After a two-hour drive, Luo Shu and Peter arrived at 51's logistics base. Unlike last night's lockdown, the facility was now bustling with activity:
Supply trucks shuttling to/from the Ruby Mountains.
MTF squads moving in and out.
Compared to Site-19, Area-14 was like a metropolis vs. a rural town—better for career advancement, but terrible for Luo Shu's "night shifts." (Try sneaking out when the nearest exit is 100km away.)
Their vehicle stopped at a Security Department building, where they were split into adjacent interrogation rooms.
Luo Shu's Grilling
The clerk across from him was hostile from the start:
"D-20915, confess! What really happened last night?"
Luo Shu didn't flinch. "I have a name—Luo Shu. MTF Epsilon-11 containment specialist. I'm not a criminal, and I don't 'confess' to anything."
(Rule #1: Never act guilty. Weakness invites pressure.)
The clerk sneered. "Your file says D-class. That means I can take 'measures' if needed."
"Try it." Luo Shu leaned forward. "I've got C-class privileges. Even standard Ds aren't executed without cause—unless you want the Ethics Committee on your ass."
(A bluff, but effective. Most Ds died quietly, but Luo Shu's dual status made him hard to disappear.)
Frustrated, the clerk circled back: "Start from the beginning."
Luo Shu's account was airtight:
Arrived at Area-14 at midnight (with Nu-7 escort).
Slept until screams woke him.
Burned his room to repel SCP-165/940 (documented tactic).
When pressed—"How'd you recognize those SCPs?"—he shot back:
"Public files. Maybe you should read them."
The clerk's final gambit: "What caused the breach?"
Luo Shu shrugged. "How would I know? First day here. Shouldn't Security figure that out?"
(Never speculate. Let them dig their own holes.)
Defeated, the clerk left to report zero progress.
Peter's Session
Next door, the questions focused entirely on Luo Shu:
"Was D-20915 suspicious?"
Peter: "No. He followed protocol."
"What did he do during the incident?"
Peter: "He burned his room. The Fire Eaters told me."
"Anything else?"
Peter: "He warned me to stay inside. That's it."
The tone was markedly softer—Peter was trusted insider.