Brit walked toward the only exit of the surface hall like a soldier. Behind him, Kiwo was already lying on the ground. Out of the team of five, only Brit remained. This meant that, regardless of what danger might come next, only Brit could face it, and Brit was prepared for this. He resolutely moved toward the exit, as bright lights enveloped his body, giving him a layer of brilliance in this moment.
However, the accident happened after all. As Brit reached the middle of the hall, on the left side of the door ahead, a black, ink-like substance suddenly appeared on the ground, as if gushing out from beneath the surface.
The instant he saw this pitch-black substance, both Brit and the viewers reacted immediately. In an instant, a word flashed through their minds: the "Old Man." Yes, that viscous, black substance was the harbinger of the Old Man's arrival.
Now that the game had progressed, almost everyone understood that this black, viscous substance was SCP-106, the symbol of the Old Man. As soon as it appeared, the goo followed. This had been verified many times before.
Therefore, when the dark, viscous substance manifested, Brit and the viewers felt a "click" in their hearts. Shock and horror surged through them.
But what came next was even more terrifying. It was around the same time as the appearance of the black goo. Suddenly, in an unknown place, a deafening noise erupted, as if the world itself had been shaken.
After the roar, the hall where Brit stood began to tremble violently. Brit felt as if he was being shaken to the point of tinnitus almost instantly. At that moment, he felt as if his ears had lost all ability to hear. He fell uncontrollably, clutching his ears tightly. The pain radiated through his body and mind.
"Ah!" Brit cried out in pain.
Meanwhile, the viewers in the stream, almost simultaneously, instinctively covered their ears and chests. Although the ear-piercing roar wasn't quite loud enough to cause tinnitus, it was enough to make them feel ill. It was like watching a movie where characters suddenly scream at high decibels, uncomfortable for the ears and startling for the heart.
Fortunately, the terrible roar was brief. After a few seconds, it gradually subsided and finally disappeared. However, Brit remained on the ground, panting heavily. The excruciating pain persisted, as if someone was shouting into his ears with a horn. Yet, he had no choice but to endure it. Although he carried some unique game items, he was currently unable to use them.
A few more seconds passed. Brit slowly recovered from the assault of sound, breathing heavily. He opened his bloodshot eyes, staring at everything in front of him. After such a violent sonic attack, some tiny cracks had appeared throughout the hall, especially on the dome. These cracks were very subtle, seemingly having little effect on the overall structural integrity of the building.
Brit struggled to get to his feet. As he was dazed, a sharp cry suddenly pierced his ears. This cry was different from the roar; it sounded more like an extremely sad, hysterical scream.
It also seemed that, because of the previous roar, this scream sounded harsh but distant. While hearing it, the name of a certain SCP flashed in Brit's and the viewers' minds: "SCP-096, Shy Guy."
At that moment, Brit felt a tingling sensation.
"It... it appeared again..." Brit murmured in shock. His voice was so weak he could barely hear himself.
After rising, he faced the direction of the exit, just turned away from the gate so he wouldn't see the source of the scream immediately. His vision was slightly blurry, possibly due to the shock.
He slowly turned around. The exit door came into view, but at the same time, the figures of the "Old Man" and the "Shy Guy" also appeared before him.