Doomsday Wonderland Vol. 10: Lava [Complete]

1235: Escalating Stairs

The NPC, dressed in loose cowboy pants that caused him to almost slide, jingled a large bunch of keys as he staggered ahead, leading a group of four people through numerous passages. He seemed to intentionally choose corners to navigate, and with each step, the surroundings grew darker and narrower, creating an impression that they were entering a mouse hole.

Finally, when he came to a halt, his face barely contained his amusement.

"Have you noticed?" He tapped on the wall and pointed upwards. The high-arched wall extended infinitely, pressing down on them until it became hard to breathe. After a brief pause, the NPC smiled and remarked, "This wall is the only one with a different shape, tightly attached to the building's edge."

Lin Sanjiu examined the long rectangular wall that protruded from the circular structure. It disappeared into the darkness, and though not clearly visible, it was evident that it wasn't a flat vertical line. It gradually ascended, narrowing as it merged into the arched wall about a hundred meters above.

"Take a closer look," the NPC said, as if enlightening a group of children, gesturing with his hands. "You'll notice a gap about this wide along the entire length of this wall, and there are no patient rooms in that space."

The words 'So what?' echoed loudly in Bohemia's mind, and even Lin Sanjiu could hear them.

The NPC continued with the enthusiasm of a tour guide, gesturing with both hands. "Consider the thickness of this wall, the width of the gap, and the overall size... Doesn't it remind you of something? Here's a hint: it's related to how you'll escape."

Lin Sanjiu wanted to say something to get it over with quickly, but before she could respond, she heard a sudden "Oh!" from Bohemia's left side. Turning her head, she saw the former guard with a look of enlightenment, saying, "It's an elevator, isn't it?"

"Where on earth did you get that idea of an elevator?" Bohemia scoffed.

"I think the elevator should be inside the wall," the former guard's eyes sparkled, and he spoke clearly, "This wall doesn't need to support a ceiling, so why is it made so thick? And it's vertically merging into the wall, leaving a gap just wide enough for an elevator. Besides, there's no visible exit here. You can see the entire circular building, and there's no corner to hide anything. But people need a way to get out... So, the exit must be hidden inside the wall, right?"

For the first time since their acquaintance, Lin Sanjiu found herself listening to the former guard talking non-stop like this.

Bohemia cast a glance at Puppeteer and took on the role of spokesperson, saying, "Who cares whether it's an elevator or not? As long as it takes us out of here, let's not waste time!"

The NPC playfully retrieved a keychain from his belt, approached the wall, and wiped away the dust with his hand, revealing a neglected keyhole. He inserted a key, and with a faint sound of unlocking, a section of the wall that appeared identical to the rest silently cracked open.

"You guessed right, it's an elevator," he said, nodding at the former security guard. "But there's one thing you mentioned that's not quite accurate. The elevator is hidden within the circular wall. Within this wall, there's a section of stairs that will lead you to the elevator. Go inside, follow it to the end, and you'll find the elevator."

Lin Sanjiu was somewhat stunned. The wall extended upward for at least hundreds of meters. If there was a long flight of stairs inside, how many steps would they have to climb? Fortunately, they were all posthumans, so aside from some exhaustion, it shouldn't be much of a challenge.

The NPC let everyone take a look inside but didn't immediately let them enter. Apart from Puppeteer, who remained motionless, everyone else saw that the staircase inside was narrow and dark. Only the initial four or five steps were visible; the rest disappeared into darkness. There were handrails on both sides, extending with the stairs. If it were a child or someone particularly thin, the staircase could accommodate maybe two people side by side, but it would be a tight fit for someone like the previous chubby NPC.