Story Reader / Affection / Wanshi: Lucid Dreamer / Story
After settling in Nanyun Old Town, you gradually become acquainted with the locals.
The isolated town hasn't seen outsiders in ages, so the group from Babylonia quickly becomes the talk of the town. The clinic where Gray Raven's Commandant and Wanshi are staying draws visitors every day.
Word on the street says that nothing is incurable when this mysterious Construct doctor does his wonders.
Life in Nanyun is quite pleasant, except for the occasional times when you're dragged into chitchats with people.
Another ordinary night finds the two of you leisurely sorting through recent medical records at the clinic. With the town's small population and even fewer patients, this workload is nothing compared to what the two of you usually do.
Why are you still here? You should go get some rest.
Master Zhongjing, the clinic's owner, enters with the support of his granddaughter, leaning on his cane.
We can't thank the two of you enough... Sorry for bombarding you with all this work when you guys only agreed to come to help...
Hmm... I'm almost done filing all of today's medical records. It's getting late—you should all get some rest.
Commandant.
Wan shakes her head, apparently trying to let you know that you don't need to explain yourself.
I just got Grandpa to go to bed, but he insisted on getting up again when he saw the light over here.
Grandpa won't go to bed unless you all get some rest, too.
As she speaks, Wan scratches at her thigh, wincing slightly from what appears to be an itching pain.
You've noticed it these past few days—Wan's legs are metal prosthetics. With the constant rain in the mountains lately, her old wounds must be acting up.
Apparently noticing the curious gaze upon Wan, Zhongjing speaks up again.
Wan's legs were mauled by beasts on the town's outskirts. The infection was severe. To save her life, this was the only option I had.
Zhongjing lets out a deep sigh.
I failed miserably... I couldn't save her parents during the Punishing outbreak, and then I let this happen to her...
Grandpa, it's been years, and I don't even remember it anymore... You're the only one who still brings this up every day.
I'm perfectly fine with how I am now.
Wan...
I agree, that was the best solution we had at the time.
Wanshi hands over a neatly handwritten checklist.
I've examined Wan thoroughly. She shows no aftereffects—she can run, eat, and sleep normally. This is clear proof that the operation was a complete success.
Medical advancement exists to help more people, not to burden them with restrictions. No one is perfect.
Health itself needs no standard to measure against.
Besides, Wan is growing up. She's never complained about her prosthetic—so there is no need to bring it up all the time, and we've got to listen her.
After a long silence, Zhongjing lets out a slow breath, his entire demeanor visibly relaxing as if a great weight has been lifted from his shoulders.
That's... that's good to hear...
See, I'm just getting old and silly. I just keep going on about the same things day after day...
Grandpa, you just really like to worry!
The white-haired elderly man gazes at his young granddaughter, his eyes filled with an indescribable mix of guilt and gratitude.
After a moment, his gaze returns to his two guests.
I see now... Dr. Wanshi, it just hit me—that both you and Commandant have been trying to tell me this for a while now, no?
You've both worked so hard for the clinic. The Rain Flower Festival is taking place the day after tomorrow, so why don't you take a break starting tomorrow? We'll handle everything here.
Ah! The Rain Flower Festival! I want to go, too! Please take me with you, Dr. Wanshi!
The old lady next door said if we watch you climb the pole and win the prize, we kids will get a share—you two work so well together, you'll definitely win first place—mmph mmph! Hey, this thing is so sticky! Mmph mmph!
Wanshi pops a piece of candy into her mouth to stop her blabber.
You two should go and enjoy yourselves. There are plenty of fun activities around town during the festival—feel free to experience them all.
Zhongjing and Wan chat with the two of you for a while longer. After filling the two of you in on details of the Rain Flower Festival, they head back for some rest.
...
You turn to look at Wanshi with questioning eyes, only to see that his expression remains as unreadable as ever.
What do you say, Commandant? Want to head out together tomorrow?
...
Hah—!
Meeting your gaze, Wanshi lets out a yawn two seconds later.
Phew... It's getting late, Commandant. Why don't we rest for tonight and talk about our outing tomorrow?
Wanshi's yawn sounds genuine—perhaps he really is tired.
Wanshi neatly stacks the organized medical records in the wicker basket on the desk, then gives you a gentle pat on the shoulder.
Goodnight.
A dreamless night passes. As you step out in the morning, the cheerful chirping of birds in the branches lifts your spirits.
Wanshi seems to be doing well.
Stepping out of the clinic for a walk, the two of you finally get to see the old town in all its glory—
The old town's outskirts still bear the scars of the damage the Punishing has done, yet green moss has begun to reclaim many of the ruined walls.
Townspeople work alongside worker robots near the ruins, clearing away broken walls and debris to make space for the upcoming Rain Flower Festival.
Time seems to flow more gently in this small town. While the people dress simply in modest attire, contentment shows in their smiles, and their conversations are free of anxiety and unease.
The vegetation springs anew, and humanity has built their new homes. The disaster belongs to a past they have left behind.
The Rain Flower Festival is a local tradition symbolizing family reunion. It used to be held annually, but it was suspended for many years following the chaos of the Punishing outbreak.
In recent years, the townspeople have begun reviving this tradition, though celebrations have been kept modest for various reasons... This year, however, it looks to be quite a grand affair.
Upon reaching the central square of the old town, the two of you spot a tall, smooth, greased pole standing in the clearing—its purpose a mystery.
They call this the "Flower Pole".
During the festival, the locals coat tall poles with oil and hang colorful prizes at the top. The first person to reach the top and retrieve the prize is crowned the champion.
Guess this is why they need doctors like me to keep watch over them.
Sounds fun indeed, as long as no one falls off that day.
Wanshi closes his eyes and massages his neck, letting out a sigh at some unspoken thought.
Everyone in town is looking forward to the event. Even Wan and the children are over-the-top happy...
Besides bringing families together in harmony, perhaps making everyone happy is also why this tradition exists.
All I can do is try my best to prevent any mishaps on that day...
Hmm, we're almost at my temporary camp on the outskirts.
Wanshi parts the thick grass at his feet, steps onto a slippery dirt path, and turns around to offer a hand to you.
I know this path is nothing for you... but better safe than sorry. The hallucinogenic substances in the mushrooms can really mess with your mind.
So... Why don't you hold my hand?
Wanshi takes your hand before you can answer him.
Wanshi has set up a simple military tent in the forest on the outskirts of the old town. Outside, numerous cleaned herbs—their names unknown—are drying on wooden racks.
These are medicinal herbs I've gathered from the mountains recently. Keep them away from those Science Council folks before they eat them again.
Wanshi places a few dried dark green leaves into the medicine pouch.
I've been gathering herbs for detoxification and relaxation, following the old medical texts from the clinic. I heard these are the most effective.
I'll brew some for you to try in a bit.
Better safe than sorry.
The Construct pulls out a collapsible kettle from his "portable" bag, draws water from a nearby stream, and begins brewing the medicine, making a gentle bubbling sound.
Soon, a bitter scent drifts through the forest breeze. Wanshi strains the brewed medicine and pours it into a small porcelain bowl—yet another item that seems to have materialized out of nowhere.
Here, drink this. The temperature's just right.
Wanshi offers the porcelain bowl. You catch its scent, hesitate, but accept it anyway.
A bitter taste fills your throat, leaving a strange flavor that lingers stubbornly in your mouth.
Wanshi produces a piece of rock candy from who knows where and hands it over.
If it's too bitter, you can have a little sugar with it... but only a small amount, or else it'll affect the medicine's potency.
The two of you rest outside the makeshift tent. A faint bitter scent still lingers in the air, but beyond that, there's a sense of peaceful, ordinary life.
Wanshi squints in the sunlight, looking completely at ease.
Sigh... It feels like we've truly stepped away from the world, living the most ordinary of lives.
Hmm, not quite.
If only there were no Punishing and no Corrupted.
—Don't move.
Without warning, Wanshi's eyes fly open as he quickly draws his gun and fires two shots at what's behind you.
With it, a Corrupted's screech echoes from behind, only to be silenced by two more shots from Wanshi's gun.
Done.
Without hesitation, you take care of the Corrupted that emerged behind Wanshi.
...Mm, thanks. This place's got a weird magnetic field—most of our equipment isn't functioning properly. We'll need to proceed with extra caution.
Yeah, I'm supposed to take care of any Corrupted I see on the outskirts of Nanyun.
The situation up in the mountains is complicated, and the Corrupted in this area are unpredictable. Plus, we're staying at the clinic, and the Rain Flower Festival is coming up... There's more and more to do—that's why I've been staying in Nanyun all this time.
Just a few stragglers left.
That day when you and the guys from Science Council were circling around in the mountains, I noticed all the Corrupted were drawn by your movements.
In a way, that did help.
Wanshi stands up to check his equipment.
I'm gonna go and get some "clean-up" done out there so things don't go south at the Rain Flower Festival tomorrow.
We should also run a maintenance check on the nearby filtration devices.
After collecting all the dried herbs, the two of you quickly set out along the mountain path to clean up the scattered Corrupted gathering nearby.
This place is far enough from a Punishing Dead Zone, and the Corrupted that have managed to join forces in the past few years were nothing but a bunch of small fries, but once their numbers start growing, dealing with them can be pretty tiring.
Bang!
You take another shot and hit the core of a small Corrupted. After a few broken shrieks, it completely shuts down and collapses against a tree stump.
Good work. We've got them all.
I've checked the makeshift filtration system over there. It's fine—whoever built it did a great job... I went ahead and made some upgrades to it, too.
Wanshi blows away the lingering gunsmoke from his gun's barrel. On the ground lie the neutralized Corrupted that are no longer a threat.
Phew... The last thing I want is a horde of Corrupted bursting in during the ceremony... Pretty sure I'm gonna have nightmares for a while if that ever happened.
As Wanshi describes the horrifying scene, the world around you seems to start spinning.
Hey, you feeling okay?
Wanshi quickly strides over, having sensed something out of the ordinary.
The white Construct before you has split into two, and you can't tell if this is a blessing or a curse.
What's going on? Is the medicine from earlier not working?
[player name]?!
Your consciousness blurs as a familiar heaviness weighs your eyelids down.
Before passing out cold, you fall into a warm embrace.
As darkness claims both your mind and senses, you embrace the sweet invitation of dreams and sink completely into their depths.
