Never
Never 378

Chapter 378

חד

Arden suddenly held his phone up, showing Unda the screen.

It displayed William making his way through a pitch black corridor with a flashlight

“I remember when I first designed these hidden passages, I thought about what would make every person with a flashlight walking through it feel scared.

“I wanted to create something that was not only effective but also cost–effective. I decided on the uncanny valley effect.

“You see, players who came here in the past wouldn’t dare walk through this corridor alone. Even the bravest ones needed a group to go through it together.

“Each animal’s photo seems gentle, but their smiles are eerily human–like. And the dolls look pretty, but their smiles are terrifying.

“Tell me, Linda What would you feel if you had to walk through such a corridor?”

Arden’s laugh was particularly frightening

“Arden.” Linda couldn’t help but wonder what he had been through over the years. “Have you been doing this all these years?”

“What else could I do? with a scarred face, people are terrified of me. No matter what I try, I can’t fit in anywhere else. This is the only job I could manage, even if it’s frustrating Linda’s eyes showed some sympathy, and this made Arden open up father

“Aside from designing these escape rooms, Thaven’t been able to do anything else. People shunned me. I remember someone telling me that someone like me shouldn’t exist in this world. But did I choose to be this way? I didn’t.”

Linda tried to engage him more. “I’ve never asked you what happened to your face. I don’t fear you or dislike you. I treat you as a friend, so I want to understand what you’ve been through.”

“Arden, you’re not to be blamed for how you look now. The ones who caused you to be this way are at fault.” She gently guided him,

Gradually, Arden revealed his story. His facial scars were the result of a heroic act when he was in high school

One evening, after a late class, he was walking home when he noticed two men following a girl. He was worried about her safety, so he followed the girl and ensured she got home

safely

Later, he learned that the girl was the daughter of an undercover narcotics officer. The father wiped out the entire ding ring, and the remaining members sought revenge by targeting the girl

Arden, motivated by his strong sense of justice, was responsible for escorting her daily to and from school. This sense of justice ultimately led to the disfigurement of his face, as the drag criminals attacked him one night after he had dropped the girl off at home and warned her to stay indoors.