Reset

"Attention all MTF Nine-Tailed Fox personnel! Report to the courtyard immediately!"

Luo Shu opened his eyes and sat up in bed.

His wrist terminal displayed: February 17, 2021 – 00:05.

Huh?

Didn't I just fall asleep?

Baffled, he dressed and hurried to the courtyard, where confused operatives murmured among themselves.

Bearded Jack bellowed:

"Intel suggests a major breach tonight at Site-19! Prep now!"

What breach?

Assistant Jenny wheeled out a cart, distributing infrared night-vision gear.

Once worn, faces became blurred red silhouettes.

"A blackout?" Luo Shu wondered.

Jack continued: "SCP-096 will breach containment and enter SCP-049's unit. Stay sharp!"

SCP-096?

Then it hit him.

Before bed, he'd seen a photo of a grotesquely ugly man.

That was SCP-096 ("The Shy Guy")!

The "God" had set a trap.

But something felt… off.

This sequence—eerily familiar.

Jack split the team.

Group 1 (led by Jack): Descend to Sublevel-5 (SCP-035's containment).

Group 2 (Luo Shu): Ambush SCP-049's unit.

Why involve SCP-035 ("The Possessive Mask")?

What's coming?

A convergence of SCP-035, SCP-049, and SCP-096?

XK-class vibes.

Luo Shu checked his terminal again—01:00.

Hours earlier, he'd recovered "Energy Hourglass", then found SCP-096's photo under his pillow.

No time gaps.

Forget it. Focus.

With SCP-096 inbound, he needed to act.

The Plague Doctor's Trust

Alone with SCP-049, Luo Shu seized the moment.

"Hey, old friend. We're pals, right?"

SCP-049's beak tilted. "I don't trust the Foundation. Liars, all of you."

Ouch.

Time for Rainbow Lollipop's persuasion.

"Remember our first meeting? I wore orange. I'm D-20915—a convict. Not really Foundation."

SCP-049 nodded.

The Foundation fed it D-Class, but never staff.

"Then why the MTF uniform?"

Luo Shu smirked. "Because I'm useful."

He flashed his ID: D-20915.

"See? Still D-Class."

SCP-049 relented. "Eta-11 has a D-Class too."

MTF Eta-11 ("Savage Beasts") handled auditory anomalies.

Their agent Dee, a former D-Class, had resisted SCP-092 ("Fifthist Music").

"Exactly!" Luo Shu pressed. "You distrust the Foundation. The Foundation distrusts D-Class. So trust me."

Flawless logic? No.

But Rainbow Lollipop muddled SCP-049's reasoning.

"I… can trust you."

"Friends trust each other. So we're friends!"

"Yes. Friends."

Success.

Luo Shu checked the Encyclopedia's milestone.

SCP-049: Added to "Anomalous Friends."

Then—a discrepancy.

Page 1 (SCP-173): 1/38.

Wait.

Earlier, "Energy Hourglass" was on Page 36.

Two new pages?

He flipped ahead.

Page 37: SCP-096.

Page 38: SCP-008.

No memory of these.

He tapped interaction logs, reclaiming fragments:

The Shy Guy.

SCP-049 + SCP-035.

Zombie virus.

Biohazard crisis.

But one question remained:

Time.

And Bearded Jackshouldn't he be dead?

Luo Shu radioed: "Boss, today's the 17th, right?"

Jack growled: "Obviously. Focus!"

The voice was real.

This wasn't a dream.

It was a reset.