation is definitely responsible for the fact that mankind has been able to continue until now without being swallowed up by various anomalies.

This young man, there must be something unique about him.

Melanie watched him, step by step, getting closer each time, and then smiled at herself.

"Good morning, Dr. Melanie." He actually knew her name.

His smile wasn't dazzling, but something was reassuring about it.

Melanie smiled back at him. "Good morning, Advisor Zhang Jue."

There were still the last ten minutes until his visit. Bellamy greeted the staff and began to do a full body check on him. From a distance, she heard Bellamy arguing with Zhang Jue. One said something about how there was no need to delay for ten minutes. The other said that even if it was the last minute, it had to be observed.

According to Melanie's decades of experience in dealing with people, this young man named Zhang Jue seemed a bit frivolous in his behavior, but deep in his eyes was a depth and wisdom unique for an Asian man. It was by no means mundane.

Nine o'clock sharp.

Advisor Zhang Jue was about to enter the temporary containment room of SCP-682. Two MTF squads were already on guard outside, and inside this building, there was no one else but her and a few other researchers.

This was done as a precaution. In this regard, the Foundation has always done a good job. Especially since this was Site-19, any slight slip-up would be fatal.

After Zhang Jue entered, Melanie stood guard in the surveillance room not far away. But the surveillance inside the temporary holding room had all been cut off, so she stayed here and could only see the scene outside the door.

She noticed that Bellamy was wearing a pair of headphones and listening intently. In front of her, a pair of recording equipment was running.

It looked like even though the Foundation had promised Advisor Zhang Jue that they would not do surveillance or videotaping of their meeting, they had ultimately chosen to listen to it secretly.

In fact, Melanie wanted to know what Zhang Jue said to SCP-682. But she was in no hurry. If the Foundation allowed it, as the head of the SCP-682 containment, she would have a chance to hear the recording sooner or later.

She was thinking this when she saw Bellamy cursing, slamming the headset on the ground, and then leaving in a huff.

I wonder what he heard.

Melanie smiled. Probably the wiretapping device was discovered by Advisor Zhang.

Melanie poured herself a glass of water. She brought a stopwatch and adjusted the countdown. Some time had passed on it, because she had pressed the start button when Zhang Jue had entered.

The Foundation had given Advisor Zhang two hours, and when this timer went to zero, he would need to come out of the temporary containment room immediately.

An hour had passed. Melanie fidgeted.

The calmness in the temporary containment made her a little scared. When faced with humans, SCP-682 had never acted so docile. Could it be that Advisor Zhang Jue had been eaten by it?

This possibility flashed through her mind. There were still the last few minutes left on the clock. Just as she was about to leave the room to check the situation. A different view suddenly came from the surveillance video, and she was completely stunned by what was happening before her eyes.

On the screen, the wall of the temporary containment room was crashed through with a big hole by SCP-682 with its body. SCP-682 burrowed out of it and looked up to the sky. Through the screen, Melanie could feel SCP-682's anger.

Advisor Zhang was riding on SCP-682's back and holding a leather whip.