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...Just like the tide.

I'll prepare our defense in accordance with the contingency plan.

Be careful.

The L.G.D. can't afford to lose you.

Whoever their master is, they're just creating illusions. Other than causing a little chaos, is there any real threat to Lungmen?

They go down in one hit.

(These things are freaking me out.... If we don't move, they just stand there in those perfectly straight rows?)

(But they'll come rushing as soon as we pop our heads out.)

(Keep your voice down. They're very weak. Let's hurry up and find a way to get the jump on them.)

(——Wait, what are you doing?!)

Hey, what are guys doing? Get back here!

——No! You're not with us! Who are you?!

When did these things get in here?!

Wh- what's with your face under your helmet?

Why, what the hell are you?! Get away from me!

What's all the ruckus? The L.G.D. freaking out just 'cause they ran into an enemy that looks like them?

Get up!

R- right! I'm so sorry!

...Wait, you're not Ch'en Sir. Who are you to give me orders?

Just roll with it.

Where is Ch'en Sir?

She's is organizing a defensive line for the urban districts. She's going to block off the enemy and wipe them all out.

These things just popped out of nowhere. What makes her think that this would be the way to get rid of them all?

This is what Chief Wei determined.

How am I supposed to trust your judgment when you're so on edge you're slipping up left and right?

Ugh, I'm still dizzy.... Hey! One last question!

I have no obligation to answer to the general public. The L.G.D. is here to follow Chief Wei's orders.

I just wanna ask, is the L.G.D. out there rumbling with people from Ursus, or like Yan folk from Jiangqi? Maybe some other heavy drinkers I'm forgetting?

Or are you guys running around with hooch in those canteens instead of water?

Uh.... I can't really answer that, and I really don't know....

Ugh. I'm just trying to live down the shame of a certain Ch'en drinking me under the table.

Pull yourself together! Do some stretches!

We don't want the general public involved...

Gah, my head... Gotta sober up... What did you just say?

Erm. I said, well... I guess there's no need to turn down help from upstanding citizens....

We lost the heat source. Can't our instruments trace it?

No, no, no! Conventional monitoring doesn't work. It only uses temperature to determine a rough location, and with severe lag!

Receiving reports from all squads, the enemy appeared out of nowhere in the city. Still no trace of Originium Arts!

Let's rout them like we did before...

C- contact. The Terracottas are changing again, they—— they——

...What happened?

Chief Wei! They've started learning to use weapons and, more importantly, contact with the enemy reveals unique traits in each individual....

It's as if they're really living people——

Impossible! Who could make such a realistic illusion? There must be a caster! Send out a scout team to find them!

They've taken out our equipment! You still think they're fake? They're not illusions, they're real!

But..... But this.... It doesn't make any sense at all!

What a mess.;......;Is there anything I can do to help?

......Thank you for the kind words, but you need not trouble yourself.

You've dispatched Rhodes Island's operators to assist the L.G.D. in securing the urban districts, and that is the greatest of help to us.

Is Chief Wei here——? Ahem!

I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...! You, you're....

The leader of our partner organization, Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals. I believe we can put it that way for now. 'Doctor' is the appropriate form of address.

S-s-s-s-so sorry, Doctor! And Chief Wei, what's going on outside?

All information on the 'Terracottas' has been disseminated to all members of the L.G.D. through the terminal.

Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot there was such a thing...

It- it still isn't finding that heat source? This is very strange....

Uh oh.... Temperatures rising throughout Lungmen. We can't use thermal imaging. None of our instruments can detect the heat source itself——

We can't confirm that the 'Terracottas' are directly connected to the heat source. And it is likely that the defensive line will collapse if we reallocate manpower.

Um....

Wouldn't it be better to look at it the other way around?

What?

Like, what if we took all the Originium-powered equipment in the city and turned it to max, then look for wherever we *don't* detect an Originium reaction...?

S- sorry, I was out of line. This isn't really my wheelhouse....

No... That's just crazy enough to work! Hey, how much equipment does the L.G.D. have the authority to deploy directly?

It's a lot more if you include civilian ones.

But if we have to overload everything, all of Lungmen will be paralyzed by the time we find the heat source...

Paralyzed...? What kind of damages are we talking about?

I don't know. Tens of millions?

Maybe we'd b-b-b-better not do it...

No. Just do it.

Nian sightings have become less and less common since the development of nomadic city technology. We have not had the opportunity to study the 'Nian'.

The L.G.D. will do whatever it takes to uncover the secret of the 'Nian,' even if it's just the tip of the iceberg.

I trust Snowsant's judgment.

Thanks, but, but shouldn't we make careful projections before....

——! Sector 4's line has been breached! I can't raise the team leader!

Other lines have engaged! There are too many enemies!

All teams, keep the airwaves clear at all times. Repeat, all teams, keep the waves clear!

Dynamic codes will be sent to team leaders every ten minutes! Use these to identify yourselves!

Damn it, if it's not one thing it's another.

Stop complaining! The rest of you, form up! Get the wounded back. Don't let them break through that barricade!

Ugh, that really brings back some bad memories.

They're getting tougher. But they're no Reunion. And we beat Reunion.

Regroup!

No... You- You...

You're..... you're supposed to be dead....

That's a fake, you moron! It's not that Infected. Come on!

C- Captain!

Don't be *Lungmen profanity* stupid. They're all fakes! All of them!

I know, I know, I know! But to see them again, all of a sudden like this, I——

You again?! I just killed you a second ago!

Uh...?

None of you have any issues to work out with your colleagues? This is a great opportunity! Dig in your heels and give 'em hell!

This is as far back as we go. Are you going to let them into L.G.D. HQ?!

Yes!

Lungmen Guard Department

Chief Wei! We've found an anomalous area on thermal imaging.

We've got a lock on the heat source! It worked!

But we're out of time... Some of the targets have breached our defensive lines!

Re- report! We're getting distress signals from multiple teams!

Where's Officer Ch'en?