The Site Director accepted Luoshu's suggestion and immediately made a call.
"Arrange an interaction between the newly contained SCP-1770 and SCP-126."
Yes!
This is exactly what I wanted!
Luoshu suppressed his excitement. After all this trouble, he had finally found a way to reach "The Invisible Friend."
Seizing the opportunity, he boldly requested, "Can I observe their interaction in person?"
The Site Director paused, clearly assessing the risks.
SCP-126 wasn't particularly dangerous—it was even friendly toward the Foundation. If not for its cognitive hazards and difficulty tracking, it wouldn't even need containment.
As for SCP-1770, while aggressive, it had been docile since arriving at Site-19. Worst-case scenario? A few casualties.
Not a big deal.
So the Site Director agreed without much hesitation.
Encouraged, Luoshu pushed further. "Also… any chance I could get a promotion? Wearing an explosive collar and hood every time I go out is… uncomfortable."
"You've performed well recently. I'll submit a request to the O5 Council."
The reply was surprisingly smooth.
Too smooth.
Luoshu half-suspected the Director was just passing the buck—if the O5s rejected it, he could blame them.
If you keep treating employees like this, I might just defect to the Chaos Insurgency!
…Not really.
Even if the CI offered him an Alpha-level position, he wouldn't take it.
He despised their ruthlessness.
The CI weaponized anomalies, conducting horrific experiments and inciting global chaos.
At least the Foundation had an Ethics Committee. Sure, they treated D-class as expendable, but in a world teetering on the brink of XK-class scenarios, sacrifices were inevitable.
The Trolley Problem wasn't about morality—it was about survival.
Luoshu understood that.
But as a current D-class, he still wanted to improve his situation.
His request was made. Approval was up to the higher-ups.
Now, back to work.
Luoshu left the Director's office and headed to the lab where SCP-1770 waited for its "artistic exchange" with SCP-126.
But before the Invisible Friend arrived, Luoshu entered first.
The moment the Chainmaker saw him, its demeanor shifted.
It subtly surveyed the room.
The two guards were distracted, their acid sprayers lowered.
Seizing the chance, a single chain slithered silently across the floor toward Luoshu.
It hadn't forgotten—this human had threatened its masterpiece.
It didn't hate others.
But it hated Luoshu.
It wanted to turn him into art.
To twist him into a chain-knot.
To offer him to "It."
But just as the chain was about to coil around Luoshu's ankle—
The target vanished.
No—not vanished.
Luoshu was still there.
But the Chainmaker couldn't perceive him.
Luoshu had been expecting this.
If SCP-1770 hadn't tried to attack him, that would've been suspicious.
A dog that bites isn't the most dangerous—it's the one that waits patiently to tear your throat out.
The moment he entered, Luoshu had activated his anti-memetic effect.
Now, the Chainmaker couldn't lock onto him.
Frustrated, it writhed, chains clinking uselessly.
Luoshu smirked and pulled up a chair beside it.
I love watching you seethe, helpless to do anything.
Before long, the sound of high heels echoed down the hall.
Click. Click. Click.
The footsteps painted the image of an elegant woman.
But when the lab door opened—
No one entered.
Only the two guards at the door confirmed something had.
Then, the chair beside Luoshu scraped back on its own.
Someone sat down.
But he felt nothing—no body heat, no displaced air.
If not for his Anomaly Detection ability, he wouldn't have believed anything was there.
Then—a woman's voice spoke beside him.
"So, this is the gentleman who wishes to discuss art?"
The voice was feminine.
Completely different from the man who had knocked on his door that night.
Luoshu's hope deflated.
Not IR1901.
Just the Invisible Friend.