Глава 6

Eyes forward!

L. G. D. defender squad, shields up! Play it just like we have a million times before. And never forget, your brothers and sisters are right behind you! Stand firm!

Hold!

Crossbows, nock!

They blocked this road too? Uh oh... there's nowhere to go! We're trapped!

Relax, we can break them! With me!

Hold!

Guards, ready!

Overrun them!

——Now!

Crossbows, first volley, fire!

Pikes up!

Don't let a single one of them out of our city!

Are you on site?

Yes, that's right.

I know. But the L. G. D. has their job to do and you have yours. Don't forget your role in all this.

Indeed. Lin Kojui is quite opposed.

But this matter is beyond him!

I've heard all the opinions from all the stakeholders. But there is no wiggle room here. I do what must be done.

Kojui's daughter will reach out to you. In the next three weeks, you are not to contact me. Everything goes to her.

I leave it to you. Don't worry. I am watching you.

...There's no need for that. The past is the past. And it stays in the past.

Right. To the peaceful and stable future of Lungmen.

Wei, old boy, we're brothers, of a sort, aren't we...?

So I'm asking you, for the sake of my daughter and her mother...

Honestly, should I even have to ask? Would you really refuse to help your own sister?

I've already decided on a name for my daughter. We'll call her...

...Talulah.

Don't take it to heart. I understand.

It's all very clear to me.

第二关（后）

Oh... Rosmontis, what are you doing?

I... I wanna fix this terminal.

Six years of memories up to last year... I saved them all in here...

This morning, I went to read the log from June 12, but the screen wouldn't turn on.

What if... what if I can't ever read them again...?

The March 14th log, when I went to the botanical gardens with daddy, or hiking in July, or the time when mommy...

...Mommy...

D- don't cry! Listen, you're not great with screens, right?

Why not wait until Scout can help you fix it? Or Closure?

I'll take it to Closure for you. She'll fix it up lickety-split!

Scout...

Is Scout that one operator who moves around all quiet?

That's him! You know him?

Yeah.

With that perfectly polished look... like a porcelain doll.

There he is.

Huh...?

I had yet to hear your estimation of me. I now understand how weak it is.

When did you get here?!

You could say I have always been here. I am used to concealing myself.

So Mr. Scout was here all along.

Why didn't Blaze sense it?

I... I wasn't paying attention. I just didn't notice!

Hey, if you were standing here all this time, why didn't you help her fix it?

Forgive me. We are mere moments from undertaking a mission. I must focus my energy on calibrating my weaponry.

You might ask Closure, or the good Mechanist to assist you.

Are you about to go save Dr. {@nickname}?

Yes.

Oh. You're going too.

It's me we're talking about. If I didn't go, what kind of joke would Rhodes Island's elite operators be?

And what did Ascalon say?

The usual. She's not going. Always there with Kal'tsit, that one.

Did it ever occur to you... That now is perhaps not the optimal time?

But it might be our last chance.

Chernobog is probably going to turn back deep into Ursus to avoid that Catastrophe. And a rescue operation in the Ursus interior is going to be damn near impossible.

I keep hearing you talk about it, but is this Dr. {@nickname} really worth all this?

Worth as much as Amiya and Kal'tsit.

Have I met the Doctor?

Not yet. But you will soon.

Good. I want to know what the Doctor is like too.

I really, really want to.

You will, kitten.

By the way, Ace, there's an uninfected girl named GreyThroat on your team.

I'm aware. She's been training in isolation.

Listen, Blaze. I've been working with her for a few months now. She has trouble expressing herself, but she's not a bad person.

She looked my teammate in the eye and asked, 'How hard could it be to be Infected?'

I know. But it might have been a legitimate question to her. She might really be curious.

It's not my place to demand an operator turn her opinion on a dime. And GreyThroat has never once questioned orders.

I don't care. I'm not going to stand by and let her insult my teammates, and I sure as hell won't let her disgrace the struggle of the Infected.

Now's not the time. I can see the rage you're holding back. But really, not now.

She said it right in front of me!

Take a breath, Big Cat.

You have a task at hand yourself.

...I do.

Fine. We'll deal with it when you get back.

Since when is Ace more senior than me?

When you take that tone, I start to think maybe you're screwing around.

She may very well be mocking you.

When he goes two days without shaving, he'll definitely look way more senior.

Ace's beard is very manly.

...Hm.

Hahaha! I have to go move some stuff around. Got my own job to do, you know. Later.

Let's get a drink when I'm done!

Try not to puke this time.

Misery spent two hours scrubbing the floor. I wager he would vomit himself when faced with that task again.

Who knew you could hold your liquor so well!

Rosmontis, Mechanist will give you back your terminal in a bit.

Be a good girl and wait patiently. But don't forget either!

I'll definitely remember! Bye bye!