()||9<黑屏1>0,10BGM_Empty: ()||<黑屏2>90.5: ()Doctor||:Strange. They shouldn't be in a coma. Where exactly did you find them? ()Little Girl||:Just east of the medical outpost not far from here. My sister and I found them lying by the road. ()Doctor||:There aren't any serious injuries. It doesn't make sense... It's almost like— ()Doctor||:Like they're faking it... ()||ClothingUp0.5: ()Little Girl||:Look, their hand just moved. ()||<黑屏1>: ()||BGM_TK_face<睁眼>8030.5: ()||:This is a crude medical outpost. Part of the ceiling plaster is peeling, and a bag of glucose hangs from a metal rack nearby, slowly dripping into an IV. ()Commander||:Where... am I? ()Doctor||:This is the Mangrove Valley Medical Camp. Are you feeling any discomfort? ()||<白屏2>0.5AVG_Button_Click:The doctor pulls open the Commander's eyelids and shines a flashlight in to check. ()Doctor||0.5:Doesn't seem like there's anything wrong. Do you remember who you are, or how you lost consciousness? ()Commander||:I'm an operator. I was walking along the road when someone hit me from behind... After that, nothing. ()Commander||0.5:If I didn't wake up soon, I would've blown my cover. ()Doctor||:Could be a head injury. Better stay here for observation for a while. ()Doctor||:Susan, take good care of them. Fetch me if there's any issue. I'm going to check on the other patients. ()||<黑点1>AVG_Door_Open_Close: ()||<黑点2>0.5: ()||:The doctor leaves. A young girl, about 11 or 12, remains at the bedside, expertly checking the Commander's IV line. NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:This glucose drip will take another half hour to finish. If you're tired, you can rest a bit. I'll come get you later. NPC-Sanaya(0)Commander<同时置暗>||:No, it's fine. I think I've slept enough. Were you the one who brought me here? NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:Yes. You were unconscious by the road. My sister Tess and I found you. NPC-Sanaya(0)Commander<同时置暗>||:Thank you. ()||:The girl's clothes are patched in several places. They are well worn, but very clean. The collar is frayed from repeated washing. ()Commander||:Could you tell me more about this place? I don't know anything about the medical camp. ()||<黑屏1>: ()||<黑屏2>9: ()||<黑屏1>: ()||<黑屏2>8030.5: ()Commander||:Thanks. I think I have a general idea of how things work around here now. ()Commander||:Right, earlier you mentioned that a doctor was transferred from a big city hospital to help out here. Do you think he could take a look at me? I'm uneasy not knowing why I passed out. NPC-Sanaya(1)Susan||:Um... you must mean Doctor Lawrence... Actually, something happened to him recently. The new doctor hasn't arrived yet. NPC-Sanaya(1)Commander<同时置暗>||:"Something happened"? NPC-Sanaya(1)Susan||:Yeah. Last week, he got drunk one night and accidentally fell into the pond. By the time we found him, it was too late... NPC-Sanaya(1)Commander<同时置暗>||:Oh, that's awful... I didn't expect something like that. Doctor Lawrence must've been beloved here, giving up city life to support this place. NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:Yes, he helped us a lot over the years. NPC-Sanaya(0)Commander<同时置暗>||:He sounds like someone truly admirable. Did he found this medical outpost? NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:Oh, no. It was Doctor Evita. NPC-Sanaya(0)Commander<同时置暗>||:Evita? NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:Yes, Doctor Evita established this medical camp. She also saved my sister and me, and brought us here. ()||:When Susan speaks of her savior, her voice quickens with emotion. NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:My sister and I are orphans. We were starving when Doctor Evita rescued us and brought us here. We usually help out with chores... NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:Ah! I almost forgot! ()||RunStep:Susan grabs a messy stack of papers from a nearby desk and rushes toward the door. NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:I've got other things to do. You get some rest. I'll be back before it's time to change your bandages. ()Commander||:Wait! ()||:The Commander points to a red envelope that's fallen to the floor, stained with dark, brownish smudges. ()Commander||:You dropped this. NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:Oh! Thank you! NPC-Sanaya(0)Susan||:I'm off now. Shout for me if you need anything. ()||0.5AVG_20Winter_Book:Susan picks up the red envelope and tucks it into the messy pile of papers, then hurries out of the ward. ()Commander||:Evita? Coincidence...? ()||<黑屏1>: ()||<黑屏2>BGM_Empty9: ()||<黑屏1>: ()||GF_EV9_Story168<黑屏2>0.5:The next day. ()Doctor||:Don't walk for too long, and don't push yourself. If you feel unwell, come back right away. ()Commander||:Got it. Thanks. ()||:The Commander leaves the ward under the doctor's watchful gaze and steps outside the medical camp. ()||:Tents have been set up around the station to house the staff and their families. ()||:Over time, the area has grown into a rough settlement, sheltering not only workers but many homeless people like Susan. ()Commander||:Excuse me. Could you tell me how to get to the pond? NPC-AH400(2)Woman||:The pond? ()||:The Commander stops a woman carrying a tray stacked neatly with medical supplies. She's heading toward the medical outpost. NPC-AH400(2)Woman||:There's a pond to the north... but unless it's important, I'd stay away. Someone drowned there recently. NPC-AH400(2)Commander<同时置暗>||:Someone drowned? NPC-AH400(2)Woman||:You must be new here. Early last week, someone found Doctor Lawrence from the medical camp drowned in that pond. NPC-AH400(2)Commander<同时置暗>||:That's tragic. NPC-AH400(2)Woman||:Tragic? ()||ClothingUp:The woman raises an eyebrow scornfully. She leans in and lowers her voice. NPC-AH400(2)Woman||:Good riddance, if you ask me. NPC-AH400(2)Woman||:He might look like a kind-hearted doctor, but he was actually a selfish, greedy man. NPC-AH400(2)Commander<同时置暗>||:Oh? What did he do? ()||:The Commander tries to press for more, but the woman shakes her head, steps back, and turns to leave. NPC-AH400(2)Woman||:No one believes it. No one wants to believe it. NPC-AH400(2)Woman||:If you insist on going, head out the north exit, then turn right when you see a pine tree split by lightning. ()||<黑点1>: ()||<黑点2>9: ()||<黑点1>: ()||2620.5<黑点2>: ()||:This is a small pond, surrounded by trees. No one else is in sight. ()||:Plunk. The Commander tosses a rock into the water to test the depth. ()Commander||:The water by the shore isn't deep enough to drown an adult. Sure, drunken disorientation is possible... ()||ClothingUp:They glance back toward the medical outpost. ()Commander||:Lawrence was supposedly walking home alone after drinking... but if the info I gathered is right, he wouldn't even pass by this pond on the way... ()||AVG_wind_grassBGM_Empty:A branch snaps in the woods behind them—someone's there. ()Commander||:Who's there? ()||:A middle-aged man, caught spying, reluctantly steps out from behind a tree. ()Man||:Hey! What are you doing, skulking around? I've been watching you! ()Commander||:... ()||RopeBGM_stage12:The man picks up a dead branch and grips it like a weapon. He waves it at the Commander, hollering loudly ()||:The Commander doesn't respond. They step forward. The man freezes, then swings the branch toward the Commander's head. ()||<震屏3>AVG_Punch_Hit: ()Man||:Aaah! ()||:He doesn't see what happens. All he feels is a sharp pain in his right arm. The stick slips from his hand. His world spins, and by the time he realizes it, he's pinned to the ground, arms locked behind him. ()Man||Rope:Ow, ow, ow! Easy—take it easy... ()Commander||:Talk. Why were you tailing me? ()Man||:Let go... just a little... I was just... I saw you asking around about Lawrence, and then you came here, sneaking around... ()Man||<震屏3>Rope:Ow, ow, okay! I'll talk! You're investigating Lawrence's death, right? I have a lead! ()Man||:Lawrence was murdered! ()Commander||:By whom? ()Man||:Evita! It was Evita! ()||<黑屏1>: ()||<黑屏2>9: ()||<黑屏1>: ()||<黑屏2>2620.5: ()||:Now released, the man sits across from the Commander by the lakeside. ()Commander||:Evita? Which Evita? ()Man||:A doctor. She's the one who built the medical camp—got the people, supplies, funding... all her doing. ()Man||:But she hardly comes here. Lawrence handled most of the operations—treatments... and purchases. ()Commander||:Purchases? ()Man||:Yeah! You know how procurement works—people skim a little off the top. Nothing serious, right? ()||ClothingUp:The Commander toys with the stick that the man had wielded as a weapon, tapping it in their palm without commenting. ()Man||:Ahem. Anyway, Evita came by not long ago and found out. They had a huge falling out. ()Man||:Soon after, Lawrence said he was going back to Marulos, and then he was found dead in the pond. ()Man||:Drowned? Ha! The water's barely knee-deep. No way he just drowned. ()Man||:So I'm sure he was killed. And the only one with real beef with him was Evita. ()Commander||:And how do you know this? Did you see it happen? ()Man||:Well... no... ()Man||:But who else would've done it? Everyone knew Lawrence was skimming, but no one cared—didn't want to ruin someone else's cut. ()Man||:But Evita wasn't like that. Lawrence was stealing her money! Word is she's planning to donate another batch of equipment soon. ()Man||:Ask around the camp. Two weeks ago when Evita was here, they got into a shouting match. Loud enough for everyone to hear. ()Commander||:I'll confirm it myself. But how do you know all this? ()Man||:Uh... ()||<震屏3>AVG_XXS_kick:The Commander slams the stick into the soft earth, burying it half a meter deep. ()Man||:I'll talk, I'll talk. Please don't hit me. ()Man||:Lawrence needed help with the skim. I... helped a little. Just a bit! ()Man||:He got the lion's share. That's all I know, I swear. Look... ()Commander||:Go. And keep your mouth shut. ()||0.5RunStep:The man scrambles to his feet, bowing and scraping with a sheepish grin. He doesn't even bother picking up the shoe he lost earlier. He just turns and bolts. ()Commander||0.5:Evita... two weeks ago, huh? ()||<黑点1>: