4 4 301 Back to when Roland first ventured into this prison.
5 5 201 1 500334 1
6 6 301 1 What compelled him to do so was nothing serious like a secret mission, but more due to his own curiosity.
7 7 202 1 1
8 8 301 The mechanoids in the prison were still carrying out the duty they were manufactured for. Apparently, all the guards were bionic mechanoids in order to lower the hostility of prisoners.
9 9 301 Their appearances are nothing but human, but all they know are to obey the rules. They did not accept bribes, nor did they require rest. To a prison, nothing is better than cheap yet efficient labor.
10 10 301 However, now corrupted, they are nothing but a virus to this abandoned prison. Usually, corrupted mechanoids would lose all self-control and would not be able to carry out the job they were programmed to do anymore.
11 11 301 AniZhuanchangBegin But the Corrupted in this prison were still doing their jobs as if they were not corrupted at all. In this world where the prisoners were long gone, this kind of empty performances can be found all over a post-apocalyptic world.
13 13 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Roland has always loved participating in these performances. He pretended to be a prisoner arrested for theft and was "transferred" to a prison cell by a Corrupted, all the while observing the actions of all mechanoids he passed.
14 14 301 The cleaning bots kept cleaning the same spot, creating a patch of shiny tiles among the ruins; the guards patrolled the corridors, their movement precise enough to draw a line on the floor that showed their route. And then there was that poor guy who kept circling the stairs due to its broken navigation system.
15 15 201 1 500334 1
16 16 301 1 Among the tattered Corrupted stood a smiling "prisoner." Nothing could be more wrong with this picture, but Roland seemed to enjoy it.
17 17 202 1 1
18 18 301 The mechanoids' workflow was meticulously planned, but without regular maintenance from humans, only a slight disturbance in the flow could lead to chaos.
19 19 301 Because of the string of errors it triggered, a bionic mechanoid guard made the judgment that a prisoner was escaping, thus activating the alarm system of the whole prison.
20 20 301 —All because Roland decided to take the baton from a Corrupted guard when it was "changing shifts."
21 21 401 2 1501
22 22 401 1 201
23 23 301 This led to a series of chain reactions. The resting guards were activated, the red alarm lights kept flickering, and all exits were locked up, leaving Roland trapped in this complicated prison like a real prisoner who failed to escape.
24 24 301 Of course, these locks and doors of the old age were nothing to him. One blast later, Roland was strolling out of his destroyed cell.
25 25 301 —Which also caused all the Corrupted to descend into chaos. However, this was not a problem for Roland. Even when the gates were locked, it would not be hard to break out. It would just require some work.
26 26 301 That was when Roland discovered something far more intriguing than the Corrupted.
27 27 301 AniZhuanchangBegin —An unfortunate fellow who was also trapped in this prison.
28 28 401 1000 1 36
29 29 201 1 500334 1
30 30 401 1 211
31 31 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Roland Oh, what fun... What should I do? 1
32 32 203 1 0.25 -400
33 33 204 1
34 34 201 2 500316 400
35 35 301 1 Roland? Need you even ask, my friend? 2
36 36 301 Roland? Of course we should fill this human with horror and despair, and then force them to abandon a stranger to save their own life. 2
37 37 301 Roland? —Like in those boring Golden Age movies. 2
38 38 301 Roland? Poor little Roland, abandoned in the face of danger once again. 2
39 39 301 Roland? But one thing is different now, you're not that weak little human anymore. 2
40 40 301 Roland? You have a choice. To kill or let live, you decide. 2
41 41 301 Roland? I can't wait to savor the expression of that human when they realize that they are the one who is abandoned. 2
42 42 301 Roland Why would I want to do that? 1
43 43 301 Roland? Because you're bored, of course. 2
44 44 301 Roland? Bored people do boring things, what's wrong with that? 2
45 45 202 2 1
46 46 203 1 0.25
47 48 301 AniZhuanchangBegin The shadow in his heart replied.
48 49 301 AniZhuanchangEnd —However, things did not go in the direction Roland had expected.
49 50 301 The person on the other end of the line was neither frightened nor desperate. They calmly planned an escape for the both of them.
50 51 301 Roland felt something familiar from his exchanges with this person even though it was only through text.
51 52 301 Even in dire situations, they were able to stay collected and devise an escape plan. They even examined different possibilities and created contingencies for them. They put the safety of others first in the face of danger—this kind of behavior feels more like an experienced veteran than a Scavenger.
52 53 301 It made him sick to think that person was nothing but kind to a stranger. It reminded him of a certain human whom he had come across a few times.
53 54 301 —Well, it may only have been a few meetings for that human, but Roland had actually been observing them for quite some time now.
54 55 301 Half out of curiosity and half to achieve his own "goal."
55 56 301 Roland Can it actually be... them? 1
56 57 301 He scoffs at his own thought the next second. No reason for baseless speculations.
57 58 301 But he has to admit that this stranger has piqued his interest. He's even thinking of asking them to join him.
58 59 204 1 1
59 60 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Roland You have certainly caught my interest... Tell me, who are you? 1
61 62 301 AniZhuanchangEnd After the gates are unlocked, Roland reaches the planned rendezvous point—the cafeteria.
62 63 301 He makes his way up to the second floor, looking over the railings and at the Zone A entrance where that person will enter from.
63 64 301 Finally, he hears human footsteps from the other end of the corridor.
64 65 204 1 7
65 66 301 The second Roland gets a good look at the stranger, he feels like someone was clenching at his guts.
66 67 301 Even with all the thick exoskeleton and protective equipment, Roland can still instantly recognize that person.
67 68 301 —【kuroname】.
68 69 301 What was just a baseless speculation turns out to be true.
69 70 301 His imaginary "partner" is now standing opposite to him.
70 71 301 Roland immediately retracts his steps after coming to this realization. Instead of walking forward like he had wanted to, he backs up into the shadows by the wall.
71 72 301 There has always only been one ending for him—abandoned.
72 73 301 Abandoned by his parents, by his "friends," and as a failed experiment.
73 74 301 In the end, all he had was himself.
74 75 203 1 0.25 -400
75 76 201 2 500316 400
76 77 301 1 Roland? You thought you found a "friend"? 2
77 78 301 Roland? Don't make me laugh. You've always been alone and always will be. 2
78 79 301 Roland? Everything was just an illusion. 2
79 80 301 Roland? You're not others and others will never be you. 2
80 81 301 Roland? You'll always be walking in this maze of your own making. 2
81 82 204 1
82 83 301 Roland ... 1
83 84 301 Roland? Abandon all these ridiculous thoughts. They need to be rectified. 2
84 85 202 2 1
85 86 203 1 0.25
86 87 204 1 2
87 88 301 Roland Hahaha... 1
88 89 301 Nothing goes the way he wants.
89 90 301 Roland Of course, of course. That's more like my reality. 1
90 91 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin Nothing ever goes the way he wants.
