()||9<黑屏1>0,10BGM_Empty: ()||GF_2022_Summer_AVG_3GF_2022_Summer_AVG_3<黑屏2>528:Carriage F09, Intercontinental Railway train "Future". ()||AVG_Team_Running:Lyudmila and Erma are walking at the end of a queue... They both seem to have something on their mind. ()||:After a brief moment of silence, Lyudmila stops and leans heavily against the wall. Erma(1)Erma||:...You must've taken quite a hit when the train crashed... ()||ClothingUp:Erma offers Lyudmila a hand, but instead of taking it, Lyudmila just stands up straight again after leaning against the wall for a while. AR18(6)Lyudmila0,70||:I'm alright. Let's go. ()||ClothingUp:Erma props Lyudmila up with her own shoulders and refuses to let go. AR18(6)Lyudmila0,70||:... Erma(1)Erma||:...Let's go. ()||:Lyudmila lets out a sigh. AR18(6)Lyudmila0,70||:...Your neural cloud could really use some repair. +Don't ever try to activate the Summer Garden again if there's no one else with you. Erma(1)Erma||:I've given you the key... ()||:It takes Lyudmila a moment to understand what Erma is implying. AR18(6)Lyudmila0,70||:...We probably won't meet again once this operation is over. ()||:Erma is just about to protest when... ()||BGM_EmptyRope:Lyudmila grabs her by the shoulder and puts a finger against her lips as a warning to stay quiet. Erma(2)Erma||:... ()||:Erma looks around and only then does she realize something doesn't seem right... +...It's too quiet. Erma(2)Erma||:Where are the others...? ()||ClothingUp:She turns around to look toward the front of the carriage— +The line of passengers have left them behind and are nowhere to be found. +Not a single person is around, and not a single sound can be heard... How is this possible? Erma(2)Erma||AVG_bigglassbreak<震屏3>9:—!! ()||:The carriage in front of their eyes is completely torn apart the next second. ()||<黑屏1>: ()||<黑屏2>529GF_22W_BGM_1:The second carriage that suffered a massive crash earlier comes into view once again. Erma(2)Erma||:Lyudmila! ()||:Erma calls out softly. Her voice echoes around the empty carriage. AR18(6)Lyudmila0,70||ClothingUp:Here... ()||:Thank goodness she's still here. +The sounds of chatter and rainfall have all been replaced by a deafening silence. AR18(6)Lyudmila0,70||:...We got dragged into Level II. +A neural space modeled exactly like the "Future". Erma(2)Erma||:...I didn't notice at all. ()||:Erma gulps nervously. +Even the Colt Express didn't make her so uncomfortable. ()||AVG_footsteps_cave:Tap. ()||AVG_Breathing:Just as the two Dolls are on high alert, footsteps interrupt their rapid breathing. ()||AVG_Cloak_Whoosh:Whoosh— +At almost the same moment, Erma darts forward to position herself in front of Lyudmila. ()||Select:But Lyudmila takes a more direct approach. ()||AVG_rifle_finalshot_h<震屏3>:Bang! +She raises her weapon and fires at the end of the carriage without the slightest hesitation. NPC-Tareus(2)???||:... ()||Stop_AVG_loop:A graceful but sinister woman saunters towards them. ()||<黑点1>: ()||<黑点2>537AVG_Power_Down:Lyudmila's bullet is frozen in the air. +She can see it spinning in slow motion along its trajectory. +Her target—the woman that has appeared out of nowhere—simply raises a hand. ()||<震屏3>AVG_Bullte_Ricochet:Clack... ()Lyudmila||:...Paradeus. ()||AVG_Breathing:Her low breathing sounds unusually loud in the empty carriage. +It's as if she is breathing right into Lyudmila's ear. ()Erma||:Who... are you? ()||:Erma keeps her gaze firmly fixed on the woman. +She can sense instinctively a malevolence that far surpasses the Vorys emanating from the woman. +—She has never seen her before, but she knows with certainty that no matter what, she must not let her anywhere near Lyudmila. ()???||AVG_keyboardtype_sciBGM_Empty:... ()||525<震屏3>10144AVG_Broken_Glass:Crash! ()||AVG_Grey_Hand_Mech:With a white flash, two spherical objects smash a carriage window. The white flowers on the window sill flutter softly in the wind. ()||AVG_Camera_FocusAVG_Shield_Startup:The two spheres hovering in the air are aiming straight at Erma as they glow with a blue light— ()Erma||:... ()||:No. +Erma studies the two ominous hovering cannons. +The woman doesn't seem to even register her presence... Their target is Lyudmila! ()||AVG_The_Division_Flare_Gun%%type_id=2%%duration=3%%delay=0.1%%range=8:Pzzzzt!! +The moment Erma comes to this realization, blue light beams slice through the air, emitting temperatures so high that they create visual distortions. ()Lyudmila||:Erma! Move! ()Erma||:No! ()||Rope:Erma's body is trembling. +But she refuses to budge... +She plants herself firmly in front of Lyudmila... +And braces for the laser beams to hit herself... ()||AVG_Grey_Hand_Mech:Whum... ()???||:... ()||:The two cannons are still hovering mid-air. ()||:The ultra-hot beams simply give a brilliant flash and do not even penetrate Erma's clothes. +If not for the smashed window, it could have all been just a dream. ()Erma||AVG_keyboardtype_sci:...Electronic attack—neutralized. +Loading— ()||:Erma takes a deep breath and glares at the woman standing before her. ()???||BGM_Empty:Say, boss, it's buy-one-get-one-free this time. +Happy? ()||:A familiar voice jabs at Erma's ears like a sharp needle. ()Erma||:You... ()||AVG_footsteps_woodfloor:Tap, tap, tap. +Footsteps can be heard once again. The pupils of Erma's eyes, which are locked on the woman in white, contract sharply. +What she is seeing is far more shocking than this strange woman. ()||<黑点1>: ()Erma||%%pivot_x=0.5%%pivot_y=0.5%%scale=1.2%%duration=2%%<黑点2>526HeartbeatStop_AVG_loop10227:...Maggie? ()||Heartbeat:Erma's breath grows increasingly short. +Her chest rises and falls rapidly. Her nerves seem to have snapped the moment Maggie appeared. ()Maggie||:I suppose... this spells the end of the show, Erma. ()||Rope:Strolling out from the white and blue gleam, Maggie walks up to the woman with a taunting smirk. ()Lyudmila||:Erma... Stay calm. ()||:Lyudmila tries to think of something to say... +But Erma has already let out a furious shout. ()Erma||<震屏3>:You liar! ()Maggie||ClothingUp:... ()||:Maggie bows and tips her hat. ()Maggie||:Oh my, that's generous praise for a con artist. ()Erma||:...You played me like a fiddle... +You must find this very funny. ()Maggie||:Oh yes. +The way you're standing so protectively in front of Lyudmila is very amusing. ()Erma||:... ()Maggie||:Don't you remember the question I asked before? +Which of you is the agent on a secret mission? ()Erma||:So it's you... +I knew she's a Soviet agent... ()Maggie||:Oh? Oh right, you're a little girl with amnesia. +There's something I've been meaning to tell you— ()Erma||:... ()Maggie||:The Doctor Hume that you've been trying to find is dead. He died at the hands of a Soviet agent long ago. ()Maggie||AVG_Scene_Transfer:Who knows? This Instructor Lyudmila behind you could be the very same agent. ()Erma||:... ()||:The corners of Erma's lips twitch as she looks back at Lyudmila. ()Lyudmila||:... ()||:Behind her, Lyudmila looks down and gives no response. +She neither admits or denies the allegation. ()Erma||:...Lyudmila? ()???||:...Humph. ()Maggie||:...What is it, Miss Tareus? ()||:The Nyto named Tareus gazes at the two silent Dolls and slowly speaks up. ()Tareus||:...You take care of the short one. I want both neural clouds. ()||:She says matter-of-factly with narrowed eyes. ()Tareus||:She's in the way. ()||ClothingUp:Maggie straightens up languidly and shrugs. ()Maggie||:As you wish. ()Tareus||:... ()||Rope:Tareus raises her hand wordlessly. ()||AVG_Camera_FocusAVG_Shield_Startup:The two hovering cannons immediately stop drifting aimlessly and start charging. ()||AVG_Cloak_Whoosh%%type_id=2%%duration=2%%delay=0.1%%range=8:Whoosh— ()||:Just then, Lyudmila suddenly lifts her eyes from behind Erma. ()Tareus||:...Hm? ()||:Tareus pauses for a second. ()||:Lyudmila's hand is resting on her wrist watch. ()||ClothingUp:Snap. +Meanwhile, Maggie snaps her fingers from behind Tareus. ()Tareus||:? ()||BGM_Empty%%type_id=2%%duration=4%%delay=0.1%%range=8Explode183:BOOM! +A laser beam that is even more powerful than the ones before shoots out from Tareus' head, melting everything in its way. ()||<白屏1>: ()||529<白屏2>:—However, its chief target has already disappeared before the attack even started. NPC-Tareus(3)Tareus||:... ()||:Erma, Lyudmila... and even Maggie behind her. +They have all vanished without a trace before she attacked. NPC-Tareus(3)Tareus||:... ()||AVG_keyboardtype_sci:Beep beep— +Signal search—Lyudmila. Searching... ()||AVG_21Winter_Error:...Search failed. ()||AVG_keyboardtype_sci:Signal search—Maggie Ponzi. Searching... ()||AVG_21Winter_Error:...Search failed. NPC-Tareus(3)Tareus||:Dammit... ()||<黑屏1>: ()||9<黑屏2>AVG_Mechanical:... ()Instructor Я||:...So this is the judgment call you made "on the frontlines"? ()Lyudmila||:Yes, I believe now is the perfect time to execute Plan B. ()Instructor Я||Select:But you do not have the full picture. I'm afraid I do not agree. +There has never been a precedent. Please stop this right now. ()Lyudmila0,70||:Need I remind you that I'm the one on the frontlines? +All strategies have no precedent before someone comes up with them. +Surely you must've anticipated this back when you selected me for this mission. ()Instructor Я0,70||:...How certain are you that this will work? ()Lyudmila0,70||:100% certain. ()||:... ()||<黑点1>: