Story Reader / Floating Record / ER08 The Long Goodbye / Story
The desperate work continues late into the night, as the artificial sky slowly shifts to its nocturnal state.
Wanshi leans against a piece of equipment, silently staring at the aftermath before him.
The gaunt professor approaches, peeling off his gloves stained with vital fluid. He tries to help Wanshi up, but Wanshi clutches his head and waves him away.
The emergency response is over now. I'll contact your mentor tomorrow to explain the situation. You should go home and rest.
It's not over. There are still so many Constructs lying there...
It's over. We're understaffed and under-resourced. The Construct Maintenance Department can only handle so much, and pulling doctors from other emergency centers won't help. This is always how it ends after large-scale operations.
The professor remembers something and lets out a sigh.
Sigh... There's no end to those who need saving.
Was that fallen Construct your friend?
Not fallen.
...
Wanshi staggers to his feet, manages two steps, then has to brace himself against the nearby wall.
Can't stop... Pelo never came back... Maka's father is still missing...
There's no end to this... but I can't stop.
Wanshi leans against the wall to catch his breath, then tries to search the maintenance rooms one by one, but Chiron stops him.
You might want to look over there instead.
Chiron points to a metal box nearby, its surface also covered in vital fluid.
...What's in there?
Nameplates.
It's a sturdy metal box containing nameplates torn from various Constructs, each one bearing their names.
...
Wanshi bends down and carefully sifts through the contents, piece by piece.
He feels the engravings on the nameplates inch by inch, like a blind person. Some nameplates are so worn that the names are barely visible, while others are still shiny and new, without a single scratch.
Eventually, he finds Maka's father's nameplate.
Found it.
Take the nameplates you're looking for and go. You've done enough for today.
...What can I do?
What?
What can I do... to save them?
Who are you trying to save? The Constructs?
I don't want to lose anyone... Humans... Constructs... any of them...
He recalls his first birthday—that distant moment when he was surrounded by many: Pelo, Melvie, Sien...
And he made a wish.
I want... everyone to stay by my side forever.
Professor, I want to transfer departments. I'll apply for an extended internship as soon as I get back.
Why don't you go eliminate the Punishing Virus right now? I'll say it again—you can't save everyone. Don't come back here anymore, Wanshi. Pediatrics is far better than Construct Maintenance.
...Professor, I—
Several staff members approach from behind them, their eyes meeting Wanshi's.
Wanshi?
?
A staff member quickly scans Wanshi's face with a device.
Identity confirmed. Take him away.
...
You are obligated to answer every question I'm about to ask.
In a closed room, several stern-faced individuals stare intently at Wanshi from across the table.
Did you go to the emergency center today and participate in Construct emergency treatment?
...Who are you people?
Do you admit to participating in today's Construct emergency procedures?
...? Yes.
How many operations? And how many Constructs did you handle?
"Handle"? I don't remember... It wasn't just "a few". There were countless of them. Too many to count.
You were about to receive your pediatric residency certification. Why did you suddenly decide to work with Constructs today?
It wasn't on a whim, it was...
Wanshi freezes as the person before him takes out his coat that was left outside, then fishes out two nameplates from a pocket stained with vital fluid.
What's your connection to these two Constructs?
Wanshi points at Maka's father's nameplate.
His son is in the pediatric ward and about to undergo surgery. I'm the doctor in charge.
What about this one?
He places Pelo's nameplate on the table.
He's my friend.
Did you know he was suspected of desertion?
...?
Pelo was the Construct assigned to reconnaissance for this operation.
He failed to report the Corrupted swarm's attack in time, resulting in heavy Construct casualties and a high refugee death toll.
He went AWOL into an area with extreme Punishing concentration. His teammates managed to bring him back, but the Star of Life later pronounced him dead despite their attempts to save him.
Later simulations showed his monitoring module and personal detection equipment were fully functional, and Babylonia's combat support system had warned him in time—there was no way he could have missed the Corrupted swarm.
Based on his history, we've determined there's a high probability he will defect.
The privacy design makes it impossible for Wanshi to see what is displayed in front of the staff, but their expression reminds him of the volunteer specialist from years ago—who had casually reviewed his brief life with a few comments.
Most importantly, during his absence from the team, he made one transmission to Babylonia—his only recent communication. It was with you.
Yes, I received his transmission, but I couldn't make out a word he was saying... Can't you access the Construct's data logs?
Wanshi's heart suddenly races as emotions surge in his chest, threatening to burst forth.
No matter what happened... he would never desert us. Something must have forced his hand.
The data storage unit in Pelo's frame is damaged. Repairs are still ongoing.
As for your other statements, we will verify each one thoroughly.
...
There's something else.
The staff member gives Wanshi a dismissive glance before opening a new file.
Before you went to medical school, you gathered people from the Youth Center and caused a "small" commotion at the exhibition hall, which led to disciplinary action from the center. The situation was handled by designated personnel at the time, so there's no need to elaborate.
You could have just collected their nameplates and left. Why did you stay at the emergency center for so long?
Why...? I wanted to save people... I could help with the rescue, so why should I leave?
These are your equipment usage records from the Construct Maintenance Department. You occupied a remote maintenance unit, and on top of that, you wasted even more maintenance resources.
"Occupied"... "Wasted"...?
You don't belong in the Construct Maintenance Department. You're just a pediatrics intern. There's a vast gap between human medicine and Construct maintenance science.
Never mind recovery—the survival rate of Constructs under your care today doesn't even reach ten percent.
Looking at the results... you hoarded resources that other Constructs needed to survive, leading to at least eight Construct deaths.
Why would you risk imprisonment to do all this?
...
Wanshi's fingers press hard against the table, his knuckles turning white. The anger and disgust in his chest finally boil over.
Because no one was available to save those critically wounded Constructs. They wouldn't have even had a ten percent chance of survival!
Did you even see the chaos at the emergency center today?! You—
Wanshi catches sight of their expressions and falls silent.
They seem well-accustomed to such outbursts from across the table, continuing to listen to his statement with cold indifference, not even raising an eyebrow.
...
...Since explaining is pointless, go ahead and sentence me.
Wanshi lets out a bitter smile and gives up defending himself. To him, this feels even more absurd and futile than that firework incident.
Left in a dark room, Wanshi awaits further questioning. Time stretches endlessly. He loses track of how long it's been.
He sleeps fitfully, constantly searching his memories to understand why Pelo would contact him in such an emergency. He worries about Natalie discovering Pelo's message... and remains concerned about Maka's surgery.
Someone enters the room and turns on the lights, only to find Wanshi with even darker circles under his eyes.
Um... Professor Chiron?
A sudden burst of light makes Wanshi squint, but he can still make out who it is. Professor Chiron from the Construct Maintenance Department stands before him, holding Wanshi's terminal.
...Professor.
His voice is bitter with grief—both for Pelo and for himself.
Pelo can't be a traitor. He'd never deliberately lead everyone to their deaths.
I didn't waste any Construct resources. I didn't... cause eight Constructs to lose their lives... You can prove it.
...
The professor doesn't answer. After a moment of silence, Wanshi changes the subject with another question.
How is Maka doing? He's my patient. Please check on his condition for me... He's not stable and his surgery is coming up soon. Don't let him know about his father.
And the pediatric nurse working with me—she's also Pelo's friend. We can't let her know about what happened to Pelo yet...
Chiron lets out a long sigh.
You may go now.
This interrogation was standard procedure. Since your friend is at the center of this incident, those who leave no stone unturned would naturally want to question you as well.
Fortunately, people out there are busy working on your behalf. They won't be coming after you again for now.
Out there... Who?
Quite a few people. Your classmates, the pediatrics mentor, and Professor Hippocrates... She was the first to notice something was wrong.
Perhaps because retirement is approaching and she has more free time, she decided on a whim to check the pediatric residents' duty roster. That's when she noticed the most diligent intern was absent.
And the Construct Maintenance Department... The medical staff present can prove that your actions weren't a waste of medical resources. In fact, they've provided new data. Compared to similar cases in the past, you've actually improved the success rate of emergency treatments.
Not everyone has the clearance to transfer data from the Construct Maintenance Department, Professor.
Don't overthink it. All you need to know is that you're in the clear, and they have no reason to fabricate false charges against you. These procedures are nothing more than a warning.
I don't know what your friend did, but what you said at the emergency center today could destabilize a Construct. Some truths are better left undisturbed—not everyone can handle reality as it is.
Chiron opens the door for Wanshi, gesturing for him to leave.
Thanks...
It's mainly because they don't suspect Pelo as much anymore.
They inspected your terminal and backed up the messages Pelo left for you. Only then was I allowed to come in and take you away.
Messages from Pelo?
Brace yourself.
Chiron places Wanshi's terminal in his hands.
Pelo's face flashes briefly on screen before he points the recorder at his surroundings.
Ugh... The signal's terrible. I finally manage to get through, and you look like you can't hear a word I'm saying...
I never expected the sky near the Dead Zone to be so blue—I thought it'd be red. Wanted to send you all a photo, but nothing's going through. Never mind.
Sien and the others are out scanning for nearby Corrupted.
The reason I'm trying to reach you is... I think I saw something, and I feel like you should know about this.
I can't be certain yet. I hope it's just in my head.
Approaching the Dead Zone. My Inver-Device definitely won't get us through.
Maybe it'll take a decade or so for the Punishing concentration here to drop... Wonder if I'll have joined some elite squad by then?
The elite squads all have such cool names—some fly in the sky, some dash on the ground... and then there's Raptor, man, Raptor! Just thinking about it gets me hyped!
My mission is to assist with the conservation area evacuation, and everything's been going smoothly so far.
Don't know why there's suddenly a Corrupted swarm gathered nearby... but they haven't moved for three days now. If it weren't just for safety's sake, I'd say we don't even need to evacuate.
Pelo's footsteps come to a halt as he raises his wrist to check the squad signal.
The leader called for assembly. I need to get back to monitoring the Corrupted horde.
About what I just saw... Never mind, I'll let it go for now. We'll have a proper talk when I get back.
The footage becomes shaky as Pelo runs with the recorder, his breath coming in heavy gasps.
I wasn't planning to go deeper in, but I saw that thing again... I had to message you... I tried to tell Sien and the others too, but I can't reach them through the special channel... It makes no sense...
This isn't even about finding someone trustworthy to tell anymore... I can't reach anyone at all.
If you get this message, you have to respond, quickly! Wanshi!
I followed that thing... and ended up in some strange place. I have no idea where I am, and these messages probably won't even get through... Tch, all the electronic equipment is being affected.
I have a bad feeling about this...
The image starts to distort. Pelo slams the recorder twice, but it refuses to return to normal.
Listen—there was a strange Corrupted wandering around earlier. Its Punishing readings were off the charts. I think it's still nearby... This is bad. I need to get out of here fast.
...Is the Punishing spreading again? The concentration wasn't nearly this high on this path just moments ago...
Only fifteen minutes had passed when the display grew almost completely dark. Pelo's messages now become increasingly fragmented.
Huff... Puff...
The switch—plan... remember? Your willing—exchange, I'm very... grateful, but I never—thanked you properly. Thank you—Wanshi.
I really want to be—a Construct doc—I want to save—as many as possible... Huff... There are still—many Constructs—like mom. Though the benefits—mediocre.
—Looked into Wanxu, but the info seemed—wiped clean.
This time—the same.
Pelo's voice grows more and more distant.
—by Punishing—, M.I.N.D.—critical, I'm afraid it—upload won't initialize, might as well break—
Can't go back.
Wanshi, there's no way back for me now.
The Corrupted are here—no choice.
—Sien came—I dragged him into this, I'm sor—
That thing—said—I heard it anyway.
Wanshi, it's coming—you.
A Corrupted's shadow falls across the screen.
...What... is this...?
Wanshi, don't come here—please, stay away!
A piercing shriek comes through the display, followed by Pelo's agonized scream.
Don't—don't come here!!!
...
Wanshi's hands clench around the terminal. The day's grief has left his nerves numb as he listens to Pelo's final message, unable to form a single word.
...With these messages, they'll probably write off Pelo's case as an "accident".
Sudden "accidents" with Corrupted are all too common these days.
His leader Sien is still in the maintenance ward, suffering from severe M.I.N.D. deviation. It might take a long time for him to recover.
After Pelo's message ends, another notification pops up. Wanshi mechanically taps on it.
Wanshi, please respond immediately when you get this message... A few Constructs just arrived at the emergency center, saying Pelo is their teammate.
But I haven't seen Pelo, and they won't tell me anything. If you know something...
Natalie's voice breaks with emotion as she speaks.
You were closest to Pelo. Have you heard anything? I heard he was the only one from the entire squad who didn't make it...
...
Go home. I've spoken with your mentor—she wants you to take a few days off.
...Can't rest yet. Maka still needs surgery.
Then I suggest you get yourself together before stepping into the operating room.
Wanshi pushes himself up, gripping the edge of the desk for support.
Professor, I... I want to apologize for turning down your kindness back then.
Back then, I couldn't find anything to drive me forward as a doctor... but now my goals have changed.
Good. I'm glad you've found a new purpose.
I want to transfer to Construct Maintenance.
...
Professor, you wouldn't take me as your intern back in medical school, and even today...
Because you're too honest for your own good.
Someone like you wouldn't be able to stomach the current state of Construct Maintenance.
We can't save everyone, we can't fix everything, and we can't even speak up about the obvious problems staring us in the face.
The secrets we have to cover up only grow in number, and we tell ourselves it's for the greater good. Are you absolutely certain you want to join Construct Maintenance?
...If there's even the smallest way I can help.
Chiron recognizes these familiar words. In a past conversation, Wanshi had said the same thing, "If there's even the smallest way I can help."
First, finish your business at the pediatrics department and have a proper talk with your mentor... Then come find me.
