Story Reader / Affection / Hanying: Solacetune / Story
At dawn's first light in the late spring, the silent forest awakens to an echoing chorus of birdsong that breathes life into every creature nearby.
Even though this natural alarm clock stirs you from sleep, you can't resist the urge to sleep a little longer, given the situation.
The scent of food is what really makes you want to get moving.
Right before you step out of the room, you hear a faint noise.
Hanying walks out of the kitchen, carrying a steaming basket of breakfast.
Did you sleep well last night?
As you take in this scene, you can't help but wonder if you're still caught in a dream.
Looks like you're still waking up.
You manage an awkward smile, your eyes automatically drifting to the food on the table.
Aside from a few baskets of breakfast, you're surprised to see three wooden bowls laid out.
In that moment, you notice a cautious gaze watching you from behind the kitchen door.
The gaze belongs to a child, and yet there's no real fear in those eyes—only a faint numbness.
Ah...
Both Hanying and you look toward the door. She places the breakfast on the table, then hurries over to you.
My apologies. I should have explained everything to you yesterday. This child...
Hanying deliberately lowers her voice.
Her name is Yalin. Her parents were wandering around nearby. By the time I came across them, they were already... taken by the Corrupted.
Before they... passed away, they asked us to look after their child.
Hanying explains it quietly—this sort of tragedy is all too common in the search for a new home.
You're back to feeling steady now, your mind fully clear.
Yalin, this is a commandant from Babylonia, my...
Close friend.
Sworn brother.
Sworn sister.
Hanying signs her explanation to Yalin again.
Encouraged by Hanying's calming tone, the girl slowly steps out from behind the door, still a bit nervous.
The atmosphere is still a little tense, but you smile warmly, hoping she picks up on your friendliness.
Her vocal cords were injured...
She's living with a kind-hearted family right now.
She's not quite like the other kids in the settlement, still a bit afraid of the mechanoids from the Church of Machina...
But she can't really avoid them entirely there, so she's been spending a lot of time here with me.
Oh, by the way, if you want to show we're closer... Commandant, please step in a bit more.
Hanying quietly pleads with you, so you both shuffle closer. You give Yalin a small wave.
But she stays put by the door, keeping the mood on edge. Then, just when things couldn't get any more awkward, a loud growl rumbles through the air.
Grrrr...
You are pretty sure that noise isn't coming from you.
Then, shall we eat before the food gets cold?
Yalin avoids your gaze, her eyes flicking around like she's waging an internal war. At last, she steels herself and joins you at the table.
All three of you grab your chopsticks at the same time.
I ain't agreeing to this. Do you even know what all this means?
I do. I've collected a good amount of data about Kowloong architecture just to be here.
Well then nobody's demolishing this place on the Bixi Crew's watch!
We brought the heavy-duty equipment here, and Kowloong funded it!
Dazhu slams the blueprint onto the table.
He can't see any sign of emotion on the mechanoid's face, and that flat, unfeeling tone just makes him even angrier.
If we go with your approach, we won't wrap up this entire project until at least fall.
That's going to put us behind by more than a month. And if we have to build extra temporary housing for new arrivals, the schedule's only going to slip further.
This right here is Kowloong's legacy.
I ain't let it get wrecked on my watch, unless there's no other choice.
Dazhu decides he's had enough of squabbling with the mechanoid. He sighs and heads out of the tent.
That's when he picks up the sound of a conversation coming from nearby.
The voices get louder, and the people eventually meet the Bixi Crew member and the mechanoid.
...Boccioni and Dazhu, our reinforcement sent by the Bixi Crew, are going to restore this old site.
You just wrapped up a quick walkthrough of this abandoned complex with Hanying.
Time has erased all traces of its name. The archway was wrecked ages ago and has been reduced to nothing but rotten wood scraps.
The houses hug the gentle hillside, creating a tiered complex that feels like a quaint town climbing upward.
Until the restoration is complete, any new settlers have to make do with a temporary camp at the foot of the hill.
Time has smoothed over the marks of past calamities, and as you stroll along the path, it's easy to imagine how bustling this place once was decades ago.
Right now, you're looking at a thriving stand of sycamore trees that takes the place of the busy throng you picture in your mind.
A broad clearing near the summit stands empty, akin to a central plaza. A few derelict buildings remain, with trees poking through crumbling walls.
A gruff voice snaps you out of your thoughts.
I can't get through to that guy at all! I used to think working with a mechanoid would be easier.
From the way this Bixi Crew member talks and carries himself, you realize this must be the "Dazhu" Hanying was telling you about.
Huh?
Hanying, um...
Oh right, [player name]. You're the Gray Raven Commandant, yeah? Sorry about my outburst earlier. Just call me Dazhu.
Dazhu clears his throat and, looking a bit embarrassed, stretches out his hand. You take it in a quick, polite handshake.
Is something bothering you, Dazhu?
I'm having a bit of a disagreement with him.
Dazhu notices Boccioni trailing behind him and exhales a heavy sigh.
A disagreement...?
Let's not make a big deal out of it.
The mechanoid insists we have to demolish all these buildings and start fresh. I ain't on board with that.
Dazhu insists on preserving them, even though restoration costs much more time and money than starting over.
I'm suggesting it as a professional architect.
Kowloong's old buildings are nearly all gone! They're precious relics of our heritage!
Hanying, surely you understand what I mean.
Seeing the tension build, you quickly step in before things go too far.
I completely understand your concerns, Dazhu...
But Commandant is right. We do need some solid evidence for this sort of thing.
We just got here! How are we supposed to have any proper calculations already?!
We have inspected more than half the houses, and it turns out none of them are salvageable.
I know you're giving me an out.
But I don't trust those mechanoids. Let's wait until we Bixi folks can take a look for ourselves.
As the tension eases, Dazhu takes a look around.
No matter what, we can't just sit here doing nothing. Weeds and trees get in the way of rebuilding, and that's something we can tackle right now.
Boccioni tilts his head to look at Dazhu.
Besides firewood, we're also short on fences and guardrails. That's a really constructive idea.
I'll make sure it goes into next week's schedule.
The tension eases. Neither the Bixi Crew member nor the mechanoid says anything more as they head back to work.
You find yourself wandering deeper into the complex with Hanying, almost without realizing it.
Hanying seems distracted, and you silently observe the old houses around you, lush with greenery.
...There's no hiding anything from you, Commandant.
Even family members who live together have their share of arguments, let alone those working together for the first time...
Hanying shakes her head.
It's just that I've never been good at making decisions for both sides of an argument.
That's why I need to learn from you, Commandant.
Suddenly, you feel something nudge the tip of your shoe.
A pinecone rolls forward from under your foot. Hanying quickly goes after it and picks it up.
You both look up as a warm breeze drifts past, and the pine trees stir with a gentle rustling—like a quiet whisper carrying emotions no one can fully grasp.
It probably fell from one of the trees here, right?
She gently runs her fingers over its shell, examining every detail.
This is their "continuation."
Should we plant it somewhere else?
