Chapter 131: Global Paranormal Groups Summit - Part 2
DC entered through the same hidden door he had used to storm out earlier, his face composed but his presence commanding. The once noisy room fell into a heavy silence as the attendees turned their attention to him.
Letting out a deep sigh, DC smiled faintly, though his gaze remained sharp. "Alright," he said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Let's get back on track. Let's talk about cooperation."
Before he could continue, Arash from ORIA stood abruptly, his voice cutting across the room. "Cooperation? What do you mean, cooperation? We haven't settled our-"
"Shut up," DC interrupted, his tone cold and uncompromising.
The room froze. Arash blinked in disbelief. "Excuse me?"
DC turned his piercing gaze to the ORIA leader, his aura exuding an icy dominance. "Shut. Up. We are here to discuss the protection of the world against the Chaos System and anomalies. Do you honestly think we have time to entertain your petty grievances?"
Arash's face turned a deep shade of red as he slammed his hands on the table. "Who do you think you are to speak to me like that? I won't stand for such blatant disrespect!"
DC's voice grew sharper, his eyes unyielding. "Listen carefully. We are here to determine the fate of the world. I will not allow anyone to derail this summit with their childish antics. If you disrupt this gathering again, I will personally escort you out, kicking and screaming if necessary. And if your actions jeopardize the normal world or interfere with the operations of the Hope System, I will have no qualms about destroying ORIA. And you."
A chilling silence gripped the room.
Arash, shaking with rage, pointed a trembling finger at DC. "How dare you oppress us in front of the entire Hope System? ORIA will never bow to your tyranny! All of you, look at the true face of DC Al Fine. This so-called protector of the world is nothing more than a bully, no better than those damned Americans!"
The tension in the room was suffocating. Representatives exchanged wary glances, unsure of where to stand or what to say.
Then, a voice rang out, steady and resonant.
"The SCP Foundation supports the declaration of the Global Occult Coalition."
All eyes turned toward the back of the room, to the elevated platform where Leonard sat cloaked in the Administrator's shadowy aura. The pressure emanating from him was suffocating, his glowing white eyes a beacon of authority.
Graves and Mei Lin, standing by Leonard's side, exchanged surprised glances. Neither spoke, maintaining their composed exteriors as the room shifted focus to their leader.
The silence was broken again, this time by a feminine voice from Leonard's right.
"Serpent Hand supports the declaration of the Global Occult Coalition."
Heads snapped toward Midnight, who stood with an amused smirk, her emerald cloak shimmering faintly in the dim light.
Leonard turned his glowing gaze to her, visibly caught off guard. Midnight shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm joining for the fun of the game. Besides," she added with a sly grin, "now DC owes me one. Hehehehe."
Leonard stared at her, utterly speechless, his imposing presence momentarily cracked by her audacious declaration.
A single voice broke through the thick silence: "The Abnormal Interaction Command of Finland supports the declaration of the Global Occult Coalition."
Another voice followed: "The Southern African Anomalies Agency supports the declaration of the Global Occult Coalition."
And another: "The Confraternity of Saint George's Knights supports the declaration of the Global Occult Coalition."
One by one, leaders of various anomalous groups rose to declare their allegiance to the GOC's statement.
Arash's expression darkened, his face a mask of restrained fury. Even some of his supposed allies stood, turning their backs on him as they voiced their support. His gaze locked onto his Israeli rival, the head of Yeda Zoher, who smirked arrogantly before flipping him an obscene gesture and standing to join the chorus of support.
DC. Al Fine's lips curled into a faint smile, his relief palpable though he remained outwardly composed. Inwardly, he silently thanked Leonard for tipping the scales.
Turning to Arash, DC's tone was icy but measured. "Well, Arash, will you rise to protect humanity alongside us? Or will you stand against us?"
Arash's teeth clenched so tightly it seemed his jaw might shatter. He rose slowly, his movements deliberate as if every muscle resisted. His voice, when it came, was heavy with emotion, reverberating with both anger and despair.
"Protect humanity?" he began, his tone dripping with contempt. "What humanity are you speaking of, DC? The one who colonized, stolen and abandoned the poorest, the most destitute corners of this world? The one that ignored Africa's cries for help, that turned its back on the Middle East when we were drowning in blood and tears? Is that the humanity you so valiantly claim to protect?"
The room stilled, the air charged with Arash's raw energy. He extended a trembling hand toward the gathered leaders, his voice rising.
"Have any of you ever known hunger? True hunger, not skipping a meal, but starving, watching your brothers and sisters eyes grow dull as their bodies fail them? Have any of you known poverty so suffocating that the very air feels like chains around your throat? Have you walked foreign countries' streets where every locals' glance cast your way brands you as the devil, simply for existing? Have you felt the weight of being born into oppression, told by the world that you are less, that you do not matter?"
He paused, letting his words hang in the air, his voice trembling with emotion but growing louder as his frustration boiled over.
"You speak of heroism, of noble hearts, but where were those heroes when my people needed them? Where were your grand coalitions, your saviors, your champions of justice? Instead, we were trampled underfoot, crushed beneath the boots of those who call themselves the protectors of humanity!"
His gaze turned to Leonard, Midnight, and finally back to DC, each word a searing accusation.
"Protect humanity? The only humanity you've ever cared about is your own, the privileged, the powerful, the chosen. The ones who live a peaceful life like in North America and Europe. And now you ask me to join hands with you? To sit beside you as an equal while you continue to ignore the suffering of my people? Spare me your hypocrisy."
The room was silent, the weight of Arash's words pressing down like a tangible force. Eyes darted around the chamber, many unwilling to meet his gaze, others hardened with the realization that his words had struck a nerve.
For a moment, it seemed as if even DC had no response, his jaw tight and his expression unreadable. Leonard's white eyes glowed faintly, his face impassive as he absorbed the raw truth in Arash's speech. Midnight, leaning back in her chair, arched a brow, impressed by the unflinching passion of the ORIA leader.
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife, the summit on the brink of breaking apart once more.
Midnight's voice cut through the tense silence like a blade, calm but commanding. "I have a proposal for you, Arash. Allow the Serpent's Hand access to Iran, and in return, we will provide military and educational support in the use of magic. We can help you protect Iran, and we'll ensure that your people's living conditions improve."
Arash's eyes narrowed in suspicion, his jaw tightening as he glared at her. "And what's to stop this from being another one of those schemes to stab us in the back like the United States has done since the 1980s?"
Midnight smirked, her tone light but layered with a hint of exasperation. "First of all, the Serpent's Hand doesn't care about your political or religious conflicts. Our priority is protecting humanoid and sentient anomalies who are friendly toward humanity. Second, our ranks are filled with liberals, leftists, anti-capitalists, and self-proclaimed saviors. Power and political dominance? We spit on that nonsense hourly. And lastly," she paused, pointing at herself with a wry grin, "I'm East Asian. Your beef with the Western world? We couldn't care less."
Arash studied her with narrowed eyes, still unconvinced. "Why would you want to help us, then?"
Midnight shrugged, her grin turning mischievous. "Because we all need to work together, and since you clearly don't trust the Foundation or the GOC, we, the Serpent's Hand, would like to demonstrate our sincerity in cooperation." Her tone took on a dramatic flair as she finished, puffing her chest out slightly.
Arash hesitated, the conflict evident in his expression. His gaze flicked around the room before he finally exhaled heavily. "We'll discuss this in private. For now, ORIA will temporarily abstain from opposing cooperation." With that, he sat back down, his movements stiff but measured.
As one by one, the other leaders took their seats, Leonard leaned slightly toward Midnight, his glowing white eyes narrowing. He murmured, "Cut the crap. You're not doing this out of the goodness of your heart. What's your real angle?"
Midnight raised her hands in mock innocence, a coy smile behind her mask. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm only doing this to protect those poor, innocent people."
Leonard sighed, his tone dry. "You literally charged me in demon corpses for your help during that invasion. Do you really think I'll believe you? What's the price you're planning to make them pay for your protection?"
She chuckled, a low, amused sound. "I see I can't hide anything from you. Fine, you got me. It just so happens that Iran has a wealth of ancient sites, ruins from forgotten anomalous civilizations… and an unusually high population of Djinn."
Leonard groaned, shaking his head as if he had expected nothing less. "I knew it…"
The room grew silent as DC rose once more, his trademark smile returning to his face. "Excellent," he began, his voice steady and charismatic. "Now that we've all agreed on cooperation, I would like to address a vital matter: the Veil Protocol. As you all know, none of us wants the knowledge of the abnormal to become public. Such a revelation would lead to global panic and chaos that neither you nor I want to manage. Therefore, I propose that we all sign the Veil Protocol, an agreement binding all Hope System groups to protect and maintain the status of the Veil at all costs, except in cases where the world itself is at risk. The normal world is not ready to face the abnormal, and it is up to us to ensure that it stays that way."
A heavy silence followed his words until a young man in a sharp Russian military uniform stood up. "Greetings," he said in a calm, yet firm tone. "I am the Director of GRU Division 'P.' I would like to clarify some points regarding this protocol. Specifically, how do you define the separation of the normal and abnormal worlds? And what about the covert use of anomalies to influence geopolitics or their use in international conflicts?"
DC considered the question thoughtfully before responding. "The use of anomalies must remain secret from the public eye and should not be used to massively influence global politics or societal order. However, minor uses, such as in skirmishes or for scientific research, will not be regulated under this protocol as long as it remains secret."
The GRU-P representative nodded, seemingly satisfied, and retook his seat. Moments later, copies of the Veil Protocol materialized before every leader in the room. They read through the details, and one by one, began signing the document.
Suddenly, Leonard's mind was interrupted by a mechanical tone and a familiar voice:
[Ding! Hope System Announcement: Congratulations to all Hope System groups for reaching a historic common agreement. The Hope System Market for Golds is now available, allowing members to buy, sell, or lease equipment, weapons, technology, sites, and troops from other Hope System members.]
[Ding! System Update: The system has received new features! The host is invited to inspect them!]
Leonard's glowing eyes flickered in surprise. Glancing around the room, he noticed similar expressions on the faces of others, smiles, raised brows, and faraway gazes as if they were exploring something invisible.
He closed his eyes momentarily and accessed the system's interface. A new category, "Market," appeared prominently on the menu. He tapped it, revealing various options. One button caught his eye: "Sell."
Curious, Leonard selected it, and a list of assets from the SCP Foundation appeared, including MTF units, personnel, sites, weapons, and technologies. For a test, he chose to sell 5 doses of Class-D amnestics, setting the price at 100 Golds.
Moments after posting, his listing appeared in the market:
[Sale]
Seller: SCP Foundation
Product: 5 doses of Class-D Amnestics
Price: 100 Golds
To his surprise, the listing vanished almost instantly, replaced by a new notification:
[Ding! "5 doses of Class-D Amnestics" have been purchased for 100 Golds by "Central Paranormal Intelligence Agency."]
[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received 100 Golds.]
Leonard opened his eyes, his glowing gaze scanning the room. Many leaders wore similar expressions of intrigue and satisfaction, their attention partially lost to their newly acquired system functionalities. This summit, he realized, was rapidly evolving into something far more interconnected, and dangerous, than he had anticipated.
DC, who looked just as bewildered as the others moments earlier, cleared his throat and straightened his posture, his expression regaining its usual composure. "Well," he began, his tone measured but firm, "judging by the looks on everyone's faces, I assume we're all quite pleased with this new Market functionality from the system."
He paused, scanning the room, noting the quiet hum of whispered conversations and the occasional nod of agreement. Then, his gaze sharpened, and his voice took on a stern edge. "That said, I want to make something explicitly clear for everyone here: under no circumstances should you discuss the system with anyone who is not a fellow host."
A ripple of tension spread through the room as the gravity of his words settled in. DC continued, his eyes narrowing slightly, "You all understand the immense strategic value of this system. Sharing its existence, or its functions, outside this circle could very well make you a target. For those of you representing national agencies of normalcy, do you really want to give your governments or rivals a reason to see you as expendable? I doubt it."
A collective murmur of agreement echoed around the room. Many nodded, their faces a mix of resolve and unease. No one wanted to become the victim of political machinations or outright assassination over this newfound power.
Satisfied, DC allowed himself a small smile. "Good. Let's ensure that we all stay alive to use this system and further our goals. Now, if there are no further concerns about this matter, let's move on to the next topic of discussion."
DC stood at the podium, his calm demeanor punctuated by an air of earnestness. "I'd also like to address the topic of world-ending events," he began, his voice steady but firm. "Let's not kid ourselves, at some point, we're bound to face a catastrophic event that could put the entire Earth and humanity at risk."
The room grew quieter, the weight of his words sinking in. DC's gaze swept across the audience. "When that happens, and it's not a matter of 'if' but 'when', I hope none of you hesitate to raise the alarm and rally your forces to protect the globe and the survival of humanity as a whole."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, punctuated by nods from several representatives.
DC continued, his tone resolute, "In such an event, the Global Occult Coalition will open its facilities and, where possible, grant access to its equipment for all your forces. We're counting on your willingness to step up and truly contribute in those moments of crisis."
A series of affirmative nods followed, a quiet but clear agreement among the gathered leaders.
DC's expression shifted slightly, a smile forming as he transitioned. "Now, I have another announcement to make. I am pleased to inform everyone here that the reconstruction of Eurtec has been successfully completed, thanks to the joint efforts of several groups within the Council of 108, and more specifically, the Servants of the Silicon Nornir, who are here with us today."
He gestured toward a young man in a sharp suit sitting near the front, who seemed visibly uncomfortable under the sudden attention.
"For those unfamiliar," DC continued, addressing the room, "the European Technological Esoteric Capital, or Eurtec, is an extradimensional city that serves as the heart of the Council of 108 within the United Nations Global Occult Coalition. It was originally built by, and will still be under the stewardship of, the Servants of the Silicon Nornir."
A faint ripple of intrigue and whispers spread through the crowd.
DC pressed on, his tone growing more enthusiastic. "Eurtec is a city like no other, a technologically advanced hub, serving as both the primary European free port and a haven for paratechnology development. We extend an open invitation to all of you to establish embassies, joint research labs, or commercial ventures in this extraordinary, entirely anomalous city."
He paused, letting the significance of the offer sink in.
"I should also mention," he added with a wry smile, "that while your assets within Eurtec will be fully protected by GOC forces, you won't be exempt from taxes, although your tax rates will be lower than those imposed on neutral or independent entities residing there. Additionally, Eurtec is home to a population of residents who emerged from the Hope System itself. Treat them as you would any ordinary citizens who are simply aware of the anomalous."
DC's voice took on a cautionary tone as he concluded, "Weapons are permitted in the city but must be declared beforehand. Entry points to Eurtec are currently located at various embassies and United Nations facilities across Europe. We're working on expanding access to other continents, but this will take time."
The announcement was met with a wave of surprise, followed swiftly by smiles and murmurs of excitement. For many, the idea of a protected, thriving hub like Eurtec represented not just an opportunity but a dream come true.
DC clapped his hands together, his smile broad. "Alright, we've covered all the scheduled topics for today. We still have about an hour and a half before the break. Does anyone have additional topics they'd like to bring up?"
A low murmur spread through the room. For a moment, it seemed no one was willing to speak up. Then, a young man rose from his seat and addressed the assembly. "Good afternoon, everyone. I'm the director of the Institución de Normalidad Centroamericana. I'd like to raise a curious point: has anyone else noticed that the SCP Foundation Wiki has… disappeared?"
The room erupted into a wave of murmurs and hushed whispers. Representatives exchanged confused glances, and the atmosphere shifted to one of unease.
Leonard's eyes widened in shock. The Wiki! he thought, his mind racing. I completely forgot about it! He quickly turned to Graves and whispered, "Graves, do we have any information about the Foundation Wiki?"
Graves furrowed his brows, whispering back, "Boss, the Foundation Wiki? What's that supposed to be?"
Leonard's expression froze. "…What?"
Mei Lin, seated on Leonard's other side, shook her head solemnly. "No idea, Administrator. I've never heard of anything like that."
Leonard's mind reeled. He pulled out his phone and typed SCP Foundation into a search engine. The results displayed a list of companies, products like swimming pool equipment, and furniture brands, but nothing remotely related to the actual SCP Foundation. His frown deepened as he switched to social media platforms and major content-sharing sites. Still, there was nothing.
Meanwhile, another voice cut through the murmurs. A young woman stood up among the leaders. "Honestly," she began, her voice steady but tinged with curiosity, "when I first received the Hope System, I immediately searched for the Wiki. I figured it would be the best place to learn more about the SCP Foundation… but I found nothing. No entries, no archived pages, no traces. I even conducted a little experiment, I reached out to some of my old classmates who, like me, were fans of the Foundation's lore back in the day. But…"
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the room. "None of them remembered anything about it. It's as if it never existed."
The room fell into a tense silence. The implications were staggering. Leonard's grip on his phone tightened as the realization began to set in. Whatever anomaly had erased the Foundation's Wikidot, it was complete and unrelenting. This was no accident.
The silence in the room was palpable, as if everyone was collectively holding their breath. DC broke it with a deliberate, measured tone. "Administrator," he began, his gaze locking onto Leonard. "The Hope System is, quite literally, built around the SCP Foundation's archives. If anyone here would know about this… Wiki, it would be you. Do you have any information regarding its disappearance?"
Leonard leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable as he mulled over the question. His mind raced, combing through the Foundation's extensive databases and his own personal experiences.
Finally, he shook his head. "No," Leonard admitted, his voice steady but carrying a weight of concern. "The Foundation had no knowledge of the wiki. I've even checked with my subordinates and neither of them had ever heard of it. As far as the SCP Foundation is aware, it doesn't exist, and it never has. Only us, the System hosts, remember it."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the assembly once more, the tension in the air thickening. Some leaders exchanged puzzled glances; others leaned into whispered conversations with their aides.
DC nodded slowly, his brow furrowed in thought. "That's… unsettling," he said, his voice tinged with a rare note of unease. "If nobody has answers, then this mystery runs deeper than we thought."
The room seemed to collectively exhale, though the sense of discomfort lingered like a shadow.
The director of the FBI: UIU stood abruptly, his expression grave as he addressed the room. "I have a theory regarding this situation. Could it be possible that a reality fold occurred without anyone noticing?"
His words sent ripples through the gathered leaders, the murmurs growing louder. The leader of the GRU Division 'P' was the first to speak, his voice deep and deliberate. "If a reality fold of such magnitude occurred, it would require at least a Class-V Reality Bender to achieve. Anything less wouldn't have the capacity to completely rewrite reality this much. "
Another voice chimed in, this time from the Brazilian Superintendence for the Paranormal. "Or perhaps even a Class-VI Reality Bender. To erase shared global knowledge and memories without leaving substantial anomalies is a feat of extraordinary power."
As the room buzzed with agreement and speculation, the representative of the Paranormal 19th Bureau of China raised a hand, his tone cautious. "However, there is a glaring inconsistency. A reality fold of this scale would leave detectable residual effects. Memory instability, dimensional distortions, or even minor disruptions to baseline reality. Yet none of our organizations have reported any such phenomena."
The UIU Director countered calmly, "Residual effects could be accounted for if the fold was executed with surgical precision. A highly experienced Reality Bender, or one with access to god-like powers like a Class-VI, could potentially suppress the usual signs of their influence."
The representative from the Manna Charitable Foundation leaned forward, his brows furrowed in thought. "That's plausible, but it raises an even bigger question, why target the SCP Wiki? What strategic purpose could such an act serve?"
The leader of ORIA spoke next, his tone steady but tinged with suspicion. "Perhaps it wasn't about the wiki itself but what it represents. The SCP Wiki is a gold mine, full of information about anomalous technologies and SCP's."
DC cleared his throat, his voice calm but firm. "If this was an attack, we must determine who stands to gain. Our records indicate no active Class-V or Class-VI Reality Benders in operation since the beginning of the system. If someone executed this without detection, they either bypassed global monitoring or possess resources we cannot yet comprehend."
A voice from the Confraternity of Saint George's Knights added, "It could also be an artifact, a dormant or forgotten anomaly capable of rewriting reality. In the lore, there are like a few hundreds of SCP's with the capacity to do so. Who's to say this isn't a repeat occurrence?"
As the debate intensified, the room seemed to reach an impasse. Then, someone from the Southern African Anomalies Agency stood up and posed a chilling thought. "What if this wasn't a reality bender at all? What if the Foundation itself is responsible? They've erased memories on a global scale before. Who's to say they haven't done it more than once? After all, let's remember, the wiki contains too much sensitive information about the SCP Foundation. So it's plausible."
The murmurs turned to sharp whispers as the possibility was absorbed. One by one, leaders across the room turned their attention to Leonard, their expressions a mixture of curiosity, suspicion, and wariness. The Administrator remained silent, his white, piercing eyes scanning the room, betraying no emotion.
DC glanced at Leonard and let out a weary sigh. "TA, do you have any statement to make regarding this matter?"
Leonard remained silent, his glowing white eyes sweeping across the room, his expression unreadable.
"TA?" DC pressed again, his tone growing firmer.
Leonard finally spoke, his voice calm but commanding. "I have a question for you all, especially for the governmental anomalous agencies. Have you ever noticed that when you acquire units or buildings through the system, they appear and act as though they've always existed in this world? Yet, when you check their backgrounds, there are legitimate archives about them, as though they were born and raised here, fully integrated into reality."
The room fell into stunned silence. Faces turned pale as the gravity of Leonard's words sank in.
The leader of PENTAGRAM rose to his feet, his voice trembling slightly. "Yes, when I gained my first unit and base, I was promoted instantly in the military. Shortly after, I was summoned by the Secretary of Defense as if I had always been working for him."
The commander of the Anomalous Warfare Battalion from the Philippines stood next, his voice steady but unnerved. "The same thing happened to me. When I received my first system upgrade, it was as if everyone in my chain of command had already been briefed on it, and they acted like it was completely normal."
The leader of His Majesty's Anomaly Service added, "Precisely the same for me. I was summoned to Buckingham Palace and personally briefed by His Majesty as though my agency had existed for generations."
A wave of similar affirmations followed. Representatives from every corner of the room shared eerily identical experiences, how their acquisitions through the system seamlessly integrated into their respective realities, leaving no sign of their previous absence.
Midnight, observing the tension in the room, crossed her arms, her lips curling into a half-smile. "You're all acting surprised. What did you think the system was doing, sending you gifts wrapped in a neat little box? Reality-bending is written all over it."
DC raised his hand to restore order in the room as murmurs turned into a cacophony of nervous chatter. "If these units, bases, and resources have indeed rewritten reality seamlessly, then this raises critical questions about the system's mechanics, and its purpose."
Leonard's voice cut through the din like a knife. "It's not just about what the system gives us. It's about how we've failed to question its implications. How can something integrate so flawlessly into reality without leaving a single trace of irregularity?"
The representative of the Servants of the Silicon Nornir adjusted his glasses, his voice deliberate. "Such a feat of rewriting existence would require a divinity-level manipulation of reality itself. This goes beyond Class-V or Class-VI Reality Benders. This is something entirely different."
"Or worse," added the delegate from the GRU Division 'P', his voice grim. "It's an intelligence beyond our comprehension, playing a long game we're not even aware of."
The leader of the Confraternity of Saint George's Knights crossed his arms. "You're suggesting that the system itself is alive? A sentient construct operating on a level far beyond the anomalous phenomena we understand?"
The representative from the Brazilian Superintendence for the Paranormal slammed his palm on the table. "That's absurd! If the system were alive, why would it choose to empower us? Why wouldn't it just eliminate the threats it claims we're here to fight?"
"Perhaps it's not about us," replied the representative of the Global Occult Coalition, his tone measured. "Perhaps it's about maintaining balance. A controlled chaos, if you will, where all sides are perpetually locked in competition yet united by necessity."
Leonard's gaze swept across the room as the debate intensified, with theories flying from every corner. Some speculated on the system being a gift from a higher-dimensional entity, while others suggested it was an anomaly itself, a self-sustaining mechanism that required the cooperation of those it empowered.
Finally, Leonard raised his hand, and the room quieted. His voice, calm yet commanding, resonated through the chamber. "So many changes to reality have occurred, and none of us noticed. None of us questioned it." He paused, letting his words sink in.
"I have a theory that might explain the origin of the system," Leonard continued, his tone heavy with meaning.
The room leaned forward, every eye locked on him.
Leonard's gaze turned sharp, his next words cutting through the thick air like a blade. "Could it be… that this is all caused by the Narrative?"