Story Reader / Festival Event Story / Lost in Whitebloom / Story
This mission has been a trap from the very beginning.
A trap set by the defectors for the captain of the Purifying Force, as well as one set by her, aimed at ensnaring the defectors.
Along the way, Bianca strategically divulged the information she had gathered to the individuals she found suspicious, deliberately provoking them to silence her before the intended time.
However... what she never anticipated was that Renee, the one who always appeared cheerful and forthright, would be among those involved.
...Still alive. You're a witch indeed.
As the explosion rips through the surroundings, Bianca swiftly severs Renee's hands, desperately attempting to restrain her, and leaps out of the transporter in a decisive move.
The aftermath of the explosion leaves both of them with numerous wounds on their frames, reducing the supplies in the vehicle to ashes. However, against all odds, they manage to survive.
Even you betrayed us.
That's right. Like you said, the strongest restriction is not chains but a home to live in.
Someone promised us a way of living without fear for the future. That's why I joined them.
The promise the Ascendants made through Project Winter will only lead to more deaths.
What's wrong with that?!
A furious voice resonates from behind Renee as two Constructs emerge from the ruins, appearing to have been lying in wait for a considerable duration.
(All three of them and even this are gradually progressing just like the "dream"... What are they going to say next? "Human experiments and sacrifice of the weak are a necessary part of evolution"?)
You and those old bones in the Parliament are panicked by human experiments. Do you have any idea how useless those believers are?
They're not compatible with the copolymers. They're ignorant and superstitious. They can't even reconstruct the conservation area properly. Why not make them an experiment material?
Only technological advancement can enable people with unstable M.I.N.D. like us to use specialized frames that are strong enough to make us survive battles.
Sacrifice people who are not compatible with the copolymers to break a path for those who are compatible. How does that make you different from the Ascendants?
We are different. Our goal is a future of real peace!
...
She thought that the "dream" of left data could only offer ambiguous hints. She believed that even if the prospect of everlasting sleep became her reality one day, it would not come to pass in the immediate future.
Could it be possible that her decision to alter her plans and prioritize the investigation ahead of schedule created the effect of "merging world lines," as described in the Golden Age story?
If that is indeed the case... the inevitable outcome that awaits her at the end becomes self-evident.
There are Ascendants who are willing to fight for the future. They are capable of controlling the Corrupted, and we can make use of that power.
This is the last warning. Join us or die here.
Stop wasting your time. This fence sitter witch is still refusing to give up her "kindness." She sympathizes with the hopeless trash. She won't join us.
That's right. I won't join you, but it's not because of sympathy for anyone, but to prevent things from getting worse.
The Purifying Force has been keeping an eye on Project Winter for a long time. There are still things we don't know, but we have seen the consequences.
According to the intel sent back by our "secret members," Project Winter is probably based on Daedalus and their "Project Cthylla".
What...?
Upon the mention of "Project Cthylla", those in the know would immediately recall the extensive human experiments that were conducted decades ago
As its name implies, "Project Cthylla" involved researchers aiming to bring the deceased back to life by utilizing cloning and memory backup techniques, essentially attempting to achieve a form of reincarnation and rebirth within a controlled womb environment.
That project caused casualties in the research phase, but that was to keep those who were useful. What's wrong with it?
The only mistake they made is they didn't push through.
They changed the research direction later and used the technology to replicate and modify Construct M.I.N.D.
Those who participated in "Project Cthylla", including the researchers, ended up tragically. Few survived.
If you're aware of how the project ended that way, you should know what's waiting for you ahead.
Today, humans without compatibility with the copolymers die. Tomorrow, it'll be your turn, those of you without specialized frames.
What is the end of the experiments and sacrifices? One-in-a-million new manmade Ascendants?
I repeat. No technology advancement should be built on countless deaths! This is no necessary sacrifice. This is a massacre!
Then you should understand which is more tempting—a distant future or the hope in front of us!
We could die any minute. Anyone would go for the quick solution.
This conversation is going nowhere.
Despite having already foreseen the outcome of this battle in her "dream," she remains undaunted, raising her weapon without a trace of fear.
God... If you could hear my prayer, please bless the victims... It's not their fault to be weak and helpless.
To prevent the tragedy from happening again, I'll have to slash my sword at my once comrades... This is my sin and my redemption.
Extermination starts!
The Gray Raven Commandant is sitting inside the lounge when the remote connection is suddenly severed.
Commandant, what's wrong?
Lucia immediately lowers her head to send a comms request to Bianca.
Connection failed.
You send another request only to stumble upon the same outcome.
Stigmata could become unstable at any minute. She must have a good reason to disconnect.
Perhaps something went wrong... Should I report it as a mission anomaly?
That's possible, but what if...
We lost contact with her. I can search for her coordinates, but what else can we do?
The others?
Leave it to me.
The evening clouds and chilling wind serve as an ominous harbinger, signaling the imminent arrival of snow.
Finally liberated from the relentless assault of the defectors and the Corrupted, Bianca's frame approaches its breaking point. She finds herself devoid of strength, unable to support her own body, stumbling and collapsing amidst the ruins blanketed in snow.
As she moves, crimson vital fluid seeps out from her wounds, leaving clear trails and marking vivid stains upon the pristine white backdrop.
During the intense battle, both her remote connection band and terminal became damaged beyond repair.
What will that commandant do after noticing the severed connection and unanswered communications?
No, I can't let Commandant come here... Renee is still alive... There could be other defectors...
However, in her current hopeless state, where can she possibly go?
The pain stemming from the corruption surrounding her abdomen and back remains bearable, yet she can hardly move an inch, with no solution to be found.
Her left wrist joint has suffered damage, while her left knee and right calf are showing varying degrees of fractures.
Even with the aid of her swordstaff for support, her movements are painfully slow. Unfortunately, once the enemies track her down through the telltale traces left by the flowing fluid on the ground, the outcome becomes all too predictable.
...
Everything is leading up to that "future" of lonely death.
This is not the first instance of such adversity, nor is it the first betrayal she has endured.
Much like the defectors, Bianca, too, encountered an individual who promised her a bright future filled with hope before she became a Construct.
...Wen.
—That man called himself Wen, the "chairman" of Daedalus.
He recognized Bianca, who was still lost in the depths of darkness at that time.
He extended an invitation to her, encouraging Bianca to undertake the task of cleansing the lurking Corrupted in the shadows and safeguarding everyone.
He said, safety was the only thing Daedalus sold.
Thank you. Had it not been for you, I would've been killed by the Corrupted.
The sacrifice of the minority <//CORRUPTED> is necessary in order to save the masses.
Your injury looks bad. I'm late.
She used to firmly believe that the minority Wen talked about was the Corrupted.
Humph. We could have handled it easily if the products hadn't been so bad this time.
...Products?
It wasn't until she heard the anguished cries emanating from the rifts that she finally comprehended the grim truth: those Corrupted were the creations of Daedalus, brought into existence by its own hands, and she herself was nothing more than a mere pawn in their grand experiment.
On the fateful night when everything crumbled, Bianca and the Purifying Force, still strangers to one another, coincided in their shared mission to purge Daedalus.
As a result of this alignment of circumstances, she was embraced by Babylonia and officially joined the ranks of the Purifying Force.
...Everything about Daedalus should've ended there.
...But it didn't...
The once thriving foliage of "projects," "experiments," "products," and "the chairman" had all been decimated, yet the entrenched underground roots proved resilient. The true leader remained concealed within the sea of faces, hidden amidst the crowd.
The projects underwent name changes, the labs were relocated to different sites, and the mastermind, "Wen", shouldered all the blame as a "Kurono defector" after his demise.
Nevertheless, the assets he left behind were lawfully seized and confiscated by Kurono.
To this day, numerous concealed threats have yet to be completely eliminated.
The Purifying Force has persisted in their investigation of "Daedalus", but in the meantime, those ambitions have evolved into a new and significant cause, one significant enough to be deliberated upon in the Parliament.
Even the higher-ups have turned a blind eye to this. They're fine with it as long as there is profit... Captain, do we still need to monitor them?
Of course. Just because it's profitable doesn't mean it's safe.
The tragedy brought by Ravenge... was caused by someone who wanted to push forward the related plan and bit his bait.
The related plan...? Are you talking about the predecessor of Project Winter—the long lurking, infamous Project Cthylla?
Yes. He is not the first or the last who surrenders to temptation.
I won't sit around and watch the same tragedy happen again, even if the parliament is fine with it.
The tasks of capturing defectors and cleansing the Corrupted in collaboration with the military or other departments constitute only a fraction of the Purifying Force's responsibilities
In truth, the majority of their time is dedicated to collaborating with the Control Court, clandestinely monitoring individuals' behaviors to prevent any transgressions or infractions.
They serve as guardians of the fundamental principles of the law, ensuring that even during the doomsday, orders do not crumble.
However, amidst the chaos, corruption has insidiously infiltrated right under their watch, ensnaring several members of the Purifying Force in its grasp.
...I won't give up, even if that's the case!
They have borne witness to the merciless slaughter of countless lives in the name of experiments, endured harrowing horrors and tragedies, and encountered individuals who appeared to lead carefree lives, only to be ultimately consumed by the same despair.
With each step of their investigation, their understanding deepens regarding the sheer cruelty of Project Winter and its mastermind. They interrogate the past, tracing the haunting trails of blood, only to be met with the woeful cries of the long-forgotten deceased.
With only fragmented clues, they have already caught a glimpse of an abyss far deeper than what was described in the accident reports. However, even so—
But what can we do?
The dead can't speak for themselves. The situation on the surface is not looking good. There's little we can do about Project Winter, let alone Project Cthylla. There is no need to exterminate.
At least we shouldn't repeat the mistakes.
Captain, I understand you want to catch the betrayers, but it's too dangerous to act on your own.
I'm the only one who appears unguarded. This is the only way to make them slip up in advance.
Fine... Remember to call support in case of any emergency.
No, that will expose your identities.
It's better than fighting alone.
...Cough!
Summoning every ounce of her dwindling strength, Bianca braces her severely battered body, slowly advancing toward a pond that remains unfrozen.
I must clean up the vital fluid on my body and repair the frame...
With her hand that still retains mobility, she cups the chilling water and pours it over her weary form. The crimson vital fluid mingles with the water, cascading into the pond, creating ripples of red.
Her pain module relentlessly screams with warnings. All emergency measures have been taken. Should she persist in moving forward, nothing awaits her but an inescapable dead end.
She gazes upward to the sky, where delicate snowflakes gracefully descend from above.
...Don't fight alone...
Amidst the piercing agony and frigid surroundings, the words spoken by that secret member reverberate once more in her mind.
She must seek help, but to whom should she turn?
Her own terminal has been reduced to mere scraps as a result of the intense battle. Fortunately, she possesses Renee's terminal, though it can only sustain one final call before it succumbs to complete demise.
Should she hastily reach out to the Purifying Force, her call might be subjected to surveillance, risking the arrival of reinforcements that include defectors. Such an outcome would result in unexpected skirmishes.
...Gray Raven and Commandant...
Having already dismissed the notion when it first arose, it is now even more improbable for her to allow such a decision.
In the future her dream foretold, she saw herself succumbing to despair and dragging Gray Raven down with her during a desperate moment like this.
Their unmatched competence spared them from the worst possible outcome, but the intense battle took its toll, resulting in significant injuries and an unfortunate separation from Bianca.
When they reunited... she had already become one of the Corrupted.
Etched vividly in her memory is the expression on the commandant's face, a visage that nearly brought her to tears, as the human pulled the trigger to extinguish her life.
Then, all the Corrupted, including herself, would seize the opportunity presented by the human's momentary vulnerability, launching a relentless assault to inflict severe damage.
The bright red blood tainted the once pristine snowfield, leaving indelible imprints on her memory that could never be erased.
Having relied on the "dream" for discerning the defectors' information, how could she possibly disregard the next hint it might offer?
However, does this imply that altering the future is an impossibility?
...Lost in contemplation, Bianca is abruptly interrupted by the vibrations emanating from Renee's terminal.
...Commandant?
As the human catches sight of her seated by the pond, their voice momentarily falters, filled with hesitation.
Sorry to show up like this.
It's not life-threatening. It's just I can't fight for now because of the joint damage.
Don't. I can't reveal my whereabouts before I figure something out.
Bianca gently gives you a positive response.
Thanks, Commandant.
Then... please send Gray Raven to this point to confirm and recycle the bodies there. There are clues the Purifying Force wants to further investigate.
Using the damaged terminal, Bianca painstakingly marks a specific location, her finger navigating the glitching screen.
No one outside Gray Raven should know about this mission before everything is done. Please watch out for those around you. I don't know if there are other enemies hiding in the darkness.
Leave it to us, Bianca. Gray Raven will complete this mission with great caution.
Lucia's voice comes from the terminal, as composed as ever.
I'll figure out a way to fix my frame and find out where the defector went by myself.
Sorry. I can't tell you anything before the investigation is done.
No. There is too much mystery about this mission. It's not wise to seek help from a base. The defector is still alive. It's very likely that she will keep calling "helpers" including the Ascendants.
Recycling the bodies is a great help for the Purifying Force already.
...Me?
Are you worrying about me?
No one should get used to betrayal and separation...?
Bianca murmurs your words in a hushed tone, as if she has just realized the profound truth that those words hold for her as well.
You know? You are the first person to have such a request for the Purifying Force.
When she grasped a weapon as a sister, the fate of "Bianca" had already been entwined with "separation" and "betrayal."
But just as you said, I'm not used to it yet. It's just...
It pains me to witness your distress or any harm befalling you.
...
The boundaries between her reality and that future of lonely death are slowly blurring together.
If she herself is unable to evade such a fate, she resolves to never entangle anyone else in her impending demise.
...Commandant, do you have someone or something to protect?
Would you still get close to the one you want to protect if it could harm them?
No, I'm not perfect. There are times that I want to retreat and give up.
But I will...
Perhaps one day there will be a mission that's not that dangerous, and I'll be glad to invite you to work with me. But this is different.
I can't forgive those who hurt me or put you at risk. I won't forgive myself... if I'm the one who hurt you.
She lets out a quiet sigh.
You sound like you're going to come here based on the comm coordinates no matter how much I refuse.
...
Fine...
Beneath her smile, she conceals her final reservoir of determination—an unwavering resolve to prevent that future from unfolding, even if it necessitates her self-destruction before she becomes a Corrupted.
Guided by that resolve, she opens herself to accepting aid and willingly embraces the potential risks that come with it.
These are my coordinates and the frame parts I need.
Bianca raises her hand and taps a few more times on the battered terminal
I'll wait here for you, Commandant.
