3 3 301 DialogEnable The performance was a success, but Hanying's impromptu "performance" has still gotten her an earful from the troupe leader.
4 4 201 1 500442 5
5 5 301 1 Hanying Could it be... him? But that's impossible... 1
6 6 301 She has no idea how her code signature as a mechanoid was leaked, but the only person in theory who knows the code... is her creator.
7 7 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Still, she has more important things to prepare right now. She greets her partners before heading off alone to the guest area behind the stage, where a stout merchant awaits her.
11 11 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Jin Man Quite a crowd out there, no? You're quite the headliner... Say, I was thinking of forming a group myself. How do you feel about some greener pastures? 2
12 12 301 Hanying smiles politely at Jin Man's taunts.
13 13 204 1 2
14 14 301 Hanying It's hardly a lively crowd if you haven't been coming around every day. 1
15 15 301 Jin Man You might not think I was being serious, but I wasn't completely joking... You're worth the admission fee. There's no reason for you to risk going back to Kowloong. Who knows what that place looks like now? 2
16 16 301 Jin Man Even if you're doing it for the girl... Why would you let her leave? The Nighter is the safest place to be for her... 2
17 17 301 Hanying We can't all be as good as you when it comes to bartering and bargaining, Mr. Jin Man... Not to mention that we all define the "values" of our lives differently. 1
18 18 301 Hanying I promised Yoyo that... we'll go back to Kowloong together safely. 1
19 19 301 Jin Man Hmph... Whatever. That's all I have to say. At the end of the day, I'm just a businessman looking for the best deal for me... I don't care what you do with your purchase as long as you can pay the price. 2
20 20 301 Jin Man takes a letter from his pockets, contemplating for a second before handing it to Hanying.
21 21 301 Jin Man I've arranged the shuttle boat you need... It'll be waiting for you at the stern of the ship in three days when dawn breaks, disguised as a small cargo vessel. Hand this letter to the captain once you board it, and say nothing, understood? 2
22 22 301 Jin Man You can pay me the rest of the fee once you're back on the shores of Kowloong. 2
23 23 301 Hanying I see... 1
24 24 301 Hanying bows, holding the letter in her arms.
25 25 301 Hanying And... thank you. 1
26 26 301 Jin Man looks offended being thanked, loathing the suggestion that he is capable of some level of kindness. Eventually, he turns around and leaves, saying nothing.
27 27 203 2 0.25 500
28 28 401 2 1516
29 29 301 But he stops halfway through, turning back as if he remembers something he needs to warn Hanying.
30 30 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Jin Man There seems to be a group of folks asking around for you. That's all I know... Stay safe. Don't die before you pay me the rest. 2
36 36 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Hanying, perturbed, pauses in the garden before her home, her head replaying the words Jin Man parted her with.
37 37 301 She had encountered enthusiastic fans before who caused her occasional troubles—nothing alarming for the Nighter.
38 38 301 But this is different. The group looking for her includes half a dozen individuals instead of just a lone wolf or two... and they are not all humans. There are mechanoids and Constructs among them.
39 39 301 Hanying casually removes her hairpin before suddenly turning around and flinging it toward the corridor ceiling—not even enthusiastic fans would be creeping there.
40 40 401 1 111
41 41 401 2 737
42 42 301 She hears a painful scream from where she hit. Several figures immediately leap out from around her, each holding a stun pitchfork, seemingly trying to capture Hanying.
46 46 301 A flanking tactic like this would have trapped most people, but as their metal stun pitchforks buzz and clank, interlocking with each other, Hanying has already disappeared before their eyes.
47 47 402 718
48 48 201 1 500236 600
49 49 201 2 500236
50 50 201 3 500236 -600
51 51 301 1 Bamboo Hat Crew? Up there! 1 2 3
52 52 202 1 2 3 1
53 53 301 As the forks are still tangled, Hanying, having leaped into the air, pounces from the ceiling, launching herself at one of the men and landing forcefully on his hand with the pitchfork. He collapses before he can scream.
54 54 301 Since the pitchforks are interlocked, Hanying's plunge drives all of their weapons downward. With leverage, she launches several men back, sending them flying in all directions.
55 55 301 RImgBg1Shake A female mechanoid also in a bamboo hat kicks the figures flying toward her back to Hanying. Despite knowing their ill intentions, Hanying still catches them by their collars and gently tosses them aside.
56 56 201 1 500158
57 57 301 1 Kemuri I Beep—beep beep— 1
58 58 301 But the attacking mechanoid is not letting Hanying take a break. Taking advantage of the gaps in Hanying's moves, the mechanoid flips into the air, reaching for Hanying with her branch-like arm.
59 59 201 1 500442
60 60 301 1 Hanying Your foundation is lacking— 1
61 61 301 With a smile, Hanying bends backward, supporting herself with her arms. Dodging her assailant's claws with a backflip, she kicks the mechanoid right in the jaw with her raised feet, launching her assailant into the air in one swift, graceful dance-like move.
62 62 204 1 4
63 63 301 Hanying Time to show yourself. 1
64 64 301 As Hanying stands on her feet, the mechanoid she kicked flies straight toward a rockery in the garden, shattering the small mountain into stones that bury the immobile mechanoid—and revealing the person hiding behind.
65 65 201 1 500148
66 66 301 1 "Cradle" I thought this would be more than enough people to capture a regular dancer... 1
67 67 201 1 500442 4
68 68 301 Hanying You might stand a chance with ten times the force. 1
69 69 301 Hanying wipes the dust off her sleeve, her gaze turning fierce.
70 70 301 Hanying I hope you can offer a satisfying explanation of why you are following and attacking me, good sir. Otherwise... 1
71 71 301 Hanying enters her battle stance again, but the man simply waves his hand, indicating that he has no intention to fight.
72 72 201 1 500148
73 73 301 1 "Cradle" I don't plan to fight you—I don't need to. 1
74 74 401 2 10007502
75 75 301 Hanying hears a loud crash behind her. A massive figure is thrown to the ground, its body showing signs of having electricity passed through it.
76 76 301 She immediately recognizes it as Uno, the Blubber mechanoid she keeps around to protect Yoyo. If Uno has been taken down...
77 77 201 1 500236 450
78 78 201 2 500447 14
79 79 201 3 500236 -450
80 80 301 1 Yoyo Let go of me—! 2
81 81 301 Bamboo Hat Crew? Shut up! 1 3
82 82 301 Two men in bamboo hats carry Yoyo out of the house. Yoyo tries to fight back to no avail, her struggles leading only to retaliation.
83 83 202 1 2 3 1
84 84 201 1 500442 7
85 85 301 1 Hanying Yoyo! 1
86 86 301 Hanying turns around, hoping to capture the man who poses as the leader, only to find two mechanoids appearing beside him, guarding the man.
87 87 301 Hanying understands full well that while she may be able to kill the man and escape unscathed, it is impossible for Yoyo to survive this.
88 88 201 1 500236 450
89 89 201 2 500148
90 90 201 3 500236 -450
91 91 301 1 "Cradle" My research is accurate, it seems. You malicious machine is playing house like a human. 2
92 92 301 The man approaches Hanying, lifting her delicate chin and observing her shocked expression.
93 93 202 1 2 3 1
94 94 201 1 500442 4
95 95 301 1 Hanying ...Who exactly are you? 1
96 96 301 The man cannot help but chuckle. He grips her hand tightly, and her pearl-white skin turns red under his forceful grasp.
97 97 201 1 500148
98 98 301 1 "Cradle" Such magnificent craftsmanship. No wonder you're confident enough to pretend to be a human... What a masterpiece by Lord Villier. 1
99 99 301 Hearing that name, Hanying's pupils immediately constrict. Before his mechanoid companions can react, Hanying is already gripping the man by his throat.
100 100 203 1 0.25 450
101 101 201 2 500442 4 -450
102 102 301 1 Hanying How do you know that name... 2
103 103 301 "Cradle" We are members of "Cradle"... or we were. 1
104 104 301 Hanying has heard of this name from Villier in the past. A malicious hacker group formed in Kowloong, Cradle was responsible for the attack on the Kowloong monarchy, which ended with Villier eradicating the group.
105 105 301 "Cradle" It seems that he has shared quite a few secrets with you... which is just lovely. The more secrets of him we know, the more vicious our vengeance will be. 1
106 106 301 He looks at the highest point of Kowloong, the tower upon which resides the man he has been hoping to exact revenge.
107 107 301 "Cradle" "Cradle"... fears not death but that undignifying defeat. We shall take his life in the most shameful manner in response. For example... at the hand of his creation, you. 1
108 108 301 "Cradle" In three days, the man pretending to be "Qu" will leave his tower. That is our chance to strike. 1
109 109 301 "Cradle" Once Villier is dead... the Nighter, this jewel in this damned age, will be ours. 1
110 110 301 Hanying's grip grows tighter, but the man before her shows no fear as if Hanying is the one whose life is at stake.
111 111 301 "Cradle" You didn't kill me the first time because of the girl; you're not going to kill me now. You cannot deviate from your programming, you poor machine. 1
112 112 301 "Cradle" Why a machine by Villier would show concern for a human girl does pique my curiosity, though, as an engineer myself. 1
113 113 301 RImgBg1Shake Yoyo screams at that moment. The thug in the bamboo hat is pushing the tip of the knife slowly into her leg, and red, warm blood spills out gradually.
114 114 301 Hanying ...! 2
115 115 301 As Hanying's attention is momentarily drawn to Yoyo, the man stabs a needle-shaped electrode into Hanying's neck... or the "collar" on her neck specifically.
124 124 301 "Cradle" The code signature we found in Villier's secret workshop in Kowloong was indeed correct... Your hardware might be impressive, but your software is barely secured. 1
125 125 301 "Cradle" Did you make this "collar" yourself as well? How intricate. Is this how you've managed to stay among the humans? But the more intricate a thing is, the more fragile it is. 1
126 126 301 Hanying D-don't... 2
127 127 301 All the secrets Hanying has been guarding, the treasures she has been collecting, are now wantonly revealed.
128 128 301 "Cradle" ...So that's what Villier's trying to do. How ridiculous! He's not right in the head either, is he? Hahaha! 1
129 129 301 "Cradle" You're just another worthless puppet he threw away... Don't you despise him? But I suppose you can only feel what you were programmed to feel. 1
130 130 301 As the man goes through Hanying's memories like a hyena that has tasted blood, a small pebble hits him in the back. It does not injure him, but it does make him turn around.
134 134 301 1 Yoyo You're a bad person... Let go... of Hanying! 1
135 135 301 Yoyo has somehow shaken off the two men in bamboo hats who were holding her, but "Cradle" is hardly alarmed. Instead, he laughs when he sees how angry and winded Yoyo looks.
136 136 202 1 2 3 1
137 137 201 1 500148
138 138 301 1 "Cradle" Of course I'm a bad person, but your Hanying here isn't a good person either... Oh, my mistake... she's no "person" at all. 1
139 139 201 1 500447 14
140 140 301 1 Yoyo You're wrong! Hanying might be a mechanoid... but she saved me, and she protected and loved me even when I had no value on this ship! 1
141 141 301 Yoyo struggles to stand straight, staring at the people surrounding her angrily with tears in her eyes.
142 142 301 Yoyo She... is more human than any of you... more human than any person on this ship! 1
143 143 202 1 2 3
144 144 201 1 500148
145 145 301 1 "Cradle" Oh, is that so... Would you still say the same when you find out her kindness is programmed and her actions have other intentions? 1
146 146 301 The man grabs the powerless Hanying by her hair and pulls her up from the ground, forcing her to look directly into Yoyo's eyes.
147 147 301 "Cradle" Now, tell her why you saved a little girl in the beginning. 1
148 148 301 "Cradle" Tell her why you protected her time and time again. 1
149 149 301 "Cradle" Tell her why you insisted on turning her into a Construct. 1
155 155 301 Hanying once again feels the pain from the probe inside her mind, and she can no longer control her thoughts.
156 156 301 Hanying [Upon our first encounter, I tested and discovered that the unconscious subject possessed a high Tantalum affinity.] 1
157 157 301 Hanying [I exist to become a vessel for "Huaxu", the intelligence similar to Gestalt. If I am unable to fulfill the primary objective, my logical actions will be redirected toward the secondary one.] 1
158 158 301 Hanying [Secondary objective: Prepare the subject until she becomes a Construct and present the subject as a backup vessel to my creator—Villier.] 1
159 159 301 Hanying struggles painfully, but her gaze has not left Yoyo, even though all Yoyo does is look away.
160 160 301 Hanying Yoyo... 1
161 161 301 All her love is merely an extension of Yoyo's values, her trust a bet on the girl. The uncaring truth hurts the girl more than any of her wounds.
162 162 301 No longer able to say anything, Yoyo cannot even make a sound or wail. She just cries, her feet losing all the strength she used to climb up, and she slowly kneels on the ground.
165 165 301 1 "Cradle" A machine is always going to be a machine. They exist only to fulfill humans' desires. 1
166 166 301 He laughs on his own before signaling the mechanoids around him to take out Yoyo with a glance—now that he has control over Hanying, he no longer needs the useless girl.
173 173 301 RImgBg1Shake 1 Hanying desperately throws the letter in her arms toward the fallen Uno with her commands. Uno, having been playing dead, catches and stores it before smashing the ground with its arms, causing dust to fly everywhere.
177 177 301 1 Hanying Take Yoyo away... Stern of the ship... at dawn in three days...! 1
178 178 301 Uno nods, tossing back two approaching mechanoids with one arm while grabbing the crying Yoyo with another. Uno flips into the air over the walls, disappearing into the night.
181 181 301 1 "Cradle" Forget them. We don't have to go after them. After all, we've got what we came here for... our most important piece in this game. 1
182 182 301 "Cradle" Let's go, Hanying. This time, we must take back what we lost from Villier... with interest. 1
