CHIEF ARCHIVIST NOTICE:

THIS ARTICLE IS UNDER REVIEW AND MAY NOT REFLECT ACCURATE INFORMATION CONCERNING SCP-7697.

Item#: 7697

Containment Class: safe

Secondary Class: none

Disruption Class: dark

Risk Class: warning

Entrance to the staircase leading to the anomaly during discovery. 7th Regional Office's backyard.

Special Containment Procedures: Undercover Foundation personnel must maintain key positions within the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) to secure the necessary certifications and ensure the continuity of the KFDA 7th Regional Office's activities. Any attempts to restructure the KFDA through political means that could impede the work of the 7th Office are to be actively discouraged.

Researchers assigned to the 7th Office are required to replicate uniforms, furnishings, and procedures consistent with those of an actual KFDA office to maintain public perception. Unauthorized individuals discovered within the office premises are to be apprehended and handed over to local law enforcement under the guise of terrorism against a government facility.

Update 7697-003: Effective August 1st, 1999, unauthorized individuals found in the vicinity of SCP-7697 are to be held in indefinite quarantine; a false accidental death report must be prepared within 24 hours to minimize local police involvement. For more information, see update 7697-002.

Description: SCP-7697 is a spatial anomaly situated in Daegigeun, South Korea, which is apparently connected to a different planet, denominated SCP-7697-2. The portal is connected to the ruins of a large structure called the Center for Enhanced Wellbeing, also referred to as the CORNWELL Lab, and designated as SCP-7697-1. A modest concrete structure located at the back of the warehouse, today disguised as the 7th Regional Police Station, guards access to a narrow staircase that leads to the spatial anomaly. At the time of discovery, the concrete structure was covered in vegetation, graffiti and faded identification marks. The door was also secured with a padlock of unknown origin.

Access to the anomaly occurs by crossing a fire door found at the bottom end of the staircase. A small sign reading "Emergency Exit" is affixed to both sides of the fire door. The dilapidated lobby area in the other side of the door is already located on SCP-7697-2. The lobby area is filled with sand and rotting furniture and contains two doors. One, which leads to a decontamination room, believed to be the only means of further progressing into SCP-7697-1, and another which leads to the outside, SCP-7697-2, a barren landscape devoid of any signs of life or structures.

Analysis of the night sky above SCP-7697-1 reveals the presence of a distant moon that, although resembling Earth's moon, is adorned with city-like illumination. Furthermore, constellations visible do not correspond to any known stellar formations in the Foundation databanks. Astronomical spectroscopy results are pending1.

Attempts to explore the external surroundings of SCP-7697-1 have been impeded by frequent sandstorms. To date, no team has successfully ventured more than 10 miles into the outskirts of the CORNWELL ruins. Likewise, attempts to delve deeper into SCP-7697-1 have been unsuccessful, as the decontamination chamber appears to be automated, and no humans have managed to survive the sanitization process.

+ Addendum 7697-1: Exploration Log 7697-3

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Exploration Log 7697-3

D-5129 died after going through the decontamination process for 19 days. After his death, the computer automatically aborted and announced the sanitization process had failed. The total duration of the process is unknown, as the computer refuses to start without a living being inside the chamber.

+ Addendum 7697-2: Exploration Progress

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Exploration Progress

Addendum 7697-2: A bomb-disposal robot equipped with an experimental Class-III, Cognizant AI microchip, was granted access after spending [REDACTED] days undergoing the sanitization process of SCP-7697-1.

Cameras in the unit showed that, contrasting with the desert surroundings of the Center for Enhanced Wellbeing, the interior of the laboratory, past the decontamination chamber, was a vibrant collection of plants and fungi. The tiles, clearly visible in the ruined reception, are now covered with roots, mud, and heavy vegetation.

The rug terrain immediately after leaving the chamber, paired with the low batteries in the unit, hampered further exploration by the robot. However, the unit enageged Plan B and overrode the doors from the inside.

After recovering the robot, several items were found partially buried next to the door, along with what's believed to be skeletal remains. Among the items recovered were two magnetic tapes, designated as Addendum 7697-3 and Addendum 7697-4.

+ Addendum 7697-3: Recovered Emails

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RECOVERED: Emails Backup

Addendum 7697-3: The first magnetic tape contains backups of emails involving one of the lab researchers in the Center for Enhanced Wellbeing. The following is the most intact collection of emails from the sender.

External Drive: æò×GÕYpjÕè!ùïz †¼S1ñêy?Z

We can talk again

We lost Erikson

No news, just failure

Are you safe?

No subject

To: [encrypted]

From: [encrypted]

My Dearest Orion,

As the days drag on this sea of gray, I find myself engulfed in a sea of nostalgia. I remember the day I received that letter, how I couldn’t believe that I was among the chosen to participate in the new CORNWELL Lab project. The excitement that coursed through my veins, the hope that filled my heart… It seems like a lifetime ago.

But now, my rock, I feel weighted down by the burden of my own conscience. The sacrifices we make, the lives we tread upon in the name of progress… it takes its toll. I find it increasingly difficult to keep my resolve intact. The weight of guilt and complicity threatens to crush me, and I wonder if I have become a mere cog in this monstrous machine.

It doesn’t help that I feel like a prisoner now, confined to this labyrinth of a lab. I miss your daily visits, I miss being able to go outside and have the sunshine on me, to see the sky and lightened moon.

And with each day, what I miss the most is your face, your touch. Orion, I draw strength from the memories we share, from the love that binds us. You are my lifeboat in this sea of grey, which has done everything but enhance my wellbeing.

Whenever you have access to a terminal, please let me know how you are, how everyone is, how the outside is.

Yours forever,

Luna

To: [encrypted]

From: [encrypted]

My Dearest Orion,

It pains me to share the disturbing events that unfolded today.

Earlier today, one of the scientists here, Dr. Erikson, sought to speak with his partner, who, like many so far, had been reassigned out of the CORNWELL. He, too, had lost all contact with her and grew concerned for her well-being. However, the project directors callously denied his request, offering no explanation. But Erikson persisted… and in his desperate insistence, the guards left him bruised, bloodied, and senseless. I've heard that he, too, has been reassigned.

Whenever they send us back to our rooms, I stand by my barred window, gazing out at the world beyond, hoping to catch a glimpse of any familiar face, but all I see are the cars in the lot, covered in heavy dust. It fills me with dreadful uncertainty, wondering if anyone has truly been reassigned.

My rock, I beg you to stay vigilant and know that my love for you remains steadfast, and I am forever bound to you, no matter the distance that separates us.

Yours forever.

Luna

To: [encrypted]

From: [encrypted]

My Dearest Orion,

It has been a month since I last heard from you, and the silence weighs heavily upon my heart. I write to you under the cover of darkness, my tired eyes struggling to stay open. Our breaks and sleep hours have been ruthlessly cut short, our food rations reduced to a mere sustenance, and the walls around us seem to close in tighter each passing day. I yearn for the day when I can leave this place behind and find solace in your arms. Are you safe on the outside, my love? How fares the world beyond these cold walls?

Today, yet another experiment met with failure. The bitter taste of disappointment lingers on my tongue, mingling with the acrid stench of the dark-grown food that has proven poisonous. It's disheartening, and I can't help but feel as if God Himself is hindering our progress. We have all the resources and wealth in the world, yet we still can't find a solution to this crisis.

Whispers swirl through the corridors, carrying tales of unspeakable acts committed by those toiling at the lower levels. They say they work with a machine that can bend space… It's hard to know what's true and what isn't. Do you believe in monsters, my rock? I'm starting to believe we work for them.

It is a haunting notion that perhaps the divine wrath we face is a consequence of their transgressions against the very laws of nature. I cannot help but question if there is a higher power at play and if we are being punished for our hubris?

Please, my love, if you can, find a way to reach out to me again. Tell me that you are safe.

Yours forever,

Luna

To: [encrypted]

From: [encrypted]

Orion,

It's been too long and I'm getting worried. Are you okay? Have the extra rations arrived? I miss you so much. I wish I could leave this place and see you again. I need to hear your voice, to know you're alright. Please find a way to respond.

Yours forever,

Luna

To: [encrypted]

From: [encrypted]

My Rock,

I don't know if you'll ever receive this message, but I have to write it anyway. I'm on the brink of despair, and I want you to know the truth.

The deadline we so fervently worked towards, believing we had the power to alter the course of destiny, slipped through our fingers like grains of sand and we didn't even notice until it was too late. By the time we opened our eyes, we realized we were lured into devoting our efforts to nourishing the colony, the privileged bastards who had secured their place among the stars.

I remember the day they promised those emergency rations, you could hear the cheers from inside the lab. To think it was all part of their twisted machinations, it makes me sick to remember the glimmer of hope in your eyes. You never got any rations did you, Orion? That’s why they closed us out.

To keep us ignorant of the truth while we labored in vain. Just a ploy to stave off revolt and let those that would not have accepted the truth grow weaker and frail, until they could not raise their arms to the skies anymore.

And the calculations… God, the calculations. They screwed us up from the start, doing everything to hide the fact we were working with damn colony soil. Anyone competent knows their chemistry was a different beast. Yet another layer in this grand tapestry of bullshit and incompetence.

Kencove was the first to tell them to go to hell, that he would not go back to work. Those who joined him are now in a collaborative pool of their own blood. Everything feels broken, I’m exhausted, drained… scared. I can't help but ask myself, "Are you dead, Orion?" I can't bear the thought of never seeing you again, never holding you close.

My heart aches for the innocence we just lost. The pain of your absence is unbearable, and it weighs heavily upon my soul. If you're out there, if by some miracle you receive this message, please let me know. I need to know if you're still alive, if there's a flicker of hope left in this desolate place.

Yours, forever shattered,

Luna.

+ Addendum 7697-4: Recovered Records

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RECOVERED: Experiment Records

Addendum 7697-4: The second magnetic tape contains extensive documentation related to experiments conducted on crops and subjects, but most of the data has been corrupted. The following is the most intact section of the logs.

External Drive: ÇD1XQ(àì}À†:j\žorK¹G+

Experiment 33

Experiment 54

Experiment 135

Experiment 183

Objective: Assess the efficacy of CR-12B crystals in aiding the cultivation of plants in near-darkness conditions.

Description: [DATA CORRUPTED]

Results: Initial observations were promising, with the CR-12B-affected produce exhibiting a peculiar luminescent quality. Crops displayed vibrant colors and enhanced aroma, but subjects reported increasing discomfort, with some experiencing vivid hallucinations, relentless nightmares, and severe psychological trauma days after testing ended.

Conclusion: Further experimentation is required to mitigate the adverse effects on consumers.

Objective: Determine the effects of Ibierbol-7 crystal on food growth in harsh environments.

Description: Gel-like substance with luminescent trails. It emits a high-pitched sound when in containment.

Results: Initial observations were positive. However, crops started to exhibit an accelerated lifecycle, rapidly maturing, and entering a state of decay. Consuming the crops during the short stage of maturity led to rapid weight loss, severe muscular atrophy, and dermal abnormalities characterized by oozing lesions and necrotic tissue.

Conclusion: Enhanced plant growth resulted in rapid but biologically compromised crops. Ibierbol-7 poses substantial risks to health, leading to severe gastrointestinal distress and rapid cellular degradation.

Objective: Restoring dead tissue though the use of [Redacted].

[File Locked]

Supervisor Note: Due to the sensitive and potentially hazardous nature of the findings, all samples of [Redacted] are to be disposed of. Details of Experiment 135 are classified under "Commissariat's Eyes Only".

Objective: To investigate the complete assimilation of subjects by the fungi Yumdone.

Results: Subjects exhibited rapid fungal overgrowth throughout their bodies, causing pain and temporary loss of motor control. Assimilated subjects displayed aggressive and erratic behavior, often lashing out at others, before descending into a mindless state.

Conclusion: Rapid deterioration of physical and mental health outweighed the initial benefits of finding nutritional value in dead crops. Subjects presented no trace of consciousness, and became poisonous to the touch. It randomly wanders the containment, exhibiting insatiable cravings for necrotic tissue.

Urgent Update: Per order of Commissariat, samples are to be sent overnight to the colony for peer emergency peer review. Experiments notes are to be held off until tomorrow. Failure to comply will lead to disciplinary actions.

Wa███ng - Exter██ O██rride De█ect█d from Terminal 012.2█.█4.1.

Original Message:P█r o█der of Co█mis█ari█t, sa█ple█ are m█rked for d█str█cti██

+ Addendum 7697-5: Exploration Log 7697-7

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Addendum 7697-5: The following are the SCP-7697-1 Exploration Protocols.

Three physically fit D-class subjects must be fitted with a class 4 environmental suit. They must also be provided with Field Kit Number 16, consisting of the following items:

One head-mounted light source with a lifespan of six hours and additional power sources providing up to an additional three hours.

Two 1 L water bottles filled with water.

One MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) of any type

One standard field knife.

6 Feet of Climbing Rope.

One Taurus PT22, whose existence is to remain a secret until after the exploration has started.

A shoulder mounted video recording system, equipped with an eROSARY.

Due to the shielded interiors of the Center for Enhanced Wellbeing, projecting a real-time feed is not possible. Wired cameras proved to be unreliable, due to characteristics of the terrain, so video footage will be reviewed after the fact.

Exploration Log 7697-7

This recorded audio log details the first expedition into the ruins of CORNWELL Lab. Three D-Class personnel, referred to in this log as D-1, D-2 and D-3, were given 11 hours to gather any paperwork and/or storage devices that might contain useful information regarding SCP-7697 and SCP 7697-1. After 12 hours, the emergency data recovery system eROSARY (Experimental kaRlOS fAst Return sYstem) will automatically engage, and the recording system will be teleported back. All members must return prior to this deadline to prevent disciplinary action.

AUDIO TRANSCRIPTION

Foreword: The log has deteriorated due to unforeseen eROSARY problems, and audible parts are marked with time codes. Although the presence of memetics inside the facility is currently under consideration, the audio has been ruled safe.

» RECORDING STARTS «

[00h00]

D-1: Alright, listen up, keep those headlamps on. This is a timed recovery mission.

D-3: Yeah, yeah, we know. Valuable shit, they say.

D-1: You know what they say, the creepier it looks, the more valuable the loot inside.

D-2: I'm getting a really bad feeling about this. It's like eyes are on us from every corner of this place.

D-3: You're just jumpy. Be thankful they haven’t sent your ass outside into the dunes. I’m still burned up.

D-1: Enough, let's split up and search these next rooms. Remember, we regroup here in 30 minutes. Be thorough and keep your eyes peeled.

[00h38]

(over radio)

D-2: This place gives me the creeps. I swear I can hear voices echoing in the corridors.

D-1: Did you say something? I can barely hear you, over.

D-2: It's nothing, forget it. I'll keep searching… over.

[01h22]

[Audio resumes, the three appear to be together]

D-2: I found a library of sorts, but all the books have stuff growing on them. I don't think this is it.

D-1: Don't lose your nerve now. Just a bit longer, and we'll be out of musty place.

[Sounds of the metal failing to the ground]

D-3: [Laughing] Jackpot! A set of old tapes. We hit the mother lode!

D-2: Whoa, check out this rusted tech over here. It's ancient!

D-1: Can you make any sense of it?

D-3: No, but I don't give a shit. Let the eggheads crack their shells over these things. I really hope it's empty.

[02h44]

[Creaking sounds and distant dripping water can be heard]

D-2: [Impatient] Any luck with the computer? I think we should give up.

D-1: [Frustrated] I'm trying, but the door to the medical wing is sealed shut.

D-3: Fuckingtastic, just what we needed. Locked out of another section.

D-2: [Whispers] I don't like this. Maybe it's for the best. It must be locked for a reason.

D-1: [Nervous] This freaky computer keeps saying we can't go in until the doctors clear it.

D-3: There must be another entry. A ventilation shaft, a broken wall.

Computer: Warning [bzzz] Hospital Center is in Quarantine level 5 by order of the Chief Doctor [bzzz] Error, employee not found

D-3: Can someone tell this giant calculator that there are no doctors left on the other side of this door?

D-2: I think… if you ask about signs of life to the computer, maybe it will update itself.

[keyboard sounds]

D-1: [heavy sigh] Nope, it just gives me an error message. Do I look like I know what an integer overflow is? I just want a god dammed override.

D-3: Forget this shitty hospital, let the next team handle it.

[04h05]

D-3: Stop being paranoid, you’re’ getting on my nerves.

D-2: I just don't like the look of these crystals. They give off an eerie glow.

D-1: Don't let them distr…

[Gunshot sounds]

D-3: What THE FUCK, you bastard!

[D-2 has fired the weapon towards an empty corner and is visibly scared]

D-2: Don’t tell me you didn’t hear them calling our names?!

[D-1 pulls the gun issued from D-2 from him]

D-1: Listen here you bastard, no cop has ever even scratched me.

D-2: [Uneasy] W-wait, I’m really so…

D-1: Calm down, RIGHT NOW! I didn’t get this far to get killed by a wacko like you, understand?

D-2: Y-eah, I… I get it. I’m cool. I’m cool.

D-3: [sigh] I rather be in the fucking sandstorm.

D-2: [Hesitant] Hey, why is your pocket glowing, (D-3)?

D-3: What? Oh, that. I picked this little crystal shard for myself earlier. I decided to make a necklace.

D-1: They won't let you keep any souvenirs; you know that right?

D-3: You don't know anything! I have a whole box of trinkets back in my cell. You just have shit hiding skills.

[04h33]

[Audio resumes in the middle of an argument]

D-1: You are trashing that crystal now, that's an order.

D-3: [Yelling] Get the FUCK away from me! Touch me again and you're dead.

[Sounds of altercation]

D-2: [Concerned] It's affecting you. Let go of it!

D-1: TRASH IT, NOW!

[05h12]

[Vines keeping a door shut are being cut away]

D-3: [Heavy Coughing] I can't catch a break, can I?

D-2: [Disgusted] That smell… It's unbearable. Why are they all piled up next to the door?

[D-1 looks at a pile of corpses wrapped in vines, positioned to hold the door closed]

D-1: [Out of breath] Doesn't matter, we need to find something in there that can help him this idiot.

D-3: Just find me something for the pain and let me be.

D-2: We should go back and ask them for a doctor.

D-1: [Angry] Did you hit your head?

D-2: I might as well have, I keep hearing whisp-

D-1: I told you before to stop with the coward's talk. We go back now they will shoot us three.

[Silence for 1 minute]

D-1: Let’s check back at the crystal wing, there must be something about that shard there.

D-3: [Cough] I… I can't go on. I need to rest a bit.

D-1: Ok, (D-2), grab me his backpack and take out the tapes.

[D-1 ties the tapes to his shoulder camera using D-3’s climbing rope]

D-1: We lose these, we are dead. Let’s go, (D2)!

D-2: Stay here, (D-3). We'll find something helpful.

[06h07]

D-2: I can't shake this feeling that the walls are closing in on us.

D-1: (using radio) Come in, what's your status? Over.

D-3: (over radio) Please… The feast.

D-1: (using radio) Wha- are you hungry? You should have something to eat on your backpack, over.

[Audio becomes distorted]

D-3: (over radio) That isn’t enough for them.

D-2: You heard them too?

[Heavy breathing and chaotic sounds, followed radio static]

D-1: Come in! (D-3), come in, over.

D-2: [Panicked] No response, what’s going on?

D-1: Why are you asking me?

D-2: [Panicked] I don’t care about the bullet, we gotta-

[Audio and video stop for three minutes before returning]

[Upon resuming, the two appear to be running]

D-2: The whispers are turning into screams! LET ME GO!

[D-2 vanishes from view]

D-1: [Desperate] Come back! We need to stick together!

D-2: [Distant voice] I can't take it anymore!

D-1: Scumbag scientists, put me with a pair of idiots… what do I do now?

[07h26]

D-1: [trembling] This place…it's changing, shifting. I can't find my way back.

[D-1 stops and starts to frantically look around]

D-1: Who's there? Show yourself!

[Silence for 2 minutes]

D-1: Show yourself!!

[D-1 starts to run again]

[09h02]

D-1: [Weak voice] I found (D-3) a while ago… he's dead, corn is growing out of him.

[D-1 takes out last water bottle and takes a sip]

D-1: Put a bullet on his head just to be sure, don’t need any zombies following my tail.

[D-1 looks at his wristwatch].

D-1: I’m almost out of time and I feel like I’m really lost. I can’t find the stairs and I keep hearing a voice… asking to be fed.

[Muttering, inaudible]

D-1: The spores… Hungry, so hungry… I need to make my way back.

[10h28]

D-1: [Heavy breathing] I saw you cut him to shreds! Stay back!

[Sounds of weapon discharge]

D-2: [Maniacal laughter] The dead have no use for their flesh.

[Sounds of weapon discharge, D-1 throws his pistol away]

D-2: [Running after D-1] They won't shut up until the feast is over!

D-1: [Running footsteps] GET AWAY!

[11h07]

[D-1 cautiously enters a dimly lit cafeteria, holding his knife].

D-1: What fresh hell is this? Why are they…

[The floor is littered with decomposing bodies, clad in what appear to be tattered suits of different colors. D-1 picks up one of the garments to analyze it]

D-1: [Weak voice] Bullshit… all of it. Load of goddamn bullshit.

[The video suddenly becomes shaky as D-1 appears to struggle with an unseen assailant]

D-2: They waited too long since their last three course meal.

[Sound of struggle and a piercing scream]

D-2: Shh, calm down, don't be a coward.

[Camera now faces the ceiling. Screaming ends]

D-2: Finally… Silence…

[There are no sounds for the next 20 minutes, save from occasional weeping]

D-2: [footsteps, fading] No, no… SHUT UP! You promised me peace…

» RECORDING ENDS «

Note: At 12 hours, the Return System was engaged and a bloody shoulder attached to a camera and tapes were transported back. From the recording, it is evident that in his final moments, D-1 encountered what appear to be remains from other Foundation exploration teams, but there are no records of a previous expedition to the interiors of SCP-7697-1 since its discovery in 1998. Footage was sent to the archivist for further studies, and tapes were sent for decryption. The fate of D-2 remains unknown.

+ Addendum 7697-6: Final Email

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RECOVERED: Final Email

Addendum 7697-6: From the tapes recovered by eROSARY, another readable email was found, believed to be from the same sender.

Internal Drive: Terminal 012.21.14.1

Subject: In your memory

To: [encrypted]

From: [encrypted]

My Dearest Orion,

I write this message, fully aware that you won't receive it in this world, but with a hopeful heart that you will find a way to read it in from the great beyond. I need to believe that, somehow, our connection transcends the boundaries of life and death.

I cannot bear to see things end this way, and so, I have made a decision. I don't know how or what I will do exactly, but I'm a member of the Center for Enhanced Wellbeing. I know I can put what I've learned here to good use. It is time for me to seek redemption from my own inexcusable ignorance.

I will make a visit to the lower levels and see if the whispers were true. I know that you will be my guiding light, helping me bring darkness to them. Until we meet again, on the other side.

Yours eternally,

Luna

Update 7697-002: Based on acquired data from the last expedition, all future explorations attempts are to be put on hold due to Biohazards concerns, until the decontamination process of the SCP-7697-1 can be fully understood. Risk Class has been updated from Notice to Warning, and all researchers who crossed SCP-7697 must submit to medical and psychological examination upon return. All researchers who crossed into SCP-7697-1 are to be placed under quarantine until further notice.

The following update has been attached to SCP-7697's file as part of ongoing Archivist Investigation.

Update 7697-001: Previously unidentified clothing was confirmed to be Foundation-issued Class 2 Environmental Suit bearing the markings of at least three different Sites. However, these iterations of suits have been retired for over 60 years and Site Directors have reported that units have been discarded, with the exception of two found stored in the museum at Site 19. An investigation was ordered into the two museum pieces, and an inquiry was started on the last unidentified suit showed on video. The latter did not match any current database records. Due to the quality of the footage, it was not possible to further study the remaining [REDACTED] non-Foundation garments.

Footnotes

1. The study of visible light, ultraviolet, infrared and spectrum of electromagnetic radiation from stars in order to determine their type, age and distance.

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