Nightmare Paradise : Starting as a Doctor

Chapter 144: Gathering in the Underground Hall

After contemplating for a moment, Lynn moved without fear toward the newly revealed entrance in the wall. Hidden stairs lay beyond, their depths shrouded in complete darkness.

Step by step, he descended into the unknown passage, noting how it spiraled down in a tight corkscrew motion. The light from above soon vanished as he plunged deeper, immersing in the oppressive gloom.

The temperature also dropped noticeably, and his senses heightened to their maximum limits. As his hands traced the damp walls guiding his descent, he faintly heard echoes of voices up ahead.

Emerging from the stairwell, he found himself in a cavernous space, very different from the wealthy areas above. The walls and floor were hewn from gray stone, and flickering lamps provided illumination.

At the center stood a large round table carved from black obsidian, its polished surface reflecting the light. Lynn noticed with surprise that three of the multiple seats encircling it were occupied.

The first figure coming into view was a woman draped in exquisite robes adorned with delicate gold trimmings. Her face, unfortunately, was hidden behind a carnival mask intricately inlaid with shimmering gems.

In stark contrast, the second stranger appeared gaunt and frail, garbed in tattered gray robes. Bandages wrapped around his head and limbs as if concealing wounds or deformities, and an aura of sickness clung to his hunched frame.

But it was the last seated person who immediately seized his attention. At first glance, he appeared the most normal of the three individuals sitting around the obsidian table.

Concealing his facial features was a ghostly white mask, the same distinctive one worn by the swordsman he had defeated a few days earlier. This coincidence caused him to tense reflexively, his body coiled and ready to spring into action.

However, he quickly calmed down. However, upon closer inspection, subtle differences suggested this was a different person who happened to wear a similar mask—likely a member of the same group or organization.

Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, a mechanism resounded with three consecutive loud clicks. The stone wall grated as sections of it ascended, unveiling dark, arched passageways akin to the one he had just traversed.

Through each opened entrance, new cloaked figures emerged, their footfalls echoing eerily throughout the underground hall, confidently advancing toward the center.

"Did these people also receive an invitation card?" Lynn secretly speculated, joining the newcomer flux, and approached one of the many seats. His mind worked rapidly to assess the situation.

Settling into the chair, he could not help but detect the uncanny stillness that had befallen the chamber. The air was heavy with anticipation, and all eyes focused on the initial figure he remarked.

"Esteemed guests, I welcome you all to the sixth edition of the midnight rose exchange," a calm, authoritative female voice resonated, cutting through the silence and setting the stage for the event.

"I see some new persons here, so I'll reintroduce myself," she spoke slowly in a smooth and silky tone. "You can call me Silver Rose, the founder and organizer behind this unique gathering."

Her mask shone brilliantly under the wavering lights, its intricate decorations twisting and turning, seeming to writhe with a life of their own. Despite hiding her features, she exuded an otherworldly presence of elegance and enigma.

"Since the incident known as the dark eclipse, our world has started undergoing profound changes. The extraordinary door has creaked open, and forces beyond comprehension have been unleashed."