Story Reader / Floating Record / ER04 The Floating Reverie / Story
The elevator shudders occasionally as it slowly climbs upward, but the lantern remains perfectly still. Chaofeng's arm is absorbing all the vibrations from the ground.
Hanying seems to have fallen into the veil of silence found at the deepest dark corners of the ship.
Time has yet to leave its heart-wrenching mark on you.
Typically, mechanoids have a much longer "lifespan" than any humans. Mechanoids burying generations of their masters has been a common occurrence since the Golden Age.
Death spares no mortals—not even one leading the healthiest of lifestyles. Time for the machines, however, ceases at the moment of initialization.
Perhaps machines are only delaying the inevitable end, "death."
"Boot up number 00001. Lord Villier, please assign a code or a name to this device".
This was the beginning of time for her—as much as it was the origin of all that was unknown and unpredictable.
Ever since that moment, the only mark time has left her is the dark scar on her neck made by her collar.
The highest electric current released by the collar is enough to kill any being that tries to remove it. Though lasting for a mere second, the powerful pulse will inflict unimaginable heat and pain.
For humans, an instant of such pain simply means eternal relief from suffering—they will never again relive that moment in their memory.
Out of instinct, she moves her hand toward the scar. Just before her fingertips reach it, she bends her fingers without touching it.
This is no doubt the only mark that time has left on her body. Under the formidable scar, however, time has etched other marks into her memory.
That is—the grief and joy, bitterness and sweetness, suffering and happiness of hers after the time that belongs only to her begins to flow.
Then... please live. Let's live on together.
Live... on?
We're here.
Chaofeng's voice disrupts her train of thought. The metal elevator gates open slowly, exposing the midday sun.
Chaofeng fiddles with his lantern to extinguish the light within before hanging it next to the elevator.
You know your way around the Nighter, right? You're on your own from here on out now.
I do.
Fuxi has entered your information into our database, so you'll be able to move around the Nighter and Kowloong without anyone stopping you. The Nighter will not revoke any freedom it has granted.
I imagine that we both still have a lot on our hands right now, so let's part ways here.
They exchange a polite nod as a farewell.
After that, Hanying takes off in big strides onto the bright, sunny deck...
Hanying, why do they call this street Silo Street? I don't see any big, tall silos here.
That's because people from the ship used to store grains in warehouses here, but not anymore.
I see so many restaurants and food stalls... and sugar figurines!
Do you want one? I've got a few more Grubs...
Hanying! Look, over there! Someone is doing martial arts on the stage. Is there a performance?
No, they are... more like bodyguards. Rich people hire bodyguards to protect themselves and their goods.
Oh? You can make money as a bodyguard just by doing that? I can do it, too, then!
Not quite, but you've got the right spirit there.
Huh?!
It might be late by the time the performance ends. If the market is still open, we'll come back through this street and get some snacks.
...
Fresh tanghulu here!
Pickled vegetables, a newly opened jar—
The sun over the sea shines beautifully down, stretching her shadow across the deck.
Whether she is taking life in stride or stumbling, it is as if she is silently telling their stories on the stage of life...
Huh? That little girl?
Have you thought it through? This is no trivial sum, with the materials, the frame, and the modification fees and all...
I will have it all ready. Money is no object.
Well, I know that you are the headliner, but business is business. The meager salary you make is but a fraction of the total cost.
I will have it all taken care of, but... do keep this confidential for me, please?
That's just basic business etiquette. I don't need your reminder.
...
That's a bit pricey, no? The purity is nothing remarkable, and God knows if it's defective.
I'll cut you another 20% since you're a regular. Three thousand seven hundred, and that's as low as it gets.
Uhm...
Three thousand five hundred! It's all yours.
The buyer shakes his head but fails to contain the joy in his eyes. He holds the carefully wrapped item in his hands and leaves with a brimming smile on his face.
Miss, what can I get for you?
We've got filters that arrived just last month from overseas. Top-notch, guaranteed.
...
Or the jewelry here, fine enough for the Akdilek nobles, perfect for a lady as elegant as you.
Or may I ask what you are looking for?
Is the stall owner here?
The owner? I am the owner. Is there something you need?
I thought the owner was Mr. Jin?
Oh, you mean... Are you a friend of his?
You could say that.
Oh boy...
See, you never know what's going to happen when your age catches up to you...
Has he passed?
Yes, two years ago. He left this stall to me before he passed.
And you... used to work here, right?
Yes. Sharp eyes you have there.
The giant letters "Jinman's Emporium" written in gold shimmer in the bright sun. Unnoticed by the passersby is the worn-down wooden plaque underneath.
So what would you like?
...
Snacks!
What kind?
Let me think... fried meatballs!
Okay. It's a lot. Can you finish it?
Of course! I'm so hungry I can eat a whole cow right now!
Eat slowly. You don't want to end up with a stomachache.
I was super tired, though...
Do you like being up on the stage?
Yes! I only helped with moving some items, but I liked it.
One day, I'll be like you, Hanying. I'm going to shine like a star on the stage!
...
~Petals fall on pillows light, sweet sleep on a weary night. Fleeting spring blooms evading our grasp.~
~Summer leaves whisper; cicada calls like a raindrop cascade. A lone shadow remains.~
Bravo!
~Wings stretching on a southbound journey. Autumn clouds, miles in gold, draping the heavens.~
~Flames of reckless arrogance over veils of solitude.~
And this place is...
~Yearning for winter's touch.~
~Atop snowy peaks, snow dances as wings unfurl. Eagle soars above frosty mist.~
Bravo!
The center stage of the Nighter is at the end of this large deck.
That was my (her) stage.
Leave this place and return to Kowloong.
You have to find your parents...
Hanying!
Sorry... Yoyo.
I (She) lied to you.
Don't look back, Yoyo. Don't look back.
The key to this dance is that you can't look back.
Sorry... Yoyo.
I (She) am (is) back.
~Utilize or discard, shine or retreat. On the path of parting, life wandering, talents unrecognized.~
But you (I) looked back.
That's right.
Why?
I don't know.
~Wings caught in a cage—how carefree the youthful spirits, as wisdom silently wanes.~
So what did you (I) dance (die) for?
I don't know.
~Clouds reached, a lofty height, retreat to realms divine. My abode is found in heart's tranquil repose.~
You (I) have seen the past.
Correct.
What about the future?
You've been here all along.
Me? It's been a long, long time.
You don't dance anymore?
Yes, it's been a long time.
You should know that I left this place long ago.
But up on this stage, you're still in your element.
What is the last line?
You don't know? It's written by a Kowloong poet from the past.
No, I don't. This stage isn't here for me. A stage has meaning only because of the audience.
And just like the stage, the lyrics aren't meant for you.
So what is the last line?
The sunlight remains unwavering over the vast seas.
~Roam, once again, the mundane sea of dust, giants battled, flesh devoured... Sing a grand elegy in memory of souls long gone.~
A figure next to the run-down stage leaves behind a soft sigh.
Everything seems to have changed completely, yet nothing seems to have changed at all.
The Nighter still carries a dazzling array of goods, old and new. Much of what she recalls as new, however, has already aged and weathered in reality.
Even the stage she once stood upon has not survived time's relentless siege.
Hanying walks forward with determination until she suddenly finds herself standing before the "home" she once knew so well.
This is where she and Pulao shared their most treasured moments from her memory.
Despite someone's obvious efforts to keep it tidy, neither did this small hut manage to escape the erosion of time.
She holds onto the rusty handle but does not open the door.
Rargh!
A giant Blubber mechanoid stumbles toward Hanying from the side of the hut.
Uno!
Kaw—
I'm back. I'm back... Uno.
Hanying gently pets Uno's rusty exterior as she takes a good look at her long-lost friend.
Kaw! Kaw...
Have you been guarding this place while I was away?
...
You did well.
It's not your fault, Uno. She left without you, but that's only because she never wanted to see you hurt.
...
And what happened was my fault, not yours, Uno.
What happened to Yoyo was my fault...
Rargh!
No, stay, Uno.
Uno nods and passes the faded pink ribbon in its hands to Hanying and proceeds to squat by the door of the little lodge.
This is... Yoyo's ribbon?
Rargh... Rargh.
I see.
I promise I'll bring Yoyo back intact.
Hanying ties the ribbon back onto Uno's mechanical arm and retreats back into the alley.
She never opened that door.
After bidding Uno goodbye, Hanying immediately leaves the Nighter.
If The Cradle's words hold true, Yoyo should be in the mountains at that particular coordinate.
Hanying can hardly think of anything that can possibly put Yoyo in a pinch.
But whatever it might be, it's beside the point now...
Hello, Hanying, is it?
A lady sitting comfortably by a table puts her tea down as she calls softly to Hanying, who is trying to squeeze her way through a market full of people by the Nighter.
Weak and light to the point of almost getting drowned out by the noise from the market, her silky voice still resounds in Hanying's ears.
Do you know me?
My name is Duheng. I don't think we have met before.
I don't think we have.
They had your name written down in the Nighter's history over twenty years ago, though. See...
What's the matter?
Hanying cuts the woman short—something she rarely ever does. She doesn't want to waste another second chitchatting about the past.
Chaofeng asked me to wait for you here to bring you up to speed on a few things. Here, take a seat.
Duheng pulls out a small stool from under the tea table and pours a cup of tea for Hanying with a gentle smile on her face.
Thank you... So, how exactly can I help you?
Trust me. This won't take long, but I'm sure it'll pique your interest.
I'll get straight to the point. Two things.
First, the hacker organization by the name of "The Cradle" still exists, and they are based in the mountains that the old convict told you about.
Second, "The Cradle" currently has control over a very complex composite technology that is able to manipulate low-intelligence mechanoids. But, fortunately, it's just some low-level technology.
It is obvious that Pulao went to the base of "The Cradle", but according to our intel, they shouldn't be a threat to Pulao for the time being.
...The convict on the ship didn't mention these.
He's been locked up for twenty-odd years now, completely cut off from the outside world. In all likelihood, his people probably cut him off a long time ago.
People deviate from the path they set out on, and it happens all the time, no?
You said they could control mechanoids... which means "The Cradle" was the one controlling the ones I met in the auxiliary town before.
Correct. After you arrived on the Nighter, we received a report on that, too, from the agents we'd planted there earlier.
But what are they after? Villier is dead and the Metropolis is in ruins.
Could it be... purely for "revenge"?
You'll give yourself quite a headache if you try to understand the mind of a hacker. Nothing they do should come as a shock.
Duheng takes a sip of her bitter tea.
You don't seem pressed for time.
As I said, Pulao isn't in any danger for now. A few more sips of tea won't change that.
"The Cradle" in the cell of the Nighter was as much a frigid, sharp icicle, as the woman in front of Hanying appears the calm waters in an ancient well.
Hanying has seen all sorts of people on the Nighter. Most of the time, all she needs are a few words to figure out a person's nature and how to handle them.
The woman sitting across from her now, however, shows not a sign of what's going through her mind in those eyes of hers.
Even if you don't trust me, you should believe in your sister. She isn't someone that just dies like that.
Hanying notices that Duheng seems to have put a little emphasis on the word "sister."
Apologies if I've offended you just now. Please continue.
Duheng nods with the same smile on her face.
What I've told you just now is intel. What I'm about to say is Chaofeng's request.
He asks you to please find Pulao and bring her back.
You should know that's what I already intend to do even without him telling me so.
That's good to hear, but do bear in mind that Chaofeng is merely making a "request" and not giving an "order." Do keep the distinction clear.
A "request" and not an "order," meaning...
Chaofeng knows how important Pulao is to the current Kowloong.
Of course. See, he's stuck in a perfectly awkward position... where he needs to take care of the needs of everyone in Kowloong, which is why he needs to keep everything in perfect balance.
Anyhow, he won't make his people jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. I am just saying that he's in a difficult position.
Hanying is beginning to understand what Duheng is trying to say.
What will Kowloong do for us in return, then?
I am simply a legislator from Babylonia who happens to be from Kowloong, not a member of the Kowloong Crew. I can't give you any promises.
But Kowloong cares about the life of each of its citizens, including you.
After Duheng takes another sip of her tea, Hanying grabs the teapot and refills her cup.
You don't want some? It's only fine tea fannings, but you can't get this taste anywhere else.
I've had plenty.
This blend wasn't worth much back then. It was the most ordinary tea on the Nighter.
A pot of this is worth a fortune nowadays.
But you don't look like someone who is after wealth.
Money can buy you a lot of things, but it's true that neither of "us" are people who care much about it.
Duheng holds her teacup at her lips and looks at Hanying with a smile.
I... am not a human. I'm sure Chaofeng has told you this.
Of course, Chaofeng is very thoughtful and plans everything meticulously.
Not that it matters to me. Be it mechanoids, Constructs, or humans—all I care about is what they do...
Tell me, do you believe in God?
Duheng suddenly changes the topic.
I am familiar with Kowloong mythology. Which kind are we talking about specifically?
Any.
I can't say I do, nor can I say I don't.
All I can say is that I've read many explanations and discussions of the legends.
And... I guess I am not ready to believe in them yet.
Good.
Humans believe in God because humans are flawed. God was conceived to make up for these flaws.
But perhaps... even God himself is flawed.
You really are unique for a machine. Villy's skills truly are extraordinary.
It's not Villier.
Villier did not make me who I am.
Certainly. Villy did not die for others, nor did he live for others.
I meant to say that you really do stand out from the flock of machines we usually see down Kowloong's streets.
Let's end our chitchat here, then.
Your friend has been waiting for you outside the market for quite some time now.
...Thank you.
Don't mention it. It's my duty. Sir, another pot of fannings, please.
The market is still filled with people coming and going, but a slender figure once again sits alone in the tea house.
Duheng gulps down a cup before staring at the residue at the bottom. Across the table rests the cup she had poured for Hanying that has already gone cold.
You gotta drink all there is in the cup if you don't want to die from thirst.
