Story Reader / Floating Record / ER08 The Long Goodbye / Story
The intruders become targets for the Hetero-Creatures, which surge and snap their jaws as they move en masse toward the three outsiders in the abandoned research facility's basement.
After unlocking the door with the found keycard, Wanshi, Rosetta, and the Raven's Commandant immediately dash through the gates of the Cultivation Area.
Fortunately, the door is exceptionally sturdy—even the Hetero-Creatures cannot break through for now. The three of them finally have a moment to catch their breath.
You nearly trip over something underfoot. Looking down, you discover it's a dismembered Construct limb.
Careful. Something's not right here.
You noticed it when Rosetta forced the door open—
Behind this door to the Cultivation Area lies a mountain of broken Construct remains.
The three of you stand among the remains, stunned by a scene that defies all your expectations.
...These remains only started piling up here about two years ago... when the Ascendants first claimed this place as their stronghold.
Rosetta carefully grabs the arm of a discarded Construct and drags it out, gravely pointing to a long, horrific gash across its neck.
It's not a human that's guarding this place—I'm starting to believe that the "monster" really does exist.
It matches the traces I found upstairs.
Another modified terminal falls from the pile of remains, rolls to Wanshi's feet, and he picks it up.
Yes... these were left by Shorthalt. We're on the right track—he was leading us to the Cultivation Area.
Wanshi's voice suddenly drops.
The children he wanted to save are just behind this door...
The timing's wrong... These things were left here too recently.
For the first time, you see anguish in Wanshi's eyes.
Wanshi presses the button, and the terminal containing the messages boots up with a harsh static noise still present.
There's no way to deal with all the security personnel outside. There are too many of them.
I'll hold them off. If more of them come after...
If there's still a chance... I'll get the remaining test subjects... get those children out of here.
These were the enemies Shorthalt spoke of.
Wanshi looks again at the Cultivation Area, where years of dust swirl in the air. This place, which Shorthalt had mentioned housed child test subjects, now stands completely empty.
Shorthalt was the one guarding the Cultivation Area...
He finally voiced that most absurd theory.
...What the Ascendants created... that hatched egg...
It must have been "him" all along...!
