Story Reader / Main Story / 23 Wintry Shackles / Story
In a dark, concealed room, faint blue projections light up one after another.
Intentionally blurred projections turn them into ghosts hidden from history cloaked in oppressive darkness.
During the day, they are powerful council members, industry leaders, or generals who can sway the Babylonia headquarters...
But here, they are all the same—a member of Kurono.
Let's begin. As always, this encrypted channel will only last two hours.
The casualty of the disruption at the Hetero Tower has freed up many seats. The Parliament took this chance to fill them with their people, including Constructs.
Their reasons were sound, and the people supported it. We couldn't stop them.
Even though those are insignificant positions, we have still lost a complete chain of command, and it's unlikely that we will again.
Hmph. Is it not enough for them to make a "Hero Squad"? How much more influence do they want to give Constructs now?
It's alright. Deserters are also Constructs, aren't they? Hassen was just trying to calm down the wavering Constructs and turn the public's attention away from the deserters.
Don't push them too hard. It won't do us any good. We just have to make sure this temporary situation doesn't become the norm.
Regarding the surface, only 32% of our recruits have re-established contact, most of whom are located in larger organizations such as Akdilek and ARU. We haven't been contacted by most of the smaller bases.
We're still tallying the number of the subordinates of those recruits.
What about our labs on the surface?
Four of our medium general laboratories and two small biological laboratories are situated within the "Clean Zone". It's only a matter of time before they're discovered, so we've vacated them.
All other laboratories outside the Clean Zone have been reactivated, not counting the small memory research center destroyed by the Ascendants.
Except for...
He pauses. Although no one can be eavesdropping on them, he still lowers his voice.
The North Asian Research Institute of Life Science and Evolution... Aka Fort Winter.
The weight of this name stops everyone in their tracks briefly. The darkness surrounding them somehow feels darker.
The team we sent to Fort Winter hasn't responded after they entered.
We've sent in all the private forces we can mobilize. The Aurora Squadron is still under maintenance; any further action will expose us to the Parliament.
The last incident has caused us too much.
A large private army was one of the key reasons why Kurono could act as they wished in the shadow.
But with the Hetero Tower, the sharper this blade of theirs is, the deeper it cuts them.
This high-level officer who is in charge of the Kurono's military deployment feels powerless for the first time.
Did the Ascendants take over it?
Unlikely. There was a significant amount of time before and after we deployed our team, and given what we know about how the Ascendants operate, it's hard to believe that they would stay in one place for this long.
There wasn't any sign of Hetero-Creatures before the entry, either, so we've eliminated that possibility as well.
We suspect that some unknown incident has taken place inside Fort Winter.
Everyone turns to look at the first seat, waiting for the sitter's decision.
Initiate the destruction sequence.
What about the research data inside? That's the main research facility of Project Winter!
We might be able to recover the past data with our processing centers around the world, but we didn't receive our latest batch of experiment data in time.
What if there's...
The person in the first seat interrupts him before he can finish.
We'll just have to do it again, and that's okay. Some things must never be found out.
The Parliament has walked down a different path regarding what they need from Project Winter. They have gotten their specialized frames that are fully immune to the Punishing Virus.
Given what they want is to reclaim Earth and eliminate the Punishing Virus, this is as far as they need to go.
But for us, the specialized frame is just a byproduct of this process. Our ultimate goal is to acquire the power of the Ascension-Network.
Though our brief partnership has been pleasant, our fundamental goals are irreconcilable. Perhaps our "honeymoon" phase with the Parliament is coming to an end.
The conflict between the Parliament and us will reach a boiling point sooner or later. The only reason we can still coexist is because neither of us has leverage over the other yet.
I see. I'll make the arrangements. Please give me some time for deployment.
Be quick. A new age has begun, and it will run over anyone who can't catch up.
I think you'll be interested in the next piece of intel from our "mystery guest."
It concerns Gray Raven, the elite squad you've been paying close attention to. If we can make good use of this information, we may be able to deliver a lethal blow to Hassen and his people.
It feels incredible no matter how many times we've run this experiment... I can't believe how much more we can improve and optimize a frame.
Where am I...
Director Kaplan, we've detected a fluctuation in the test subject's M.I.N.D. Should we terminate the experiment?
Who... is the test subject?
Terminate it and initiate the "Lullaby" program. Has the data we collected this time been submitted to Fort Winter?
Fort Winter... Winter...
The phrase pierces the depth of the mind like a spear, blinding her vision with blood-like crimson red.
Uploaded. Initiating the "Lullaby" program.
Steady electromagnetic pulses gradually ease the pain in her mind, casting away the anguish as well as the ability to think.
I can't fall asleep here...
Desperately seeking a way to stay awake, she is drawn by a faint red light. She reaches out.
Punishing Virus detected in the subject!
How is that possible? There's no... It's the Inver-Device!
The young man's voice is no longer as calm as before.
Execute Contingency Zero!
Bounded by wires and apparatus, the Ascendant opens her eyes.
...
02:00 a.m. Conservation area 014.
What was that...?
Lucia tries to remember the images in her head just now, but what was a clear memory is now enveloped in impenetrable mist.
Obviously, this aberration is caught by someone who spends days and nights with her.
It's late, Commandant. Aren't you resting?
Lucia asks you as you walk to her side.
Liv would be so worried if she were here.
Lucia smiles, seeing how abashed you look.
...
Seeing your concerned gaze, Lucia chooses not to deny it.
Yeah. It's just a vague impression, but I feel like I've been seeing and hearing visions and voices that don't exist.
It's like...
Like how I entered Alpha's Deep M.I.N.D. underneath City 075 during the Polyphage encounter.
Lucia considers it seriously before shaking her head.
The Science Council has cured the effects of that incident. It's been so long that I think it's unlikely to relapse.
Not to mention that this is a little different...
Even though my visions were blurred during the deep dive, I could still recall fragments of them afterward.
But I can't remember anything just now except for the fact that I know I saw something.
The feelings I had before were too vague to be sure, but I know it didn't start today.
Sounds like a good idea.
You come into contact with Lucia's emotions simmering under the surface through the Deep M.I.N.D. connection.
Trust... and anxiousness.
?
Her surprised expression does not last very long before her M.I.N.D. calms down again.
You don't have any professional equipment with you, but given your familiarity with your team members and your experience calibrating frames at the Science Council with Asimov, you can easily perform a simple checkup.
The ocean is as calm as always. There are no hidden reefs or alarming storms.
After carefully eliminating all possible concerns, you exit the connection.
You let Lucia know your diagnosis.
Every data of the frame is normal too.
Lucia seems to have also completed a self-checkup on her frame while you were connected to her Deep M.I.N.D.
Maybe it is the effects of her infected Mind Beacon during the battle at the Hetero Tower?
Or maybe it is the result of the exhaustion from overworking constantly?
I heard that Constructs approaching retirement age often experience this kind of deep trance.
Lucia's sudden words interrupt your thoughts.
Maybe it's time for me to retire and work as an instructor at the training camps back home.
The Construct instructor from the training camp told us back then. We did find out that she was just lying to skip her class.
Yes, I was joking.
Lucia nods earnestly.
It's okay, Commandant. This is nothing serious.
So stop looking so worried.
Lucia does not answer this time. She just looks at you, smiling.
Of course.
02:15 a.m. 10 kilometers outside conservation area 014.
The cold breeze carries away the imaginary warmth from her palm. Alpha clutches her fist, but there is nothing there.
This is getting more and more frequent.
It was just occasional voices at first before her visual module began to perceive sporadic images.
Eventually, the other senses of her frame were affected.
These should belong to that Lucia...
Alpha considered stopping these interferences, but as they got more intense, her countermeasures failed one by one.
If I can't stop them, I should exploit them properly.
Separating the information she needs out from the blurred visions, she infers Lucia's movement and plans her next step accordingly.
Walking among the ruins, the crimson figure heads toward the conservation area.
Suddenly, she stops and shouts at a shadowed area hidden from the moonlight.
Show yourself!
It's impressive how sensitive you still are in this condition. No wonder you are qualified to be an agent.
Unfortunately, I don't have legs to walk on. How about we keep our wonderful distance?
The elegant female voice speaks from where Alpha is staring at. Alpha ignores what she said and starts walking forward.
A small music player drops at Alpha's feet.
Sigh. I wholeheartedly apologize for appearing before you in this embarrassing state.
What do you want?
I just want to offer a gift to prove my sincerity.
You're so sincere that you won't show up before me?
There's a transport craft landing in Area D12 soon. I think you'll find it very helpful.
You know what I'm heading there for?
How sincere can I be if I'm not pandering to what you desire?
Instead of taking a risk at the well-guarded conservation area, you might find a more fitting prey inside that isolated transport craft.
Is that sincere enough for you?
...
Alpha ignores her and starts walking into the distance.
We'll meet again.
