บท 3: **Chapter 3: Breaking Free**
Maybe I've been teetering on the edge all along, just waiting for something to tip me over—or maybe one step away from that cliff called sanity. But to actually get hit with a cosmic notification saying, "You've over performed so hard you shattered some kind of limit" really puts things into perspective. Or maybe it's just the lack of oxygen making me feel like I'm floating outside my own body. Well, either way, I guess nobody really cares.
It started as soon as the metal doors slid open and the flood of memories hit. I barely had time to process the dizzying rush when, suddenly, a jarring pop-up appeared in my vision:
- **MENTAL REALM LIMIT BROKEN!**
- **REWARDED 500 POINTS**
- **MENTAL CAPACITY INCREASED BY 20 POINTS**
- **INTELLIGENCE INCREASED BY 10 POINTS**
- **REACTION SPEED INCREASED BY 30 POINTS!**
Wait—did that really happen? That didn't sound like anything from Terror Infinity… maybe something from Side B? I struggled to remember details, but my memory was frustratingly spotty. *Fantastic timing.*
"DJ! Zhang Jie!" One of the mercs barked, jerking me back to the present. Jie—who I now recognized as the infamous "Murder Death Kill" wielding his Desert Eagle—was stepping forward. Right, that's his name. If I remember, he's our supposed guide, though he's got a chip on his shoulder from a mission gone sideways. But if things play out like I think they will, he'll eventually help our MC get those precious leader privileges. Meanwhile, our team—well, "my" team now—is seriously handicapped because we don't know which movie's coming next, and there's zero chance to prepare for it.
But for now, I knew that as long as the AI's still running, we weren't in immediate danger. All I had to do was stick with One and the mercs—because falling behind here could mean getting eliminated by the system itself.
Inside the room, Matt and Zheng were talking, glancing occasionally at the holographic windows designed to mimic a cityscape. I watched Zheng's awkward attempt to shake Matt's hand, not noticing Matt's handcuffs at first. Meanwhile, the merc who'd been working on the elevator rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. I walked over to Zheng and Matt, grinning. "Hope you guys worked on your cardio because we're taking the stairs," I joked, adding quietly, "Lucky I didn't wear heels today."
They stared at me, clearly not amused. *Tough crowd.*
Then One cut in. "We've got ten minutes to reach the bottom. Move out."
And that's where it all started going downhill—literally. I was gasping for air within minutes, and Jie's voice echoed somewhere up ahead, marking off stragglers. "Two down." Every wheezy breath felt like I was inhaling steam, and my legs were turning to lead. My mind flashed back to the last time I ran this hard, but the memory slipped away. *Great, not even my body. I'm a good swimmer, but this is ridiculous.*
I was falling behind fast, the group getting further away with each agonizing step. Some phantom clock in my head ticked louder and louder, each tick promising something worse if I stopped now. Clenching my teeth, I forced myself forward.
- **PHYSICAL REALM LIMIT BROKEN!**
- **REWARDED 500 POINTS**
- **MUSCLE DENSITY INCREASED BY 30 POINTS**
- **CELL VITALITY INCREASED BY 20 POINTS**
- **IMMUNIZATION STRENGTH INCREASED BY 10 POINTS!**
It felt like something broke free inside me. My breathing steadied, my limbs grew lighter, and I pushed harder, catching up to the group. The high school kid shot me a smirk. "Nice of you to rejoin us. Thought we lost you back there." I managed a cocky grin. "Just giving you all a head start."
As we regrouped on a landing, I spotted the mercs setting up just below us. I leaned against the wall to catch my breath, blinking a few times as my vision dimmed for a second. When I looked up again, Jie and the other mercenary were back, saying they'd found a new route. This would lead us directly to our first zombie encounter—and to the holding room for the Lickers.
One signaled us to follow him. I fell into the middle of the group, taking the safest spot I could manage. I wasn't scared, exactly—just pragmatic. I wasn't exactly equipped to face these guys head-on, so the more space I could keep between me and any threat, the better.
Finally, the mercs halted in front of a heavy metal door. They moved with caution, weapons ready, before the computer control clicked it open, revealing rows upon rows of metal cases stacked like coffins. Anyone who's seen the movie knows exactly what's inside: Lickers. And once that central AI shuts down, these things will make the zombies look like minor inconveniences.
One of the mercs checked his tablet. "Dining Hall B. According to the map." One glanced over at him, nodding in acknowledgment, while Matt muttered under his breath, "I'm sure the company's keeping a few secrets down here."
One turned to him, unimpressed. "JD, Rain, Jie—secure the prisoner and guard the exit."
I glanced over at Jie, who was already scouting, probably to deal with the first zombies nearby. Next to him, the girl with glasses leaned in, whispering something, likely discussing a plan. Zheng, who was close enough to eavesdrop, had a thoughtful look on his face, as if calculating how this could be leveraged into a side quest.
"Alright, the rest of you, with me," One called out. We moved forward, winding through a maze of sterile, metal-lined halls that gave no clue about what was waiting around the next turn. Eventually, we stopped in front of the main control room. The eerie glow of screens filled the space, flashing with lines of code, while an ominous hum thrummed through the air. The AI was malfunctioning, its once-tight grip on the lab slipping with each passing second.
I could feel it in the air—whatever safety we had left was quickly running out. This was the point of no return.
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