10 10 301 DialogEnable The surrounding walls are covered with neat and orderly knife scratches as if someone was counting something. However, there are far too many scratches to count now.
11 11 301 Wanshi tries to send activation signals to his limbs, but his attempts are futile.
12 12 201 1 500273
13 13 301 1 Wanshi Hmph... Guess I can't move. 1
14 14 401 2 1511
15 15 301 Right as he tries to assess the damage to his body, his vision is filled with the black hole of a muzzle.
16 16 203 1 0.25 -400
17 17 201 2 500284 400
18 18 301 1 ??? I wouldn't move if I were you. 2
19 19 301 Wanshi (Seeing as he didn't kill me while I was out, I'd wager he isn't a part of the same organization as that "Gear" thing. Maybe I...) 1
20 20 301 While Wanshi is thinking about what to say, the old man takes the initiative.
21 21 301 ??? Hey, what the hell are you? 2
22 22 301 Wanshi Huh? 1
23 23 301 ??? You look like a human, but there ain't a single human thing aboutcha. 2
24 24 301 ??? You're obviously a machine, but you ain't acting like those crazy ****ers wanderin' around outside. Who are you and whatcha doin' here? 2
25 510 204 2 1
26 25 301 ??? Choose your words carefully. Dependin' on your answer, you'll either be greeted with a bullet from my gun or a good mornin' kiss. 2
27 26 301 Wanshi I'm just a Construct that came here by mistake... 1
28 511 204 2
29 27 301 ??? Huh? What the hell is a Construct? 2
30 28 301 And with that, the old man aims his rifle at Wanshi's forehead.
31 29 301 Wanshi Don't you know...? It's a bit of hassle to explain. In short, it is a humanoid robot made of tantalum copolymer with the help of a human consciousness module... 1
33 31 301 ??? ...So, they put a human brain in this tin can? 2
34 32 301 Wanshi Uh... I guess you could put it like that. 1
35 33 301 ??? ****, ain't that some blasphemy. Do humans really wanna run around on Earth like that? 2
36 34 301 The old man spits to the side and lowers his rifle from Wanshi's forehead.
37 35 301 ??? I ain't ever seen any fella like you before. 2
38 36 301 Arnold ...Construct, eh? That's a mouthful. I'll just call you by your name. Name's Arnold. What's your name? 2
39 37 301 Wanshi Uh... Wanshi. 1
40 512 204 2 1
41 38 301 Arnold Wanshi? ****, that ain't much better. 2
42 513 204 2
43 39 301 Arnold Anyways, looks like you've seen better days. 2
44 40 301 Arnold This place has been abandoned for quite some time. I ain't seen anyone alive here in ages. How'd you end up here? 2
45 41 301 Wanshi ...I don't remember. I don't even know where this place is. 1
46 42 301 Wanshi All I know is that the mission I was carrying out failed, so I was en route to the evac point. 1
47 43 301 Wanshi And then... I, uh... just fell asleep. 1
48 44 301 Arnold More like knocked the **** out. Fell asleep my ***. 2
49 45 301 Arnold You were on a mission, eh...? Lookin' at your gear and nameplate, guessin' you're a soldier? 2
50 46 301 Wanshi ... 1
51 47 301 Arnold Don't wanna tell me who ya are? Not like it matters. 2
52 48 301 Arnold I wouldn't be goin' 'round runnin' my mouth tellin' my life story to folks I just met neither. 2
53 49 301 Wanshi Sorry. 1
54 50 301 Arnold Don't mention it. Soldiers are all the same. I get it. 2
55 51 301 Wanshi Oh... You were a soldier? 1
56 560 204 2 1
57 52 301 Arnold I just know a dumb*** war vet is all. 2
58 53 301 Wanshi Sounds like you two were close... 1
59 54 301 Arnold Live long enough, and you'll find yourself a few buddies. Same goes for you, right? 2
60 55 301 Wanshi Uh... You could say so. 1
61 56 301 Wanshi With wounds as bad as these, I can hear them yelling at me whenever I close my eyes... 1
62 561 204 2
63 57 301 Arnold I ain't no grease monkey, but I can sure as hell say it's a miracle you made it this far. 2
64 58 301 Arnold If me and my buddy hadn't kept workin' on you while you were knocked out, who knows when you'da woken up. 2
65 59 202 1 2 1
66 60 301 Just like that, a small round robot appears at Wanshi's bedside. Arnold waves to the robot, and it jumps on his shoulder. It seems that this is what Arnold calls his "buddy."
67 61 201 1 500273 -400
68 62 201 2 500285 400
69 63 301 1 Arnold We could only patch you up a bit. After all, I ain't ever seen this kinda tech before. 2
70 64 301 Wanshi Thanks... But why did you help me? 1
71 65 301 Arnold Tch... Because of a promise I made with that dumb***. 2
72 66 301 Arnold Of course, I got my own reasons. But that's in the past. 2
73 67 301 Arnold Anyways, you're safe for now. 2
74 68 202 1 2
75 69 401 2 1516
76 70 301 Arnold gestures with his hand and walks over to a corner.
77 71 201 2 500285 1
78 72 301 1 Arnold You hungry, Wanshi? I still got some canned herrin'. 2
79 73 203 2 0.25 400
80 74 201 1 500273 -400
81 75 301 1 Wanshi Constructs can eat. But in theory, we don't have to. 1
82 76 301 Arnold (Whistles) Ain't that convenient. 2
83 77 301 Arnold takes out a knife from his waistband and skillfully opens some bulging cans. Suddenly, a strange pungent smell fills the confined space and somehow manages to reactivate Wanshi's damaged smell module.
84 500 204 1 7
85 78 301 Wanshi Phew... What's that? I think I'd have nightmares if I ate that. 1
86 79 301 Arnold Kids these days. It tastes healthy and keeps you on your toes. And to think I wanted to share it with you. Guests ain't easy to come by, ya know? 2
87 80 301 Arnold Now ain't like it was in the past. When I'd eat, I'd set up a table outside and ask my buddy to play my favorite bass tunes. 2
88 81 301 Arnold I'd eat herrin' with crispbread, potato and butter, listen to tunes, and kick up my feet in the evenin' breeze. No people makin' a ruckus and none of these buildings blockin' my view of the sky. 2
89 82 301 Arnold Moonlight and stars shinin' all over me—ain't nothin' like that now. 2
90 83 301 After opening the can with his knife, Arnold begins munching on the fish as he reflects on scenes of his past.
91 84 301 Arnold But thanks to those monsters, it ain't easy findin' supplies and I can't stay out too long. 2
92 85 301 Wanshi Oh... Wow. I can't even imagine. 1
93 86 204 2 1
94 87 301 Arnold Bahahaha! That's normal. A lotta stuff ya gotta see for yourself. 2
95 88 202 1 2 1
96 89 301 Arnold smiles and puts the last piece of fish from the can in his mouth with his knife.
97 90 301 Just then, Wanshi notices the sphere bot on Arnold's shoulder shutter slightly.
98 514 401 1 102
99 91 201 1 500273 -400
100 92 201 2 500285 400
101 93 301 1 Arnold Why's there always gotta be problems when I'm eatin'? 2
102 94 301 Wanshi What is it? 1
103 95 301 Arnold Ain't nothin'. I gotta go out for a sec. 2
104 96 204 1 7
105 97 301 Wanshi Really? At a time like this? 1
106 98 301 Arnold You betcha. How else would an ol' man like me still be around? 2
107 99 202 1 2 1
108 100 401 2 1516
109 101 301 AniZhuanchangBegin 1 Arnold grabs his rifle, climbs up the ladder on the wall, opens the closed hatch above his head, and leaves the room.
112 104 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Wanshi Well, I guess I'll take this time to... 1
113 105 204 1 8
114 106 301 Right as Arnold leaves, Wanshi closes his eyes and begins to run diagnostics on the extent of internal damage.
115 107 301 Wanshi Has the damage from the battle and the side effects from the temporary blockage now completely blocked my internal connection circuits? What a drag... 1
116 108 202 1 1
117 109 301 Looking around, a cloud of gray and yellow dust fills the underground space. The only light within the room comes from the beta lamp overhead.
118 110 301 On one side of the room, parts are stacked on what appears to be a mechanical workbench. However, the layer of dust indicates that these items have not been used in quite some time.
119 111 201 1 500273
120 112 301 1 Wanshi I wonder if Troy has reached the evac point safely. 1
121 113 204 1 8
122 114 301 After thinking for a while, Wanshi shakes his head and closes his eyes.
123 115 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Wanshi Well, looks like there's nothing I can do right now. I guess I'll just kick up my feet for a while... 1
127 118 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Arnold I'm back! Miss me, kiddo?
128 119 201 1 500273 8
129 120 301 1 Wanshi Yawn... Oh, you're back... 1
130 121 204 1
131 122 301 Arnold's loud voice wakes up Wanshi. Half-awake, Wanshi barely manages to open his eyes and look in Arnold's direction.
132 501 201 2 500284 400
133 502 203 1 0.25 -400
134 123 301 1 Arnold Oof, today took a little longer than usual. 2
135 124 301 After climbing down the ladder, Arnold throws his rifle to the side and collapses on the shabby sofa in the corner.
136 125 301 Arnold I dunno why, but there are more of those damn monsters wanderin' 'round outside than ever before. 2
137 126 301 Arnold They're wanderin' 'round like a herd of sheep. 2
138 127 301 Wanshi Could it be... 1
139 530 204 2 1
140 128 301 Arnold Don't worry 'bout it. I took care of them already. 2
141 565 401 2 1511
142 129 301 Arnold reaches for his windbreaker, then quickly points his finger out in front of him like shooting a gun.
143 130 301 Arnold All the top actors used to do this. 2
144 131 301 Wanshi Oh... You don't say... 1
145 531 204 2
146 132 301 Arnold Tsk, you kiddos don't understand why women used to fall head over heels for this kinda thing. 2
147 133 301 Arnold's mouth curls into a half-hearted smile. He crosses his legs and reclines on the sofa.
148 134 301 Arnold I wonder if these monsters are actin' so strange has got somethin' to do with labelin' you as some sorta fugitive... 2
149 532 204 1 4
150 135 301 Wanshi Yeah... I think this place is going to be crawling with danger here soon. 1
151 136 301 Wanshi You leave while you still can, Arnold. 1
152 137 301 Arnold Who the hell do you think I am? 2
153 138 301 Arnold Think I can just leave you here in your condition and save my own hide? 2
154 533 204 1 7
155 139 301 Wanshi But you don't have to do it for a stranger... 1
156 140 301 Arnold I don't care even if we just met. I ain't gonna do it. 2
157 141 301 Arnold Do you know what it's like livin' in a prosperous and bleak metropolis? 2
158 142 301 Arnold City-folk turn a blind eye to those around 'em. That's how awful society was like during the Golden Age. 2
159 143 301 Arnold Hmph. People used to care about each other. 2
160 144 301 Arnold You won't read about that in those data files of yours. 2
161 145 301 Arnold Changes like that in society can't be recorded in those files with just a few words or statistics. 2
162 146 301 Arnold I've seen the kindness of humanity and experienced the indifference of society. 2
163 147 301 Arnold Human society flourished for a time, but then they became indifferent to each other. 2
164 148 301 Arnold I can't watch people survive in such indifference and selfishness. I ain't gonna join them, and I sure as hell ain't gonna be like them. 2
165 149 301 Arnold But that don't mean I hate humanity. Quite the opposite actually. We can't just give up on others, no matter who it is. 2
166 150 301 Arnold Callin' it "escaping" sounds nice, but it's really just weakness. 2
167 151 301 Arnold I don't wanna see this kinda weakness in humanity, so that's why I live here alone with my buddy. 2
168 152 301 Arnold But I still can't sit by and ignore the lives of others. 2
169 153 301 Wanshi ... 1
170 535 204 2 1
171 154 301 Arnold So ya see, it's the two of us who are gonna get outta here alive. 2
172 155 301 Wanshi But... 1
173 156 301 Arnold But I know you can't move in your condition. 2
174 157 301 Arnold So, how 'bout this. I fix ya up, and we get the hell outta Dodge? 2
175 158 301 Wanshi Huh? 1
176 159 301 Arnold Don't underestimate this ol' timer. I used to be a doctor. That's how I've managed to modify this ol' body of mine and keep it up and running for so long. 2
177 160 401 2 1543
178 161 301 Arnold walks up to Wanshi and lifts up his coat, revealing numerous surgical scars covering his body.
179 534 204 1
180 162 301 Wanshi ...I see. 1
181 163 301 Arnold But it ain't easy operatin' alone. That's why I built my partner here to lend a hand. 2
182 164 301 Arnold straightens out his clothes with one hand and pats the sphere bot on his shoulder with the other.
183 165 301 Arnold Well then, tell me what I need to know to get up in there and fix those nuts and bolts of yours. I can't just go in blind. I wanna show you my handiwork. 2
184 166 401 2 1515
185 167 301 Arnold dusts off the workstation and wheels it over to Wanshi's bedside.
186 168 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin Arnold Like you said, time is of the essence. Let's get this over and done with. 2