Chapter 133: Fading Away?

"Why do I have this strange feeling that this place is like a concentration camp?" I quietly wondered to myself as I observed the people getting on the bus. They all went inside a room at the far end, but none of them were coming out. The situation was becoming more unsettling by the minute.

It was as if those who entered had simply vanished. Their absence, coupled with the eerie silence that followed, made me conscious . Something was definitely not right, and I couldn't help but wonder what was happening behind those closed doors.

And I wasn't the only one feeling the mounting anxiety in the bus. The tension hung heavy in the air, and I could sense that others were equally disturbed by the situation. The people around me wore expressions of unease, their eyes darting nervously as they observed the strange proceedings.

Then a thought suddenly struck me like a lightning bolt:

'Don't tell me they're gassing the people inside?' The idea was chilling, and the danger it posed was overwhelming.

If that were the case, I knew I'd have to muster every ounce of power to fight my way out, even if the odds of survival were slim. The prospect of being subjected to a gas poisoning was horrifying, and I couldn't fathom a worse way to meet one's end.

As I made a move to stand up, a person in a hazmat suit suddenly placed a firm hand on my shoulder and shook his head. The message was clear: "Don't make a commotion." His eyes, hidden behind the mask, bore into mine with a silent plea for cooperation.

I thought about using my skills to escape. I knew I could run fast and get away before they noticed I was gone. But the problem was that this would leave a lot of evidence behind. It might come back to bite me later.

[Mission : Enter the Scary Room : +1000 XP points ]

"Oops, my bad for standing up," I chuckled, pretending that I had been stretching my legs all along.

A reward of 1000 Exp was enticing, and I had a strong feeling that my System wouldn't assign me a mission if it involved a gas chamber. I was desperately clinging to the hope that there was some rational explanation for the Mission.

"Just stay put, and once we clear you, you'll be free to go home," the man in the hazmat suit reassured me, his voice calm and composed.

I nodded, doing my best to appear compliant.

But deep inside my "Bullshit" alarm bells rang louder. 'What an Idiot,' I thought to myself, 'those are the exact words used by those with something to hide.'

Regrettably, I had no choice but to play along and pretend to nod in agreement with him. I continued to wait in my seat.

Eventually, my turn came to enter the mysterious room, and I couldn't help but wonder what awaited me inside.

*FLASH!

As the screen in front of me began to flash scenes at a rapid pace, my heart raced even faster.

I couldn't make sense of the images that whizzed by—snippets of scenes, faces of people I don't know, and places I'd not been to. The sensation was disorienting, like a whirlwind of my own life being torn apart before my eyes. I struggled against the restraints, desperately trying to maintain a grip on my fading memories as they slipped away.

'Fading away?' I muttered in confusion. It dawned on me that, despite the disorienting flashes on the screens, nothing was actually happening to me. My initial fear began to vanish, replaced by relief and curiosity.

'Oh, I forgot,' I mumbled to myself, chuckling softly. 'My system power is controlling the mind, so it would be funny if I got affected by this.' I leaned back and watched the flashing screens with confidence.

Whatever this bizarre process was, it became clear that the government was hiding something far more intriguing than I had initially thought. These were some next-level conspiracy theories at play here, and I couldn't help but find it all strangely fascinating.

After a minute or so, the relentless flashes of images finally came to a stop. I let out a sigh of relief, realizing that I had emerged from the strange experience relatively unscathed. However, my eyes were aching from the relentless barrage of images.

[Memory Alteration Complete]

The mechanical voice declared, startling me with its sudden proclamation. Then, another door opened on the side.

As the men in hazmat suits entered the room, I quickly decided to feign unconsciousness. I kept my eyes closed, hoping to give the impression that I was completely out of it.

"Look at this guy, he passed out. What a weak-willed individual," one of them chuckled, his words stinging with insult. It took all my willpower not to react and punch him in the face.

"Let's carry him outside; his memory has already been altered, so he is no longer our problem," another one said.

I held my breath as they lifted me, pretending to be a dead weight.

"This guy is heavy," one of them grumbled.

'Sucks to be you. Unfortunately, you can't blame me; my solid and heavy bone density is a result of my high endurance, which made me a hassle to carry ' I chuckled to myself.

'I wish they'd just toss me in the street, 'I muttered quietly, wishing for any opportunity to escape this perplexing ordeal and regain my sweet freedom.