Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 58 58: The Conductor

Before Charon could push the door open, the doors reacted to their presence on their own. Like sothing breathing, they shrank apart to both sides, revealing a suffocating scene inside.

Before them was an unbelievably massive dod hall. It was the kind of ceiling one might see in a cathedral or opera house. Around a huge multi-layered chandelier that emitted no light, the oval ceiling was covered in Renaissance-style murals.

At first glance, the paintings seed to depict countless angels attending a grand feast.

But looking closer–

The angels were eating the wings of other angels.

And once that realization set in, the entire mural beca horrifying.

The circular banquet hall was filled with long dining tables. They were not arranged neatly, but crowded together in a chaotic pattern that sohow still felt deliberate.

The floor was covered by a blood-red carpet.

The only area without carpet was along the edge of the hall: a narrow circular pathway about one ter wide. There were no railings, and many serving carts and chairs were placed along the route. To pass through, one had to either go around them or jump over them.

The walls of the hall were covered in thin sheets of gold foil, but the surface was uneven. Black grease seeped from the seams, and the tempting fragrance seed to co from that very substance.

But what shocked Charon the most—

was the "headless pigs" ntioned in the note.

Those "guests" currently dining in silence.

There was no conversation.

No sound of glasses clinking.

Only dense chewing noises echoed throughout the hall, mixed with the crisp sounds of utensils hitting plates. The atmosphere created by it all was deeply unsettling.

They wore different styles of tuxedos and evening dresses, but above their necks there was nothing–

Only smooth mirror-like cut surfaces.

While eating, they elegantly used blood-stained knives to cut apart the "food" on their plates. Charon had no idea what it was, but it looked like clumps of pus dug out from a garbage heap.

After cutting it open, they stuffed it into the opening where their necks should have been.

The chewing sounds seed to co from there.

The entire hall was dimly lit.

Even the largest chandelier remained dark for unknown reasons.

"M-Mr. Charon…"

Ana suddenly pointed toward the very center of the banquet hall with trembling fingers.

"T-there's… soone there."

At the center stood a circular platform.

To the naked eye, it was empty.

But since Ana said so, it ant the "person" could probably only be seen through the mirror.

Charon imdiately looked toward the fragnt in Ana's hand.

Inside the reflection, most things were unchanged–

Except for the platform.

Standing there was an elegant "conductor."

It was over three ters tall, thin in build, dressed in a white suit, with gloved hands moving like an orchestra conductor.

Its arms were absurdly long, with a wingspan of more than five ters.

And only after seeing it did Charon realize, the guests' eating, cutting, and lifting motions were all synchronized with the conductor's movents.

Its face had no features.

Instead, there was a massive golden pocket watch constantly ticking in place of a head.

And hanging from its neck—

Was a shining golden key.

The mont Charon saw it, cold sweat imdiately ford on his face.

What kind of joke was this?

The scene practically scread that the key was necessary for leaving this place.

But even without thinking, he knew there was no way that thing would simply watch him take the key hanging from its chest.

And the guests around them were obviously not simple decorations either.

[The floor is teeth.]

[They can sll you.]

Those descriptions basically confird it.

If so condition was triggered, the guests would treat Charon and Ana as ingredients.

According to the rule that no situation should exist without at least one escape route–

There had to be a way through this banquet hall without alerting any monsters.

Charon looked toward the edge of the hall.

Clearly–

The only option was that narrow pathway.

"Ana, can you still see the footprints?" Charon asked quietly.

"They're gone," Ana replied softly, tightening her arms around his neck.

No matter how tempting the sll was, the terrifying sight before them had completely crushed her appetite.

At this mont, fear had entirely taken over.

If she hadn't been strapped to Charon's back, he would probably have had to carry her away by force.

For now, they needed to test things first.

Charon took out a small, low-value item from his inventory and lightly tossed it onto the pathway, preparing himself to turn and run at any mont.

The object landed with a crisp sound loud enough to wake anyone nearby.

Charon's legs instantly tensed–

But the rhythm inside the banquet hall did not change at all.

The guests continued eating as if nothing had happened.

Not a single one looked toward him.

Both Charon and Ana let out relieved breaths.

He stepped onto the narrow path.

Just like before–

Nothing happened.

Honestly, it wasn't that he didn't want to test throwing sothing onto the carpet.

But if it actually alerted these things and caused failure, the consequences would be disastrous.

They still lacked information.

Charging ahead recklessly might get Ana killed.

As long as she was with him, Charon refused to take risks with any "first encounter instant death" situations.

Caution.

More caution.

Even more caution.

That was his motto right now.

The pathway really was safe, just as he had imagined.

No matter how much noise they made, the guests showed no reaction.

Whenever sothing blocked the route, Charon either dodged around it or vaulted over it.

One rule remained absolute:

Do not touch the carpet.

During the entire process, Ana kept the Mirror of Truth aid at the conductor in the center, afraid it might react to them.

Until they finally circled around to the opposite side of the hall, not a single monster moved.

However, the only door on this side was tightly shut.

Several square ters before the door were covered entirely by carpet.

But after careful observation, Charon had already found another exit.

On the second floor, there was a maintenance platform near the ceiling, connected to a door that likely led to a staff passageway.

Charon calculated the distance.

No problem.

Just in case, he unfastened the straps and set Ana down.

"Mr. Charon?" Ana grabbed onto him nervously.

"W-What are you going to do?"

"Be good. Go up first."

Charon smiled and pointed toward the maintenance door.

With the crystal shoes' all-terrain ability, Ana's route would be completely unobstructed.

She could definitely make it safely.

As for Charon–

He might need to create a distraction.

Ana looked into Charon's eyes for a mont, then nodded.

She stepped onto the gold-covered wall.

The power of the crystal shoes was almost absolute.

She climbed upward soundlessly, looking back every few steps.

Only after seeing Ana safely reach the platform did Charon quietly let out a breath of relief.

Then he picked up the earlier item again, took a deep breath, and threw it toward the far side of the hall.

After a perfect arc, the object landed on the red carpet near the entrance.

And in that instant, all chewing sounds stopped.

In perfect unison, every guest turned to stare at–

Charon.