4 4 301 DialogEnable 1 Roland (Gasps for breath) 1
5 5 301 Roland It's been a long time since this conference room has seen any use. It's covered in dust. The prop team always fails to clean up the place. Cough. 1
6 6 204 1 4
7 7 301 Roland Least I managed to avoid those mechanoids. I need a rest. Phew... 1
8 8 301 Roland It'd be safer to barricade myself in here, but I don't know what's going on. Can't believe my EMP baton broke at a time like this. 1
9 9 301 Roland This is... so strange. Did hackers attack the park? Or is there some new virus that forces machines to attack humans? 1
10 10 301 Roland I don't know enough to even know where to start. I should sever the connection to the park first. If it's a virus or hackers, that should cut their connection. 1
11 11 401 2 1515
12 12 301 Roland I need to get in touch with the outside world... A phone... Grr, I can't get through. 1
13 13 301 Roland Can't say I'm surprised. Whether it's hackers or a virus, of course they'd cut off external communication if they can control so many mechanoids. 1
14 14 301 Roland Backup plan. I need a backup plan. Let's see. There should be a bunch of terminals lying around here somewhere... 1
15 15 301 The emergency phone in the drawer... Doesn't work. The fire safety line in the basement... Damaged. Walkie-talkies in the cabinet... Scrapped.
16 16 301 Audience communication terminal under the clown masks hanging on the wall...
17 17 204 1 1
18 18 301 Roland It's ringing. Heh, guess the big man upstairs is throwin' me a bone... If only it was a different occasion. 1
19 19 204 1
20 20 301 Roland Current viewers... Great, there are still people online. 1
21 21 301 Roland Need to hurry. First, I'll screen out all unstable signals, then call the last caller... Got one, viewer 6875. 1
22 22 301 Roland Oh, it's that overbearing woman. Whatever. It's an emergency. Now's not the time to care. 1
23 23 301 Or is it? Roland hangs his hand on the terminal and hesitates.
24 24 301 Directly talking with a viewer like this will ruin the show and expose the truth to the world.
25 25 301 Roland The director's going to yell at me. 1
26 26 204 1 1
27 27 301 Roland ...Bahahah! Go right ahead. The fee for breaking the contract can't be more than my life. 1
28 28 301 Roland smiles bitterly and shakes his head. Still worried about something like that when his own life is in danger... It really is hard to take off the mask after wearing it for so long.
29 29 301 Roland I just hope Mom and Dad won't be angry. 1
30 30 401 2 1515
31 31 301 Roland inputs several commands and submits the request. A woman's face appears on the holo-screen.
39 39 301 1 Viewer Hello? WHAT?! Am I dreaming?! 2
40 40 301 Viewer Oh, gosh! It's Roland! Roland called me?! 2
41 41 204 1 2
42 42 301 Roland Hello, miss. 1
43 43 301 Her shrill voice causes Roland to wince, but he has no choice. Everything is riding on her.
44 44 301 Roland Uh, yes... Miss, actually... I... 1
45 45 301 Viewer Shh, Roland. You don't have to say another word! Call the police, right? Got it! 2
46 46 204 1 4
47 47 301 Roland Huh? Miss, you know... 1
48 48 301 Viewer Of course, I do. First, the screen went black. After that, the cameras kept changing, but I saw everything. 2
49 49 301 Viewer You running and looking for a place to hide, then ending up in that conference room. I saw the whole crisis! 2
50 50 301 Roland Oh, haha. Thanks for being such a loyal viewer... Anyway, please call the police ASAP. 1
51 51 301 Viewer Alrighty, you got it! 2
52 52 301 Roland Phew... 1
53 53 301 With a sigh of relief, Roland's mind finally has the spare strength to assess the situation with the others.
54 54 301 Roland ...The camera was filming me? Was the show recording everything I had just gone through automatically? 1
55 55 301 Roland Oh, that must've been the screenwriter... Thanks. I hope we all get out of here alive. 1
56 56 301 (Clenches fist) We will. We just need to call the police. Everyone'll be saved once they get here. They'll put an end to the haywire mechanoids here in the park. After that, Mandy can be fixed up in no time...
57 57 301 Viewer —Ok, well have a nice day now! I've got other stuff to do. 2
58 58 301 Viewer I gotta say, this attempt at boosting audience participation is a bit ham-fisted... If I hadn't watched you so much, I would've actually called the police. 2
59 59 204 1 7
60 60 301 Roland ...Huh? 1
61 61 301 Viewer I knew it right from the start. Adventure shows get old quick. The acting's over the top and the product placement feels forced. And the script? Not good. Plot holes everywhere. A post-apocalyptic spinoff will make for a better sequel. 2
62 62 301 Viewer The crew's ditching the lead actor and they aren't even bothering to hide it, are they? But with you as the lead, I've got my hopes set high. Good luck on the sequel! 2
71 71 301 1 Click. Right as she hangs up, Roland's holo-screen goes blank.
72 72 301 Roland ...Is she crazy? 1
73 73 204 1 17
74 74 301 Roland Sigh. Guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. I need to hurry and find someone else to call... 1
75 75 301 Seems this show just attracts viewers with an over-active imagination. Roland shakes his head and forgets everything she said just now.
76 76 301 He returns to the contact select screen and starts dialing each number within range.
77 77 204 1 4
78 78 401 2 1515
79 79 301 Roland Viewer 2986, no connection. Viewer 4689, busy... 1
80 80 301 Roland Damn it. Not many people are watching now. Let's see if I can reach the main control room. Hopefully, someone there has a way of contacting to someone on the outside. 1
81 81 301 Roland Viewer & ^%? Why are there random codes here? Forget it. No point in beating a dead horse. 1
82 82 301 Roland ...It connected?! 1
83 83 401 2 1515
84 84 301 Surprised, Roland turns on the screen and begins to think of what to say. Maybe he was too relaxed when calling for help just now. Maybe he should show some tears. That'll get them to call the police quickly.
85 85 301 However, as the person appears on the holo-screen, Roland is rendered speechless.
86 86 201 1 500365 7
87 87 301 1 Roland Rolmo?! What are you doing there? 1
101 101 301 1 Rolmo If no selection is made within the designated timeframe, default mode will be executed. Simulation object: Rolmo. Target No. 78111114: Continue to strengthen Roland's dependence on the park. 1
102 102 301 Rolmo Hey, bro! Long time no see. 1
103 103 301 Rolmo Detecting a fluctuation in Roland's mood parameters... 1
104 104 301 Rolmo Why do you look so nervous, bro? Tired from the show? 1
105 105 301 Rolmo Don't worry, everyone in the family supports you very much. They... 1
170 170 301 1 BANG! Roland slams his fist on the control panel. The familiar face turns into a chaotic array of code and disappears.
171 171 301 Roland I've been speaking with that AI for so long. Did I really think of it as my brother...? 1
172 172 301 Roland Was this the park's plan all along? Heh... Ridiculous... 1
173 173 204 1 4
174 174 301 Roland ...Damn it. But now's not the time to think about this... 1
175 175 301 Roland Living is the most important thing right now... 1
176 176 301 Yes, it's no big deal. Living is the most important thing. Only by living can we continue to pursue what we want.
177 177 301 Roland I can't give up now... I still have a wish to make come true... 1
178 178 301 Roland Hurry, think. What else can I do? What else can I do? Oh, right... Social media. I can log into the official account and send for help. Who cares what happens to the account. To hell with it. 1
179 179 301 Roland Rerouting network, dialing connection... Connected. Looks like doing it the old way still works. Now I just gotta hurry up and log in. 1
180 180 301 Roland Website doesn't exist? How's that possible? Guess I'll try again... Still nothing. 1
181 181 301 Roland ...The website wasn't simulated by the AI, too, was it? 1
182 182 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Roland A simulation... I got the domain name from Rolmo's AI. I can't believe it's not— 1
183 183 204 1 1
184 184 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Roland —Fine. Guess I have to whether I like it or not. 1
185 185 301 Roland What's the big idea with the park? Would they really fake a website just to fool everyone? 1
186 186 204 1 4
187 187 301 Roland ...I gotta get help first. I'll check Rococo Entertainment's official website. 1
188 188 301 Program Account detected. Connecting to account URL... Default advertisement detected.
189 189 301 Program Playing advertisement: "Hologram Actor's Camp". Runtime: 30 seconds.
200 200 301 ??? In this golden age, are you tired of watching mechanoid performances without any tension? Are you tired of watching stand-ins give lack-luster performances? Look no further! The performance here is so genuine, it's real!
201 201 301 ??? No over-the-top stunts, no smoke and mirrors, no editing magic. This broadcast is live in real-time! Watch our human protagonist's genuine, nail-biting reactions to a witty and humorous world of film.
202 202 301 Roland That voice...
203 203 301 Roland Neferti...?
204 204 301 Barely able to recognize the deep voice in the ad, Neferti appears on the holo-screen with an unfamiliar expression.
205 205 201 1 500382
206 206 301 1 Neferti On-screen Yo! Yo! Welcome to our reality show. It's me, the one and only—Neferti! 1
207 207 301 Neferti On-screen As you all know, I am just an ordinary mechanoid. Even as I speak to you now, we are all coded to perform according to our programming. In other words, a puppet at the whims of the puppeteer. 1
208 208 301 Neferti On-screen But do you really know what 'real' is? 1
209 209 301 Neferti On-screen —The answer is, of course, our dear Roland! 1
210 210 301 Neferti On-screen Our reality show, "Hologram Actor's Camp" is celebrating its anniversary! Such a huge studio with only the protagonist Roland alone! No other human influence! From a child star to a superstar! Roland's growth as an actor for many years right before your own eyes! 1
211 211 301 Neferti On-screen After all these years, Roland, who is now worried about truth and falsehood, is about to embark on the road to becoming a superstar! As his most loyal colleague, I, Neferti, will guide him on his journey! How will Roland's career change from now on? I bet you all are on the edge of your seats! 1
212 212 301 Neferti On-screen Enjoy exciting stories, genuine experiences and answers to life's toughest questions! This is our reality show! This absolutely true story is a masterpiece of this era! 1
213 213 301 Neferti On-screen Damas y caballeros (Ladies and gentlemen), the show is about to begin! 1
229 229 301 As the advertisement draws to an end, a flood of comments suddenly passes by the screen. Right at that moment, Roland sees several familiar IDs.
230 230 301 Praise, envy, expectation and worry. The stream of comments, carrying countless emotions, washes toward Roland. Similar content, similar tone, but its point is no longer the illusory Roland.
231 231 301 Indeed. Building such a large studio with the intent of keeping a human caged in it for decades without them realizing it is obviously impossible.
232 232 301 However, if that person thinks that they are the one deceiving others, it is more likely for them to think that those ubiquitous cameras are not pointed at them, and that the audience is not watching them either. That makes things much easier.
233 233 301 Overwork them, distract their mind with complex thoughts, then set up some things disguised as "the outside world" so that they won't have any clue that they are really the star.
237 237 301 A few seconds later, the advertisement ends with cheers from the audience. Regaining control over his limbs, Roland discovers it is his fingers that begin to move first.
238 238 204 1 4
239 239 301 Roland No, no, it's okay. Doesn't matter that I've been deceived this whole time. Now, I just need to think about how to survive... 1
240 240 301 Roland Yes, even if it's all fake, it's all of those bastards in the park that did this to me. To hell with them. My parents and Rolmo are still waiting for me outside. As long as I live, I'll be able to see them. 1
241 241 301 Roland Considering the situation now, I won't be able to log into the official account. But the advertisement said that I was the only human in the park, my contract must be somewhere in the database. I should be able to get my family's contact info on it. 1
242 242 301 Roland Contract, contract. If I'm the only human, it should be easy to find... Hack the park's encrypted firewall, and I'll find it in no time... I'm coming, twerp. 1
243 243 301 Roland I've been working hard to maintain this life... I've put in so much blood, sweat, and tears... How can it all be fake... 1
244 244 301 Roland Please... Anyone... Just tell me this is all a part of the rewrite. Tell me that if I leave, it'll all be over... 1
245 245 401 2 1515
246 246 301 Program Firewall disabled. Large-scale decryption initiated... Unidentified user access granted.
247 247 301 Roland Presto. 1
248 248 401 2 510
249 249 301 Program Encrypted file found.
250 250 401 2 510
251 251 301 Program Decrypted. Open?
252 252 401 2 510
253 253 301 Program Decryption confirmed $con^%&^Ttg798F&^. Opening^N78b
254 254 301 Program "Employment Contract for 'Hologram Actor's Camp' - Project Roland"
255 255 301 Program Party A: Rococo Entertainment (Full name: Rococo^%*^DFC^&hc&%YCT67FDC)
256 256 301 Roland Party B... Party B... 1
257 257 204 1 1
258 258 301 Roland Ha-HA! Why didn't I think of this... 1
259 259 401 2 561
260 260 301 RImgBg1Shake Suddenly, something crashes into the door behind him, knocking over a pile of heavy objects stacked in the doorway.
262 262 301 Looking back, a hole is busted into the base of the door. Even though it is too small for someone to fit through, it is still big enough for Roland to see numerous mechanoids shouting as they attempt to squeeze through the door.
263 263 301 Even though their faces are destroyed and their eyes shining red, Roland could recognize his colleagues in the surging sea of mechanoids.
264 264 301 Roland Neferti... Omi... The screenwriter... 1
265 265 301 Roland Hahahah! Of course. All of you who kept me company, cared about me, and deceived me—of course, you're all mechanoids. You guys didn't happen to do that twerp's AI, too? Haha! 1
266 266 301 Roland Not only that, but so far, the things I like, the things I hate, the things I stick to, the things I look forward to are all fakes made by you, right? Hahahaha... 1
267 267 301 Turning off the terminal, Roland doesn't immediately run away from the door. Rather, he courteously gestures to the door with his arms gently raised and his feet apart like a noble knight greeting guests from afar.
268 268 301 Roland I see. The things in your hands look dangerous. Those aren't props. This time it's for real, isn't it? 1
269 269 301 Roland Alrighty then. Show me what you've got... 1
270 270 301 Roland If nothing is left, no name, no experiences, no past—everything is fake—wouldn't it be better just to get this boring life over and done with? Being here with you all now, yes, I wouldn't have it any other way. 1
271 271 201 1 500379 600
272 272 201 2 500379
273 273 201 3 500379 -600
274 274 301 1 The hole in the door bursts open. Roland watches as the first mechanoid crawls in through the hole. Perhaps it's a glitch, but he seems to be able to hear them mumbling to themselves.
275 275 201 3 500013 -600
276 276 301 1 Omi No, no, no! Roland, you've got the intonation wrong! You need to speak from your gut! 3
277 277 301 Omi said this when she was training him to act. She was holding a rolled-up script as she prodded his abdomen and scolded him. Now, that iron bar in her hand would sure pierce right through him.
278 278 201 1 500013 600
279 279 301 1 Screenwriter Roland, scene HZZ... Come on, chop, chop! 1
280 280 301 Every time the director urged Roland to go to a scene, he would always speak in a hurry. It sounded like two knives stabbing into his ears from his earpiece. Now it liked like he actually wanted to stab him in the ears with those two sharp knives in his hands.
281 281 201 2 500013
282 282 301 1 Neferti I hope you... can get some... proper shuteye... 2
283 283 202 1 2 3 1
284 284 201 1 500365 1
285 285 301 1 Roland Haha, Neferti... Everyone's going on about work. You're the only one being kind. 1
286 286 301 Roland It's almost like you really remember me... 1
287 287 301 Neferti is only holding a crude blade. He looks like his muscles are about to tear his clothes to shreds. But based on the damaged frame, he is just a simple, hollow shell.
288 288 301 Maybe he only has enough strength to lift that knife. What a joke.
289 289 202 1 1
290 290 301 Roland thinks a moment, then closes his eyes and takes a step toward his colleagues—
291 291 301 RImgBg1Shake —But he is then pushed aside by a shadowy figure.
292 292 201 1 500365 17
293 293 301 1 Roland Rgh... 1
294 294 301 Roland crashes into the wall, and his shoulders feel like a chunk is missing from them. But there is no doubt that he is still alive.
295 295 204 1 7
296 296 301 Roland ...Mandy? 1
297 297 301 Looking back, the mechanoid officer stands in his place. His side appears to be pierced by a sharp weapon, exposing his familiar mechanical insides.
298 298 204 1 1
299 299 301 Roland Haha. Mandy, it's not like you to join the battlefield. But now that you're here, don't hold back... 1
300 300 201 1 500378
301 301 301 1 Mandhasti When a knight. In trouble. Is the King's duty. To help. 1
313 313 301 One step back, two steps back. Roland suddenly turns around and bumps into the shelf beside him. A shelf full of prop goods falls over, blocking the small hole.
314 314 301 AniZhuanchangBegin He doesn't bother to check on the mechanoids behind him. Instead, he turns to run out of the other exit.
318 318 301 Where is he going? He doesn't know where in the park is still safe, nor if he could still survive this.
319 319 301 There is no direction, no goal, just running like a bat out of hell. Every step he takes, he wants to take back. Every time he accelerates, he feels something slow him down.
320 320 301 Roland does not even feel that he is running. He feels like he is just tormenting himself with the ultimate goal of exhausting every ounce remaining of his strength.
321 321 301 His legs gradually fill with the burn of lactic acid. Yet the pain clears up his sense of logic and reason.
322 322 301 The brief scene and fragmented sentences gradually come together to make sense in his head.
327 327 301 "Party A agrees to pay Party B a monthly..."
328 328 301 "Party B acknowledges and promises that during the effective period of this contract, Party B shall not have any contact with Roland (hereby referred to as 'the Product')."
329 329 301 "During the effective period of this contract, Party B shall not be involved in any matter concerning the Product."
330 330 301 "When necessary, Party B is obliged to provide corresponding materials for AI-simulated personality training to ensure the stability of the Product."
331 331 301 Under various terms, Party B's signature can be easily recognized even if he has not seen it for many years.
336 336 301 Roland AI-simulated personality, holograms, voice changers... Imitating family members when speaking with them and playing recordings when necessary... It's too easy to fabricate the illusion of family. Real family members can also enjoy a life of leisure and watch all this on TV from a distance. 1
337 337 301 Roland I wonder if they got a good price out of me. Are their lives any better because of it? 1
338 338 301 Roland What do they think when they watch my performance? 1
339 339 301 Roland Hah... I'm sure they'd get a kick out of it. 1
340 340 301 Roland A knight? An actor? Or that so-called process of pursuing whatever that gives me a sense of really being alive? 1
341 341 301 Roland In the end, everything I pursued was a lie. Just a clown in makeup mocked and laughed at by others. 1
342 342 301 Roland Good show... Jolly good show... 1
343 343 301 Roland How can you not laugh at such a wonderful performance? 1
344 344 301 Roland laughs out loud and continues to run.
348 348 301 He does not know how long he has run. His steps begin to falter, and his arms seem to swing off his body...
349 349 301 Breathing can no longer support the strenuous exercise. Each breath is like swallowing an inflated balloon. Every time he steps, the lactic acid makes his muscles feel like they're being pulled apart.
350 350 301 PanelActor1Shake Roland (Gasps for breath)
351 351 301 Finally, he stumbles and falls to the ground, too weak and exhausted to get up again.
352 352 401 2 1507
353 353 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin He hears the rustling of mechanoids approach him from behind.
