Chapter 3
They passed through the giant mechanical metal door that was halfway open, moving cautiously into the unfamiliar scene before them. The road connected to the unknown structure, designed as though it were intended for some kind of carriage to be parked inside.
They stood in the parking area, which was vast and desolate, dotted with patches of plants growing in the cracks of the ground, the result of the Great Merge. At the far end of the parking lot, they spotted an automatic door, and beside it, a hand-shaped slab intended for opening the door. This was the entrance to the facility.
"Look over there—that looks like a door," Maya said, pointing toward the automatic door at the end of the parking area.
"You're right. Should we check?" Leia glanced at her uncle for approval.
"Just be careful not to trigger anything dangerous," Jing cautioned, nodding at their suggestion.
They approached the automatic door, surveying the area for a way to open it. Jing and Leia dismounted from their horse and began exploring as well. The two elves holding the leash tied it to a nearby railing.
Delton stepped forward and grabbed the edge of the automatic door, attempting to pry it open. "I can't open it," he admitted, giving up and releasing the door. It was firmly shut, with no keyhole in sight.
Meanwhile, Maya was touching the walls, searching for clues, when she discovered a handprint on the wall, designed for scanning a hand.
"Hey, everyone, I think I found something!" Maya called out, looking at the others and pointing at the handprint.
They realized it was a biometric scanner, intended for someone to place their hand on to open the automatic door.
"Should I place my hand here?" Maya suggested, indicating the handprint. The elves had never encountered this kind of technology, making it difficult for them to understand its purpose.
"Don't do anything hasty; it might trigger something," Jing warned, wary of this new technology they had stumbled upon.
But before anyone could react, Leia placed her hand on the biometric scanner.
Suddenly, the scanner activated and began to scan her hand. Startled by the sudden change, Leia quickly withdrew her hand.
"Leia, why did you do that?" Jing asked, bewildered by her impulsive action.
"I... was curious," Leia replied, unable to give a more definitive answer. Something had compelled her to touch the scanner.
The biometric scanner began to process, seemingly searching its database for a match to Leia's handprint. The group was so focused on the scanner that they didn't notice what was happening inside the facility.
It was as if an old phone was coming back to life—the interior was slowly awakening. Suddenly, a light flickered on behind the automatic door, accompanied by a hissing sound that caused the group to step back.
Delton and Maya quickly moved to the front, ready to protect the group, and drew their swords, prepared for any danger that might emerge from the automatic door.
Without warning, a speaker above the automatic door emitted a crackling noise. Then, a voice resonated from the speaker, both eerie and robotic.
"Intruder alert! Intruder alert! State your purpose for coming here," a woman's voice declared through the speaker.
The group remained on high alert, unnerved by the mechanical tone. A CCTV camera beside the speaker had a small red light glowing in the top right corner of its lens.
"Who are you?" Delton asked, pointing his sword at the door and staring directly at the CCTV camera, still on guard.
"I am Ai, an artificial intelligence here to assist with the facility's research work," Ai spoke in a robotic tone, yet her manner of speaking was surprisingly human. "Now it's your turn. What are you doing here?"
"We need to camp here before the sun sets; we need a place to stay," Jing responded, stepping forward.
Ai fell silent for a moment, then adjusted the CCTV camera toward Jing. "I will let you in, but I need your help with something."
"Is it dangerous?" Jing asked, looking directly into the lens to gauge Ai's intentions.
"No," Ai answered truthfully, her voice remaining robotic.
"Are you going to harm us?" Jing pressed, searching for any hint of deceit. His eyes glowed green, using the Sight of the Spirit to discern the truth.
"No," Ai replied once more, her robotic tone not indicating a lie.
"Okay, we accept." The spirits assured Jing that Ai spoke the truth and held no hidden intentions of harm.
"Thank you," Ai said, her voice laced with relief. Meanwhile, something was stirring within her.
The door beside the wall opened automatically, revealing a hidden entrance. Steam wafted out from beneath the door, giving the area an ominous atmosphere.
"E-excuse me, w-we would like to stay outside," one of the horse guides, Larry, stammered, clearly afraid to enter.
"Y-yeah, we need to guard the horses; something might happen to them at night," the other guide, Barry, echoed, sharing the same apprehension.
The twins, however, were smiling in front of Jing, trying to persuade him.
*ROOOAAR*
"Hiieeh!" both twins shrieked in fear as the roar of a bear echoed from outside.
"What did you say? I couldn't hear you. Please repeat that. You want to stay outside?" Jing tilted his head forward, urging them to restate their previous words.
"Uhhh, we said we're happy to follow along inside, where it's much safer," they replied, forcing nervous smiles while sweat trickled down their cheeks.
Jing grinned at their antics, amused by their obvious fear.
They stepped inside hesitantly. Upon entering the facility, they were greeted by an endless white corridor, with ceiling lights flickering sporadically and some completely out.
"Follow the blue light; I need your help with something," Ai instructed.
Suddenly, a line of blue light illuminated the floor, guiding them on their way.