act17d0

Rangers's map stops here.

It's all up to us now.

Who knew this cave would be so big?

It's like the ground beneath the town is completely hollow.

Are the explosives okay?

We've got the strongest batch from the safehouse here.

I hope Lord's plan works.

I'm afraid it won't be that simple. Look there...

...I hope it's not what I think it is...

Gaa...

That's... a person?

Gaa...

Whatever it is, it's going to die and that's enough.

I won't be surprised at whatever *profanity* showing up now...

Keep moving! Don't get caught up in a fight with them. We don't have time to waste in here!

Understood.

...Why would Long Spring have a facility like this underneath it?

Cohen... Where are we?

I knew it! *profanity*, I knew it!

So this is where most of the lab ended up.

Now that I think about it, we were too careless.

We've lived in this town for so long and we had no idea at all.

It's that psycho behind all this.

What's that smell...?

What else could it be? That's the smell of death.

Stay frosty. And close.

What are these?

Cages? So many?

All corpses... people and beasts together...

This is the work of Lev Klitschko, a man both mad and cruel beyond imagination. I never should've tried to take him alive. He should have a bullet in his head.

Your typical madman wouldn't do something this awful.

Wait.

...There's someone alive in that cage.

Heh.

Look who's here?

It's that Drudge character.

I'd recognize the *profanity* anywhere.

Oh, it's you. The mercenaries.

I'm so glad to see you.

I know we've had our differences in the past... but let's set them aside for now.

I have a feeling you're looking for that scientist... and I know where he is.

We've got a common enemy. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

So brazen I'm sick to my stomach.

That Feline over there, I know you.

Your skills are pretty easily recognizable. And one can hear a lot in the mercenary market in Columbia.

You are a killer, aren't you?

Rhodes Island hired you, meaning even they have quite some dirty work to do.

Compared to others, you must know better how to weigh up the pros and cons. Let's have a talk, shall we?

Shut up. Or I can help you with that.

Shame. I thought people like you would be more realistic.

Open the cage.

What...?

Don't worry about it. Just open the cage.

Got it.

Good call. We all know the score.

Yeah. I sure do.

Hold on, what are you doing?

Agh!!!

Hey! You crazy...

You...

Help me......please......

Please...

Please... stop.

Hah. You can still talk. Guess I'm not done.

And this one's for Dr. Miarow.

Okay, okay, he's had enough.

Phew...

You went a little overboard there.

What... you feel bad for him?

Man, you almost killed him.

Totally rearranged his face.

Save your strength. We've still got work to do.

You're right.

Pfft.

What happened?

Nothing. I'm just feeling a lot more relaxed.

You know what? Me too.

If he's locked up in here, he must be part of Lev's plan.

I'm not surprised.

I don't see anyone here...

Might be an ambush ahead. Keep cautious.

Well well well, look who it is. More visitors to my laboratory?

It's been a while, my friends from Team Rainbow.

A gigantic experimental area, a corner previously kept dark, is bathed in light. At the same time, the visitors all realize why they didn't notice the air when they came in.

The elderly scholar stands behind a thick glass wall, and in front of a huge cultivator. Lev has a grotesque smile on his face, both chilling and unnatural.

A moment later, the cultivator itself lights up, and reveals a spherical crystal wrapped in connective tissue floating, writhing, twitching.

You're just in time.

No... you always come at precisely the right time.

Tch.

Don't bother. It's bulletproof glass.

I applaud your decisiveness, squeezing the trigger without hesitation. Don't even wait for an end to our little prologue here.

But we have a show to put on. A great opening requires a great audience, and a complete opening dialogue.

Today is a day of praise for the great work of the Creator. And that Creator is none other than yours truly.

Creator? That's quite a title you've given yourself.

You're a *profanity* psycho!

Psycho... hah. The mediocre always use this word to describe ideas and concepts they cannot understand.

Behold this world!

Completely different chemistry... totally inverted laws of physics... the flower of science blooms in exploration and doubt. And the most fertile soil lies in the land of the unknown!

And now, I have succeeded.

Do you see? Can you feel? The surface appearance is similar, but it all functions on radically different principles!