A loud alarm tore through the small apartnt with a piercing noise, ripping Gabriel out of a deep sleep.
The sound was low and penetrating, carrying that grim quality only the city’s ergency sirens possessed.
He sat up abruptly, his heart pounding hard against his chest. His bare feet touched the cold floor as he searched blindly for his boots. The alarm kept blaring, echoing through the streets with ominous intent.
Just as he finished putting on the second boot, the sound abruptly cut off, leaving only a lingering echo in his ears and a heavy silence behind.
Gabriel frowned in confusion. He walked toward the door and looked outside.
A chaotic traffic jam stretched across the lower levels. People were pouring out of buildings, so still in sleepwear, others wearing expressions of restrained panic. No one seed to know what was happening.
He activated his holographic screen with a quick hand gesture. He searched for news, official alerts, and ergency channels. He found nothing.
Not a single statent about it. He refreshed the page several tis, but the result remained the sa: informational silence.
Only vague speculation in local chats about a "possible technical failure" or a "simulation drill."
Gabriel took a deep breath, trying to calm the knot in his stomach. Those sirens usually ant real civil danger: toxic leaks, structural collapses, or riots. This ti, however, it seed to be nothing.
When the streets slowly began clearing and people returned to their routines with lingering distrust in their eyes, Gabriel finally allowed himself to relax.
He changed into clean, decent clothes and left the apartnt. He claid the credits earned from the in-ga exchange, which would allow him to buy more food than usual.
In the end, he bought higher-quality synthetic protein packs and so specially cultivated vegetables. The clerk looked at him with surprise after seeing the amount, but said nothing.
Back ho, he ate quietly while the holographic screen floated before him.
He opened the ga forums and searched for the mysterious thread about the Abandoned Church. The original post had been written by an anonymous user with no visible account information.
The title was simple: "The Church Nobody Wants to ntion."
The post detailed how the area offered no real gaplay opportunity. It described encounters with NPCs who avoided talking about the place and could even lower a player’s reputation if they insisted too much.
The author admitted to reaching -20% reputation with the village inhabitants just from asking questions. They ntioned rumors about cult mbers, sacrifices, and strange events occurring at night.
However, the post concluded that none of it led to any tangible reward.
"Useless area," it stated at the end.
"Only good for wasting ti and ruining your reputation."
Gabriel read every word with growing attention. Most of the comnts were confirmations: other players shared similar experiences, but none added substantial information.
So claid to have seen strange lights. Others talked about whispers that didn’t co from any NPC.
Most simply mocked the story or dismissed it as so hidden lore within the ga.
He decided to verify it himself.
The neural synchronization was smooth. The virtual world wrapped around him once again with its scent of damp earth and old wood.
Gabriel appeared inside the Novice Village. The Jester Mask already rested inside his inventory, ready to be used if necessary.
This ti, he preferred moving around with his face uncovered to avoid drawing too much attention in a relatively quiet area.
The first thing he noticed was the NPC behavior. Strangely, very few wandered near the church.
A path that should normally have been busy was almost completely deserted. He ntally noted the detail as he walked.
He tried casually speaking with several villagers... a baker, a seamstress, and an old beggar.
All of them responded evasively. The baker abruptly changed the subject when the church was ntioned. The seamstress turned pale and pretended to be in a hurry. The beggar simply spat on the ground and asked for coins to "forget the question."
The effort proved tedious and fruitless. After nearly half an hour gathering scraps of information that led nowhere, Gabriel decided to investigate personally.
The church stood at the end of a steep street, separated from the rest of the village by a rusted fence and a low stone wall.
Clear signs of abandonnt and contempt surrounded it: tall weeds grew wildly, old graffiti covered sections of the wall, and a dark aura seed to wrap around the entire building.
Gabriel looked both ways. No guards or players were in sight. He jumped over the fence effortlessly, using his enhanced agility.
He landed silently on the damp grass of the front yard.
The church interior remained permanently sealed. The massive reinforced wooden doors did not budge even a milliter.
He carefully searched the front yard, inspecting every broken statue and stone bench. He found nothing. Through the dirty stained-glass windows, only absolute darkness could be seen.
Still, he ntally noted the strange symbols carved into the outer walls: circles and triangles.
He decided to explore the backyard. Moving stealthily along the wall, he constantly monitored his surroundings.
The wind blew hard through the twisted trees, making the branches creak. The place carried an oppressive atmosphere, as if the ga itself were holding its breath.
Then he heard it.
A strange noise. A low whisper, almost like a distant chant, followed by a dull thud against wood. Gabriel held his breath and moved closer with greater caution, trying to locate the source. His foot stepped on a dry branch hidden in the grass.
Crack!
The sound was minimal, but enough.
Imdiately afterward, he heard a short, sharp whistle, as though soone had forcefully exhaled. Gabriel froze.
He had accidentally revealed his position.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing there, pervert?" a male voice shouted from the other side of the wall.
Gabriel cursed silently. Beyond the corner of the building, he spotted a scruffy-looking player still pulling up his pants.
The guy had been pissing against the church’s side wall. He was low level, equipped with basic gear and wearing an expression caught between annoyance and surprise.
"What, were you spying on or sothing?" the player continued, pointing at him.
"This is my private piss spot, so get lost."
Gabriel remained calm. The mask still wasn’t on, so he kept a neutral expression.
"Relax, man. I was just exploring. Didn’t see you."
The player looked him up and down suspiciously.
"Exploring the abandoned church? You’re one of those weirdos, huh?"
"Everyone knows this place has no quests or anything. Just gives off bad vibes. So idiots even make up stories about voices."
Gabriel seized the opportunity.
"Voices? What kind of voices?"
The player let out a nervous laugh.
"No idea, brother. Just rumors. I never stay long enough to find out. If you’re looking for sothing useful, you should search sowhere else."
Gabriel nodded, pretending to be uninterested, but his mind was already racing. The player finished adjusting his clothes and walked away muttering sothing about "freaks."
Once alone again, Gabriel approached the area where he had heard the earlier sound.
He found nothing concrete, but the oppressive feeling had grown stronger.
He remained there for several minutes, watching and listening. Nothing else happened. Even so, he was certain there was sothing there.
The mission glowed in his interface, waiting for the next step.
Before leaving, he took ntal snapshots of the symbols and surroundings. He would have to return better prepared.
With equipnt, information, and perhaps with the Jester Mask on.
This place was not rely an abandoned area, just as Paranoid Dan had claid.
It could be a gateway to sothing far greater.
Gabriel jumped back over the fence and blended into the sparse crowd along the main street. The church remained behind him, silent and threatening.
And while the mission continued glowing in his interface, he would not abandon his efforts.
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