4 4 301 DialogEnable The sound of the pipe that heralds death is too sorrowful to bear. It is a heartbreaking elegy.
5 5 301 Your thoughts drift away. And your body feels heavier than ever.
6 6 301 You twist and grasp at the air like a dragon struggling to break free from invisible shackles. The bellow, the shriek, and the melody of madness slowly lose their order as the sound of the pipe fades away like a weary man desperately carrying a broken tune. It is the last cry of his hoarse whisper.
7 7 301 AniZhuanchangBegin The sound of that pipe suddenly comes to a stop.
13 13 301 Sticky blood drips on the sand and quickly gets absorbed. As sanity fades away, the life force is also slowly drained.
14 14 301 The dragon claws are cold and sharp. You feel like you are nothing but a chunk of meat in the shape of a human or merely a skeleton, pegged down in the name of agony and unable to break free.
15 15 301 Agony and relief are like twins in a womb. Fantasy and reality are intertwined and mixed together.
16 16 301 When have you speculated about this sort of boundless pain before? Have you ever felt something similar before?
17 17 301 Are you in a dream? There is a figure slowly coming into view in your mind.
18 18 201 1 500287
19 19 202 1
20 20 301 Devouring. Dismemberment. Fusion. The girl's broken body and the soul lasting for one eternity are painful fragments embedded in memories, impossible to be removed.
21 21 301 The distressed girl, now trapped inside the giant monster, must have endured agony that is a hundred times—even a thousand times—worse than yours.
22 22 201 1 500109
23 23 202 1
24 24 301 You can see the tragic events in the past from those eyes that look like amethysts.
25 25 301 Was it... "save me" or... "kill me"?
26 26 301 AniZhuanchangBegin ...The memories are a blur.
28 28 301 AniZhuanchangEnd You struggle to keep your head straight as you suddenly feel overwhelming guilt.
29 29 301 The lingering sound of pipe and the mysterious sorcery manipulate the dragon, bringing calamity and death to this world.
30 30 301 Can this be the revenge of that girl, or is this the consequence of another person's sins?
31 31 301 Mustering your last bit of strength, you struggle to turn your head slightly in the direction where the sound of the pipe is coming from.
32 32 301 Your vision starts to blur.
33 33 301 The girl playing with the pipe and the disintegrated figure slowly become one.
34 34 301 Is this a fantasy? Are you running away from the ugly truth?
35 35 301 In the distance, the girl looks slightly nervous and tense. She keeps a firm grip on her pipe, her bangs hanging down and covering her face as she stands alone like a desert island.
36 36 301 Surrounded by endless silence and sadness, this desert island is anything but lively and relieved, the complete opposite of what you thought it would be.
37 37 301 All senses have become blurred and unresponsive. Memories grow dull and vague. You can hear faint whispers in your ears.
38 38 301 I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...
39 39 301 I couldn't save you... I... I killed you.
40 40 301 Who is talking? It's... me? Or... you?
41 41 301 —Now I want spirits to enforce, art to enchant,
42 42 301 AniZhuanchangBegin —And my ending is despair.
46 46 301 AniZhuanchangEnd The eyes of that girl are glowing. It is as if she is looking at another world through a cold wall. As her emotions get intense, her voice lowers with a trembling tone almost too subtle to be heard.
47 47 301 The Long-haired Girl ...He drops into the water, facing up. The vast sky comes swooshing down.
48 48 301 The Short-haired Girl What happened after that? Is everything okay? Where did the dragon go?
49 49 301 AniZhuanchangBegin The Long-haired Girl After that...
54 54 301 It ends with a tragedy filled with regrets.
55 55 301 ?? ...【kuroname】. 【kuroname】.
56 56 301 You feel like you are drowning. Your organs are soaked and immersed in water, swelling and aching. Dizzy and disoriented, you feel as if you just woke up from a dream, unable to tell where it begins or ends. Your instinct is driving you to inhale deeply.
57 57 301 It is almost like even the smell in the air has changed. This overwhelming disappointment still pulls at the heartstrings.
58 58 301 It is as if the soul returns to the body in the blink of an eye. The visual red quickly fades away. And the heart starts pounding again.
59 59 302 I... 60
60 60 301 A hand gently lays on your shoulder as the other hand goes around to the back of your head and takes down the connection device you are carrying.
65 65 301 1 You see Ayla. Her face is so close to yours. She slightly leans forward and puts her hand on your shoulder. Her glowing eyes look you in the eyes. It seems she is checking on you. 1
66 66 302 I'm fine. 67 What happened to me? 67
67 67 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Right after you finish your sentence, the memories start coming back to you.
71 71 301 AniZhuanchangEnd After Operation Red Tide, Gray Raven followed the main troop and returned to Babylonia under Hans' lead.
72 72 301 After you were done with the missions on the surface, you immediately got in touch with Ayla and told her everything you knew about Selena.
73 73 301 After that, Ayla asked the Parliament for permission to investigate the surface several times, but all her requests were declined due to various reasons. Things were complicated on the surface.
74 74 201 1 500111 -450
75 75 201 2 500110 4 450
76 76 301 1 Allen Things are different this time. I'm sorry, but even I can't do anything now that the request has been declined. 1
77 77 301 After the operation, the Construct troops responsible for searching the surface quickly hop in and start helping with the other work. They will scan and record every scene, recycle the samples they collect, and bring those samples back to Babylonia for analysis.
78 78 301 Allen If there is any clue about Selena... 1
79 79 301 Upon mentioning that name, Allen pauses for a while. That name belongs to a well-renowned artist. Every WGAA member knows her.
80 80 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Allen ...The World Government Association of Art will mobilize every possible resource to get down to the bottom of things. Before the investigation and sample analysis bear fruit, all we can do is wait. 1
92 92 301 Ayla's voice pulls you from your memories back to reality.
93 93 201 1 500110 4
94 94 301 1 Ayla What you just experienced is called a "theater play." 1
95 95 301 Ayla relaxes her arms and straightens her back. Then, you notice Ayla is holding a small holographic connection device in her hand. It looks like some sort of an exquisite crown that is more like a retro cosmetic item or a symbol of high socioeconomic status rather than a technology product.
96 96 301 Ayla It seems this immersive holographic theater play technology can still use some improvement in terms of its user experience. 1
97 97 302 This side effect is much worse than that of a remote connection. 98 It needs improvement. 101 You don't seem well, Ayla. 102
98 98 301 Ayla I think the nature of this technology is similar to that of a remote connection as they both allow a commandant to synchronize with a Construct. 1
99 99 301 Ayla The theater play experience is, in fact, another type of emotional connection that allows more people to connect together. Connections no longer exist only among characters. The audience and creators can become part of it as well. 1
100 100 103 301 Ayla I think Selena told me about that second half. 1
101 101 103 301 Ayla Now that I think about it, perhaps that is what the experience is meant to be. You see, you were immersed in it. 1
102 102 301 Ayla Is that the insight of a commandant? 1
103 103 204 1
104 104 301 You see that familiar, impish grin on Ayla's face again, but her eyes are dead serious.
105 105 301 Even when you are not on a mission, you always pay attention to your surroundings, calculating, analyzing, and using that as information.
106 106 301 Ayla That is a good habit. Many excellent creators do that as well. 1
107 999 204 1 4
108 107 301 Ayla suddenly pauses, seemingly thinking about her missing friend again.
109 109 301 Ayla Can you tell me? 1
110 110 301 She adjusts her posture and straightens her back a little bit as if she is preparing for a hard-to-swallow truth or her death sentence.
111 111 301 Ayla What did you see in the "theater play" just now? 1
112 112 302 It was a story about an evil dragon. 113
113 113 301 Ayla does not look surprised at all.
114 114 301 Ayla Were you the champion? Or should I say, were you playing the champion in that story? 1
115 115 302 I'm not sure. 116 Perhaps, I was. 116 There was no champion in that story. 116
116 116 301 Ayla ... 1
117 117 302 In the end, the dragon killed "me." 118
118 118 301 Ayla The ending of the story I remembered... 1
119 119 301 Ayla ...It was nothing like this. 1
120 120 302 Did Selena write this story? 121
121 121 301 Ayla Have you heard of "The Acadia Evacuation"? 1
122 122 302 I have. 123 I haven't. 123 ... 123
123 123 301 It is an opera, a perfect piece of performance art written by a young, talented artist. Its debut in the magnificent grand theater of Babylonia was a sold-out show. People tried desperately to get a ticket.
124 124 301 Ayla It was the first opera Selena performed on stage and her first opera that became known to the public. 1
125 125 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Ayla The Tempest brought Selena and me together. 1
129 129 301 AniZhuanchangEnd In a small exhibition, the girl uses her makeshift holographic projection device to demonstrate her own adaptation of the dated classic from the Golden Age.
130 130 301 —Duke Prospero forgave Antonio.
131 131 301 —The people of Naples continued to live on their prosperous land as before.
132 132 301 —Naples was still a place of hope, despite the occasional disputes and conflicts.
133 133 301 The anticipated ending stays true to the original: a happy reunion.
134 134 301 Back then, Ayla was not sure if there was any meaning to this. After she has embarked on the same journey, she slowly realizes the truth.
135 135 301 The true intention of a creator is always revealed in their work.
136 136 301 What they have thought and experienced, and what they truly want to express.
137 137 301 It does not matter if it is colorless speculation or intense feelings of anger, arrogance, innocence, complacency, humility, desire, helplessness, and everything you can and cannot put into words.
138 138 301 AniZhuanchangBegin So, why did this story end this way?
141 141 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Allen After "The Acadia Evacuation" achieved success, Selena turned down all the invitations, be it interviews or celebration parties. Instead, she filed a request for a holiday. I allowed it. 1
142 142 301 Allen Some artists worry that they'd lose themselves in this world of distractions. That's perfectly understandable. Back then, I believed "The Acadia Evacuation" was merely the beginning of Selena's great career. 1
143 143 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Allen I only saw her once during that time. 1
146 146 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Selena is unlike any artist of the new generation. She is lauded by the media, but Allen never finds her indulging the attention. Her hair is messy, her steps hurried, and she has nary a hint of vanity despite her success.
147 147 301 It is almost as if she is still fighting her enemies in an eternal conflict, and there is no time for her to rest or even catch a breath.
148 148 201 1 500111
149 149 301 1 Allen She filed a request for a long-term lease of WGAA's theater machine Hamlet and access to data submission. 1
150 150 202 1 1
151 151 301 That is when Allen notices that Selena is keeping some dated files and software with her, including the notebook she used when she first joined the WGAA.
152 152 301 A very traditional way of creating and keeping records.
153 153 301 Curious, he asks Selena about what is in the notebook.
154 154 201 1 500111 -450
155 155 201 2 500108 4 450
156 156 301 1 Selena It is a fantasy story. 2
157 157 301 Selena looks slightly embarrassed, but before anyone can notice, her expression is replaced by a faint smile. Her purple eyes are pure and glowing as always.
158 158 204 2
159 159 301 Selena It's an unfinished fantasy. I wrote it before I started doing operas, and it was a mess because I lacked experience at the time. 2
160 160 301 Allen So, it's your first story, but you haven't finished it yet? 1
161 161 301 Selena Yes... my first story. I had an idea about how it should end, but I never wrote it down. After exchanging some thoughts with a friend recently, I've gained some new ideas and perspectives. 2
162 162 301 Allen Are you going to make changes to the original story? 1
163 163 301 Selena pauses for a brief moment before she smiles.
164 164 301 Selena Perhaps. I'm not sure. But I do hope I can finish this story. And once it's done, I hope I can use WGAA's latest theater machine to play it. 2
165 165 204 1 1
166 166 301 Allen Of course. That's exactly why "Hamlet" was created in the first place. 1
167 167 204 2 2
168 168 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Selena Thank you very much, Chairman. 2
174 174 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Ayla What you just experienced is Selena's first story. 1
175 175 302 What's "Hamlet"? 176
176 176 204 1
177 177 301 Ayla Hamlet is the name of WGAA's holographic AI theater play machine. 1
178 178 301 Ayla Using the latest technology, it provides a completely immersive experience, unlike any traditional theater performance. But this technology is still in development and costly, so it hasn't been widely adopted. 1
179 179 301 Ayla The machine you are using right now is the only one on Babylonia. Its regular maintenance is done by a department of the Science Council and governed by the Control Court. 1
180 180 301 Ayla As for the name, Chairman Allen picked "Hamlet" himself. 1
181 181 302 What would you have me do, Ayla? 182
182 182 204 1 4
183 183 301 Ayla has been searching for traces of Selena, whether it is the cosmic whispers from the space station or the whale songs from the crimson wastelands.
184 184 301 Yet, she is always a step too late.
185 185 301 Ayla Many people thought Selena had given up on opera and art. 1
186 186 301 Ayla But that's not the case. On the contrary, Selena chose to become a Construct because she was pursuing art. She wanted to portray truth in her work. 1
187 187 301 Ayla Many people believe Selena had lost all hope to live when she was on the mission in the space station. 1
194 194 301 1 As death drew near, you looked into the eyes of that hideous figure buried inside the Hetero-Creature. You would never forget what you saw.
195 195 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Your feelings were raging.
203 203 301 Ayla All the data was uploaded to the same software pack with simple encryption. 1
204 204 301 Ayla The first upload happened shortly after Selena joined the WGAA. The second upload was after the performance of "The Acadia Evacuation". And the third was before her last mission in the space station. 1
205 205 202 1 1
206 206 301 This story has more than just one ending. Perhaps Selena made multiple changes to the storyline.
207 207 301 She rehearsed this story countless times.
208 208 301 It is something Selena mentioned briefly in her letters. You can also learn this from the data history in Hamlet's backend.
209 209 301 As the playwright, the actress, and the audience, what is it that you wanted to convey? What did you experience? And what did you feel?
210 210 301 Ayla cannot help but wonder about these questions.
211 211 301 There is a way to crack open the Hamlet software.
212 212 301 But rather than ravaging it and tearing it apart, she wants to experience and listen as a character in the story or an audience. She wants to experience the message Selena left behind.
213 213 301 She wants to rely on her intuitions and inspirations to seek that fleeting echo.
214 214 301 Perhaps she is just trying to comfort herself. Maybe her stubbornness is meaningless, and the different endings never existed. She may never understand, despite how much she emphasizes.
215 215 301 Is that so, Selena?
216 216 201 1 500110 4
217 217 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin 1 Ayla Would you be willing to feel this story once again, 【kuroname】? 1
