#ref: the fountain of atei

[lndslorepuzzler]

Long-Awaited Revelry: Breakthrough, pt 1-12

01: Alone: The little girl leads FMC to an 'establishment' called Elysium; she asks the woman at the bar for information on who is going to be at the protocore auction and a map of the venue. FMC balks at the hefty cost of 50k per word of information. The woman offers a 5% discount because FMC is "new and pretty," but ultimately opens a door to what sounds like a casino, where people are talking about the auction: that it's happening at Solon Hotel, that if one wants to get in then they should ask/barter with Qin Che, though he's been gone for a while, and leadership in Onychinus seems to have changed in that time.

When the door closes, FMC asks the shopkeeper for information on Onychinus specifically (presumably to get more information on Qin Che and the organizations structure,) she is told to not "pry into things (she) shouldn't know."

In the casino, FMC eavesdrops on conversations: Qin Che hasn't been around in a long time, and he's been presumed missing or dead. Someone named Sherman is making moves in his absence, with his people becoming arrogant and audacious in the meantime. She determines that Onychinus's problems extend beyond any protocore dealing, and that if Qin Che was really going to die he would probably drag the entire N109 Zone with him: "That's just how he is."

The little girl brings FMC a black flower, and when prompted, tells FMC that Qin Che is a monster with huge wings and horns that never dies, and that if she misbehaves, Qin Che will "find (her) and feed (her) to his man-eating birdie." FMC considers this information/perspective: that everyone is afraid of Qin Che, but willing to make deals with him*1 and given that he'd extended the offer of a deal to her instead of vise versa, her Evol can probably be used against him.

Her thoughts are interrupted by a group of armed men breaking the door down in search of "Onychinus's important guest (who) got lost." One of them asks "everyone to cooperate with (their) search... Shut the door and search the room. Everyone's about to be entertained."*2

.

02: Night Raid: FMC and the little girl are inside a hidden utility room; there is a 'secret window' facing the lobby. The leader of the Sherman's men--who has a "broken, wire-bound jaw"--demands the shopkeeper tell him where FMC is; he tells his goons to start forcing people to talk. The shopkeeper tells FMC to stay put, and that she has no intention of handing her over under these circumstances. FMC wonders who Sherman is ("Isn't Qin Che the leader of Onychinus? Who's Mr. Sherman...") and remains in place.

Mephisto makes himself known, giving FMC the chance to make a break for it, but she gets pulled back. She points her gun at Qin Che, who is less than impressed; she watches as "several bullets graze him only to dissipate into dust. The people who fired the shots are strangled by something. They slump to the ground, dead." She tells him his underlings are disobedient; when the leader hears Qin Che's voice, he calls for backup.*3

Qin Che holds FMC back-to-chest before aiming and firing her gun.

.

03: COMBAT

.

04: The First Deal: FMC and Qin Che disagree on methods of ending the conflict; she thinks they should retreat, as Wanderers keep spawning, and 'retreat' isn't a word in Qin Che's vocabulary. There's an interesting exchange: "Oh, so you like being a freeloader, Qin Che? Didn't you see me fighting for my life earlier?" to which he responds, "Since when was I required to investigate the files the Hunter's Association had on you?" thus implying that he could have done it without much effort, had he chosen to do so.

Qin Che tells FMC to consider this entire situation a training practice, and warns her she won't get any help, before he uses her gun to blow out an electrical box. They have another interesting exchange in the dark while he puts a communicator in her ear.

"Let's make a deal." "Aren't you going to leave? I can't resonate with you." "If you'd like to attend the auction tomorrow, stand your ground for five minutes. And should you have the audacity to die on me, you will actually meet your end."*4

While FMC is pondering her next move, Qin Che informs her that "(he) didn't turn off the lights to force (her) into combat. (They're) stalling for time." Mephisto makes himself useful by becoming target in the dark, but no matter how many Wanderers FMC kills, the number of opponents doesn't go down at all. Once she realizes her contact with Qin Che has been cut off, she uses a few barrels of alcohol, and starts a huge fire.

The figures don't stop moving, and they don't make any sounds. "Amidst the blue firelight, (she) sees their faces-- Under the corroded, crystallized skin, they seem to have human faces... They resemble humans more than Wanderers."*5

.

05: Nightmare Finale: Outside Elysium, a man runs to a heavy iron door and shoves it open. Inside, a dark stone platform lights up, then dims. The Flux Nexus is still there, but while he's having a maniacal laugh about it, "deadly black-red mist rolls in from all directions. The nightmarish shadow slowly approaches from behind." He gets out half a plea ("S-spare me... Qin--") immediately followed by "crimson particles (landing) in the waste water."

The Flux Nexus glows even brighter, but Qin Che lets his Evol flow into it, and blows it apart from the inside.

Inside Elysium, the monsters all drop. FMC inspects one near her, "with a tattoo-like mark on its chest," and realizes that the crystals all over it look like protocores. As the lights come back on, she takes a small sample of the crystal and hides it on her person. Qin Che comes back, and FMC is not surprised that he's not saying anything about where he went or what he did while she 'stalled for time.'

As they move to leave, the shopkeeper slips a storage device into FMC's pocket, and tells her to be careful out there.

As soon as they get back to Qin Che's base, he leaves FMC on her own to converse with Mephisto, who is apparently agitated that she shot him. Qin Che reappears with a glass of wine, and asks if FMC has learned to speak bird in the last few hours. She does feel bad about injuring Mephisto; Qin Che redirects the conversation by asking if "anything strange (happened) before they attacked." FMC tells him he should ask Mephisto, seeing as he was following her on his order, and Qin Che is very casual about it ("True," he says, like that's not weird at all.)

He points out that as long as she's in the N109 Zone, there's no way she could be outside of his influence, even if she's not directly with him. She accuses him of trying to get her to dislike him less so they can resonate, and he shows no signs of being angry about being provoked.

The two of them head up in an elevator after a short and sassy exchange about why he's treating her like a bar (telling her to get him another drink) while he says a bar is more obedient than she is.

.

06: Agreement: In a separate room, FMC looks at the data from the storage device: a hologram map of the Solon Hotel, and a list of attendees, including the false identity prepared by Jeremiah. She tries to draw Qin Che into conversation by asking about Sherman; he wants to know "why (she's) interested in a dead person." FMC recalls that the first shop owner said something about two explosions, and shameless people making Qin Che their scapegoat. She wonders if the explosions could have had something to do with Sherman, and not Qin Che, even though either way, the conflict involves her due to the Aether Core.

FMC surmises that Qin Che left her at the shop as bait, while Mephisto "lets out a defiant wail." FMC informs Mephisto that she didn't mean to shoot him and even if she had, he would have deserved it for stalking her earlier. Qin Che, audibly amused, tells FMC that "(she) can scold him directly, if (she wants.)"

"Under the hazy light, Qin Che reveals a gentle look completely uncharacteristic of him. I compose myself, realizing I've been unreasonably angry with him. Regardless of whether he wanted to clean up or not, those people were after me, I had to face them sooner or later."

FMC changes the topic, deciding to focus on what Qin Che said about them being the same, and supposes that he also has an Aether Core in his body: that hers is in her heart, and his is in his right eye. He tells her she can think of it like that. FMC notes that her Aether Core seems fairly 'normal' by protocore standards, while his is definitely not. He tells her "it helps (him) see what people want the most. It exposes the desires that they refuse to admit."*6 She wonders if those whispers and visions at the dining table were the work of his Aether Core.

There's another vision of a small red 'energy pulse,' and the words "Devour... It's your..." When FMC comes back to herself, Qin Che is very close, and she "(presses) down on the area around his eye."*7 He doesn't break eye contact with her, and both eyes remain open. He asks if she's "gone mad," and she either:

---tells him that he can push her away, though he makes a (exasperated? frustrated?) sigh, and doesn't.

or

---apologizes, telling him that she wanted to get a closer look at the Aether Core. He doesn't move away from her.

Regardless of the option chosen, FMC asks if he likes it when people do that (look into his eyes;) she continues to stare and asks if he wants to try to resonate again, grabbing his hand without waiting for an answer. The background music gets very gentle, and she offers to "use both hands this time," (which is a cute image.) He sighs, but she keeps thinking that he's good at fighting, and that he looks good; Qin Che informs her that he can hear her talking to which she replies, "Enjoy it. This is one of the two good things (she) can think about (him.)" They still don't manage to resonate, but FMC decides that even if they can't rush it, she's not going to stop trying.

FMC decides to try a different tack and communicate properly with Qin Che; she says she has an idea she doesn't know if the should say, and he tells her not to. She boldly continues and tells him if they can't resonate because she's rejecting him on a subconscious level, then they should work on changing her feelings. It will be difficult, but not impossible, and the easy solution is for him to agree to help her get the Aether Core and get her out of the N109 Zone safely and in exchange, she'll be his bait to clean up the traitors and general mess in his organization. Qin Che is amused that FMC seems to think she'd be doing him a huge favor, but she's telling the truth rather than bluffing because she wouldn't be able to fool him, anyway.

Qin Che tells FMC that her deal isn't good enough, and offers a compromise: if she can take a jeweled brooch from his possession within 24 hours, he'll agree to her terms, since "only when you have a bargaining chip can you make a deal." He tells her she can use her own methods, and that she should be grateful the goal is clear 'this time.' *8

.

07: Roleplay: FMC gets ready to go to the auction with Qin Che, wearing "an expensive dress and dazzling jewelry;" he tells her it suits her, and that no one can keep their guard up with a pretty girl walking around. They head out.

There is a brief interlude, with text reading: "In the sky, the stars are devoured by an endless darkness./ The Deepspace Tunnel is silent, seemingly frozen in time. Suddenly, there's a thud, a pulse resembling a heartbeat./ Cosmic dust fills the air. Something penetrates the invisible barrier.../ And slowly opens its eyes."

Qin Che and FMC are quasi-antagonistic toward one another even as they walk into the auction; Qin Che is greeted by a member of staff and, upon leaving FMC on her own, gives her a black credit card and tells her that "(he assumes she already knows) how to act as good bait." FMC proceeds to be an exemplary brat, drawing attention to herself in the way she's meant to: spending Qin Che's money.

.

08: Undercurrents: In a separate room, Qin Che has a confrontation with Sherman; he wastes no time, strangling Sherman until the man tells him what he wants to know, claiming that "the people who said they'd help (him) replace (Qin Che) must have made an offer only an idiot would refuse," but after giving Sherman a look with his right eye, Qin Che is disappointed that the method to buy Sherman was "as old-school and uncreative as ever." Sherman says that Qin Che "won't be cocky for long (with them around,)" and Qin Che shrugs him off, saying, "Since you chose betrayal... My only option is to make you pay in advance."

Back in the main hall, FMC is approached by a man asking to buy her brooch; she tells him no but he is persistent, offering ten Hightowers in exchange before asking her to dance.

Qin Che reappears, tells FMC that a Hightower is a weapon made with a high-grade protocore, and that "a single Hightower (could) obliterate (the) entire hotel." He tells the stranger that the brooch was a gift, and asks FMC is she was going to sell it; she plays coy, claiming she had no idea if he was coming back or not, but the stranger was going to spend a fortune to dance with her, so, shouldn't Qin Che do the same?

Qin Che offers her the Aether Core's location in exchange for a dance. When FMC asks why Qin Che thinks she will listen to him, he says she can "refuse (him) all (she) wants." They do start their dance, however.

.

09: Rising Curtains: Qin Che and FMC dance while speaking about their plans; she doubts such vital information would be leaked unless it was a trap, which Qin Che agrees to. She asks if he is going to throw himself into the trap, and he tells her to "be content with (her) role" and to not "scare away the fish that already bit the hook." FMC notes that there are eight Evol bombs and fifteen high-frequency guns in the room, and tells Qin Che he's made a lot of enemies. Qin Che is nonplussed, and tells her "this isn't the first time it's happened."

FMC asks if Qin Che has a plan, because "even if (he) has a death wish, (she doesn't) intend to die here with (him,)" and he tells her not to worry, because she "won't die that easily." There is then, of course, an explosion...

That Qin Che set off, because "the vermin were taking their sweet time (and he) was getting impatient." Due to the sudden Metaflux increase, Wanderers appear, and Qin Che gives FMC a replacement, gun, telling her to not to waste her effort with an outdated weapon.

After the Wanderers are defeated, FMC is in the middle of interrogating a henchman with the muzzle of her gun pressed into the back of his head. He tells her that they haven't won, because their backup plan is terrifying, and not even Qin Che--- (he chokes out as Qin Che kills him. He tells FMC that "violence should be used strategically."

The Metaflux fluctuations are still manifesting, though, and Qin Che grabs FMC and pulls her along with him, "to the place that has what (she) wants."

.

10: Abandoned Memory: They take an elevator up so high that the ground is hidden by clouds. They end up on the roof, which is covered in debris that seems like it came from a laboratory. Qin Che tells her that's exactly what it is, and that it was abandoned by EVER "a while back."

EVER is "the most prestigious international business group," and "it basically supports the whole Linkon City." FMC has no idea how it could be involved with the N109 Zone; though she "heard that before the Chronorift Catastrophe, the N109 Zone was the most prosperous tech hub. So... It makes sense that EVER used it as a research base."

Qin Che tells her that she "really (is) a naive Linkon citizen," and that "many locations were affected by that catastrophe, yet only the N109 Zone turned into a wasteland," so "why does (she) think that is?" FMC knows she's heard rumors, but can't put anything together at the moment.

The two of them arrive just beneath the Deepspace Tunnel, where "slow vibrations resembling heartbeats pulsate in the sky." She moves to the Flux Nexus on the rooftop, exactly like the one she saw with Shen Xinghui in the no-hunt zone; Qin Che says she should know what's inside it, then.

He tells her to "think about it first. Once (she takes) it out, there's no going back." FMC wonders why she should give up since she's already there, and resonates with the Flux Nexus. The Aether Core appears, and a huge Wanderer appears from out of the Deepspace Tunnel. Qin Che says, "(they) finally got something presentable."

11: COMBAT

12: Resonance's Power: FMC has what appears to be a flash back. There is blood everywhere, and Qin Che's voice telling her "(she) must press on because if (she doesn't) there's no going back." During this, there is an extremely blurry video of what appears to be FMC's hand being given, then wrapped around, a weapon before being guided by another hand to stab an organic life form while she calls out for Qin Che.*9

Coming back to the present, Qin Che tells her "(she) must press on," and "that life (she) owes (him)--now is not the time to repay it." He offers out his hand. There seems to be a shadow above him. FMC takes his hand; "unprecedented power swells between (their) intertwined fingers," and FMC feels a change in her heart and veins. The Aether Core lets out "countless rays of golden light that seep into (her) heart. The warm, familiar power continues to surge."

She comes back to herself with no idea of how much time has passed. The Aether Core cracks in her grip, and Qin Che tells her that "its power belongs to (her) now. Naturally, the vessel will break as a result." He tries to walk away, but FMC is dragged along behind him: a pair of Evol cuffs has linked them together.

There is a long section reading as follows:

"Qin Che doesn't respond, and the powerful tremor that shook the Deepspace Tunnel ignites a chain reaction within the N109 Zone. Those shadows who believed they controlled Onychinus are eliminated from fate's tapestry. Unable to see the undercurrents beneath the water's surface, I can only smell the scent of smoke becoming more poignant as it's carried by the wind. Structures crumble and collapse, and Mephisto's wings pierce through the boundless darkness. He's accompanied by the distant tolling of a bell. It's almost like an announcement, as if the world is saying... The true leader of Onychinus has returned. However, Qin Che, amidst the raging storm, remains nonchalant as he sits next to me. Our racing vehicle leaves our enemies behind while the intermittent light seeps through the window to obscure his silhouette and goals. I never held onto the naive notion that Qin Che assisted me in acquiring the Aether Core just so he could clean house. This kind of deal would result in him suffering a major loss, and it's clear he's anything but an ignorant businessman. What are his true motives? For a moment, his expression as he gazed at the Deepspace Tunnel resurfaces in my mind. Then, I feel a sensation in my palm. I'm still clutching the fragmented protocore. It's as if I'm subconsciously grasping onto an answer that has yet to be revealed. The linkage between my hand and Qin Che's suddenly flickers, seemingly sensing the swirling thoughts in my head."

The next scene opens again with FMC on the phone with Luke, who says they heard about what happened, and Kieran congratulates them on destroying the Aether Core "together." Luke tells her they're calling to let her know there shouldn't be any more issues at The Nest, and that Qin Che told them to do it, because "while he looks mean, he's actually--" at which point Qin Che informs the twins that they will see him later, and the call ends.

FMC asks Qin Che what his plan is to get rid of the Evol linkage, and Qin Che tells her he's obviously going to cut her hand off; or that she can chill in the N109 Zone, since they have "more than enough time to solve this problem (together.)" FMC declines the offer, and Qin Che offers to destroy her Aether Core, to which she asks why they don't destroy his, instead. Audibly exhausted, he tells her that the linkage won't last long with her current level of resonance anyway.

FMC tells Qin Che she had a strange vision when they started to resonate; he tells her "it's not a big deal. From now on, (she'll) be seeing more things like that." She asks if it was real and he counters that "if (he) says yes, will (she) give (him) a sincere apology?" He tells her the world is very different from her perceptions, and that he's not in the mood to tell stories.

He gives her the brooch, and tells her she should think about the next steps, since the world outside the N109 Zone is a lot more dangerous than it was before she came; and that until their resonance issue is fixed, they'll be seeing one another more often. And, he tells her not to forget their deal.

The end card for the section reads as follows:

"So I left the N109 Zone. The dust settled. But the deal with Qin Che lingered, like a silent yet turbulent mist. I found myself falling into an abyss in the blink of an eye. The doors of memory swung open. And something began to stir. It is... another world I had once glimpsed. At the confluence of the entwined timelines, I heard it. A faint yet distinct heartbeat, echoing through the stillness of eternity."

.

.

*1, Aah yes, we're making deals with the devil. *2, Not sure how he intends to shut the door seeing as he just kicked it off its hinges but alright, whatever. *3, Apparently we're not talking about the whys or hows of this guy summoning Wanderers just yet. *4, The choice of words is really interesting, 'the audacity to die' versus 'actually meet your end.' Since Qin Che is functionally immortal (as far as we know at this time,) there's a weird implication that he might have the ability to use the differences between those two 'states of being.' *5, Remember that project the guy was talking to Qin Che about in Ambiguous Chaos, the Fountain of Atei? Probably a connection here. *6, This is fundamentally different than Qi Yu's paintings; he was talking about how his paintings could show people what they wanted/their dreams at one point. Find that reference and link back. *7, I'm not sure if this means she's covering his eye, or just touching his eye, but if he's in front of her and she's using her right hand, it means she's reaching across their bodies to do so. So I'm really not sure of what's physically happening. *8, Immediately following this section is Qin Che: Bond: Midnight Stealth, link back when complete. *9, There is a lot of speculation (and incredible fanart) revolving around this, but seeing as I don't have access to the video in such a manner that I can enhance it/play it in slow motion, this is what I've decided to write until such time as I can clarify it further.

.

Holy Carp that was a lot of directly transcribed text! I hope it was readable. I'll be moving into myths/anecdotes/bonds/memoria/etc now! There will be a lot of 'link back when complete' notes for a while, please bear with me!

[lndslorepuzzler]

Long-Awaited Revelry: Ambiguous Chaos, pt 1-08

*1

01: Cage: FMC wakes up handcuffed in the back of a car; her kidnapper is on the phone, first demanding a higher reward for this troubles, then complaining that the car broke down in the middle of nowhere. While he's in the process of trying to find the Aether Core somewhere on FMC, someone else shows up to claim that "kidnapping Onychinus's prey without letting (them) know... That's not exactly polite. She's ours, by the way. We called dibs a long time ago." This is where we are introduced to Luke and Kieran, though we see hints of Qin Che's Evol before that. The kidnapper whips out a gun and aims it for FMC.

.

02: Alike: Qin Che makes quick work of the kidnapper, while Luke and Kieran leave things to him, and take off. Qin Che appears on the top of a destroyed building/doorframe like the edgelord he is, and makes his entrance. FMC asks if he's there for the core, to which he replies, "Even if you wanted to sell your soul, you still have to find someone who can pay the price." FMC notes she's heard his voice before, and Qin Che lifts her face to make her look him in the eyes. His right eye glows, and FMC has a 'flash' of her bloodied hands. She attempts to stab him, but only manages a scrape, which he immediately heals.

He says, "I guess you don't remember anything. Allow me to jog your memory," before picking FMC up by the throat. He immediately follows with, "From your past to your future... To even all the crimes you'll inevitably commit. After all, you and I... We're the same. True kindred spirits." FMC passes out.

.

03: Cornered Beast: It's been three days; FMC and Qin Che have been/still are incapable of resonance, which he finds "disappointing." When FMC asks what he wants, Qin Che says he needs to be a good host, since she came all this way; while attempting resonance, FMC 'hears a voice in her head' *2 telling her to "devour (Qin Che...) He's yours... He's right there. Before your very eyes..."*3

After another failed attempt at resonance, Qin Che says "it's a shame (FMC's) Evol has deteriorated into its current state." FMC accuses Qin Che of being responsible for her family's death, to which he responds, "Family? The people closest to you might be the ones who want to kill you the most." FMC says she wants to kill Qin Che herself, and he says, "Do you think your Evol will help you in a fight against me? Your courage is admirable. You're lucky. I don't like picking on the weak, kitten."*4

He 'summons' a gun, and loads it. When FMC asks what he's doing, he asks, "didn't you want to kill me? Or do your words ring hollow." He puts the gun in FMC's hand. She points it at his head, "Do you think I won't do it?" to which he replies, "Now that's much better... Though you do owe me a curtain call grander than death itself." Qin Che positions the tip of the barrel over his heart. When she hesitates, he asks if she wants help; she says no, but he uses his grip on her hands and the gun as leverage, pressing his thumb against her finger on the trigger. The gun goes off.

.

04: Into Danger: This section opens with a brief 'monologue' that reads as follows: "With all senses gone, only the abdominal cavity spasms and contracts. It were as if the body had a hole. Water, food, or something else... Anything to fill this emptiness would be good."*5

This is immediately followed by more of the 'voices,' telling FMC to "devour him... It's your...power." FMC is woken up by Luke and Kieran discussing how best to wake her, since she's been asleep for one day. After making it clear she's awake, FMC sees through Luke and Kieran's attempts at fooling her.*6

FMC flashes back to the end of the previous section, just after the gun went off. She ask Qin Che if he's crazy, and he tells her, "You wanted to take my life. And so you've taken it. Now what? Have you already figured out how you'll pay me back?" He tosses the gun aside. She tells him he can't die, and puts both hands over the chest wound. Qin Che's Evol starts to gather, and he asks "Why? Are you worried about me? Save that for the day you actually succeed in killing me." Qin Che's blood dissolves. *7

Back in the present, Kieran and Luke make a very.... Sincere? Attempt to talk FMC into staying in place, but FMC is having none of it, and tricks them into letting her out of the room by threatening Luke, though Kieran points out that it's not like they told her she couldn't leave.

.

05: Desire: Kieran and Luke make bets on how far FMC will make it. FMC heads out into the pseudo-gothic/victorian place, and finds a crow, and follows it, since she'll have to go through the door it flew through, anyway. There is classical music coming from the door, in sharp contrast to the brutal conversation: someone is telling Qin Che about someone elses intentions to implant protocores into human hearts, then insert the human consciousness into Wanderers, in a project called the Fountain of Atei. Qin Che says he's not interested in other people's business, he knows the man isn't telling him everything, he's thrown away his last chance, and besides that, he has "to entertain a more important guest." The man's voice is abruptly cut off, and Qin Che asks if the FMC is coming in.

FMC enters the room and is surprised there's no bloody mess all over the place*8 before realizing that she's hungry again, for no reason she can discern. She grabs a knife from the table while Qin Che pours her a glass of wine and puts "a familiar gun"*9 on the table, telling her it "will be useful for defending (herself) in the N109 Zone."

There is a conversation that essentially boils down to Qin Che offering to make a deal, FMC saying she doesn't intend to work with Onychinus' MO, and Qin Che reminding her that as long as anyone wants something, there will always be deals to be made. He says "(she) should know (her) own desires by now," and that "only (he) can give (her) what she wants. And (she) will agree to (his) terms."*10 During this entire conversation, FMC is hungry and thirsty, drinking too much wine and feeling like there's "a black hole trying to swallow everything."

FMC says she'll take the deal, since all he wants is to resonate, and grabs his hand in a move to forcibly do so. Qin Che tells her "(she) can't do that just yet," but she attempts anyway. She sees "a complex, incomprehensible struggle (appearing) in his gaze," and wonders why the power in his right eye is so familiar. They fail to resonate, and she moves away. He doesn't let go of her hand. He says, "maybe (he's) been too nice to (her)... After all that arrogance, it seems like (she) can't even control (her) own Evol." She replies that, "at the very least it doesn't want to be activated in front of (him,)" which prompts a blank gaze and a slow release of her hand.

Qin Che finally decides "(she's) too weak," tells her to eat her fill, and meet him out front in ten minutes. FMC wonders where Qin Che gets off saying something like that with so much confidence, and Qin Che says "(she) better hope (their) deal is successful. Otherwise, (she should) consider this (her) last meal."

.

06: Resonance and Shackles: FMC heads outside, and Qin Che is leaning against his motorcycle dressed in black leather like the edgelord he is. He puts the helmet on FMC, we get a truly spectacular view of him mounting up on the motorcycle*11 before he makes the point that "(she's) not yet qualified (to bargain with him.)"

They arrive at their destination; Qin Che warns FMC not to make any trouble. Once inside, the shopkeeper is surprised to see Qin Che, who doesn't usually just drop in unannounced; Qin Che says FMC is a test subject for the 'Evol Linkage Alteration' project. *12 FMC tries to bargain with the shopkeeper, who tells her that "no one can change Qin Che's mind."

The shopkeeper and Qin Che have a brief exchange about a group of people ('they') who orchestrated two explosions, "doing shameless things and making a mess," and they want to use Qin Che as their scapegoat. FMC asks if someone else made the explosions happen, and Qin Che replies, "Oh dear, you look disappointed. Instead of searching for the truth, you'd rather swallow a lie that makes you feel better."*13

The shopkeeper determines that FMC's Evol Linkage is normal, though the strength has been suppressed; he also decides the suppression is not physical. Naturally this goes over Very Well, and Qin Che essentially throws FMC to the mercy of whatever creature he's been having the shopkeeper alter, claiming that "she just needs a little stimulation then."

.

07: COMBAT (of course he thinks that scaring her to death will work.)

.

08: Hesitation: Qin Che does not, in fact, let the monster kill her; the shopkeeper proposes that the reason FMC and Qin Che can't resonate is that her Evol, which "utilizes the waves generated by the human brain's magnetic field," is rejecting Qin Che due to fear, repulsion, or some other negative emotion, and even if she was to undergo any alteration, she might not be able to resonate with him anyway, since their relationship is hostile. He also tells Qin Che that "if the alteration fails, she will be completely ruined. (They) need to address the cause first." Qin Che says this "means there's something wrong with her."*14

The Shopkeeper points out that he has an Evol stabilizer, and takes FMC to another room. Once they're alone, he advises her to stay calm, and that staying with Qin Che is the safest option, since the N109 Zone is in a state of turmoil. FMC says Qin Che is heartless, and the shopkeeper tells her that "sometimes, those with hearts are even crueler than those without." She recognizes his concerns, and tells him she'll weigh her options. He tells her there;s nothing wrong with her Evol, that the energy in the Aether Core is stable.

FMC also asks him how he knew she has an Aether Core; he tells her is used to be his job to recognize protocurves, and FMC puts together that this man used to work with her grandmother.*15 He tells her that if everything goes well for FMC, then he "can say (he's) repaid Ms. Josephine's kindness.)

She considers the information she has: that her assumptions about Onychinus's actions and intentions may be wrong, and that the shopkeeper "is seeking Qin Che's protection." By the time she gets back downstairs, Qin Che is gone, and his motorcycle is nowhere to be seen.

Despite being incredulous over the fact that Qin Che essentially just ditched her ("Maybe after confirming her couldn't resonate with me, he lost his patience and interest.") FMC is able to move around independently now. She hears a thud from an unlit alley and thinks nothing of it; a little girl approaches and asks if she'd like to buy a flower: followed by offering guns, bullets, and protocores. FMC asks for Intel, the little girl starts to lead her off, and "the sound of flapping wings can be heard in the distance."*16

The section ends on the image of a crow on a streetlight, with several dead rats beneath it; "mixed with their flesh and blood are broken pieces of monitoring equipment."

.

.

*1, Just wanted to note that this part opens with the bare-bones summary of recent events, and FMC asserting her assumption that Onychinus wants the Aether Core in her heart/they're targeting her, specifically. She reiterates that she decided to "get closer to Onychinus in an attempt to find answers. It doesn't matter if they're about the Aether Core in (her) heart or that incident," and that "everything is going according to plan." *2, I'm using this terminology since it's not clear if the 'voice' is truly internal (as in, hers from a different time/place) or if it's someone/something else. *3, Thus begins our (metaphorical?)cannibalism!lite theme. There's a lot of imagery/words implying that Qin Che is, effectively, a meal of some kind from this point onward. *4, If anyone knows exactly what 'kitten' is standing in for, please let me know? I keep thinking I'm hearing 'gao' or 'yao,' but I'm not fluent, so I can't be sure. *5, I'm honestly not sure if this is meant to be FMC's pov, or Qin Che's pov, or both. *6, Kieran and Luke claim the kidnapper is an "ungrateful traitor." *7, Into something that looks distinctly like miscolored Metaflux. *8, Not sure why she's surprised, seeing as she's watched Qin Che kill someone. *9, Not sure if this means HER gun, like a Hunter's gun, or the gun she used to shoot him, or some mix of both. *10, I wonder if this is meant to imply that he expects her to remember something about their previous interactions or not? *11, I am not wrong. *12, There's been no mention of 'evol alteration' that I've found (yet.) If references pop up, they will be linked to the tag. *13, The man is not wrong. As annoying as that is. *14, Though we have no idea what his basis for this information actually IS, as of now. *15, Remember when we heard from (Someone?) that one of the scientists had fled into the N109 Zone? *16, We can presume this is Mephisto.

.

A note on Qin Che in general, he (like all the other love interests) seems to have knowledge about FMC from 'a period in time' that she doesn't know/has forgotten about, the difference being that he seems to have information about her adult/future self instead of/in addition to her past self/self from another time line/I'm still trying to work out what theory I'm going with, here. But it definitely helps to explain his attitude towards her, which is disdainful/disappointed/disgusted to varying degrees.