The legend of Tiga

Chapter 2268 Maze
The predecessor of TPC, or rather, the predecessor of its predecessor, was a group of insightful scientists who supported each other's research and achieved knowledge sharing in order to reduce or even eliminate the waste caused by duplicate research. Later, it became an international organization, and even the only global cooperative organization, which united scientists from all over the world. Knowledge was no longer a barrier, but information that could be accessed. Naturally, you don't have to study it again after someone else has already done it, thus avoiding a huge waste of resources.

Therefore, TPC has never lacked secrets. After more than ten years of development, it has accumulated a vast amount of secrets. So, if you stay at TPC for a while, secrets are nothing to be surprised about.

The problem is that secrets are secrets precisely because they cannot be seen or known by too many people, or by people without the necessary permissions.

But now, this huge pile of 'secrets' is just sitting here, completely untouched, unsealed, and unguarded.

Even if we assume that this device is one that cannot be moved once installed, or even vibrated, the vibration caused by a heavy truck passing by would affect its accuracy, let alone its movement.

The more precise it is, the less it can be moved, because its processing precision is already at the nanometer level, while vibration is at the millimeter level. In other words, it is equivalent to a huge difference like bungee jumping.

If the instruments can't move, can't the people move too?

Why not hire more guards?
Does TPC lack this little bit of salary?
Even if we don't feel comfortable having someone guard it, we can seal it off completely, just like with the Zerda gas incident. We can use high-strength reinforced concrete to seal the storage cave so tightly that no excavator or electric pick can dig it open.

Here, even the main gate was hastily locked with an iron chain, and all the rooms inside could be opened. Kibi Gosuke observed that they all had electromagnetic door catches, high-level multi-point electromagnetic door catches, but none of them were open, or rather, they were closed.

Electromagnetism, electromagnetism, naturally requires electricity to generate magnetism. Without electricity, it's no different from scrap iron, and naturally it can't hold the door.

In other words, the power to this place has been cut off, and it is completely abandoned.

It was abandoned, but an instrument that wasn't even in the database remained.

Kibi Gosuke was so angry he didn't know what to say. If anyone followed any rules or regulations, this would never have happened. But that's exactly what happened. It's not that the person in charge of cleaning up was careless; they didn't take their responsibilities seriously at all and just casually locked him up with a chain.

what is this?
dereliction of duty!

malfeasance!

Kibi was so angry that he wanted to yell at or even beat up the person in charge. He was just a useless person who didn't take TPC's rules and regulations seriously.

Why are there so many regulations?

That's because behind every single one of them lies a bloody lesson.

Ignoring these rules is tantamount to disregarding life.

As someone from the defense force, Kibi Gosuke couldn't stand such behavior.

Just then, the headset rang again, and Midorikawa Mai's voice came through: "Captain, the response from the research department is that this is an instrument used to artificially create gravitational fields, but in actual testing, there is a huge gap between it and the theory. Multiple adjustments have failed to improve the accuracy, so it has been shelved."

The gravitational field did not meet expectations?

Kouhei Kariya looked up at the ceiling full of instruments, hanging upside down. He really wanted to ask the person in charge of the project, "How high are your expectations? Isn't this enough?"
"Who was in charge? Can we find the people involved in this project?" Kibi asked repeatedly. "When the project stopped, were the instruments shut down? Was this place like this when we evacuated?"

He felt there was a big problem here. Anyone who has gone to junior high or high school and done those very basic experiments knows that at the end, the test tubes and beakers should be cleaned and the wires and batteries should be put back in their original places. But what about this?
Such large, heavy, and expensive instruments and equipment, let alone being covered with dust covers, may not even be turned off.

One person might make a mistake, two people might be negligent, but in a project team like this, there are at least a dozen or twenty people, if not a hundred, and they all forgot to turn off the equipment.

How can it be!

If there's nothing fishy going on here, even Gosuke Kibi would have eaten this device with wasabi on it.

Before Kibi Kosuke could finish speaking, Midorikawa Mai replied, "The person in charge of this project is Dr. Kisaragi, and as for the team members, oh..."

Midorikawa Mai suddenly screamed, her eyes widening in disbelief as she said, "Captain, all twelve other people who participated in the project are gone."

"What? What do you mean 'gone'?" Kibi Kosuke was shocked.

"Some died in traffic accidents, some died from illness, and some died in accidents during experiments. In short, they all passed away."

Midorikawa Mai may be young, but she's not stupid. All these people are gone. Even someone with a brain could tell there's something wrong here, and it's a big problem.

As for Gonno Hibi, he's heard of and even witnessed such things more than once.

The best form of secrecy is not keeping quiet, but silencing the liar.

Dead people can't reveal secrets.

This method of silencing people is incredibly crude. If you don't look closely, you can fool them. But if you pay attention like this, you'll notice something's wrong. Even without evidence, you'll know how serious the problem is.

After all, one person's disappearance is a coincidence, two people's disappearances are a coincidence, but it would be strange if there wasn't something wrong with it.

"Dr. Kisaragi, it's Dr. Kisaragi again." At this moment, Gosuke Hibi was absolutely certain that Dr. Kisaragi had definitely been parasitized and controlled here, or even before he came here.

If that's the case, then what is the purpose of this room-turning device?
Is it related to the vines that cover the building and the egg-shaped seeds in the middle of the lobby?

Although there was no evidence, based on intuition, Kibi Kosuke believed there was a connection.

The Future Science Research Center studies the Rainbow Realm in Subspace. Dr. Kisaragi has made significant achievements in space research and is considered an expert in this field, which is why she became the head of the Future Science Research Center.

This gave Kibi Gosuke a vague idea: were these strange-looking vines, or even the Monera aliens, visitors from another dimension?

Because the Future Science Research Center is TPC's premier space research base, establishing a presence here is like guarding the gate.

Like——

Like the Kirieloids!

Kibi Gosuke thought of the 'Gate of Heaven' that Kirieloid had mentioned in the sky above Odaiba many years ago. To this day, no one knows where it leads or what is inside. All that is known is that once that gate is fully opened, the human world will inevitably become a hell.

Could it be the same here?
Kibi Kosuke thought about it more and more and felt that it was possible. He immediately pulled the headset over and told her to contact the research department as soon as possible and find someone knowledgeable, especially someone who was knowledgeable about space. They had to confirm whether this could open the door to another dimension or whether it would have any impact on space.

As for the experimental records, given the other party's ruthless attempt to silence them, tampering with the experimental records would be a trivial matter. Therefore, the experimental records cannot be completely trusted and can only be used as a reference. The key is to have someone knowledgeable take a look at them to see if the instrument involves spatial aspects.

"Captain, this place is really something else."

Koda Toshiyuki grinned, feeling that the trip was truly worthwhile. Such a small building had so many incredible things about it, which was really eye-opening.

But Koda Toshiyuki would rather not gain this experience, because it's all trouble, even leading to death or injury. Alas!
Unfortunately, troubles don't change according to human consciousness; we can only face them and try to solve them.

"Should we continue the search?"

Kariya Kohei asked, holding his gun. He had been on guard the whole time. Although it was quiet all around and he didn’t see anything unusual, he felt uneasy, as if a sharp edge was piercing his back.

Kibi Gosuke pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Let's retreat first. Kariya, take precautions."

"Yes, Captain!"

Although he wanted to inspect the entire place thoroughly, inside and out, given the current situation, it was best not to take any further risks. He should prepare before coming in, and even if he wasn't fully armed, he should bring some heavy weapons in case of insufficient firepower in case of any incidents.

After all, inside the building, the Victory Eagles couldn't provide them with fire support; they had to rely on themselves before they could escape.

"Yes!"

Kariya Yukihira and Koda Toshiyuki answered simultaneously, then aimed their guns at their surroundings and quickly walked back the way they came.

As they passed through the hall, all three couldn't help but glance at the giant egg-shaped root on the central mound. Kibi even stopped and used the camera built into his helmet to take several pictures and a video.
Bang!
A sudden, loud bang startled all three of them. It was even louder and more deafening than the two bangs from before, and even from this distance, it felt like the floor beneath their feet was shaking.

No, this is not an illusion, because the withered vines around us are swaying, clearly affected by the sound waves.

"Captain, the sound is getting louder."

Koda Toshiyuki looked worried; this was not a good sign, but rather a harbinger of something terrible.

The sound of the impact inevitably makes one think that something is frantically ramming, trying to escape or rush in.

"Get out of here right now."

Kibi Gosuke's expression was also not good. He immediately led his team and walked quickly outside. The situation was unclear. They were outnumbered and lacked firepower, so they decided to leave first and make further plans once they were outside.

The three quickened their pace, their combat boots crunching softly on the thick, damp, decaying leaves, making a faint sound that seemed particularly loud in the silence.

But as they walked, Kibi Gosuke, who was at the front, slowed down and eventually stopped.

"What's wrong, team?"

Kariya Kohei quickly stopped to avoid crashing into it, but he stopped before he could finish speaking, as if a stone had been stuffed into his throat, silencing the rest of his words.

Because just ahead, less than ten meters away, there was a familiar door, wide open, through which one could see the upside-down structure inside.

they
We've come back.

"How can this be?"

Koda Toshiyuki couldn't help but look back. Behind him was the hall, as well as a large mound and a giant dome that occupied a large part of the area. He hadn't gone to the wrong place.

This place isn't a maze; there are just a few corridors, and they're not winding or meandering. If it weren't for the dense vines, you could probably see the whole thing at a glance. How could you possibly get lost?

Kibi Gosuke looked down at the footprints, then looked back at the footprints he had left behind.

The several rows of footprints, going back and forth, were not messy at all, and clearly depicted their walking route.

Undoubtedly, they returned here, but they just kept coming back, like a circle. No matter which way they went, they would always end up back.

But the corridor in this building is not circular at all; you can clearly see a straight corridor when you turn around.

But the fact is, they walked back.

"Let's go, keep moving forward!"

Kibi Gosuke paused for only a second or two before making his decision and continuing forward.

He remembered clearly that at first he was walking forward, but after arriving at this upside-down room, he turned around and walked backward. But as he walked backward, he ended up walking back from the front.

Initially, they crossed the hall from south to north, then turned around in the upside-down room and crossed the hall again from south to north. Logically, they should have reached the south side of the hall, but now they appeared on the north side, giving the impression that they had gone in circles and returned.

In that case, the main hall should be in the front, but it happens to be in the back.

To verify if you've circled back, it's not difficult. Just keep walking forward. If you're back in the upside-down room, then the lobby should be just ahead.

Following Kibi's order, the three continued forward, and then...
The three stopped. Even though the hill was covered by layers of dry vines, they could still clearly see the huge mound and the giant egg protruding from it.

They went back into the hall.

"How did we end up back here?"

Kariya Kohei couldn't help but look back. A large number of vines hung down the corridor. Although they were withered, there were so many that they were layered on top of each other. If you were far away, your view would be completely blocked, and you couldn't see the other end at all.

"Captain, pull all these vines down and see what the hell they are?"

Koda Toshiyuki quickly came up with a solution. The key to making people lose their way in a maze is to make them see only a small part of the path in front of them, instead of seeing the whole thing at a glance. Naturally, they will wander around aimlessly like headless flies.

"Well, that's it."

This idea was approved by Kibi Gosuke, so the three of them immediately set to work, pulling at the vines hanging from the ceiling as they walked to clear a clear view.

The corridor wasn't very long, and it was a straight line; as long as there were no obstructions, you could see right to the end.

By then, you'll understand what all this tangled mess is all about.

just
All three of them were busy in silence, pulling hard on the vines, venting their anger and doubts on the withered vines, without uttering a sound.

Because they already had a vague suspicion in their hearts.
(End of this chapter)