Luoshu's final promise had convinced SCP-939.
Though "one day in the future" was vague, these cognitively regressed anomalies didn't grasp the concept of time.
They only knew:
Yesterday, Luoshu promised food—and delivered.
Today, he promised freedom—so they'd wait.
SCP-939-1 took the lead:
"Even if love reaches its end, with no more results... we can still be friends."
Luoshu: "Just say the last part. Skip the drama."
(Personal Tactical Terminal: [This is the lyrics from Zhang Yusheng's "Still Friends."])
Shut up, nobody asked you!
But the effort paid off. The warning in the Compendium vanished—Voice Mimicry Master was accessible again.
With the truce secured, Luoshu fled.
If SCP-939's friendship doesn't vanish, I'm never coming back.
As insurance, he used SCP-105-1 (Iris's Camera) to photograph the unit.
If they rebel again, I'll have a backup plan.
The Aftermath
Dealing with SCP-939 was more exhausting than facing "God."
He needed a break.
His next target—SCP-058 (Dark Heart)—would have to wait.
SCP-058 was far more dangerous, constantly either:
Destroying its containment unit.
Resting to destroy it later.
Worse, its unit was Area-14's busiest, staffed 24/7, with hourly maintenance.
How could Luoshu:
Trigger a breach under surveillance?
Flirt with SCP-058 in front of everyone?
This required careful planning.
The Arrival of Omega-12
The next morning, Area-14's containment zone was unusually lively.
Lieutenant Peter escorted a group of unfamiliar MTF operatives—their insignia: an arrow piercing a heel.
Anyone familiar with Greek mythology would recognize this:
Achilles' Heel.
The legend:
Achilles, son of the sea goddess Thetis, was dipped in the River Styx as a child, making him invulnerable except for his heel.
He died when an arrow struck that heel.
In the Foundation, this symbol belonged to only one team:
MTF Omega-12 ("Achilles' Heels")—specialists in reality benders.
Based at Area-13 (Mount Olympus), they:
Hunted rogue reality benders worldwide.
Guarded SCP-3480 (Olympus Mons), which periodically spawned SCP-3480-2 (natural reality benders).
For Omega-12 to cross half the globe overnight?
Area-14 had a reality bender.
The Connection
Luoshu instantly knew: this was about him.
None of Area-14's Keter-class anomalies were reality benders.
Last night's Evolution Distortion must've left traces.
But why?
The Energy Hourglass (source of the ability) had been used repeatedly by that Michelin rival without attracting Omega-12.
Why did Luoshu's first use trigger a response?
No time to dwell.
He spent the day monitoring SCP-939's unit via his surveillance network.
Omega-12 operatives swept the area with a strange device, calling out numbers:
"Negative-pressure chamber exterior: Hume level 60."
"Interior: Hume level 65."
"Observation window: Hume level 70."
"SCP-939-1's body: Hume level 85."
A Kant Counter.
Then, a distorted, loli-voiced figure appeared beside Peter:
"Based on residual Hume levels and last night's remote readings from Area-13... the reality bender's peak individual Hume was approximately 350."
Luoshu squinted—the figure stayed blurred, even on camera.
A powerful reality bender, warping even digital recordings.
The loli voice chirped:
"Peter, take us around! Let's find this reality bender!"
The Stakes
A Hume level of 350?
Baseline reality: 100.
Trained reality benders: 120–200.
350? That rivaled SCP-343 ("God") or SCP-239 (The Witch Child).
No wonder Omega-12 mobilized.
But Luoshu's Energy Hourglass shouldn't have reached that level.
Was it his Anomalous Item Compendium amplifying the effect?
Or... something else?