Chapter 302 The Key

"Are you sure this is District 27?"

Sheen had initially imagined what a terrifying and eerie place would be—but he never expected it to be... so normal.

Bell led the way, guiding her through an entrance that wasn't even guarded. For a moment, Sheen wasn't sure where they were. It felt like they were back outside the tunnel—the small town-like scenery, even the mall decor. For a brief moment, she felt like she had gone back to the past.

The surrounding streets were bustling, like a completely different world. There were numerous shops on both sides, selling snacks, daily necessities, and clothing, and there was no trace of any deformed or strange organs or creatures. Some of the shops were even packed with people. She caught a glimpse of a shop assistant flashing by and tried to tell herself that it was all just an illusion and there was no need to overanalyze it, like wondering what was going on with this whole situation.

After walking inside for a while, Sheen, not entirely convinced of the supernatural, began searching for organs or faces where the mutated creatures had grown in the corners, just to make sure he was still inside Sunset Hill.

But no matter what seemed suspicious, upon closer inspection, she found that they were all kinds of waste and garbage, or a small piece of faded paint, with nothing noteworthy about them.

She desperately wanted to glean something from this, but please… was walking down such a bustling street with a B01 just a normal occurrence? Was her life playing a joke? Perhaps the monster of Sunset Hill had already gone off duty, and they had arrived at the wrong time, which was why everything seemed so normal…

27 seconds passed.

Sheen still didn't see anything or anyone that would make him wary. Damn it, this place was really disappointing.

And so, they walked to the end of the main road, and Bell turned right, leading Sheen to a place that resembled an office—with a tall, double-leaf alloy door in front of them.

It's hard to see that this place is as detailed as it appears on the map. Instead, it seems more like a mission point, a marker erected to welcome those playing the role of "outsiders"—pretending to be very peaceful.

There was a banner in front of the gate that read: "Welcome every resident to District 27."

Sheen thought, "They're really just putting on an act."

Bell stared at the banner for a few moments, then walked to the door and stopped. Sheen thought, "We're already here, why aren't we going in?" She took a step forward, but the other person grabbed her arm.

She was taken aback for a moment, and was about to complain when the man lowered his voice and said, "I have to lead the way here, understand?"

Those glass-like eyes contained only a cold, chaotic void, as if they possessed a magical power.

Sheen makes a tactical fadeaway.

Is it really necessary to be so serious? Believe me, your sister will burn you to a crisp right now!

The surroundings were silent. Bell turned to look at the gate with the welcome banner. The gate was closed, but there was an identification machine next to it—it seemed to have no restrictions, the kind of public place where you could enter simply by verifying your iris.

She stood there a step away from the door, watching quietly for a while. Suddenly, Sheen felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, as if something inside him had changed. He couldn't observe it, but he could definitely feel it.

Then Bell raised his hand, without even doing iris verification, and just pushed open the door.

She didn't say anything more and just quietly walked in. Sheen didn't know what to say. Maybe this girl used her special ability to modify something, but he didn't know. So he could only follow behind, ready to go on a killing spree at any moment.

Al walked at the back, finding the place eerily quiet, as if someone had deliberately turned the volume down; even the sound of his footsteps was barely audible. They seemed trapped in some kind of confined space, where no matter how powerful they were, they could only sense the faint boundaries, yet were aware of the vastness of the overall space.

She realized with horror that, having gone through so many control missions and assessments, she had never felt this tranquil presence before. Perhaps it was because that thing was so powerful that it seemed even more eerie.

Sheen surveyed her surroundings while looking at Spel ahead with a complicated expression. She couldn't see his expression, only that he kept walking forward, still wearing clothes that resembled hospital gowns, looking like a ghost from a dark history.

She thought to herself, "Ah, is this what B01's life is like?" The authority figure closest to an A-level operative was tossed around like a puppet by Eoubs, and ultimately couldn't escape. Yet, the person in question was still fascinated by that abyss, trying to find a definitive answer—and then, unknowingly, she was forever drawn in, sinking into it.

She looked at Bell's silhouette and pondered that no matter which world they were in, the other party was already a being that could instill fear in most observable life forms, but she was still a expendable resource lost in a cage.

Sheen followed Bell through the door and stared wide-eyed at the brightly lit, crowded hall they found themselves in.

The entire setup resembled a service area, with a reception desk made of pure white tiles at the entrance. A blonde, blue-eyed woman was sitting behind it, wearing a uniform with a sign that read "Sunset Hill Access Staff".

She's still eating potato chips, looking completely idle.

On either side of the two were the waiting area, lined with rows of steel benches and glass tables, laden with fashion magazines and snacks, and filled with people. Most of them appeared quite relaxed, chatting with their companions or reading newspapers.

Some snippets of conversation drifted into Sheen's ears, the content of which were nothing more than "I've told you so many times, you can't get out without a pass, but you just don't believe me," "I wonder if I can get a replacement key if I lose it. I've been in this place for over 50 years, and I'm really bored," and "Damn, have you guys heard? Test site number 3 has crashed again for some reason. It's ridiculous."

Their conversation gave one a sense of disorientation and confusion.

Sheen was somewhat bewildered. Standing amidst the surging noise, after the series of grotesque and perverse experiences she had just gone through, the scene before her seemed so ordinary that it felt unreal.

She followed Bell silently into this unreal, bustling place. The staff at the front desk continued eating potato chips without even looking up, while a man who had just walked in was on the phone, speaking loudly.

Sheen heard him say, “I’m so sorry, although you’ve been granted the right to enter and exit, we said beforehand that you must keep your key and pass safe, or you’ll have to wait another 27 years. I understand you’re upset, but it’s all written in the treaty. You’re probably familiar with this rule; it’s a fact that the residents of Sunset Hill can’t refute, and everyone has to go through this process to get out.”