5 5 301 DialogEnable 1 Father Are you sure you just want this plushie, Yoyo? 1
6 6 201 1 500218 1
7 7 301 1 The girl named Yoyo turns around with a panda plushie in her arms, nodding at her father enthusiastically.
8 8 301 Yoyo Dad! This panda is called "Master", and it can talk! It can also fly... 1
9 9 301 Seeing how confused her husband is, Yoyo's mother chuckles.
10 10 201 1 500463
11 11 301 1 Mother You're losing touch. You don't even know what your daughter likes! She's talking about the character in that cartoon that's popular with the kids nowadays. It's called... 1
12 12 201 1 500218 1
13 13 301 1 Yoyo "Kowloong's Magical Girl!" 1
14 14 201 1 500138 -400
15 15 201 2 500463 400
16 16 301 1 Father Honey, you can pick something more expensive like the other kids do! We're here to celebrate you passing your Maths exam. Your father just got a promotion, so don't worry about the price tag! 1
17 17 301 A girl of a similar age walks past Yoyo with a bionic panda mechanoid in her arms. One size larger than Yoyo's plushie, it appears to be able to say the famous lines from the show—and fly, for real!
18 18 301 Mother Yoyo, let your dad show off for once... And don't you want a more valuable toy that the other kids will be jealous of? 2
19 19 202 1 2 1
20 20 201 1 500218
21 21 301 1 But Yoyo just blinks and looks at the plushie in her hands, bewildered.
22 22 301 Yoyo Are cheaper toys bad? Do they have to be expensive? I don't get it... 1
23 23 301 Yoyo "Master" was just an abandoned plushie in the cartoon as well. It only became a familiar because the Magical Girl's love turned into its magic power. 1
24 24 202 1 2 1
25 25 301 Yoyo's parents look at each other, seemingly surprised by what she said. They chuckle, slightly embarrassed.
26 26 201 1 500138 -400
27 27 201 2 500463 400
28 28 301 1 Mother The kids must think we adults are making our lives difficult with what we deem important, isn't that so? 2
29 29 301 Father Yeah... Yoyo doesn't care about how big or small the numbers are. Isn't that what she did in the exam? Haha! 1
30 30 202 1 2 1
31 31 201 1 500218 4
32 32 301 1 Yoyo Ugh! Dad! I'm going to be mad! 1
33 33 301 Yoyo's father crouches down and picks up Yoyo, whose cheeks puff out, and the plushie in her hands.
34 34 201 1 500138 -400
35 35 201 2 500463 400
36 36 301 1 Father Alright, Dad understands now... Now that we've bought it, you need to love the plushie like how the girl in the show loves it. Like how we love you. 1
37 37 301 Mother Ugh! I'm getting goosebumps. Look at you, not feeling embarrassed at all. 2
38 38 301 Blushing, Yoyo's mother smiles and gently strokes her daughter's head, her gaze filled with tenderness.
39 39 301 Mother Yoyo, Mom also loves you very much... 2
40 40 301 DialogDisable Mother Even if one day... 2
50 50 301 She can still feel the warmth and the gentle touch of her parents' embrace, but she cannot find them anywhere.
51 51 301 Yoyo Dad?! Where are you?! 1
52 52 202 1 1
53 53 301 Yoyo reaches out, but she grasps nothing in the void. The more she struggles, the further her fleeting, happy memories seem to be.
54 54 301 The sound of waves and the sense of rocking become clearer and clearer, washing away the last bit of her confusion. Yoyo wipes away the tears in her eyes.
55 55 301 AniZhuanchangBegin She knows it is time for her to wake up...
61 61 301 Blinding lights sway above her rhythmically. Yoyo finds herself lying in an unfamiliar room.
62 62 201 1 500442 4
63 63 301 1 ??? You. Can you sit up yourself? 1
64 64 301 Yoyo sees a lavishly-dressed woman sitting by the window, staring at her. The woman must be the one who saved her.
65 65 301 She nods, moving her body from side to side while sitting up, hoping to take a look at the room. But the pain in her right arm takes her attention away.
66 66 301 Seeing Yoyo's expression, the woman leans forward, inspecting the wound on her arm.
67 67 301 ??? You were well-protected, but you're still slightly infected with the Punishing Virus... We've given you a serum. You'll be fine, apart from feeling pain for a little while. 1
68 68 203 1 0.25 400
69 69 201 2 500448 -400
70 70 301 1 Yoyo Did you save me... Miss? 2
71 71 301 The woman seems a little astounded to be called "Miss", but she nods regardless.
72 72 301 Yoyo Then do you know where the robot... the two robots who were with me are? 2
73 73 301 Yoyo still remembers the two robot friends who looked scary but were actually very kind. They were traveling together until they reached the incredibly large ship...
74 74 204 1 7
75 75 301 ??? I don't know. You passed out from crying, and the mechanoid who took you here was taken away... There was only one of them. 1
76 76 301 Seeing how disappointed Yoyo looks, the woman thinks for a second before talking again.
77 77 204 1 4
78 78 301 ??? ...They were probably taken to be repaired. Machines... will be as good as new after they're fixed. 1
79 79 204 2 1
80 80 301 Yoyo Is that true?! Then I just have to find Dad. Dad will help me look for them, and Mom will make them very tasty food! Hehe... I guess robots can't eat, can they? 2
81 81 204 2 16
82 82 301 Yoyo Dad... Mom... 2
83 83 301 Yoyo tries to stand up, ignoring the pain in her arm, but she almost loses her balance and falls on the rocking floor.
84 84 301 Looking outside, she finds herself surrounded by an endless ocean. There is nothing around her but the moon and the stars—and there is no sign of anything she knew in Kowloong.
85 85 301 Yoyo I... I have to find them. 2
86 86 301 Stumbling around, Yoyo tries to leave the room, but the woman grabs her hand.
87 87 301 ??? It's dangerous on this ship... It's better to stay here if you're alone. 1
88 88 204 2
89 89 301 Yoyo Then I must find them immediately! Mom and Dad have to be risking their lives to search for me... Do you know where they are, Miss? 2
90 90 301 The woman shakes her head, speaking only after thinking for a while.
91 91 401 1 201
92 92 204 1 4
93 93 301 ??? You've been unconscious for seven days. They would have been here already if they were still alive... 1
94 94 204 1 14
95 95 301 ??? So... they're either dead... or they've abandoned you. 1
96 96 301 The woman holds Yoyo's hands gently, looking into the girl's eyes with serenity.
97 97 301 ??? Everything without value is thrown away on the Nighter... And a child on her own is a valueless burden, so... 1
98 98 204 2 16
99 99 301 Yoyo You're lying! 2
100 100 301 Shivering, Yoyo interrupts the woman with clenched teeth and tears gathering in her eyes.
101 101 301 Yoyo Mom and Dad wouldn't leave me! They promised to come back and get me... 2
102 102 301 Yoyo I know Dad always acted like an irresponsible dummy, but he had never broken his promises to me! 2
103 103 301 Yoyo Mom sometimes got angry for no reason, but I know she would never leave me! 2
104 104 301 Yoyo clutches the worn panda plushie in her hands, her tears dropping on the toy.
105 105 204 1 14
106 106 301 ??? Just because a promise is important... doesn't mean it's kept. 1
107 107 301 Yoyo flings away the woman's hand, wiping her tear-filled eyes with her long sleeves.
108 108 204 2 4
109 109 301 Yoyo Enough... I see it now. You must be one of the bad people Dad told me about! You're trying to trick me into staying here. 2
110 110 301 Yoyo I won't listen to you anymore... I'll find them myself! 2
111 111 203 2 0.25 -800
112 112 202 2 1
113 113 203 1 0.25
114 114 301 Yoyo rushes outside the room, leaving the woman alone, hesitant to give chase.
115 115 301 ??? ... 1
116 116 301 The woman looks at her hand that was holding Yoyo. She misses and fears the sensation of someone else's touch.
117 117 301 AniZhuanchangBegin ??? Villier... My lord... 1
141 141 301 The kind mechanoid once told her that. But now, it is nowhere to be found.
142 142 301 Only now does Yoyo realize she is truly on her own—if this is a nightmare, there is no end to it nor a way to turn back.
143 143 301 ??? "—Tai'E were born to fight for Kowloong."
144 144 301 Suddenly, she hears the loud, synthetic voice of a mechanoid—the same voice of the two mechanoid friends that had protected her on her journey.
151 151 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Jin Man Check this out! You lovely folks see this mechanoid? It might look busted, but its energy core is perfectly intact! Even its voice module is functioning flawlessly! 1
152 152 301 Jin Man It's a Tai'E made in Kowloong, totally legit stuff! I promise you, in the name of Jinman's Emporium, that your 170 thousand grubs will be worth it! 1
153 153 201 1 500227
154 154 301 1 Boy Doesn't sound like it's worth the price, Jin Man! Unless it has some special features that you aren't sharing? C'mon, spill the beans already! We're all eager to see it! 1
155 155 301 The gathering crowd becomes animated after hearing what the boy says, not noticing the subtle smirk on the shopkeeper's face.
156 156 201 1 500240
157 157 301 1 Jin Man You know your stuff, young man! Guess I'll have to confess... I didn't get this mechanoid from your usual, legitimate channels. This... was a Corrupted! 1
158 158 301 The crowd gasps in awe. Some of them look a little frightened, but more of them look ecstatic.
159 159 202 1 2 1
160 160 301 Male Shopper A dead Corrupted... must be different to a regular mechanoid, right? Maybe some of its parts got some impressive upgrades!
161 161 301 Female Shopper It'll be a one-of-a-kind collectible... There can't be any decor more impressive than this!
162 162 301 Jin Man winks at the boy—the two of them are clearly working together.
163 163 201 1 500240 400
164 164 201 2 500227 -400
165 165 301 1 Boy But how did you get your hands on something so valuable, Jin Man? I heard that Kowloong's Pulao Crew had dumped all the Corrupted remains into the sea... 2
166 166 301 Jin Man Ahem... that's a long story. Do you see the ribbon on its arm? 1
167 167 301 Jin Man holds up Tai'E's arm before the crowd, highlighting a pink ribbon tied on its arm that looks out of place on its heavy, metallic body.
168 168 301 Boy Sure, it's weird, but what's so special about it? The Corrupted are weird in the first place. 2
169 169 202 2 1
170 170 203 1 0.25
171 171 301 Jin Man What you didn't know is that it got the ribbon from an innocent girl that it killed! How do I know, you ask? 'Cause I was there! I witnessed the whole thing just as I boarded the Nighter! 1
172 172 301 Jin Man It wasn't going to let me live, of course. This tricky bastard was hiding in a corner before it leaped out and went for my throat. Well, I panicked, but then I handled it. Woosh! I flipped it over and slammed it on the ground! 1
173 173 301 The crowd is entertained by the shopkeeper's lively, vivid tale, not realizing that a girl has walked to the front.
174 174 301 Jin Man But it's a lucky thing I had my pistol! Anyway, I started blasting. Pow! This damn thing stopped moving. Pow! Pow! I took a few more shots just to be safe. That's why there're all these bullet holes on it... 1
175 175 301 ??? You're lying!
176 176 301 Yoyo rushes out of the crowd, tripping a few people in the center.
177 177 203 1 0.25 400
178 178 201 2 500448 4 -400
179 179 301 1 Jin Man Hey...! Whose girl is this? Can't have you speaking nonsense at my shop! 1
180 180 301 Yoyo He's not some tricky bastard... He's my friend! He saved me from the Corrupted! 2
181 181 301 Jin Man A mechanoid saving a human girl from the Corrupted? These machines can't even stay sane from the Punishing Virus... Did your parents not teach you not to lie? Go home if you're going to act like a baby! 1
182 182 301 The surrounding people laugh, rubbing salt into Yoyo's wound.
183 183 301 Yoyo I wasn't lying...! 2
184 184 301 Jin Man is getting impatient. He tries to send Yoyo away while frowning at the boy hiding in the crowd.
185 185 301 Jin Man Doesn't matter what you say. This is my ware, so I get to call it whatever I want. You're welcomed to make up any story about it if you can afford to buy it, but until then, get lost! 1
186 186 301 The boy sighs and shakes his head, walking up and preparing to drag Yoyo away.
187 187 301 Yoyo I-I have money! I'll buy him! Dad gave me l-lots of money! 2
188 188 301 Yoyo takes out her wallet, holding it up high. Hearing the word "money," Jin Man's expression changes in an instant.
189 189 301 Jin Man Why didn't you say so? However... 1
190 190 301 Seeing the amount of grubs Yoyo is desperately taking out, Jin Man does not know whether to laugh or cry.
191 191 301 Jin Man You've gotta be kidding me... What do you hope to buy with these scraps? Stop messing around! I'm warning you! 1
192 192 204 2 16
193 193 301 Yoyo But... that's all I've got... Look... there's so much... 2
194 194 301 In Yoyo's world, the money she has is enough to buy her all the snacks she likes, as well as all the new clothes and toys she wants—but on this ship, that amount of money is far from enough.
195 195 301 Jin Man is about to throw the girl out when he suddenly comes up with a plan, and he grins.
196 196 301 Jin Man Now, I know you don't have the money, but there is something more valuable than grubs on the Nighter... 1
197 197 202 1 2 1
198 198 201 1 500227 4
199 199 301 1 Boy Hey, Jin Man... 1
200 200 301 The boy is about to say something, but he stays silent after Jin Man stares at him.
201 201 201 1 500240 400
202 202 201 2 500448 -400
203 203 301 1 Jin Man That thing is the "collar". We all have one on this ship, and it holds something called "miles." The number of miles Lady Qu gave all of us to start our life on the Nighter should be enough for you to buy this Tai'E. 1
204 204 301 Yoyo follows Jin Man's gaze and reaches for her neck, discovering a ring that locks tightly around it.
205 205 301 Yoyo "Miles"... I can buy Tai'E if I use mine? 2
206 206 301 Jin Man smiles maliciously and leans toward Yoyo, sending her a transaction request.
207 207 301 Jin Man Of course... You can buy anything you want as long as you can pay the price. 1
208 208 301 Although Yoyo has no idea what "miles" mean, she knows that this is the only thing she can do for the two Tai'E mechanoids that protected her with their lives.
209 209 301 The collars on their necks blink and complete the transaction. At that moment, Yoyo's collar flashes bright red, and a voice resounds in her head, warning her that all her miles are consumed.
217 217 301 Jin Man You really don't know? Your miles is the time you're allowed to stay on the Nighter. Once you spend it all, off the ship and into the water you go. 1
218 218 301 He laughs patronizingly before standing next to Yoyo and putting his hand on her shoulder.
219 219 301 Jin Man Now, folks around here would pay quite a fortune to relive someone else's memories, especially someone like you, who got to live carefree in Kowloong. 1
220 220 301 Jin Man If you were to sell me these memories of yours, I might be able to give you some of those miles back... Think about it. Isn't it better to let those worthless memories go and start anew on this ship? 1
221 221 301 To forget her father's laughter, her mother's embrace, the figure that spent its last minutes protecting her... She will not need to spend her nights chasing ghosts anymore.
222 222 301 But to walk into those nights all alone, much like the ship she is on sailing in solitude on the turbulent sea... Is that a future that she wants?
223 223 301 Yoyo No...! 2
224 224 202 1 2 1
225 225 301 Yoyo pushes him away, knocking down a few mechanoids that try to catch her, and she dashes away, tumbling.
226 226 301 Jin Man falls onto the boy, pushed by Yoyo's surprising strength. Just as he is about to order his men to go after the girl, he is knocked out by a strike on the neck.
227 227 201 1 500227
228 228 301 1 Boy Uh-oh. Sorry, boss... I slipped. 1
229 229 301 The boy drags the unconscious Jin Man into a hidden corner amidst the chaos, taking out Jin Man's wallet and putting all the grubs inside into his own pocket.
230 230 301 Boy Service charge, mental health claims, hazard pay, overtime... Hehe, thank you for employing my service— 1
231 231 301 A freezing drop of water falls on the boy's nose.
232 232 204 1 4
233 233 301 Boy It's about to rain... 1
234 234 301 He looks in the direction Yoyo ran toward and sighs, flipping a grub before catching it.
235 235 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin Boy What an idiot... What do you get to keep if you die? 1
