Story Reader / Floating Record / ER06 When Day Breaks / Story
There's someone over there!
The bullet travels much faster than the sound of the shot and grazes Hyde even though Bridget rushes in to shield him.
Argh!... Ahh!
Swift footsteps echo through the tunnel. Bridget gives chase, but the attacker is clearly more familiar with these dark passages and moves through them with ease.
Bridget pushed you just in time. It's just a scratch.
Ruolin quickly treats Hyde's new wound. Her brow furrows with concern.
Hunting down a science researcher... What could they possibly want...
Are you really just a Norman researcher? Why are all the attacks after you?
What else is really down here in these mines? Are they really just "tantalum research labs"?
Bridget grows suspicious of the frequent attacks and an increasingly baffling situation.
She even starts to wonder... Do the attempts on this "researcher's" life have anything to do with her parents' death?
—You said you started researching at the Konstantin Mines for Norman "many years ago".
Do you know anything about the last few mining tunnel collapses...
Were they really just accidents?
She trains her eyes on the weary man before her, searching his expression for any hints.
I-I don't know anything. I'm just a researcher...
The pain from his wounds seems to be taking its toll. He is starting to look lightheaded.
His eyes dart back and forth as he desperately tries to come up with an answer Bridget wants to hear.
The collapses... some of them were accidents, but others were... they were for...
The man carefully casts a glance at Trojan, as if worried that Trojan might have said anything against him.
Trojan is leaning on a wall with her arms crossed. She ignores Hyde and lets out a dismissive snort.
To deal with... certain other things.
Hyde stops stammering after he finally pieces together a coherent story for his lies.
As you know, the tantalum copolymer research eventually... eventually involves exposure to the Punishing Virus...
Sometimes there are... um... unexpected byproducts of our research that get infected with the Virus, and we have no choice but to dispose of them on-site... They-they're all mechanoids and animals.
We would never... we have never conducted illegal experiments. We're just researchers, we don't have that kind of authority...
He forces a strained smile.
Humph.
I'm not too familiar with the other labs, but maybe... maybe some of the tunnels collapsed... because they needed to dispose of their "unexpected byproducts"...
What about the rescue team that came in? What happened to them?
Bridget tries to stay calm as she scouts ahead, but her trembling voice betrays her worry for the rescuers' fate.
The rescue team... Oh, yes, yes, yes, the rescue team!
Some of them made it out safely, but others were... mildly infected by the Punishing Virus during the rescue operation. We... we put them in the lower level labs for treatment!
This is Norman Mining Corp's property after all. We certainly can't tarnish their reputation. We'll make sure they receive proper treatment before sending them back up...
You know how things are—with the infection and the pathetic shortage of serum out there... sending them up now would be sending them to their deaths...
Feeling that he's struck a nerve with Bridget, Hyde begins to ramble on.
So, we just need to get out of here first... yes, we need to get out quickly.
Once we're out, I'll draw you a detailed map—the lab is very well hidden. Then I'll give you my access card so you can come back down to rescue those people...
...Heh, you spent so long in hell. You can't even lie like a human anymore.
...Trojan?
Trojan's muttering is barely a whisper, but Bridget's keen ears catch every syllable.
Think what you will, Bridget.
But for now, at least, I am not your enemy.
She does not intend to explain herself, yet she holds no ill will toward Bridget.
...I sure hope so.
Bridget's mind is in chaos due to the string of incidents and now this strange lead about her parents' disappearance.
She notices the gaps in Hyde's story, but her mind keeps trying to patch over these holes to have something to hold onto.
What should she do... Is Hyde telling the truth? Should she trust Hyde, or Trojan?
As an instructor in Support Force, Trojan may not have the best attendance, but outside of this incident, she really seems to be a decent person.
But why would a "decent person" point their gun at a researcher?
That researcher, Hyde... He seems normal enough, but something about the way he acts is deeply unsettling.
Is he really just an innocent researcher? Or is he being hunted because he knows something he shouldn't?
Trojan said she isn't my enemy, so then... who is the real "enemy"?
—Watch out!
A bullet whistles through the air—it's another attempt on Hyde's life.
This won't do... They're probably using secret paths not on our map. We won't be able to catch them like this.
She quickly makes a decision.
Ruolin, how far are we from the main Support Force squad?
Based on the markers and traces I've found, we're about ten minutes away.
There could be more obstacles, so I can only give you a rough estimate... But I know we're on the right track.
What about climbing back to the surface? If we can make it up there directly, we could get reinforcements.
Given the current tunnel conditions, it would take at least ten minutes to get back up, but I can't give you a better estimate.
Sigh... We should prioritize regrouping with our squad. With all our members, we shouldn't have any problem protecting one researcher.
Ruolin, take the lead and guide us. Trojan, stay right behind her.
She intentionally places Hyde behind Trojan. She doesn't want to take any risks without knowing the true nature of their relationship.
A Construct can easily kill an ordinary researcher with bare hands.
She cannot keep a clear head when it comes to her parents. If she can't trust herself to make the right decision, she'll leave it to someone more capable.
For now, her responsibility is to ensure everyone's safety—first by regrouping with Support Force, then by escorting them back to Babylonia.
I can't tell if you're being careful or careless... You're not worried I might attack Ruolin?
?!
You won't.
Bridget clears her head and her steps become lighter.
If you actually tried to kill Hyde only because you couldn't stand him, you have no reason to do that to Ruolin.
Oh? You think so? You're that certain?
You won't hurt Ruolin. I'm sure of it.
...
The blue-haired Construct falls into silence.
They march in silence as Ruolin diligently scouts ahead. The markers left by their teammates indicate there's a bridge here, but...
Loose rocks tumble into a bottomless abyss. There's nothing but an empty void in front of them.
...Oh, no, the connecting tunnel ahead is gone. Must be the assassins...
Let me see the map.
The map unfolds on the terminal, revealing a network of snaking mining tunnels.
This path should get us to this area over here. Let's go this way, hurry up.
They move as fast as they can, but the shadows lurking in the dark continue to have the upper hand.
Following the map, they find a wobbly cable bridge. The aged structure looks like it hasn't been touched for years.
I-I'll scout ahead.
Once we cross this, we can rendezvous with Support Force...
She inches onto the bridge with careful steps. Thankfully, Norman Mining Corp was willing to spend its fortune on high-quality materials. Despite years of neglect, the bridge can still support at least two people.
Trojan and Hyde step onto the bridge one after another. When they reach the middle, disaster strikes.
A bomb flies out of nowhere and strikes the middle of the bridge.
Trojan!
Cough... cough, cough...
—H-help! Somebody help! Please... HELP ME!
A massive explosion rocks the ground. As the smoke clears, all that remains of the suspension bridge is a single cable, dangling from a protruding beam.
Hyde clings desperately to one end of the cable while Trojan hangs from the other.
Ruolin... Ruolin!
Cough... Save your breath. She's been knocked out.
She was dumb enough to lunge to pull me away from the explosion and got hit by falling rocks. She won't be waking up anytime soon.
The cable sways, creaking under the strain. The explosion has clearly damaged the aging metal.
...Now this is ******* ironic. It's like we're on the scales of justice.
Darn it... Why am I always the one being weighed? When will I be the one holding the cards...
Trojan, hold on!
First check the survivors' conditions. Hyde... good. He can still shout. He should be fine for now.
Trojan looks a bit down, but that's just Trojan...
Checking Ruolin's vital signs... She's alive...
Next, figure out how to get Trojan and Hyde down from this cable...
Stop your wishful thinking, Bridget. You can only save one of us—this wretched thing's about to snap.
I'm not your enemy. Leave Hyde, he's—
Help me, please! Please, save me! I know where the rescue workers are! I'm an expert on tantalum copolymers! I can be useful! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!
My research isn't finished yet, I can't die here—
Shut it!
I never make that kind of choice, Trojan.
Heh... What if he was the one who murdered your parents?
I didn't—It... it wasn't me!
If he is the real murderer, he'll get his judgment after we get out of here.
Neither Support Force nor rescue workers have the right to execute criminals.
Support Force and rescue workers share one mission—to hold on to every spark of hope!
She fixes her grappling hook firmly onto a rock and tugs on it twice before leaping with all her might onto the beam—
...Sigh.
Trojan lets out a sigh.
Bridget is closing in, but at this point, Trojan cannot let Hyde get out of here alive for both personal and professional reasons.
I'm sorry... Bridget.
I really like you. If we'd met earlier, maybe we could have become good friends...
...What are you—
Hyde, give me your hand—
Trojan is a Construct, so she should still be able to move. Bridget plans to secure Hyde to a safety rope first, so she can use him as leverage to pull Trojan back to safety using the momentum...
BANG!
A bullet whizzes past Bridget's ear and hits Hyde just as he reaches out with frantic joy.
...!
Bridget whips her head around to see that Trojan has let go of the cable to fire at Hyde.
As Trojan falls, she waves goodbye to Bridget.
—No!
Bridget cannot understand Trojan's actions, but she still wants to uphold the duty of a rescue worker and Support Force member—
Never give up on any hope.
With her leg thrusters at maximum power, Bridget grabs Trojan's clothes and hurls Trojan with all her might at the only stable-looking platform in this bottomless mine shaft.
