Глава 16

It's been two years, and you still feel uneasy when people show you their gratitude.

I thought you'd have gotten used to it long ago.

Well, I'm not the one they should be thanking.

Sure enough. They are united under Reunion's banner, but they should actually be thanking themselves.

Not everyone has the courage and ability to rebuild their lives from the rubble.

I hope they'll realize that.

And you might want to realize how obvious it is when your mind is drifting away.

I was just wondering... when is Hui-chieh going to come back again?

Don't tell me you're worried about her.

Every time she's here, she brings back news.

Catastrophe Messengers avoid this disputed area, and normal ones won't so much as pass through. The information network we've spent two years building up is still far from comprehensive.

I'm waiting... waiting for Hui-chieh to bring something more real.

What kind of news do you want to hear?

Anything... I want to know what's actually happening in Ursus right now.

You don't believe what we saw in the west.

What, you do?

The upper class gave a little handout out of kindness, and that was enough to quell the anger for the most part, and enough to make those beset by injustice forget to think and resist.

At the very least, we certainly did not receive any requests for help from the mining districts, whether from the west or even farther away.

Perhaps they just don't know of our existence, or they can't reach us.

Besides, we still have yet to build a truly stable stronghold here.

But the people here haven't lost hope in us because of it.

But they should, Nine.

Talulah looks back in the direction where the sun is hanging high in the sky.

She stares into its light, until her eyes start to hurt.

Even if our village is almost self-sufficient right now, an unforeseen Catastrophe could easily wipe everything out in one fell swoop.

The first couple months saw that happen again and again, and it took much trial-and-error for us to make it here.

But these peaceful days won't last long. I once believed that after our long journey, we'd have more companions leave us than remain. I never would've thought our group would grow larger.

And it's not because we ran into more oppressed people. It's because those who chose us haven't lost faith in us, even if they ought to have.

All we've done is show them a bit of kindness, and most of them chose to give unconditional trust in return.

Even after they've felt the pain of survival time and again, their barren lands can still yield these emotions more precious than gold?

I can't... After all that, I can't even imagine.

Which is why I started to think... What if it's just how everything is supposed to unfold? This is the truth that these humblest people believe.

They fall down, then get back up. They fail, and they start over.

What's your point?

We <i>will</i> fail again, Nine, but I think we don't have to fear this anymore.

Well, you're wrong. I've never been afraid of it.

But those who walked with us have felt that fear. After all, not everyone has such a grand outlook as you. Many of them just hope to see the next sunrise.

Nine, the new suppressant pipeline's finished. Should we put it to use right away?

Valiya.

Yeah?

If I were to tell you we're abandoning this place and heading to Deity Grypherburg, what would you do?

Hah! Of course I'm coming with you. Why?

What about the others?

Them too. We knew all along that Reunion wasn't going to stop here.

But I don't think all of us should go. Everyone's been doing different things here for a while. Those of us who can fight should go with you, but the rest can still stay here.

You're right.

Hmph...

Nine, it's just as he said... I think perhaps we're ready now—

We're ready to face the hideous truth hiding behind all that's bright and colorful. After they've long taken root and proliferated, they can't all be pulled at once...

In such a case, we can only keep pulling away. A second time, and a third time... for as long as we live, until someone finally succeeds.

Now that we know who we must bring together, the time may have come to break these shackles, and we should do it without hesitation.

Uniting all those who can unite, and breaking all chains that should never have chained us...

We need only a single opportunity.

Talulah. Nine.

It's urgent.

What is it, Red? It's not like you to look so nervous.

I ran into a group of refugees near the village. They said they're miners who escaped the Far North, and they're here cause they've heard tell of Reunion.

I checked them over. They're unarmed, and they're all Infected. I had them wait at the sentry post. We need you to decide what to do.

From the Far North? We haven't heard much from there. What do you mean, they 'escaped?'

Yeah, not much intel ever leaks out of there.

As for what happened... maybe it's better you hear it from them.

Thanks... Thanks for taking us in, kind lady, mister... Are you the Reunion Movement we heard about?

I never would've thought... what Rankin told us was true... My goodness...

Slow down. We are Reunion, and we will do what we can to help all our suffering comrades.

Could you please tell us what you've been through?

We...

There was a massacre in the Far North...

Th-The guns have stopped.

C-Can we go now? Not upwards, but down, before the bombs reach us—

Get up, Yuri, and the rest of you. We need to find Rankin and the place he was talking about.

You know the bravest ones of us have all left with Rankin, to take the outpost.

The bombing's stopped, and we don't know what's going on up there. The only way to find them is up.

Either we save them, or, as Rankin said, remember them. Crawl, pull yourselves on with your pickaxes, if you can't walk.

But Rankin gave us his mining lamp—

Do you remember what he said?

He... he didn't say anything...

That's right. He didn't say anything. This is no different from the supplies that they left behind.

Or we can choose to leave it here... as a reminder.

Yes, reminder. Leave the lamp in the mining cart, the one that we pushed all the way here.

If anyone ever comes through...

I remember that you can write, Yuri.

We've got some blank pages at the back of the logbook. We might as well not waste it.

Come here. I'll tell you what to write.

If anyone comes, at least they'll know what happened here.

<p=1>A mine, Northern Tundra, Ursus</><p=2>Winter, 1101</>

Sir, where... where are we going?

I don't think the factory's this way—

Shut up and keep walking.

I said walk!

(Whisper) The mines have stopped again.

(Whisper) So, nothing for the processing plants to work with.

(Whisper) Where would they take us, if they don't need hands upstairs?

They dragged even the sickest ones out of their beds. Half the mine is here...

I don't want to keep walking. I don't want to die!

(Whisper) Shh!

Go through the forest, to the lake. That's where you'll meet your end.

Don't even think...

About running away.

Heavy military boots step on the snowy forest floor, moving forward, urging forward.

The miners are being escorted by far more than just a few men.