()||9<黑屏1>0,10BGM_Empty: ()||BGM_SAC2045_Utopia<黑屏2>418AVG_footsteps_cave:...In a street near the residential area in Sector 2Z64. NPC-HK433(4)No. 3900,130||RunStep:Commander, please wait for me! ()Commander||:You don't have to keep following me around. NPC-HK433(3)No. 3900,130||:But... NPC-HK433(3)Commander0,130<同时置暗>||Stop_AVG_loop:If you're worried about your mission review, I'll give you a full score. NPC-HK433(4)No. 3900,130||:Huh? ()||AVG_keyboardtype_sci:The Commander coldly punches in the highest possible score for all the aspects in the review pop-up window. ()Commander||:That'll do, yeah? NPC-HK433(3)No. 3900,130||:... ()||:Perplexity. Distress. Indignation. Bitter emotions fill No. 390's neural cloud. They are so overwhelming she can almost taste them.+She watches as the Commander stalks away in resolute rejection. NPC-HK433(2)No. 3900,130||:Are you insulting me? ()Commander||:... NPC-HK433(2)No. 3900,130||:It's true. I don't know how you found out, but I do care a lot about my mission reviews.+But that doesn't mean I want to get good reviews in such a humiliating way! ()||ClothingUpAVG_keyboardtype_sci:No. 390 brings up the mission review interface and deletes the full-score review that the Commander just gave her. ()Commander||:You... NPC-HK433(2)No. 3900,130||:I will prove to you with my own ability that I truly deserve a good review! NPC-HK433(2)Commander0,130<同时置暗>||:... NPC-HK433(2)No. 3900,130||:Let's leave it for today. I'll see you tomorrow.+Tomorrow, I'll definitely— ()Commander||BGM_Empty:433... NPC-HK433(3)No. 3900,130||:...What?+What's 433... ()||BGM_Scar_ShenzhiziAVG_wind_grass:The brooding visitor suddenly looks straight into No. 390's eyes. Only then does she notice this sullen visitor actually has a look of great fortitude in their eyes.+But at this moment, those eyes are filled with pain and sorrow. ()Commander||:What was it that you wanted to tell me before I left? NPC-HK433(3)No. 3900,130||:What I wanted to tell you... before you left? ()||<黑屏1>1: ()||<黑屏2>8<回忆><边框>2:...After yesterday's routine patrol and inspection, the Commander returns to the command room. ()||<边框>2AVG_20Winter_Book:They flip open the inspection logs, and their mind wanders as they stare at the empty page.+After much deliberation, they finally write down... ()||<边框>2ClothingUp:Everything is fine. ()Commander||<边框>2:...+That's right. Everything is fine. Everything will get better in time... NPC-HK433(0)4330,130||<边框>2:... ()||<边框>2AVG_20Winter_Drink_Tea:433 puts down a cup of coffee on the desk and speaks with great severity. NPC-HK433(0)4330,130||<边框>2:Commander, what I'm about to say will probably affect my work review.+But based on my recent observations of your mental state and physical health, I strongly recommend that you take some time off.+You need a proper holiday to let your mind and body recover, otherwise— NPC-HK433(0)Commander0,130<同时置暗>||<边框>2:This isn't the time. I'll think about it once the base is properly up and running. NPC-HK433(3)4330,130||<边框>2:You don't want to keep the Dolls waiting, but you'll put off ending your own suffering? ()Commander||<边框>2:... ()||<边框>2:433 takes a deep breath. NPC-HK433(3)4330,130||<边框>2:There's something that I've been meaning to say to you...+It has nothing to do with work, and it may take up some of your precious resting time... NPC-HK433(3)Commander0,130<同时置暗>||<边框>2:Go ahead. NPC-HK433(3)4330,130||<边框>2:The truth is, we— NPC-HK433(3)0,130<同时置暗>||<边框>2AVG_tele_connect:433 is interrupted by an emergency call from Persica. ()||<边框>2:After that, all that was left unsaid fades away in reality, along with all the unfulfilled "next times". ()||<黑屏1>1.5<边框>2: ()Commander||<黑屏2><关闭蒙版>418:...+Never mind. Forget I asked. NPC-HK433(4)No. 3900,130||ClothingUp:Please wait, Commander! ()||:No. 390 stops the Commander from turning to leave. NPC-HK433(3)No. 3900,130||:I can't quite tell why, but I have a feeling there's some kind of misunderstanding between us.+The way you looked at me the first time we met... ()Commander||:Misunderstanding, huh... ()||:The Commander's eyes harden once more. NPC-HK433(2)No. 3900,130||:Please explain it clearly. NPC-HK433(2)Commander0,130<同时置暗>||:Why did you betray me? Why did you sell out Boys and Purin? NPC-HK433(4)No. 3900,130||:What are you talking about? I have done no such thing...+And who are Boys and Purin? NPC-HK433(4)Commander0,130<同时置暗>||:... NPC-HK433(3)No. 3900,130||:Does this betrayal that you mentioned concern these two people?+If you trust me, please tell me their designations and I can make some inquiries for you. NPC-HK433(3)Commander0,130<同时置暗>||:... NPC-HK433(3)No. 3900,130||:...Commander? ()||AVG_wind_grass:The visitor does not say another word to her. They rush off and promptly disappear around the street corner like a ghost left behind in a world that has moved on. ()||<黑屏1>2BGM_Empty: ()||<黑屏2>673:...In the office of the Ministry of Love, Sector 2Z64. MP448(0)No. 232||AVG_door_elecport:No. 260, who was driving above the legal speed limit, has been arrested and brought to justice. Please have the Interrogation Department take over. pa15(0)No. 260-80,100||<震屏3>Rope:Let me go! Fight me in a duel fair-and-square if you dare! NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Thank you, No. 232. ()||ClothingUp:No. 388 seizes No. 260 offhandedly, gags her to cease her torrent of curses, and carries her off to the cells. ()||<黑点1>AVG_BaseDoor_Open: ()||<黑点2>327BGM_stage13:...Holding cells in the Ministry of Love, Sector 2Z64. NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Stay in here for a bit. ()||AVG_20Winter_Prison_Door:No. 388 opens a metal gate and tosses No. 260 into a cell. ()||:How many times has it been? How many times has she taken No. 260 from No. 232 and tossed her into a cell?+Is this the only event that keeps repeating itself? The people she meets at work and the events that transpire all feel pretty much the same from day to day...+Standing before No. 260's cell, No. 388 considers this in silent contemplation. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:No. 266, do you think this world is continuously on a loop, repeating the same day over and over again?+No, that's not exactly it. The world is following the script of a single day and playing out with minor deviations... pa15(0)No. 260-80,100||AVG_flag:(Muffled grunts) NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Sorry, I forgot you couldn't speak. ()||ClothingUp:No. 388 reaches through the bars and removes No. 260's gag. pa15(0)No. 260-80,100||:...Humph, so what?+Events can repeat all they want. I don't care as long as I can keep having fun. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:... ()||:This is how most people would respond. They simply do not care if they live within a time loop as long as their lifestyle remains unchanged.+Is she the only one who is bothered by that? pa15(0)No. 260-80,100||:Hey, I was just speeding! That's not a crime worthy of a visit from Miss Mizukane, is it?! NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:...! ()||:No. 388 is so lost in her riling thoughts she did not even notice Miss Mizukane's shadow falling over her. NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Miss Mizukane. NPC-Suzuka(0)Suzuka Mizukane-160,100||:No. 388, is No. 260's case dealt with? NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Yes, ma'am. The case will now be handed over to the interrogator. NPC-Suzuka(0)Suzuka Mizukane-160,100||:Perfect timing then. I have a new mission for you. ()||<黑屏1>1: ()||9<黑屏1>0,10BGM_Empty: ()||<黑屏2>671:...In the park in Sector 2Z64. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||BGM_SAC2045_Utopia:...A human with a pending cyberbrain conversion, designation "Commander". ()||:No. 388 studies her mission target from afar. The human is sitting on a bench in the park and gazing up at the night sky with a look of melancholy.+It's hard to imagine why someone like this would need to have their risk factor assessed.+To No. 388, her target just seems to be a deeply unhappy person that she feels sorry for.+But she has no choice but to follow Miss Mizukane's order. ()||<黑点1>: NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||%%pivot_x=0.7%%pivot_y=0.4%%scale=1.7%%duration=0%%<黑点2>671:Hello, Commander. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:... NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:I hope you don't mind if I sit next to you. ()||1ClothingUp:Before waiting for the Commander's reply, No. 388 sits down on the other end of the bench. ()||:After a brief pause, No. 388 breaks the silence. NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Allow me to introduce myself. I am No. 388 from the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Love.+I'm here to collect some feedback regarding your visit. After all, as the first human visitor without a cyberbrain, your opinion matters a great deal to us. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:... NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:According to the report submitted by No. 390, who was your guide today, she felt rather dismayed for not being able to provide you with satisfactory service. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:She did very well. NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:In the report, she mentioned that you were very depressed throughout your visit, whether you were touring the residential area or the utility areas of our different departments.+No. 390 could not determine the cause of your unhappiness. Would you be so kind as to share your feelings with me? NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:...+Do you care so much about me just because of your job? NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:No. ()||:No. 388 suddenly smiles cheerfully. NPC-QBU191(2)No. 388-80,0||:My routine work is very monotonous.+I sit at the office of the Ministry of Love and wait for my comrades to bring in people who broke the law. I complete their registration and transfer them to the interrogation room.+The people who come and go are pretty much the same from day to day. Sometimes I even wonder if I'm just reliving the same day over and over again. NPC-QBU191(2)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:So, is investigating me a special mission for you? NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Yes. I have never received such an assignment before, so I might have let it get to my head a bit too much.+Do forgive me. ()Commander||:... ()||:The visitor falls silent and seems to stare into space, but No. 388 notices that they are actually scanning the telescreens in the area. NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Our telescreens record everything they see and hear. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:So they're a part of your surveillance system. Was that how you found me? NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Yes, the telescreens are how we communicate with each other. We also use them to obtain information and receive orders beyond our authorization. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:So it's just a tool for communication? NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Big Brother rules over the entire Sector 2Z64 using the telescreens as well. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:Big Brother? NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Big Brother is the top leader of Sector 2Z64. An ordinary civilian like me can never hope to meet Big Brother, of course.+So we have no way of knowing Big Brother's gender, age, physical appearance, etc.+What we do know is that Big Brother is omniscient and omnipotent and that Big Brother is always right. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:...+In other words, you can't actually be sure if "Big Brother" is even a person that exists. NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:That's true, but no matter who or what Big Brother is, he is running Sector 2Z64 effectively. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:Running it effectively... ()||:No. 388 can see that the Commander is pondering something with a deep frown. ()||AVG_machine_turn:She decides to leave them with their own thoughts and walks over to the vending machine nearby. She buys two cans of drinks and offers one to the Commander. ()Commander||:Grape juice? That's not very like you... NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:What do you mean? NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:Nothing. NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:I've answered your questions. In return, could you tell me what you think about Sector 2Z64? NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:It's a fool's paradise filled with pointless hustle and bustle. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:So I take it you believe Sector 2Z64 is an empty illusion? NPC-QBU191(1)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:Yes. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:What makes you think so? ()||ClothingUp:The visitor known as the Commander stops weighing the can of grape juice. After a short pause... ()||671%%type_id=2%%duration=1%%delay=0.1%%range=6AVG_Cloak_Whoosh%%pivot_x=0.3%%pivot_y=0.55%%scale=1.7%%duration=0.3%%BGM_Empty:They fling the can vehemently at the telescreen before them. ()||9AVG_whitenoiseAVG_Door_Hit:Crack! The telescreen is smashed right in the center. ()||AVG_21Winter_Fire_Alarm:Then comes the ear-splitting shriek of the alarm. ()||<黑屏1>: NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||<黑屏2>%%pivot_x=0.7%%pivot_y=0.4%%scale=1.7%%duration=0%%671BGM_23S_Crossroads_Warrior:Commander... NPC-QBU191(1)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:Now Big Brother can't eavesdrop on our conversation. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:... NPC-QBU191(1)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:Tell me the truth. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:About what? NPC-QBU191(1)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:Do you enjoy your life here? Do you genuinely think living here... is better than living somewhere else? NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:Hm... ()||:No. 388 thinks for a while and meets the Commander's gaze solemnly. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:I don't exactly enjoy my life here, but I don't hate it either.+I have never lived anywhere else, but I suppose life can't be so different no matter where I live. NPC-QBU191(1)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:... NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:You don't seem very happy with my answer. NPC-QBU191(1)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||:I just want to have another proper chat with you over some booze... NPC-QBU191(0)No. 388-80,0||:Booze? Commander, alcohol has been banned for years.+In fact, I believe it has been centuries since the time when we could consume alcohol at a table. NPC-QBU191(0)Commander-80,0<同时置暗>||AVG_tele_connect:... NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:Excuse me, I've just received an emergency call. I must go. ()Commander||:... ()||ClothingUp:No. 388 jogs off but suddenly stops and turns around. The Commander has resumed their melancholic study of the night sky.+She breathes in the aroma of grape juice in the air. NPC-QBU191(1)No. 388-80,0||:They say people in the past would make wine by fermenting grape juice.+If we ever get the chance, why don't we try some together in secret? ()||:No. 388's long, dark hair disappears completely into the night. ()||<黑屏1>BGM_Empty1.5: ()||<黑屏2>671AVG_wind_grass:...The maintenance staff that rushed to the scene has disabled the alarm and replaced the smashed telescreen.+It is as if nothing had ever happened in the spacious and quiet park.+The Commander is still sitting on the same bench, staring in the direction in which Ibis has departed. ()Commander||:No. 388... She has even forgotten her own name... ()||AVG_tele_connect:A notification pings softly, and a chat window pops up in front of the Commander.+It's a call from No. 390. NPC-HK433(0)No. 3900,130<通讯框>||:Commander! NPC-HK433(0)No. 3900,130<通讯框>||:I ran a search on the names you mentioned—"Boys" and "Purin"—in the database but didn't find anything...+It struck me as a bit odd, as even if there's no such data in the database, the search engine should've brought up similar results.+I will try to run searches on other databases. Please wait a bit longer. NPC-HK433(0)Commander0,130<通讯框><同时置暗>||:... NPC-HK433(2)No. 3900,130<通讯框>||:Also, you accused me of betraying you before you stormed off. I'd like to make something clear.+As someone who has been awarded "Best Employee" in the Ministry of Truth for three years in a row, I would never be a traitor! NPC-HK433(2)Commander0,130<通讯框><同时置暗>||:...+You haven't changed at all... NPC-HK433(3)No. 3900,130<通讯框>||:What does that mean? Have we met before? ()||AVG_tele_disconnect:The Commander closes the chat window. ()||SAC_2045_ARDevice_Activate:After staring at the colorful interface in a daze for a while, the Commander, as if possessed, pulls up their memory interface.+Since they have not undergone cyberbrain conversion, the memory interface is only a simulated display.+But if... ()||<黑屏1>: ()||<黑屏2>9:Will I also be able to forget everything about the past, just like them? ()||<黑点1>: