Nocturnal Sweeping

Year: 985 - 01

Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 5 - Episode 6 - Episode 7 - Episode 8 - Episode 9 - Episode 10 - Episode 11 - Episode 12 - Episode 13 - Episode 14 - Episode 15 - Episode 16

Episode: 1
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
Rodion	Yawn... Dante, any idea where that leftover cake from yesterday went?
Dante	<… No idea. I mean, why would I know? I can't even eat...>
Rodion	Darn… Did Donqui already get her paws on ‘em…?
Rodya rubbed her tired eyes, muttered something about how we should've partied in her room instead, and stumbled to the Backdoor.
Dante	<…….>
The new year's came swiftly to the inhabitants of the bus after the various incidents at the LCE.
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles, Yesterday
The Sinners all came from different backgrounds and parts of the City, but annual celebration for new year’s seemed to be a thread that connected their cultures together. They began floating the idea of a new year’s party, and…
Don Quixote	Excellent! Then permit me the honor of hosting this banquet!
... with her usual overdramatic boast, coupled with the familiar twinkle in her eyes, Don Quixote declared that there would indeed be a new year's party. And thus it was decided.
Gregor	Again…? After all the hell we went through with the Backdoor and whatnot for the out-of-season Christmas celebration…?
Don Quixote	Ahem... Yet I must insist, for 'twas but an effort to decorate the bus, the intent quite divorced from the act of celebration...
Don Quixote glanced at Sinclair, sheepishly scratching the back of her head.
Sinclair	Huh? Ohh… Don’t worry about me, really. Ha ha…
Don Quixote	Well, 'tis... ahem. 'Tis true that mine actions hath brought thee quite the distress—unintentionally, I might add—thus I ask thee... wouldst thou not agree that a communal event to mark the occasion might freshen both our spirits and bodies?
... I can't even begin to imagine her amnesiac self even taking a moment to give a damn about how Sinclair might take it, but I guess with memory came tact.
Rodion	Ya know~ It's our first new year's together! It sure is an occasion for a celebration, huh? Gotta hear that bell go ding~ to really mark the transition to a new year, right~?
Yi Sang	Ah, it seems that we shall be welcoming the first light of the new year in company of one another. This is indeed a cause for celebration.
Ryoshu	A bowl of noodles before the last night of the year fades... classic.
Don Quixote	Sob… such bubbling enthusiasm from ye warmeth mine own heart…!
Don Quixote	Forsooth, the grandiosity of this banquet shall be one for the books! Fireworks most brilliant! Enough delicacies to—
Vergilius	Charon, when’s our next stop?
Charon	Mephi’ll be running nonstop for three days at least. Only dumb-dumbs stop on a fast road.
Vergilius	… So she says.
Vergilius muttered with his usual sardonic edge, one fist under his chin...
Don Quixote	Fie...
Don Quixote	For next year’s celebration... the banquet shall be prepared… ere the promised hour…
Don Quixote’s idea of a grand banquet depressingly fizzled into nothingness, but...
... Rodya brought out the cakes and cookies she'd stashed in her room so we could at least hold a small celebration for the new year's together.
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
After that, we all stayed up together, watched the new year's first sunrise briefly paint the City in gold, then retired to sleep.
When everyone woke up, rubbing their tired eyes, the world outside the bus had completely transformed.
There was a... behemoth of a structure, bizarre in its presence, and its walls seemingly made of gargantuan steel plates.
Yi Sang	H Corp...?
The Sinners began to voice their surprise; appropriately so, as what came into view was different from any of the Nests we'd passed by on our journey thus far.
Dante	<Is that... is that massive structure all one building...?>
Heathcliff	If that whole thing's the Nest... then where the hell's the Backstreets? That's big enough to cover H Corp.'s territory and then some.
Ishmael	… Well. There he goes again, asking dumb questions without ever taking a peep at the guidebook.
Ishmael	That’s not the Nest. That huge box you see over there? That's District 8.
Hong Lu	We call it Hongyuan—The Vast Garden—here at H Corp.
Hong Lu	The Nest lies within the center of the structure, and the Backstreets without.
Gregor	Ugh… so they squeezed the entire population of this district in there? Do they just not get a ray of sunlight all year round?
Heathcliff	Huh… well, at least they won’t have to worry about the rain.
Don Quixote	A-ah! Prithee, avail me a sight as well!
Dante	<…….>
As the Sinners began to gather one by one at the other side of the bus, stirred awake from their late night’s rest, I felt my gaze drawn toward Hong Lu.
I look for signs of concern or distress on his face, worried.
It wasn't exactly something unique to Hong Lu, but the stories about his past home life we've heard throughout the year, whenever he felt like sharing them, were all consistently and terribly depressing.
Hong Lu	Fuhu, it’s not such a bad place once you actually try living here for a while~
But his lips, ever-so-slightly curled upward into a kindly and relaxed smile, are making the same expression as ever.
An expression that hasn't changed at all since our first meeting.
Maybe it’s just a cultural difference, kinda like how Hong Lu can be so nonchalant about things that should give most people pause. But…
Actually, no. I'm not helping anyone or anything by entertaining these thoughts.
My job, at this moment, is to keep a close eye on Hong Lu, more so than usual…
And if the time comes for me to help him, as the manager, I'll give it my all.
Besides...
Rodion	Whoa… This thing’s even bigger up close…!
Don Quixote	Verily, I carry no recollection of a structure so grand, even in past adventures of mine…!
… if my efforts aren't enough, I know I can trust the Sinners to lend me a hand.
Dante	<Hey, let me see, too.>
I collected my thoughts and approached the Sinners who were flattened up against the glass window to get a good view.

Episode: 2
Once we left the bus...
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Entrance
Gregor	Oh maaan...Can't believe we had to get off the bus here.
Ishmael	We have to make a formal complaint against H Corp. for this crap. What the hell were they thinking, doing shoddy construction work at the entrance of the highway that leads straight into the Nest?
Yi Sang	Many causes there may be to such construction projects, yet... perhaps an early warning sign ere our approach to the site would have been a sensible addi— nngh.
Don Quixote	Were it not for young Charon's most valiant drifting... aagh, I shudder to even imagine the terrible possibilities! 'Twould have been a most awful end to an adventure...
It's no surprise that the Sinners all had a piece of their mind to speak.
As we drove up to the entryway, we unexpectedly came across a mess of badly put-together steel plates blocking our path in the middle of the road; Charon quickly spun the bus around, which meant that everyone ended up being thrown about like ragdolls.
Rodion	Good thing there was another road off the highway that leads into the City, right~? I bet Charon woulda tried to reverse gear all the way back to the last interchange.
Rodion	But... looks like we'll be going through all these winding alleyways to get to the Nest.
Dante	<It’s so dark in here...>
We were greeted by a dark street upon disembarking from the bus, illuminated only by faint strands of light.
It was immediately obvious that we found ourselves in the Backstreets of H Corp.
Heathcliff	Looked pretty impressive from the outside, but… it's no different from the other Backstreets inside, eh?
Rodion	Yep. It’s a familiar sight. Gotta say, it's getting real old.
Don Quixote	I ask thee, is the Nest of this District shrouded in such darkness as well...?
Faust	No. These particular sights are limited to the Backstreets of District 8.
The Backstreets of this District weren't very different from the other ones we’d visited in the past.
People hurrying through the streets as though they were being chased by something, people scowling and glaring at the ground with some sickness or discomfort... scenes all too common in every corner of the City.
There was one thing about this place that stood out from the other districts, however…
Dante	<I, uh… they’re kinda reminding me of the former G Corp. soldiers back at District 4...>
Gregor	...Wha? What do you mean? You mean those fellas...?
The growths on their flesh appeared too organic to be prosthetics. Some of them had odd protrusions or nodules bulging from their skin as well.
Gregor	Not at all, manager bud. Look, they haven’t all mutated in the same pattern, like into an insectoid form for example.
Gregor	Well, I guess I should commend you for not looking at them through a biased lens.
Faust	You are observing the aftermath of District 8’s distinctive method of treatment.
Ishmael	Ohh...! So this is where the rumors about that blue-ish healing ointment came from, huh? Apparently they can cure any flesh wound after just one night dressed in bandages?
Faust	... It seems that certain misconceptions must be addressed.
Faust	They are the variations of H Corp.'s Singularity, the 'Bolus'.
Sinclair	The B-Bolus...?
Meursault	She is likely referring to medicines brewed and kneaded into ball-shaped pills.
Faust	Correct. H Corp.... or the Hongyuan Bioengineering Group mainly manufactures Boluses that contain essences of treatment.
Faust	The Boluses may be taken orally, ground with water into a paste and applied directly to the affected area, or dissolved in water, soaked into bandages, and wrapped around the necessary area for treatment.
Ishmael	Ahh... I guess rumors transform as they travel.
Sinclair	Ohh... I see. I was just thinking about how they do things back at the, uh... the K Corp.
Faust	The focus of K Corp.’s technology is the reversal or recovery of one’s conditions. "Returning to the original state" is the key word in their treatment.
Faust	It is no rare sight to find unique techniques and technology developed independently by the inhabitants of the Backstreets of District 8 using the manufactured Boluses. The treatments are not individually customized for each patient; instead, their focus is on selecting the appropriate technique from a myriad of choices to address the deficiencies in their statuses.
Faust	Perhaps one could choose the words... 'Transformation' or 'Evolution' as a more illustrative descriptor for their method of treatment.
Sinclair	So... they're... that's what counts as 'treated'?
The crowd Sinclair was pointing at certainly appeared unhurt, as none of them were bleeding or walking with a limp, but...
... many of them appeared dazed, staring blankly at nothing... or scratching absentmindedly at their mutated parts.
Hong Lu	Ah... they must be the 'regulars'.
Unexpectedly, we found our answer not from Faust, not from Meursault, but from Hong Lu.
Dante	<The regulars?>
Hong Lu	Yes. I've heard of them as a child. People who've grown too accustomed to visiting the clinics in search of their mystical treatments.
Hong Lu	The regulars might appear more intimidating than most people at first glance, but apparently all the side effects they've been stacking changes them in strange ways.
Meursault	Mm. It is highly likely that inter-operation conflicts or issues will arise when applying highly disparate treatment methods to a single body.
Hong Lu	At least it's a cheaper alternative for people who didn't sign up for the Life Insurance~
Yi Sang	You speak of life... insurance?
Hong Lu	Yes, Life Insurance. There’s a special insurance option to bring the client back to life upon the event of their death.
Dante	<So, the irony isn’t lost on me, but...>
Dante	<I thought resurrecting people was one of the Head's taboos?>
Faust	… The Head does not consider the revival via Life Insurance to be a violation of their non-resurrection taboo.
Outis	It is likely that, on a technical level, this 'revival' is actually categorized as brain resuscitation as opposed to a full resurrection; degradation of its functions considered, of course.
Faust	Another fatal downside to this technology is that, unlike the manager’s clock-winding, the subject cannot be brought back if their brain is destroyed. Also, there is a risk of… significant 'losses' in the process of information transference.
Ishmael	Losses, huh… So maybe some of their mutations could be more than just the side effects of these treatments.
Hong Lu	Hm... maybe, but I heard it takes more than one or two revivals to change that much.
Hong Lu	And since apparently people in the Backstreets could never even dream of paying consistent insurance renewal rates, so...
Hong Lu	After all, who would sign up for insurance if using its services could reduce them to such pitiful states?
???	… Yeah, they appear pathetic and pitiful to you rich bastards, don't they?
???	You’ll soon be in the same boat as them, so save some pity for yourself.
Outis	... Identify yourself.
The stranger’s voice cut through our discussion like a foreign instrument. We turned around to find a large group of people who were clearly up to no good.
???	You must be the ‘young master’ of that high-and-mighty Jia family, eh? I can tell just by looking at your pretty face.
Rodion	Your friends, Hong Lu?
Hong Lu	Um… no. I haven’t had much chance to get acquainted with people from the Backstreets, so... nope, I've never met them before~
???	Of course you haven’t. Too busy living large, playin' gods in a whole different world from us plebs, huh?
???	Not that it matters. We’re just here to take the thing you brought here for submission to the Family Hierarch Evaluation.
Ishmael	The what evaluation...? Okay, there’s clearly been a misunderstanding.
Gregor	There’s quite a lot of them. We’re not off to a great start here, huh… man.
???	Actually, no.
???	It'd be a violation of our Office's core values to jump them like we're some common thugs.
Shan San	I, Shan San, third son of the Tri-axe Office, challenge Jia Baoyu of the Jia family to a duel.
Shan San	Our wager... will be that the winner can take anything they want from the loser.
Sinclair	Wait, what do you mean a duel...?
Don Quixote	D-d-d-d-dududu-duel!
Don Quixote	I have heard tale that ‘duels’ of the honorable Fixers of the Cinq Association eastern branch announce their intent to duel by stating their affiliation and name, instead of casting their gauntlets! And, the pamphlet that young Ishmael had presented before me earlier presenteth the truth that the Tri-axe Office is indeed an Office of the east, though they are indeed of a lesser quality! 'Tis a true, genuine, accurate declaration of a duel that we behold!
Ishmael	… Sigh.
Heathcliff	So… it’s just a fancy way of sayin’ “1v1 me, let’s go”, innit?
Dante	<I mean, this guy doesn’t look too tough… What do you think, Faust?>
Faust	Agreed. This individual does not seem to possess any particularly exceptional skill that may pose difficulties for Hong Lu.
Hong Lu	Hm~ I think it’s going to be okay. I’ll be back in a minute, Dante.
Dante	<Uh, you sure this is okay? I don’t think you’re going to lose against him, but… you know... just in case?>
Hong Lu	No worries. I have some childhood experience with duels myself. I've done about ten of them, I think?
Shan San	Hah! So the rich boy’s dabbled in some duels, has he? It’s—
Hong Lu	Ah… I think you misunderstand.
Hong Lu	I meant to say that I've done about ten of them a day. Oh, but grandmother sometimes let me skip them, so it might've been slightly fewer than that on some days?
Shan San	Wha… what?
Hong Lu	I, Hong Lu of Limbus Company… hm, no.
Hong Lu	I, Baoyu of the Jia family, accept this duel.
Hong Lu stepped forward confidently as the opponent was processing what he just heard.
For a moment, Hong Lu stood there in a stance that did not express even a hint of aggression… before curiously cocking his head to the side.
Hong Lu	Um… sorry, are we waiting for something?
Shan San	Mm?
Hong Lu	Oh, so… I always let the opponent get the first two moves in duels. Please, don’t hesitate.
Shan San	‘Let’ me…? You little…
Shan San	Tsk, your cocky pride shall be your downfall!
The man who introduced himself as Shan San leaped toward Hong Lu. Then, after about… a minute...
Shan San	How… how is this happening…?
Unlike Shan San, who was throwing punches and swings with boiling hot passion, Hong Lu was effortlessly gliding between his opponent's strikes like he was out on a picnic.
As though this was but a leisurely stroll through a garden...
Whenever Shan San threw a powerful punch, Hong Lu redirected it to the side with ease, the fist only grazing his clothes.
We were mesmerized by the feathery-light movements of his hands and feet that effortlessly glided through the air… until, after one blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, we realized that Shan San was already face-down on the ground, defeated.
Don Quixote	Hoh? Young Hong Lu, hast thou been concealing thy full strength in our presence?!
Hong Lu	Oh no, I wouldn’t say that. I always put my all into every fight.
Don Quixote	Y-yet, to defeat this foe so soundly, to dance with such grace between his strikes is… ‘twas as though thou wert dueling someone whose skill may only measure against a child's!
Hong Lu	Hm… But most of our fights happen in environments with a lot of variables. And we usually fight against enemies with all kinds of unexpected weapons and powers.
Ryoshu	You read him.
Ryoshu	Already familiar with that fool’s moves?
Hong Lu	Ohh~ yes. One of my biwu instructors used similar techniques as this gentleman here.
Hong Lu	Practice makes perfect and perfection makes an expert, right? Fuhu.
Gregor	Right, but I'm not sure if that's entirely relevant here...
Shan San	…….
Gregor	Well, anyways… looks to me that he soundly kicked your behind in this duel. Let us through, why don’t you?
Gregor	... And preferably not do the thing I think you're about to do.
Shan San	This duel wasn’t overseen by a notary Office anyway… And our employer’s not gonna let this failure slide if we just leave...
Shan San	Heh... don’t just sit there! Move your asses and jump ‘em!
Ryoshu	Hmph. Pathetic.
Gregor	... I can kinda see how we're becoming experts at getting jumped.
With the bitter cry of the defeated, his gang rushed toward us.

Episode: 3
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Entrance
Gregor	This really isn’t a great start, fellas… Haah. It's never easy, is it?
Rodion	Hey, at least we got a nice warm-up. It wasn’t all bad.
Ishmael	I don’t know, this seems more serious than our usual street brawls…
Ishmael's right. They weren't your everyday thugs who pick fights with random people for no good reason.
They were contracted by someone to specifically target and eliminate Hong Lu.
And given how open they were about their intent, calling it a ‘contract’… it doesn’t seem like whoever gave the contract was exactly going for subtlety.
Then… maybe this is what Jia Xichun was talking about way back when she mentioned surviving as Heirs?
Ishmael	Whoever's behind this must have a bone to pick with Hong Lu.
Outis	Indeed. It seems that we must expect more skirmishes like this going forward.
Don Quixote	Alas, was this trial not readily overcome?!
Outis	Not the point… think on it a little more.
Dante	<Seems like they’re assuming that Hong Lu’s brought something here in order to participate in that 'Family Hierarch Evaluation'...>
Dante	<... Then there’s no reason to assume that we’ve seen the last of them. They’re going to try again to take out the competition.>
Outis	A highly accurate assessment of the situation by the Executive Manager. I expected no less from someone of your genius.
Rodion	Mmm~ Goin’ for the classics of brown-nosing today, Outis?
Outis	Since when was it ‘brown-nosing’ to compliment a job well done? Do you not expect—
Vergilius	This inane conversation is most riveting, but I would prefer some silence while we wait.
Vergilius	It seems that the company foresaw such difficulties. They've sent you a support team to help handle this issue.
We heard voices coming from behind us, from where Vergilius pointed.
???	My... you guys still haven't learned how to stick to the plan, have you?
???	It really threw me off when I was told to meet you in some Backstreets location, away from our agreed rendezvous point.
A familiar voice. A voice we could not forget.
Saude	Been a while, everyone.
Pilot	H-hi, I’m here too… hehe.
We turned around to follow where the voice was coming from… and recognized the two people we've been hoping to see again.

Episode: 4
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Entrance
Gregor	S-Saude?!
Ishmael	And hey, Pilot… right? You’re...
Saude	What’s wrong? It’s like you're all looking at a ghost. Pilot, didn’t you tell me that you shared my news with them the last time?
Pilot	I-I did! I sure did, ma’am!
Gregor	Oh…! Yeah! He did!
The Sinners each recovered from the initial shock of seeing them again...
... and soon, their faces began to bloom with relieved smiles.
Saude	Well, good to see that things haven’t changed much around here.
Dante	<Saude… We’re so glad to see you’re okay.>
Saude	Tick-tock to you, too. Good to see your gears are turning just fine.
Saude smiled with a familiar grin. She did not seem to have changed much since the last time we met, save for a few minor differences.
Her outfit and her badge, for example.
Outis	Last I recall, you were promoted, yes? Allow me to congratulate you.
Saude	Uhm... yeah, ha ha.
Or the hints of melancholy, hanging from her smile and flickering in her eyes.
Gregor	Hey...!
Outis	I am merely congratulating her on her promotion and offering a recognition of her excellent accomplishments. I don’t see what your problem is here.
Gregor	But we all know the meaning that promotion carries...
Outis	Indeed, and it is very profound. After all, what meaning is there to a promotion attained without spilling some blood?
Gregor	You… you’re a real piece of work…
Outis	Let me ask you something, then. If everyone behaves like you do around her, tiptoeing around the facts, keeping it hush-hush about what happened, where’s she going to get the bare minimum of the recognition and the consolation she deserves?
Gregor	…….
Saude	Hush-hush would’ve been nice. I’ve even overheard some of them whisper that I let my partner die just so I can snag a promotion.
Saude	So, in that regard… I appreciate that, Outis.
Outis	… Hm.
Saude	If we're being technical, I did die... except my brain was intact. Not even K Corp.'s regenerative ampules could've revived me if it wasn't.
Sinclair	...! Then did Effie also—
Saude	Apparently they went right for Effie's head when they stabbed him with a prosthetic.
Saude	... According to the coroner's autopsy.
Sinclair	…….
Ishmael	K Corp. ampules... Life Insurance... neither of them can revive someone with a damaged brain.
Saude	... It is what it is.
Saude	Anyways, anyways. Let’s not dwell on the depressing stuff.
Saude	We’re here for work, let’s get some work done. So let’s talk about work, okay? Pilot?
Pilot	Uh! Yes ma’am!
Pilot	W-well, lessee here. Coincidentally, I happened to make friends with a feller who has ties to the Jia family! So I brought’em over!
Saude	…….
Gregor	Hey, … i-is that everything?
Pilot	Y-yessir. Briefing over.
Just as everyone was reeling in stunned silence at the least informative, least helpful briefing we ever had the displeasure of sitting through...
... Ishmael was the first to catch herself. She looked up at Saude.
Ishmael	... Saude, can we rely on you for some elaboration here?
Meursault	The briefing was a good demonstration of the necessity of educating the 'Five Ws and One H' principle.
Saude	Haha. Looks like we’ll have a lot to discuss once we get back, Pilot.
Pilot	Uhh… Did I do somethin’ wrong?!
Gregor	Shh. Shh! Pilot, buddy, just stop. You're digging yourself a deeper hole with every word.
Gregor quickly leaned in to warn Pilot, but it was likely too late. A nigh-unnoticeable crease had already formed between Saude's brows.
Saude	... Prior to commencing this high-priority operation, it was necessary for us to find individuals with connections to H Corp.
Saude	So we as the Preliminary Observation Unit were put to the task, and... we managed to establish a connection with an individual.
Hong Lu	Ooh~ Someone from my family?
Saude	No. We tried, but your family proved to be a rather difficult nut to crack. However, as we were wasting our precious time with all of our leads, Pilot pursued an unconventional method to establish this connection.
Saude	I really didn't hold back on compliments then, and this is how you...
Pilot	Nnh...
Saude	Hm. Our collaborator is a former employee of the Jia family. After leaving the family, he now runs a lodging business.
Outis	Then it is likely that he is far removed from the family politics; less motivation for him to attack us due to conflicting interests.
Saude	Yes. And according to Pilot's report, he still regards the Jia family positively.
???	How can I not, considering the blessings they have given me?
An unfamiliar voice butted into the conversation, as though to continue Saude's explanations.
Qingtao	I humbly present myself before the fellowship of young master Baoyu. Please, call me Qingtao.
He greeted us in a most polite fashion before bringing his hands together in an odd motion.
Dante	<... Oh, is this how people greet each other here?>
Hong Lu	Yep, it's called the 'baoquan gesture'. Bringing fist and palm together to express respect and peace toward the receiver.
Don Quixote	Aha! Knights greet one another by shaking their hands for the selfsame purpose. Forsooth, thou art indeed one possessed of a chivalrous spirit!
Qingtao	Ah, indeed! Much did I worry about the qualities of people young master has surrounded himself with, but I see that he is in company of those wise in the ways of the west.
Qingtao	I prostrate myself before the vast breadth of your knowledge! What grand generosity it is, to open ajar the waterways of wisdom to quench my barren lands.
Dante	<…….>
Dante	<... Something feels familiar about this.>
Rodion	Nah, she's been getting less and less verbose with bootlicking these days... not like this guy, for sure.
Dante	<That's true. He's kinda like... how should I put this, uh... a bit much.>
Sinclair	What are you guys talking about...?
Qingtao	Communicating only by the sound a ticking clock... this is something I had already known ahead of time, yet...
Qingtao	... what a most curious exchange to behold in person! Brief this journey may be, yet I shall find myself thoroughly entertained in its entirety! Ha ha!
Rodion	Maybe it's the subtle sprinkle of disrespect that reminds you of the usual flavor...
Outis	... Wait, is this about me? You dare...!?
Saude	Ahem...
Was all that bootlicking she did supposed to be a source of pride for her or something...?
Outis shook her head with clear distaste and strode toward me.
Outis	We are nothing alike, Executive Manager!
Outis	Never have I once said such empty flattery in your presence, filled with nothing but hot air and superlatives—!
Saude	I'll leave the guidance of these Backstreets to him. Well, looks like this is where—
Saude fell silent, her eyes lingering on Vergilius who stood somewhat apart from the rest of us.
Saude	So I finally get to meet the Red Gaze, in the flesh. I've been looking forward to this day for a long time.
Saude	... Effie would've loved to be here.
Pilot	M-manager...
Vergilius	…….
Vergilius seemed to sense her lingering gaze, and walked toward us after nodding slightly in her direction.
Vergilius	Manager Saude.
Vergilius	Let's not make this any longer than it has to be. I'm not happy to be helping you with your businesses—I'd much rather put this behind me as soon as possible.
Saude	Oh, please! It's our historic first collaborative operation, isn't it? Can't you spare a little more time with us~?
Gregor	The guide bud's... actually doing something? That guy?
Saude	Yes. Unfortunately, LCC has our own business to take care of today, so I won't be accompanying the LCB this time. And the Red Gaze will be helping us out to get it done.
Charon	Taking Mephi there. Vroom-vroom.
Saude	Hm... maybe it's not that unfortunate, now that I think about it. I feel like every mission with the LCB's always been an uphill battle to get anything done...
Rodion	W-well, you see... back then, we were...
Saude	Ha ha, just messing with you. I'm sure we'll have another chance to work together again.
Pilot	Boss, we don't got much time...!
Ishmael	Wait, before you go... I think you owe us some explanation, Vergilius.
Vergilius	... I will leave the details to miss Faust. I am quite busy.
Faust	Very well.
Vergilius turned around and left toward Mephistopheles with an oddly disgruntled expression.
Saude	Well, then. I'll see you around.
Pilot	N-next time, I'll show y'all! I'll show you that I can carry my own weight!
Pilot	Y-you know, oh boy, the last time we met I really was so darn pathetic...
Saude	Pilot. Competence is shown through action, not words.
Saude and Pilot gave us a light nod before following Vergilius.
Some Sinners opened their mouths to speak, hesitated, then closed them again. We let them go without a word.
Perhaps we didn't know what we could say to not make this an awkward farewell.
Qingtao	Very well. Please, this way.
Or maybe we were simply mindful of this guy who was responsible for the quality of our stay.

Episode: 5
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Entrance
Singing Voice	Deep resentment ought to be washed away~
Singing Voice	for when the far one comes, betwixt the burnt doors shall a star fall astray~
Sinclair	A-are you sure we're going the right way? I don't like the sound of these weird songs...
Qingtao	The main streets are most likely teeming with those seeking to bring harm to the young master. We must venture an alternative path.
And like he said, there weren't any skirmishes once we made it deeper into the dark alleyways.
The lack of foot traffic would normally be pretty unsettling, but I guess that's what we needed at this moment.
Qingtao	As for the song... it's a song that's become rather popular in the Backstreets in the recent months.
Gregor	The lyrics are pretty uh... ominous for a popular song.
Qingtao	It is a song that spread through word of mouth. It sings of how the decimated Kong family—
Qingtao	Ahm. This is not the place to discuss such matters. I will share the tale in a more appropriate setting later, should we come across it.
Hong Lu	Didn't know there was a song like that.
Sinclair	Is this the first time you've heard of it too, Hong Lu?
Heathcliff	He's a posh git from a posh family. I doubt he's ever set his precious feet in the Backstreets, so it's no wonder he's never heard anything like it.
Hong Lu	Hm~ I have been to the Backstreets before... but Heathcliff isn't wrong.
Hong Lu	I did spend most of my time in my room.
Qingtao	That is precisely because you were the most treasured one of them all, young master.
Qingtao	Much like how the jade of the greatest worth is to be cherished, prized, and hidden in the deepest depths of one's coffers where none shall reach!
Outis	…….
Outis	I'm... like him...?
Yi Sang	... To a lesser degree, particularly as of late.
Dante	<Hm...>
So that guy used to work for the Jia family, huh...
Dante	<Do you know him, Hong Lu?>
Hong Lu	Hm? Um...
Qingtao	... Young master? Is there... something on my face?
Hong Lu	Ah...
Hong Lu stopped himself as though a thought flashed in his head, and glanced quietly in my direction.
Then...
Hong Lu	It's nothing. Shall we continue walking down this road?
Qingtao	Indeed. Humble as I may be, I am very well-versed in the roads of this area.
Hong Lu shook his head at me as he casually changed the subject.
It was... as though he was trying to hide something we know from Qingtao.
Dante	<... Should we be suspicious of something?>
Hong Lu	…….
Faust	... He is a collaborator, but only a temporary one. A degree of caution would be advisable.
Outis	Given Pilot's clear inexperience and naïveté, we would do well to remain suspicious of this character.
Faust and Outis approached me as Hong Lu was nodding along and chatting amicably with our guide.
Well, looking back at our journey so far...
... I think we learned our lesson about blindly trusting every collaborator we come across.
With this growing mistrust in mind, I slowly made my distance from the guide before asking Faust the burning question.
Dante	<So what was that about back there with Vergilius? Something about him going off to help them out...?>
Faust	... The consequences of his actions at Wuthering Heights.
Ishmael	... Oh.
Faust	His actions were a violation of one of the more important items in his contract with the company. He is simply taking responsibility for the breach of contract.
... I think back to the incident at the manor. It feels like such a long time ago now.
Dante	<Well, that's kind of a bummer... He really helped us out of a pickle.>
Heathcliff	What?! That's what they're dragging him away for?!
Qingtao	... Is there a problem, honored guests?
Rodion	Aha! Ahahaha! It's nothing, nothing at all! No problemo! Right, Ryōshū?
Heathcliff	Kuh!
Ryoshu	S.U. Idiot.
Rodion	Meursault, can you carry Heath for a little bit? He's dead tired.
Meursault	It will be done.
Heathcliff, punched in the gut by the hilt of Ryōshū's sword, fell forward right onto Meursault's welcoming shoulder.
Dante	<Rodya...?>
Rodion	Y'know the kind of person I hate the most~? The kind of dull people who can't read the room~
Rodion	Don'tcha feel the same way, Dante?
Dante	<Y-yep...>
I nodded enthusiastically, as something seemed to imply that she wasn't really asking me a question.
I don’t think she was about to punch my lights out, but…
Faust	... Rodion and Ryōshū judged correctly this time. Classified company information must not be discussed in the presence of an outsider.
Ishmael	Reminds me of the time he got knocked out cold for a while because he kept asking questions without raising his hands. This guy just doesn't learn, huh.
Outis	Mm. You successfully preserved the secrecy of classified information without spilling blood. I applaud this policy.
Rodion	Heh heh. I did good, didn't I?
... I'm just not a fan of how they're treating Heathcliff like dirt now.
Qingtao	If it is 'no problemo', as you say, then that is well indeed...
Qingtao	... Yet I worry that it appears that the problem has found us anyway.
I stopped and looked around, realizing that we were surrounded by a group of people wielding various weapons in their hands.
Gregor	What, uh, happened to finding us a safer path?
Qingtao	It is likely that my guidance has indeed given us a much safer path away from the more obvious skirmishes. However... to my great regret, it appears that the more observant of our enemies have tracked us here.
Outis	Dammit, then what are you even here for? Isn't it your job to prevent this exact scenario?
Ishmael	Haah... let's leave the finger-pointing for later. We're gonna have to take them all down.
Meursault	Mm. They must not be allowed to disseminate our current location.
Rodion	Exactly. ... Where are you slinking off to, Mr. Qingtao?
Qingtao	I must regrettably and humbly say that my talents in war are terribly lacking, so I intend to become scarce for a moment. Yet, I have the utmost faith in the strengths of our young master and the honored guests in overcoming this adversity, so...
Qingtao was already standing so far away from the front lines that he was practically hiding behind me.
Dante	<... Faust. Anything you can tell us about these enemies?>
Faust	No. But a consultation with the Gesellschaft seems unnecessary if we are to determine whether negotiating with them is an option.
Outis	... They're coming.
Dante	<Meursault... wake Heathcliff up and set him down.>
Meursault	It will be done.

Episode: 6
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Entrance
Meursault	Hostiles in the immediate vicinity have been eliminated.
Our collaborator, who'd been hiding far from the battle, quickly ran up to our side as soon as the fight ended.
Outis	…….
Qingtao	Are you unhurt, young master?!
Hong Lu	Yep, I'm totally fine.
Qingtao	Of course, our honored guests' martial skills were all exceptionally brilliant, but... young master, your light was the brightest even among the incandescent!
Qingtao	This humble servant could not hold back his tears at this wondrous sight! To witness such excellent martial arts from none other than the young master himself... what an unexpected surprise!
Sinclair	...But don’t the children of the Jia family undergo all kinds of strict training regimens from childhood…?
Qingtao	Ahm, it was simply my assumption that young master had ceased his trainings once he departed the family...
Sinclair	Anyways... how do you think they tracked us down anyway...?
Qingtao	Ah, about that—it appears that we weren't exactly 'tracked down'.
Qingtao	Perhaps it may be that the ilk who lurk in these parts of the Backstreets recognized the young master's venerable countenance.
Hong Lu	Hm~ I don't think my face is that well known.
Qingtao	The Family Hierarch Evaluations are nigh; every soul living in Hongyuan must know the face of the young master who is loved by every elder of the family.
Qingtao	It must be that they are under the assumption that you are carrying something of great value.
Family Hierarch, huh... Hm, didn't Jia Xichun say something about heirs back then?
Hong Lu	... Hmm~
Hong Lu	They all assumed wrong, then. I didn't bring anything precious that... the elders might be looking for.
Qingtao	Young master, even now...?
Hong Lu	I just couldn't care less about it, that's all~
Hong Lu	Besides, many of my siblings are much better fit to be the Family Hierarch than I am.
Qingtao	Huh, that's...
Qingtao	Ahem. Well, that is indeed a relief.
Yi Sang	... A relief, is it?
Qingtao	Ah, well... but of course! It is a highly dangerous endeavor to partake in the Hierarch Evaluations, so it is of great relief to know that young master is not putting himself in unnecessary danger.
Dante	<I guess that could be a relief, sort of...>
Gregor	Whew, now that we took 'em all down, there shouldn't be any more on the way... right?
Rodion	... Greg? Can we not jinx ourselves for one second?
Ryoshu	Heh.
Sinclair	W-why are you laughing, Ryōshū? Now I'm worried.
Qingtao	Please, do not concern yourselves any further. We will take a more clandestine path. I guarantee a safe and easy passage to our destination.
Outis	... I still have a hard time buying that. The lay of this place would constitute a perfect place to set up an ambush in most places, yet you claim this to be the safer path?
Qingtao	Yet I must ask you to place your faith in this humble servant, for Hongyuan is not like most places.
Outis	... Fine. For now.
Outis shut her eyes for a moment, out of retorts, then turned to look at Ishmael.
Outis	Hey, Ishmael. You must have a pamphlet of this place handy, don't you?
Ishmael	... No way. You're actually going to read it?
Outis	Why else would I ask?
Ishmael	No, I mean... how could I not be caught off guard after almost a whole year of getting brushed off by everyone every time I plead with them to read the damn pamphlets? Like hell, did no one think to—
Outis	I will find my own intel if you're just going to ramble on and on with your grievances.
Ishmael	O-okay, fine. Here it is.
Outis	Hm.
Outis opened the pamphlet and began intently glaring at its texts, as though she didn't want to miss even the smallest detail of information in there.
... Suspicion clear on her knitted brows.

Episode: 7
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Entrance
We were on a desperate run...
... All the while fighting off hordes upon hordes of enemies.
Heathcliff	Oi! What happened to 'safe and easy passage'?! Explain this shite!
Qingtao	It appears that the young master's radiant countenance was made known...
Ishmael	I thought we were finding a more clandestine passage? How come we're getting jumped by even more enemies!?
Qingtao	As I have said, the young master's radiant—
Ishmael	At least try to give a little variation to your excuses...!
Outis	I cannot so easily say that he is being untruthful, given the disjointed allegiance of the enemies attacking us...
Outis played with the pamphlet in her hand, clearly frustrated but unable to establish anything concrete.
Hong Lu	For people without a clear allegiance to attack a member of the Jia family...
Hong Lu	Looks like everyone in the Backstreets has been getting pretty plucky while I was away. Back then, I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of their faces—they’d all be on their hands and knees whenever we walked past... Ah, what a wonderful change!
Heathcliff	Oh, shove that wonderful change up your arse, you bloody loon! How much longer 'til we get there?!
Qingtao	... My kezhan is near, calm your worries.
Our guide seems oddly calmer now than he did at the beginning of this journey.
Did he really get numbed to all the violence that fast, or...?
Rodion	Speaking of which... what's a 'kezhan'?
Faust	It is a term commonly used to refer to taverns, inns, or equivalent places of lodging in this region.
Rodion	Lodging, huh... like... a hotel?!
Rodion	Fuhu, it's gotta be pretty fancy then, huh? Do they serve like, complimentary snacks and drinks like the WARP train?
Ishmael	Not sure about that, but it seems like kezhans also serve alcohol and food alongside their lodging services. Maybe we can get a meal in there.
Gregor	And uh, phew. Hopefully we won't be attacked there like this?
Qingtao	Residential non-aggression taboo. Any mutual acts of violence inside a residential building is, within this particular area and floor of Hongyuan, a taboo.
Yi Sang	A taboo... we may rest easy within, then.
I saw Faust's eyebrows slightly twitch, as though she had just heard the most ridiculous thing... but I guess I'll ask her about it later.
Gregor	Phew, man. If it's for some kinda family hierarch or family head selection contest, why couldn't they save all this fighting until then...?
Hong Lu	Because it would be too late.
Gregor	Hm...? Late how?
Hong Lu	Every Hiererarch candidate must've brought... incredibly precious treasures with them.
Hong Lu	It would be nice if they believed that their own treasure is the most precious of them all, but...
Ishmael	But everyone's going to try to take each other's just to be sure. I see. Just in case someone else brought something even better than their own.
Hong Lu	And~ might as well kill them too, for the sake of convenience.
Gregor	... Is that how the folks in your family think? What kind of line of thinking is that?
Hong Lu	But other families didn't seem too different from mine, fuhu.
Heathcliff	... Damn.
Qingtao	Deepest apologies for intruding upon this most enthralling conversation. However...
Qingtao	... we may be inviting even further trouble by dallying here.
With that, the guide pulled out a watch to check the time.
Qingtao	... It will be... nighttime soon.

Episode: 8
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Somewhere
Qingtao	Now, here we are.
Sinclair	Haah... haah... is this the place...?
After running through alleyway after alleyway, after turning corner after corner, we finally came across the sight of several small buildings tightly built next to one another.
At the center of them was a building lit with red lamps, adorned with a doorplate with complicated looking letters scribbled over it.
Rodion	This is shoddier than I expected... Hey, isn't this place a bit too trashy to house your precious young master?
Qingtao	That is not our building. Please, look this way to see where our honored guests will be staying for the night.
Rodion	I knew it! I heard so much from Hong Lu about all the splendor, all the... huh?
We followed Qingtao's finger and... arrived at a small warehouse of sorts, its exterior painted in black.
That... looks smaller than even Mephistopheles...
Dante	<... Can we all even fit in there?>
Rodion	H-hey, that place looks trashy as heck, even for us! Let alone your young master!
Qingtao	This is the nearest kezhan we could afford to stay in, at least among the ones that I manage... Yet its location in the Backstreets heavily limits the level of decency it can afford...
Qingtao	My deepest and sincerest apologies, young master...
Hong Lu	Don't worry, we can't always sleep in decent places~ It looks just fine for an overnight stay to me!
Ishmael	Are you nuts? Can that thing even fit all of us in there?
Qingtao	... Much did I wish to guide the honored guests to the family mansion in the central zone...
Qingtao	However, the time...
Ryoshu	Oho... the sweeping wave.
Dante	<Hm... doesn't that start at 3:13 in the morning? I feel like we've got plenty of time to get there.>
Ishmael	Exactly. Don't we have more than enough time to get to the family mansion?
Ishmael	According to the H Corp. travel guide, the central area is only like an hour away from here…
Qingtao	Has the honored guest traveled to District 8 before?
Ishmael	Well, no. This is my first time here. But...
Qingtao	Then one must ask how the honored guest could claim to have the full understanding of a place merely by flipping through a book, when she hasn't had to contend with it in person?
Qingtao	Innumerable, unpredictable changes await in this teeming jungle of buildings; the ever-shifting structures, the constantly changing paths, ambushes from foolish yet vicious Syndicates or, even Offices of the Backstreets, oh! We are beset by danger from all sides!
Qingtao	Such bold, flippant approach to predicting the phenomena of this place is to court death. Even a toddler must know that.
Ishmael	…….
Qingtao	One fails to disguise his utter sorrow at the inadequacy of her wisdom.
Dante	<Is it just me, or are we all thinking back to Ishmael back at the Great Lake?>
Ishmael	Zip it, Dante.
Outis	But if the guidebook lists a path, does it not imply that it is technically possible to reach there in time?
Outis suddenly took a step forward.
In her hand was the H Corp. travel pamphlet that Ishmael was talking about.
Outis	I have faith that if our Executive Manager would lead us in your, directionally challenged, stead, they would be able to lead us to our destination before night falls.
Dante	<... Me?>
Yi Sang	This does not appear to have been discussed aforehand...
Qingtao	Very well. Allow me to speak freely, without frills.
Qingtao	My responsibility is to bring the honored guests to the central zone, and to ensure the young master's safety.
Qingtao	It is... indeed technically possible to reach the family mansion before the Night in the Backstreets commences. Technically.
Outis	... Hm.
Qingtao	Yet! Not even one iota of danger to the young master shall be permitted! The mission that has been so graciously bestowed upon this humble servant is not to guide the young master with haste, but to guide him with utmost safety!
Outis	Oho!
Qingtao	It is said that those engaging in strategies and plans must remain wary of losing sight of their purpose; to stubbornly forge on toward the family mansion in lieu of necessary intel to see when these mobs of assailants would end is to wrongly prioritize the journey over the destination.
Outis	You... oh, you...!
Outis	Wonderful. Truly impressive. You have all the qualities of someone I would trust with my life when devising a stratagem. This is the most fitting attitude for those who genuinely wish the best for those they serve.
Ishmael	Really? You're just gonna... start going along with him all of a sudden?
Outis	I have misunderstood your intentions, truly.
Qingtao	... Hm.
Outis	They sparked my ire by comparing some of your... choice words with my very own...
Qingtao	... Mmhmm!
Outis	... yet now, my eyes have been opened to the honest loyalty that lies within your heart!
Qingtao	HA HA HA! This humble servant did not imagine even in his wildest dreams that there would be someone who understands the fathoms of his loyalty. It seems that young master has certainly gained an eye for allies and fellowships; this is a cause for much relief in my heart.
Outis	HA HA HA! Listen to him! This one knows how to jest!
Gregor	They're basically best buds now, huh...
Outis	Ahem. Ahm. I may have lost my cool for a moment there. Anyway, this man speaks true. It is highly likely that we would be exposed to attacks of similar nature were we to continue moving at this time.
Dante	<She's just fully on his side now, isn't she...>
That's when I realized that she was looking in my direction.
The exaggerated smile had all but completely faded from her face, replaced with an odd but dead-serious expression. When our gazes locked, she nodded. She must be...
... completely turned around by that guy! Is this her way of saying "so long, I'm gonna quit and go work with this guy now, thanks for everything"?!
Outis	And as for this 'hotel'... it is still much better than sleeping in outdoor tent barracks. We should be able to relieve ourselves of some fatigue here before moving on.
Yi Sang	Did you not earlier insist on continuing our search for a better accommodation with the greatest vehemence, miss Outis...?
Ishmael	... Yeah, whatever. We get your point, let's go inside.
Qingtao	Whew... my humblest self can only behold your generous acceptance of this insufficient lodging with the deepest gratitude.
After all that serious talk, the man seemed oddly relieved to hear our decision as he brought his fist and palm together.
Yi Sang	Architecture of today mustn't be judged with such haste merely by an observation of their exterior; the interior may hold aught to be surprised of. Worry not...
With Rodion's surrendered "wouldn't that be nice~", we made our way into the building.
Location: Kezhan Lounge
Heathcliff	Ooh...! This actually ain't so bad. It's clean in here.
Yi Sang	This place presents a rather classical aesthetic. The landscape paintings lining the walls give off a rather sophisticated mood.
Dante	<And it's much more spacious inside than it looks from the outside. Did they use some kind of space expansion technology in here, too?>
Faust	No. It seems that the building only appeared small due to the density of structures in proximity.
Qingtao	Well, the door is now open. Should my presence be required, I shall be in the small shed next to this building. Please, do converse freely.
The man smiled awkwardly and quietly excused himself as the excitement among the Sinners began to grow...
Hong Lu	…….
...Meanwhile, Hong Lu stood a fair distance from the guide, quietly watching his face as he left.
His expression was enigmatic, as if he were gazing upon the clouds, the flowers… or even the wind.
Yet there was no light in those eyes—it was as if they beheld a stormcloud, a desolate field of wilted flowers, and a howling, destructive gale...
Dante	<Do you suspect something, Hong Lu?>
So I decided to ask.
Hong Lu	Not yet, I don't think.
Dante	<... Huh?>
... Not yet?
???	So, big brother. Something felt off to you too, huh?
That's when we caught a familiar voice.
Hong Lu	Wow, Xichun! It's you! And so soon, too!
Jia Xichun	Yeah, I told you I had a feeling we'd be seeing each other again very soon.
Wei	Have you been well, young master?
Hong Lu	I'm so glad to see that you're doing well, Mister Wei. Oh, wait! Don't tell me you're staying here too, Xichun?
Jia Xichun	I normally wouldn't ever set foot in a place like this, but...
Jia Xichun	I ran into some kind of large-scale construction on my way back to the family mansion. Had to come in through the Backstreets.
... So we weren't the only ones troubled by that random construction site.
Don Quixote	Uoooh! H-hail to thee!
Jia Xichun	Gah...
The confident look on Xichun's face was immediately replaced by that of alarm.
Jia Xichun	D-did she lose her memories again? Is she with you?
Hong Lu	No. Don Quixote's the same as always.
Don Quixote	Ahem, ahem-hem...
Jia Xichun	But... she looks like such an airhead...
Don Quixote	Young Xi-chun? W-well, wouldst thou accompany me to the lounge but a moment, so that we may share a moment of 'catching-up'...?
Jia Xichun	…….
Jia Xichun	Oh. Yeah, actually. Let's do that. Hold on.
Jia Xichun seemed to hesitate for a moment, staring at Don Quixote after hearing that her memories were intact...
... before walking right up to her.
Jia Xichun	I like that idea. Shall we? Wei, why don't you go and find a room for me to stay in while I talk some things out with her?
Don Quixote	Uh... uhh?
Jia Xichun	What? You wanted to do some catching-up, right?
Don Quixote	'Tis, uh... M-Manager Esquire...!
Faust	... Loss of critical personnel may be a cause for disciplinary action, Dante.
Dante	<I don't think there's anything wrong with making friends, though?>
Hong Lu	Hehe, looks like Xichun really likes Don Quixote if she's comfortable enough to tease her like that.
Ishmael	It's not Don Quixote she likes. She obviously just wants Don Quixote's power she saw back then...
Wei	My lady, this is hardly the appropriate place for—
Jia Xichun	Fine... I'll try again later. Go get some sleep. I'm heading in, too.
Xichun sighed with a bit of disappointment before heading into the lobby...
Dante	<Well... let's all head inside now.>
So I and the rest of the Sinners followed her into the lodging.

Episode: 9
Location: Kezhan Lobby
Sinclair	…….
Sinclair	…….
Everyone was busy looking around and commenting on various things in our lodging, but Sinclair appeared to be the most anxious of them all.
Dante	<Sinclair?>
Sinclair	S-something in here stands out... like, imagine an ideal picture—
Yi Sang	Did you call?
Rodion	Aw, I missed that joke, Yi Sang~
Sinclair	That's not what I was— I'm not—agh, anyway! Am I the only who feels like something stands out like a sore thumb from the whole picture?
Rodion	Ooh! Yeah, glad ya brought it up. I didn't say anything 'cuz I thought it was just me.
Sinclair	Rodya...!
Heathcliff	So what's so off about this place?
Rodion & Sinclair	Isn't it obvious?!
Rodion & Sinclair	Where'd all the complimentary snacks go?! What's that weird mystery table at the center of this room?!
Rodion	…….
Sinclair	…….
Rodion	H-huh, that is kinda weird, though. What's that table doing there?
Yi Sang	Its saturated colors are quite the pleasant sight to behold.
Ishmael	So, is it any better insi—
Ishmael	... What the hell is that hideous table?
The kerfuffle sparked by the particularly unsightly piece of indoor furniture calmed somewhat once everyone made it inside the building.
... Of course, no one was able to discern the real purpose of that table yet.
Meursault	Mm. Every step on the floor leaves black residue on the shoes.
Faust	Not only the floor. Touching the walls leaves an unidentified black substance on one's fingers.
Yi Sang	Not to mention how the walls... ripple in an odd fashion. What could possibly be the construction of this structure...?
Gregor	Well. My guess is that the maintenance staff's been slacking...
Heathcliff	Maybe, but why's everything so neatly organized if that's the case? I've been to enough seedy establishments to tell when a place has gone a while without a tidy-up.
Outis	Ahem. At least it appears that each room is furnished with a bed. While this is far from optimal, Executive Manager, we may be able to rest here.
Jia Xichun	Huh. I guess they really didn't have the time to clean up.
Jia Xichun, the last person to walk in after having taken her time to examine the area outside the lobby, stared blankly around the room with an aghast expression...
Jia Xichun	... I'm not even sure what to say to this ridiculous negligence.
... then found her room after leaving a scathing remark.
Heathcliff	Sigh, it ain't the first time we're saunterin' right into some shady business, innit? Let's just cross that bridge when we come to it, yeah?
Gregor	Hm, I guess. Anyone could tell that there was something definitely wrong about that guy.
Some Sinners, including Heathcliff, had already slumped to the floor, vociferously expressing their desire to rest with a collective sigh of exhaustion.
Dante	<Well, it is pretty weird... but at least we have a roof over our heads.>
Faust	In that case, Dante... perhaps this may be a good time to announce today's close of business.
Huh, I've never made this announcement outside the bus before.
Dante	<O-oh, right... I hereby confirm today's close of business for the Sinners.>
Faust	Understood, thank you kindly. Starting now, you all will be given a maximum of 12 hours to partake in sleep and rest; the duration is subject to change. Have a good night.
As soon as she finished, the Sinners each began to relax in their own ways—some stumbling into their rooms, while others lingered to speculate over the bizarre table at the center of the room.
Outis	…….
Save for Outis, that is.
Dante	<... Got something to say, Outis?>
Outis	Yes, Executive Manager. It's about our guide—Qingtao.
Dante	<Oh... your new best friend from earlier? Seemed like you guys were getting along pretty well.>
Outis	... I—what?! T-that is simply untrue! Did you not see the 'signal' I gave you earlier?
What signal...?
Dante	<Oh, you mean when you nodded slightly in my direction?>
Outis	Indeed! That individual has an informational advantage over us when it comes to this locale. Regardless of how sound the accusations we came up with were, he would have been able to explain them away using his familiarity with the region.
Outis	I thought, as the party with an informational disadvantage, it would be wise to feign camaraderie and friendship with that individual and go along with their plans while trying to dig out as much intel as possible...
Dante	<I... I seriously thought that suspicious guy totally won you over...>
Outis	Executive Manager, I... I've been in this business for many years. How... how could you even imagine that I would be fooled by an amateur spy who's so overtly suspi— Haah, it's nothing.
Outis's disappointment was palpable, but she stopped herself as though she remembered that there were more important matters at hand.
Outis	Ahem. While it is uncertain as to how long that individual will be accompanying us, it would be reasonable to speculate that he approached the LCCB with the explicit purpose of eliminating Hong Lu... Jia Baoyu.
Outis	I present the fact that it was Pilot, that inexperienced greenhorn, who somehow conveniently came across this connection... as another evidence supporting this suspicion.
Dante	<... That's... also true.>
Faust	Faust also has information to share.
Faust joined the conversation after listening to us discuss for some time.
Faust	A review of every known taboo has failed to identify one he called residential non-aggression taboo that universally prohibits acts of violence within residential areas.
Dante	<Then that also has to be...>
Faust	It is too early to come to conclusions regarding that matter. It appears that this area, Hongyuan, has taboos that change depending on your location within its territory.
Outis	However, considering every other circumstantial evidence, we can come to a conclusion that he was most likely lying to us.
Faust	Your assessment cannot be denied.
Outis	In that case, we must already be deep within the enemy's machinations. The constant stream of 'random' assailants we faced earlier was also most likely also a part of their plan.
Outis	It may very well be that this building itself is also a trap. Yet we lack the intelligence about this particular Backstreets to be certain.
Outis	... However, we do have one minor advantage; it seems that they have severely underestimated our capabilities, given the low caliber of the assailants they decided to send after us.
Outis	One thing we can capitalize on is that mutual lack of intel. Keep our guard up, remain alert, and we should be able to navigate our way out of this trap, Executive Manager.
Dante	<Okay... I get it now.>
Dante	<I'm... sorry about the misunderstanding. Honestly, I didn't know who or what to trust.>
Outis	... Then I would appreciate it if you could trust me fully next time.
Outis bowed politely and returned to her room…
Faust and I chatted a little more about Qingtao and his plans, but our discussion ended without bearing much fruit.

Episode: 10
Location: Kezhan Lobby
I realized that Hong Lu was missing as I was spending time chatting with the Sinners.
I didn't notice him going into his room...
So I walked to the exit, about to look for Hong Lu outside, and ran into Jia Xichun and Wei who decided to stay in the room close to the door.
Jia Xichun	It's getting late. Where are you going alone without a guard?
Dante	<Oh... just looking for Hong Lu.>
Jia Xichun	…….
Jia Xichun	Right. I can't understand what you're saying.
Dante	<Oh, right...>
Jia Xichun	Hmm...
When it comes to conversing without the Sinners, I find that there are two types of people.
The first type usually says whatever is on their mind without pausing for or caring to hear my reply.
Given that this type of person isn’t actually looking to communicate with me, that simplifies things a little on my end. However, it’s also oddly insulting as it seems as though they don’t recognize me as a human, but rather a wall... or a clock on a wall.
And the other type is the one that reads me so well that they might as well be able to hear what I'm saying.
Vergilius falls into the latter category. He recognizes the pitch of my ticks and tocks, reads my body language, or sometimes even claims to see my 'expressions' like how Don Quixote does...
And Jia Xichun, who saw through me with that short exchange...
Jia Xichun	Okay, uh, let's see... Just looking to get some early morning air? Oh, hm... does your prosthetic head even have a respiratory function? Wouldn't have guessed from the way it looks.
... did not belong in either category.
Dante	<N-no, not really. I'm just looking for Hong Lu because I haven't seen him in a while.>
Jia Xichun	... You're shaking your head, so no. Then are you looking for something to eat?
She's a new one. The type that tries to figure out what I'm saying without asking for help...
Wei	My lady, would it not be wise to wake or find someone who may be able to translate...?
Jia Xichun	They would've done that themself if it were something important. I'm kinda curious, though. What was that hand gesture you made when I first asked? You, uh... brought your index fingers up to your... cheeks.
Well, Hong Lu's always smiling...
... So I thought maybe I could simulate his smile to convey that I'm looking for him.
Wei	Hm. Perhaps... it was an effort to express cuteness, or beauty...
Dante	<W-what...?>
Dante	<No, I was just trying to express a smiling face... Oh no, this isn't going to be easy, is it...?>
Jia Xichun	Huh, they're tick-tocking a lot more vigorously. Hey, I think you're onto something.
This conversation was starting to veer into a completely unintended territory...
After a bit of trial and error...
Jia Xichun	I see. You're looking for my big brother, huh?
We took some very roundabout ways, but I was eventually able to get her to understand what I was trying to say.
Jia Xichun	Well... if he's who you're looking for, that's easy. You should be able to find him by the lounge back there.
Jia Xichun	I doubt he got very far from there. If he even left.
Jia Xichun	So that's what you were trying so hard to communicate...? Tch.
Jia Xichun was, strangely enough, disappointed and dispirited by my reply.
Jia Xichun	I did have something to tell you, too, but... nevermind. I feel like the mood's been ruined. Let's talk about this at another time.
I was curious, but it would also take ages for me to ask how she's feeling. So I nodded to express my gratitude before heading to the back entrance...
Location: Kezhan Lounge
... and found Hong Lu, gazing at the hazy scene out the opaque window.
Dante	<What are you doing here?>
Hong Lu	Hehe. People-watching.
There were some people stumbling through the streets outside.
As I stared outside the window at the scene, Hong Lu seemed to sense what I was thinking and began.
Hong Lu	Are you worried for me, Dante?
Dante	<Well, yeah. It's your turn, Hong Lu.>
Hong Lu	Hehe, it really is. I'm back at H Corp., and everyone's talking about the Family Hierarch selection...
Hong Lu	But... you don't have to worry about me at all.
Hong Lu	Because I did not wish for anything from Limbus Company.
Dante	<R-really?!>
Hong Lu	I'm not like Yi Sang. I'm not hiding my true feelings.
Hong Lu	No one gave me a wonderful promise like they would help me recover my torn and broken wings.
Hong Lu	I joined only to have some new experience, that's all.
Dante	<But... we do know that something's definitely going to happen, whatever it might be. Something that will shake you to your very core. Even if you didn't wish for anything, going through something like that could...>
Hong Lu	Probably, yes. But it’s okay. I’m used to being led by the will of others anyway.
Hong Lu	No matter what happens here... I... can't do this like everyone else.
Hong Lu	Because that's how it's always been. Whatever happens to me, or to those around me... I only—
A loud, boisterous bellow suddenly cut Hong Lu off even before he could finish his sentence.
Heathcliff	Oi! Let go of me! Just listen to that sod talkin' and tell me I'm not supposed to get mad at that!
Gregor	Dang it, lower your voice!
Dante	<... What are you guys doing back there?>
Gregor and Heathcliff, who were most likely hiding behind the entrance door, tumbled into view.
Gregor	I knew I shouldn't have come here with this guy. Couldn't you be patient for even a few minutes before bursting outta here...?
Dante	<How long have you two been...?>
Heathcliff	Listening? From the very start, 'course! I thought he was finally makin' some sense at first, but what's that? That you're used to following others' will?!
Hong Lu	Ha ha... I didn't mean to irk you, Heathcliff. I'm only telling the truth.
Heathcliff	Bloody hell, I'm about to burst a vessel. Oi, buggy bloke. Am I supposed to practise patience after listening to that drivel?
Gregor	I think I'm practicing plenty of patience despite you calling me 'buggy bloke' out of nowhere, so yeah. You are.
Heathcliff	A-ah, that's not what I—
Gregor	Finally, some silence. Anyways... sorry about listening in, fellas. I'll let you in on some big secret if you let this one slide, though.
Dante	<... What's the secret?>
Gregor rubbed his arm awkwardly as I stared at him in silence, then pointed at a pillar in an exaggerated motion.
Gregor	Guess who's hiding behind that pillar, manager bud.
With that, two familiar figures stumbled out into view from behind the pillar.
Sinclair	H-how could you betray us like that, Gregor?!
Ryoshu	B.W.A.H.A.
Sinclair	... "Bad, weak, and highly annoying. Good night, snoozefests", she says.
Ryoshu	…?
Sinclair	Huh? H-huh? Did I get that wrong?
Ryoshu	I never said G.N.S.... When did you get a F.U.?
Ryōshū looked at Sinclair with some interest before slicing open the ceiling above the entrance.
And, with an uncharacteristically wet noise for something cutting through a wall, a black, ink-like substance dripped onto the floor… followed by Rodya and Outis crashing down after it.
Ryoshu	G.T.F.O.
Hong Lu	Wah~ Didn't realize I had garnered such an audience for my story!
Outis	... Executive Manager, the sole reason I followed you out here was for the purpose of protection, as I was concerned for your safety. I am not like the others who have followed you merely to sate their curiosities!
Rodion	Me? I was just bored~
Dante	<…….>
Hong Lu	Hm. Then, shall we continue the conversation, Dante?
Dante	<…….>
Dante	<Everyone, back to your rooms, now!>

Episode: 11
Location: Kezhan Chamber
After that little kerfuffle...
Just as everyone was scattering to their rooms, Outis suddenly began to vehemently oppose leaving me all on my own.
Outis	Are you absolutely certain, Executive Manager...?!
Dante	<Seriously, don't worry about it. I usually took the night watch on the bus anyway.>
Outis	That is true, however... We are currently in an uncharted territory for our team. We do not have much experience sleeping at a place where our safety isn't an absolute guarantee...
Ishmael	Hey, we're literally right next door to them. It'll take less than 5 secs for us to come over when something happens.
Outis	Do you not know that every second matters in emergencies—
Rodion	Now, now... babushka-de-camp~ Let's get ya outta here~
An oddly familiar sequence of events and words played out... and they eventually left my room, gently closing the door behind them.
Dante	<Finally, some peace and quiet...>
I sit on the corner of the bed, surrounded by silence, and allow my shoulders to slump for once.
I don't need to 'sleep' like the Sinners do, but the fatigue doesn't go away on its own. I needed some time to relax and empty my thoughts every once in a while.
While I've gotten somewhat used to the pain, it still hurts like hell when I rewind the Sinners' time...
... and the longer this journey got, the more frequent and severe the Sinners' injuries became. They did get stronger, that's for sure, but so did our enemies... which means that my clock is always turning and turning without a moment to rest.
Location: -1
Dante	<…….>
So, I think of the star.
Before the great gates which I face with every revival, I witness its intricate engravings and feel its silent vibrations.
Even after a whole year, I am still no closer to understanding what they were supposed to represent. But... by emptying my thoughts and just taking in the sights, I find myself calming down.
Also, the wind is quite cool and crisp tonight.
Wait, that's weird. Wind...?
Dante	<What's this sudden chill...?>
Something opened the window, but there's no way this gentle breeze could've unlatched and left my window wide open like that. And if it did, it would've made a pretty loud noise.
Besides... this chill isn't coming from in front of me.
I slowly turn around to look at where the window was supposed to be...
Location: Melted Kezhan Chamber
... only to see a melted wall, and an intruder slinking through this newfound opening.
Dante	<W-who are you?!>
???	…….
As though driven by some unknown survival instinct, I rolled off the bed...
But there was already a blade right at where my neck and head met, its steel a shearing cold.
Just a little nudge, and I'd be dead even before I could even make a tick.
I remembered how worried Outis was to leave me alone. I thought she was just being paranoid...
I... I should've trusted her judgment.
Just as I was getting ready for my final struggle, my final moments filled with regret about not listening to Outis' advice...
???	Hnh...
Ryoshu	What a pathetically thin blade.
Ryoshu	Too delicate to have the clock C.I.H, don't you think?
Ryōshū leapt down from the ceiling and deflected the assailant's dagger away from me.
Dante	<R-Ryōshū...!>
Ryoshu	Snuck in thinking I was about to see something interesting, but... you're just some beast with steel.
I looked up to see the ceiling torn open, dripping with viscous paint-like fluid just as I saw earlier during my conversation with Hong Lu…
Outis	Executive Manager! Are you unharmed?!
... And Outis peeking out from the gap.
Outis	I, Outis, was the one who instructed Ryōshū that the ceiling had a room to hide in! Remember that!
Ryoshu	Shut... up... and help... me...! Ngh...
Outis	Ho, I thought this one was just 'some beast with steel'?
Ryoshu	... I could've cut this beast in half, sword and all, had I not been on the bus.
Location: LCE Research Team Lab. Unit
Hohenheim	All of your abilities were diminished the moment you were hired by this company. Equally defanged and depowered, if you will.
I suddenly recalled Hohenheim's commentary back at the LCE.
I had a vague notion of what he meant, but... now I was really feeling it.
Location: Melted Kezhan Chamber
Ryoshu	N.F.W. What is happening?
Just as Ryōshū was struggling to stop that one blade...
... the intruder pulled out another dagger with their other arm and slashed at Ryōshū's neck.
Wei	A beast of a Heishou Pack...
The intruder would've cut her throat had Wei not burst through my door.
Wei	Who wields you now?
???	…….
Wei	... I don't suppose dialogue is an option.
???	Light enters not the vast garden... yet falls a star into its fathoms still...
Wei	...! Agh, no...
The intruder reached into his clothes, muttering an odd invocation...
Ryoshu	Little shit...! A talisman...!
???	... Kuh!
Jia Xichun	Wei! Get it together!
Wei	My lady!
Just as the intruder's muttering began to grow intense, Jia Xichun leaped into my room and struck the stranger with her fan.
Jia Xichun	Were you going to let that bastard finish that stupid spell? They almost activated the Q Corp. talisman!
Wei	Apologies, my lady... I... it seems that I still remain somewhat bound by that spell...
Jia Xichun	... Listen. You're no longer a Heishou. You serve me now, got that? You don't have to let those things control you anymore.
Wei	... Yes, my lady. My apologies.
Dante	<Haaaah... Haaaah...>
I fell limply to the bed with the sudden alleviation of stress and pressure.
Jia Xichun	Hey, are you—! Ah, I can't understand them anyway...
Wei	I managed to stop the assassin before he laid a hand on them, fortunately...
Jia Xichun	Got it. I don't think there was anyone else in here... Let's switch the lights on.
Click.
When the lights came on, we saw...
Jia Xichun	This one... this one's from a 'Mao' branch, isn't it?
There was a black bamboo-hat wearing assassin on the ground...
Dante	<The walls...?!>
The walls that appeared solid before we all went to sleep were now melting away as if they were a viscous fluid.
Wei	There is... something wrong with this building.
Jia Xichun	I knew that they must've done something to the building, but...
Wei	How... is a Heishou here?
Jia Xichun	... This whole operation's gotta be spearheaded by someone with real power. This isn't just an ambush from an overexcited Family Hierarch contestant.
Jia Xichun	What I don't understand is... why the Mao branch? There are better Heishou branches to use if all they wanted was to cut off the clock's head.
Jia Xichun	... Then they must've had a different purpose, huh?
Wei	Correct. This one is from the Mao branch of the Heishou Packs—which means more of them must've infiltrated this building. Though not at the scale of the Zi branch, the Mao branch always moves in groups.
Wei	Therefore, their goal must be... to kill every guest staying in this kezhan. Including you, my lady.
Jia Xichun	Then... tsk. We've got to get moving. We can't let them surround us if we want even a chance of surviving this.
Don Quixote	DANTE!!
Sinners burst into my room, slamming the door open again.
Don Quixote	T-thou'rt...
Jia Xichun	Thank me later. If we don't move our asses, we're good as dead. Wei!
Wei	Yes.
Jia Xichun	We don't have the time to contact the main forces of our faction at the family mansion. You know what to do when we're at a numerical disadvantage, right?
Wei	It will be done, my lady.
Jia Xichun and Wei immediately stormed out of the room as soon as they saw the Sinners enter, as though they've been waiting in here for my protection...
Don Quixote and Gregor stood red-faced and on edge, Meursault was covered in battle wounds, and Outis wore an inscrutable expression.
Outis	... I stand before you in shame. To have to borrow the hands of another to protect the Executive Manager...
Ryoshu	Tsk...
Dante	<No, no. I should've listened to what you said...>
Meursault	Extrapolating from the pattern by which the walls have disintegrated, it is likely that they utilized the identical means of infiltration for each Sinner.
Dante	<... Oh, right. Were you attacked by bamboo-hatted assailants, too?>
Don Quixote	Their ranks numbered many, Manager Esquire. Yet... for how many of them there were, they were unsettlingly silent. Verily, we were almost—
Gregor	Haah... not 'almost'. I saw on the way here that some of us did get killed—impaled straight through the guts.
Dante	<So what he said about how fighting indoors was a taboo...>
Outis	Yes. A lie.
Don Quixote	How— Hooh.
Don Quixote	How utterly cowardly and unjust of these vile cur to strike from the shadows... Alas, now is not the moment to ruminate upon their villainy.
Outis	Correct. Besides...
Dante	<…!>
Outis	... there's more of them waiting to sink their blades into us.

Episode: 12
Location: Melted Kezhan Chamber
Outis	I think we're safe, for now...
Dante	<Something tells me that they're not fighting us at full force... At least we routed them, so hopefully that means something...>
Dante	<Ah! Where'd Don Quixote go?!>
Don Quixote	Hark! For I am here!
Don Quixote rushed into my room from the hallway outside.
Don Quixote	I had gone to espy if the other Sinners had suffered as we have... verily, they were indeed targeted as well.
Don Quixote	Most defended themselves well against the curs, and shall be here posthaste. Yet...
Gregor	... Not everyone survived, huh.
Don Quixote	Mm... young Sinclair and Yi Sang, while it appeareth that they had risen and battled, they were caught unawares by our foes; 'tis likely that their demise came soon after tripping over each other's foot...
Outis	How embarrassing...
Don Quixote	And young Heathcliff, he...
Gregor	Isn't that fella our resident mob fight expert...? How'd they even get 'em?
Heathcliff	They didn't 'get' me, mate. I'm good as new.
Dante	<Heathcliff...!>
Don Quixote	Hm? H-hmm?
Heathcliff	What’s got you so gobsmacked, lass?
Don Quixote	I recall a blade piercing young Heathcliff in the back of his head... Didst thou turn the clock for him already, Manager Esquire?
Dante	<No...? Not yet, anyway.>
Heathcliff	…….
Heathcliff	Blimey, so that's what this funny itch on the back of my h—
Heathcliff reached up to rub the back of his head, then crumpled to the floor mid-sentence.
... Heathcliff's not breathing anymore. He's dead. How'd he even manage to walk all the way over here with a hole on his head...?
Don Quixote	Young Heathclifffffff!!!!!
Meursault	The other Sinners are starting to gather, manager.
Outis	... As pathetic as this force may be, we cannot spare any hands at the moment, Executive Manager.
Outis	We must also join the others as soon as possible and assist them. There are sounds of altercations coming from the lobby.
Dante	<... Gotcha.>
The clock turns as it always does.
Some time later...
Location: Melted Kezhan Lobby
Qingtao	Whoa, whoa. Please, hold on a moment.
Outis	... You?!
I can still see some people inside the lobby, which was also in the bizarre process of melting away.
Jia Xichun	Whew...
Among them, I notice Jia Xichun clashing against a figure wearing a bamboo hat.
Jia Xichun	... Going on the offensive already, huh? How come a big shot in control of a Heishou Pack decided to come after small fries like us?
And behind the black bamboo-hat wearing assassin stood...
Qingtao	I see that you have tracked me down, so certain of your own safety... but my master has already prepared countermeasures.
There stood Qingtao, our supposed 'collaborator' who led us here, and Wei, who was threatening him with a sword.
Outis	... So you were behind this.
Qingtao	Ah, it's you.
Outis	I sussed out that you'd be planning something like this... but you lacked the patience to pull it off.
Qingtao	You're quite observant. I thought I had completely won you over.
Outis	…….
Qingtao	You must know that at H Corp., there is but one path to survival and riches.
Qingtao	Choose a Family Hierarch candidate and serve them with utter loyalty. But who in their right mind would serve young master Baoyu? He who has grown up with no hardship, he who doesn't possess even a single speck of ambition?
Heathcliff	You shut your bloody mouth, yeah?! And you, rich boy! Oi! Are you just gonna sit there and let that bloke talk shite to your face?!
Hong Lu	Hm~ But he's right that I don't have any ambitions!
Heathcliff	Have you got no self-respect...? What do you have, anyway?
Jia Xichun	Okay... Everyone, shut up for a second. He's obviously taunting you, stop indulging him.
Jia Xichun	Wei, speak.
Wei	I know that you have no means to wield a Heishou Pack.
Wei	So speak—which master did you choose to serve? Who controls them?
Qingtao	…….
???	Ah, so they are curious.
???	Stay your sword, Zilu.
Another unfamiliar voice, from the shadows.
???	... Haah.
Qingtao	Young master...? Are you certain this is wise...?
???	Worry not. They're destined to be swept away by the morning dew anyway.
???	The trajectory of their fate shall not alter course, were they to witness me.
The voice soon reveals himself from the shadows, walking into the light with a casual, assured gait.
Jia Xichun	Huh, seriously? You?
Hong Lu	I see, you're...
???	Allow me to grace you ignoramuses with my exalted name.
Yihua	I am Yihua, of the Shi family.
Yihua	You may know me as a very prominent candidate to the throne of the Family Hierarch.

Episode: 13
Location: Melted Kezhan Lobby
Jia Xichun	"Prominent"...?
Yihua	But of course. I claimed control of a branch of the Heishou Packs.
Yihua	While you were wasting your time out there searching for the river of immortality or whatever.
Jia Xichun	... I don't even know where I'd even start to refute your braindead accusation.
Jia Xichun	Haah, this is way beneath me. I don't even want to address you as my senior, either.
Jia Xichun	So who is it? Big brother Huan? Nah, I can't imagine he'd ever be interested in someone like you.
Yihua	What are you talking about...?
Jia Xichun	I'm asking whose teat you've been suckling on to gain the control of the Mao branch. Because we both know for sure that there's no way in hell you have the means to control them, right?
Yihua	You little twerp...!
Jia Xichun	Are you sure you wanna insult my height from where you're standing...? Pfft.
Qingtao	Master Yihua...?
Dante	<It... doesn't seem like the mastermind of this operation was actually anyone important...>
Outis	Agreed. I can tell by just the look of that traitor with the physiognomy of a deceiver.
Yihua	This is a waste of time. Hey, Zilu! Cut 'em all down!
Zilu	... The mission was to assassinate them.
Zilu	To meet them in an open battle, to take the lives of Hierarch candidates... was not what was agreed upon.
Yihua	What the fu— Blah, blah, blah, just shut up and do as you're told!
Zilu	I may fight to protect your life, yet I cannot do more.
Zilu	A Heishou heeds no voices but that of the one who holds their leash.
Dante	<Looks like that Shi Yihua doesn't even control these guys.>
Yi Sang	There is an apt saying, oft invoked in my homeland. A fox may pretend to the throne—but only with the blessing of the tiger.
Yihua	Shut up over there!
Yihua	Dammit, this Heishou Pack is useless... Can't even get a simple job done...
Zilu	…….
Qingtao	Master Yihua, the Heishou Pack was here merely as a backup plan. Our true strategy involves...
Yihua	Ahem, true.
Yihua	This is fine. I have other plans to sweep you all away...!
Faust	This is the second time this individual has made an odd emphasis on a variation of the word 'sweep'.
Ishmael	What, are you saying that you bribed the Sweepers or something?
Yihua	…!
Qingtao	…….
Faust	While their reactions may appear suspicious, that suggestion is almost an absolute impossibility.
Faust	The Head is at the top of the Sweepers' chain of command. In other words, only the head possesses the authority to command them.
Ishmael	Right... Yeah, of course.
Faust	Moreover, they are prohibited from touching, let alone entering, any designated residential areas during the Night in the Backstreets.
Faust	This is a permanent, immutable taboo of the Head, one of the very first to be introduced.
Faust	The effort of going through a myriad of paperwork to ensure that Mephistopheles is recognized as a residential vehicle was ultimately to capitalize on this taboo.
Yihua	Yes, it is exactly as you say.
Yihua	What a stupid question to ask, making me anxious out of nowhere... Tsk, that soured the mood.
Yihua	Come, let us leave. I had only intended to have them see my face, after all.
Yihua	Too bad I won't even remember them in a few days once they all get swept away! Ha ha ha!
Qingtao	Master Yihua...?
Zilu	... We best leave before any more unnecessary words are said.
Faust is right—these guys are acting way too suspicious to not have some scheme brewing back there.
So overtly suspicious that I'm starting to wonder if they're trying to use reverse psychology on us into walking right into their trap.
... Well, when surrounded by nothing but uncertainties, there's a solution that usually works.
Dante	<Faust.>
Faust	Faust had intended to make this suggestion first, but... it appears that you share the idea.
Dante	<Yep. So, Outis...>
Outis	Yes, Executive Manager.
Dante	<We have twelve Sinners, Jia Xichun, and Wei on our side.>
Dante	<And I don't think the so-called 'Mao branch' are willing to fight...>
Dante	<Which means that we only have three enemies—Shi Yihua, our 'guide', and Zilu... the assassin.>
Dante	<We have the numerical advantage, don't we?>
Outis	You always make the most accurate read of the battlefield.
Yihua	What's going on over there...? What's that tick-tocking noise...?
Qingtao	…….
Our former guide seemed to have figured out what our conversation was about, because he took a few slow, careful steps away from Shi Yihua... before bolting off into the distance.
I've been thinking this all day, but he sure is a fast runner.
Hong Lu	... Ohh!
Dante	<What? What is it, Hong Lu? Did you remember something?>
Hong Lu	I did. I had a hard time recalling this because he isn't from my family~
Hong Lu	But I remember now! You're big brother Yihua of the Shi family, right?
... Didn't that guy just announce that himself earlier?
Dante	<Anyways... Hong Lu, I'm gonna get that guy and beat the motives out of him... is that gonna be okay with you?>
Hong Lu	Hm~ He's not from my family, but... I'm sure big brother Yihua will be happy to answer your questions~
Dante	<Great. Another thing...>
Dante	<As your commander, I should probably say something cool to start off the battle, right?>
Hong Lu	Wow, that's going to be so cool! Like something straight out of a story.
... Outis said something like this once.
That, even if one side has the absolute advantage in battle, the commander's words may be the deciding factor in who wins and loses.
So, I decided to borrow a few words from a book Hong Lu once lent me. It was a general who said it, I believe.
Dante	<... Destroy them all!>
Location: Melted Kezhan Lobby
Heathcliff	Unhh?!
A... strange tune crashes through the sound of this fierce battle.
Is this... electronic dance music? Something about it sounds familiar.
???	Hah... finally.
Ricardo	Thanks to the merry chase you've led me on, I have slid ever so slightly further into the world of the bristly.
Ricardo	Let's see. Title 2, Section 11... ah, Row C. The punishment for those who dare to flee from the Middle's retribution begins by tearing their legs apart from the groin.
Ricardo	I will make sure you suffer for all of my time you wasted.
Heathcliff	W-what the fuck is that blighter doin' here?!
Heathcliff	The hell's wrong with you?! You've been stalkin' us all along?!
Ricardo	Since when is chasing after a thief conflated with stalking? I'll have you know that I'm still banished from the world of the luscious thanks to you who dared to pinch my hair coupons...!
Yihua	W-what the hell? Where'd they come from?!
Jia Xichun	... You guys are just pissing people off left and right, aren't you...?!
Yihua	Zilu, take 'em out!
Zilu	... What an utterly insular fool.
Yihua	What did you say?!
Zilu	Do you not know? That man...
Jia Xichun	What's the Middle doing here?!
... Ricardo, a Big Brother of the Middle.
The man who slaughtered the Sinners like they were nothing—the man who almost forced me to self-destruct.
Dante	<Faust... don't tell me I have to get ready for that again...>
Faust	... No. Not yet.
Faust	According to the evaluation data at the LCE, the Sinners' powers had grown since their time at the Great Lake.
Faust	Our chance of victory against this individual has risen to a meaningful degree to forfeit the battle before it even begins.
Rodion	B-by how much...?
Faust	... Enough to put our faith in the... uncertainties.
Ricardo	Alrighty then... enough with the background noise.
Ricardo	I don't know what your business is with these thieves, but...
Ricardo	... I've personally traveled all the way to the eastern part of the City because I simply must exact my vengeance against him with my two hands.
Ricardo	I could've simply informed my Brothers in the East and let them handle this, but… that just wouldn’t do. I was determined to see this through to the end myself... even if it meant asking a Great Brother of the east for a favor.
Ricardo	So you there, half-pint and his cute mini entourage... get the hell outta my sight. The Middle's Book of Vengeance comes first.
Yihua	Half-pint?! HAH! Keep babbling that fat lip of yours, minion of the Fingers! You don't scare me at all with your cheap hairdo and that garish as hell, botched dye job! You're in the H Corp. turf now! I-I am—
Ricardo	…….
Heathcliff	... Wow. Just wow. Bloody hell, mate. That's messed up.
Outis	He's far too absorbed in his own foolishness to see he's walking into his own demise.
Unexpectedly, Ricardo’s face wasn’t contorted with wrath, even after enduring that barrage of insults. Instead, he looked… surprised. A moment of silence followed, during which he seemed to be absorbed in thought…
Ricardo	Whew... impressive. You... you just set a new record.
Ricardo	You are the current record-holder for 'how fast can I get written up in Ricardo's Book of Vengeance?' challenge, boy. You did it in 15 seconds.
Then, with trembling hands, he reached down to grab his Book of Vengeance, opened it, and began to write something down on the paper. Slowly and deliberately, as though to make each stroke of pen count.
Ricardo	Unfortunately, your audacity is... terminal. I will rip your jaws apart myself as punishment.
Ricardo	Boys! Make sure that this little band of thieves won't get away while I deal with this pipsqueak!
Yihua	W-what the hell is this asshole talking about?! Hey, Zilu!
Zilu	Haaaah...
Ricardo	Who the f... actually, I don't care. Stop me if you can.
Ricardo	Effective immediately, the punishment for all involved parties and bystanders at the site of your crimes... shall be complete and total extermination!
Sinclair	I-I think we can slip away unnoticed in this mess...?
Dante	<Uh... I don't think we've got much of a chance there...>
Ricardo practically rocketed toward where Zilu and Shi Yihua were standing in a burst of speed...
... but his henchmen had already begun to slowly surround us as he ordered.
Ishmael	Ready your weapons, everyone. Payback time for what happened at the Great Lake. Let's do this.
Ishmael	Besides... I've got a score to settle with that son of a bitch.
Location: Melted Kezhan Lobby
Dante	<…!>
There was an explosive noise from a distance... and moments later, Ricardo landed before us with a boom.
Ricardo	I heard that the Heishou of the east were a tough bunch... but that lady was something else.
Ricardo	... So why'd a woman like that suddenly split from a fight...?
Ricardo	Not my problem, I guess.... tsk, she's getting written down in the book, too.
Ricardo	Time to take care of what I really came here for… Get ready for a beatdown, coupon thieves!

Episode: 14
Location: Melted Kezhan Lobby
Yihua	... Wait!
A shout cuts across the battlefield, just as the sudden appearance of Ricardo was making things incredibly more difficult for us.
Yihua	Wahah! Ahahahaha!!!
Gregor	Huh...? Didn't that guy split? What's he doing here, laughing his butt off...?
Heathcliff	You've finally lost the plot, eh? Failed plan after failed plan takes a toll, I suppose.
Yihua	Ahahahaha... Ahahhh... oh. Maybe that was too much.
Yihua	But, I mean, how could I not laugh, right? When, after all that, everything comes together perfectly according to my plan!
Yihua	You hear this too, don't you...? The sound of the City... the sound of the Backstreets!
Yihua	Do you hear the sound of crashing waves?!
Ricardo	... Waves?
When the sound of battle came to a stop with Shi Yihua's sudden shout, we all suddenly began to notice the low, crawling sound of omen that had been swirling under the commotion.
Something's melting, regurgitating, or... perhaps, boiling over...
If not, it's seeping, it's siphoning, it's a trace that was at once living and dead.
Crashing and breaking, devoid of any recognizable stops, the lines between where it begins and ends blurred—yes, like waves.
Outis	Current time is 0321 hours... then it's too late.
Sinclair	The Night in the Backstreets... we've never been outside the bus at this hour, have we...?
Faust	It was past four in the morning when we briefly set foot in the Outskirts. So no, we have. This would be our second time.
Faust	Though it must be noted that the time of day was not a matter of concern then, as we were in the Outskirts.
Yihua	Kehehehe... They're finally getting all swept away like trash.
Yihua	Oh, how I've waited for this moment!
Ricardo	... What's he on about?
Ricardo	You can't possibly be thinking that the Sweepers'll somehow break the taboo to help you.
Yihua	Still missing the point, botched purple dye job.
Yihua	Zilu, let us leave to the promised location.
Zilu	…….
Rodion	... Huh? Did he actually scamper all the way here just to gloat at us and run away?
Indeed, Shi Yihua gloated at us with a confident boast as though he was finally ready to face us... only to turn tail again with an unmistakable look of relief.
Ricardo	I don't get it... Does he actually believe that the Sweepers will help him?
Dante	<Faust.>
Faust	Indeed. Sweepers do not invade residential areas. However...
Dante	<... What if where we're standing isn't actually a residential area...?>
Rodion	What are ya talking about? Look, this place has got walls, beds, beddings, and...
Rodion	I guess the walls felt weirdly mushy, and...
Rodion	... mel... ty...?
It wasn't just Rodya who realized what was going on; the other Sinners all began to look around in confusion as well.
The walls of the kezhan had all but melted away, leaving nothing behind.
As though the place we slept the night in was but a house in a painting.
Our realization came too late, as the wavelike noise from earlier had already encroached right up to where we were...
Location: Kezhan Lobby?
... and unlike the other times, when they'd simply part around the bus, they were cutting straight into the remnants of our lodging.
Sweeper	3333333…
Sweeper	45124111… 555232200?
Sweeper	3335114…9541723.
Sinclair	Ahhhh?! W-what's going on?! Why, why, whywhywhywhywhy?!
Don Quixote	...! They're...!
Ricardo	This... is ridiculous...!
Ricardo	Sweepers...! How dare they break the taboo so brazenly...?!
Ryoshu	Heh. Looks like I'll be facing the waves tonight.
Sinclair	W-why do you sound excited about this?! I-I mean, we've got to—
Outis	Let's make some things clear.
Outis	... It's clear that...
Outis	... if we do nothing but stand around, they'll sweep us all away.
Sweeper	4151919…
Sweeper	772…
Outis	Dammit... we have to make our stand here.

Episode: 15
Location: Kezhan Lobby?
Faust	Wave 2 complete. Wave 3... incoming.
The battle was long and grueling. Even Ricardo and his henchmen appeared visibly exhausted after the second wave.
Werner	Big Bro... we messed up. We never should've put you through this trouble in the first place...
Ricardo	Don't worry about it, kid. You've taken a Brother who came all the way from the south and guided him safely through the labyrinth that is H Corp. I’d say you've done more than enough.
Ricardo	No one could've expected that we'd be fighting... the Sweepers, of all things.
Werner	Ngh...
If we're able to withstand the Sweepers, enemies that could give even the Middle trouble... Practice makes perfect and perfection makes an expert, huh? I guess Hong Lu wasn't too off the mark.
Ishmael	Man... we would've been long swept away by the horde if we were still new at this.
Ishmael, who was taking this brief downtime to check the sharpness of her harpoon, was right. We've been through something like this before. Fighting against an endless horde of enemies, long battles of attrition... it wasn't new.
And that very experience was definitely an edge we had against these enemies.
Of course...
Heathcliff	Haah... whew... can we even handle the third wave at this rate?
Meursault	There is no choice but to withstand it.
... nothing was certain just yet. We still had the third wave to survive.
Ricardo	I'll... carry out your sentences as soon as we survive the third wave...!
Ishmael	Even when we’re all basically in the same boat… that guy just can’t help but have it out for us, huh?
Ricardo	Why would I ever— Gaaah!?
The third wave begins. And with it, the buildings... suddenly began to shift violently.
Gregor	Wha—!? Hold on, what's going on?
Sinclair	T-the buildings are shifting!
Dante	<What's happening!?>
Ishmael	... I remember asking all of you guys to read the damn pamphlets.
Ishmael	Buildings inside H Corp. shift every once in a while. I... didn't know it would be like this, but still.
Outis	Hnh. Fortunately, it doesn't seem that the building we're in is shifting by much, Executive Manager.
As soon as Outis finished, an errant building suddenly jutted violently from the ground, rising in a diagonal burst, and struck Ricardo square in the chest—sending him blasting off into the skyline.
Ricardo	Damn you...! MARK MY WORDS, THIS IS ALSO GOING IN THE BOOKS!!!
Ricardo wasn't the only one that got practically punched by a building.
Werner	BIG BROOOOOOO!!!!!
The henchmen of the Middle, who had formed a defensive square to withstand the waves... were blasting off in all directions.
... Or, maybe they were falling? I wasn't sure anymore.
Dante	<W-what is happening...?>
Faust	The movement of the buildings has significantly reduced the enemy population in this area, Dante. This is an opportunity.
Heathcliff	Hah, now that those irritating bastards are off our backs...
싱클레어다침	I-I think this is definitely more doable now.
I can feel the spirit rising among the Sinners.
Dante	<C'mon, let's do this. We've done this kind of fight a thousand times.>
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Kezhan Ruins
Dante	<Was that... the last of them...?>
Outis	Current time is 0424 hours... about ten minutes until the Night in the Backstreets ends. But... we can relax now, given that we survived the third wave.
Faust	The buildings are also no longer shifting. Stability has been restored.
Outis	We... did it, Executive Manager.
Heathcliff	B-bloody hell, finally...
The Sinners all collapse to the ground from exhaustion.
... There was a kezhan here, but it's gone now. Despite the fact that we haven't moved at all from our initial positions, there wasn't even a trace of it having been here.
We realized that we'd been relocated on top of a roof, as though we had all just awakened from the dream of sleeping in a building that never even existed.
Gregor	That... that was one helluva battle, man... I thought I was done for. Haaah, this is killing me...
Heathcliff	I don't know if we could've survived that if that hair-obsessed loon wasn't here to draw some of 'em away... Hah, I guess we've got something to thank him for.
Ryoshu	... Hmph. So that's all they've got in a head-on battle.
Don Quixote	... Art thou acquainted with these foes, young Ryōshū?
Ryoshu	O.F.C. I've heard of them.
Don Quixote	Their scent of blood, 'twas...
Don Quixote	'Twas faint, but... It cannot be. No.
Don Quixote	'Twould be best to not linger overlong on this thought...
Ryoshu	Why not? Dig deeper.
Ryoshu	Letting ephemeral inspiration slip through your fingers is the death of creativity.
Don Quixote	I said I won't linger on it.
Don Quixote	... Don't rush me.
Ryoshu	Hmph, whatever.
Ryoshu	How uninspiring.
Dante	<... Guys, now's not the time to bicker.>
Ryōshū and Don Quixote's words were indeed unnerving, but we'd have plenty of time to discuss that once we returned to the bus.
... If we can return in one piece.
Dante	<Shi Yihua...>
Yihua	I'll be frank. That was impressive.
Yihua	I thought for sure you'd have been long swept away by now.
Shi Yihua must've been waiting somewhere nearby to watch us die, because it did not take long for him to reappear before us.
Perhaps they agreed upon a new deal while we were fending off the waves of Sweepers... the 'Mao' branch and Zilu were both approaching us in an intimidating gait that contrasted with their earlier passivity.
Outis	Dammit...
Outis	Executive Manager, we've had too many high-risk, high-fatigue battles in succession.
Outis	I hate to offer such disloyal advice… but it may be wise to avoid this battle at all costs.
Heathcliff	That... don't seem like... an option to me...
I look around.
Most of the Sinners were either dead, trampled and chopped to small, unrecognizable pieces... They were barely holding on at best.
I can bring them back. I always do.
But when they've completely surrounded us... I don't know if I can bring them back in time to protect me. They might just cut the Sinners down as soon as they get back up.
Yihua	Wellll~ this was well within my predictions.
Yihua	I can simply finish off anyone that hasn't been swept away!
Yihua	Now, a stage is set for my ascension. For the next ten minutes, no sweepers, let alone anyone, is coming here. You know why? Because who in their right mind would leave their homes when the Night in the Backstreets is still ongoing!
Yihua	And looks like even that annoying idiot from the Middle's been taken care of, too... somehow. Bahahaha!
Outis	You... how much of this was your plan?
Yihua	How much, you ask? The whole thing, of course! All the way back to that construction site that blocked your path!
Yihua	The one who deceived that unscrupulous fool of your company? It was me! The one who put the pitiful Qingtao, who doesn't even have a family name, with you? It was me! The one who contracted the Tri-axe Office to challenge you for a duel? It was me!
Yihua	And guess who it was that relayed your real-time location to all kinds of forces in the District... yes. It was me.
Yihua	And this trashy lodging without a residential permit? Hahahaha! All devised by none other than yours truly, using Q Corp.'s technology!
Dante	<... I see.>
Jia Xichun	…….
Yihua	Ahaha! Ohh, it's so good. It was so good, wasn't it? What a perfect strategy.
Yihua	What did you think, aren't I great? Aren't I so utterly clever?
Yihua	This is exactly why I deserve to be the next Family Hiera—
???	A folly, to speak those words.
An unfamiliar voice echoed from the dark.
There was neither animosity nor hospitality—only utter serenity, and nothing else.
The speaker approached us, walking under the narrow ray of moonlight that shone between the shifted buildings.
In his hand was a decapitated head illuminated by the pale light.
Blood dribbles from the severed neck, and the wide-open eyes remain frozen in its final moments—filled with utter terror.
He walks toward us, in step with the drip, drip of the blood.
Jia Xichun	... It can't be. Jia... Qiu?
Jia Xichun	I... I knew Yihua was working for someone. It was him...
Yihua	W-why do you have Qingtao's head...?
Jia Qiu	... I have brought back the wayward pet to his master; that it may once again be leashed.
???	There is a serpent, my lord.
Jia Qiu	Leave it. We needn't shoo it away.
Yihua	W-wha...
???	You were loaned the Heishou Pack so that you may simply get in their way, no more...
???	Hmm, I see. Was there a sudden change of heart, once you held the leash in your hands? That to return to the Shi family's side would be to your benefit?
Yihua	N-no... you... you knew everything all along?
???	What, I must ask, is 'everything' to you?
???	Your vision is too limited for my lord's wisdom to comprehend; the wise fails to peer through the narrow-sighted eyes of the fool.
???	But... if by 'everything' you refer to how you feigned abandonment from the Shi family to secure my lord's trust...
???	... indeed, it could be said that we do know everything.
Yihua	... Heeugh...!
Yihua	D-don't kill me. Please, please don't kill me...!
Yihua	I-I will share with you my most guarded secrets. At the S-Shi family, it, uh—
Yihua	... Right! The Ten Blades of the East! Yes, the Thum—
But Shi Yihua could speak no more.
For a serpentine blade struck from the umbra and separated his head from his torso with ease.
Jia Qiu	... Little Yihua, have I not warned you time and again to guard your tongue against the creeping desperation?
???	I believe that we have gathered the intelligence we had hoped to collect, my lord.
Jia Qiu	You needn't pursue the serpent, Zilu.
Zilu	…….
His voice boomed as he commanded those who appeared to be his officers. The tall, built man took a ponderous step from the shadows and stood before us.
With an enigmatic expression, he wordlessly looked at Yihua’s decapitated head, now lying on the ground—then at us.
... It was as though he was gazing upon the clouds or blades of grass.
Jia Qiu	I shall take them with me.
He picked up Yihua's decapitated head before gesturing at his officer with a nod.
???	Ah, here it is, my lord. Wrap their heads with stasis wraps, and decomposition won’t set in anytime soon.
And with those bandages, he begins to wrap them up in a practiced motion.
... He does not pay us any heed, as though we weren't even worth the attention.
Jia Qiu	Return to me once you are finished here.
Zilu	Yes, my lord.
Jia Xichun	H-hold on. You, you can't just show up out of nowhere and—
Jia Qiu	…….
He did not reply, his eyes gazing, yet reflecting nothing but hollow emptiness.
And just as he had emerged from the darkness, he vanished into the shadows, carrying two decapitated heads.

Episode: 16
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Kezhan Ruins
Dante	<…….>
Things weren't looking any better.
I could instinctively tell that they were... different from anyone or anything we'd faced in Hongyuan so far.
???	I... don't suppose our lord left them alive only for us to slay them.
???	Hm, then perhaps it would be apt that I introduce myself, as it is common courtesy to do so.
Zigong	Call me Zigong; I am but a humble student of my lord, master Qiu's teachings.
"My lord", "master Qiu"... somehow, I was reminded of the discussion Qingtao refused to finish.
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Entrance
Singing Voice	For when the far one comes, betwixt the burnt doors shall a star fall astray~
Qingtao	As for the song... it's a song that's become rather popular in the Backstreets in the recent months.
Qingtao	Ahm. This is not the place to discuss such matters. I will share the tale in a more appropriate setting later, should we come across it.
Location: Backstreets of District 8, Kezhan Ruins
Dante	<... Name's Dante. I'm their manager.>
I decided to speak up, struggling through the pressure.
I instinctively knew that we had to find out as much as I could about that man from earlier.
Faust	They introduced themself as manager Dante.
Zigong	... I see. Your candidness is appreciated.
Zigong	Zilu, withdraw the Mao. It seems that we need not contend with them at the moment.
Zilu	Very well.
It seemed that they had the very same thought about us.
Zigong	Now, is that sufficient proof of our intent to engage in a brief discourse?
Zigong	To discuss some matters with you to mark a courtly ending to this encounter should be of benefit to us, for the prospects of our future. So... ask away, as they say.
Jia Xichun	So...
That's when Jia Xichun stepped forward, after having retreated from the domineering presence.
Jia Xichun	... So that's what those suspicious songs I heard in the Backstreets were about. It's about you guys, wasn't it?
Jia Xichun	So, are those lyrics... true?
Zigong	Ahh. So that is what you wish to know.
Zigong	Xichun of the Jia family... it is said that you possess talent in rhetoric, yet walk a path beclouded by concern and anxiety.
Zigong	Truly, your insignificance precludes your part in greatness.
Wei	…!
Jia Xichun	Wei. Don't speak for me.
Jia Xichun	I would've been the first to say anything if... I thought she was wrong.
Wei	... Yes, my lady.
Jia Xichun	Shi Yihua... you're the one who sent him after us... right?
Zigong	Hm... close, yet not exact. He was an agent of the Shi family, sent to spy on my lord's doings.
Zigong	We had bestowed him control of a Heishou Pack, for we had found his conduct shallow, and saw a means of learning more of the Shi family's machinations...
Zigong	Yet it seems that, once granted power, the boy mistook himself for a man with the wherewithal to represent the Shi family.
Jia Xichun	... So, you used him.
Zigong	Just as he sought to use us.
Zigong	Though he was quite shallow in his strategy compared to our own.
Jia Xichun	... So, what now?
Jia Xichun	I don't think... you're... looking to kill us, right?
Zigong	Now nothing.
Zigong	Do whatever it was that you had sought to accomplish here.
Jia Xichun	You're letting two of your master's rivals go, just like that...?
Zigong	What a strange thing to say. Look around as I might, I... fail to see any 'rivals' here.
Jia Xichun	…….
Dante	<... Then...>
Zigong	…?
Dante	<Why did you order Yihua to attack us? You said it yourself, we're not even your rivals...>
Faust	The manager inquires why you commanded Yihua to carry out this assault against Limbus Company.
Zigong	… They fear, yet they seek to gain understanding through that fear.
Zigong	Yet, they remain wanting in a certain perspicacity...
Zigong	My lord has always said that if one learns naught from a plight, then no discourse with them shall bear fruit.
Instead of giving me a straight answer, Zigong left me with only a puzzling comment before she brushed past us.
Zigong	I have given you courtesy enough; this is a good time for us to depart.
Zigong	Now... do stay nicely within your borders, as you have remained there thus far.
Zigong	I would greatly despise an odd splash of ink marring the great painting.
With that, Zigong walked into the shadows cast beneath the forest of buildings.
Zilu and the countless Heishou that had surrounded us... also disappeared with them.
Outis	... F...finally...
Jia Xichun	Haah...
I looked around just in time to see Outis collapse, while the rest of the Sinners lay dead or barely clinging to life.
And there was Jia Xichun, who had collapsed to the floor as well, and Wei, who was tending to her wounds.
And me, who... somehow, survived through all that without getting decapitated.
And the night that put us through multiple brushes with death came to an end.
The day breaks...
Location: Backstreets of District 8
Jia Xichun	... Yeah, and that's pretty much everything that's happened.
Hong Lu	That big brother Qiu...? I see.
Once the day broke, we decided to take a quick walk outside to recover a little from the exhaustion of the night.
It was also to decide our course of action from here on, and we also had to decide if we wanted to travel with Jia Xichun, with whom we shared our destination.
Jia Xichun	Hello? Did you forget how to make a concerned face or something?
Jia Xichun	How are you maintaining that irritating poker face through the whole conversation?
Hong Lu	Ha ha, of course not.
Jia Xichun	Classic Jia family secrecy, huh? Always hiding something... and I bet you are, too.
Jia Xichun	If you are, you better spit it out now. I don't have the time to casually stroll about with my to-be enemy.
Hong Lu	Xichun, as I have always said, the seat of the Family Hierarch is of no—
Jia Xichun	... Fine. Even if you're lying, I do know that you haven't prepared anything for your assignment anyway.
Jia Xichun	... Hm. Changing the subject...
Jia Xichun, who was chatting with Hong Lu, methodically slowed down enough to walk right next to me as though she was executing steps of a plan.
Jia Xichun	You lead my brother's faction, don't you? About what I wanted to talk to you about earlier...
Dante	<I guess I do...? For now, I guess.>
Earlier? Oh, is this about our conversation back at the kezhan...?
Jia Xichun	Ugh, brother. Translations, please.
Hong Lu	Haha, of course. Dante is, unquestionably, our manager.
Jia Xichun	Great. Let me make a proposal, then.
Jia Xichun	Become my faction for the duration of the Family Hierarch evaluations. Help me out.
Dante	<... What?>
It's uh... can we do that?
Heathcliff	... Can we do that?
Jia Xichun	Why not?
Jia Xichun	You guys managed to stall even the Sweepers. That means you command a formidable force.
Jia Xichun	Besides, you're headed to the family mansion anyway, aren't you? You just don't know what to do once you get there.
Jia Xichun	And, as for competition... well, my brother doesn't care about the whole thing anyway.
Jia Xichun	So why don't you join me? Help me become the Family Hierarch.
Jia Xichun	I'm not like our other older siblings. I always pay my debts, whether that's for a favor or for a grudge. If you can't trust me, I'm happy to make a written—
Dante	<Can we do that, Faust?>
Faust	… Hm.
Faust	... Faust deems Jia Xichun's plan—her explanation of it, at least—rather flawless.
Faust	Having such an ally at the apex of a Wing will be a great boon to Limbus Company as well.
Dante	<I guess so...>
Dante	<... Then I don't see any reason to refuse her offer.>
Hong Lu, who's been listening in on our conversation, boiled the discussion down to a clearer explanation and relayed it to Jia Xichun.
Jia Xichun	Heh, perfect.
Jia Xichun	It is said that formation of such alliances should come with a grand banquet to mark the occasion and to cement the upcoming coalition.
Jia Xichun	The banquet's on me. Once we get closer to the central zone, let's find a nice kezhan to discuss our future ventures together.
Jia Xichun	You're Dante... right? Let's make this thing work.
Dante	<Uhm, let's.>
I was still bewildered by the turn of events, but Jia Xichun reached out for a handshake with such earnestness that I found myself almost drawn to shake her hand in return.
Now that I think about it... this is the first time we ever made ourselves an ally that wasn't specifically selected by the company, huh?
... Well, if that's the case...
... I really hope we can have at least one ally who doesn't meet a terrible end.
After the banquet...
We walked out of the kezhan to find the Mephistopheles waiting for us in the middle of the road.
Gregor	Wow, man... I never thought about it, but now that it's just standing like this in the middle of the street... it really stands out, doesn't it?
Jia Xichun	Is this your... usual ride?
Saude	... Glad to see that you're all safe.
Saude and Pilot walked out from inside the bus.
Gregor	Uh huh... so, did you guys take care of the 'business'?
Outis	I have some more pressing things to talk about. Listen well. Do you have any idea how much trouble your subordinate's little 'connection'—
Saude	... Yes. Miss Faust already gave me a report.
Saude	Pilot.
Pilot	Oh boy... Yes ma'am!
By the way he's awkwardly stepping forward... he probably already got a hell of a talking-to from Saude.
Pilot	Real mighty sorry about that, y'all...
Pilot	I've only ever been a part of eradication missions, never in this espionage business, so...
Saude	Pilot. What did I say about mixing excuses into an apology?
Pilot	Ahh, ahhh!!! Forget what I said! Real mighty sorry, for real!
Pilot	This Qingtao guy approached me and sweet-talked me into goin' along with that plan of his!
Pilot	So I got too cocky, assuming that I knew better than my seniors!
Saude	... I'm sorry, too. I forgot that he's still a new guy in the business. Of course he'd be prone to making these mistakes.
Saude	Looks like we'll both be writing letters to explain our failure together, huh...
Dante	<You're both getting disciplined for this...?>
Faust	The disciplinary action is unlikely to be anything of significance. The LCB team came out unscathed, all things considered. However, it is likely that they may have to work for half a year without pay.
Saude	I'd consider it a win if all we're getting is docked pay.
Pilot	N-next time! I do promise!
Pilot	Next time, I'm gonna get real good at this job... I'm gonna become someone who can actually provide good assistance to y'all... nngh, sob...
Saude	Of course, Pilot. You really should.
Saude	In fact, you will have no choice but to become a contributing member of the team when I'm done with you. Let's really get to it, huh?
Pilot	Ahh...
Saude	No one's dying or getting fired under my watch as long as I'm their manager. I'll make sure of that.
Sinclair	…….
Dante	<... Yeah.>
Rodion	Ohh! Right! Almost forgot to tell ya, Saude. It's real important business stuff... Going forward, we're gonna—
Saude	Oh, yeah. I was going to bring that up sooner or later. We just got the orders from the LCA.
Saude produced a small device from her pockets...
... and began reading from it.
Saude	Upon arrival at the central zone of H Corp., the LCB will participate in the Family Hierarch Evaluation with a candidate.
Jia Xichun	Hmph, we were going to anyway. Now, this Bus Team faction's gonna be my—
Saude	The LCB will present the following Sinner as their chosen candidate.
Saude	Sinner #6, Hong Lu.
Dante	<... Wha?>
Location: -1
- FIN -
Jia Xichun	... Whaaat?!
Jia Xichun	Y-you can't do that, what the hell!
Jia Xichun	You! All of you! I'm gonna make you throw up everything you just ate, you assholes!
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