Chapter 16: The Architect’s Trap

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Chapter 16: The Architect's Trap

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Kaito's heart pounded in his chest as the emergency lights flickered above, casting long, ominous shadows across the sterile white walls of the research facility. The blaring alarms echoed through the hallways, a constant reminder that something far worse was unfolding around them.

"We need to move, now!" Kaito's voice was sharp, cutting through the tension that had gripped the group. His hand hovered near his weapon, ready for whatever was about to come through those doors.

Ayumi, Ryo, Akari, and Hana moved in sync with him, their faces grim as they pressed forward into the darkened hallways. The sound of their boots on the cracked floor was muffled by the low hum of the building's failing systems. The server room's door had slammed shut behind them, locking them inside. There was no escape that way.

"What the hell was that?" Ryo asked, his voice tense. "We were supposed to be getting answers, not triggering a lockdown."

"It's the Architects," Hana said, her voice tight with worry. She gripped the strange device tightly, her knuckles white. "I should have known. This isn't just a research facility. This was one of their strongholds. They've probably been using this place to monitor the spread of the infection."

Kaito's gaze shifted to the flickering lights above them, feeling a cold chill crawl up his spine. The Architects, the elusive group behind the outbreak, had always been one step ahead. This facility, with its advanced technology and secretive nature, seemed like the perfect place to hold their cards. It was a step too far, too dangerous. But they were already in the thick of it.

"Stay focused," Kaito said, his voice low and controlled. "We're not walking out empty-handed. Whatever this place holds, we need to find it."

He turned to face the others, his eyes narrowing. "Hana, get back to that terminal. We need to know who activated the lockdown."

She nodded quickly, her fingers already working furiously at the panel on the terminal. A low hum filled the room as the screen flickered back to life.

"I'm trying to bypass the system," Hana said, frustration creeping into her voice. "But the security measures are heavy. They've encrypted everything. It's like they knew someone would try to access their data."

As Hana worked, Kaito's eyes scanned the darkened hallway. Every passing moment felt like an eternity. The alarms were relentless, a constant warning that something was about to happen. The walls seemed to close in, the facility itself feeling more like a tomb than a place of knowledge.

Suddenly, the silence broke.

A loud, mechanical screech echoed down the corridor. The floor beneath them trembled, and the distant sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway. They weren't alone anymore.

"Get down!" Kaito barked, diving behind a nearby desk as the others followed suit.

From the shadows, dark figures emerged—tall, hulking shapes, their movements jerky and unnatural. Their eyes gleamed with a predatory glint, glowing in the darkness like hungry beasts. Watchers.

The creatures had come for them. There was no mistaking it.

"There are too many," Akari whispered, her voice tight with fear. "We can't fight them all off."

"We don't have a choice," Kaito growled, his hand tight on the grip of his weapon. "Get ready."

Before they could react, the Watchers lunged. The air filled with the sickening sounds of claws scraping against the floor, followed by the guttural growls of the creatures. Kaito's instincts took over as he swung his weapon, taking out one of the monsters with a clean shot to the head. But it was only the beginning.

"Move!" he shouted, taking aim at another approaching Watcher. It was faster than the others, darting in and out of sight with terrifying speed.

Ryo and Ayumi engaged the other Watchers, their weapons flashing as they moved with practiced precision. But no matter how many they took down, more kept emerging from the shadows, their glowing eyes tracking their every move.

"We can't keep this up!" Ryo shouted, his voice filled with desperation as another Watcher lunged toward him.

"Hold on!" Kaito ordered, feeling the pressure mount. He had to think. There had to be another way out of this.

His mind raced, replaying everything he knew about the Watchers. They weren't like regular infected—they were faster, smarter, and more coordinated. If they were evolving, then this place had to be their breeding ground. The Architects had created these things, controlling them like weapons. And if they wanted to survive, they needed to destroy the source.

"Ryo, cover me!" Kaito yelled as he moved toward the far side of the room.

"What are you doing?" Ryo shouted after him, but Kaito didn't have time to explain.

Hana was still at the terminal, her face set in concentration. The Watchers were closing in, but she hadn't given up on hacking the system. Kaito needed to buy her more time.

He fired another round into a Watcher's chest, sending it crashing to the floor, but the creature was back on its feet in a flash. Kaito didn't hesitate—he dashed forward, taking the creature down with a swift strike to the head.

Just as he turned back, a sudden explosion of lights filled the room. The entire building seemed to shake as the emergency power systems kicked in, flooding the space with blinding light. For a moment, the Watchers staggered back, disoriented by the sudden shift.

"Now!" Kaito shouted, his voice full of urgency.

Hana was frantically typing, her hands moving at a blur as the security system slowly began to give way under her skillful hands. With a final keystroke, the door to the server room slid open with a mechanical hiss. The Watchers, momentarily distracted by the new threat, hesitated.

Kaito motioned for everyone to fall back. "Now's our chance! Move!"

They didn't need to be told twice. They sprinted toward the server room, weaving around the fallen bodies of the Watchers. As they reached the door, it slammed shut behind them, sealing them away from the chaos outside.

Inside the server room, the hum of machinery was deafening. The walls were lined with old computers, their screens flashing with lines of code. Hana rushed to the nearest terminal and began accessing the data.

"Come on, come on," she muttered under her breath, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

Kaito stood guard, watching the door through the small, reinforced window. Every minute felt like an eternity as the tension mounted. They had no idea how many more Watchers were outside, and they couldn't afford to get caught in another ambush.

Finally, the terminal beeped, and Hana's face lit up with a mixture of triumph and disbelief.

"I found it," she said breathlessly. "This is everything."

On the screen, a series of documents and encrypted files appeared. Hana's eyes scanned them rapidly, and her face grew more serious with each passing second.

"It's worse than I thought," she said softly. "The Architects… they've been manipulating the outbreak from the very start. They've been using the infected as weapons—experimenting on them, controlling them. And this device," she gestured to the strange tech in her hand, "it's part of a larger network. It can control the Watchers. They've been creating an army."

Kaito's heart sank as he processed the information. The Architects weren't just passive observers; they were the puppet masters, pulling the strings from behind the scenes. And the Watchers? They were just the beginning.

"This is bigger than we thought," Kaito murmured.

"We need to stop them," Ayumi said, her voice filled with determination.

But Kaito couldn't shake the feeling that they were only scratching the surface of a much darker conspiracy. As long as the Architects remained hidden, their plans would continue unfolding, and the world as they knew it would remain in chaos.

But for now, they had the information they needed.

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Mission Update: Objective: Investigate the research facility for information on the Architects and the device Hana discovered.

Progress: 100% complete

Reward: 15,000 Experience Points, New Title: "Tech Seeker," New Skill: "Hacker's Insight"

New Objective: Escape the research facility and avoid detection.

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