"Hello, I'm a Wanderer, and I mean no harm."
Leon's words amused the two B.N.T.G. guards; being pointed at by two submachine guns and claiming you mean no harm was quite funny.
"Walk slowly over here for a scan."
B.N.T.G. wasn't unwelcoming to Wanderers; otherwise, who would they sell their supplies to? Or rather, their own members didn't just pop out of rocks.
Leon casually walked towards them.
The two led him deeper into the tunnel, where the surrounding temperature gradually rose. Although Leon didn't feel hot, he could sense the change in temperature, which felt quite magical.
The tunnel gradually changed its style, becoming more expansive.
Soon, a special space came into view: an area combining a warehouse and an office.
The walls and floor of this Level 2 area were made of broken concrete, with exposed rebar in some places. Water pipes and ventilation ducts covered the ceiling and walls.
Leon knew this place.
[Office EL3A]
EL3A is one of the most hospitable locations in Level 2, and it is also the first outpost most Wanderers encounter in the Backrooms.
Of course, provided they pass inspection, otherwise…
After he stepped into the Office EL3A area, the two guards, who had been holding submachine guns, suddenly became much more enthusiastic.
"What's your name? We haven't seen a Wanderer here in a while."
"Leon. I just came from Level 1. I met one of our exploration teams on the way, and they guided me here."
Leon was bewildered by the guards' sudden change. Just moments ago, the two guys were as expressionless as terminators, like living killing machines.
What was with this sudden change to being all smiles?
"Oh… You must have met Wright and his team. He led the team out today."
As he spoke, the man led him to an office-style room and said, "Here we are. This is the registration desk. Someone will guide you through the next steps after you register, but you must follow some rules here."
"Hmm… Although some rules seem ridiculous, behind every ridiculous rule, an even more ridiculous event has occurred."
He thought of something, and a strange smile appeared on his face.
Leon nodded, understanding this perfectly.
Before traversing, he had seen some absurd rules in schools, such as prohibiting bringing utensils into toilets, prohibiting stealing underwear, and prohibiting hanging curtains on dormitory beds.
They seemed inhuman, but the stories behind the rules were even more stimulating.
"Aren't we supposed to be scanned?"
The guard smiled and said, "It looks like this is your first time encountering the organization."
"The scan was already completed the moment you entered the EL3A area. If you were a Skin Stealer or a similar Entity, the alarm would have already sounded."
Leon: "???"
Is it that efficient? But this is too casual. Can my digitized body also pass the test?
So, you can only detect whether it's an Entity, huh?
I'll bring an Alien over to try another day.
In reality, in the Backrooms, being able to distinguish whether something is an Entity is completely sufficient.
Although there are slight frictions between humans, overall, there are no direct conflicts between any groups.
After all, in a ghostly place like the Backrooms, if humans don't stick together, they die even faster.
"Alright, go on in. We need to get back to work."
Leon nodded, reached out, opened the office door, and walked in. There weren't many people in the office, only three.
One man and two women.
The few people showed no surprise when they saw him enter. A European woman who looked to be in her thirties smiled and said, "A Wanderer?"
Leon nodded slightly.
"You don't need to be nervous. Our B.N.T.G. is a very good organization, and we welcome Wanderers."
"I haven't found your information online, so it's clear you haven't encountered the outposts and bases of other major organizations elsewhere."
Leon nodded again.
"Then, would you mind registering? Of course, this is entirely voluntary. If you don't wish to, you are free to leave."
The other party's meaning was clear: You can choose to register, but if you don't want to, then we can't accommodate you here.
"Of course."
"Excellent. Let's reintroduce ourselves. I'm Masha, the head of B.N.T.G. Office EL3A."
With that, she extended her hand. Leon briefly shook her hand and said, "Leon, nice to meet you."
"Leon, an Easterner? Excellent. Your discipline and intelligent minds are highly welcomed by various organizations in the Backrooms."
"Your age."
"22 years old."
"Gender. Don't misunderstand, ever since armed helicopters and Walmart shopping bags arrived in the Backrooms, out of respect, we can only keep up with the times. I hope you can understand."
"Male, likes females!"
"Haha, then we can skip the next question. Now for the most important question."
"What are your specialties or abilities?"
The woman's expression became serious, her gaze intently fixed on Leon.
Leon pondered for a moment. It seemed like his entire body was a specialty, and his abilities were also specialties.
But he still thought for a moment and said, "Does easily attracting Entities count as a specialty?"
Masha's expression didn't change much. She looked at Leon with sharp eyes and calmly asked, "Attracting Entities? How do you attract them?"
"I encountered Bacteria and the Dullahan in Level 0, a Smiling Wraith in Level 1, and also a Smiling Wraith in Level 2. Oh, and before coming here, I was attacked by a pack of Hounds!!"
"Speaking of which, I want to ask, is Level 2 really that unfriendly to Wanderers? Even Entities appear in groups?"
Masha: "..."
You look so cool when you're bragging, but I really can't upload this to the network.
She took a bottle of almond water from the office desk drawer, only this time the bottle wasn't gray but a blue canned almond water.
Instantly, information about blue almond water appeared in Leon's mind.
This variant of almond water can effectively resist the impact of external factors on human mental health.
It can even suppress the early stages of the Grief Corpse cycle and, if treated promptly, can even reverse it directly.
It also helps Wanderers suffering from anxiety, depression, and ADHD manage their mental illnesses.
However, excessive use of this almond water can cause permanent addiction, impaired vision, and muscle weakness.
"Leon, I think you might be mentally exhausted. Come, let me treat you to a bottle of almond water, and then you can get a good night's sleep. We'll discuss the rest when you wake up."
Is there no justice in this day and age? People don't even believe the truth anymore?