I created a foundation

Her task today was to transfer a batch of old materials marked as "to be archived - temporarily sealed" from the borrowing office of the central database to the long-term cold storage on the 17th floor underground.

The hourly wage is 3,000 yen.

For a librarian, this salary is quite generous.

Of course, the workplace is indeed a bit-...special.

For example, at this moment, she was walking through the outer corridors of the underground headquarters hall of the Foundation's Neon Branch.

Even through several layers of special soundproof glass, she could still feel the unique tense atmosphere in the main hall, which was like the tense atmosphere before the start of a large-scale online game.

Red warning lights replaced the usual soft lighting, casting rapidly flickering spots of light on the metal walls.

There was a burning feeling in the air that she couldn't describe accurately, but it felt somewhat similar to the feeling just before a large server room was overloaded.

"Kasumigaoka-senpai and the others were also very dedicated today."

Kato Megumi tilted her head slightly and glanced towards the main console through the corner of the observation window.

Senior Kasumigaoka Utaha sat upright, her expression a characteristic blend of calmness and a subtle hint of excitement. On the screen before her, countless codes and incomprehensible charts scrolled rapidly, like a war command interface from a sci-fi movie.

Senior Eriri, the talented painter with blonde twintails, was now dancing on the keyboard with her hands like a phantom, and she seemed to be muttering something, probably some kind of "pre-casting animation" or "skill chanting".

And there is Yotsuya Miko, the always timid little girl, who is covering her eyes, her face pale, as if she has just experienced some "mental shock" plot.

"The setting of this script seems to be quite grand."

Kato Megumi silently commented in her heart.

She has been working here for a week.

Initially, she thought it was just an ordinary clerical job with good pay but some mystery.

Until she first came into contact with the so-called "containment files".

[Item Number: SCP-002-Yotani Miko]

[Object Class: Euclid

[Description: Item SCP-002 appears to be an eighteen-year-old East Asian female…]

When Kato Megumi saw this kind of document for the first time, she was indeed stunned.

She thought she had accidentally entered the backstage of a large-scale immersive role-playing game.

Later, after more contact, she gradually "understood".

This organization called "SCP Foundation" is probably a role-playing enthusiast club with extremely strong funding and extremely dedicated members.

Moreover, it is a hardcore type with an extremely complex world view setting, and the props and scenes pursue extreme realism.

Everyone here, from the top to the bottom, seems to be completely immersed in their own "role".

For example, everyone has an almost fanatical admiration and trust in the "chairman" Mr. Lin Qing, who is almost elusive.

Kato Megumi had only met President Lin once from a distance when she started working.

He is indeed a very handsome young man with outstanding temperament.

"He's probably a core member of the society and also the main investor," she guessed.

After all, it is impossible to maintain such a large-scale and well-equipped "society" without strong financial resources.

"Beep-beep-warning! Energy reaction continues to rise!"

"The King of the Deep Sea has confirmed breaking through the first blockade!"

"Request tactical guidance!"

The sound coming from the main hall, amplified by the speakers, is full of urgency.

Kato Megumi pushed the file cart, her steps still steady.

She even had time to calculate silently in her mind.

"For such a large-scale event, with all the lighting, sound effects, and those expensive-looking displays... the cost of running it all day must be staggering."

"I hope the president's royalties or his family's assets can support us."

She came to a heavy alloy gate and swiped her employee card on the identity reader.

[Identity confirmed: Kato Megumi, library administrator. Clearance level: Epsilon]

[Access permitted: Area B-17, Long-term Cold Storage Archives.]

The gate slid open silently, revealing a dimly lit passage leading deeper into the cave.

Kato Megumi pushed the cart in.

She felt that her job was probably to play the role of an "ordinary NPC librarian".

The responsibility is to quietly maintain the background database of the "game" while everyone is engaged in various thrilling "main storylines".

It was a bit monotonous, but the pay was good and the people I worked with were fun.

Although Senior Kasumigaoka has a sharp tongue, he is very capable at work and occasionally gives her some "hidden techniques" in the information he has compiled, which is probably some kind of "game strategy".

Although Eriri-senpai is a bit tsundere, the "setting drawings" she drew are really beautiful and full of imagination.

Although Yotsuya-san always looks scared, she is very cute and makes people want to touch her head and give her some "courage BUFF".

"Well, it's better not to disturb their performance."

Kato Megumi thought so and continued to walk deeper into the archives.

She felt that as a qualified "NPC", when the "players" were fully immersed in the "plot", she should try to reduce her presence and not ruin the atmosphere.

At the same time, in the general command hall.

Kasumigaoka Utaha just finished her emergency communication with Lin Qing.

"The president has instructed all members to remain at the base and coordinate with the government for logistics. He will personally travel to Izu to deal with the Deep Sea King."

Her voice was clearly heard throughout the command hall.

Amidst the solemn atmosphere, there was a subtle sense of security brought on by the deployment of the highest combat force.

Eriri clenched her fists, her golden eyes flashing with a mixture of fighting spirit and worry.

"That Lin guy... this time the enemy is a Dragon level..."

Yotsuya Miko still covered her eyes, but the trembling of her body had subsided a little.

Chairman Lin Qing's name seemed to carry some strange soothing power.

But the huge and evil energy from the "King of the Deep Sea" was still like a maggot on the tarsal bone, irritating her overly sensitive eyes.

The intense stinging sensation made it almost impossible for her to concentrate.

"No...I have to...confirm..."

Yotsuya Miko gritted her teeth and forced herself to suppress the fear that was deep in her bones.

She knew that her "yin-yang eyes" were one of the foundation's most important means of early warning and searching for enemies when the president was away.

Especially in this chaotic moment when there may be infiltration of unknown enemies.

She slowly, little by little, released her hands from covering her eyes.

The vision becomes clear again.

No, it should be said that it is "another" perspective superimposed on the real world.

In the command hall, every staff member and every piece of equipment exudes their own unique "aura" or "energy field."

Most people's aura is very stable and is the light of healthy life.

Some special instruments are entangled with complex energy flows, which are the product of the combination of technology and some unknown force.

Senior Kasumigaoka's aura is like a burning fire of wisdom, bright and sharp.

Senior Eriri's aura is like restless golden lightning, full of explosive power.

These are all normal.

Yotsuya Miko endured the burning pain coming from deep in her eyeballs and carefully scanned the entire command hall inch by inch.

Her gaze penetrated the walls and the alloy partitions, searching for any discordant, abnormal energy fluctuations.

Sudden.

Her pupils shrank suddenly.

In the background of her vision composed of countless normal "spiritual energies", she "saw" a... an extremely special existence.

The figure was blurry, as if shrouded in a layer of mist.

No, not blurry.

It’s… an indescribable “sense of thinness”.

It was as if that person's existence itself was like a cup of clear water dropped into the sea, instantly diluted and assimilated, making it almost impossible to perceive it alone.

If her "Yin Yang Eyes" had not been slightly enhanced by the weak sharing of President Lin Qing's [Spirit and Flesh Unity] talent, she would have almost ignored that corner.

That corner that should have been... empty.

A young girl in an ordinary librarian's uniform was pushing a small filing cart, quietly blending into the shadow of the cold metal passage like a background board.

Her movements were light and her expression was dull, just like... just a "passerby" in the truest sense of the word.

A "passerby" who remained absolutely calm in such a tense atmosphere, as if everything in front of her had nothing to do with her.

Yotsuya Miko's heart skipped a beat.

That girl...

It's Kato Megumi.

Kato, the guy who usually quietly organizes documents in the library, speaks softly, and has a presence so low that it's almost negligible.

Why……

Why is her "spiritual energy" so... "empty"?

No, that's not right!

Not "empty"!