Nightmare Paradise : Starting as a Doctor

After about ten minutes had passed, Lynn opened his eyes and stood up from his cross-legged position. His spiritual energy had been restored, leaving him feeling invigorated and ready to press forward.

Observing that the officers had concluded their short break and reassembled near the entrance, he took charge, approaching towards the formidable doors of the manor house.

Coming to a halt before them, his senses were on high alert, attentively scanning his surroundings for any indication of potential threats. However, to his surprise, everything appeared to be in order.

With a swift motion, he firmly gripped the handles, his muscles tightening as he exerted force to push open the doors. The sheer strength of his action pulsed through his body, lending an air of raw power to the scene.

The lock broke under the pressure, succumbing to his extraordinary strength. The door swung open with a loud clang, reverberating through the area, revealing the expanse of the entrance hall beyond.

Exquisite chandeliers suspended from the ceiling, crystal pendants glinting as they captured the soft moonlight streaming through tall arched windows. The checkered marble floor gleamed, so polished that it mirrored their reflections. Except for their presence, the space seemed empty, devoid of any other living beings, be they humans or creatures.

In this eerie setting, Lynn cautiously moved forward, his footsteps barely making a sound against the polished floor. The officers, following closely behind, adopted a strategic formation, spreading out to secure the perimeter. The entire ground floor was conspicuously empty.

"This almost seems too easy..." Lynn thought suspiciously. After the fierce defenses they had faced outside, he was ready for a far more challenging endeavor. This unexpected lack of resistance contradicted his carefully crafted expectations.

"Something's not right here," he muttered. The sheriff, standing nearby, frowned and nodded. Their expressions matched - perturbed at the abnormal silence that filled the manor. No ambushers leaped out, yet the atmosphere unsettled them profoundly.

Lynn, once again activated his skill, relying on his spiritual vision to scan for concealed presences. His vision pierced through physical facades, allowing him to perceive the flow of spiritual energy within his surroundings.

He meticulously surveyed every minute corner, employing his extraordinary perception to search for any hidden assailants or lurking threats that might pose a danger.

However, apart from the solitary presence of himself and the officers, there was a conspicuous absence of any other signs of life. Even the supposed servants and staff members, who should have been working here, could not be found anywhere in sight.

He deactivated his ability with a frustrated sigh. This inexplicable absence of adversaries to stop them was deeply concerning. It implied that the true battle had yet to begin, creating an unsettling calm before the storm.

Lynn gave the order for the team to fan out and thoroughly search the entire manor but with a clear emphasis on exercising extreme caution. Although concrete evidence of imminent danger was still lacking, every instinct within him screamed that danger was lurking ahead.

Following his command, the sheriff broke off his men into small groups, sending them to cautiously sweep through the expansive building.

Each team moved with synchronized precision. Tension filled the air as their voices reverberated, echoing through the corridors as they communicated between rooms, ensuring that each area was thoroughly searched and secured.

Time ticked by, and after nearly twenty minutes of thorough exploration, the first batch of teams reconvened in the entrance hall. Their expressions were grim, their heads shaking in disappointment. 

 An officer stepped forward and delivered the disheartening report, "No hostiles sighted anywhere, sir. Just empty rooms." The others nodded in agreement, their faces etched with a perplexed expression.

Lynn's eyes narrowed, his mind churning through theories. Why wasn't their opponent capitalizing on the home-ground advantage? Where was Knott while they roamed his property unchallenged?

"Could the ritual be taking place somewhere else?" he pondered. They had assumed the manor was the right location, but perhaps that was an incorrect assumption.

But his instincts told him the answers they sought were here. Their enemy had gone to great lengths to waylay them outside, buying time for something...and that something was undoubtedly unfolding within these walls.

While immersed in thought, Lynn noticed Cooper gesturing discreetly, beckoning him over. The sheriff's expression seemed uneasy. "One of my men made an interesting discovery," he spoke quietly. "I think you should see this."

He followed as Cooper led the way upstairs. His sense of foreboding grew with each step ascending the ornate staircase. They proceeded down an empty hallway until the sheriff paused before an open doorway.

As Lynn entered the bedroom, his eyes swept over the luxurious details. The walls were adorned with silk drapes, plush rugs covered the polished wooden floor, and antique furnishings, carefully chosen, exuded a sense of timeless beauty.

However, amidst the grandeur, something caught his attention—an open hidden door discovered by one of the officers. It starkly contrasted the polished surroundings, hinting at a secret waiting to be unveiled.

"What do we have here?" Lynn muttered to himself as he approached. It was cleverly concealed behind an ornate tapestry, barely noticeable unless actively searching for something out of the ordinary. Peering inside, he noticed a narrow stairwell leading downwards into darkness.

"This merchant certainly knows how to hide things away," he remarked with intrigue. "A secret passage in one's own bedroom? Now that's certainly interesting."

"My man was rummaging around when he stumbled upon this hidden entrance," the sheriff explained, recounting the situation. "It seems to descend quite a distance underground."

As the group gathered near the discovery, Lynn reached into his inventory and retrieved a powerful flashlight. With a deft motion, he switched it on, casting a brilliant beam of light that pierced through the darkness below.

Gripping it firmly in his hand, he took the lead and began the descent into the mysterious depths. Cooper and some of his most experienced officers followed closely behind.

Given the likelihood of this being another trap, precautions were taken to safeguard their retreat. Consequently, a group was assigned the task of securing their escape route, guaranteeing a safe exit strategy in case the situation turned unfavorable.

The narrow stairwell twisted endlessly, winding its way downward as they picked their way through the darkness in single file. The air grew cooler, carrying a faint scent of dampness.

Lynn meticulously counted each step, his mind working to gauge the distance they traversed underground. After what seemed like an eternity, they descended nearly a hundred steps, and finally, the stone stairs leveled out onto a solid floor.

“How deep does this go?" Cooper wondered aloud, his voice echoed Lynn's thoughts. His question hung unanswered, binding the group in a collective mix of curiosity and unease.

Lynn wasn't sure of the exact answer, but one thing was certain - considering how many steps they descended, they had ventured deep into the ground, far below the surface.

The beam of light shot forward from his flashlight, illuminating the area around the bottom of the stairs. A metal door greeted them, slightly ajar, as if beckoning them to uncover the secrets that lay beyond. 

Slowly and carefully, he pushed it open further, eliciting a low creak that echoed eerily off the cold, damp stone walls. A rush of stale air wafted out from the chamber, carrying with it a hint of a familiar odor for Lynn.

"It seems we've found the right place," Lynn remarked grimly as he noticed the smell and observed the room's unsettling content.