Escape - Chapter 11.1

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Chapter 11.1

“The serpent’s meaning is clear. We can’t go to District 12.”

For the first few hours, Luce seemed alright, almost resolute. But hours of tension and darkness felt far longer than just a few hours. “…Adeline, we should turn back. Do you really believe that book completely?”

“Huh?”

“We’ve already passed three traps. You know I’ve explored this far before, under the officers’s supervision.”

“I understand what you’re saying. But I believe it.” Adeline sensed Luce’s unspoken question: ‘How can you possibly believe that?’ It had been well over a century since the Underground Era began, since humanity started living underground.

Curiosity about the ‘outside’ was natural. Humans are social creatures, territorial creatures. And human desire is endless. The Security Forces had conducted dozens, hundreds of explorations. They had a reasonable understanding of the labyrinth surrounding District 13. And according to their known maps, in this direction…

“Even though we’ll hit a dead end soon?”

There was no path.

“Let’s just go.” Adeline cut him off, knowing full well what he meant. Silence fell again. Luce’s anxiety worsened, and Adeline thought she heard animal cries in the distance, even though the Serpiente wouldn’t dare come close because of the tobacco leaves she carried.

Luce stiffened every time they passed a trap. Adeline noticed but didn’t comment. She offered neither encouragement nor pressure, simply staying by his side. It was true that he was involved because of her, that she had suggested they go together. But ultimately, it was Luce’s choice. That was her way of respecting others: not taking away their responsibility and freedom. They spoke again only when a massive wall loomed before them.

“A dead end.”

At Luce’s subdued words, Adeline stopped quietly. She recalled a passage from the book she’d practically memorized. ‘After eight traps along the left wall…’

“…you’ll reach the twelfth cage…”

Just in case, she touched the wall. It was solid, as impenetrable as the ‘gate’ of District 13. If a serpiente’s lair truly lay beyond, this wall might have served as a defense, just like the gate of District 13.

It was a comforting thought, but now she needed to breach that defense. She worried about being tracked since this area was under the police’s control, but more than that, she wanted to follow the book’s instructions precisely.

The book said this was the only way. But then, how did the serpientes, which should be beyond this dead-end wall, sometimes get caught in the traps? How could they reach the vicinity of District 13? This meant the wall wasn’t a wall at all, but a gateway.

“If it’s bright on the other side, I’d dig a hole through this thing.” Luce muttered, his teeth chattering. A hole… a hole…
“That’s it!” Adeline exclaimed, turning to Luce. He stared back, wide-eyed at her sudden outburst.

“The left wall! Luce, hold this for a second.” Adeline handed him the flashlight and touched the left wall of the passage. She took a deep breath.

‘Okay, there’s nothing here to break, so nothing to worry about.’

In the next moment, Adeline, hand on the left wall, started walking straight toward the dead end with a strange certainty, not slowing down. Even when the hard stone wall appeared right in front of her, she didn’t stop. And she walked through it.

At that instant, a chime rang, and a message filled her vision:

[Error: Designated Area Exceeded – You have entered the Player Playground.]

“What is this…?” Adeline frowned, not in annoyance, but due to the visual disturbance. Error. The words in the corner of her eye were red. How could this be?

She shook her head as if her eyes were screens, but the words moved with her vision. Her bewilderment grew as she looked around. She had definitely handed the flashlight to Luce before passing through the wall. Yet, she could see…

“There are lights…” Bright lights lined the corridor on both sides, evenly spaced as if regularly maintained. Impossible.

“Adeline?” Snapping out of her daze, she turned around. Luce stood there, flashlight in hand, a bewildered expression on his face. He had followed her through the wall.

‘My face probably looks the same,’ she thought, a chuckle escaping her despite the situation.