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AParadox
Jan 7, 2012
La Pluma and Gun chen for the team. Ptilopsis for the ticket, she has done so much work for me.

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Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Welcome back. New event! New characters!




The thread was nearly unanimous in requesting Ptilopsis, so here she is. Ptilopsis is a 5* Multi-Target Medic (same branch as Perfumer). She is also super OP in a way that probably wasn't intentional.

Ptilopsis is a Liberi (owl) from Columbia (bird USA). Unlike the other researchers from Rhine Lab, Ptilopsis is actually infected, which I guess is interesting in that she still has a job. She works in the same medical department as Silence and is quite close to her. Her infection has reached her nervous system, causing both narcolepsy and... schizophrenia? I don't recall if they use that word, but that's basically what it is. If she loses focus, she starts hearing voices and generally thinking unpleasant things. So to deal with this she is very careful about keeping her thoughts organized at all times, which she does by roleplaying as a computer. It's less of a conscious choice and more of a defense mechanism. There's a chapter written from her perspective and it's really interesting.

Talent (Skill Aura): When Ptilopsis is deployed, all allies who gain SP over time gain it 30% faster. This is completely ridiculous and single-handedly made her top-tier at launch. I get the impression that the devs didn't really realize how powerful this was, and it's supposed to be just a minor bonus when in fact it's game-changing in harder maps. Later operators with SP gain bonuses tend to be both weaker AND more situational, or both. But she just gives the best bonus to the whole team all the time, passively. They don't stack, at least. Also, more recent OP operators don't even need SP to perform, so she's relatively less useful than she used to be, but still really good.

S1 (Healing Up γ): Heals more.

S2 (Enkephalin): Extends her range forward (so she can heal as far as a single target medic) and triples her attack speed. This skill is also kind of insane because, well, that's a really fast attack speed. This is one of the best healing cooldowns in the game, again for no particular reason. Ptilopsis OP.




Incidentally, I got her to E2. I think we were due for another good healer.




I also promoted La Pluma.




And Magallan. I guess we're team bird now.



Anyway, our new event is Dossoles Holiday, a summer beach event! Which make January the perfect time to release it! Music. There's not much else to say except that this menu is extremely cluttered and makes no sense at all. Also, since this is the 2nd Anniversary event it's got a number of weird mechanics. Oh yeah, and the shop is called Mama John's and that's funny.





A Chance Encounter

quote:

A sudden change of itinerary, and unexpected reunion, a noisy city, a strange commission. Ch'en's holiday is just beginning.
Music. This is from an older event, but I don't think we've heard it before in the LP. Doing the LP and keeping track of the music has actually been kind of interesting, honestly, because a lot of the most common tracks were introduced halfway through in the W event.



Well, if this isn't a shocker! Who could have known this would happen during the highly-anticipated scrimmage preliminaries?! Two non-participants who joined the fray out of nowhere ended up our final victors! Mr. Pancho, is something like this going to fly?!



Ahem... Indeed, this rarely happens in our competitions, and, in principle, we prefer our contestants follow the competition's rules.
It's very regrettable, then...
However.



It isn't so bad for something like this to happen once in a while.
Right! Ahem, it's very regrettable, then! I am afraid we have bad news for our other contestants!

The audience cheers wildly. It's pretty loud compared to the other sounds in this game.



Heh, looks like the MC's pretty good at thinking on the fly. He was about to say we were disqualified.



Maybe. Looks like we barged into some competition venue. If I remember correctly, this is the Smash Splash Preliminaries.

----

But don't forget the whole point of the competitions is to bring joy to the people! Although the two of them did not go through the proper procedures to join our competition, thanks to their extraordinary skills and flawless teamwork, they survived until the very end! What a fantastic turn of events! Let us give these ladies a huge round of applause for their performance!

More loud cheering.



He said our teamwork was flawless. Were we even working together?
I sure hope not. *Sigh*... how did this happen?

It fades to white and flashes through a bunch of images.




----

Music.



Back at Lungmen. This is what Lungmen looks like, in case you forgot.



Dad, what's the story behind this invitation...?



Another year, another letter, eh? That woman doesn't know when to give up.
What woman? Give up on what?

A meaningful pause.

Is this something I should tell Mom?
Settle down. It's one of the mayors from that commercial city alliance. Some ten years ago, Wei Yenwu was still in the mood to go visit himself. These days, they only talk to each other via Messenger. But she's not one to take no for an answer. She sends both of us invitation letters to go visit around this time every year.
Commercial alliance... The one in Columbia?
No, it's in Bolívar. You heard of it before. She's the mayor there.
Dossoles... Candela Sanchez? I heard that place is a money sink... Are you not going?
It's halfway across the world, and what would I do there? My arms and legs are too old for that kind of abuse. Besides, even if I were in the mood for a trip, it's meaningless if Wei Yenwu doesn't go.
That's right. The one they want to butter up is the Chief of Lungmen, Mr. Wei, and it's true that he doesn't have the luxury to take a trip now, given all the responsibilities on his shoulders. And please don't sell yourself short either, Dad. If you were to take a trip, we wouldn't have anyone look after the flowers at the shop, and the uncles would have one less person to play chess with.
Seoi neoi. So that's how you compare me to Wei Yenwu. Our cities have a trade agreement. If Wei Yenwu had his heart set on going, he'd go. He's sick of Dossoles, and it's certainly not worth visiting. And if Wei Yenwu isn't going, then I'm not going either.
Okay, I understand. I'll toss the invitation, then.

A cellphone vibrates.

Hm? A phone call from Lady Fumizuki?



Mr. Lin, it's me.
Lady Fumizuki, to what do I owe the pleasure?
A phone call from Lady Fumizuki? I'll give you some space...
Is that Yühsia? Ask her to stay. This has to do with her as well.
Yühsia, stay.
Alright.
Mr. Lin, I'm sure you, too, received the invitation?
As always. Is something the matter?
Personally, I am quite fond of the idea of going on a holiday there, but you know how Yenwu is. You couldn't find a lazier person if you tried.
Of course. But it seems you have a different idea?
I would like Yühsia to visit the city in Yenwu's stead.
That's...
I will persuade Yenwu. You needn't worry.
Absolutely, you are the boss, after all. But that's not what concerns me... I'll get to the point. It's far too soon for Yühsia to take on so much responsibility.
Dad, what did Lady Fumizuki say?

I thought she stayed and listened?

She wants you to go to Dossoles in Wei Yenwu's stead.
I'll go.
Yühsia.



...I am going.
Mr. Lin?
Fine, if my daughter wants to go on a trip, is it her father's place to say no? She can go.
Very well. Yühsia, make sure to pack for a long trip.
I will.

She hangs up.

Yühsia.
I'll bring you some souvenirs, Dad.
*Sigh*... Nei go sei seoi neoi ah... Alright, then. It's settled. Get yourself ready for the trip. You will be away for some time. Have your mother help you pack.
Alright.

She leaves.

If this is what Lady Fumizuki wants, I am sure there is more to it than we know. A holiday... Does this have something to do with Ch'en? Whatever... No use thinking about it so much. It's not like she'd want to pull any strings to take advantage of Yühsia, what with how fond of the youngsters she is. That aside... *Sigh*. Looks like there's no keeping her home when she's all grown up.

----



Fumizuki, did you arrange for Lin Yühsia's trip to Dossoles?
I did.
......
What's the problem? They invited us not because they had any actual business to discuss with you. It's just a vacation trip.
You wanted to send Hui-chieh, didn't you?
That's right. I was never trying to hide it from you, though.
If Lin Yühsia is my representative there, Hui-chieh will get to take it easy and have as much fun as she wants, but...
Ch'en is at Rhodes Island right now. Although I trust them, I have no way of knowing how she is doing there. Besides, I know our little Ch'en is in no position to represent you right now. Yühsia, on the other hand, always does a good job with everything. She is the perfect substitute.
The Rat King's daughter won't necessarily become the Rat King herself.
If that's what she wants, then give her a chance, and if she manages to seize the opportunity, it just shows how capable she is. Or will the venerable Chief Wei send all of Lungmen's forces after me, a frail lady, for overstepping my boundaries?
You know I always listen to you when I make these decisions. It's just... You've met Candela. Hui-chieh and Yühsia are still far too young to handle her.
For how often you call me a worrywart, it certainly seems like you are the biggest in the room. If it wasn't for your personality, perhaps you could've found yourself on better terms with our little Ch'en.
We are not discussing this right now, Fumizuki.

Burn.

*Sigh*, Dossoles is famous not only in Bolívar, but all across the world, and it is in no small part because of her. She is no ordinary woman. We've been there before. It's a city you could never have imagined in a thousand years. Given she built it singlehandedly, it's no wonder that you fear her, both as the Chief of Lungmen and from a personal standpoint.
You agree with me, then...
But you big shots are always so calculating, trying to get the upper hand over each other, and it's always the first thing that crosses your mind when meeting anyone. If I have to say, I saw it the moment I laid my eyes on Candela. She's the kind of person who's capable of many things. Bad things. But she definitely won't do anything that puts Ch'en and Yühsia in harm's way. You think she will be a bad example for the children, but I think there's no better place to send them.
......
If you are so worried, Yühsia most likely hasn't left for Dossoles yet, and I haven't sent the letter out to Ch'en either. There is still time.
...Fine, we'll do as you say.

----



Hm, I spotted a few Rhodes Islanders just now, I think...? Don't tell me they came to Siesta too... Guess I'll go find out in a minute.

Siesta was the setting of the game's first summer beach event over a year ago. Chen made a background cameo, so I guess this one's set at around the same time.

Someone knocks on the door.

Who is it?
Miss Ch'en, sorry to interrupt your vacation.
Shirayuki? What are you doing here?



I have a letter for you from the Princess. It's of the utmost importance.
Did something happen in Lungmen?!
Not at all. Please, read the letter.
Where is it...?
Here.
There's an invitation inside...? I'll start with the letter.

Dear Ch'en, It's been a long while. Are you doing well at Rhodes Island? Have you been eating right and getting enough rest?

She's always such a worrywart.

Here's the thing. I am sure you have already found attached with the letter an invitation. It was sent to us by the mayor of a Bolívarian city. Alas, we don't have the time to make this visit ourselves, so after I discussed this with Yenwu, we would like you to visit the city in our place.

......

The city is named Dossoles; you might have heard of it. There is a large artificial lake there and many entertainment facilities. It's a great place for a holiday. I am sure the fatigue must be adding up with how Rhodes Island is sending you everywhere. You should take this chance to get some rest. I will talk to Rhodes Island, so you needn't worry. From, Wei Fumizuki

But... I'm on a holiday right now.
It would seem the princess isn't aware of this.
Right. Still, Dossoles, huh...? Shirayuki, do you know how far away that is?
The city is in northwestern Bolívar. If you leave now, it will take roughly fifteen days.
There's no date on the invitation. Looks like any time will do for them...
Will you accept, Miss Ch'en?
How could I say no to her kindness? All I have to do is take my holiday elsewhere.

I feel like extending your vacation by 15 days of travel time isn't a trivial decision, but what do I know?

I, Shirayuki, will pass on your thanks to Lady Fumizuki, Miss Ch'en.
I've told you this more times than I can count, Shirayuki. We're both operators. Stop it with the 'Miss.'
And my answer will remain the same, Miss. You will always be Miss Ch'en to me.
Eh, whatever. Are you coming?
No, I'm afraid I have other matters I must attend to. My apologies.
Alright, looks like it's a solo trip for me again.
On another note, it seems that the Doctor and a few other operators have come to this city after completing their mission. If you would like, perhaps you should meet with them before you depart.
Hm? So I guess my eyes didn't deceive me. Well, I'll pass. I'll see them when I'm back at Rhodes Island.

Like pretty much all events, this take place after chapter 8, so Chen has left Lungmen and joined Rhodes Island. But since you can do this even without clearing chapter 8, the writers try to avoid saying anything too direct about it.

Indeed. Now...
Not so fast, Shirayuki. You have the time to at least stay the evening, don't you? Have dinner with me tonight. We'll head out together tomorrow morning.
As you wish, Miss.

Somehow the fact that they ate dinner together feels meaningful to me. Like, it's just two throwaway lines but it characterizes their relationship a lot more. I dunno, I like it.

----

Music.



Finally. So this is Dossoles... It's just like they say. Stepping into the city is enough to make you forget you're in Bolívar. In any case, I should first...



Excuse me, but are you Miss Ch'en Hui-chieh?
That's me, and you would be...?
The mayor instructed me to await your arrival here.
I'm only here for a holiday. Let's not go through all that trouble.
No, the mayor specifically instructed us to contact her as soon as you arrive. Please give me just a moment.
This is Control Point No. 2. We have successfully intercepted Miss Ch'en Hui-chieh. Yes... Okay, understood.
Please come with us. The mayor would like to meet with you.
*Sigh*, fine.

----



Note the giant golden chihuahua statue.

Please go on in, Miss Ch'en.
...



Miss Ch'en Hui-chieh, looks like you made it here first. I've long heard that the L.G.D. Special Inspection Unit Chief is a young lady of extraordinary talent. Meeting you in person has only proven that those are no mere rumors.
You... must be the mayor, Lady Sanchez?
Yes, that's right. I am Candela Sanchez, the mayor of Dossoles.
You speak Yanese pretty well.

In the latest patch they officially changed the name of the country of Yen to Yan. It had already been written as Yan in images where English text appears, etc, but they finally unified the in-game text too. Not sure if they applied it to older story chapters though.

I've always wanted to cozy up to Mr. Wei, but he hasn't been back since ten years ago. I haven't had much use for my Yanese, even after all the time I spent learning it.
Lady Sanchez, I'm just here on vacation. I am not representing anyone.
Please, call me Candela. You may even call me Auntie, if you want. After all, it's long been my wish to become Chief Wei's sworn sister.
I will pass, Lady San... Candela.
Hahaha... The way you talk, and the way you frown. My, my, you look just like he did when he was still young. But I have to say, he was much more heroic than you are now.
I'm not that related to Chief Wei...



Don't worry. I understand. You have nothing to worry about, my lovely niece. Lady Fumizuki has already told me that you won't be representing anyone, and you will have no burdens on your shoulders. Have some fun. As long as I'm here, there is nothing that can hurt you in this city.
Thank you for your kindness, then. You said I made it here first. Is someone else coming?
Right! Wouldn't you say it's a coincidence? She's coming from Lungmen, while you came here from Siesta, and both of you are arriving on the same day.
Who?
Hmm? Oh, looks like Lady Fumizuki's hiding something from you, even though you are bound to find out. Ch'en, my lovely niece, I'm sure you already know, but there are certain formalities that Chief Wei and I must follow given our position, even if we'd rather not. I actually wouldn't have minded if Chief Wei had sent just any old lout off the street... Well, I guess maybe he'd still have to put a little thought into it. Someone like you, perhaps? I would honor them with the same hospitality as I am showing you now.
And why does it matter? I invited the Weis and the Rat King here for a holiday. But he knows that will not do, and so do I. He is free to not come, but he must send someone of status. Or it would be tantamount to the Chief of Lungmen disrespecting the Mayor of Dossoles. You would've seen countless headlines in the newspapers of both cities, and way too many things would get unnecessarily problematic.
So what you are saying is Chief Wei sent someone of sufficient status to represent him.
That's right.
Is it Hoshiguma? No, maybe Swire...?
Wrong on both counts.
Then...
Ma'am, she's here.
There's your answer.



Lady Candela Sanchez, esteemed mayor of Dossoles, on behalf of the Chief of Lungmen Wei...
Lin Yühsia?!
Ch'en Hui-chieh?!



What are you doing here?!
Oh... I get it. No wonder Lady Fumizuki sent me.
So you're Wei Yenwu's representative.
Looks like you two are acquainted. That's wonderful.
We used to be classmates. That's it.
She's a friend of a friend. We barely know each other.

I love these two.

In that case, wouldn't this be the perfect opportunity for you to reconnect? Anyway, Lin, my dear niece. Just like my niece Ch'en here, you may call me by my given name. No need to be so formal. Even though you're here to represent Chief Wei, you don't need to think too much about such things. No burdens on your shoulders. All you need to do is enjoy this city I'm so proud of.
Understood...
Oh, and two more things.
Please, by all means.
First, I heard that both of you are very bright and can more than hold your own in a fight, that you girls are capable of great things. So I have an extra fun activity prepared just for you two, my beautiful nieces.
Activity?
Before I explain, do you know anything about our city's biggest event of this time?
The championship that's going on right now?
That's right.



Dossoles's greatest feature, and indeed what it is known for all across the world, is the 'ocean' that surrounds us, and this ship sailing its waters. It's a piece of renovated Iberian technology. It took much blood, sweat and tears to complete. It's one of my finest masterpieces.

It's an artificial inland sea.

Including the statue on the ship's bow?
Hahaha, that's just my own little addition.
As for the water of this 'sea,' it's all sourced from the actual, vast ocean to the north. The water gets dirty and starts to stink after a while, so we replace the ocean water at least twice a year. And this season is when most of us here head to the beach. That's why we have the water replaced around this time. Changing the water is in itself a mundane process. Not only that, but we even have to take away a day of fun from our esteemed guests. Nonetheless, I don't want to have our guests play in any filthy seawater either. It would be an insult to Dossoles's fame.
And that's how the Dossoles Warrior Champion came to be. This is a variety competition event that takes place all across the city, and it is entirely sponsored by me, at my expense. I will have someone give you a more detailed explanation later if you would like to know more. What you need to know is that the competition's victor will get to press the button that starts the water changing process. It's an honor that's unique to this city alone.
So you turned something that used to be troublesome into a huge event...
Hahaha, that's exactly right.



To tell the truth, I'm very happy that the two of you made it before the competition began. I heard you were vacationing in Siesta before you left for our city, Ch'en?
Yes.
What do you think of the music festival there?
I don't know much about music, but it was pretty lively.

Yeah, last time it was a music festival, which honestly was such a nice spin on the stale old beach episode.

Haha, I've met their mayor as well. You could say he, too, is trying his best for his city. Sadly, he doesn't have what it takes to be the master of a city.

Yeah, he sucks.

Besides, a music festival is nothing compared to my championship! Hahaha! It looks like you two can handle yourself in a competition. If you're interested, perhaps you would consider joining the fray. Oh, but if I'm not mistaken, the prelims will be over soon. If you are throwing your hat in the ring, don't wait much longer. If the two of you win together as a team, not only will you brighten Chief Wei's day, you will also get a special present from me.
I'm not sure about teaming up, but we will give it some thought.
Now what was that extra activity you mentioned?
Oh, look at how forgetful I am. This fun activity has to do with the championship. Sometime last week, my men busted an explosives and universal Originium circuits smuggling scheme. I let a lot of things happen within my borders, but that isn't one of them. You should keep this in mind, too.
I don't think we'll need to.
Hahaha, of course. Just joking. Normally, there would be nothing remotely fun about weapon smuggling, though, as you know, the championship is right around the corner.
So you don't have enough manpower? Looks like they picked an interesting time to try to smuggle weapons into the city...
They are probably trying to pull something funny at the competition. I suggest we start with any gray areas.
Very good. Looks like I made the right decision to prepare this little activity for you two. It's wonderful that you're already interested. Anyway, if you feel you aren't having as much fun as you'd like at any point during your stay here, you could try your hand at the investigation. For fun.
Investigating this... for fun?
Right, and especially for you, Ch'en. I know you love solving a good case.
Are you not concerned that your city is under threat?



Concerned? Ch'en, my girl, you don't understand. As long as I'm here, no one can threaten this city. You are free to forget all about this mission and enjoy your vacation, or join in the competitions. And even if it leads to any problems down the line, you won't be the ones to blame. It's just like I said. This is a fun little activity that I prepared specifically for the two of you for your vacation.

I love this Bond villain lady already.

......
Right, we understand.
Okay, and here's the other thing. I would love to personally show you around Dossoles and tell you about each of the spectacles I personally erected here... But since Chief Wei didn't come himself, then it also wouldn't be appropriate for me to accompany you two. So, I assigned you a guide. Ernesto, come in.



Lady Candela.
This is one of my sharpest diplomats, Ernesto.



Pleasure to meet you, señoritas.
He speaks Yanese too, but most people here speak Victorian and Leithanian. He can translate for you.

That's a weird mix of languages. Is the Spanish he's using Iberian then?

No need. I speak both.
Same here...
Oh, wonderful. In that case, if you run into anything you need help with, such as the specifics of the championship, then he is the person to ask. Right, Ernesto?
Yes, of course.
Alright.
Thank you.
Of course, if you find yourself annoyed by an idiot like him, you are free to come to me with any questions directly, hahaha. Okay, I still have other guests to meet, so please excuse me. I will leave the rest to the youth.



Thank you very much for your time, Lady Candela.

Candela leaves.

......
......
Pleased to make your acquaintance, lovely ladies. I am the International Trade Management Department's deputy director, Ernesto Salas. Please just call me Ernesto. I welcome you two to our city. If there is anything you would like to know about the city or there is anywhere you would like to visit, please feel free to ask. My mission from Lady Candela is to make sure that you feel at home.
Please, don't trouble yourself.
I'm good. Thank you.
Haha. Well, first things first, your phones have already been readjusted to connect to our intercity net. You are free to make calls or look up cute videos.

Cat videos must be so weird when cats are, like, cryptids in this world.

Here's how you can get in touch with me or Lady Candela directly. And here are the credit cards that the mayor has prepared for you. All your transactions within the city may be paid using this card, and there is no credit limit. All your expenses will be paid by the government. You can go on the shopping spree of a lifetime if you'd like.

We don't need all this.
This is the way the city treats its guests. Please, just accept them. Aside from that... It looks like you have some catching up to do, so I will intrude no longer. We will be heading to your hotel next. I will wait for you downstairs. Come look for me as soon as you're ready.
Okay...

He leaves.




......
......

Music. I don't know how many people even listen to these music links, but it suddenly goes from goofy music to sad/stressful music.

Long time no see, Ch'en Hui-chieh.
Long time no see, Lin Yühsia.
How long has it been since we last met?
Don't remember. Swire's birthday two years ago?
I wasn't there.
I see. Guess I'm mistaken.
The class reunion the year before, perhaps?
Oh, right.
You look like you're doing well. Lady Fumizuki will be glad.
Maybe. How is Swire holding up?
You haven't heard from Hoshiguma? She's more or less the representative there now, and she's pretty good at it. It shouldn't be much longer before she formally takes over your job.
That's good. She's actually pretty capable of the responsibilities that come with the job, if she works on her temperament a little.
That's going to be difficult. She wouldn't be Swire if she knew how to mellow out.
You're right.
......
......
I have a question.
Go ahead.

Music cuts out.

Why did you help him?
......

Presumably she's referring to chapter 6, when Yuhsia led the black cloaks to massacre the infected slums in Lungmen. Which they kinda sorta implied didn't actually happen when the Rat King talked to Wei later, but Chen doesn't know that. So, uh, yeah.



Music. Goofy again.

Excuse me, but we will be docking in a moment. I am wondering if you would like to get off the boat or stay on board for a little longer. If you two are still talking, I can also arrange a room for you...

Music cuts out again.



I guess I came at the wrong moment?

And restarts.

No, you came at just the right moment. Take us to the hotel, please.
Oh, of course.
......
Miss Ch'en?
Let's go.

Raviente
Mar 1, 2013
I like Shirayuki's characterization across all the different vignettes and side-stories, where she most often shows up. Based on her appearance and voice lines, you'd think she is a one-note character with a single personality trait ("bodyguard"), but she's actually just a weirdo with normal hobbies, like comic books, and TV dramas.

Actually, in my opinion one of the strengths of Arknight's writing is that almost all the characters have lives outside of being Operators, in a convincing way (and for those that don't, it's usually portrayed as bad and unhealthy). It makes me care a lot more about the characters than I would otherwise.

Raviente fucked around with this message at 23:09 on Jan 15, 2022

Indecisive
May 6, 2007


gently caress ptilopsis she sucks booooooooooooooooooooo

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Sorry, but the people have spoken.

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.
Ptilopsis has a very cute design and she is good :colbert:

FractalSandwich
Apr 25, 2010

quote:

Anyway, our new event is Dossoles Holiday, a summer beach event! Which make January the perfect time to release it!
Bloody northerners, always looking down on the southern hemisphere...

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Welcome back. Last time Chen and Lin Yuhsia had the most awkward reunion ever, after their unresolved difference of opinion on genocide, which apparently somehow ends up with them joining a competition together. But first, a tutorial:


Just Arrived

quote:

When arriving at an unfamiliar place, it's always better to have a local guide one around.


Before the mission even starts, we get a tutorial on the set-up screen.

In Dossoles, you can modify your equipment or add better parts to suit the operation. Let me show you using my weapon.



Let's say, we've got a really common part here, and I attach it to my equipment.



It's been put into Sticker form for easy recognition. One label matches up to one kind of component, so collect Sticker to work with their corresponding components. It's a fad that only took off in the last two years. You can ask me about specific effect the modifications and parts have, and you can also look them up on your phone—there's a website that records this stuff. Like here's this part, and it's got this effect.

quote:

Dossoles Tourist Badge: Gain 4 additional DP when carrying this into stage
Generally, the recommended limit on equipment mods is 5, meaning you can bring 5 Stickers at most, and multiple of the same kind of Sticker can't be brought into battle. Once you start packing on a lot of Stickers, don't forget to save your own Customized Scheme. These things will have a practical effect on your combat.

Basically, you can bring up to 5 squad-wide buffs, but you need to get the Stickers first. They drop randomly from missions, which is kind of annoying, but you don't really need any to complete the main story and there's plenty of time to collect them all before the EX stages come out. They come in multiple rarities and rarer stickers are usually direct upgrades of weaker ones (but you can't equip both at once). Here's an example of some stickers I got early on:


quote:

Valentia Cava: All Defender, Guard, Vanguard and Specialist Operators have +40% ATK under 'Erosion'

Tio Marco Dried Cactus: All Defender, Guard, Vanguard and Specialist Operators have +100 DEF

Pozole Bandidos: All Caster, Sniper, Supporter and Medic Operators have +100 ATK

Dogruss Sealant: All Defender, Guard, Vanguard and Specialist Operators recover 25 points of Corrosion Damage per second
Don't worry about Corrosion and Erosion yet, that's what the battle tutorial will explain. Flavor-wise, the stickers are all ads for local brands and products, and get little descriptions too. Maybe I'll show some of those off later. Now for the actual tutorial:




Battle Video. Battle Music.



The two of you might still not be familiar with this city, so please allow me to explain. To simulate an ocean, the Casters control the tide. When someone's under tidal erosion, their combat capability will be affect, no matter who they are. And obviously, if the tide erodes the ground, deploying on it will be very tricky.
What a pain.



The tide comes in. The water graphics look pretty nice.

Gah, starting to lose strength...
It indeed works this way: once the tide starts eroding them, allied personnel will receive Erosion, and the ASPD will decrease.

Erosion seems to be a fancy way of saying "submerged". You can't fight good underwater! We already have some stickers that increase underwater stats though.

Moreover, combat equipment will receive continuous Corrosion, which will be accelerated if an enemy attacks it.



When Corrosion accumulates to a certain extent, equipment will catastrophically malfunction. At that point, it'll cause massive Physical damage, as well as permanent DEF reduction.

Basically it works like Sanity damage from the Under Tides event. You have a separate little bar (a white ring above you HP bar) that tracks Corrosion damage, and when it empties you take damage and get a status effect. Here, it's a 20% DEF reduction for the rest of the map, instead of a stun. This stacks too, so if it happens 5 times you can end up with 0 DEF. Also it does physical damage this time (instead of true damage), so it rewards using Defenders and other beefy units.

Incidentally, I was wondering why being wet causes massive damage and immediately ruined armor, until I remembered that the competition takes place when the water is at its dirtiest (to distract the public from the beaches being closed), so I assume it's full of toxic runoff or something.


Luckily, while I can't guarantee anything, enemy control of the tide usually can't take it to high ground. You can exploit this and have your ranged units assist from higher elevation.



Then it automatically deploys Aciddrop to help out Bubble. While I haven't been showing most of the tutorials, I appreciate the fact that they're using a wider variety of units these days instead of just the standard 3* cast.



The tide's receded for a moment, but we're not in much better of a place. And don't forget that ground eroded by the tide cannot be deployed on. Make sure everything's in order beforehand.



I more or less get it now. But to spin it around, tidal erosion doesn't take sides. Enemies are just as susceptible to Erosion, and not only will they have decreased ASPD and Movement Speed, they'll continuously lose HP too. So long as we can hold out, it's also a chance for us to attack, am I right?
Good call, Miss Ch'en. That's absolutely correct.
Then it's our turn on the offense.



They want us to deploy May, Jessica, and Beagle on the bottom, but Beagle can't be deployed into the water. Personally I think this deployment restriction is more interesting than the rest of it: you have to have your tanks down BEFORE the water rises or you're screwed. The rest of it can be mitigated to some extent by having amazing stats and good healing.



Music.



Ch'en and Lin are amazing. If only they were participating in this year's competitions. Things could've been so much more fun. But...

His phone buzzes.



D.D.D. agreed to MC.
I see... I guess I feel kind of bad for Eureka, though... But there really isn't much else they could've done, given that slip-up in the broadcast. Prepare a gift for me. I will break it to her myself.

I don't know who Eureka is, and I can tell you right now that she's not in this event, but if I know how these writers think she'll be back later.

Right away.

He hangs up.



Yo, Boss, finally opening up, eh?
You want to get something retrofitted here?
Yeah, I heard you got mad skills when it come to this stuff. Been waiting for you to open the whole time.
Show me the stickers you got.
Righto.

The contestant sets a cloth bag down on the counter.

Looks like luck was on your side... Come with me. The warehouse's this way.


quote:

Tips: You may now head to Dossoles Sidearm Protection Armor Boutique, a.k.a. Dossoles S.P.A. Boutique, to learn more about the Stickers!
I don't know why they're doing this AFTER the tutorial, but basically Ernesto runs an upgrade shop and works for stickers.

This tells you what you need to know, right?
Ye, it's convenient. Yo, thanks Boss. You're a great guy, so kind to me, even though I'm not from here.
Not at all.
Well, I'mma get going!
Come again!

He leaves.

Phew... I'll probably have to explain everything again later to Ch'en and Lin. I guess I'll clean up a little and leave them some room for their collectibles. And I'm a great guy, huh...? Haha. If only...

----


Accidental Participation

quote:

Ch'en had a hunch she'd encounter Lin Yühsia in this city for some reason or another. She just didn't expect it to be this early, and in such a way.
Music.



(There's about as many people as Siesta, but the atmosphere's completely different. Everywhere I look, bars, casinos, restaurants...)

Flighty Tourist: Hey, pretty lady, wanna come join us on the beach?

Piss. Off.
(Lin Yühsia vanished into thin air this morning.)

----

Music stops.



I was just about to give that stinky sewer rat another call. I may not come here often, but I'm pretty sure those special forces are up to no good.

Flashback to chapter 6!

Have you met Lin? From the slums?
I have. He's a nice old man. Nicer than my grandpa anyway.
They call him the 'Rat King.'
Aren't the men behind the curtain all like such? But he's really a good person. I never thought Yühsia would turn out like this. She was such a shy and timid girl, the kind who would always hide behind you.
I don't think she's changed. She just... took on responsibility. Maybe the kind she couldn't handle.

----

Music resumes.



(Whatever, she can't hide for long.)
*sigh*. I'm already here. May as well find something to do.
(Like what... buy some Dossoles goodies? It'd be kind of complicated to ship souvenirs to Hoshiguma and Swire... I'll just wait for them to visit Rhodes Island. Right, I need to get a thank-you gift for Lady Fumizuki too. As for the Rhodes Islanders... Shirayuki, Bagpipe, Amiya, and... her?)

Talulah...? And Bagpipe is her old friend from Guard College in Victoria. I guess she's already joined RI.

(Whatever. It's a lot of people to buy for, and I don't know if I can carry that much back. We'll see how things go. But I get the feeling this won't need too long... Should I go for a walk...? I guess I'll be walking, no matter what I do. Maybe have Ernesto give me a quick tour of the city? Nah... I don't know him well enough. Right, there was what Mayor Candela said...)



These past few days, circulation of weapons in the city has grown unusually prevalent. If you feel you aren't having as much fun as you'd like at any point during your stay here, perhaps you should try your hand at the investigation. For fun.



(For a mayor, she clearly doesn't care one bit about her own city. How did Wei Yenwu get a friend like that? And besides, this city is one big luxury resort. It practically defines 'decadent'... This place is more Swire's speed. I'd rather be back in Siesta.)
(Ugh, what—ever. I'm here already, and investigating's better than nothing. Let's give it a fair shake. I could ask Ernesto about Mayor Candela's case, but if they had any definite leads, something would've happened long ago. Just asking won't get me anywhere. Roaming it is. Start by getting the lay of the land.)

----



How was the fight last night?
Won a few thousand. You?
Ugh. I lost bad.
Ha ha, no biggie. Just win it back today, right?
Conchetumare, I was gonna, even if you didn't say. It's just better here. No way I wanna go back.
I hear you. Once we get out of this place, it's back to death and gore again. drat, you know? If we just had the money to buy an apartment here.
Win enough bets and we will, yeah?
Ha ha ha, you got me there!

----

Upbeat Bartender: Excuse me, lovely young lady, could I interest you in a job at our bar? A woman as gorgeous as you could make crazy money in one night.

Piss. Off.
Casinos, bars, restaurants, karaoke boxes. Is that all they ever built in this city?
...The preliminary phase is near its end.

Ch'en turns to look, and realizes the voice is coming from a display TV in a shop window.



TV Presenter: Locals and visitors from afar, are you having the vacation time of your lives? I lost three hundred thousand at the casino last night, but you bet I'm gonna win it back today. So, after ten days of fierce competition, the Dossoles Warrior Champion holds its final prelim contest today! And this afternoon at 3 P.M.—that's in three hours, folks—we'll be treated to the final Smash Splash Prelim! It's a bout you championship-lovers absolutely cannot miss! Be there, and bathe in the excitement!

TV Presenter: But of course, there's no need to panic if you don't wanna fight the scorching heat or the crowds! Keep your eyes on our official channel, and we'll have live coverage for you! And before we forget, we've got some news for you music-heads that'll shake the world. That's right, you've probably already heard—in a huge move, Mayor Candela has invited the Monster Siren Records legend, D.D.D. And that's not all. The masked musician's unleashing more than her bold electro. She's going to be hosting the championship!

----

Nina, c'mon, didn't you hear that? Three hours until the match starts.



What's so fun about a fight? It's barbarous.

These are different tourists, it's a generic portrait.

Anyone who passes the scrimmage prelim ends up a dark horse in the championship. It's something you've gotta keep tabs on.
Then you go watch. Tell me what happens.
Come on, lady... pft, fine. I'll go on my own, then, suit yourself.

----



And yet another group.

Hey, you think it's true? I heard D.D.D. was coming a few days ago, but I had no idea if it's for real.
If I'm remembering right, she was in Siesta just last month. Wild that she's here in Dossoles now And how do you even get her to host your thing? What did Mayor Candela say to win her over?!
Her?
You didn't know? We got strong odds nowadays that D.D.D.'s a female artist.
Huh... doesn't mean much to me if she's a man or a woman. What really matters is our ears are in for a treat!

D.D.D. is also from the previous beach event in Siesta (the music festival), and she wears a mask so I guess that's why her gender is up in the air. I wonder if she took the same travel arrangements as Chen...



Ch'en realizes that practically everyone is talking about the competition.

........
(Seems it's gripped the whole city. If you want to get something done here, what better way than to go undercover as a competitor? Think of all the opportunities you could make out of the chaos. And in that case...)

Phone buzzing. Although in context, it seems like she's the one calling.



Hey, is that Miss Ch'en? Haha, sorry, I'm a little tied up on this end right now.

Slash.

Hiyah!

Sound from Receiver: Gaagh!

Music.

Are you fighting with someone? What's going on?
It's a long story. The short version is Miss Lin is having trouble making friends.
Where are you? I'll come over.
Sure, I'm at...

----

Music.

Three hours ago



......



Why did you help him?



Juvenile.

Phone buzzing. Again, she's calling.



Need me to assist, Miss Lin?
You said you were very familiar with this city.
I am.
Any options for a small, independent, quiet casino?
Independent, quiet... You want the kind of place where you can make trouble without it blowing up? No worries, then. With Ms. Candela around, no one will dare get in your way.
No. I want the kind that won't be a pain to tidy up.
...I get you.

----

Music.



This is the place?
Right. A casino bar, more precisely. The proprietor, Arraz, started it from nothing. Gave it everything he had to make it on this street, and got the place to where it is today. The powers on the streets around all want it for themselves, but nobody's got the teeth to break through his bones.
Excellent. You wait here.

----



May I ask if you're here to drink, or to play a hand?
To play a hand.

----

Card noises.

T-Tough lady we got here... Q-Quick, call the boss!



Miss, I don't care who you are, but you're too big for your britches, all alone and rowdy in a place like this.
Cut the drivel. Deal.
Quads. Heheheh...



Straight flush.
How?!
You're awful at palming cards.
Miss, I'll admit you might have some real skill...
Can we speed this up? Draw, already. I'm in a hurry.

Music.

Grr. It's go time, boys!



----



Well, I did familiarize myself with her... But I guess this is the way the Rat King's daughter does things.

Chen runs up.

Where's Lin Yühsia?
You're here, Miss Ch'en. That bunch ran after they couldn't handle Miss Lin. She went to chase them down.
Which way?
That way, towards the beach.
Got it. I'll go check it out.

----



They sprint fast, I'll give them that.
Lin Yühsia, what the hell are you doing?
Ch'en Hui-chieh? What are you doing here?
I'm the one asking you.

----



Gah, where'd this nutcase pop up from? We can't beat her, we can't shake her off.
Boss, what do we do?
What else? Keep running. Hm?



The background pans over to reveal the stage, accompanied by loud cheering. I think this is the first time they've ever used a pan with a normal background (and not a special image which they often slowly pan over). The latest in VN technology.

Is that... where they're hosting the scrimmage prelim? Heh, perfect. We're going in!

They run off just as Yuhsia arrives.

Found them.

Chen runs up.



No time to babysit you right now.
Hold it!
There you are.
You even found us here? Hmph. Good thing we've got plenty of help on hand. Guys, let's go!



Where are we...? Isn't this the Smash Splash place they mentioned on TV?
Grr. I guess we'll have to clear the field first.



Battle Video. Battle Music.



Our map. It's slightly complicated, but everything converges into a bottleneck in front of the exist so who cares? Also it's super low level, like all early event stages. For what it's worth, I did this before the latest round of voting completed, so I'm mostly using it as a showcase for Magallan. Who can more or less solo this map anyway.



While in her write-up I speculated that Magallan's S2 that gives her drones arts damage would be her bread-and-butter, I failed to realize at the time that they have awful range. They can only hit the tile directly underneath, and are therefore useless unless the enemy is being tanked in place for a long time. The physical AOE drones of her S3 are much more usable as just another ranged unit. Also they have pretty high ATK, this is definitely more than Beanstalk or an AA sniper.



The drones fire little missile swarms. Unfortunately they have like an 8 second cooldown to deploy another one. I wish you could just dump DP to deploy them all at once.



We've already seen the dogs, but these Delinquents are the standard grunt enemies this time. Although unlike most grunts, they have a special ability: a chance to dodge ranged physical attacks when not blocked. This doesn't make them dangerous, but it sure is annoying!



I feel like it would make sense if they lost the chance to dodge while underwater, but they do not. They lose about 40% of their HP from water damage before they reach my frontline, for reference.

Clarste fucked around with this message at 00:21 on Jan 18, 2022

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Music.



I gotta say, Missy, we've been in this city for days now, and I haven't once seen you up to meet Miss Lin. After all that talking about how you'd sneak up on her and scare her lights out.
You want an ice cream?
I'll take three scoops. Mint, strawberry, chocolate.



You're gonna get so fat. A triple, boss—VANILLA, strawberry, chocolate. And a quadruple, those three plus lemon.

Shopkeep: Sure thing.

Who's gonna get fat now?

So... she changed Hoshiguma's order to vanilla instead of mint? Is that because mint makes you fat, or is she just not paying attention?

Lin Yühsia went through government channels, nothing like us. You're riding my coattails to get the VIP treatment. And I gotta say, I think the dummy's still probably on her way here, hahaha! Vacation won't end any time soon. Let's enjoy the wait. lovely rat, sneaking her way into such a nice vacation spot. When I find you, you're done for.
Hey, Missy. Don't forget what this vacation cost you.
It's all my annual leave plus a month of one-day weekends after I get back. Isn't that it? It's fine, I'll be fine.
Once you include my vacation days to keep your trouble in check, yeah, that's it.
Oh, jeez, I'll pay you back later.
Sure, sure.
Hm? Uh? Huh?!
Wha-? Did you see her?
Not just Lin Yühsia. Someone you'd never guess with her.
Who the...



Haah?

Shopkeep: Careful with your ice cream! You're gonna drop it! Hey!

----

Cheering.



Hah... how the hell did this happen?
Huff... pant... finally found you. Weren't the two of you pursuing them? Why are you here in the Smash Splash now? If I didn't spot you on the TV back in the streets, I would've missed you.
It was an accident.
Well, now what? Are you going to team up and enter the championship?
I was going to enter, but not with her.
There's a coincidence. I was thinking the same thing.
Ch'en Hui-chieh, you're free to pick a different prelim.
No can do. This one is the very last one.
I guess it's time to settle who's the bigger woman.
I'm sorry to have to tell you, but half the city is watching through their screens, right now. You might as well enter together. It'll be good to have each other's backs, too.
......
...Fine.



Alright. I'll help you out. After all, I'm your guide. If she heard you joined and I was nowhere around, the Mayor wouldn't let me off easy. I might not be as strong in a fight as you two, but I'm still a local. I'm sure I can be of assistance.
Will they let us bring a plus-one?
Sure. Team size limit is seven. As long as you complete your registration before the official championship, even finding teammates after winning is fair game. To be honest, it's a competition where more teammates net you a greater advantage.
One more beats one fewer. Any complaints, Lin Yühsia?



Suit yourself.
We're still two days out from the official start. You're allowed to go recruit more.
No need. We'll go with us three.



Excuse me, er, you two, can I ask you to head up on stage?
Add one more. We're three total now.

----

Alright, let's give our prelim winners the greatest round of applause!

Cheering.

Have you come up with a name for your team?
How do you figure?
You decide.
Then we're calling it... LUNG wRATh. All caps. Except the 'w' and 'h'.

Lung (dragon) + Rat.



......
You told me to decide.



Hold on.
Er... alright, then, LUNG wRATh! Now, here to give you your awards for making it out of the prelims, we have Mr. Pancho!



I see Candela brought us two incredible young ladies.
You know us?
Who doesn't know how the Mayor welcomed two young Lungmenites? Ernesto, you've been dutiful with our guests, haven't you?
It's an undertaking from Ms. Candela herself, Father. Of course I'm doing all I can.
Fine, good.
This is your father?
I am. Here's your award. Take it.



A pure gold statue...
You get this sort of award just for beating a prelim?
Yes. Remember where you are. This is the Dossoles way. You have your fun, youngsters.
Thank you...
Alright, we're all looking forward to LUNG wRATh's performance in the official championship!

----



Haaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaa! Missy, did you hear that? LUNG wRATh, haaaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaa!



Laugh a little quieter, I dare you.
You have to see the pout on Miss Lin's face. Ch'en totally came up with that name on the spot.
No, forget that! What is Ch'en Hui-chieh doing here too? The nerve of the woman! And they entered together! Did the little rat only even come because she knew Ch'en would be here? Heh heh heh, you've got guts, Lin Yühsia, keeping all this from me...
Hey, Missy. Don't get carried away. You said it was Chief Wei who arranged Lin Yühsia's business here. So it follows that Ch'en's here for the Chief too... right?



Fine... I guess you've got a point.
Also... may as well suggest it. Miss Lin's here, and so's Ch'en. Let's go say hi?
Hmph... I have an even better plan. The two of them teamed up to join the competition, right? Perfect. The whole championship's going to be broadcast live from start to finish. Let's hold off on saying hello. We'll watch them compete, and then when they lose, we'll go laugh in their faces.
Ha, now you hate Ch'en too, on top of everything.
Hmph. She came here on a vacation without so much as a word. Aren't you pissed off?
You know, I'm glad Ch'en's doing well. Words can't express how happy I am for her.



Ugh, are we speaking different languages here? Agree with me or not, come on.

Swire has a lot of expressions. Portrait-wise, it's always a little annoying when people have wild swings between big smiles and other expressions, since it's hard to find a "neutral" one.

I'm your bodyguard here. Your word is law.
That's more like it.
Not my fault if we run across them though, okay?
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it!

----



Hey, look! They're the ones who just won the scrimmage preliminaries, right?
Keep it up, LUNG wRATh! You've got me on your side already!
......
Well, then, I'll just...
Ernesto, in this city, I've noticed a lot of military personnel.
Your intuition's on the mark. The truth is, not everyone's allowed into Dossoles. If you want to come vacation here, you need to have enough money. If you want to come live here, you need even more money. In Bolívar, the second-best way to make money is temp jobs, and the best, most profitable one—is serving.
Was your father a soldier too?
The old man sure used to be. I remember he made full colonel.
That's pretty high up.
I guess you want to ask why he'd come here.
I admit I'm curious.
There's nothing much to say. He's majorly stubborn, thinks about nothing but war all day, and doesn't like kissing up to bosses. He got falsely charged, and then driven out of the army.
Sorry.
Save it. I think he's dull enough for a lifetime too. He doesn't have a big enough fist, and what does he stand up straight all day like that for?
...I suppose.



I thought you'd argue back.
I do want to, but ultimately I don't know this place, or really Bolívar as a whole.
I can say the old man's been pretty good since coming here, or I'd have never been able to work under the Mayor. Come to think of it, the two of you have been in Dossoles for two days now. Any thoughts on the city so far?
Corrupt.
Stinks to high heaven.
......
It seems we're of a mind, for once.



Now that's funny. I was sure any guests the Mayor invited here would love it.
What about you?
Me? I love this place, naturally. You never need to think about the world outside. As long as you have money, you can play, from sun-up to sun-down, and then from sun-down back to sun-up. I don't know how you live in Lungmen, but I can't imagine there's a better life than here.
Is that so.
Forget that for now... Is this whole competition as heavy on full-contact as the scrimmage just now?
Ah! Yes. I don't know if you have anything similar over there, but in this competition, the courses are designed for physical contests. But of course, the people aren't here for a simple stamina match. Most everyone is chasing a thrill. What they really want to see is the kind of fight you two put on. Stuff that gets their hearts pumping.
So in other words, we go out there to amuse the people.
Hahaha! You could put it that way.



This is utterly senseless.
I'm in agreement with you there, but nothing changes the fact that we're taking part. Let's be prepared. Sorry, Ernesto, but we'll be asking you to explain more about the format of the competition.
Sure thing.
First things first, do you know of a weapons vendor anywhere?
I do. You're in the market?
If the combat holds up like it just did, I might need a change of arms, at the least.
In that case, come with me. This isn't an open-air kind of topic, anyway.

----



Come in, please.
You own this shop?
That's right. It's just the place you're looking for. I've opened a handful of these stores throughout the city. Call it an income stream. We carry all sorts of weapons, as a matter of course, but can I ask, why are you looking to change, Miss Ch'en?
My sword isn't that suited to competitive stuff like this.
Hm... Honestly, the blade you carry doesn't pose any kind of problem. There's a mountain of competitors with weapons and tricks a whole lot worse than that up their sleeves. Swords aren't high on the danger scale. Which is to say: even if you don't use yours, others will use theirs.
Doesn't matter. I'm not good with mercy. Just give me something that won't do too much damage to a human body.
Well, in that case... try a high-pressure water gun like this.
A water gun?
Oh, it's a fairly specialized weapon. Fires high-pressure water rounds, hits hard, but won't cause major injury. Do you know how to work a crossbow?
I've never used one in the field, but I didn't do bad on my shooting course.
Let's give it a try.

This is their excuse for Chen having an alt class.

But before that, I'll explain the competition in detail. Firstly, its formal name is the 'Dossoles Warrior Champion.' It takes place across the entire city. The Mayor's purchased a huge number of drones and cams, as well as low-altitude aircraft, so nobody will miss a single moment. Not even the darkest, dankest corners of the city. Once the competition starts, we'll have drones custom-geared to follow each and every team too. And once the time hits, the TV station will split up into different main stages, making it convenient for the people to view the teams or content that they want.
A truly loathsome level of consideration.
Ms. Candela's spared no effort in this respect.



Okay. Before the official competition was ten days of prelims, which is what you just took part in. Every day, there've been two to three prelims held all over the city.
Were they all melees like that?
No. I don't know whether to call you lucky or unlucky, honestly. You crashed the single most dangerous kind.
There's been a huge variety of prelim types, like eating contests, racewalks, sprints, et cetera. The scrimmage topped everything else for risk.

And esports, apparently.

But the reward was just as high?
That's right. No other prelim reward would've ever been as generous as the pure gold statue you got. And that's why so many people join the scrimmage, even though it's so dangerous.



Hold on, you just said the competition permits contact. Then the people who come in from the other prelims...
Aha, your reactions tell me you two are very astute. I imagine you're worried that the competition won't be kind to entrants who won the more entertainment-focused prelims. I'll cut straight to the chase, then. No, it won't be an easy time for them. Like I said, people want to see more than simple stamina matches. It's a fight to excite. That's why the weaker ones are up against greater threats.
...Hmph.
But you don't need to worry too much, Miss Ch'en. The Mayor's taken that into account. There's an article in the rules on it.
Oh?
Have you noticed another problem? The competition doesn't restrict Originium Arts. If someone could boost their own speed with it— just to exaggerate, if they could reach the goal in an instant, then that'd be tough luck to everyone else, right?
I assume people like that must exist.
How couldn't they? Even without Arts, Kuranta naturally outperform others in a race.
They do exist, of course. To counteract that, the Mayor is giving the viewers the right to choose.
The audience decides who the true winner is?
To be precise, the audience decides who doesn't deserve to be a winner. After every round of the competition, there'll be a viewer voting segment, and the votes could completely reshape the final rankings.

So it's not actually a competition, it's a popularity contest using the competition to appeal to the audience.

Using flashy means to gain victory is naturally self-explanatory. Winning too boring might get you eliminated, but drop enough jaws and you could tip the scales when you'd otherwise fall just short. Of course, there's no guarantee that's how it goes. With all of that, no one knows who the winner truly is, until the final moment.
Too boring otherwise?
Right. And not just in combat. Dazzling fights are the most direct way to make eyes boggle, but blindsiding with actions can net you cheers too. That's the rule that gives contestants a fighting chance, even if they're wipeouts in combat.
A lesson learned from Kazimierz.
Right, true. I remember the Major had similar rules.

The Kazimierz Major is a big sporting event/tournament in Kazimierz. Nearl is a former champion.

You two really have seen it all. The Mayor's visited Kazimierz several times before. Apparently, her trade agreement with Lungmen was signed there too.
So Wei Yenwu went out there as well...
In any case, these are rules that favor the strong, so expect plenty of those who scraped through the prelims for a prize will have to forfeit at the official thing. That's why the number of teams competing always changes a little. In short, this is a contest with no differentiation, no limits, and no holds barred on the road to victory—but—the winner needs the whole city's approval.
I'm not that invested in winning or losing this.
I know that. Your goal is to use the championship to carry out your mission from Ms. Candela, right? I'll be there to help with that, too.
But if we lose immediately, there'll be no investigation to speak of.
I know.
Haha, that's for sure. And the two of you have probably noticed, the battle for popularity runs through the whole championship. In other words, it began the moment the preliminaries did. And given how you entered midway into the scrimmage and stomped all over peak danger, it might not be a stretch to say your team is the hottest topic right now. You can think of winning as a service to your goal, and enjoy what the competition has for you.
We'll see. Let's talk concrete details.
Sure thing. Come over here. I'll explain with a map.



The competition's split into three rounds. Round 1, you're looking for gold in an empty neighborhood. There are twenty bars of pure gold to find in this area, and competing teams need at least one. Hand them in to staff at the workers' area afterward, and you're through.
In a residential neighborhood?
Right. During the competition, everyone living in this area will be housed in hotels elsewhere, and the city government will cover their expenses. They'll cover the costs of any and all damage to housing, equipment, et cetera, as a result of the competition, too. Most look forward to it, thanks to that. There are even some dying to compete, just so they can smash their own homes up to get them rebuilt free of charge.
......

Lol.

Find gold, fight over it, and then make for the handover. Heh, violence seems almost assured.
That's right. Some choose to search, some to steal, and some to cut down on rival numbers first. Round 1 won't end until the last of the gold is handed in to staff.
If my guess isn't wildly off, the gold is also part of the prize?
It sure is. Nothing's stopping you if you want more gold and don't actively hand it in, but you shoulder all the corresponding risk as well.
If one person acquires all the pure gold, then what?
Hm... theoretically, it's possible, but practically, it's never happened before, so I'm not sure myself. Is that what you're planning, Miss Lin?
I haven't the interest.



Once Round 1 is over, there'll be two days' downtime, where the victors are invited to take part in all sorts of spin-off events, and attend a bunch of fancy dinner parties. Good for bolstering your popularity outside the arena, in a sense. Then it's Round 2. You should be relatively familiar with it; it's a traditional triathlon event.
Traditional?
Traditional. First you run a route along the beach, then cycle a circuit around the city, and finally, return to the start at the beach for a swim, all the way until the finish: a cruise ship in the middle of the sea. But, of course, there's all kinds of ways to win.
During the race and cycling, I assume you're allowed to leave the main streets.
Certainly. However, the Mayor has put a substantial fighting force to block the shortcuts, so essentially, taking them means a violent breakthrough.
Heh. As expected.



After Round 2 ends, there's two days of downtime just like Round 1, but these ones will be more of a pure rest. The victors get the pleasure of all the entertainment and facilities aboard a cruise ship normally reserved for the rich, free of charge. Honestly, it's the part a lot of competitors aim for when they're entering, but it's not the end of things.
Why not?
Because of Round 3, the final round of the competition. Highly simple, and highly cruel. It's a battle royale with the whole ship as fair game. Survive until you're the last team standing to be crowned winner. Which means, in Round 3, there's practically no space for clever tricks.
Understood.



Oh, right. You probably remember me saying back at the arena, team size limit is seven. In principle, the more teammates, the more you can do.
But the more you have to split the prize money with.
That's right. And it's not like there aren't limits, too. You aren't allowed communications equipment during the contest. That means you need to have your plan ready from the start, and if your team splinters, then you've got to be ready for them to come at you.
But so long as one person completes the objective, the whole team can advance?
Yes. That's why there's pros and cons to your team being big or small.
How long until it officially starts?
Two days. These two days are downtime.
Looks like I need every last minute, then.
Head through there. You'll find a small firing range and a training ground.
Got it.

She leaves.

Will you be fine, Miss Lin?
I'll be fine. I have an Arts Unit. Only she would switch weapons for fear of her power going out of control.

Chen returns.

Lin Yühsia.
What?
I've been putting up with you forever. I think you've been putting up with me forever. There's a training ground inside. Let's fight it out.



You're going to lose wretchedly.
Drop the braggadocio.
Heh.
Well... this is something. We've landed two real wild cases.

I will note that Yuhsia isn't actually playable yet, despite getting a swimsuit costume for the story. Also, Hoshiguma's and Swire's swimsuits aren't purchasable skins either. Weird.

Clarste fucked around with this message at 00:22 on Jan 18, 2022

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.
I know they probably want to save Yuhsia for like an anniversary or something instead of a summer event, but still...

Malloc Voidstar
May 7, 2007

Fuck the cowboys. Unf. Fuck em hard.

Clarste posted:

D.D.D. agreed to MC.
I see... I guess I feel kind of bad for Eureka, though... But there really isn't much else they could've done, given that slip-up in the broadcast. Prepare a gift for me. I will break it to her myself.

I don't know who Eureka is, and I can tell you right now that she's not in this event, but if I know how these writers think she'll be back later.
Eureka's the reporter who interviewed people on the Dossoles website. I can't remember where I saw her named, though.

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Oh, right.

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.
I've got almost all of the stickers, so if you want me to do some writeups as you do updates, I'd be happy to.

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.

Leraika posted:

I've got almost all of the stickers, so if you want me to do some writeups as you do updates, I'd be happy to.

You mean, you just want to write up about random stickers just because? Sure, knock yourself out.

Mix.
Jan 24, 2021

Huh? What?


Eureka shows up briefly in one of the PVs, too:

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.

Clarste posted:

You mean, you just want to write up about random stickers just because? Sure, knock yourself out.

Yeah, pretty much, since I think there was some interest? And it'd be something you wouldn't have to do (and I think they're interesting).

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
I always appreciate not doing things.

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.

Mix. posted:

Eureka shows up briefly in one of the PVs, too:



Oh, is she the infamous pink dog?

Mix.
Jan 24, 2021

Huh? What?


Clarste posted:

Oh, is she the infamous pink dog?

No :v: There are two pink dogs in Arknights now

Ibblebibble
Nov 12, 2013

She showed up again in the latest CN livestream for the upcoming CNY event too.

Not sure if she's a dog person, no tail.

booksnake
May 4, 2009

we who are crowned with the crest of wisdom
Going from Chico Tequila to Chico Anejo Tequila's sticker description made me laugh more than it probably should have.

No idea what Swire has against mint ice cream. I guess it doesn't go well with lemon, but that only applies for her order and not Hoshi's, so :shrug:

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Welcome back. Last time we got tutorialed so hard. Here's the team:



I tried to prioritize newcomers instead of old standbys. Sorry Texas.




First Round

quote:

Ch'en's opponents are not those surrounding her, but the unfamiliar weapon in her hand and her uncooperative teammates.
Music. This song's actually one of DDD's from the music festival event. I like it.



Welcome, dear audience, to the eve of your mightily awaited Eighth Dossoles Warrior Champion! Before we part the curtains, why don't we invite our beloved Mayor Candela up for the opening speech?

DDD's is capable of displaying different expressions, but I don't believe we see any in this event.



Citizens, tourists, with great pride in this city, I welcome you to Dossoles! It doesn't matter where you're from. It doesn't matter who you are. You've made it here, so let all that fall away. Enjoy everything our city has to give you. Enjoy everything you deserve. Be happy, laugh happy, shout and scream happy. This is the paradise I built, and it's all for you! Now come! The most unforgettable time of your life is here for the taking!

Cheering.

Okay, big thank-you to Mayor Candela for that speech, just as sempiternally scorched with passion, alright. Moving on, time to introduce your contestants. Lots of familiar faces this year and last year, but plenty of new ones too! First order of business, they look like a lovey-dovey couple, they ARE a lovey-dovey couple, but they're a force on the fighting front!

Cheering.

Honey Summer!



The power of love brought us together.
The power of love brought us our love.
The power of our love is unmatched!
Even I can barely stand before that sparkly power of love! Let's see just how far love's legs can run!
Solo unit up next, the contestant who won the Stomach King Prelims, Mizuki! Harmless as he looks, he ate through an entire restaurant warehouse. That bottomless stomach and that blue hair are begging to synergize with the ocean here.

Cheering.

Pacer-man!



Hallo, hallo, hey everyone.

Wow, you sure look like a gacha person. Then again, almost everyone does if you think about it.

Contestant Mizuki, would you like to say a few words to stir the hearts of the people?
Hm... I'll eat you all up once I'm tired of playing.
Ooooh! Contestant Mizuki, utterer of terrifying statements in completely normal voices! We look forward to seeing you out there!
Next up, it's a local team, led by Miss Rafaela, who may look cute, but she's got a giant, fiendish sickle. That's the kind of contrast this team's here to feed you.

Cheering.

Let's welcome up—the Grey Feathers!



Hello to you all.

And I definitely know you. You're on my squad right now.

Miss Rafaela, what do you have to say before the tournament?
Um... I'll do my best.
Ooh, alright, alright, sometimes it's the simple things that touch us deep! Grey Feathers, I think you'll go far!
Right after that, it's a newcomer to this competition, but the team that's drawn the most buzz! They're the live scrimmage gatecrashers, winners with an attitude no-one could answer, the supernovas who've picked up Mr. Pancho's support! They came from a place the City of Two Suns loves dearly—the Lungmen heroines, Miss Lin Yühsia, Miss Ch'en Hui-chieh, and we even get the local arms dealer, Mr. Ernesto, completing this team—

Cheering. Also, for the record Dos Soles means Two Suns in Spanish.

—LUNG wRATh! Strong, fresh teams spike an appetite like nothing else, and their odds are sitting high! But! Do you truly dare to put your chips down on them?



*Sigh*.
Hah.
Alright, let's get your statement. Team leader?
Who's the leader?
Ernesto, you do it.



What?
There's no way Lin Yühsia's going to accept what I say.
And you wouldn't accept what I say either.
Er, alright.

Cheering.

In that case, we proclaim—we're going to carve our mark into this competition's history!
How was that?
Mediocre.
Agreed.
Thought so.
Massively assertive! Let's look forward to LUNG wRATh and their vivid display.
Moving on, our next team is...

----



Hey, Missy, this way.



Coming! Hey, watch my ice cream! Really, this crowd is insane...
Just goes to show how much attention's on this contest. Anyway, you see that? Ch'en's carrying some gun-ish thing for some reason. Guess she's not planning to use her sword this time.
She's set herself up badly, hasn't she? She was about as good at firearms training as I was.
Wow. Excellence doesn't just grow on trees, okay?
Calling her swordsmanship 'excellent' undersells it.
Hey, Missy, I gotta say, you're an even bigger Ch'en fan than me, behind her back.



I'm just stating facts, okay.
Yeah, yeah. More importantly, though, seeing Ch'en without a sword is a sight to treasure. Let's go ask the organizers if we can get a recording of this.



Let's not. That would be hell.
What's to be so embarrassed about? We'll cut it into a flick. I've already got the title. It'll be 'Gunslinger Old Ch'en Grasps Great Lung Power.'
And I gotta say, you might have a talent for directing awful B movies.
I'm flattered. Oh, right, Missy. I've got something to talk to you about.
Not happening.
C'mon, I haven't even said what it is.



You said 'something to talk about' and I nearly threw up my ice cream. Nothing good comes out of that phrasing.
Hey. No, just, I saw the officials here had an event on for the spectators. I looked into it. They let you guess who'll win. And there's a bunch of smaller ones, like who'll be first to get gold, who'll get eliminated earliest, and...
The way you use the word 'guess' absolutely floors me.
It's government-sponsored. Ship-shape and legal.



Ugh. What even goes for illegal in this city?
Yeah... good point, but right now we're just regular tourists, y'know? It's beyond our job descriptions.
I know.
And look, even if you want to laugh at Ch'en and Miss Lin, just suppose they do win, we won't be out of pocket, right? Makes it a win-win, Missy.
Sigh*... I give in. Here's my card.
Mighty thanks, Milady.
Don't go splashing it about!
I hear you.

----



Alright, that's all forty teams. Cameras and drones will capture the whole thing, ensuring you don't miss a single beautiful shot. And this main stage isn't gonna stand alone, either. The officials have set up ten more, each one with its own dedicated presenter. So you'll get every second, and with commentary just as brilliant to match.
Plus, once the opening ceremony begins, we've got a little wagering opportuntiy for you audience-siders, to make the competition that much spicier. All spectators are invited to register your info on the government site, and you can make yourself a little extra cash! For specifics on how it'll work, refer to your government-issued competition guides.
Now, then. All the competitors are in our starting district and readied up. Round 1 will be a search—and a struggle—for pure gold in a partitioned-off area. Teams will then hand it directly to staff at the finish point. But, they're also allowed to shoot for more! Whatever gold they get belongs to them!
Alright! Mayor Candela, fire off the salute and signal the start of this competition!
I declare—Round 1 has officially begun!

There's the sound of a flare gun or fireworks or something.

----



What now?
We split up.
And avoid working together. It seems we have yet another common understanding. However, before that. We're already being watched.

Music.

Sweeping the surroundings, Ch'en notices a dozen people already surrounding the three of them, closing in with malicious intent.

We break out first.
Good.

Lin Yühsia faintly nods. Accompanied by only a brush of her hand on the window next to her, the glass gradually vanishes as if melting. Immediately after, a knife blade appears from her palm, almost colorless, only its reflection of the subtle sunshine rays proving its existence.

----



Oooh, Round 1 of the championship has begun, and the highly anticipated LUNG wRATh has had three other teams cooperate to target them! Either side is poised to fight! Will LUNG wRATh once again show their true power, or will the teams united take the win? Let's hold on tight!



Battle Video. Battle Music.



Here's our map. Basically there are two lines going around an island in the center. There's also an oddly-placed enemy entrance right in the middle.



We start with a basic set-up with Beanstalk and Skadi. To be honest, I have so many new units I want to show off, but the maps aren't making it easy because they're so trivial.



We follow up with Magallan and a drone, and at the same time a new enemy type spawns in the lower left: the Diver. Divers are the basic ranged enemy of the set, although they have a special interaction with water that I'll go into when it happens.



Here's Ptilopsis to keep Magallan alive from ranged attacks and also boost Beanstalk's SP for more DP. I actually feel a little weird putting her down so early since I don't really need the healing, but it probably pays off down the line?



Bena is here too. Her archetype is super weird, and in most situations kind of useless, but when it shines it really shines. There'll be an opportunity for her later in the chapter at least. For now she's just a general blocker.



Okay, water. When divers are underwater, they become stealthed (untargetable by ranged attacks) and gain bonus ATK. They're also immune to its downsides. Basically they're a real pain.



This is like the perfect spot for La Pluma because her scythe hits all three tiles between the entrance and Peacake, BUT it's also useless because nothing with live long enough for her to accomplish anything. I'm sorry.



Here she is hitting a guy at least.



Magallan's drones have quite a lot of ATK when her skill is up, and I have three of them pointed directly at the spawn point, so...



They can blow up this poor diver the instant he spawns, before he realizes he's underwater and stealths. Take that, game mechanics!



Unfortunately there is such a huge delay before the next one spawns that Magallan's skill runs out and all the drones retreat. Maybe I could've timed it better, but it was very disappointing.



So I have to kill him normally, like a coward.




Music.



They're insane, they're unstoppable! LUNG wRATh has beat back the three teams encircling them like it was any other day! But the mystery is, what ability was our hero Lin using in that fight? Director, see the replay!



Accompanied by only a brush of Lin Yühsia's hand on the window next to her, the glass gradually vanishes as if melting. Immediately after, a knife blade appears from her palm, almost colorless, only its reflection of the subtle sunshine rays proving its existence.

It flashes back to the scene we saw five minutes ago, with the exact same narration. I find this funny.



Here we can finally make it out—Lin has the incredible ability to turn glass into weapons! That's one to blow your mind! We never imagined Lin was more than a martial master, who knew she had Originium Arts this brilliant to boot!



Hey, Missy, what's with Miss Lin's power, though?
Same as the Rat King's. She's actually manipulating sand, just in a different kind of way. She's been able to turn sand into glass since she was a kid. I'd always play with it.

So is arts usage like, genetic or something? Or is it just a secret technique passed down in the family? I would lean towards the latter since she's using a mechanical arts unit and isn't infected or anything, but on the other hand I seem to recall them treating Talulah like her flames were a sign of her Draco heritage.

Ohh, I get it. Glass is made out of sand, for sure. Huh. I heard the Rat King could make sandstorms though. Can Miss Lin do that?
I don't know. My guess is she technically could, but wouldn't want to either.
That figures. Miss Lin doesn't come off as the type to make a big scene.

----

Lin's Originium Arts are a total defense-breaker, to go with Ch'en's sharpshooting, and Mr. Ernesto's cover! What a perfect feast for the eyes! Your thoughts, Mr. Pancho? Do you believe victory this time belongs to them?



Every member of the team is impressively strong, but their coordination's still half-baked.
Interesting to hear. It's true, competitions like this get competitors targeting you and taking you out if you throw too much personal power around. History repeatedly testifies to us, only the united can clinch the final win!
This old guy's got a keen eye. Spotted Ch'en and Lin's biggest issue straight away.
I agree. Honestly, these two, and Ch'en especially. She knows at least what cooperation is from partnering with you, but she has no idea how Lin Yühsia fights, and her sword was her best weapon. She's doubly bound. And as for Lin Yühsia, that woman wouldn't know how to spell 'cooperation' if it walked up to her in big bold print. I saw her just short of gashing Ch'en several times, relying entirely on Ch'en to dodge her in time.
I could die laughing. And the ones who don't know still think they work like two peas in a pod. That Ernesto's smart, I have to admit. He hasn't gotten anywhere near those two. It's the only good call. Not even nine lives would save you.
Not bad, Missy. Your observation powers have been getting better and better. I thought I'd have to explain it to you.



I've been putting in the effort to take over Ch'en Hui-chieh's job, alright?
I never doubted that one bit. Just didn't think you'd be making it so fast. Not bad at all.
Stop sighing like you're the old guard above me. I'll dock your wages, that's a threat.
Hey, don't you dare. You're a big person in big shoes. No point picking fights with a nobody like me.
Hmph, that sounds more like it.
Seriously, though, come to mention it. Watching them work together like this—it reminds me a little of when I first met Ch'en.
She was the same back then?
Nah, try flipping it around. She was pretty much like Miss Lin is now. If you had that old her and this Miss Lin team up, odds are they'd argue until they came to blows, ha ha.

----



Your glass knives nearly cut me how many times?
Your water rounds weren't exactly true, either.
Never mind emotionally. It seems we don't even make a good team tactically.
A very persuasive verdict. Let's split up.
Hold on. How about this...? I know you two don't deal too well with each other, but seeing as you are, in fact, a team, at least try and act as much of a team as you can. As I mentioned before, you can't use comms during the competition, and you're not just looking for gold, either. You're investigating any possible terrorists, too. Sure, individually you two are hugely capable, but doesn't Yan have that saying—don't fear the certain, fear the unlikely? So my suggestion is, no matter if we have any pure gold or not, we meet back up here in one hour. Sound good? If one's a no-show, the other two play it by ear.
No objections.
Acceptable.
Phew, that's the most wavelength we'll get between you. Let's roll with that.
Then I'll be splitting off.

She leaves.

She moves real fast... Miss Ch'en, do you plan on operating alone, or do you want me with you?
You don't need to lose sleep over us. She and I aren't the type to throw everything else to the wind for a petty strop. We won't deny any truths from the other, and we will do what we must.
Um... gonna be honest, here. No question about you two suiting each other, and splitting up is a really, really common tactic in Round 1 for sure. But, uh, there's only three of us. I don't think we need to all split up. So I'm gonna head with you.
That works. Let's go.

Indecisive
May 6, 2007


I really like the dynamic between Lin + Chen this event, the quiet antagonism is pretty interesting

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Welcome back. Last time... Actually I can't remember what happened last time. Oh yeah, the first event started and we saw Lin Yuhsia using her glass magic. Give us the rat, Hypergryph.



Timely Assistance

quote:

To Ch'en, there's never anything more important than helping others.
Music.



We're already thirty minutes into the contest, and what's shocking is, not a single team who's picked up some gold has chosen to end it yet. I can't help but see wild, wild ambition in these championship contestants! Mr. Pancho, what's your perspective?



Looks to be a fierce championship, this one. One for the ages. Got great expectations for it.
No arguments here, I'm sure all of you in the audience feel just the same. Each of our stages will keep following each team's action, so we guarantee you won't miss a single bedazzling fight. And you'd better not relax just yet. We're gonna turn this pressure, this urgency into a force for voting, and give the contestants you love your precious ballot! Once you spend for them, that's when you truly love them!

----



My dear, save me!
Don't be afraid, my darling, I'll come rescue you!




Tsk! I thought the whole lover act was a joke! How do they have so much fight?!
Darling, how fortuitous, I almost thought I'd lose you. (Whisper) Can't you come up with a plan of your own?!
Ohh, how fearsome they were. (Whisper) My CHARACTER'S a frail girl, huevón!
It's alright, it's all okay now. Watch me teach them a lesson! (Whisper) Tch! Start trying, okay, Miss?
Oh, my dear, you're the best~ (Whisper) Are you messing with me?!



(Those two have no uncertainty of skill. And military temperaments on top of it. Perhaps they served in the past. As for being sweethearts, I presume that's a ploy of sorts, for winning the audience over. Very aggrandizing, but still a means nonetheless.)

I feel like "aggrandizing" cannot possibly be the right word, but that's what it says.



(Though, still, very aggrandizing. If that Swire saw this, I'm sure she'd waste no time gushing how she'd like to play a similar role in such a contest. We're better off not letting her find out. All in all, this couple has a secure win. Nothing to see there, no gold after a sweep of the area. Time to leave.)
(Twenty ingots of pure gold. I worry more than a few are in conspicuous places—on top of all the landmarks and such. Those areas will be hotly contested. Nothing really calls for fighting over those ingots. I should be searching for the ones left behind in hidden corners. But... if there are ruffians out to cause chaos under this contest, I'm sure they'd at least find blind spots in the cameras and drones before they do their work. Both need addressing... I ought to bring it up with Hui-chieh first. Tsk, too soon. Forget it. I have no desire to discuss anything with that juvenile woman anyway. I'll handle things as they come.)

----

Music.



Miss Ch'en, can I ask something?
What?
You and Miss Lin are old friends, right?
What makes you think so?
You certainly don't feel like enemies, there's not that much intensity. But suppose something went down between you two—you still seem pretty well aware of each other.
You could say that... We went to the same primary school, and we had a common acquaintance. So your guess is fairly close. But I won't be telling you why she and I don't get along.
That's alright. I can't imagine it's anything minor if it happened between people like you, and I don't plan on asking details. I was just making conversation. You know, though, it's like you never imagined she'd show up here. Slice it any way you want, it's like it was fated. Have you ever thought about making up with her before?
Do you care that much about this?
I don't really... or maybe I do. This city is all just money, money, money 'til the sun goes down. Things like friendship are a huge luxury.



This isn't something we can just fix... even if either of us wanted to.
Wait a second. Miss Ch'en, look at that alley there.

Music.



Hm... this is kind of a bind. With all these cameras, going too heavy-handed isn't gonna be a good look.



Rgh, I don't know what it is, but I can't land a good hit on this runt. Something's not right!
He just thinks he can piss around with us. Let's take him together!
Look at that. It's the solo contestant, stuck in an ambush. What's your call, Miss Ch'en? Wait until they finish fighting?
...No.
You're going to help him? There's no real benefit to it. The championship isn't about helping your fellow contestants—the disciplined approach doesn't fly here.
I know. Just stay here and wait for me a moment.

And as promptly as that, Ch'en has already dashed out.



......

Ernesto is silent for a moment, and doesn't follow.

----

Music.



(They've even installed cameras in crevices like this. These can't have been just for the competition. But even so, the residential housing ought not to have surveillance in it. I'm guessing drones will only film interiors if they capture contestants going in.)

As in, they have at least a little respect for privacy and did not install fixed cameras inside everyone's homes.

(In other words, as long as you're not physically filmed entering, there's a high chance officials won't notice you. If you exploit that fact... hm?)



(...Heh. Speak of the devil.)



What's the status?
Bombs are all set on our end, Rafaela.
Good. I'm done here too. Let's move to the next location.
Hold on, I just got a distress from C-team. Seems like they're really struggling with an opponent there.
Who is it?
It's Ch'en from the LUNG wRATh team.
Hermano told us not to take on what we can't handle. Move a nearby team to them, don't stand out too much. Give it up if it's a losing battle, don't keep fighting out of obligation. Our actual job takes priority.
Got it.

Aw... we've got a bona fide terrorist on our squad. How cute.

After Rafaela parts with the stranger, Lin Yühsia noiselessly drops down from a beam in the roof, and lands where they stood just a moment ago.



With her proficiency, it takes little effort to find the bomb Rafaela mentioned.

(...She was being serious. I never imagined the girl would be one of them. I imagine, by 'actual job,' they mean more of these bombs, and it sounds as if there are several teams on it. The officials might have prohibited comms equipment, but all signs indicate they have their own way of keeping in touch, under the radar. And there's no knowing if they have a plan B. I'm worried there won't be much meaning in keeping on their trail, and there's the risk of being found.)
(Two things stood out: 'Bombs', 'Hermano'. They can play into our knowledge. Having these few keywords should be sufficient for now. ...It's about time to rendezvous, too. Perfect chance to see how Hui-chieh's done.)

----

Music.

The alleyway was usually empty even before the area was cleared for the competition, but at this moment it's host to sheer hubbub.



From roofs, windowsills, balconies, and fencetops, ill-meaning contestants are all icily fixed on the figure stood in the dead center—Ch'en. She is completely unshaken. She simply grips her water gun tight. At the entrance, together with Ernesto stands Mizuki, who has just been saved by Ch'en. Mizuki's face tells of happy surprise, but Ernesto wears hesitance. However, in this moment, they are beyond anyone's attention.

Silent throughout the alley, it's as if the air is just as frozen. The only proof that this charged scene isn't just a still image is the damp airing blowing through their hair.



'Drip-drop.'

Somewhere unknown, a loosely shut faucet drips water, the droplets striking the basin, the noise minute. The noise, nevertheless, is like a stone breaking a placid lake's surface. In a split-second, the contestants around her all swarm in, and Ch'en takes her opening steps.



Atop a roof, Lin Yühsia calmly confirms the situation.

(There she is, playing at the hero again. She'll spend eternity without learning to behave. I can't be bothered to help her. That said, the commotion's audible enough for some teams in the vicinity to make for here.)
(...I suppose I'll hold them off. Drawing too many people's attention won't do any good.)

Lin Yühsia loosens her wrists, hops down from the roof, and lands squarely at the alley entrance.



Not far away, figures are already coming into sight. She takes in a tiny breath, and assumes her stance.



Battle Video. Battle Music.



Our map. It's got... some lanes. 2.5? Bottleneck at the bottom where most of the enemies go through, and a little backdoor at the top.



Still trying to use Magallan. While her drones are fairly powerful for the DP cost, they also take up a full deployment slot (the Unit Limit seen in the bottom right), and they're probably not more powerful than a real operator. The weak link is actually Magallan herself, as she's a particularly weak caster who needs to be on the field to summon these good-for-their-cost snipers. Meaning she takes up two slots just to have a single summon out, and the efficiency of the drones has to play catch-up from behind. This is the biggest weakness of summoners, imo, although there's something to address it coming up soon.



Our new enemy this time is the Dockworker, who is your standard high DEF, high HP tank for this enemy set. They also stun their target after a few attacks, making it very risky to keep them blocked for long. However, they are especially vulnerable to being submerged, and will lose 10% of their max HP per second while underwater. Which will kill them in 10 seconds, obviously. This means your goal is often just to stall them until the tide comes in.



That said, just for fun I deploy Chen to instantly take off half his HP with her maxed out S2. It takes quite an investment to max out a skill (about 1.5 times the material cost of promoting to E2), but I figured Chen just isn't Chen without her instant AOE quickdraw slash.



And then I finished him off with Eyja's S3 because why not. No kill like overkill.



I deploy La Pluma (Rafaela?) in the bottom right to stop the bottom lane as close to the entrance as possible. More or less how I was using Utage before. Incidentally, I was surprised when I realized that La Pluma is the first crow/raven character in the game. It's such a popular bird that I assumed there was another one somewhere. The internal filenames for her portraits just label her as "crow".



This next Dockworker dies from the water, but also from fireballs.



La Pluma's S2. It highlights the tiles she hits very clearly, and leaves behind crow feathers every slash.



This diver up top almost makes it through since I don't have any blockers up there...



...But the tide recedes just in time.



For the finale, four Dockworkers at once. I suppose I could wait for the tide, OR I could just kill them all right now with Eyja's S3.



And Chen for the finish.



Technically there were a few divers after that, but who cares?

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Music.



This is phenomenal work! Ch'en snuck into an alley to save the trapped Mizuki, and followed up by directly confronting all the other competitors there. It seems the other teams have determined LUNG wRATh is too dangerous to keep around, and have all silently agreed to work together. But even so, Ch'en isn't cowed one bit, choosing to take up the fight. A battle to absolutely revel in!
But we can't forget about the other side of the alley, where Lin battles too! Unlike Ch'en's tooth-clenching clash in the alleyway, Lin's spared only a few moves to hold down the entrance, and deter any team who dares come. Is there anyone in this whole championship who can overcome this combination's mere presence?!



Ha ha, goes to show they do work when they each fight their own battles. Hey, Missy, if Ch'en and Miss Lin fought, who do you think'd win?
Why?
I'm interested, y'know. Put two really powerful guys together, and who wouldn't wanna know who the stronger is.



Only you'd think like that! I wouldn't know anyway. It's the first time I've seen this woman fight in years.
Huh? Weren't you and Miss Lin buddy-buddy? Weird you never got to see this.
Who's buddies with who? She plays up that mystery, 24/7. There's times she doesn't even answer the phone. And who says you've seen someone fight just 'cause you know them?
That's fair enough, I guess that's just me being used to Ch'en. If she wanted to win now, I'd be out of luck banking on just her swordplay.
Not everyone's got the same dynamic as you two. Besides, it's a good thing I haven't seen it. I worry the day I do, I'll be trying to arrest her.
Makes sense. She's the Rat King's daughter, after all.

I can't remember if they've made this clear, but the Rat King is like a mafia boss, the de facto leader of the criminal underground of Lungmen. So maybe it's a bad look if his daughter is childhood friends with the police superintendent... Well, I suppose no one's ever said the city WASN'T corrupt from top to bottom.

Eh, I'm still not so sure about that, though. He's not a bad egg or anything. When I was a fresh dumbass in Lungmen...
Save it. I've met the Rat King before, you know. I don't need you telling me.
Hey, as long as you get it.
Forget that, you just used the word 'dumbass,' didn't you?
Look at me, using vulgar language in front of Milady. Oughta slap me.
Hmph. So you and Ch'en have seen how she handles fights?
C'mon, I'm asking because I haven't. Neither has Ch'en, I reckon. You're right about one thing, though. It's a good thing we've never seen her fight before. That'd put us in the tough position, we'd have to take her in.
As long as you get it.
Never thought there'd be a day when she and Ch'en work together, though. You really do see everything as you get older. So in the end, who do you think would win, then?
Don't feel like guessing.
Heh, then I'll guess on my own. In my opinion, if Ch'en had her sword, it'd be hard for Lin Yühsia to ever get near her. But, if she does let Miss Lin get near, then Ch'en's lost.
Ch'en sure sucks, huh.
You can't say that either. Ch'en's solid with her kickboxing. Joint locks and grapples and whatever. She's amazing with all our normal training, too. You saw how decent her accuracy was too, just now. But in the end, Ch'en's best with a sword.
So you're implying Lin Yühsia's as good in close-quarters as Ch'en is with her sword.
More or less.

Give us the rat already.

----

Music.



Having fun acting the hero, Hui-chieh?
Not really, but I don't need you worrying.
Sorry, Miss Ch'en, I...
I told you, you could've just waited over there for me. You did fine.



Thank you for helping me out.
You're welcome.
But, um, why did you do it?
No reason. I saw you, so I helped.
I see. You're a nice person, Miss. And since you're nice, here.
Is this... pure gold?
Mhm, they were only after me because I had this.
And you're fine giving it to us?
It's alright, I can go look for some more. Besides, I never really cared about the competition anyway. Getting to know someone as nice as Miss Ch'en is enough for me already.
I'll give you a heads-up. Quite a few teams are on high alert—you can chat all you want, but you'd better not stay here too long.
I'm heading off, then. Bye-bye~

He leaves.

We'd better move too.
Can I just ask, did you get anything out of that other than playing hero?
Does gold not count?
I guess...
What about you?
Nothing in particular. So, continue? Or hand in?
We'll continue.
Alright.

----

Music.



Alright, dear audience. I've just gotten word that all twenty pure gold ingots have been handed in. Which means, Round 1 has reached a consummate close. Now, then, we'll move to the voting phase. Voting will last several hours, and once it closes, we'll be here on stage announcing the teams that made it out of Round 1! Don't miss it!



...It's over.
There's still Round 1 voting, but with your popularity, I'm sure we'll be fine.
Yes.
That said, it seems you haven't gotten leads on any dangerous terrorists, Miss Lin?
Not on my end.
Then maybe there really isn't anything to worry about.
Possibly. Hui-chieh, do you have a moment?
For what?
I need you for something.



Intermission

quote:

To take a short break is to prepare oneself for the next high tide.
Music.



......
......

----



(She's gone?! But she shouldn't have spotted me. Perhaps she's got training and keeps her anti-surveillance act up? Or is there some place around here she can sneak into without anyone noticing? Oh well... I'll go look for Hui-chieh first.)

----

Music. This is NOT a DDD song, but it's also recycled from the music festival.



I'd bet it all on Business Cooperation Call 5453-46235, personally. They sound like they know what they're doing.

First things first, let's look at which teams made it. A total of fifteen teams entered the first round of this competition. Team LUNG wRATh is definitely this competition's hottest team. Team Grey Feather, Team Pacer-man, Team Honey Summer, Team Business Cooperation Call 5453-46235...

Music.



Manager: Nice work out there, D.D.D. Sorry you had to take on such an unfamiliar job.

No prob. I'm used to tooting the big shots' horns. I thought I wouldn't be cut out for this, but it turns out it's basically just like DJing. It's just one uses music to get the crowd pumped up, while the other uses words.

Manager: It's great that you think that way. If you don't want to do it, though, I'll do everything I can to turn the job down.

I gotta say, I'm really just going along for the ride. I did kinda think I said some stuff I probably wouldn't have said before, though. That was close.

Sorry, I'm not gonna forgive you for selling out, DDD.

But I really gotta say. You saw how that team LUNG wRATh did. Those two chicks on the team were amazing.

Manager: Oh, I agree.

Just watching the two of them was enough to really give me that creative itch. Makes me want to write a song for them, y'know? And knowing I can keep watching them fight in the VIP section motivates me to stick with this job, too.

Manager: Haha, that's great to hear.



Eh, Missy, I don't get it. The competition's over, and only now are you excited. You've been strolling around the streets for the past few days, but it doesn't really look like that's all you're doing either. Is there something out here that piques your interest?
I'm taking a stroll around alright, but I do have another reason.
What is it?
I want to get to know this city.
How come?
You see, Bolívar is right out there, past the city's borders. A country under three different governments. The Singas government that's propped up by Leithanien, the Coalition government supported by Columbia, and the True Bolívarians that sprang up to oppose those two governments. I'm sure clashes between those three governments, big and small, are happening all across the country while we're just sitting here.

So it's a three-way war between two puppet governments and a local resistance.

And this city doesn't look like any of the other Bolívarian cities that we stopped at on our way here. You can't say this one's just prosperous. Even I've never seen a place so extravagant, so totally dedicated to leisure. Don't you think it's strange that a city like this popped up in Bolívar?
Well, I do think it's strange, but this isn't Lungmen, and I can't be bothered to look into it.
You know, you know so much, but if it's got nothing to do with Lungmen or Ch'en, you never seem to care.
It's a force of habit. Go on, Missy. You've got an idea or something, don't you?
If this city was dark and gloomy, then I certainly wouldn't have felt anything off about it. On the contrary, though, it's so full of energy here that it's irritating. If every city out there had a heart, then Lungmen's would probably be a lively one, and its blood would be healthy, and vivid red, always getting pumped to the heart to keep it going. But Dossoles's heart is way too shady. It keeps on pumping in dirty, black blood, but it doesn't hurt. In fact, it's somehow beating even stronger than our healthy Lungmen. And that makes the place seem like it's got more pep than Lungmen.
And let's not even go into how Lungmen very rarely finds itself held back by any external forces. This city is in Bolívar, where the political situation couldn't be more messed up. Don't you think that's strange?
Oh, that's a good analogy. Really makes it easy to understand. So you're curious why the city is like this, even when it shouldn't be?
This city tolerates crime, encourages gambling, and you've got the most hedonistic, spendthrifty kinds here. Each and every day, someone hits it big, while some other poor sod goes bankrupt. This creates the illusion that this city's main sources of income are its tourism and entertainment industries—They attract visitors and squeeze the money out of them. An entertainment industry by itself can't support all of a city's operations, however. That's why the city leaves its entertainment industry and even crime on the streets unchecked, attracting all kinds of sketchy people. And that gives the city its false, unstable prosperity.
That's an explanation. But is that really how things are?
Hm... Missy, I kind of think you're overreacting a little.
What did you just say?!
It makes sense, though. For a pampered lady like you, the way this city works is uncommon and barbaric. But it's all pretty near and dear to me. I'm sure you know that Higashi isn't in a much better shape than Bolívar. In Higashi, even when there's a full-scale war outside, the elites holed up inside couldn't care less. Fundamentally, this city isn't all that different from those cities I know.

Not-Japan sucks.

Oh, but now that you mention it, it's true that you can't run a city on entertainment and tourism alone. There aren't any cities like that in Higashi either. So I guess you should tell me more, Missy. About your discovery.



I don't wanna talk about it anymore.
Oh, come on, Missy. It's all my bad, okay? Waiter, one raspado de verano, please. For the lady.

Waiter: Yes, ma'am.

Okay, Missy, don't be mad. Cool off with some shaved ice, okay?
Hmph, do you remember what happened when we came to this city?
Didn't we walk right in as soon as you flashed your card?
That's me being well-prepared. Lungmen has a trade agreement with Dossoles, so I could come right in with just my card. I'm not talking about myself. I'm talking about the other people that were there.
Oh, I remember seeing a few pretty nervous guys trying to get inside. The guards asked them a few questions, but let them through right after. The guards were pretty friendly, too. They even gave them directions.
Do you remember seeing a lot of factories outside the city center?
Yes, I did.
Bingo.
Oh, I get it. The political situation is ever-changing in Bolívar, so it's dangerous to rely on trade for daily necessities. So the city had to take fate into its own hands. And those poor folks are factory workers.
That's right. I asked around at the bar the last couple days. The factories here apparently pay really well. That's why a lot of people take the arduous journey just to come here to work.
And if they manage to get a good foothold here, that's going to make them a small fortune compared to outside.
Right. It may not make them as much as fighting for the Coalition or Singas, but working here is much safer.
Haha, I'm not sure which is safer, between getting bludgeoned to death in a back alley or dying on the battlefield.
Stop interrupting. After that, I looked up some old news articles. This city may be known all over Bolívar for its entertainment industry, but its wine, coffee, and sugar are the finest in the country too. All the Bolívarian elites, whether they are from the Coalition, Singas, or True Bolívarians, are buying them up. And even outside, I've seen lots of Bolívarian tequila and coffee back home. I don't remember the exact place they were produced, but I've definitely seen these factories' brands before.

These are what all the stickers we're collecting are advertising.

The guards are well-equipped and full of energy... And otherwise, aside from its entertainment and tourism sectors, the city also has a firm grip over a luxury goods industry that no one can ignore. I get what you mean now. The city may seem chaotic on the surface, but it's actually very stable deep down. It's 100% capable of becoming a proper, methodical city like Lungmen. Now this is really starting to pique my interest.
And here you said I was overreacting.
I beg your forgiveness, Milady. Your insight is unparalleled. A lowly errand girl like me cannot dare to compare.



That's some glib tongue you got.
Really though, Missy. Speaking from experience, the answer you seek is actually very simple. No matter what, those who stand on top will never tolerate a variable out of their control. If this city is managing to keep this appearance up, then that must mean that, to its ruler, what we think is chaotic here is hardly worth batting an eye over.
In other words, this city has a powerful, crazed mastermind.
That's my conclusion as well. The mayor is named Candela Sanchez. My family participates in some of the business dealings between Lungmen and Dossoles, but I've really never truly understood her or her city until now. I'm curious just what kind of a person she is to shape her city this way.
You could talk to her directly. Just tell her who you are. She'll most definitely see you.
I'll pass. You can fool others with words, but not with the outcomes of your actions. Let's go. We still have a lot of places to visit. I want to take a look at the factories in the countryside. Let's hurry.

She leaves

Waiter: Ma'am, your raspado.

Hey, wait, Missy. Your ice just got here. Oh, what do I do with this girl... Sometimes she's just like Ch'en. Always so impatient. Fine, I'll eat it myself. Missy, wait up!

Hoshiguma runs after her.



........
(Green hair and a horn... Is that Hoshiguma?)
What are you looking at?
Nothing. Just thought I saw an old friend.
From Lungmen? Where?
There's too many people. She was gone after I looked away for just a second. It's okay. There's no way she'd be here. My eyes are probably playing tricks on me. And what about you? You asked to meet here, and you're late?
I took a detour. Let's go in first.
Isn't this that bar you trashed the other day?



It's my turf now. Come on.

----

Music.



Hey, boss, what brings you here?
......
Make sure no one comes near us. We'll be talking, alone.
Understood!

I like this implication that she can come into a random place, beat everyone up, and now she's in charge. I'm sure that's how criminal enterprises work!

A whiskey.
Just soda water for me.
Right away.
Go ahead. What is it? I doubt you'd ever invite me out just for drinks.
I tailed a team during the match. They were going all around the residential district, setting up bombs. And judging from their conversation, there were probably at least three or four teams doing the same.
But didn't you just say... Oh, so you suspect Ernesto.
You don't?
Well, I see where you're coming from. That's no small operation, and news of it wouldn't have gotten to Lady Candela if it had been just a single smuggling operation. Someone is definitely manipulating the information somewhere down the line. Ernesto's fairly suspicious, but even if he's in the clear, there's definitely somebody else.
I can't get to the bottom of everything just by myself, though I do have one of the bombs right here in my pocket, at the very least. Want to give it a squeeze?

Okay, I have to ask, where are your pockets on that outfit? Are you keeping the bomb inside the watermelon?

I'll pass. Which team?
Grey Feather.



Them, huh? Didn't expect that.
It wouldn't have occurred to me either.
Which means they're definitely up to something, and they have a well organized plan. And since they've got explosives, that's definitely no normal plan.
What are you going to do?
I think we should talk to Lady Candela first.
Are you sure?
What do you mean?
I'm sure you've noticed what they are propping up this city's colorful appearance with, Hui-chieh. And Lady Candela, the mayor of the city, is allowing all of this to happen under her nose. Does a city like this, or someone like her, really deserve your help?
I'm going to fight you again if you tell me you'll let those guys set up bombs just because of that.
Quite the opposite. I don't really care that much about what this city is like or what's going to happen to it. I'm here to represent Chief Wei. What I care about is Chief Wei's image. That's why I don't really have a choice. I have to complete Lady Candela's request. But what about you? How do I know you won't stand against me because of that overflowing sense of justice of yours?

Music stops.



All of a sudden, Ch'en lifts her head and stares straight into Lin Yühsia's eyes.

What are you trying to say?

Lin Yühsia isn't backing down either. She, too, is staring straight at Ch'en.

What I'm saying, Hui-chieh, is that you should stop faking all those emotions you have for people you've never even met. You have no right to get involved with anything that has to do with the city, and you definitely have no right to blame me for anything.

Pow.

A thunderous 'pop,' that of a fist and a palm clashing together, rings through the quiet bar. Ch'en's fist is about an inch away from Lin Yühsia's face, held firmly back only by Lin Yühsia's palm.

......
......

Their faces are still as water, leaving only their fierce stares to reveal their convictions.

Standing not far away from them, the casino boss sees a shapeless fire burning amidst their silence. The flame is raging and growing more intense by the second, as though it could engulf everything in their vicinity at any moment. Right away, he starts to work out how much he will spend renovating his casino, as well as which contractor in the neighborhood charges the least.

However, contrary to his expectations, the flame does not erupt into a volcano of rage. After another brief moment of silence, Ch'en retracts her fist, and Lin Yühsia lowers her hand.

Music resumes.

This won't help you absolve yourself.
And I'm not trying to absolve myself.
One day, I will make sure you pay for all that you've done.
Heh. And how will you make me do that, Lungmen Special Inspection Unit Chief Emeritus, Miss Ch'en Hui-chieh?
With righteousness.



Well, at least that has a slightly better ring to it than justice. If that day ever comes, I will be ready and accept my punishment.
Anything else?
That's it. You can do whatever you want to do, and I will do things my way. That's what I'm trying to tell you.
The fewer people who know about this, the better, but we should at least let Lady Candela know, no matter how we go about this.

I'm not sure why Chen thinks they need to report anything to her, but you do you.

Even if you tell her, there isn't all that much she can do. We still don't know what their objective is. Trying to scope them out or arrest them is just going to startle them. Also, don't use your phone.
I don't need you to tell me that.
Oh, right. I forgot how much you cops love your wiretaps.
You really want a fight, don't you?
I haven't the interest. Well, you've made up your mind. Go talk to Lady Candela, then. I've got better things to do.
Alright.
I never thought the day would come for us to work together...
Likewise.

----

Music.



You don't have a big enough fist, and what are you standing up straight like that for...?

No idea what he's talking about here. The translation is this chapter is pretty bad in places, but for all I know he's singing a song to himself.

Knock knock knock.

Shop's closed today.
I'd like a fishing rod.
Come in.



Hermano, can't you stop changing the password every day? It's a chore to get them down.

Or maybe what he was saying was part of the password? But he said it before she knocked... Also, for the record, hermano means "brother" in Spanish. She's probably using it like onii-chan or whatever in Japanese.

No. Rafaela, stop letting your guard down. Do you know how hard it was for me to disguise your mistake as some normal weapons smuggling? If Ms. Candela manages to sniff us out, we're done for. If you're doing this, see it through.
*Sigh*... Fine.
I'm not trying to yell at you, Rafaela. You're a klutz, but you do a decent job with everything you need to do. It's the idiots who don't know the gravity of all this. This city is full of entertainment, but if that's all the city has, there's no way it could've gotten such a foothold in Bolívar.
But you still called me a klutz...
But, my lovely sister, you are a klutz, no?
Hmph. Actually, I got the feeling that I was being followed just now.
Really?
I'm not sure, but that's what it felt like.
I'll let everyone in the competitions know to be careful. Actually, never mind... I guess that, outside of the mission, these guys aren't all that different from the folks who live here. You wouldn't be able to get much out of them. Anyway, how did the mission go?
We got the bombs installed in the residential district.
Did anyone find you?
I ran into the purple-haired girl on your team about halfway through. I avoided a direct confrontation with her, like you'd told me.
And what did she do?
She didn't bother us.
She didn't come to me about it. I guess she really didn't notice... No, there's no guarantee that's the case. She's clearly mistrustful of me, even more so than Ch'en. It's possible that she found out but chose to hide it from me. And even if she found out, there's probably very little she could do... *Sigh*, they don't want to work together, and I can't keep an eye on both of them at once. What a pain.

A radio chirps.

It's me.

Soldier: Your orders?

If the mayor starts investigating the competition area, let my father know right away.

Soldier: Understood.

And the radio cuts out.

Phew, I guess this will do for now. I've taken a look at which teams made it through. Out of the forty teams in the competition, twelve are on our side, and nine of those made it through. It's more or less what I expected.
Yeah, if it wasn't for the blue haired girl getting in the way, we probably could've taken down another team or two.
It was never all that reliable of a plan, luring out teams with pure gold out in the open and then taking them down, so there's really nothing to complain about with these results. We made it through the first round. All we have to do during the second round is get in the other teams' way. After all, the second round's full of Ms. Candela's underlings hiding in every corner to ambush anyone who tries to take a shortcut. It's not the right time to set up more bombs. And the less teams at the end of the second round, the better. That's our goal in this round. You remember that, right?



Stop taking me for a dummy.
I'm just telling you again, just in case. Right, since you're here, I might as well tell you now. There's a change in plans.
What's wrong? Are those outsiders that tough?
Yeah, they're probably a little too tough, even.
Should we take them out?
No. First, we'd probably pay a dear price for that. And secondly... They are good people.
Good people?
That's right. Good people. If I'd known them longer, I'd even try to persuade them to join our cause.
Would they join us?
No idea, but it's not happening now. That's why I can only assume the old man will be in danger if they get close to him on the ship. We'll need to do all we can to stall them. But to get to the point, I probably won't be on the ship, so I'll probably try to work with you from land.

In other words he will try to make sure that Chen's team loses in round 2, so he won't be there on the ship to help her in round 3.

Will you need my help?
If it comes down to it, I will. That's why I'm telling you this now.
Okay.

Music.



Let's move on to something less serious. That reminds me, Rafaela. You've lived in this city for a few years now. Do you know where the name Dossoles came from?
Hm? I haven't really heard why... But I'm guessing it has to do with why they call this the City of Two Suns.
That's right. Now take another guess. Which two suns?
Hm... The one in the sky?
This one's too obvious. You can see it just by looking up.
And the second one... is the one you see in the water?
Very good. I thought you wouldn't figure it out.

Is he... negging her?

The city's ocean completely engulfs the sun in the sky.
Papa told me about that before.
Now, do you know that this city was almost renamed Tressoles, the City of Three Suns?
Huh? Three suns?
That's right. Now what do you think the third sun is?
The third sun...? Maybe the mayor?
Hahaha, that's one theory. Ms. Candela is like the city's sun, and this city only exists because of her. That's not the right answer, though.
Huh? It's not?
The mayor is a prideful person, but she wouldn't compare herself with the sun. Her pride is above even the sun. She wouldn't put herself on the same level as two other suns. She would say all three suns are hers.
Then what's the third sun?
The answer's simple. It's on your papa's boat.
He's your papa... He's my step-dad. Eh, is it the pretty gold statue?

We've already read her profile, so we know that she was adopted by her dad's friend after he died in the war.

Haha, that's right. That's the city's third sun. Supposedly, it took everyone quite a while to persuade Ms. Candela not to go there.
...That sounds kinda lame.
Is there anything that isn't lame about this city?

Perhaps the true moral of the story.

It looks like you enjoy living here though.
Do I look like I enjoy this place?
You don't? I kind of think you've been enjoying working for the mayor the last few years.
If that's the case, why would I help Father?



No idea. I've always thought you weren't going to.
*Sigh*... Your intuition is always so on point.
And here you just called me a klutz.
Hahaha... Anyway, let's get back to preparing for the match.

Ibblebibble
Nov 12, 2013

I think what that little Ernesto line to himself is about is him looking in the mirror and commenting on his posture. Boy's got some issues.

Edit: also checking the original Chinese and the translation's not wrong.

Ibblebibble fucked around with this message at 01:26 on Jan 20, 2022

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
In that case, my guess is that it sounds awkwardly worded because the translator or editor had no idea what it was talking about so they left it as literal as possible.

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.
I can't believe Mr. Peanutbutter is a terrorist.

I'll do a writeup for the first batch of stickers tomorrow.

booksnake
May 4, 2009

we who are crowned with the crest of wisdom
Did not need your describing making fun of your little sister as 'negging'. It doesn't have to be creepy, man.

I'm assuming Ernesto's the older of the two, anyway.

edit: okay, this doesn't work if you assume they're both in their twenties and she's actually bothered by the teasing, which I guess is a fair read since she doesn't like being called a klutz, but /I/ was reading it as, like, a 24-year-old dude poking fun at his 16-year-old little sister, you know?

booksnake fucked around with this message at 04:06 on Jan 20, 2022

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
I can definitely see that, sorry.

Edit: To be honest, I had a more innocent "sibling teasing" view of it the first time around, but when I was rereading it for the LP I noticed how pervasive it was and it started to bother me. Like, he is constantly insulting her at all times and she seems honestly bothered, imo. Nor does she ever actually screw anything up or act dumb.

Edit2: To be clear, I don't think he's a pick-up artist hitting on his sister, but he feels a little manipulative, like he was trying to lower her self-confidence so she'd be less independent.

Clarste fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Jan 20, 2022

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.
I will note that both her operator profile and her first base skill refer to her as someone who's a little spaced out/airheaded and so it's not just a character in the story doing it. It's also written like she's very young but then mentions her hobby is bartending, so it's kind of a trainwreck :shrug:

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Also, her little speech when she was introduced as her team's leader was just "Um... I'll do my best" which certainly doesn't sell her as a charismatic speaker. Not to mention her voice acting. I think the idea though is that she's airheaded less in the sense that she's dumb or makes mistakes, and more in the sense that she doesn't really care about the things that other people expect her to care about. This is probably supposed to contrast her scary competence as a warrior (for example noticing that Lin was tailing her and managing to lose her), but it's a little weird that that side of her is shown first?

DropTheAnvil
May 16, 2021

Clarste posted:

Looks to be a fierce championship, this one. One for the ages. Got great expectations for it.

I read this in such a dry, dead-pan voice I laughed.

Clarste
Apr 15, 2013

Just how many mistakes have you suffered on the way here?

An uncountable number, to be sure.
Welcome back. Last time we had a little downtime where the characters got to talk about their motives, showing that Lin doesn't trust Chen not to go rogue again and confirming that Ernesto is sus. I also describes the way he treats his sister Rafaela as "negging" since he's constantly implying that she's stupid for no apparent reason, but that ruffled some feathers since it could also be seen as an older brother just teasing his kid sister. You could certainly read it either way, but for what it's worth I didn't mean "negging" in the sense that he's a pick-up artist trying to hit on her, and more in the sense that he seems manipulative and is undermining her sense of self-worth. Or maybe that's a little too dark for his role in the story. Whatever.



Triathlon

quote:

A game requires rules, yet what the audience most wishes for tends to be that which breaks the rules.

First, let's get a little music going!

Cheering. Music. Another new-old track.

Alright, you've been waiting for two days, and now we're on the brink of the championship's Round 2—the Triathlon!



The rules are simple as could be. First you run, then you ride, and finally you swim! Obstructing competitors? No problem! As long as one of your teammates finishes, you pass! Shortcuts are fair game, but careful of who's lying within the alleys! They're not gonna roll over and let you through! Furthermore, if you reach the finish, but the cycling and swimming checkpoints never saw you, then that's not gonna count! In other words, contestants, nothing's stopping you from spinning around and diving in at the start line—if you wanna be the laughing stock of the whole city. If you're someone who's got it made and you wanna hitch on a low-altitude aircraft, sure! But, if the audience doesn't like that, you might just get booted out at the votes!
Further, as fifteen teams directly passed Round 1, along with one team being revived thanks to audience voting, sixteen teams in total made it out. Thus, eight teams will pass Round 2. That's the first eight teams to make it who get the right to pass! Well, then, let's invite those sixteen teams up onto the stage!



What a beautiful sea...



It really is.

Here we get some swimsuit cameos for existing operators because that's how this game makes money. Unlike the Lungmen crew's swimsuits, these are actually purchasable as skins.

Looks like coming to this city wasn't a waste. How about we sit down right here, then.
We could also head back. I'm worried we'll be a nuisance to the others here...
Don't let it weigh on you. This city doesn't seem to mind the Infected too much.



Though it's very plainly not because they're open-minded, but because they don't care... Besides, we have Sussurro with us. We'll be fine, right?



Yes. I'm well aware of Eyjafjalla's condition. In my honest opinion, you should worry more about yourself than if you're troubling anyone else. You spend more time indoors than the average person, and that doesn't just have repercussions on your body, but your mental health as well. That's why I, as a doctor, endorsed bringing you here, Eyjafjalla. Everyone should have the right to enjoy the sunshine.
Absolutely. They ran into some trouble, but I heard over the screen that the Doctor took a group on vacation somewhere. It's only right that Eyjafjalla and the rest of us get one too.



No, I came voluntarily to carry out geological research, and if I hold up everyone else...
Aw, come on, now, don't you worry so much. We came here on legitimate grounds, too. Rhodes Island wants to set up a branch office here, and we've never been able to get the mayor's approval. So Amiya's had us come here as a liaison. So you just relax and enjoy the competition.
Mhm. Thanks.
Oh, right. Where's Projekt Red?
I don't think she's coming here. She went off alone somewhere.
Fine. She's been like this since forever. I'm used to it. Oh, look! They're up, they're up!

----

Let's welcome—LUNG wRATh!

Cheering.



......
......



Ahaha.
Maybe we should split up?
The Triathlon's extremely long. We'll lose contact fast if we all do our own thing. Save for any teams sending lone people off to obstruct others, it's fundamentally a joint effort. If you two have no opinions along that line, then I suggest we work together.
No objections.
That's acceptable. So long as you don't hinder me in a fight.
And the very same to you.



Who knew? I thought I was seeing things when I first saw her on the TV, but Ch'en really is here too. On her own vacation, I guess. After the competition's over, let's go say hello to her.
Okay.
Brilliant. You two can watch, I'll go buy you some food. Stay right here and don't wander off, okay?
Alright.



And that's your introduction to all sixteen teams. Just like Round 1, you audience-siders get the chance to place your bets here and splash in even more competition joy. All spectators are invited to register your info on the government site, and you can make yourself a little extra cash! For specifics on how it'll work, refer to your government-issued competition guides.
During Round 2, you'll find our honored guest in a slightly different place. Mr. Pancho's already headed for the cruise ship to prepare Round 3, so he'll be talking with you via video feed.Alright, the contestants are all at the ready line! Let's have Lady Candela up for us to fire off the Round 2 salute!



You have fun, all you youngsters. I declare—Round 2 has officially begun!

Fireworks.

----

Music.



It looks like we're being watched again.
Let's finish this quickly.



Battle Video. Battle Music.



Here's our map. It's kind of a weird one, with a main lane at the bottom and a top lane that leads to some stairs... that take it back to the middle of the main lane. So there's a big bottleneck at the bottom and no real reason to block the top lane.



That said, we're going to do it anyway for fun. We haven't had much of a chance to see Rafaela in action, after all.



Magallan's drone will be covering the bottom lane. And... that's really all we need for this map. I don't think we even need Beanstalk, actually?



Our new enemies this time (spawning at the top) are Tidal Casters. Unlike most other enemies here, they don't have any particular interaction with being submerged, but they cause Corrosion with their attacks, even to people on dry land. They also deal AOE damage in a small cross, which is about as dangerous as enemy casters usually are.



Anyway, I placed Rafaela up there so she could hit the casters as they spawn, and they won't get to stand outside the lane and pelt us with impunity. A big advantage of Reapers is their ability to hit diagonally forward into different lanes. She's not great against high DEF targets like the Dockworkers, but Maggie's there too to soften them up with arts damage.



Also water.



I feel a little weird doing this, but I use Maggie's S3 just to give her more ATK to help kill another Dockworker near the end. I guess her drones also destroy the bottom lane while we're at it. She's pretty strong, actually!




Music.

They've been the target of collusion from the very start of the event, but LUNG wRATh have once again put on a marvelous breakthrough act.

Phone buzzing.

Mr. Pancho, you mentioned how this team was struggling to mesh in Round 1. What do you think of them now?



Cooperation troubles don't get resolved in one night. But obviously, these two know about the problem, so they've clearly divided up their combat. This time, they're a lot more nimble than during the fighting in Round 1.
Good to know. So, does that mean their chance of victory has shot up?
Still hard to say. The other contestants'll have their own countermeasures.
That's true. Trying to hold back LUNG wRATh normally has already proven ineffective, so let's hope the other competitors can show us some new tricks!



Heh, they're right. And the mood between them's eased a bit too. Wonder if anything happened.
So it comes from the Iberian period, no wonder...
Hm? Missy, that's not the competition. What are you looking at?
Information on this cruise ship.
What's so interesting? Did you just say Iberia?
Yeah. The ship's actually a relic from the age of Iberia.
That early...? Actually, thinking about it, there's no other country that would have stuff like this.

I guess if no other country has access to the ocean, large boats are a technology that doesn't exist? Well, you'd think there'd be large rivers or lakes at least. Also the age of Iberia is once again implied to be in the distant past. I kind of imagine it as an early Spanish colonial empire sort of thing.

Mhm. And Mayor Candela paid big money to buy it off the Iberians, and for the tech to remodel it. And all this just to have the thing floating out on the city's sea. I don't think there's another person across the whole world who'd do that.
That sure is some level of luxury. Speaking of which, Missy, weren't you looking into this Mayor the past two days? Any findings?



Findings... they're still pretty basic so far. This Candela Sanchez is, in some sense, someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Chief Wei.
She's that powerful?
Yeah. It's not exactly the same, but they're both completely wrapped up in their cities, and both have a tight grip on the reins of government. As a member of the L.G.D., I would absolutely never say I admire someone who builds a city like this. But as a daughter of the Schwire family, I have to admit, a builder like that is a real tough customer.
If we're saying this city's base is much more solid than it seems, then its superstructure is even crazier than it seems. Agents of three governments come flooding into this city every day, and the news will sometimes report on disputes, even small-scale conflicts, between them. But the thing is, nobody cares. They come here as an open secret, respect an unwritten code of conduct, and revel in a joy they could never have outside.
Can you picture it? The first time the three sides clashed, Mayor Candela showed up for sure, and used some method we could never imagine to 'talk them over.' And after that, anyone who came to this city had to keep by the rules she set. But I just don't know what it was. Leverage? Or a political bargaining chip?
Lady Candela has enough armed force on hand to defend this city, that's for sure. But beyond all of that, I feel like there's a real simple answer, Missy. Haven't you already realized?
Realized what?
Here's what it is—alcohol, sugar, coffee, and entertainment.
How could those things possibly...
It's a time-old tale, Missy. The frugal can get used to extravagance, but it's a nightmare to go the other way. Forget old boys who've been spoiled rotten since childhood. You could even take me. If I suddenly lost something I was real used to and felt was real nice, I'd be struggling for sure. Not to mention after losing it, I'd have to make do with junk instead. Sometimes, people's wills just bend like paper, and the way Bolívar's like now really doesn't help. If you told me this place was full of people with firm wills, I wouldn't believe you.
......

So no one is willing to cause trouble in this city because its luxuries are too important to the people in power in all three factions.



It can't have been that smooth as first, but as time went on, nobody could stand up to reject it all. All of this has become some sort of status quo. But I'll also acknowledge that for being able to decide straight from the start that this was how this city would come to manifest, this Mayor really is phenomenally powerful. Powerful to the point that it's frightening.

----

Music.



There's a curve ahead. Do we take a shortcut?
No need. According to the map, we get the most shortcuts in the cycling section. If someone's going to try something, it'll probably be around then.
Don't forget, Ms. Candela has her underlings guarding the shortcuts. They're probably more dangerous than any terrorists. If the other side didn't make a move during Round 1, I can only assume they'll be even more cautious during Round 2.
Mm. We'll play it by ear.

----



Come to mention it, Missy, does this MC seem familiar to you?
Hm? Now that you say it, it's like I really have seen them somewhere before.
Mmm. I feel like I've seen her somewhere, too.



She's D.D.D., you know.
D.D.D.? Oh, now I remember. She's that real famous DJ, right? I saw a poster once. What's she doing here as a presenter, huh. Mm? Wait... Sideroca? What are you doing here? Out on a mission?
You could say that. It was a mission in Bolívar, helping Eyjafjalla with some geological research on the side. We heard there was a city here, and once we were all done, we put in for a vacation here. How about you? Came with Ch'en?
No, we came for a different reason. You seem pretty in the know though. You a music girl too?
Not really. A lot of operators are into her, and I've learned some things by osmosis. Right, you want to come over and sit with us?
What do you say, Missy?



Alright. I was getting a little bored of the competition anyway. So Eyjafjalla's here too?
Yep. She's out here so we can get her to relax for once.
Wow, then that's perfect—I've never met her before. I intend to give her a proper hello.

Is Eyjafjalla famous? Not sure why Swire would know the name of a professor of Geology, but then again Geology is quite a bit more important in this world, given the presence of Originium.

----



Winding Path to Victory

quote:

Some take shortcuts for the sake of victory, while others have no choice but to do so.
Music.



As we follow the event's progress, the leading team has already passed the cycling checkpoint, and it's now that we're seeing a change in the contest! After the might-and-power LUNG wRATh of Round 1 passed the cycling checkpoint and got to riding, the other teams' immediately begun to personally deal with them. And moreover, they seem to have changed strategies this time. Lady Candela, can we invite you to explain to everyone, please!
Isn't it obvious? This bunch know that even attacking all at once doesn't ensure they're an match for the team, so they've elected to stall them out, and not to overpower them. Tactics like that put you up very close to those two in the footrace, but plenty of moves get tricky to pull when you're on a vehicle. So here in the cycling segment is where they're opting to do it. And it goes without saying, the results aren't too bad.
Without a doubt. They've gotten just close enough to LUNG wRATh, without moving up to attack. It's been trick after trick to harass them, giving them no way to comfortably pick up the pace. We can see just how far behind the leading team LUNG wRATh is! They're stuck with a handicap on their bikes, and getting off means falling behind! LUNG wRATh face their biggest crisis in the competition yet!

----



They're not trying to defeat us, just stall us.
What's the plan? We're hard-pressed to try combat cycling. We'll be completely held up at this rate.

I like the implication that combat cycling is a thing, just not something they're trained in.

(Hushed) It seems someone wants us to take a shortcut.
(Hushed) I'm on the same page. Go for it?
(Hushed) Heh.

----



LUNG wRATh have chosen to charge straight through an alley to shake the other teams off them! But just as we saw on another stage, our city's crack troops wait in the alleys! Though I'd love to cover the other teams too, LUNG wRATh has completely captured our attention! Have they brought on their own doom, or will they survive the odds? We're going to find out!

----



This way! This is a pretty quiet alley, so I reckon nobody...
Careful.

Tink.

The moment Ernesto turns back to look, a crossbow bolt flies out at him from a corner, but is cut down by a chop from Lin Yühsia.



......
......
Leave this to me, and hurry!

As Ernesto talks, he throws a key to Ch'en.

(Hushed) Hold onto this key. There's an arms store of mine over there. It should be there the moment you head out. There's a back door in the basement leading to an underground passage. It'll be way faster along that way. I'll hold them off here. Go on ahead.
...Will you be fine by yourself?
As long as one of us makes it to the end, that's our win! Go!
Alright.
We break out of here.



Battle Video. Battle Music.



Our map. It's kind of a pain because there are four lanes that need to be blocked separately and I took out Texas so I'm missing both a cheap blocker and her DP gain.



Specifically, it looks something like this. The Dockworkers will take long, circuitous routes though, to give you time to soften them up.



I prioritized getting Eyja out early here, possibly because I am dumb, so I needed to rely on her and Beanstalk to kill this one grunt with purely ranged attacks... which they have a chance of dodging. Which is needlessly annoying and forced me to restart.



When I get enough DP, I put Amiya in the bottom left, mostly because she's my cheapest guard, but the arts damage doesn't hurt either.



I wanted Eyja so she could volcano these Dockworkers, but in retrospect I don't think it matters since they'll die in the water if you stall them even a little. I wonder if this is one of those times where they try to pretend like using slowers is useful.



Anyway, eventually it floods, but I already killed all the Dockworkers, so whatever.



Eventually, it floods the entire map (including high ground) for like 2 seconds, just to put fear into your heart. Nowhere is safe anymore.



Followed by spawning a whole swarm of Dockworkers.



Although once again you only need to worry about stalling the ones in front until the water rises. Once again even the ranged units are submerged.



Then they go full annoying and spawn some divers in the middle. The divers will shoot your ranged units and add to their Corrosion (all attacks cause Corrosion underwater), which will cause them to explode and almost die, as seen here with their very low HP. Toddifons exists mostly as bait to keep Eyja alive.



Goodbye.




Music.



What now? LUNG wRATh have hit a government-issued ambush blockade. In all the frenzy, Ernesto's decided to take up the rear, and the two heroines have caught his key and left to press forward. Ernesto's combat strength might be as impressive, but with this many enemies, his defeat could only be a matter of time anyway! But as for the heroines, they've broken out of the entrapment, but ambushes still lie ahead! Can they really get away without a hitch?
Oh? They've opened a door on the street and rushed inside! This store...
Is one of Ernesto's.
So that's their game! Looks like the key Ernesto left them works for sheltering in a shop of his. But is this truly going to work out? Hold on! Director, switch cameras! Alright, that's the REAL game! From another angle it all makes sense. This store has a back door. And we can see, there's a passage from that door through to the main street, and it hasn't been discovered by any other team's interference! Is this LUNG wRATh's chance, or is it—

An explosion. The music stops.

The words are still on D.D.D.'s lips when, there on the screen, the sound of a tremendous explosion comes from Ernesto's arms store.

Music resumes.

Wh—Wh-Wh-What in the world is going on here? Lady Candela, is that an obstacle you installed as well?
If it was, it wouldn't be as basic as blowing up this one single shop.
This... could it be that another team knew Ernesto had this up his sleeve, and laid a trap?! If so, then we can say LUNG wRATh has been completely and utterly outdone! LUNG wRATh, is this what buries you?!



Wow... Miss Ch'en and Miss Lin will be okay, won't they?
Relax, they've both been around the block. A little explosion like that's not gonna get them. That said... this competition's no stranger to dirty play, but this one's a little too targeted. Wonder if Ch'en's got beef with someone here.

----



Grrr... what the hell's with this guy? I can't even hit him.



Uh... I think that's the way Miss Ch'en's bunch went. Let's go take a look and see.

----

Music.



Hui-chieh, are you dead?
*cough*, *cough*. Like that would kill me.

Everyone knows main characters are immune to explosions.

You're alive. Good. Your bike?
Gone. Yours?
Perfectly fine. It seems our opposition didn't want us dead and buried either. But... As luck would have it, the exit is blocked.
Well, so much for luck.
Your thoughts?
We find a way out. What else?
What I'm asking is who did it.
Looks like our intuition was on the mark.
Right. Ernesto couldn't hold it in, I'm guessing. But don't you think it's odd? If I were him, this isn't how I'd do it. Only one at the end of his rope would use such self-destructive means.
Then maybe it wasn't actually him.
Impossible.
Then maybe he wants us to think he's desperate.
......

Lin Yühsia raises her eyebrows, and leaves it be.

Right. Have you told Lady Candela about the matter?
Of course.
How did she respond?



You won't do anything... will you?
That's right, my girl. You're a smart one. You should be able to figure it out. If I sent someone to inspect the bombs now, wouldn't that just be telling the mastermind I've noticed their schemes?
I understand.
No matter, Ch'en. You and Lin have done very well already. To be frank, at the start I had no expectations you'd find anything at all, hahaha.
And you don't seem to care?
Of course, my girl. And you needn't worry about this too much. I've seen you and Lin put on a very good show in the championship. Why not forget all this, and try your very hardest for number one? You'll put a smile on Wei Yenwu's face too, hahaha.
We'll take it into consideration.



You can probably imagine it.
Easily.
Now, how do we get out?
I heard a certain Special Inspection Unit Chief could cut apart a whole building in her rage. Mind showing me first-hand?
Not every building's so sliceable. This one's clearly built from exceptionally sturdy stuff. Can you use your sand ability to transport things?
I'm not my dad. A blockage of this level, with my ability, would need some time.
Then I'll have a go.
No need. I have another method.
What is it?
Can you guess what this is?
...A bomb?



Do you remember the bomb from the first round? There was no way Lady Candela could conduct a wide search, but I had a few of the boys here dress up as thieves and enter the neighborhood to steal as many as they could.
Thieves?
Thieves. So long as they gave the guards a bribe, and didn't make too much noise inside, no one would care about them.

IE: Thieves sneaking in to loot the evacuated houses is less suspicious than an investigation.

...Lin Yühsia.
What.
You might not be alike, but I have always deeply respected both you and Mr. Lin. The slums couldn't go on without you, I know that much.
And?
So don't let me catch you enjoying yourself.
Hui-chieh... nobody would ever assign themselves blame of their own accord. Out of the way. I'm going to set the bomb.

End of scene.

In entirely unrelated news:



We now have enough Distinctions saved up to purchase Bagpipe, Chen's friend from college who she's buying souvenirs for. She's a 6* Vanguard who deals Big Damage and turbo-charges your early-game by giving all other Vanguards bonus SP. Vote Yes or No for Bagpipe, and if we get more Yes votes I'll buy her and use her for the EX stages.

Yami Fenrir
Jan 25, 2015

Is it I that is insane... or the rest of the world?
Very Yes to the second best Vanguard (behind Myrtle) in the game, pretty much.

MarquiseMindfang
Jan 6, 2013

vriska (vriska)
Bagpipe Yes!

Ibblebibble
Nov 12, 2013

Ba-gu-pa-i-pu

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.
Yes for Bagpipe!

alfheimwanderer
Jun 1, 2011

Oh brave new world that hath such people in it...
Yes to Bagpipe!

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AweStriker
Oct 6, 2014

Play that pipe!

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