In the end, Peter agreed to Jerome's invitation. He had originally planned to take a look around the first-floor lobby, but as soon as they arrived downstairs, they saw that everyone from the earlier meeting had crowded onto the first floor.
Peter's vision grew increasingly distorted. He saw a school of sardines packed inside a tin, their scales, fins, and slime constantly writhing, giving off a nauseating fishy stench.
He felt that he truly could not go near the crowd again. Clearly, his mental state had been affected. Perhaps, just as Jerome had said, he was already on the verge of collapse. If this continued, no one else would even need to push him over the edge—he would not be able to endure it himself.
Having decided to investigate the basement with Jerome, they first headed down through the emergency stairwell, only to find that the door to the first basement level was locked.
The door had no lock. It was simply bolted from the other side, making it impossible to open from the front. There seemed to be another entrance.
That was easy enough for Peter. He smashed the glass above the door, used spider-web slime to stick to the bolt, and pulled it free, opening the door. Jerome wore an expression that said, I knew I picked the right guy.
Peter shrugged and said, "I can handle this kind of work, but if we run into any strange monsters later, I'll have to rely on you. I don't understand that stuff."
Jerome did not argue. The two continued downward, and Jerome said, "The first and second basement levels are both parking garages. That isn't what we're looking for. The hotel should have a third basement level, but it isn't shown on either the elevator map or the emergency