The Shelter Escape Plan [GB]

Gears turn, and watchtowers rise in serried ranks.

Steam drifts skyward. Beneath each prosperous heavy-industrial city, the underground lies in eternal darkness. Ruin No. 001 is hidden there.

In this era, people call it the Ancient Containment Facility.

[Containment Subject File]

Number: 001

Location: Ancient Containment Facility

Name: ████

Important Notes:

1. Researchers must memorize the Containment Protocol and ensure they are mentally sound, can correctly recognize written text, and can distinguish between anomalies, contaminants, ██, and other such concepts. They must not experience any hallucinations.

2. Subject 001 is asleep most of the time. Researchers must make absolutely sure it is asleep before entering the containment chamber.

3. There is a railing inside the containment chamber. Researchers must check that it is intact and shows no sign of having been opened before beginning observation.

4. When asleep, Subject 001 makes no sound except for breathing. If you hear anything, act as though you heard nothing and carry on as usual. Do not let it discover that you can hear it.

5. Subject 001 is ██, not human.

6. Do not make eye contact with it.

*

Pei Chuan had a cool, handsome appearance and a gentle nature. After ranking first in the Church's examinations, he was assigned to Research Institute No. 1, where he guarded humanity's most important line of defense. He knew the Containment Protocol by heart, and day after day, he watched over dangerous containment subjects underground.

One day, Pei Chuan entered a containment chamber alone and heard a low voice.

He involuntarily raised his eyes and met a pair of deep-red eyes, like the molten rock of an abyss, in the darkness.

Steampunk / Cthulhu / light rules-based horror / gender bender

Eldritch goddess heroine x broken-hearted devoted husband

Probably a short story

Blurb posted: 2025.8.24

Theme: Reverence for nature