Truth about SCP-3125

After injecting an extra-large dose of Z Class memory enhancer, his life had only a few minutes. He slowly opened his eyes and found that the whole world had become different.

Various Antimemetic anomalies were flying in the air. Many things he could not see before were presented before his eyes, and everything he had experienced appeared clearly in his mind. Zhang Jue and Yang Xue looked at him.

"Supervisor Gray, are you okay?" Yang Xue asked.

Gray hummed. "I'm fine now. Advisor Zhang, Dr. Yang. I remembered everything, what do you want to know? Ask quickly."

There was no need to ask. Zhang Jue laughed.

"Brother, since you've recovered your memory. Can you tell me what the item that jeopardized this site was?"

"It's SCP-3125, which has once again launched an attack on humanity," Gray said.

Surely that was the case. After hearing Gray's words, Zhang Jue's heart thudded. Originally, he was still skeptical about that video, but now it seemed that it was actually true. SCP-3125, the anomaly that had wiped out the Antimemetics Division, was back. Zhang Jue took a step without a trace and stepped in between Yang Xue and Gray.

"If it's really SCP-3125, then the moment you recovered your memory. You, including us, should all be affected by it."

Yang Xue didn't know what SCP-3125 was, she didn't even know the Foundation had that number, but she saw Zhang Jue's actions in her eyes. It must have been very tricky to get the always dodgy Zhang Jue to show such an expression.

Gray sighed, "According to Mr. Yang Wensong, SCP-3125 did not really die after the neutralization of the two doctors, Adam Wheeler and Hughes. It fell into a weak state, and it has been trying to resume its threat to humanity for so many years. Now, it has almost succeeded. This time SCP-3125 is different from any previous attacks. It no longer just wipes out those who know about it. Once infected by it, it will tamper with the memories of the infected and change their memories, and all the infected will become its followers."

This thing seems to have really evolved. After hearing Gray's words, Zhang Jue narrowed his eyes. According to the information he had read, SCP-3125 was a violent meme, and it had no entity.

That's why the last Head of the Antimemetics Division was able to say something like, "Ideas can be killed with better ideas."

However, after that event, SCP-3125 seems to have learned its lesson. It is not so "violent". It has become "gentle" and even become the "prophet" to infected people. In a way, if it is allowed to continue to develop and expand, it will probably develop into a cult.

When it has enough followers, it will be difficult to defeat it. Another key question came to Zhang Jue's mind, "How does it spread its influence?"

"Identification." Gray said, "The way it is now, it needs you to identify with a part of its philosophy, and then it will board in the host's body and change that person's memory until they have all identified with it."

Although the process is more lengthy, this level of contagion is less likely to draw attention to itself than the previous violent form. Most likely, they were already infected but didn't know it yet.

Zhang Jue continued to ask, "Where did Yang Wensong go, and why is his coffin empty?"

"I don't know." Gray shook his head, "He left two keys with me and then disappeared, and I don't know where he went."

The keys were actually left to Gray by Yang Wensong. Hearing this news, Zhang Jue couldn't help but frown. Yang Wensong was meticulous and prioritized something more than anything. This was his habit of doing things.

Yang Wenbai and Yang Xue were the best examples of this. He left the key to Gray because he knew that someone else would come here years later and need these memory enhancers.

"Oh, he also said something to me." Gray said, "He told me to tell Dr. Yang Xue to forget it and remember it even more if she wanted to defeat 'it'."

To defeat 'it', you have to forget it and remember it even more.

Yang Xue faintly stared. Knowing that this is an important clue left by his father, it should be for SCP-3125. Decades ago, the last Head of the Antimemetics Division defeated it with a better idea, and this time it made a powerful comeback. Standing on the shoulders of its predecessors, the Antimemetics Division was already destroyed.

This message left by Yang Wensong is undoubtedly crucial. It could be said that it was a conclusion that several hundred staff members of the Antimemetics Division had thought about it while they were alive.

"Next question." Zhang Jue looked at Gray, "Do you know what's behind that door number 3? What is it?"

Fake Yang Wensong had been trying to lure him in, and it was supposed to be something very dangerous inside. Not figuring out what it was had been nagging at Zhang Jue. Gray shook his head again.

"The entire underground containment floor was designed by Yang Wensong himself. The blueprint is top secret. That room is specially made, and only Supervisor Healey knows the function of each room at the entire site."

Zhang Jue cupped his chin. Began to think seriously. It was still the same. Yang Wensong was a very careful person, the kind of person who always did things thoroughly and without missing a beat. The fact that he hadn't informed Gray of other information proved that it wasn't needed at all. Perhaps in his opinion, the information they had was already enough after Gray recovered his memory. If this still could not defeat SCP-3125, then it would be futile to say anything else.

Gray began to cough violently. The side effects of the Z Class memory enhancer began to appear. Yang Xue looked for her backpack, wanting to see what medication was inside that could relieve the symptoms. But Gray waved his hand.

"Dr. Yang, no need to waste your energy. I can feel it. I don't have much time left."

Yang Xue looked at Gray. His face was pale, and his head was covered with sweat. It looked like he was indeed close to his limit. Yang Xue did not pretend. She also knew that the most important thing at this time was not to waste any more time.

On the other hand, Zhang Jue ignored Gray's state and continued asking, "What happened to the building on the left after I opened that door? And where did you go during the time you disappeared?"

Gray thought a little and said, "After you opened that door, we found a particularly large pad. You said it was a code pad. We were about to decipher it. Those researchers left in the main building suddenly sent a distress signal. We went all the way down and saw a figure running to the building on the right."

"Then we split up, you and Dr. Yang went after the figure, and I led those team members to the main building to check the situation. I found that Loris and the others had disappeared. We searched for a long time in the main building, but none of them were found, and you did not return. I wanted to lead the team to you and Dr. Yang. Then we all felt dizzy as if we had inhaled some kind of Gas. I woke up on Dr. Yang's side. As for the others, I don't know." Gray spoke quickly, not wanting to waste a single second.

Zhang Jue turned his ears sideways and listened carefully to every word he said. Mysterious figure? He cupped his chin and looked at Yang Xue.

"I remember you telling me that the person who rescued you from that security pod was also a mysterious man in black clothes."

"Yes." Yang Xue nodded, "I didn't get a good look at him."

"Could it be your father?" Zhang Jue said.

Yang Xue pondered for a moment and said, "I'm not sure."

Yang Xue and Yang Wensong two separated for more than ten years. It is normal not to recognize it. Yang Wensong's coffin was empty, so Zhang Jue rightfully included him as the first suspect. But something is strange.

Suppose that person is really Yang Wensong. Why is he always sneaking around? Why not just come out and greet everyone? It seems that things don't look quite simple as it looks.

"Cough cough cough." Speaking of this, Gray suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood.

His face became paler and paler. His feet were shaking, and he simply sat on his butt on the ground. His consciousness had begun to blur, and reality and memory were scrambled. Neither Zhang Jue nor Yang Xue made any move.

His death was a foregone conclusion, and any concern would be superfluous. The only way for him to die peacefully and properly was to re-contain SCP-3125.

"One last question." Seeing that Gray had reached his limit, Zhang Jue said, "Why did Yang Wensong pick you? Do you have any special set of skills, Supervisor Gray?"

"I... I don't know." Gray answered Zhang Jue's question with difficulty, but at this moment, he could barely think.

"You know." Zhang Jue bent down and grabbed Gray's shoulders, towering over him and looking him in the eyes.

"Supervisor Gray, there must be something different about you and the others that made Yang Wensong choose you as his backup plan. Why were you able to last so long without being infected by SCP-3125. Why is it? Tell me!"

Zhang Jue had almost shouted out the last sentence as Gray's spirit had drifted away. Gray lifted his head and looked up at the ceiling. But in his eyes, there was an azure sky.

"Why did he choose me?"

In a trance, Gray went back to the past again. It was a week before they were to see the true form of SCP-3125. Yang Wensong called him to the roof of the building. Looking at the sand dunes in the distance and at the stars in the sky, the two had a conversation.

"You are...."

"I'm here to help. You should have seen me. As for my identity, it doesn't matter. Gray, do you know about the 'Femu' Cult?"

"No."

"That is an old cult. I read about it in an ancient book. They believe in killing. This cult was taught some killing techniques from the time they were a child until they reached adulthood. They grew quickly, from weak to strong in a short amount of time, and they took over a large part of Europe. You know how they finally died out?"

Gray thought very carefully but still could not get the answer.

"I... don't know."

"It's really simple, to defeat them, just join them. Other cults learn their practices by training the children how to kill—erasing their own advantage. I suddenly remembered a word. On our side, it is called internal roll."

Gray questioned, "But then, wouldn't all cults be the same as them? What's the point of defeating them?"

"Of course, there's a reason for it." Yang Wensong said, "Because in the end, people are not the same, a teenager will always be a teenager. Even if he has a compelling force, he will not become an evil dragon. An evil dragon is an evil dragon. Even if it's weak, it is still an evil dragon."

Gray thought for a long time but still did not figure out the reasoning. He looked at Yang Wensong. This Asian man was not very old, but his eyes were full of wisdom. For a moment, Gray didn't know how to reply.

"Gray, I can see that you are a gentleman at heart. At least more suitable for that matter than I. I hope I made the right choice. Good luck to us and you."

...

Gray repeated the conversation line by line. After saying the last sentence, he was in limbo. It seemed to have completely detached from reality. Immersed in his memories. There was Director Healey, his colleagues, his adopted daughter, and everything he had.

"Supervisor Gray?" Yang Xue tried to call out.

At this moment, Gray was bleeding from his eyes. No longer able to respond to their questions. His body swayed, and he slowly fell backward. Zhang Jue held him up.

"Advisor Zhang, Dr. Yang Xue." Gray opened his eyes confusedly, and with his last ounce of strength, he said, "I think I saw it. It's in our... reach...."

These were the last words of Supervisor Gray before he lived. After saying that, he closed his eyes completely. This original Supervisor of Site-237 died just like that. Yang Xue closed his eyes. Zhang Jue sighed.

The two brought him back to the surface, dug a pit in the sand dunes directly in front of Site-237, and buried him. Gray's abilities were not considered top-notch, but he had made outstanding contributions to the Foundation, Antimemetics Division, and to all of humanity.

Before Zhang Jue and Yang Xue arrived, he had lost almost all of his memory under the influence of numerous Antimemetic anomalies, and his only reason for staying here was his sense of duty. The Foundation was never short of such people, and the Antimemetics Division was the living proof of it.

After he'd been injected with a Z Class memory enhancer, the information he'd brought to them was crucial. Zhang Jue had put almost all the pieces of the puzzle together.

SCP-3125 is back and in such a covert way that it sent shivers down the spine. It implanted ideas into people's brains that would normally be undetectable. This should be the truth that Director Healey committed suicide. They waged their last battle with SCP-3125 but failed.

The consequences would be unimaginable if they didn't commit suicide and let SCP-3125 succeed in invading human society from this isolated site. Therefore, Director Hurley and more than four hundred researchers resolutely chose to die heroically.

How strange, they all chose to sacrifice themselves. But not Yang Wensong.