Story Reader / Floating Record / ER06 When Day Breaks / Story
While Konstantin Mining Facility might seem mundane enough on the ground, its underground structures resemble those of a magnificent inverted tower when viewed in isolation.
Mining tunnels sprawl in all directions, nearly hollowing out the entire foundation beneath the wilderness, with all the small labs dotting the branches of these tunnels.
With easy access to raw materials, these researchers hardly ever leave their posts, completely absorbed in their work.
Everyone understands that the deeper a laboratory is located, the more advanced and cutting-edge its research becomes—a fact never explicitly stipulated to them.
As they negotiate the winding path, the intermingled trails of vital fluid and blood grow more frequent.
Silla was still chasing after them... He should have gone back for reinforcements.
He won't last long, not when he's lost such a big amount of vital fluid...
On the ground, the trail of vital fluid abruptly ends, but the blood continues to streak forward.
Clear drag marks extend toward a side tunnel, where a shadowy figure lies motionless on the ground.
Silla!
You gesture toward Lucia, who, having acknowledged your gesture with a nod, produces a flare and tosses it out ever so carefully.
The cold light reveals the Construct's body, now completely devoid of vital signs.
Pain pierces through her M.I.N.D., but Bridget fights to stay calm, clenching her fists as she steps forward to examine Silla's body.
...It's a gunshot wound near the core. That's what caused his vital fluid to leak out.
Those people hiding in the mines, they've got to be the ones behind this.
There might be more than one group involved.
With its surface dusted, the rock now reveals deeply embedded footprints—far too deep to have been left by any normal human.
...I'm sure you put up a good fight, Silla.
Bridget gently closes Silla's open eyes.
I'll take it from here for you.
Bridget marks Silla's location in the mine tunnel, her eyes now dark with resolve.
Let's keep moving. There's still blood on the ground—we might catch up to them before they can do anything else.
Is it possible that this teammate of yours, well... maybe he accepted something from An Jie and her people, but then things went south during negotiations, and they ended up in a fight?
Impossible.
What makes you say so, though?
Bridget shoots Trojan a quick glance.
There was this incident that I've experienced, and... I don't know if I'd call it betrayal.
After my promotion to my current position as Support Force Captain, I conducted thorough background checks on all squad members. I've also carefully scrutinized the records of every new recruit joining our ranks.
Um...
Feeling called out, Trojan rubs his nose awkwardly.
Besides, without third-party assistance, it would have been impossible for An Jie and her deputy to hurt Silla.
I want to believe that An Jie, too, was likely coerced into leaving by a third party.
The trail leads to... here.
It appears to be the drainage system in the mine, wet and muddy from constant use.
...Would they really build their laboratory in a place like this?
Heh, you never know what they're capable of.
This place? It's nothing. They'd burrow into bedrock if they could. Some things are meant to stay in the dark, after all.
Am I? I wouldn't know.
Am I? I wouldn't know.
Perhaps it's because we're both inferior beings—that's why we think alike.
...
Does Trojan really have no recollections whatsoever? Bridget watches cautiously as Trojan walks ahead.
Why does she seem so familiar with this place? And what exactly... is she trying to do here?
Ever since entering the mine, Bridget has been on edge, meticulously planning every move. Yet despite such careful precautions, she's been losing one comrade after another all the same.
Bridget's self-reproach threatens to overflow the dilapidated sewers.
Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just... just thinking about what we should do next.
Cheryl should have the transceiver fixed soon. At least we'll be able to maintain communications among ourselves, and then...
...Easy.
...Phew.
Bridget lets out a long sigh.
She's well aware of how unusual she herself has been acting lately.
Worry and doubt consume her as those nightmares, which until now she's been suppressing, resurface. All these negative emotions came bursting out at the sight of Silla's corpse.
A dark volcano has broken loose within her M.I.N.D.
Don't worry. I'm sure I'll get a grip on myself soon enough.
Let's keep moving.
