Nightmare Paradise : Starting as a Doctor

Chapter 20: Hidden Space

Despite the documents initially not raising any suspicions and the deliberate omission of certain crucial information contributing to that perception, a more thorough analysis reveals the peculiar nature of these experiments.

As Lynn and Alice continued reading through the documents, they started noticing an unusual pattern. Many of the experimental procedures seemed to involve transplantation of something into the human body, but any details about the thing transplanted were redacted.

"They're being intentionally vague about what exactly they're transplanting into these patients," Lynn muttered with a frown.

Alice nodded. "Yes, it's clear they're covering up the true nature of these experiments."

Lynn's mind raced as he tried to fit together the limited clues.

As Lynn pondered these mysteries, one consistent detail stood out - all the documents referenced the hospital director, Dr. Stein.

"This Dr. Stein seems to be at the center of everything happening here," Lynn remarked. "He's mentioned repeatedly as overseeing the experiments."

They noticed a consistent occurrence of the hospital director's name, Dr. Stein, across all the files. Dr. Stein seemed to have a central role as his name appeared in various parts of the documents.

Alice nodded and said, "Benjamin Stein, the hospital director. He is one of my suspects in my investigation into this place."

"What makes you suspect Dr. Stein?" Lynn asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I've been digging into his background, and there are some questionable connections," Alice stated. "And he has been receiving substantial funding from undisclosed sources."

"The [Cursed Circle]," Lynn whispered, his voice filled with realization. "Do you think Dr. Stein is somehow connected to them?"

Alice nodded, her expression grave. "Probably."

Lynn's eyes narrowed. "If he's involved in overseeing the experiments here, then he likely knows exactly what's going on. We should search his office right away. There may be more clues there."

With a new goal found, Lynn and Alice left the records room and quickly located the hospital director's office.

Without hesitation, Alice turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Inside, the spacious office showed no signs of disorder.

They began searching methodically, starting with the antique wooden desk. Lynn rifled through the drawers while Alice sorted through the stacks of papers on top. But after nearly an hour of diligent searching, they had found nothing concrete related to the mysterious experiments.

"There's nothing useful here. Just organizational paperwork." Lynn's frustration was palpable as he shook his head in disappointment

Alice nodded thoughtfully. She shared Lynn's disappointment, her brows furrowing in deep thought.

Then, her eyes suddenly seemed to flare brighter for a moment. She scanned the office slowly. "Let's not give up so quickly. My intuition tells me there is more to uncover here."

Lynn watched curiously as Alice closed her eyes, subtly activating her special ability. Though he didn't fully understand its nature, Lynn could tell she was picking up on something imperceptible to normal senses.

Alice's eyelids fluttered open again after a few moments. Turning to Lynn, she said, "The shape of this office is... strange. The measurements don't line up properly."

She began pacing around the room, lightly dragging her fingers along the walls and muttering to herself. Lynn followed behind silently, not wanting to interrupt her concentration.

After completing a full circuit, Alice suddenly stopped and smiled mysteriously.

So that was it," she muttered under her breath.

After that, she stayed silent. Instead, she pointed out to a section of the wall, the size of a door frame, next to him and said, "Can you use all your strength and break this wall here."

Upon hearing her request, Lynn's brows furrowed with suspicion, but he didn't question her, he silently complied.

Seeing his look, Alice didn't hesitate to explain: "We already searched other offices on this floor. They all share an identical layout. But this office's proportions are slightly off."

She gestured around the room. "The distances between the walls are inconsistent with the exterior dimensions. That can only mean one thing..." she trailed off leadingly.

"There must be hidden space. This wall is set back nearly three feet from where it should be." She indicated the section she had been examining.

Lynn wasn't stupid, upon hearing this explanation and observing the layout of the room, he realized the situation.

His vision had been deceived!

The room's monochromatic color scheme, with its uniform hue, played a pivotal role in creating the optical illusion that could easily be confused to the naked.

Alice turned to Lynn, her eyes gleaming. "I believe there may be something hidden behind this wall. But we'll need brute force to break through." She gestured to the spot. "Do you think you can smash open this section here?"

Lynn nodded without hesitation, gripping his sword. "Just stand back and let me work."

Taking a few steps back, Alice naturally hides behind the young doctor.

She watched as Lynn took a battering stance in front of the section of wall she had indicated. He rotated his neck and shoulders, loosening up the muscles.

With powerful force, Lynn unleashed a barrage of smashing blows using the hilt of his sword against the drywall. The first few strikes left only minor dents. But soon the blade began to pierce the surface.

Both of them heard the sound of bricks cracking in the wall at the same time.

With a final resounding smash, a hole burst open in the wall, revealing darkness within. Lynn coughed from the swirl of dust, waving his hand to clear the air.

"A hidden room, just as you suspected," Lynn said, turning to Alice with newfound respect.

Stepping past the ragged hole Lynn had created, they entered the hidden space. The chamber was musty and choked with dust, suggesting it had not been accessed in quite some time. Moving deeper inside, Alice located a chain dangling from the ceiling and gave it a sharp tug.

With a loud snap and a burst of sparks, harsh fluorescent lights flickered on overhead, bathing the room in a cold glow. Now illuminated, the contents of the room became clear. Shelves and filing cabinets occupied every inch of wall space, crammed with boxes, books, and stacks of documents.

"Jackpot," Lynn muttered. If Dr. Stein was hiding anything confidential, this room is where it would be tucked away.

Alice nodded, a glint in her eye. "Let's see what secrets this place holds."