There were supposed to be containment objects stored here, but after searching for a while, Linray only found one thing — a neatly folded raincoat sitting on a shelf.
A row of small labels was printed along its bottom edge.
"SCP-[REDACTED]."
"A raincoat that deflects bullets."
"Upon discovery, the object was being worn by a civilian as rain protection."
"On the day of retrieval, a robbery was in progress at the same location. The civilian wearing the raincoat was struck by a bullet."
"An anomalous reaction occurred: at the moment of impact, the SCP redirected the bullet along its surface, causing it to slide off like a raindrop."
"Local authorities were contacted. The robbery was contained, and the SCP was secured before the civilian could react."
"After extensive testing, the object was determined to passively avoid danger but poses no threat itself. Classified as a beneficial containment object — storage only, no active containment required."
Linray held the transparent raincoat up and turned it over in his hands. The material felt no different from ordinary waterproof plastic. There were even buttons along the collar for easy folding — surprisingly practical craftsmanship.
But this ordinary-looking raincoat could make bullets slide off its surface, the same way raindrops bounce off a regular coat.
More accurately, it wasn't that the bullet was deflected — the raincoat itself dodged the danger.
"Can't make money without an investment. I just hope Zheng Zha doesn't come back too pissed off to remember our deal."
*"Ding. SCP Foundation sent an exclusive gift."*
> TL: In the original Chinese, these are called "red envelopes" — like WeChat gift transfers. We're calling them gifts because nobody outside China knows what a red envelope is.
**Sun Wukong:** *"Hey! The Foundation is back!"*
**Minor Deity:** *"An exclusive gift? That's not fair. Why does Zheng Zha get one? I want one too!"*
**Lu Bu:** *"It seems the SCP Foundation and Zheng Zha have some kind of shady backroom deal going on."*
**Valkyrie:** *"What is a 'backroom deal'? Gods do not stoop to such things."*
**I Am The Protagonist:** *"Honestly, I make backroom deals all the time. But I always come out on top. 😏"*
Rengoku didn't say anything. Instead, he posted a picture — him enthusiastically finishing a steaming bowl of ramen, soup and all.
*"Zheng Zha received your exclusive gift."*
**SCP Foundation:** *"Zheng Zha, don't freak out. If you wear the raincoat, its bulletproof effect is way better than any standard vest."*
**Zheng Zha:** *"I don't fully understand why you're giving me this, but... thank you. I'm heading back in soon. We'll talk more later. I'll return it when I can, and on my next mission I'll try to get you that hydrogen fusion reactor."*
Linray sighed. At this point in the timeline, Zheng Zha might already have the blueprints for a stable hydrogen fusion reactor in his hands.
"I don't even know if I can leave this place once it's charged up..."
Linray wandered around the room. The entire space was pitch dark and maybe thirty square meters at most.
The only thing worth finding was SCP-[REDACTED] — the bulletproof raincoat. That was it.
No point overthinking it. Site-Ω had no energy to activate anything. Even if there were better items somewhere, they were useless without power.
Everything depended on getting the energy system back online first.
Linray thought for a moment, then typed into the group chat:
**SCP Foundation:** *"If anyone has energy to trade, I can send you an exclusive gift too. Think of it as a blind box — what you get inside depends on luck. I'll make sure it's nothing dangerous."*
*"Ding. Zheng Zha sends you an exclusive gift."*
Linray blinked, caught off guard.
**Zheng Zha:** *"Consider it interest on what I owe you. Getting a stable hydrogen fusion reactor might take a while."*
Linray accepted the gift. Classic Zheng Zha — the guy just couldn't stand owing anyone a favor.
*"Obtained: High-Energy Atomic Fission Energy Block."*
Linray took the energy block and walked to his console.
On the command console, there was an empty slot — a void where energy could be inserted and converted. He dropped the fission block in.
A ring of light pulsed outward from the console, slowly expanding across the floor.
*"Site-Ω charged to 1 unit. Basic functions enabled. Red Queen restarting..."*
"Overseer!"
The Red Queen's hologram flickered back to life in front of him — and immediately dropped a bomb:
"Initiating your first containment mission. Please prepare for surface deployment!"
"...What?"
Linray stared at her, dumbfounded. First containment mission? He hadn't done anything. He hadn't prepared anything. He didn't even know where to start.
"Hold on — a mission? I'm the Overseer! What kind of Overseer goes on field missions?! Where are my Mobile Task Forces? My security teams? My D-class personnel?" He looked around the empty, pitch-black facility. "I have literally nothing. No staff, no weapons, no backup. And you want ME to go out there?"
But the Red Queen didn't wait for his answer. The teleportation system activated. Under Linray's horrified gaze, his body began to dissolve — breaking apart into particles of light, scattering upward like embers.
"Shit — I'm not even solid anymore..." He watched his own hands come apart. Whatever he was now, it wasn't flesh and blood.
"Overseer, the containment object for your first mission is designated SCP-015."
"Upon reaching the surface, I will upload its file directly to your neural interface."
"Please use your abilities to complete containment of SCP-015."
A flash of light — and Linray was gone from Site-Ω.
The Red Queen's voice echoed through the empty facility, flat and monotone:
"Good luck, Overseer."
---
Sunlight.
It hit him like something he hadn't felt in years. Linray squinted up at the sky, dazed.
The warmth of the air. Cars honking. People walking. A normal city street, alive and moving.
Everything that had just happened felt like a dream.
But the data streaming directly into his mind told him otherwise — all of it was very, very real.
**SCP-015 — Pipe Nightmare.**
The object could not move on its own, but it grew when unobserved. Left unchecked, it would connect to sewer lines, water mains, and other piping systems throughout the city.
During its last recorded containment, the Pipe Nightmare measured approximately five meters in length. It had now been ten hours since all containment bases went down. There was no telling how much it had grown since then.
**IMPORTANT:** SCP-015 reacts to aggressive behavior and tools. Any person displaying violent tendencies, carrying equipment, or attempting to repair or destroy SCP-015 by any means will trigger a reaction. The pipes will continuously rupture and explode around the subject until the target either dies or retreats.
**Containment is urgent.** The further the Pipe Nightmare spreads, the greater the risk of irreversible damage to the world's infrastructure.
Linray's expression darkened as the full briefing finished downloading.
He had no idea how to contain something like this. SCP-015 wasn't a monster he could fight — it was a building-scale anomaly that grew when you weren't looking and exploded when you tried to touch it.
In theory, containment was simple: seal off the surrounding underground pipes, isolate the area, and monitor. But that required manpower, resources, and funding — none of which a single person had.
"Well... first things first. I have to find it."
He looked around at the bustling city.
"At least the world seems normal. There's got to be something I can use."
A small grin crossed his face.
"I'm not stuck in one place anymore. This is a complete, functioning world."