Once inside Site-CN-02's server room, Luo Shu didn't hesitate—he marched straight to the central terminal and activated Mechanical Animation.
But nothing happened.
Page 30 of the Anomalous Item Compendium still showed a bright "O"—the ability hadn't been consumed.
This was strange.
His Anomalous Ally ability allowed two uses per anomaly per day.
He'd already used one charge on the hidden camera in Room 302, leaving the second for Site-CN-02's mainframe.
Yet now, it wouldn't activate.
He tried again. Still nothing.
Awkward.
Then—
A voice spoke from behind him.
"Who dares disturb my slumber?"
Luo Shu spun around.
A sage-like old man stood there—long white beard, flowing robes, an ancient court official's headdress, even holding a jade ceremonial tablet.
"Who… who are you?" Luo Shu blurted.
The old man stroked his beard. "I am the spirit of the supercomputer 'Bamboo Slips.'"
Supercomputer?
"Bamboo Slips" likely referred to the Chinese Anomalous Heritage Society's method of record-keeping.
Meaning, Site-CN-02's mainframe was an anomalous supercomputer named "Bamboo Slips."
As for the "spirit" claim—
Could this guy be any more chuuni?
In this world of anomalies, true "artifact spirits" might exist—but this old man wasn't one.
If he were, the Anomaly Spotter Milestone would've triggered.
Since it hadn't, this was just a projection.
Ignoring the old man, Luo Shu scanned the room and quickly spotted laser projectors on the ceiling.
A hologram.
But if this was just a projection, how had it detected him?
He was in Unobservable State—even if someone saw him, they wouldn't remember.
Unless…
He recalled his experience in Site-19.
Back then, after attempting to use Domination on SCP-035 (Occupied Mask), the elevator had refused to carry him.
Meaning, SCP-055's Unobservable effect could still be sensed passively, even if not consciously observed.
Human memory was sharp for active observation but dull for passive perception.
For example, you might feel a breeze but not recall its direction unless you deliberately noted it.
Unobservable targeted conscious observation—only SCP-126's Sensory Block could evade passive detection.
Machines, however, were far more sensitive to stimuli.
When Luo Shu used Mechanical Animation, it must've generated some energy signature—like EVE particles from reality benders or thaumaturges.
"Bamboo Slips" had detected this interference and responded accordingly.
So this old man was…
An AI.
The supercomputer's artificial intelligence, masquerading as some pretentious "artifact spirit."
And since an AI was a form of sapient life, it wasn't affected by Mechanical Animation.
The ability couldn't override an existing intelligence.
This complicated things.
To use Mechanical Animation, Luo Shu would have to shut down the AI first—reducing "Bamboo Slips" to a dumb machine.
But computer tech wasn't his forte.
He had no idea how to kill an AI.
Time for Plan B.
If the old man was the supercomputer's AI, then he was a sapient entity.
Luo Shu's next thought: Domination.
He flipped to Page 15 and activated SCP-035's signature ability.
Again, nothing.
Domination required a mind to dominate.
An AI was pure logic, not a consciousness.
Meaning, mental influence abilities were useless.
By extension, SCP-012's Martyr's Light and SCP-3329's Persuasion would also fail.
Especially Persuasion, which relied on disrupting basic logic—an AI's greatest strength.
The only way to influence it would be to rewrite its core algorithms.
Flipping through the Compendium, Luo Shu's gaze landed on Page 47—SCP-███'s "Prophet" ability.
At first glance, it resembled Martyr's Light or Domination, but the description clarified:
This was a reality-warping effect.
And reality warping worked by altering Hume levels—something even an AI couldn't resist.
The only concern was that shifting Hume values might alert Achilles' Heel, bringing Barbie down on him again.
After a moment's hesitation, Luo Shu decided not to risk it.
He didn't absolutely need the mainframe's cooperation right now.
He could always come back later, when he was ready to leave Site-CN-02, and deal with this chuuni AI then.
Time was running out.
Activating Prophet required a lengthy speech—and he had less than 5 minutes before Unobservable State expired.
If he didn't leave now, he'd be caught in the open.
Without another word, Luo Shu turned and stormed out of the server room, heading back toward Security.
Soon, he reached the corridor leading to Room 302.
3.5 minutes left.
He stepped toward the doorway—
And suddenly found himself facing the wrong way, still in the Security hallway.
He turned. 302 was behind him.
He couldn't exit.