Chapter 10: Checking In at Silent Hill
"Don't leave yet! I haven't finished talking."
Allen was just about to proudly reveal the secrets of Silent Hill, but Bruce and Oliver dismissed him as delusional again. Ignoring him, they continued walking into the town while chatting.
"I'm proficient in twenty-three types of close-quarters combat."
Bruce raised his hand to indicate his sword and the wrist blades on his gauntlet.
"Impressive!"
Oliver responded without a hint of humility. "I'm skilled with a bow. The limit of an arrow's range is determined by the bow, not my archery skills. I'm no slouch in close combat either."
"Much respect, much respect!"
Allen caught up with them and interjected, "Since everyone is being so honest, I won't hide it either—I'm a transmigrator with a system template."
"…"
Mhm, mhm, mhm…
If you said you were an alien, we'd believe you more.
"I'll take the lead, and you provide long-range support," Bruce suggested.
"No problem."
The two continued their discussion, completely excluding Allen. They just hoped he wouldn't cause trouble.
Both Batman and Green Arrow had tragic backstories, making them naturally less optimistic and open. Ignoring Allen was simply their default response.
As they walked through the deserted town—
"Was the intel wrong?"
Bruce couldn't help but feel suspicious.
The buildings along the street, with shattered windows and crumbling walls, clearly showed signs of being abandoned for many years.
With no one in sight, how were they supposed to find the cult and retrieve the Redemption Blade?
"Looks like this was a wasted trip," Oliver echoed.
"You guys really don't want to know Silent Hill's secret?"
Allen deliberately quickened his pace to walk ahead of them, wearing an expression that practically begged them to ask.
"No."
Bruce rejected him outright.
He had no intention of letting a lunatic lead the way.
"Since you're so sincere, I'll reluctantly tell you."
Allen cleared his throat and put on a serious expression.
To be honest, if he didn't say it soon, he was going to go crazy.
Suddenly, a gray fog quietly rose, and ash-like snowflakes began drifting down from the sky.
The unexpected change made Bruce and Oliver halt, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
"Damn it, can't you let me finish talking before the Otherworld manifests?"
Allen crossed his arms and grumbled in frustration. "Just now, we were in the real world. Now we're in the Otherworld. When the Inner World arrives, Silent Hill will be crawling with monsters and demons."
The already dilapidated buildings now looked even more run-down.
It was obvious—this was no longer their original world.
Bruce and Oliver immediately started taking Allen's words more seriously.
"Allen, can you explain in more detail?" Oliver asked.
"Beg me."
Allen tilted his head up at a forty-five-degree angle, pouting. "Earlier, you barely paid me any attention. Now you think I'm out of your league?"
"Monster!"
Bruce suddenly drew his sword and focused intently on the front.
At some point, a humanoid creature with its arms bound within its skin had begun twisting its way toward them.
"Don't be afraid, it's a Lying Figure."
Allen sized up the creature and began explaining. "Lying Figures were men who never received a woman's affection. Over time, their psychological distortions turned them into monsters. They harbor deep resentment toward women and can spray a corrosive black liquid from the hole in their chest. But don't worry—it never attacks men."
Splat!
The slap in the face came faster than expected.
The moment Allen finished speaking, the Lying Figure spewed a jet of black liquid at them.
The three of them swiftly dodged, watching as the black substance hit the ground and sizzled, releasing white fumes.
"Shit, this thing must be attracted to my beauty. It actually reacted to me!"
Allen sidestepped skillfully, closing in on the Lying Figure. Then, he raised his foot and started kicking.
Kick after kick.
Cursing after cursing.
"I'll make you spray! I'll make you squirt! I'll make you react!"
The poor Lying Figure, pinned face-down, struggled to flip over but was met with relentless stomping.
"Should we help?"
"Forget it. Let him have his fun."
They even suspected Allen was too excited and might not even spare them if they intervened.
Once he'd vented enough, Allen finished off the monster with a single sword strike.
[Lying Figure slain. EXP +200]
Allen didn't forget to warn the corpse, "Remember to respect me in your next life."
Silent Hill's monsters weren't particularly strong—their true threat lay in their overwhelming numbers.
Lying Figures were capable of moving around in the Otherworld, but in the movies, they died to a police officer's handgun. For Allen, the Inner World was basically a grinding zone for experience points.
"Allen, tell us more about Silent Hill," Bruce prompted.
"Sure thing, Bat-bro."
Allen adjusted his nonexistent glasses and adopted a scholarly tone. "Silent Hill was founded during the Great Expansion period as a mining town—"
"Can you keep it short?" Bruce interrupted.
Given Allen's tendency to go on tangents, he was probably about to launch into half of American history.
They were in a dangerous, unfamiliar place—every extra second spent talking increased their risk.
"Geez, you're so impatient."
Allen rolled his eyes and continued, "Silent Hill had a hardcore fan of the fallen angel Samael. She was obsessed since childhood, fangirled all the way into old age, and even became the head of his fan club. One day, she found out her sister had given birth to her idol's child."
"She was absolutely livid."
"'You bastard! I've been calling you "Big Bro" every night for decades! I stayed a devoted fangirl from my youth to my old age, and you never even touched me! I thought you were just pure-hearted! But then you go and knock up my sister and have a kid?!"
"Unable to swallow the betrayal, she decided to kill the child. She rounded up some people, tied the kid to a pyre, and prepared to barbecue her."
"They were just about to baste her in oil, sprinkle on some cumin, and roast her to a perfect crisp—when, of course, something unexpected happened. A group barged in, crashed the barbecue party, and rescued the half-cooked girl."
"Later, lying in bed, the girl kept stewing over it."
"'Why should I, a half-divine being, be burned by some acid-spitting old hag? This isn't fair!"
"'I have to get revenge for my dignity!"
"The more she thought about it, the more she fumed, until—bam! She awakened her divine power."
"Silent Hill got warped into two layers: the Otherworld and the Inner World. Anyone who had wronged her was trapped inside."
"But her ability had a cooldown period, so the two worlds kept switching back and forth."
"The Otherworld was still somewhat safe, and the cultists could come out and scavenge for supplies. But when the Inner World took over, they had to flee back to the church."
"Over the years, the cult leader and her followers have tried to kill the girl to end their nightmare—but they keep failing."
Bruce and Oliver fell into silence.
They understood. Sort of.
But at the same time, Allen's storytelling was way too abstract.
…
Meanwhile, in a motel bathroom—
An old TV sat face-down on a toilet.
Suddenly, the screen flickered on, buzzing with static.
Sploosh!
A moment later, something fell out.
It was Sadako, crawling out to claim a life.
She kicked her legs, breaking free from the TV's grasp, and propped herself up on the toilet seat.
As she lifted her dripping head—
A large patch of yellowish sludge was clearly visible on top.
Her long, wet hair covered her face, hiding her expression, but dark, seething malice radiated from her.
Nothing pissed her off more than people not flushing the toilet.