Level 49, also known as Level ZH 0, is the 50th level in the Backrooms and the first level originally documented in Chinese.
Class 0
Description
Level 49 is theorized to be a non-Euclidean space composed of countless infinitely extending roads, sparse intersections, and scattered architectural clusters. Its primary characteristics include bright street lamps installed along both sides of the roads and the endless darkness beyond the roadside guardrails. Within this level, signal and positioning systems are inoperative, and the IP addresses of most communication devices are assigned to Level 0; this phenomenon has led many to speculate that Level 49 might be a sub-level separated from Level 0.
In conceptual frameworks, the dark expanse beyond the guardrail in Level 49 is theorized to connect with The Void. Although this theory remains unverified, we strongly advise wanderers against crossing the guardrail due to the unexplored nature of the outer regions.[1]
The two-way roadway at the entrance crosses the entire level, devoid of sidewalks or emergency lanes on either flank. Wanderers have observed traces of tire tracks within Level 49, potentially indicating vehicular activity during an unspecified era. However, roads approaching structural clusters predominantly exhibit deteriorated conditions, strongly suggesting prolonged abandonment of the level's transportation network.
After wandering a certain distance, three-way intersections emerge with increasing frequency. Most are equipped with traffic signals, though the majority have been rendered inert. With roadways devoid of vehicular traffic, the few remaining functional signals currently pose negligible impact on exploration or survival. However, as intersection spawn patterns are entirely stochastic, a wanderer’s choice may unpredictably lead them into unmapped zones.
The wanderers often encounter randomly appearing traffic signs at crossroads, most of which resemble those from the Frontrooms. Below is an excerpt from a 1978 research report on these signs. Although the study yielded no significant breakthroughs, its hypotheses might eventually be verified.
““Curiously, these signs predominantly display chaotic and nonsensical patterns. Proliferating no-entry signs emerge in logically inconsistent locations, including the center of roads. They appear throughout the level with apparent intentionality. More perplexingly, following any prohibited-direction sign ultimately leads wanderers to architectural clusters. This contradicts the Backrooms' purported randomness-generation theory—everything seems intricately interconnected. I posit that Level ZH 0[2] isn't as superficially disordered as it appears, though current evidence remains insufficient for confirmation.”
— Traffic Signs Part I: Prohibition Symbols
Under normal circumstances, a small number of structures appear along both sides of roads. However, the emergence of large-scale buildings is exceedingly rare, which is why such areas are termed "architectural clusters." Among these buildings, only a few contain basic living supplies or household furnishings, while the majority are hollow and decayed internally. Prolonged stays in such spaces often induce dizziness and disorientation in wanderers, rendering these structures functionally uninhabitable.
Intriguingly, wanderers frequently report encountering furniture they once owned within certain rooms. This phenomenon suggests a possibility: the interior layouts of Level 49 may manifest as psychological projections of the wanderers themselves. Concurrently, structures with identical interior layouts have yet to be documented.
When wanderers remain within structures for extended periods, they may perceive faint auditory phenomena resembling murmurs. These sounds appear to originate from distant sources, their content rendered indistinct. Some hypothesize these could be auditory hallucinations induced by prolonged exposure to silent, lightless environments. However, no empirical evidence exists to substantiate either this hypothesis or alternative explanations.
Should wanderers proceed further along the architectural clusters' axis of extension, the structures' interiors manifest escalating structural degradation proportionate to traversal distance. Leather sofas become dust-caked, family portraits oxidize into indiscernible amber blurs within disintegrating frames. Concurrently, stored living supplies undergo accelerated entropy: rust-eaten ironware, mycelium-infested foodstuffs, and pharmaceuticals exceeding half-life thresholds emerge as pervasive phenomena. Extreme discernment is advised regarding such materials, given the absence of empirical validation for their biochemical stability.
Addendums
The phenomena of this level seem perpetually beyond our comprehension. Countless elements within its confines carry an inscrutable significance — or at least, this narrative asserts such an ontology. All threads converge upon the entity designated Level 49, deliberately unveiled before observers.
I cannot ascertain the temporal span since I ran in from Level 5 deposited me near that crossroads. The garish crimson of road signs bled unnaturally into the darkness, compelling me to detour. By happenstance — or design — all paths soon became barred by road closure signs, save one unmarked extension of the original road.
Yet I defied logic, advancing past prohibitory symbols until reaching an architectural cluster. I began to collect supplies to deal with this level that I don't fully understand the characteristics of. I discovered a disturbingly familiar toy in one building. Dread crystallized along my spine, yet an unseen compulsion drove me to excavate more artifacts from a cabinet. Gradually, that innocuous storage unit warped into a configuration mirroring my deepest memories.
Whispers then permeated the void — achingly familiar timbres dormant for decades. The words crystallized: discussions of my own funeral arrangements. As abruptly as they manifested, the voices dissolved, leaving a silence more oppressive than Level 0's fluorescent hum. This acoustic vacuum roared.
I fled the structure, only to witness the architectural decay accelerating around me. Ultimately, collision with a crumbling wall triggered transition to Level 1.
I yearn to dismiss this as hallucination, yet the toy remains clenched in my grip — its polymer cold as epitaphs. This darkness has extruded my existential fabric, quietly forging "a world requiring my absence" through that catastrophic crossroads decision.
Here, in this darkness, the end remains elusive.
Entities
To date, no entities have been documented within this level.
Colonies and Outposts
Within a spatial expanse exceeding Earth's surface area by multiple orders of magnitude, the intersection probability of stochastically distributed wanderers within this level approaches nullity. Consequently, persistent colonies and outposts prove exceedingly sparse, with verification protocols remaining nonviable. Most documented colonies and outposts retain unsubstantiated or apocryphal status, their existence oscillating between hypothetical constructs and spatial phantoms.
Entrances and Exits
Entrances
- Finding a glass door out of the putrid Level 48 store will lead here.
- When wanderers remain in Level 0 for an extended period without entering Level 1 or the Manila Room, they often arrive here; this constitutes the most common pathway for wanderers to reach this level.
- When a wanderer opens a door in Level 5, there is a chance they will enter the architectural clusters.
- If a wanderer travels sufficiently far within the piping system of Level 6, there is an extremely low probability of arriving at this level.
- Level 49 maintains numerous entry points, with detailed specifications available in the relevant documentation.
Exits
- Unverified rumors suggest that climbing over guardrails may lead to The Void, though this remains unsubstantiated.
- Attempting to no-clip to walls in architectural structures could transition wanderers to Level 1, whereas no-clip to interior decorations carries high probability of arriving at Level 6.
- Shattering building windows and leaping outward has been documented to transport individuals to Level 4.
- The road of the level may occasionally shift into the Level 50 one.
Author：Ulrica-Moon & Shiyu-TimelyRain & XRHX
Translator：Glowfolk123