Flames scorched Alina's body, pain forcing a frown onto her face, yet she did not loosen her hold. She clung tightly to Talulah, as if afraid that letting go for even a moment would mean losing her forever.
___
"Have you surrendered to the person you once were?"
A strange whisper echoed. Shrouded in black mist, Talulah opened her eyes and saw herself: a version of her face dim with sorrow, her heart anxious, disappointed in the Infected.
She saw the self whose resolve had failed to reach the Infected.
She saw her own failure.
And so she had chosen another path. Denial of herself, resentment toward the Infected and toward this land, had driven her onto a road she walked willingly.
There was no turning back anymore.
And yet, voices kept calling to her.
They called her name, called out the slogans from the early days of Reunion, called out the laughter they had shared while camping in the snow and talking about the future.
Those voices were like a beam of light piercing the darkness. They were radiant, warm.
She wanted to reach out her hand, but she knew she no longer had the right. Reunion had long become something despised by all. By what right could she claim salvation?
She saw FrostNova standing in silence, her figure walking farther and farther away until she vanished from sight.
She also saw Felix, whom she had never met again after their parting. He looked over calmly, said nothing, did nothing, yet Talulah felt a faint but unmistakable disappointment.
Amid all the voices, she heard Alina crying.
She stood right in front of her, looking at her. In those beautiful eyes lay sorrow and reluctance to part.
She saw the adventurers gritting their teeth to stop her, trying to awaken her, willing to give their lives for it.
Shut up. Why should I be saved?
Talulah clenched her teeth and fell to her knees. When she saw the sword pierce the first Infected who had once followed her, strength rose from somewhere within her that she did not understand.
"No!"
She shouted and tried to push open the solid door before her. Behind it lay cold malice.
"You know that opening this door means facing reality. The deeds of Reunion are burdens you must bear as its leader."
"Open it."
"You will bear all the consequences. You will face the sins you have committed."
"Open it."
"You will be betrayed by everyone."
"Open it!"
Talulah kicked the door open.
She opened her eyes. The black mist vanished in an instant. She was holding Alina tightly in her arms. Alina's pale face carried a look of quiet satisfaction as she lost consciousness.
"Ah… ahhh…"
Talulah looked down at Alina, who had endured the burning flames, and collapsed to her knees. Holding her, she broke down and wept.
Her tears were scalding hot.
"I'll be waiting for you in Ursus."
A soft whisper brushed past their ears. Then everyone saw a mass of indescribable black mist escape through the shattered roof of the general's residence, flying off until it disappeared far away.
Talulah seemed to have fallen unconscious, and so had Alina. Alina, however, had suffered severe burns. The few surviving Reunion Infected silently placed them on stretchers and carried them out of the residence.
The players finally let out a heavy sigh of relief. For them, this boss fight had been overwhelmingly difficult. If Talulah's earlier injuries had already healed, and if not for that very anime-like moment where love called her back, the outcome of this battle might have gone in a completely different direction.
The battle here had drawn the attention of many Reunion Infected. However, what Talulah had done earlier in Chernobog had left them deeply shaken. Every Infected who had witnessed that battle had been reduced to charred remains, and none of them wanted to become the next.
Only after the explosions and the sounds of fighting had died down for quite some time did they dare to approach and investigate.
But… where was Talulah?
Wait, seriously?
The Reunion Infected were completely baffled. Where had their invincible leader gone?
"Don't tell me the leader was defeated?"
"Don't jinx it. How could that be? There aren't any enemies in Kursk."
"Didn't the adventurers say there were hostile adventurers in the city? Could it be them…"
"Even if they're adventurers, they're no match for the leader. Look at how many adventurers we have here. Do you see a single one who dares to challenge her?"
After some discussion among dozens of Infected, they quickly reached a conclusion. The leader must have gone out on her own business. Not informing them was only natural. After all, the leader was invincible. A handful of adventurers were nothing to her. For the time being, maintaining the status quo was the best course of action.
There was another benefit to this decision. Morale would remain stable. If word spread that no one knew where Talulah had gone, the Reunion forces inside Lungmen might do something unpredictable once they realized how isolated they truly were.
And so, in this strangely tacit agreement, Kursk gradually returned to its usual routine, while the players withdrew back to their camp.
By then, the players who had been killed by Talulah's sword or burned to death by her flames had finished their respawn timers. They revived one after another and began bragging to their companions about how they had been instantly killed by a single strike from Talulah.
Players with medical skills started treating those injured in the battle. At the top of the priority list was Alina, who had been scorched at close range by Talulah's flames. Besides Alina, there was also Talulah herself. It seemed she had suffered some kind of mental shock, as she remained unconscious, her brow tightly furrowed even in sleep.
Mr. Han felt a bit heartbroken over the experience he had lost from dying once, but his mood quickly improved when he saw Thorns running around the camp, carrying medicine and busily tending to the wounded.
"Hey, Mr. Han, give me a hand."
Overwhelmed with work, Thorns wiped the sweat from his face. Seeing Mr. Han standing there watching as if nothing were wrong, he felt a bit speechless and called out to him.
Unexpectedly, the moment he did, Mr. Han sprang forward as if propelled by a spring, instantly appearing in front of him. With an eager expression, he took the medicine from Thorns' hands and looked like he was waiting to be praised.
"…Thanks."
Thorns let out a sigh. After all, their relationship wasn't bad.
Meanwhile, in the camp, Elysium was trying to use a communicator to contact the Venus. After a brief wait, the connection was established, and Loughshinny's face appeared above the device.
Elysium began reporting the current situation in Kursk, including the fact that they had successfully "captured" the Reunion leader Talulah, as well as their urgent need for doctors to treat the wounded.
Loughshinny showed a moment of surprise upon hearing about the adventurers' achievement, but she quickly regained her composure. She said that several large transport aircraft would be dispatched to the vicinity of Kursk to receive the Brotherhood and properly evacuate and treat the injured.
When Elysium relayed this news to the Brotherhood, the players erupted into celebration. They high-fived each other in joy. After wandering for so many Terra years, even though they had joined Tomorrow's Development, they had rarely been able to act as true members. Now, at last, they could return home in name and in truth.
So many days and nights on Terra. After versions 1.0 and 2.0, now in 3.0, they could finally integrate into the great family of Tomorrow's Development.
Excitement and happiness were written all over their faces. They began transporting the wounded, working together with those Infected who had decided to leave Reunion. Quietly, they carried the injured and moved toward the outskirts of Kursk. The exits had once been guarded, but perhaps because the earlier commotion had been too intense, the gatekeepers were nowhere to be seen, and the group left the city without incident.
After walking for half an hour, they finally reached the rendezvous point. Dozens of large transport aircraft were already waiting for them.
Doctors from Tomorrow's Development rushed forward to begin the handover. Those with critical injuries, such as Alina, were immediately given emergency treatment. As for the Reunion Infected present, the medical teams began conducting physical examinations. At first, the Infected were somewhat resistant, but after gentle persuasion, they obediently rolled up their sleeves and waited for blood tests.
What made the players feel especially honored was that Loughshinny herself, the second-in-command of Tomorrow's Development, had personally come to the site. As someone perpetually busy with managing countless internal affairs, her schedule was packed, yet she had still chosen to come here for their sake.
She soon noticed Mr. Han, Raph, and Shroud standing together.
"His Highness often speaks of you."
Loughshinny wore a gentle, composed smile. "He told me that although many adventurers chose to remain aboard the Venus, some chose a far harsher path, one that demanded more but also offered greater rewards. Your hardships and struggles are something His Highness understands well. He has heard of them not only firsthand, but also from other adventurers. You've worked hard."
Mr. Han, Raph, and Shroud exchanged glances and instinctively straightened their backs. They truly were among the most hard-pressed players. Throughout versions 1.0 and 2.0, they had spent their days on the frozen plains of Ursus. How difficult had their lives been? They complained at times, spoke of exhaustion and bitterness, yet none of them had ever given up. Not a single one chose to leave.
"His Highness is currently in Lungmen, holding back the main forces of Reunion. As for you adventurers, please return with me to the Venus. After a full medical examination, you should rest for a while before discussing anything else."
Worthy of the second-in-command, Mr. Han thought. Those words were impeccably phrased. His gaze lingered on Loughshinny's face for a moment in silent admiration before he called out, signaling the players of the Holy Knight Federation to prepare for boarding.
The transport aircraft lifted off soundlessly, leaving not even a trace of exhaust behind.
___
When Talulah awoke again, she found herself in a clean, orderly room. Strange medical devices were connected to her arms, and adhesive pads were attached to her chest. The torn black dress that that damned Black Snake had forced her into lay neatly folded nearby. She herself was dressed in a pristine white hospital gown.
She blinked and realized she was in a hospital room. The advanced equipment around her made it clear that this was not Kursk, but some unknown medical facility.
Talulah forced herself upright. Her memories of the battle were somewhat blurred, but the general outline remained. Excessive use of Draco flames left the body weakened, and she was an Infected on top of that. Now her limbs felt heavy, as though even walking normally would be difficult.
The door opened, and a woman in a doctor's coat entered. She looked slightly surprised to see Talulah awake, but instead of calling for colleagues, she sat down and silently began checking her condition.
"Where is this place?"
"This is the medical department of Tomorrow's Development. You are our patient, but you are also under our custody."
The doctor's tone was flat. Despite using the word custody, she treated Talulah no differently from any other patient. A doctor, after all, was meant to heal without bias.
"Tomorrow's Development… so it's really Tomorrow's Development."
Talulah suddenly remembered something and straightened up despite herself. "Alina. What about Alina? Have you treated a patient named Alina?"
Startled by the sudden movement, the doctor paused, then nodded. "Ms. Alina is still in surgery."
"Surgery…"
Talulah clenched her fists and lowered her head, her expression darkening. If Alina truly died because of her, then…
"Please trust Tomorrow's Development's technology, and trust our doctors," the woman said calmly. "Ms. Alina's Oripathy may worsen due to complications from the burns, but please believe in us."
"I don't know exactly what being under custody entails. What i know is that It means the door will be locked when I leave. Your only form of entertainment is the television. It's currently connected to Lungmen's network, so you can watch local channels."
After finishing her notes, the doctor did not look at Talulah again. She efficiently packed up her tools and left the room. The door locked automatically behind her.
Talulah did not criticize the doctor's attitude, nor did she try to force the door open. Knowing that Alina was still being treated had already calmed her heart. She picked up the remote and turned on the television.
"—The situation in the Lower District is dire. The Infected group known as Reunion has remained there since invading Lungmen, causing severe disruption to residents. Their violence has resulted in twelve deaths and three hundred twenty-five injuries. Up next—"
She changed the channel.
"—Reunion's actions have caused immense distress to Lungmen's citizens. Please remain calm and trust the LGD to protect the city—"
Another channel.
"—This is Ch'en Hui-chieh, deputy head of the LGD Inspectorate. We urge all citizens to stay off the streets and avoid the boundary between the Middle District and the Lower District."
Talulah bit her lip as she stared at the devastation on the screen. Her fingers dug deep into the bedsheets.