Pushing open the wooden door of the Watchman's Lamp and stepping into the small restaurant, Yang Tao surveyed the many tables in the hall before heading towards an empty seat.
This small restaurant had a 1960s or 70s American style, with no chaotic music or waitresses dressed in bunny girl outfits.
As soon as he sat down, a waiter approached and politely asked, "What can I get for you?"
"A beer first, please. For food, anything is fine. Also, I'd like to ask what level this is."
"Level 230, 'The Port of Misgivings'. Friend, did you just arrive?"
The waiter walked to a nearby oak barrel, filled a large wooden mug with beer, and placed it in front of Yang Tao.
"I just arrived less than ten minutes ago."
"Then you're really lucky. Wait a moment."
With that, the waiter walked to the side, pulled a piece of paper from under the counter, and handed it to Yang Tao, saying, "This is an introduction to this level. The M.E.G. specially prepared it as a welcome gift for those who have just arrived at this level."
Are they all this thoughtful now?
Yang Tao was a bit surprised.
He took the level introduction handed to him.
Description:
Level 230, also commonly known as 'The Port of Misgivings', is a dilapidated, decaying port.
Today, this level has become one of the popular trading locations for various groups in the Backrooms.
The entire Level 230 is shrouded in an unchanging night. Entities that frequent here include Smilers, Baggers, Porters, Facelings, and the less common Deathmoths.
Its main areas: Docks, Trading Zone, Seedy Beach…
"As expected, it's a simple introduction, really brief…"
The idle waiter beside him chuckled, "It's just a rough introduction. If there's anything you need to know, I can tell you."
Yang Tao asked, "What's the deal with Baggers?"
"Entity 230, or Bagger, is widely known for frequently appearing in Level 230. They often mimic members of the Backrooms Free Trade Bureau (F.T.B.) and 'wear' hoodies and cloaks… If you encounter a guy with a hood trying to trade with you, ask him to take off his hood. They will refuse and then leave."
"In Level 230, it's best not to go to dark, deserted places casually…"
Yang Tao nodded upon hearing this.
The Bagger he had spoken with earlier, initially, aside from being a bit sleazy like someone selling DVDs, showed no other abnormalities.
It was only after leading him into the alley that he revealed his bloodthirsty side.
He took a big gulp of beer; it was a bit tart, but in a dreadful place like the Backrooms, being able to sit comfortably in a bar and drink a large glass of beer was already a rare treat.
What more could he ask for?
People arrived one after another, and the originally quiet little bar gradually became lively.
Through their conversations, Yang Tao learned that most of them were off-duty M.E.G. agents and workers from the nearby B.N.T.G. resource extraction station.
They came here to enjoy their rare leisure time.
He paid the bill and left.
Leaving the cozy little bar, Yang Tao returned to the street outside.
"This level, besides always being night, seems quite suitable for living…"
Just then, a Bagger walked towards him from a small alley by the roadside.
Yang Tao: "…"
Do I look that rich?
After a conversation, Yang Tao followed the guy to that never-existent secret location again.
Ten minutes later.
In the gloomy alley, Yang Tao picked up several backpacks from the ground, briefly organized them, and stuffed them into his backpack.
"What's the point?"
He shook his head, turned, and walked back the way he came. Just then, his gaze was drawn to a door on the wall.
It was a very ordinary green iron door, much like the kind found on storage rooms in buildings.
A line of text was written on the iron door.
'Rusty Rick's Room Remodel'
'Exit?'
He swore that when he came, there was absolutely no door in the entire alley. Clearly, this newly appeared iron door was either a trap or an exit.
Yang Tao walked forward, cautiously placed his hand on the doorknob, and slowly opened it.
Blue sky and white clouds, a beautiful two-story villa appeared in the world behind the door.
Lawn, swimming pool, warm sunlight—at first glance, there was nothing wrong.
But the biggest problem lay here: the Backrooms was not a place for enjoyment, and behind every seemingly safe facade lay a bottomless trap.
Nevertheless, Yang Tao was truly stubborn and stepped directly into the world behind the door.
Compared to the oppressive environment of Level 230, this unfamiliar level clearly made one feel much more at ease.
"I wonder what level this is…"
The iron door behind him disappeared as soon as he entered the new level, meaning he would have to find a new exit to leave.
Yang Tao walked towards the two-story villa.
Upon reaching the door, he found a letter affixed to the white front door.
He reached out, took down the envelope, and opened it.
"So, listen up, the original environment of Level 90 was very, very bad, and by that, we mean very bad. But don't worry—our team immediately got to work and transformed it into an excellent, wonderful, and livable residence! A big house—two stories, a super-large attic, two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with huge space for you to display all your belongings! Compared to the old torture maze before, it's a huge improvement.
There used to be a serious rat infestation here—but again, you don't have to worry anymore! Our amazing exterminators took care of it. You can't see a single trace now. In fact, we are very proud of the work we've done here, and we hope you appreciate our results!"
Yang Tao's face darkened after reading the contents of the letter. Although the letter had no signature or markings, a name, or rather, an organization, immediately popped into his mind.
Backrooms Renovation Company!
A notorious group, though some also called them a collective.
They always possessed powerful abilities and extremely unreliable renovation plans; they could even destroy an entire level after renovation.
The level he was currently in could be said to be a standard ticking time bomb, capable of having problems at any moment, but the issue was that no one could determine when this bomb would explode.
He pulled out a second sheet of paper from the envelope.
"Alright, we tried our best. But if you really don't like this place, we won't force you. There's an exit around the old oak tree in the backyard. However, you're welcome to come back and visit again!"
The Backrooms Renovation Company is a neutral, leaning-friendly group of Entities.
You can trust them, but don't trust their work.
For example, now, the 'sky' already has cracks… The space of this level has become unstable.