The Site-403 staff swung open the heavy Unit door, revealing the object inside.
It was a furnace—a stone arch kiln, one meter tall at its openings and three meters long.
Seeing this, combined with Barbie's words, Luo Shu was certain of his deduction.
This was Anomalous Entity-2128, known as the "Liar's Furnace."
Built in the 9th century by the "Heart of Copper and Iron" cult, it housed the "Tome of Flames"—used for interrogation and execution.
Anyone who spoke inside it would be judged.
If their words were false, the furnace would incinerate them alive.
The ultimate lie detector.
Realizing this, Luo Shu felt a chill.
Barbie wanted him to say:
"I am not with the Chaos Insurgency."
On the surface, this seemed harmless. Luo Shu didn't believe he was Chaos Insurgency.
But the Liar's Furnace didn't care about his beliefs.
Its judgment wasn't based on intent—but on objective truth.
Even if Luo Shu used his self-deception ability, the furnace might still burn him to ashes.
Why?
Because of IR1901.
That entity had insisted Luo Shu was the "Revealer of Truth"—a key figure in the Chaos Insurgency.
What if IR1901 was right?
Luo Shu had long suspected his memories were flawed.
His "past life" as a shut-in SCP fan, his "current life" as a genius engineer who killed three Freemasons—
None of the details added up.
What if, unknowingly, he was Chaos Insurgency?
He couldn't risk it.
Luckily, he knew the Foundation's Ethical Committee had strict rules about EP-37 (Splavrikle Protocol).
"D-Class personnel used in EP-37 must already be scheduled for termination. The protocol doubles as an execution method."
Luo Shu put on an outraged expression.
"Are you just executing me without a trial?"
Barbie smirked. "If you're innocent, saying it won't hurt you."
Luo Shu ignored her, turning to the Site-403 staffer.
"I'm a C-Class Containment Specialist. Only condemned D-Class can enter the furnace, right?"
The staffer hesitated, then nodded. "If that's true, I can't allow this. I won't risk demotion to D-Class!"
Barbie's Level-4 clearance wasn't absolute.
Grudgingly, she backed down.
"Fine. Get me a D-Class to say it for him."
Soon, a doomed D-Class was dragged in, trembling as he stepped into the furnace.
He held a slip of paper with Luo Shu's words:
"D-20915 Luo Shu is not with the Chaos Insurgency."
The moment he spoke—
Flames erupted.
The man screamed, then vanished into ash.
Luo Shu closed his eyes.
So it's true.
I am Chaos Insurgency.
But I never wanted to be…
Barbie laughed in triumph.
"Now you can't hide!"
Two Achilles' Heel agents seized Luo Shu, twisting his arms behind his back.
Handcuffs snapped shut.
Barbie patted his cheek.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you yet. You have too many secrets—and I'll peel them out of you, one by one."
Luo Shu sighed, mentally opening the Anomalous Entity Catalog—
Only to freeze.
Every ability was locked.
"X" on SCP-173's teleportation.
"X" on persuasion.
"X" on unobservable antimemetics.
The Catalog was disabled.
Was it the cuffs? Or the agent holding me?
Barbie actually had a countermeasure!
I should've run the moment the D-Class burned.
But even now, Luo Shu knew—
He'd make the same choice again.
He needed to know the truth.
Even if it damned him.
No Escape
Achilles' Heel wasted no time.
They marched Luo Shu back to the Gulfstream G700, now bound for Athens, Greece—and Area-13.
As the jet took off, Luo Shu slumped in his seat, defeated.
He looked at Barbie.
"What if I told you I'm not Chaos Insurgency? Would you believe me?"
Barbie smirked.
"Keep lying. Do I trust you—or the Liar's Furnace?"
She leaned closer.
"Who's going to save you now? Your Chaos friends? Let them try. I'm waiting."
Luo Shu said nothing.
The truth was out.
And now—
There was no going back.
Somewhere in the sky over the Mediterranean, a single thought burned in his mind:
I need to remember.
Who am I really?
And more importantly—
Who made me forget?