Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!

Chapter 647: Crawling Unease [3]

Everything happened in an instant. From the first crack to the creature’s sudden shift, the Team Leader knew something had gone wrong. Even so, his response was quick and controlled.

With his attention fixed on the creature before him, he took several steps back before reaching out with his hand. At the same time, his node activated.

The moment it activated, his vision sharpened, his eyes growing more sensitive as he tracked every movement and began predicting the creature’s path.

’Locked.’

The moment he locked onto its movement, he reached out to grab it. But just as his hand came down, its body cracked sharply, limbs twisting at unnatural angles as it slipped past him to the left.

"Ah?"

The Team Leader’s brows lifted as he focused on the creature before him, its body cracking again before it lunged toward the nearby wall and began crawling along it. The Team Leader continued to track the creature, making sure to keep it within its sights.

This was strange...

’What exactly happened? This isn’t like anything that was supposed to come. In fact, what even is this anomaly?’

He was quite well aware of the anomalies that were being created, and this one was a lot different compared to the ones that he had initially planned on creating. In fact, it was so different that it left him completely stunned. To make matters even more confusing, the creature didn’t attack him, moving around him and observing him wearily.

"Is it scared of me...? What’s going on here?"

The Team Leader didn’t give chase, but he found himself confused by the entire situation. From the Cedrick situation, this situation... things were progressing in such a way that they were completely different from his original plans.

Scratch. Scratch.

Before he knew it, the Team Leader found himself scratching the side of his neck.

"I don’t like this. I don’t like this."

In a way, it felt as though control was slipping from his grasp. He hated that. As a Game Operator, losing control was the last thing he could allow. Even as unease crept into his mind, he forced himself to stay composed.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small mouse toy with a metal cork at its back. Gripping it, he twisted the cork a few times before tossing the mouse onto the floor. Its eyes flickered to life, glowing red, and in the next instant, it shot forward.

The Team Leader moved after the mouse as it darted ahead, his gaze sweeping the surroundings carefully.

He took in every detail around him, ensuring nothing went unnoticed.

With everything starting to slip beyond his control, he knew something was wrong. But... he couldn’t quite grasp what it was.

As he moved around the corridors, the lights above seemed even dimmer than before. That alone felt off. His gaze moved around the area before settling on the nearby rooms.

The silence around him seemed to stretch, until...

Thump! Thump!

He heard it.

A series of dull thumping sounds came from within each room. At first, they were muffled, barely audible, but with each passing moment, they grew louder and more distinct.

’Is it a similar situation to before? The anomalies are escaping?’

Without hesitation, the Team Leader moved toward the nearest room. He stopped by the wall, pressing his back against it as the low hum of the surroundings settled in.

Thump. Thump.

The sound broke through the silence, growing louder with each passing second.

Reaching for his pocket, he retrieved a dark leather glove and put it on his hand.

’Had I known that something would’ve gone wrong, I would’ve prepared myself better, but this will do for now.’

THUMP! THUMP!

The thumping grew louder; it was almost upon him as the Team Leader remained where he was, his eyes closed as he quietly waited.

THUMP!

He waited.

And waited...

And—

CLANK!

The door shattered at once, the Team Leader moving at once, his hand reaching for the approaching anomaly. At the same time, his node churned violently as he prepared to gain momentary control of the anomaly.

But the moment he moved—

"——!?"

He was surprised to find himself completely alone. The room beyond was empty, the candles snuffed out, leaving behind a heavy, metallic scent in the air. The scent lingered as smoke began to billow from the room, drifting slowly into the corridor. It curled through the air in thin, delicate strands, tracing faint patterns as it spread.

Scratch! Scratch! Scratch!

By now, the Team Leader couldn’t hold himself back any longer, his hand rising to scratch at the side of his neck.

"Just what in the world is going on? Who is interfering with me? Did I mess up somewhere? How is this possible? This shouldn’t be... It shouldn’t be."

Biting his nails, he scanned the surroundings for any trace of anything.

Suddenly, a thought emerged.

Could it be them...?

Scratch! Scratch!

His face visibly paled.

’No, but it shouldn’t be possible! They should hardly know about me! Is it because I’ve made a move against him...? Is this why they’ve suddenly started to target me?’

"No, no, no."

Lowering his hand, the Team Leader looked around.

His eyes traced the surrounding rooms as he began to hear quiet yet ever-present muffled thumps, each one echoing in rhythm with his own heartbeat. Given the situation, there was only one thought left in his mind.

’I need to leave this place. If it’s ’them’, then I need to leave this instant!’

Without a second thought, he picked up his pace. His gut churned as he moved, his eyes darting across his surroundings, searching for any sign of an anomaly.

So long as he could touch them...

"Damn it."

But the place seemed completely deserted. To make matters worse, as he ran through the corridor, he quickly realized he wasn’t going anywhere. Through the darkened hall, he kept running and running, until it dawned on him that he was just moving in circles.

Scratch! Scratch! Scratch!

He looked around frantically, his composure beginning to slip. He could feel control slipping away as sweat ran down the side of his face. He hadn’t faced anything yet, and still... it felt as though an invisible hand was reaching for him, ready to grasp him at any moment.

His breathing grew heavier, his face paling further as the muffled thumps from the rooms behind him swelled louder and closer.

THUMP! THUMP!

In a way, it almost felt as though they were teasing him.

For—

BANG!

The moment one door burst open, nothing came out. Instead, he was met with an empty room, the candles placed around long snuffed out as the stale scent of smoke hung heavy in the air.

’Nothing again. There’s absolutely nothing.’

Adjusting his glove, the Team Leader continued to scan the room from top to bottom, checking if there was truly nothing inside. The less he found, the heavier his breathing became as he swallowed quietly before turning away.

That was also the moment he heard it.

"....?"

A soft, almost melodious tune drifted through the air. One seemingly belonging to a violin, yet pitched unnaturally high, the notes thin as they pierced through the air and made his mind drift.

The Team Leader stopped dead in his tracks, his expression shifting subtly as something tingled in his chest.

His sense of unease grew even more.