The two of them stared at the statue codes in the notebook, both falling silent.
Even so, they didn’t delay picking up the medallions.
Once they had them, Alan Han finally started complaining.
“Sometimes having too many clues is a headache.”
“Yeah.
That’s why I carry everything with me.
Shame my pockets aren’t big enough.”
“No, it’s because the two of you just have terrible memory.”
Hearing Claire’s jab, Alan Han and Leon exchanged a glance and both let out a sigh.
Busted.
With two medallions in hand, they were one step closer to escaping the police station.
Still, none of them dared to rush, worried they might miss something.
If only a speedrun expert could guide us, Alan Han thought.
Though that would mean giving up all those glitch tricks.
They looped back through the library and returned to the main hall.
Since they had found a button earlier, Leon and Alan Han decided to head back to the Safety Deposit Room.
Claire said she didn’t mind, as long as they didn’t drag her into a sewer.
Alan Han led the way to the office where they had put up the welcome banner for Leon.
There was a safe in one of the side rooms.
“Sorry, Leon, but I can definitely feel their enthusiasm.”
Claire glanced at the banner overhead and commented.
Alan Han looked at Leon.
Seeing that he said nothing, he kept quiet as well.
Mainly because there was a hip pouch inside.
They had to grab it.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have wanted to come back to this place.
Putting on a cheerful expression, Alan Han handed the hip pouch from the safe to Claire.
“Another hip pouch.
Here, Claire.”
Claire took it, still a little puzzled about why a hip pouch would be locked in a safe.
“You don’t need it?”
“I keep missing clues, so you should have it.”
Alan Han shrugged.
No one knew what might happen.
Carrying more space wouldn’t help him much.
Better to give useful gear to someone stronger.
Claire thanked him and fastened the hip pouch around her waist.
After that, they headed straight for the Safety Deposit Room.
Once inside, Leon took out the button and installed it into slot number 2, then had Alan Han and Claire check which lockers could be opened.
In the end, they opened lockers 102 and 208, getting gunpowder and shotgun shells.
Alan Han ran to a locker panel deeper inside that required a Weapons Locker Key Card.
He inserted the Weapons Locker Key Card they had obtained from the room with the scepter statue.
The locker opened, revealing a shotgun and a grenade launcher.
Alan Han took the shotgun, while Claire picked up the grenade launcher and gathered the grenades from the nearby shelf.
Still a bit unfamiliar with it, Alan Han loaded the shotgun one shell at a time, then chambered a round.
A crisp metallic click echoed through the room, far more satisfying than gunfire.
Feeling the mechanical feedback as it chambered, Alan Han got goosebumps.
“Oh, Leon, I like this.
But you should take it.”
Leon gently pushed the shotgun back and smiled.
“Thanks, but you need to be armed too.
You keep it for now.”
Alan Han didn’t argue.
His aim wasn’t great anyway, and the shotgun’s spread made up for that perfectly.
Just pull the trigger and it works.
Claire: Why didn’t you ask me?
I’d love to have that.
It’s way better than a revolver.
Still, my grenade launcher isn’t bad either.
The three stepped outside and happened to see a zombie wandering over.
“Here’s a little gift.
No refusing.”
Alan Han pulled the trigger hard, the resistance noticeably stronger than a handgun.
His wrist jolted, the muzzle flashed, and the pellets blasted out.
They tore into the zombie’s body, punching through its chest or embedding deep inside.
Its head burst apart into blood and bone fragments, scattering everywhere.
The visual impact was overwhelming.
Alan Han chambered another round.
The ejection port spat out the spent shell along with a puff of steam.
“I’m starting to love this thing.”
He shook his wrist.
The recoil was a bit heavy.
“I just hope you only treat zombies like this.
Let’s go.”
Leon glanced at the mangled corpse and nodded.
“That was brutal, Han.
You’re pretty violent.”
Claire teased him, then kicked the body out of the way.
Alan Han: If you weren’t using the grenade launcher right now, you’d be even more violent… Yeah, better not say that out loud.
After leaving the Safety Deposit Room, they wandered around for a while before realizing the last statue was right on the second floor of the main hall, in a very obvious spot.
It was a bit ridiculous, but at least they had everything now.
Leon stepped forward and took out the medallion.
“Alright, everything’s ready.
Han, Claire, let’s go to the main statue.”
Alan Han and Claire nodded.
The three went downstairs together and placed the Medallions into the slots one by one.
The sound of machinery echoed as the wall beneath the statue suddenly slid open.
After a moment, an iron door slowly emerged from below.
Leon stepped forward, opened it, and shone his flashlight inside.
“This leads underground, right?
We found it… we can escape through here.”
“Captain Branagh… Marvin.”
“We should go.
Hey… excuse me…”
Leon reached out and shook Marvin.
“Ugh…!”
Marvin suddenly jolted upright, a trace of madness flashing across his face.
He blinked rapidly and looked around.
“We need to get you to a hospital.
Now.”
“No… no, I… you have to go!”
“Don’t say that, I’ll take you—”
“Go!”
Leon leaned forward.
“Listen, we can still get out if you just—”
“It’s too late!”
Marvin turned and raised his handgun at Leon, his hand trembling.
“I’ve already tried, Leon.
There’s nothing I can do.
We can’t let this spread.”
“It’s all up to you now.
Go.”
Clinging to his last bit of sanity, a flicker of ferocity flashed across Marvin’s face.
He lifted the hand that had been covering his wound, sucked in a sharp breath, and stared at it.
“I understand.”
Standing nearby, Alan Han felt the weight of Marvin’s trust and protection toward Leon.
A hollow feeling settled in his chest.
As a transmigrator, what could he really do?
Aside from possibly disrupting the story, it seemed all he could do was watch.
In the end, he simply placed a hand on Leon’s shoulder and stood with him in silence.
Claire couldn’t bear the atmosphere and moved ahead into the passage beneath the statue.
Just as Alan Han thought there was nothing left for him to do and was about to follow Leon,
“Han… please, come here for a moment.”
Marvin slumped weakly in his chair.
“Captain, is there something else you want me to do?”
Alan Han left Leon where he stood and walked over.
“Ha… Han… sorry, this is a difficult request… but…”
“Officer Marvin, I’ll do everything I can.”
Marvin shook his head, his vision already blurring.
“I’ve been a terrible father… My daughter, Meryl…”
He slowly pulled out a photograph from his coat.
It still carried the faint warmth of his body.
“If you make it out safely… please… go save my daughter.
She should be at Kendo Arms.”
Alan Han took the photo and looked at it carefully.
It showed a family of three, with a small bear doodled on the back.
“Why not tell Leon…?”
“He’s too upright… too naive… I didn’t tell him because it would weigh on him too much.”
Marvin thought of the girl standing behind Leon earlier and felt reassured in his decision.
Alan Han pressed his lips together.
If Leon knew, he wouldn’t give up.
“I will, Officer Marvin.”
“Kid… don’t push yourself.
I know I’ve been a terrible father.
But thank you.
On behalf of my family.”
Alan Han nodded, tears welling in his eyes.
“Go.
If you see my daughter… apologize to her for me.
I shouldn’t have yelled at her.”
Alan Han said nothing.
After a moment, he returned to Leon’s side.
In the end, Leon and Alan Han stepped into the Underground Passage together.
Leon turned back, watching the mechanical wall slowly close.
“I won’t let you down, Marvin.”
Alan Han looked at Marvin with the same resolve.
“I won’t let you down, Officer Marvin.”