Got You Now

Faced with the dilemma, Luo Shu's first thought was to smash the glass container holding the Possession Mask.

This Unit, like others, had no surveillance cameras—because SCP-035 also possessed visual cognitohazards, albeit less severe than Unfinished Symphony.

Anyone who looked directly at the mask would feel an irresistible urge to wear it, though the effect weakened beyond a two-meter range.

Meanwhile, the Unit's walls were covered in text and imagery—mentally projected by the mask, just like the blood ocean on the floor.

The writings—in Italian, Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit—matched the maddening whispers heard within 10 meters of the mask, carrying severe memetic effects.

The murals, however, were worse.

They depicted gruesome sacrificial rituals—people dismembered alive, blood seeping from the walls in rivulets.

And the victims' faces?

They morphed to resemble the viewer or their loved ones, inducing overwhelming urges to self-harm or kill others.

Extremely unsettling.

Thanks to his boosted mental resistance, SCP-148's shielding, and the Abnormality Buster Milestone, Luo Shu could withstand these effects.

But normal humans?

Site-19 had lost multiple researchers to these murals before halting all studies.

Additionally, the blood had corrosive properties—any surveillance equipment would quickly degrade.

So the Foundation didn't bother installing cameras.

Instead, they placed a pressure sensor beneath the glass container.

Too light? The glass broke—breach alert.

Too heavy? The fluid needed replacing—maintenance required.

Tampering with the container would trigger an immediate response.

But the risk was huge.

In the alternate timeline today, SCP-035 had already breached containment—and the current Site Director was on high alert.

Any anomaly here would bring Epsilon-11 ("Nine-Tailed Fox") storming in.

Would Big Beard Jack demand Luo Shu's presence?

Unclear.

But it was a gamble he couldn't afford.

So he needed a subtler solution.

The simplest method? SCP-100 (Sentient Machinery)—animating the door itself.

But:

Even if activated, could the door bypass mechanical, cryptographic, and security locks?

He'd already used both charges today (on the landline and cellphone at the law firm).

Next attempt: Tomorrow.

It was only 12 PM—11+ hours to wait.

But if Luo Shu vanished all day, wouldn't Jack grow suspicious?

Alternative idea: SCP-166 (Teenage Succubus)'s Degradation Aura to weaken the door.

Problem?

The aura worked too slowly—the door's visible decay would alert security first.

Back to square one.

He needed to exit silently—or break out fast enough to return to Epsilon-11's barracks before being summoned.

Non-negotiable.

But the door was a vault-like monstrosity—lead-lined steel, coated with SCP-148.

Neither physical nor psychic abilities could breach it instantly.

After exhausting his options, only one path remained:

Call IR1901.

This guy had orchestrated SCP-035's breach in the alternate timeline, nearly causing an XK-class scenario.

Regardless of its ties to SCP-096's incursion, it proved IR1901 could open the door.

Having subordinates was convenient.

Luo Shu activated his throat mic:

"1901, I'm trapped in SCP-035's Unit. Get me out."

IR1901's voice crackled back, annoyed:

"Did you do something to me? I can't turn invisible anymore! How am I, a Level-0 janitor, supposed to help you?"

After Luo Shu left the law firm, IR1901 had prepped his escape plan—only to find SCP-126 (Sensory Deprivation) wouldn't activate.

He was stuck as a normal human.

Given the morning's events, the culprit was either:

SCP-343 ("God"), or

Luo Shu himself.

Since "God" had never been known to strip abilities, the blame fell on Luo Shu.

Awkward.

Double-checking the camera-free Unit, Luo Shu deactivated SCP-126's lease, switching to SCP-055 (Anti-Meme)'s unobservability.

"You can cloak now. Hurry—I'm on borrowed time."

But the moment Luo Shu became visible, the mask detected him.

The blood ocean surged, skeletal hands erupting from the floor to seize his ankles!

In the mental realm, it failed to enslave him.

In reality?

It had him.

"Got you now, brat!" the mask crowed.

The blood engulfed Luo Shu, cocooning him in a massive crimson sphere.

Though he instantly reactivated his anti-meme state, it was too late—the blood茧 held him fast...