Chapter 417


    ?


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    Wended on the fourteenth floor via the emergency escape, the atmosphere charged with an ominous vibe.


    I quickly held back the group, a silent signal to stay alert.


    Beside me, Colin was peering down at aser tripwire, its red beam slicing through the darkness like a beacon of danger.


    With a deliberate motion, Colin nudged the beam, and immediately, a click sounded, followed by a tiny steel ball dropping from above. It rolled down its designated path, ttering against the wooden floor tiles which copsed like a line of dominoes.


    As the domino effect continued, the entire fourteenth floor was suddenly bathed in light, revealing an expansive, unobstructed space.


    The copsing tiles eventually spelled out the word "DEATH".


    Finn rolled his eyes. "Dramatic much?"


    Robin frowned, surveying the floor with caution. "Something''s off here."


    Then, out of the silence, a little girl''s singing floated through the air, eerie and misced. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star..."


    Not far from us, a girl in a red dress was bouncing a rubber ball, seemingly oblivious to our presence.


    "Hey, kiddo!" Finn called out.


    The girl kept ying, ignoring Finnpletely.


    "I''ll check on her," Robin decided, moving towards theser tripwire.


    "It''s a hologram," Colin halted Robin with a firm grip. "That girl isn''t real."


    Robin paused, shocked. "Hologram technology hase this far?"


    "Given the lighting, the setting, and our current position, it appears incredibly lifelike," Finn added, offering his exnation.


    Dexter, curious, picked up a rock and tossed it toward the girl. As expected, it passed right through her, confirming our suspicions of a holographic projection.


    "What, did that maniac invite us here for a movie night?" Finn muttered with a scowl.


    Bran had been quiet, almost too quiet. Ever since Zoe''s death, he seemed to have lost his spark, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.


    "Is he still shaken up by the chainsaw maniac?" Finn whispered to Colin, who chose not to engage.


    "Ever since Zoe..." Finn''s voice trailed


    off, a


    he


    running down his


    nced at Bran, who remaine


    t and withdrawn. Conte


    Suddenly, Zoe''s voice echoed through the vast space. "Carter..."


    At the end of the corridor, a bloodied Zoe stood smiling, calling out to Carter.


    We were all stunned.


    "Wait, is this some kind of Al resurrection? Are these tech freaks showing off?" Finn murmured under his breath.


    But Bran, caught off guard, dashed past theser barrier toward her.


    "Bran!" I tried to catch him, but it was toote.


    l.ne


    Colin''s expression darkened as Bran triggered a trap with his step, looking back at us with a mix of confusion and realization. "That...


    319


    wasn''t a hologram."


    Before I could process Bran''s words, the floor beneath him opened, swallowing him whole before snapping shut.


    "Bran!" Our voices echoed in the void, but there was no reply.


    I turned to Colin, my breaths short and panicked. Bran''s fate was uncertain.


    As Zoe began to fade from our view, she offered onest smile - a chilling gesture that sent shivers down our spines.


    Annora burst into tears. "Zoe... she''s so alone. I need to be with her."


    I frowned, gripping Annora''s arm tightly, scanning our surroundings with heightened vignce.


    Sure enough, a white gas began to


    seep from the ceiling, a


    hallucinogenic that drew us towards it,pelling our steps forward.


    "Colin..." My voice wavered, strength fading.


    Robin shook his head, trying to resist. "Ste... hold your breath."


    But Ste was already lost, her gaze fixed ahead. "Phoebe... Phoebe''s calling me."


    Despite my efforts to keep her back, Ste slipped from my grasp, drawn in by the gas''s maniptive power.