Ch.274[Episode 274] Repayment

“We should go to the private room.”

“Indeed. I understand.”

Sir Dominic chose the path to the private room.

There wasn’t much significance to it.

It was simply because the image of Mountain Bridge Marsh so far had been like that of back-alley thugs, and he thought that the leader of such thugs would naturally be a ruffian who enjoyed alcohol and women.

Surprisingly, Sir Dominic’s guess was chillingly accurate.

“First, to reach the private room, you must pass through several security measures. It’s the highest security from Mountain Bridge Marsh’s perspective, but in reality, once you know what it is, it’s incredibly flimsy.”

Mr. Wang began explaining the security by pointing to various spots on the map application.

“There are three paths to the private room. One is the Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Ghost Gate, another is filled with toxic gas. The last one has lava and treasure.”

Mr. Wang pointed to where the three paths converged.

“And here is the biggest security measure for accessing the private room. Surprisingly… it’s a locked door.”

This would be the most difficult security measure of all Mountain Bridge Marsh’s security, Mr. Wang said.

Sir Dominic was bewildered that a mere lock was the greatest security measure, but he decided to learn about the other security measures first.

“I understand about the lock, but the others seem to require some explanation.”

“Indeed.”

Mr. Wang began explaining the three security measures for Sir Dominic.

“The Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine Ghost Gate requires defeating a final boss with 999 power by absorbing the strength of opponents. You start with minimal power but must exceed 999 by defeating weaker opponents and absorbing their strength.”

It’s also a security measure that no one from Mountain Bridge Marsh has ever breached, Mr. Wang added.

“The toxic gas chamber is literally filled with deadly gas that kills instantly when inhaled. To pass through, you must connect pipes to supply fresh oxygen or navigate between those pipes.”

Naturally, not a single person from Mountain Bridge Marsh has ever passed through here, Mr. Wang said.

“Finally, for the lava and treasure, the goal is to obtain treasure while avoiding lava and enemies to buy a key that opens the door. Of course, the Mountain Bridge Marsh members who tried to breach this security…”

Mr. Wang trailed off, thinking Sir Dominic already knew the outcome.

“Of course, only Mountain Bridge Marsh members fail to breach this security. Anyone with even a modicum of intelligence would never fail this security. The reason these security measures were installed in the first place was largely because the executives of Mountain Bridge Marsh tested them.”

With the exception of one person, none of them could pass through here, Mr. Wang added.

Sir Dominic pondered Mr. Wang’s words and then asked one question.

“Which path is the fastest?”

“Personally, the toxic gas chamber. The others have too many gimmicks.”

“Then let’s go that way.”

Sir Dominic made his decision on the spot.

“Very well.”

Mr. Wang led the way.

As Sir Dominic followed Mr. Wang, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

If none of the Mountain Bridge Marsh members could breach this security, wasn’t this path blocked?

With this thought in mind, Sir Dominic asked Mr. Wang about his concern.

“If no one can breach the security, how do Mountain Bridge Marsh members get around?”

“Good question. Mountain Bridge Marsh people move through the windows. Since they can’t use the corridors, they climb along the exterior walls of the building.”

“Then isn’t the security useless?”

“That’s why there’s a lava moat. To prevent outsiders from freely climbing the exterior walls.”

Mr. Wang was silent for a moment.

“And that’s precisely why there are hardly any people in these corridors. Because they can’t use them.”

Sir Dominic shook his head, thinking what pointless security this was.

After chatting and continuing their rather tension-free infiltration, Sir Dominic and Mr. Wang finally arrived at the toxic gas chamber.

The toxic gas chamber had thick double doors with a separate room for disinfection and equipment checks to prevent gas leakage.

Beyond that was an even thicker steel door, which seemed to use enormous amounts of rubber and silicone to seal even the smallest gaps.

“This is the toxic gas chamber.”

Mr. Wang pointed to the CBRN hazard mark drawn on the door.

Around the CBRN mark were numerous scribbles. Some were too hastily written to make out, but others were legible.

Graffiti saying ‘Only for IQ 150+’, ‘Turn back, rookie’, and ‘Too difficult! What do I do?’ indirectly indicated how challenging what lay beyond was.

“Prepare yourself mentally. I believe Sir Dominic is more than capable of solving this difficult challenge.”

Mr. Wang looked at Sir Dominic with a serious expression.

Then he handed him a protective suit hanging on the wall.

Sir Dominic felt the suit was slightly small despite wearing the largest size, as he was already in armor.

“I’ll say it again, this challenge is truly difficult. Truly.”

Mr. Wang warned Sir Dominic once more.

For some reason, there was a slight disconnect from what he had said earlier, but Sir Dominic attributed it to his imagination.

Sir Dominic wondered how difficult it could possibly be, locked the entrance behind them, and opened the door to the toxic gas chamber.

“So this is the toxic gas chamber.”

Sir Dominic surveyed the chamber through his protective suit.

His first thought was to understand the gimmick.

True to its name, the gas chamber was filled with fluorescent green smoke that looked toxic to anyone.

Sir Dominic stared at a rabbit carcass that was slowly being lowered on a hook for some reason.

The rabbit carcass began to dissolve as soon as it touched the green smoke, disappearing without a trace in just seconds.

“This is a very… dangerous place.”

Sir Dominic wondered if he had made the wrong choice, but having already decided, he felt there was no turning back and continued to survey his surroundings.

There were unconnected pipes, intermediate waypoints, and more unconnected pipes at those waypoints.

The pipes were made of a soft, pliable material that would sink under a person’s weight when crossed.

The starting point appeared to be where the unconnected pipes were, and at that starting point were two buttons and a lever.

One button was labeled [Grab/Release], and the other was labeled [Reset].

It seemed the goal was to manipulate something to connect those pipes, with the reset button available to start over in case of failure.

“Qu-quickly, please. It’s so complicated it’s making me dizzy.”

While Sir Dominic was figuring out the mechanism, Mr. Wang pleaded with him.

Mr. Wang was sweating profusely and appeared to be in distress inside his protective suit, which Sir Dominic couldn’t understand.

“Complicated? You mean this?”

Sir Dominic operated the lever to fit the two pipes into their proper places.

Instantly, a path to the other side was completed.

“…!”

When Sir Dominic solved this simple puzzle so quickly, Mr. Wang’s eyes widened as if they might pop out.

To solve the problem so quickly, could he be a genius?

“…He’s a genius!”

When Mr. Wang suddenly said that, Sir Dominic seriously began to consider the hypothesis that this space was having a strange effect on Mr. Wang.

Mr. Wang’s condition was that unusual.

Sir Dominic decided to leave this place as quickly as possible.

“Well then, let’s go. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible. For various reasons.”

Sir Dominic crossed to the other side using the pipe that sagged and stretched downward under his weight.

Sir Dominic prepared for the next stage, wanting to leave this place as quickly as possible.

However, Sir Dominic couldn’t proceed to the next stage.

“…Don’t tell me that’s the end?”

“Hmm.”

Sir Dominic looked at Mr. Wang with an incredulous expression, then at the sign that appeared before him.

[Tanks 4 praying]

A sign with even grammatical errors.

The sign clearly indicated that Sir Dominic had beaten the security system.

While Sir Dominic was too dumbfounded by this absurd situation to speak properly.

“…Huh!”

Suddenly, Mr. Wang let out a gasp and began breathing heavily.

“Y-you passed the security system. Thank you.”

Mr. Wang suddenly thanked Sir Dominic.

Sir Dominic was suspicious of Mr. Wang’s gratitude but then remembered Mr. Wang’s strange condition just moments ago.

“Did something happen to you just now?”

“I told you. Mountain Bridge Marsh people can never solve it.”

Mr. Wang said, looking at the toxic gas chamber.

“All security systems emit strange waves that make Mountain Bridge Marsh personnel stupid. I left Mountain Bridge Marsh quite some time ago, but it seems I’m still affected by the strange waves.”

From Mr. Wang’s explanation, Sir Dominic understood why Mr. Wang had claimed even the world’s simplest problem was difficult.

“I don’t understand. Why emit such strange waves against Mountain Bridge Marsh personnel? Aren’t they comrades?”

“It’s to prevent betrayal.”

Mr. Wang answered Sir Dominic’s question.

“It turns traitors into fools. The longer one is exposed to those strange waves, the more their intelligence decreases. Better to have a fool who smiles when fed than someone smart enough to betray.”

Hearing Mr. Wang’s words, Sir Dominic wore a bewildered expression, wondering what exactly Mountain Bridge Marsh was.

“Anyway, now that we’ve breached the first security, the next one remains.”

Mr. Wang, seemingly recovered from the aftereffects of the strange waves, spoke to Sir Dominic in a clean manner again.

“Once we pass that security, we’ll reach the private room. Let’s go.”

Under Mr. Wang’s guidance, Sir Dominic moved on.

The private room was not far now.