The Wind Before the Storm

Sign for the package delivered by Lollo Logistics

Abby: Huh? A package from Huanglong? What is it, what is it? Someone sent you snacks?

Rover: It's a letter from Yangyang.

Abby: Ohhh... from Yangyang, huh? Yeah, that time of year, I guess...

Rover: There's a whole box of treats for you.

Abby: Ugh... Don't tell me Ovathrax is stirring up chaos again? Nah, couldn't be.

Rover: Let's write back and ask her.

Rover: (Need to find a place to write this letter.)

Reply to Yangyang

Rover: (Yangyang mentioned a dream...)

Rover: (Ever since you woke me up, I've had many dreams of my own. Good dreams, bad dreams. Some slip away like the wind as soon as I wake. Others are seared into my heart for a long time.)

Rover: (But they're just dreams. Scenes that never existed. Lingering notes that the present hasn't yet swept away.)

Rover: (But that moment in the Gorges of Spirits, the first time we met, is a reality we share that no number of dreams could ever erase.)

Rover: (Just like the name you gave me, maybe I'm destined to rove endlessly. Maybe my journey is destined to be filled with the unknown.)

Rover: (But that also means...)

Yangyang: But that also means...

Yangyang: In countless tomorrows lie countless possibilities...

Yangyang: Where our paths intertwine.

Chixia: Hello—! Yangyang! You comin' or what?

Yangyang: Yes, I'm coming.

Chixia: Lemme see... Once we pass through that checkpoint up ahead, that's Xuanfang territory. Didn't expect following those leads would take us all the way out here.

Yangyang: This is where those missing people were last reported...

Chixia: And that's all thanks to you and that Stream of yours, Yangyang! If you hadn't connected all the dots, we'd still be runnin' circles back in Jinzhou!

Yangyang: You're exaggerating, Chixia... According to the Patrollers' investigation reports, the victims all had reasons to travel to Mengzhou, and Xuanfang lies right along the only route there.

Yangyang: But none of them ever made it to Mengzhou, nor did they come back. But if memory serves, Xuanfang—

Chixia: Come on, we'll find out what happened once we get there. I already filed for a warrant. Just gotta show the folks at the checkpoint the paperwork, and they should let us into the Hold.

Chixia: Phew... This is my first time on a field op this far from home. Anyway, we're bringin' those missing people back safe and sound! Right, Yangyang?

Yangyang: Yes. Let's go.

Continue forward

Chixia: By the way, what were you lookin' at back there all by yourself? I saw you smilin' the whole time... You don't get that look on your face every day, ya know.

Yangyang: Huh? I'm not usually that serious... am I?

Chixia: Ain't the same. Anybody with eyes can tell ya, a smile ain't just a smile. There's the smile you put on 'cause you're s'posed to, and the smile that comes from the heart. So what's got my Yangyang smilin' like that, I wonder...

Yangyang: ...Let's just focus on the mission, Chixia.

Chixia: That's weird. Where is everybody? There should be guards stationed here...

Yangyang: Stay alert, Chixia.

Head to the checkpoint at the Gate of Xuanfang

Yangyang: Something's not right, Chixia. Ready your weapon.

Chixia: Yangyang? Are your birdie senses tingling or somethin'?!

Yangyang: TDs... One. No, two. They're coming from every direction!

Chixia: That can't be right! This place is s'posed to be—

Yangyang: ...Prepare for combat.

Defeat the TDs

Chixia: What happened to the Xuanfang guards!? You don't suppose these TDs took 'em out...?

Yangyang: I'm not sure. But there was something different about these TDs...

Yangyang: The ones born in the wild don't usually form groups of this size...

Chixia: If they ain't comin' from outside the city, then that means... they came from—

Yangyang: ...

Chixia: Ugh! Why, you little—!

Yangyang: Chixia—! Are you all right?

Chixia: I'm okay. Just a scratch—I can still—

Yangyang: ...Chixia—

Chixia: Yangyang?

Yangyang: One of us has to make it back—

Yangyang: Jinzhou needs to know what's happening here.

Chixia: Yangyang!

Chixia: Yangyang? Yangyang—what're you doin'?!

Chixia: Yangyang!

Return to Jinzhou

Abby: Oof... I feel empty.

Abby: Loong Whiskers Crisps, Wuthercakes, Honeysuckle Bread... Desserts from Rinascita and Lahai-Roi are great and all, but the stuff from Huanglong is what really hits the spot.

Abby: What else am I supposed to do?! Blame Yangyang for sending us those tasty snacks. They brought back all my great memories of Jinzhou!

Rover: Point taken. It really has been a while since we visited Jinzhou.

Rover: (Yangyang hasn't written back yet. Yangyang, Chixia, Baizhi... and even Jinhsi. I wonder how everyone's doing?)

Rover: Things here at the Academy are wrapping up. Maybe now's a good time.

Rover: (And the thing we found inside that satellite... It might have something to do with the Court of Savantae.)

Abby: Rising Loong, Star Flakes, Jinzhou Maocai, Spicy Pulled Chicken... Hehe...

Rover: (Abby's completely lost in a fantasy world now...)

Rover: (Eh, that's fine, I guess.)

Rover: (I should let everyone at the Academy know before I leave for Jinzhou.)

Leave the Archive

Luuk Herssen: Ah, Rover, perfect timing. We were about to go look for you if you took any longer.

Rover: Why's everyone...

Hiyuki: To bid you farewell.

Mornye: Mentor, I...

Mornye: ...No matter what difficulties lie ahead, Startorch Academy will always have your back. I... We will all be waiting for you here.

Mornye: So go. Don't worry about us.

Hiyuki: Huanglong... What a shame. Should the opportunity arise, I would like to visit.

Hiyuki: If you need anything, you have but to reach out.

Luuk Herssen: With all that said, don't forget to share your experiences with us once you're back in Huanglong.

Luuk Herssen: Safe travels. Send us a WavesLine when you have the time.

Rover: Thank you, everyone. Well... Off I go, then.

Hiyuki: Ah, yes. Lucilla mentioned a "special" arrangement for you. Do look forward to it.

Say goodbye to your friends at Startorch Academy

Continue

Visit your friends in Jinzhou

Abby: Yep—Same old Jinzhou, alright. Smells just like I remember it.

Rover: But looking around... The city looks like it's on edge. Yangyang did mention trouble brewing in her letter. Is this it?

Abby: Yeah... What's with all the long faces? It's a beautiful day out and everything.

Rover: Anyway, let's go find Yangyang and the others first.

Zhezhi: Huh? You haven't heard? Chixia's still unconscious, and Yangyang... she's gone missing. And now...

Rover: ...Can you be more specific, Zhezhi?

Zhezhi: O-okay. I-I only found out recently myself. There was a commission that passed its deadline, but nobody came to follow up on it...

Zhezhi: So I went out to look for my client, but I couldn't find him anywhere. And it wasn't just him. People all over Jinzhou have been disappearing.

Zhezhi: Chixia and Yangyang were the ones on this case, but two days after they left the city, Chixia was brought back by the Midnight Rangers due to serious injuries. And Yangyang... she wasn't with her.

Zhezhi: That's all I know! I went to the Patrol Station to ask for more information, but they won't tell me anything.

Abby: C'mon, y-you don't gotta assume the worst, alright?

Abby: Yangyang, she... she's gonna be all right!

Rover: Don't beat yourself up, Zhezhi. You've already been a big help.

Rover: From here on out, leave it to me. I'll be on my way now.

Zhezhi: Rover... Please, just...

Abby: So, Rover... Whadda we do next...?

Rover: ...Let's go talk to Jinhsi first.

Rover: ...

Head to the City Hall

Continue forward

Head to the City Hall

???: Madam Sanhua, I do believe it's been two whole hours. Will you be taking me to see the Magistrate or not?

Sanhua: As I have already stated, the Magistrate is not presently at City Hall... so that won't be possible.

???: Very well, then. Tell me where she is, and I'll go find her myself.

Sanhua: I'm afraid... I cannot grant your request.

Rover: It's been a while, Sanhua.

Sanhua: Rover!? You... you've returned?

???: (And who might you be?)

Rover: Can you take me to Jinhsi?

???: Hold on, I hope you don't mind waiting your turn. Not to mention this concerns my younger sister—

Rover: I'm sorry, but I'm also here for someone important to me—

??? & Rover: I need to know what trouble Yangyang—

???: —Got herself into? Hmm?

Rover: Wait... Are you...?

Jinhsi: Please forgive Sanhua. I truly did not share my whereabouts with her.

Jinhsi: It's nothing. Just some scratches. Compared to what I've gained from this trip, this is merely a small jest from That One.

Jinhsi: My deepest apologies for not welcoming you properly, Miss Suisui. And apologies that your first visit to Jinzhou is under such circumstances.

Suisui: ...Well. Since Ms. Sanhua was telling the truth, I suppose I should apologize for my earlier rudeness. I came all the way to Jinzhou to see my sister, only to be told she's gone missing. I hope you can understand how that feels.

Jinhsi: I do. And I understand the urgency of the matter. Now that Rover is here, I'll brief you both directly.

Jinhsi: Recently, multiple people have gone missing across Jinzhou. All leads point to Xuanfang. Yangyang and Chixia were tasked to investigate Xuanfang Hold together. Chixia returned gravely wounded, and we've heard nothing from Yangyang.

Jinhsi: The moment I learned of this, I dispatched messengers via alternate routes to the Mengzhou City Hall, but they have yet to report back. I also tried sending elite Midnight Rangers to scout Xuanfang Hold once more, but their gates are sealed shut. No one knows what is happening inside those walls.

Suisui: Xuanfang Hold... Of all places.

Rover: But you must have a way in.

Jinhsi: Yes. Magistrate I may be, but I am also Resonator to Sentinel Jué.

Jinhsi: Xuanfang Hold's creator is none other than Mengzhou's Moon Fox Sentinel—Hsin. As Mengzhou and Jinzhou share borders, the two Sentinels laid down certain rules. One of which concerns an agreement regarding Xuanfang Hold.

Jinhsi: Should an emergency arise in Xuanfang Hold, the Resonators of each Sentinel may go to a designated location and retrieve the token they left.

Jinhsi: Regarding the specifics of that retrieval... it's not important. The act is done. And what I ultimately obtained, put simply, is a "spare key."

Suisui: I can tell the journey was not an easy one.

Jinhsi: It is, after all, something that can only be invoked in an "emergency." However, what constitutes as an emergency is for me to decide.

Jinhsi: Rover, given your deep connection with Jué, you should be able to use any of its artifacts freely as well.

Jinhsi: There is no time to waste, Rover. We should go. Forgive me, Miss Suisui. I beg your patience just a little longer.

Jinhsi: The Land of Xuanfang falls under Mengzhou's jurisdiction. Xuanfang Hold itself is a military stronghold. Generally speaking, as a neighboring state, we are not permitted to interfere in its affairs without due cause.

Jinhsi: While I cannot dispatch any personnel, as Jué's Resonator, I may enter on a personal basis.

Jinhsi: But...

Rover: Trust me.

Suisui: He's right. If this involves more factions than we think, Jinzhou will need its Magistrate at the helm.

Suisui: Besides, you didn't think I'd just sit here and do nothing, did you?

Jinhsi: Very well, then. Rover, Miss Suisui. As Magistrate, I give you my word. I will bear all responsibility for your actions in Xuanfang Hold.

Jinhsi: Please, bring Yangyang... bring the people of Jinzhou home safely.

Jinhsi: Rover, Chixia is currently recovering at Huaxu Academy. Do pay her a visit before you depart. If you wish to learn more about Xuanfang Hold, you may also speak with Principal Investigator Xiangli and Baizhi there.

Jinhsi: As for you, Miss Suisui...

Suisui: Might I have a moment of your time? There's a matter I'd like to discuss with you, Madam Magistrate.

Jinhsi: As you wish. I'll answer as best I can.

Suisui: Rover, I will meet you at Huaxu Academy shortly.

Sanhua: ...We're counting on you, Rover.

Head to Huaxu Academy and check on Chixia

Baizhi: Rover, you have arrived.

Rover: Baizhi, how's Chixia...

Baizhi: She's right here. Still undergoing treatment.

Chixia: Yang... Yang...

Rover: ...Don't worry, Chixia. I'll bring Yangyang back.

Baizhi: We should step outside. She needs rest.

Baizhi: Zhezhi came to visit Chixia earlier and spoke about you. Judging from your look, you've already met with the Magistrate.

Baizhi: Chixia... the Midnight Rangers who brought her back said she was gravely injured, but she still made it across the Dreaming Cavern by herself. She stayed conscious long enough to tell them what happened to Yangyang before finally collapsing.

Rover: Chixia...

Baizhi: No need to worry. She is no longer in critical condition. Her readings from late last night show she's slowly regaining awareness. However, she's still disoriented at the moment.

Xiangli Yao: That's right, Baizhi. Without you, Chixia's condition wouldn't have stabilized so quickly. And frankly, she might've been left with permanent damage.

Xiangli Yao: Rover, Sanhua told me about your situation. I take it you'll be heading to Xuanfang Hold soon?

Xiangli Yao: It's the masterpiece of Mengzhou's Sentinel, Hsin. A mechanical city built for the sole purpose of trapping and eliminating Tacet Discords to keep wider Mengzhou safe.

Xiangli Yao: Xuanfang Hold has stood at the border between our two states for over two hundred years now. Not a single incident in all that time. It's a "living" city in its own way that doesn't rely on people to run things. Instead, it uses creations called "Autopuppets" to fight off TDs.

Xiangli Yao: In theory, Xuanfang Hold is Mengzhou's most impenetrable fortress. And because of that exact reason, if something has gone wrong? The cause and the fallout are almost unimaginable.

Baizhi: According to Chixia, while Yangyang was being surrounded by Tacet Discords, Xuanfang Hold's gates opened for reasons unknown. And to ensure Chixia's escape, Yangyang went through that gate alone.

Baizhi: Meaning... Yangyang should still be inside.

Xiangli Yao: After I joined Huaxu Academy, I submitted several requests to Mengzhou to research the technological principles underlying Xuanfang Hold, but they were all rejected. So I'm afraid I don't know much more about what's actually in there. Sorry I can't be of more help in that regard.

Xiangli Yao: That said... while digging through old archives here at the Academy, I did stumble upon a report about Xuanfang.

Xiangli Yao: The contents were vague, frustratingly so. But there was a clue. Not sure if it'll help, but...

Xiangli Yao: The Court of Savantae.

Xiangli Yao: Leave Chixia to us. Huaxu Academy will take good care of her.

Leave Huaxu Academy

Talk to Suisui

Suisui: Oh, alright... settle down, Dumpling.

Rover: Dumpling?

Suisui: Ah, there you are. Pay no mind, I've had this silly bird for years. Dumpling's her name.

Suisui: She's... in a bit of a mood right now. Probably because she didn't get to see Yangyang.

Suisui: They were thick as thieves back home. There was this one time when Yangyang—

Suisui: ...Sorry. This isn't really the best time to reminisce.

Rover: What were you thinking just now?

Suisui: Oh, nothing. Just an old memory.

Suisui: I was thinking about the day Yangyang told Mother and me she was leaving for Jinzhou. I told her that if she'd found her path, then she needn't worry about anything else. Just take that step and go.

Suisui: Before coming to Jinzhou, I'll admit I was a little nervous. After so many years apart, I wasn't sure we'd still be the same people we remembered. I never imagined...

Rover: Yangyang said the same thing to me.

Suisui: Oh? Did she now...

Rover: You two are a lot alike, you know.

Suisui: Are we? In some ways, perhaps. In others, not so much.

Rover: She's determined. She's never wavered or doubted her own choices.

Suisui: My, my. You seem to know Yangyang rather well.

Rover: My journey didn't really start until I met Yangyang.

Rover: No matter how far I've come, no matter how many places I've traveled, meeting her will always be my starting line.

Rover: So whether it's for everyone who cares about her, or for myself, I will find her. And I'll bring her back.

Suisui: Well, then. Shall we be on our way?

Suisui: To reach Xuanfang from Jinzhou, we'll need to cross through the Dreaming Cavern, north of the Gorges of Spirits. Since you've never been, I'll lead the way.

Head to the Dreaming Cavern

Continue forward

Rover: So... you and Jinhsi. What was that about?

Suisui: Oh, just a little exchange of intelligence. It took some persuading, but she did eventually agree to grant me access.

Suisui: Other than that, we talked about you.

Rover: Me?

Suisui: Well, we may share the same goal, but I still need to know whether the person I'm traveling with is someone I can trust.

Suisui: And besides, Yangyang mentions your name so often in her letters. I couldn't help but be curious. Who is this person my dear sister is so utterly hung up on?

Rover: And? Did you get the answer you were looking for?

Suisui: ...That, my dear, remains to be seen.

Rover: Let's press on.

Rover: So that's Xuanfang Hold...

Suisui: It does look rather magnificent from here.

Cross the Gate of Xuanfang

Suisui: So far, so good.

Rover: Yeah... we haven't run into any of those Autopuppets Xiangli Yao mentioned yet.

Suisui: In any case, let's make for Shaftpost Yard first. It's not far. That's where Xuanfang's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located. There ought to be some clues there.

Rover: You seem to know your way around here.

Suisui: Not really. I've made a few visits on business, but never ventured far.

Suisui: Xuanfang Hold keeps the tightest security. Every visitor must pass through layers of screening. Not even a fly could get through without proper I.D.

Suisui: What if this incident wasn't an act of nature, but a human one...?

Rover: ...Then we watch our step.

Continue forward

Suisui: Just as I thought. Our Terminal comms went down the moment we entered Xuanfang.

Suisui: A pair of locators. Simple little things, really. They'll show us each other's position and vital signs. The downside is that they have no communication functions.

Suisui: The situation here is unpredictable. We're together now, but there's no guarantee it'll stay that way. Think of it as a safeguard.

Suisui: Just an old habit from my trading days. I always prepare for the worst.

Suisui: Still, think of it as a gift from me. Don't lose it, alright?

Rover: (For a gift, it sure feels like a heavy one...)

Suisui: There should still be clues around Shaftpost Yard. Let's investigate.

Search for clues near the Shaftpost Yard

Rover: So this is a Xuanfang Autopuppet...

Rover: Structurally, it's nothing like the Twin Nova units at Startorch. But the technical complexity is every bit their equal. Maybe more.

Rover: And this blade mark...

Suisui: Is this...?

Suisui: This handwriting... Could it be...

Rover: Find anything?

Suisui: Take a look at this, Rover—

Suisui: Where did this fog come from?

Rover: This is no ordinary fog.

Suisui: Autopuppets! Is this an ambush...?!

Rover: (These must be the "rogue Autopuppets" Chixia's report mentioned...)

Rover: Stay sharp. Let's take them out together.

Arrive at combat area

Defeat the Autopuppets emerging from the fog

Rover: The fog is getting thicker...

Rover: Tch—it's numbing my senses...

Rover: Suisui, we need to stay close—

Rover: Suisui? Damn it...

Defeat the enemies in the fog

Find a way out of the fog

Rover: (Not good. Need to find a way out first.)

Rover: Is that... the mechanical bird from earlier?

Rover: Looks like it's trying to show me the way.

Rover: Let's see where it takes me.

Follow the Rafter Kite

??: Tch. The Disorienting Fog is here, too.

??: Every road back to Jinzhou is blocked. With only a city garrison, we won't last long...

??: What do we do...? Why now, of all times, would the Sentinel—

Talk to the stranger

??: —Who's there?!

Rover: Easy. I don't mean you any harm.

??: You... you don't look like you're from Xuanfang. Who are you? Why are you here?

Rover: I came to find someone from Jinzhou.

??: Jinzhou? So you came through the south mountain gate? Does this mean... Jinzhou knows what's happening here? Are you the reinforcements they sent?!

??: That name... I've heard it somewhere. Golden eyes, black hair, and a Tacet Mark on the back of your hand.

??: Could it be—you're the one from the Battle of Norfall Barrens? The one who fought alongside General Jiyan and drove back the Threnodian Ovathrax... Rover?

Rover: I'm here on behalf of Jinzhou's Magistrate. Can you tell me what's happening in Xuanfang?

Liangyu: Yes. My name is Liangyu, and I serve under Mengzhou's Ministry of War, as part of the Xuan Triad. But now, I'm the only one left...

Liangyu: Three days ago, one of Xuanfang's Censure Courts detected Tacet Discord activity of unusual scale. An elite squad of Wardens was sent to purge any remaining TDs.

Liangyu: Standard procedure for the Ministry of War. But that day...

Liangyu: The moment we stepped foot in the Censure Court, the Autopuppets stationed there suddenly attacked us—

Liangyu: No one saw it coming. The people of Xuanfang Hold... especially the Wardens, we all trust the Autopuppets completely. They're our main tool against Tacet Discords, and one of the Sentinel's creations no less.

Liangyu: By the time we realized what was happening, so many had already... My two fellow Triad squadmates didn't even have time to draw their weapons.

Liangyu: Only a handful of us made it out alive. And now...

Rover: All the Autopuppets are going rogue?

Liangyu: Yes. Censure Courts are meant to trap Tacet Discords, but they're useless now. Now they pour into our lands, and the Ministry of War cannot keep up.

Liangyu: And that's not all. The Warden Commander has sent countless requests to Mengzhou for reinforcements, but neither City Hall nor the Sentinel has answered.

Liangyu: And with every road out of Xuanfang blocked by Disorienting Fog, the Wardens have no choice but to retreat to the Hold. But that is no solution, not even a poor one.

Rover: (No one can leave the Hold... Which means Yangyang might still be inside.)

Rover: Have you run into anyone else from Jinzhou? Besides me?

Liangyu: You don't mean...

Liangyu: There was a girl. Yangyang. Said she was an Outrider for Jinzhou's Midnight Rangers. Two days ago, during the civilian evacuation, she traveled with us.

Rover: That's her. Do you know where she is now?

Liangyu: No. She volunteered to draw a large group of Autopuppets away so we could get the civilians into the Hold. We lost her after that.

Liangyu: I sent a few scouts to search the Eastern Xuan Peaks area, but we failed to locate her trail.

Rover: I see. Another dead lead...

Liangyu: ...Do you have anything on you that's connected to her?

Rover: (Now that she mentions it, Suisui did give me... one of her letters?)

Liangyu: This is...

Liangyu: I'm sure you have a Terminal on you. One moment, I'll share the access.

Liangyu: Xuanfang Hold has deployed "Skywatch Rings" everywhere to monitor Tacet Discord activity. They can track frequency fluctuations left behind in different areas. As of this moment... we're lucky they're still working.

Liangyu: This letter carries her frequency. With that, we should be able to track some of her previous movements. I'll take you to the Four Chime Shaftpost. It has equipment that's connected to the Skywatch Rings.

Follow Liangyu

Rover: (Locator readings are normal. Suisui's safe for now...)

Rover: (Like she said, the priority right now is finding Yangyang.)

Rover: You said you traveled with Yangyang?

Liangyu: That's right. She... I hope she's safe.

Head to the Four Chime Shaftpost and gain access using your authority

Liangyu: It's a type of transport vehicle developed by Mengzhou's Huaxu Academy. Very useful for quickly navigating rough terrain.

Liangyu: Hmm... since you already have a means of transportation, I'll just share the functions with you.

Search for Yangyang's frequency

View Yangyang's frequency projection

A projection of Yangyang...

Looks like she's fighting something...

Head to the Land of Xuanfang

Head to the Shaftpost Yard

Defeat the Autopuppets

Yangyang: Father, Mother, Sister... Rover...

Yangyang: I don't expect any of you to read these words. If anything, I'd rather say them to your faces.

Yangyang: What I've been through here, and what I still have yet to face...

Escape the Autopuppets' encirclement

Defeat the Autopuppet

Yangyang: Should be... far enough now...

Yangyang: This way... Chixia will be safe...

Yangyang: Ngh...

??: Liangyu, these Autopuppets... They seem...

??: Watch out! Khh—aghhh—!

??: What is this?! Why are the Autopuppets—Ngh—

??: Duzhong?! Qingzhi?!

??: ...Go. I will hold the rear.

??: Paragon Qingxiao—you—

??: ...I will go back for the others. Do not worry.

??: But—!

??: ...Anyone still standing, with me! Push through!

??: We have to get word back... to Xuanfang Hold...

Yangyang: These... voices... what are...?

???: A Rafter Kite? Why'd it fly here? Ah! That's—

???: Watcher Liangyu! Someone's fighting the Autopuppets over there!

??: At a time like this... How is that—

??: Everyone, get in formation! Keep them away from the village!

??: Hey! Are you alright?!

Yangyang: I...

Leave the house

Yangyang: Excuse me...

??: Oh, you're awake. You almost Overclocked and have been unconscious for hours. How do you feel? Anything hurt?

Yangyang: I'm fine... I just don't understand what's happening...

Liangyu: ...Name's Liangyu. I'm a Xuan Watcher under the Ministry of War, stationed at Xuanfang Hold. This is Xianling Village, at the foot of the Eastern Xuan Peaks. Most folks here are locals.

Yangyang: Liangyu... Xuan Watcher... Xianling Village...

Liangyu: Now answer my questions. Who are you? Why are you here? And why were you fighting the Autopuppets?

Yangyang: ...I am Yangyang. Outrider under Jinzhou's Midnight Rangers. I came to Xuanfang to help the Patrollers investigate the recent disappearances in Jinzhou.

Yangyang: My partner and I followed the trail through the Dreaming Cavern, but we ran into a large swarm of Tacet Discords outside the mountain gate... But then it suddenly opened. To buy my partner time to escape, I went in alone to draw them off.

Yangyang: What came after that... you already know.

Liangyu: Jinzhou... Folks going missing... Tacet Discords running wild... The gate opening by itself...

Liangyu: Jinzhou hasn't been informed... Mengzhou won't answer... What is all this...? Tch—!

Yangyang: I thought the Autopuppets of Xuanfang Hold were meant to aid soldiers against Tacet Discords. Why did they turn on the people?

Liangyu: I don't know... Nobody does...

Liangyu gives Yangyang a brief account of events.

Yangyang: The Autopuppets... rebelled?

Liangyu: ...No one is willing to believe it. The Autopuppets are creations of Mengzhou's Sentinel. Under no rightful circumstance should they ever spill the blood of innocents.

Liangyu: And even if someone was pulling their strings, using them to throw Xuanfang into chaos... it's unthinkable! It would mean someone has the means to breach, maybe even unravel, the Sentinel's own intelligence.

Yangyang: If this was all orchestrated from the shadows... then the only force I know that might be capable of such a thing is...

Yangyang: ...Could this be the work of the Fractsidus?

Liangyu: The Fractsidus... that infamous terrorist organization? I can't say. At the very least, we have seen no one in red robes within these lands for a very long time.

Liangyu: If only Zhuojun Atelier could send one or two Helmsmasters right now... No. Wishful thinking.

Yangyang: Zhuojun Atelier? Who are they?

Liangyu: A Mengzhou organization devoted to mechanist art. Nearly half the craftsmen in Mengzhou have ties to Zhuojun Atelier. When it comes to mechanisms, they're second only to Sentinel Hsin and the Ministry of Development.

Liangyu: But unlike the Minstry of Development or Huaxu Academy, they don't answer to City Hall. Their leadership rarely shows itself. And now that Xuanfang has lost contact with Mengzhou...

Liangyu: ...Whatever the truth may be, the safety of the people comes first.

Liangyu: As for the missing travelers from Jinzhou... I'm sorry. The Ministry of War never received word of them, and in our current situation, I fear we cannot spare the manpower to assist your investigation.

Yangyang: Please don't apologize. I have no proof, but I can't shake the feeling that all of this... is connected somehow.

Yangyang: Besides, as comrades-in-arms, we should stand by one another. If there's any way I can help, you need only say the word.

Liangyu: ...Thank you. We are short of hands.

Liangyu: Many of our soldiers were wounded in the clash with the Autopuppets. They need time to recover.

Liangyu: Once our scouts have mapped a safe route back to the Hold, we'll escort everyone out of here.

Yangyang: Until then, I'll go check on the villagers.

Liangyu: ...Mmm. Much appreciated.

Check on the villagers

Yangyang: The Autopuppets could strike again at any moment...

Yangyang: We need to get everyone to a safe rally point...

Yangyang: And I should talk to the Wardens to learn more about Xuanfang.

Huamei: You mean... Zhong... he's...

Xuanfang Warden Fighting Back the Grief: I'm sorry, Auntie. We couldn't bring him home. Please... stay strong.

Yangyang: ...

Qiuyan: ...Who is it?

Yangyang: ...Please hurry. The Wardens want everyone gathered in the village square.

Qiuyan: All right... I understand.

Qiuyan: Xiaoyi, pack your things. We're going to Xuanfang Hold.

Xiaoyi: We're going inside the big walls? Then can I go see Uncle Qiu?

Qiuyan: We will not trouble Uncle Qiu. He's very busy.

Yangyang: (Looks like this house is already empty...)

Qiaochai: Hey, you! You're from Jinzhou, aren't you? Do you know Uncle Dong?

Yangyang: (Uncle Dong... he's on the missing persons list!)

Yangyang: I do. Have you seen him?

Qiaochai: I have! He was headed to Mengzhou and passed through our village. He told the most amazing opera stories!

Qiaochai: Pity he only stayed one night. Come morning, he hurried off at first light. No telling when he will return…

Qiaochai: Oh... With Xuanfang in such a state, he likely won't be back anytime soon. I still wanted to hear the rest of his tale.

Yangyang: (She still doesn't know what became of him...)

Yangyang: (But this confirms it. The people from Jinzhou all vanished somewhere in the Land of Xuanfang.)

Gaoyun: Well now, young maiden... is this Rafter Kite yours? So lively, and such fine craftsmanship too. A master's hand, no doubt.

Yangyang: (Rafter Kite... is that your name?)

Yangyang: No, sir. It's just that... for reasons I don't understand, it seems intent on guiding me to various places.

Gaoyun: Oh? Curious, very curious... I see feathers in your hair and a Tacet Mark upon your brow. You are a Resonator, yes? Ha... perhaps this Rafter Kite has grown a mind of its own and taken you for a Xuanling Bird of old.

Yangyang: A Xuanling Bird... Forgive me, sir. I'm not from here. Might you tell me what that is?

Gaoyun: Ahh... never mind you outsiders. Unfortunately, plenty of young folk from these parts no longer care for the legend of the Xuanling either.

Gaoyun: Long before these lands were claimed under Mengzhou, a flock of spirit birds dwelt here. Azure of body, black of plume. People called them "Xuanling"Numinous Plume.

Gaoyun: They did not think as we do, but they could see into the heart and bear its voice to another. In those days, the land was cruel and the roads few. People entrusted the Xuanling with their joys, sorrows, and longings, trusting the bird to carry them across the wilds.

Gaoyun: Such a pity... That war two hundred years ago laid waste to Xuanfang's land and people, driving the Xuanling to extinction as well.

Yangyang: (Two hundred years ago... he must mean the Fortress and Gorges War that led to Jinzhou's founding.)

Gaoyun: Later, after Xuanfang Hold was built, Mengzhou's mechanist arts found their way here. In memory of those birds, local craftsmen fashioned the Rafter Kite in their image, to carry letters and messages in their stead.

Gaoyun: You've been favored by this one. Treat it kindly... For when people cease to speak of the Xuanling, the hands that know how to craft a Rafter Kite will grow fewer and fewer.

Yangyang: (Come to think of it, it was this little thing that led Liangyu and the Wardens to my aid before.)

Obtain details of the situation from Qingdai

Qingdai: He... he's been missing ever since Liangyu came back...

Qingdai: I've asked the other children, but none of them know where he went...

Gaoyun: Yan... I haven't seen him. Was it because... Ah...

Yangyang: Excuse me. Has a child from the village gone missing?

Qingdai: Yes! He's about eight or nine. Not very tall, thin as a twig. Scruffy mop of hair.

Yangyang: I'll help look for him. I'm quite good at finding people.

Qingdai: Thank you, thank you...

Talk to the Xuanfang Warden in the village

Yanlang: So you're the one who held off more than a dozen Autopuppets on your own... that is no small feat.

Yanlang: Liangyu said you're an Outrider from Jinzhou? I should have guessed. The front lines against Tacet Discords do not breed ordinary soldiers. Only the finest make it there.

Yangyang: I... I wouldn't go that far. But those Tacet Discords I fought here... they were nothing like the ones I've fought before. They were fast, vicious, like veterans tempered by countless battles.

Yanlang: For two centuries, Xuanfang's Censure Courts have purged TDs within its borders. Anything that survived the Autopuppets and generations of Wardens would have to be brutal and cunning.

Yanlang: Though to be fair, the Autopuppets do the heavy lifting. We Wardens mostly support them in combat.

Yanlang: Back then, only a few people could face powerful Tacet Discords alone: the Warden Commander, the Xuan Triad Watchers... and that elusive Xuan Paragon.

Yanlang: But now the Autopuppets have turned on us, the Paragon is trapped in a Censure Court, and of the Triad, only Liangyu remains... Even if we retreat to the Hold, we still will not be able to stop what's coming.

Yangyang: Well...

Yanlang: It's okay, I don't need comforting. After decades in uniform, you learn to make peace with whatever may come. It is only...

Yanlang: If you are willing, comrade, do us one favor. Look after Liangyu.

Yanlang: She has talent, but she is still young. Most days, the other two Watchers kept her under their wing, like an older brother and sister. She saw them the same way.

Yanlang: The battlefield has no place for tears. But any eye can see their deaths have left their mark.

Yanlang: A leader cannot afford to show weakness before the ranks. Liangyu is too proud for that. She will only bury it inside.

Yanlang: You look to be about her age, and you are not of the Xuanfang Wardens. So... she might open up to you.

Yangyang: I see... Understood. I'll do what I can to help lighten her burden.

Yangyang: It's clear she means a great deal to all of you.

Yanlang: Of course she does. She lost her parents young and was raised by the whole village. For us, it's hard not to think of her as our little sister.

Yanlang: In any case, I leave it to you.

Yangyang: I've checked out most of the village by now...

Yangyang: Time to speak with a Warden and see how things stand.

Yangyang: By the way, have you seen a child named Qingyan?

Yanlang: Qingyan... Ah, Qingzhi's little brother. Yes, I saw him.

Yanlang: He tried to sneak into the tents a little while ago, but the men on duty drove him out. After that... I think he headed toward the shrine.

Yangyang: I see... Thank you. That's all for now.

Follow the Rafter Kite

Yangyang: (It's... trying to lead me somewhere?)

Yangyang: (Let's see where it goes.)

Clear the stacked boxes and check behind them

Talk to the boy

Qingyan: Y-You! How did you find me?!

Qingyan: Please... Don't tell my family I'm here, okay?

Qingyan: I was just going to the shrine. I remember there's a sword there.

Qingyan: If I take that sword... then maybe I can...

Keep up with the boy

Yangyang: (This child... he's hiding something...)

Yangyang: (Did something happen to him…?)

Yangyang: (I'd better keep following him for now.)

Yangyang: (This must be the boy that woman was looking for...)

Yangyang: (His sister must've been in Liangyu's unit...)

Yangyang: (I'd better keep following him for now.)

Arrive at the ancestral shrine

Qingyan: If I have to... I'll take this sword...

Yangyang: Careful! That blade is sharp!

Qingyan: Leave me alone! I will slay those Autopuppets and Tacet Discords! I will avenge my sister!

???: Ling, why must you put yourself through this. Your little girl is only three. If you go to war...

???: Forgive me, Grandmother. But my mind is made. My husband never came home. A Xuanling brought word that he was slain by Tacet Discords in the Gorges of Spirits...

???: If I do not answer that blood with blood, then every vow we swore means nothing... Just think, he spent half his life painting Xuanfang's landscapes. How could I watch them be destroyed by Tacet Discords?

???: Take this liuqinstringed instrument to Mengzhou and pawn it. It should fetch enough to see you both through for a time.

???: Once this war is over, I... will return to Mengzhou for you.

???: Xuanling... So you birds already know what will happen, don't you?

???: If you do, then go. Take nothing with you. Let it all be buried here.

???: You are the solace people cling to. The bridge between hearts.

???: Do not become an ill omen in their eyes. Do not be messengers of death.

???: Fly! Leave this place!

???: Leave... before it turns into hell.

Qingdai: Yan! You foolish child! What are you doing here?!

Qingyan: B-Big Sister?! I...

Yangyang: What was that just now...?

Qiankun: Are you well, young maiden? You look a bit dazed.

Yangyang: You... you were the one speaking with Liangyu earlier.

Qiankun: Yes. I am Qiankun, the village chief. I have watched over Liangyu since she was just a child.

Yangyang: Chief, if I may ask, what is this sword enshrined here?

Qiankun: A nameless sword. And because it bears no name, it belongs to every soul who fought in that battle.

Qiankun: Two hundred years ago, the Fortress and Gorges War tore through Xuanfang. Not only did Mengzhou send its great armies, but most of Xuanfang's own sons and daughters also took up arms to defend their home.

Qiankun: I was not yet born in those days. I know only what the elders told me. They spoke of a battle so ghastly that the sky itself ran red. For every ten who went to war, scarcely one returned alive.

Qiankun: This sword was found among the ruins of that battle. Its owner is unknown. But this much is certain, the one who wielded it died protecting this land.

Qiankun: When the war ended, those who had taken refuge in Mengzhou slowly made their way home. This shrine was raised in memory of the heroes who fell.

Yangyang: (That woman I saw... was she going to join the Fortress and Gorges War?)

Yangyang: (Was that the sword's memory... Or...)

Talk to the village chief

Qiankun: Little Yan... I understand his heart. He and Qingzhi were always so close.

Qiankun: We thought those days belonged to the ashes of history. And yet... this land must suffer a new calamity. I wonder what our ancestors would make of this, were they watching.

Yangyang: ...Even so, we cannot simply sit and wait.

Yangyang: It all comes down to what we do. At least for now, there are still things within our power.

Yangyang: Chief, I believe this sword isn't just a monument to the fallen. It may also give people the courage to... walk forward even in the face of death.

Qiankun: Well spoken. Now you make me sound like a bitter old fool.

Qiankun: Would you do an old man a favor? Take this sword and pass it to Liangyu. Let the Wardens carry it back to the Hold.

Qiankun: Tacet Discords scour the land bare. A sword is but iron and steel, but it is still part of Xuanfang's legacy. I would see it kept safe.

Yangyang: Of course, Chief. Let me speak with Liangyu.

Qiankun: You had the right of it, Yangyang. The Autopuppets were a gift from the Sentinel, and for two hundred quiet years, we have leaned upon that gift.

Qiankun: And yet... it comes down to what we do. What we do.

Qingdai: You must listen, Yan! Come back with me!

Qingyan: I... I'm not leaving! If I leave... who will avenge our sister?!

Yangyang: Tell me. Have you trained with a weapon? Do you know how to fight an enemy many times stronger than yourself? Do you think you can really avenge her?

Qingyan: I... I've watched the Xuanfang Wardens train.

Yangyang: Your sister was a Warden, and she was strong. But even she could not walk away from that battlefield alive.

Qingyan: Then what... what am I supposed to do?! She... she's never coming back.

Yangyang: What about your other sister? Don't you mean to protect her?

Qingyan: I...

Yangyang: Stay by her side. Go with the others to the rally point.

Qingyan: Young miss... are you a soldier too? Like my sister?

Yangyang: Yes. I became a soldier so I could protect those who can't protect themselves.

Yangyang: That is not a vow you fulfill in a single day, nor a single year.

Qingyan: Then... will you teach me? Swordwork, I mean. The kind that can beat those Tacet Discords!

Yangyang: I will. That is my promise. But you have to promise me in return: until that day, keep your sister safe.

Qingyan: ...Promise!

Take the sword

Yangyang: (The Chief was right... I should go talk to Liangyu.)

Yangyang: (Now where did she go...?)

Follow the singing

Find Liangyu

Liangyu: ...

Liangyu: Who—oh, it's you...

Liangyu: Do you need something? The scouts have not yet returned, but we cannot wait much longer.

Liangyu: Once everyone is gathered, we move.

Yangyang: I met the village chief just now. He wishes for this sword to be kept with the Xuanfang Wardens.

Liangyu: A sword? At a time like this? Retreat will be dangerous enough. I'd ask everyone only to protect themselves and those beside them, not cold steel.

Yangyang: Then I will carry it myself, for now.

Liangyu: You... Fine. Do as you see fit.

Yangyang: I also never properly thanked you for saving me. And for giving me a room to rest.

Liangyu: It is nothing. I have not stayed in this village for years. The house was sitting empty.

Yangyang: So it was your home...

Liangyu: Just an old house... Soon enough, this village may be flattened by Tacet Discords. Nothing left but rubble.

Liangyu: Houses can always be rebuilt. But the dead do not come back...

Yangyang: Then let's focus on those who are still alive.

Liangyu: ...

Liangyu: ...Is there something else?

Yangyang: Let's talk.

Liangyu: I... There is nothing to say.

Yangyang: Any other time, I wouldn't press you.

Yangyang: But Liangyu, we're soldiers. We have our duties. This is no time to indulge ourselves.

Yangyang: My Forte allows me to catch the messages the wind carries from far away.

Yangyang: It's useful. Convenient. It lets me notice, in places no one looks, that someone is waiting for a hand to reach out to them.

Yangyang: But sometimes... I hate it.

Yangyang: The echoes of tragedy. The aftershocks of disaster... Everything is already over and done with. There's nothing left I can change... and yet it forces me to listen.

Yangyang: Even now, those sounds make my heart clench.

Liangyu: You...

Yangyang: It's all right. I know. Because I've already... heard it.

Liangyu: ...I am afraid to look them in the eyes.

Liangyu: I know what they are all waiting for. Because I am waiting too. Waiting for someone to step forward.

Liangyu: Duzhong and Qingzhi were that kind of person. Xuan Watchers or not, they would have made great commanders. And yet they died. And I was the one who lived.

Liangyu: If only I had seen it, just few seconds sooner. If my life could buy back theirs... I would...

Yangyang: Better? It helps a little, saying it out loud, doesn't it?

Yangyang: I think... you don't need anyone to tell you what to do. You already know.

Yangyang: You're only afraid you won't do it well enough. Because some mistakes cannot be undone.

Yangyang: But even so, sometimes we just have to go through with it, don't we?

Liangyu: Was that how you all felt, too? During the Battle of Norfall Barrens?

Yangyang: I can't speak for anyone else. But by the end, my mind was blank. I fought on instinct. On the will to stay alive.

Yangyang: We only won that battle because so many stood with us. And back then, there really was someone who stood in front of me, in front of all of us.

Yangyang: But I also know, he won't always be there.

Yangyang: If I only ever chase someone else's shadow, I'll never truly move forward.

Yangyang: I hope next time he and I meet, I'll be able to stand beside him. Not behind.

Yangyang: The situation in Xuanfang Hold is still uncertain. But as I said before, the Streams brought me here. So the only thing I can do is...

Liangyu: ...You are right. Whatever comes, I have a duty to fulfill.

Yangyang: By the way, that song earlier...

Liangyu: Song? Oh, did I hum it aloud?

Liangyu: It's a little tune. My mother taught it to me when I was little.

Liangyu: I never learned all of it. They say the written score was lost two hundred years ago. Now all people remember is a half-forgotten tune.

Yangyang: I see.

Liangyu: You... knew this tune before? Or did you memorize it just from listening once?

Yangyang: I just thought that it might help everyone breathe a little easier.

Liangyu: Maybe it did. You certainly sing it better than I do.

Mingyu: Watcher Liangyu, a Skywatch Ring has detected Autopuppets moving this way. They will reach Xianling Village in about two hours.

Liangyu: Then we have no time to waste. If the scouts still haven't reported back, we'll have to move and scout as we go.

Yangyang: I'll go. Scouting is part of an Outrider's duties, and my Forte can help me avoid danger.

Liangyu: Okay. Here are the coordinates for the garrison camp outside the city. There will be people waiting there to receive you. Once you arrive, have the guards send the route by a Rafter Kite. We'll move out as soon as we have it.

Liangyu: I will have the officer in charge unlock the Cloud Ride for you. Should save you quite a bit of time.

Talk to Mingyu and gain access to a Cloud Ride

Mingyu: I was expecting you. Hand me your Terminal. I'll grant you access to the Cloud Ride.

Mingyu: It's a joint project of Mengzhou's Huaxu Academy and the Ministry of Development. Leaves any glider in the dust.

Mingyu: If you're heading to the camp, there's a side path nearby.

Mingyu: The Eastern Xuan Peaks are treacherous, and the Disorienting Fog hangs thick through much of it. Be careful.

Leave Xianling Village

Yangyang: First... I need to get a sense of the terrain.

Yangyang: Better find a vantage point.

Yangyang: (The Cloud Ride... It's easier to handle than I expected.)

Yangyang: (Chixia would love this. I wonder if she made it out safely...)

Yangyang: (...I'd best hurry.)

Continue exploring

Quickly take out the Autopuppets

Yangyang: Autopuppets... not many of them.

Yangyang: I might be able to end this quickly!

Defeat the enemies along the way

Further investigate

Check on the scout

Yangyang: Those are... Xuanfang Wardens.

Yangyang: Liangyu's scouts... This must be them.

Yangyang: No sign of life.

Continue forward

Yangyang: Too many... Engaging them would cause too much noise.

Yangyang: Need to find another way.

Find another path

Continue forward

Further investigate

Linnian: Halt! Who goes there?! Identify yourself!

Yangyang gives the guards a quick briefing.

Linnian: So Watcher Liangyu sent you to map a route. Good! We've been waiting a long time.

Yangyang: Also, I found scouts along the way. They're already...

Linnian: I see... Thank you for telling me. They were long overdue, so I... I feared as much.

Linnian: No time to lose. We must send word to Liangyu immediately.

Linnian: Good work. The camp is just ahead. I'll find you a place to rest.

Rest up in the garrison camp

Yangyang: (I hope everyone makes it through safely...)

Yuanzhi: Excuse me, miss... do you have a Rafter Kite with you?

Yuanzhi: If it's not too much to ask, could you let it carry a letter for me? A letter home, to Mengzhou.

Yangyang: You mean to...

Yuanzhi: Ah... I've been away from home for many years now. Now Xuanfang has fallen into chaos. I may never see my wife and children again. This letter is my last wish.

Yuanzhi: I asked every soldier in the Hold, but they all say that under these cirsumstances every Rafter Kite must be reserved for military reports. Please...

Yangyang: It's alright. Give me the letter.

Yuanzhi: Thank you... Thank you, oh, thank you!

Yangyang: (I hope the first thing his family sees is not this letter, but the man himself returning home.)

Yangyang: (Father, Mother, Rover...)

Yangyang: (Sister said she'd come visit Jinzhou soon. If she can't find me, will she worry?)

Yangyang: (Maybe I should... write down what I've seen here.)

Yangyang: (If nothing else, I can put the clues in order. Perhaps it will help whoever reads it.)

Write a letter

Write down your encounters up until today

Liangyu: Really? None of them managed to？

Liangyu: Yangyang. Thanks to you, we slipped past the Autopuppets and TDs. We were blessed to make it with no losses.

Yangyang: As long as everyone is safe.

Liangyu: The Hold is just ahead. Once we catch our breath, I'll have the guards clear passage and escort everyone inside.

Liangyu: As for your case, the Commander has been collecting intelligence by Rafter Kite. Once we reach him, we can decide our next steps together.

Yangyang: Understood. And with any luck, Mengzhou may already have reinforcements on the way.

Liangyu: Hah... I hope that is the case.

Liangyu: Next—

Liangyu: How—? We should've avoided all of them—

Liangyu: Fire the signal! Rally the Hold's support!

Liangyu: Tch—they're too fast... There's no time—Battle lines! Cover the civilians! Buy them time to fall back!

Yangyang: That won't hold! We're outnumbered three to one. The line will break!

Yanlang: Liangyu, one of us has to stay behind to hold them off...

Liangyu: Then let me stay—

Yangyang: Liangyu, you are our captain now. Don't lose sight of that.

Yangyang: I'll play decoy and draw them away. Trust me. I've done this before.

Mingyu: There are too many for one. If you ask me, we need three. At least three.

Liangyu: You—

Linnian: Watcher Liangyu! The Hold is answering our signal!

Liangyu: I—

Liangyu: ...Yanlang. Mingyu. Go to help Yangyang.

Liangyu: Everyone else—fall back! Stay in formation! Fall back as fast as you can!

Xuanfang Wardens: Yes!

Hold off as long as you can

Yangyang: I need to lead these Autopuppets another way...

Yanlang: No one can hold that many alone. Don't let them surround you!

Mingyu: We Wardens know these Autopuppets better than anyone. There's no way we let a Jinzhou Midnight Ranger bait them off by herself.

Yangyang: You...

Yangyang: ...Thank you. Both of you!

Mingyu: Ngh—!

Yanlang: Mingyu! Damn you—DIE!

Yanlang: It's finally over...

Yangyang: I'm sorry. If I'd only gotten here a little sooner...

Yanlang: Heh... Now you sound... just like... little Liangyu.

Yanlang: I'm all right... Just need... to rest... some rest and I'll be fine.

Yanlang: A pity... that boy Mingyu.

Yanlang: Quite a few girls... had taken a shining to him.

Yanlang: ...

Yangyang: ...

Further investigate

Bruise-Covered Xuanfang Warden: (Cough)... (Cough)...

Bruise-Covered Xuanfang Warden: Is it... is it over...?

Bruise-Covered Xuanfang Warden: Xuanling... tell me... Yuan Fortress... did it stand?

Bruise-Covered Xuanfang Warden: Please... I still had... things I wanted to say...

Investigate the battlefield

Injured Xuanfang Warden: Are... are you all right?

Gravely Injured Xuanfang Warden: Ugh... I think... I can't feel my legs...

Gravely Injured Xuanfang Warden: Where... Where is everyone?

Injured Xuanfang Warden: Don't know. Not many left, I'd guess...

Injured Xuanfang Warden: We held off the first wave, but the next one...

Gravely Injured Xuanfang Warden: Hey... Xuanling. Do you think... we'll win this?

Injured Xuanfang Warden: Heh... Either way... I'm afraid neither of us... will live to find out...

Dying Village Chief: Xuanling... are those Xuanling Birds...

Dying Village Chief: Thank heavens... You didn't all...

Dying Village Chief: Go... Go now... The village is already...

Dying Village Chief: Pro-promise me... Go and see... if there's still... anyone...

Dying Village Chief: Take them away... Away from here...

Navigate the battlefield

Yangyang: (How many battles have been fought in this place...)

Yangyang: (And how many more are still to come?)

Yangyang: (These sounds... They just keep flooding in.)

Yangyang: (I...)

Follow the sound of singing

Young Girl: Khh... Ngh... Sis... Sister...

Gravely Injured Girl: Don't cry... don't cry...

Gravely Injured Girl: Let the Xuanling... hear your song.

Gravely Injured Girl: Then they'll come... they'll come to take you home...

Yangyang: ...

Young Artisan: Another wave of Tacet Discords will be here any moment...

Young Artisan: Good. Then we have arrived at the right time.

Young Artisan: Our orders are to reinforce the western second front. Fellow Artisans, ready the Bladepuppets.

Young Artisan: Zhuojun Atelier has poured years into this generation of Bladepuppets. There is no better test than real combat.

Young Artisan: YuanAbyssal Fortress was built by the Ministry of Development and Zhuojun Atelier. It is the pinnacle of human intellect. Mindless Tacet Discords cannot be allowed to undo that.

Artisans: Yes, sir!

Yangyang: Zhuojun Atelier... Liangyu mentioned them... a Mengzhou organization devoted to the mechanist arts.

???: Excuse me...

???: Fly on, Xuanling... Fly with a shattered heart...

???: Skies boundless... land wide...

Talk to the stranger

Yangyang: I'm... back?

???: Xuanfang is not exactly peaceful these days, young lady. This ground is dangerous. It would be wiser not to linger here.

Yangyang: Sir, that advice applies just as well to yourself, wouldn't you agree?

???: Oh? My apologies. I misjudged you. You carry a military blade, so you are a soldier, I take it? It's only that your face is new, and you do not dress like one of the Wardens.

Yangyang: I'm with the Jinzhou Midnight Rangers. Why I've come to Xuanfang... it's a long story. Not for this place.

Yangyang: Since you've questioned me, perhaps you can offer your own name and identity in return. As you said, this place is not exactly peaceful. A civilian wandering alone through these mountains is unusual, to say the least.

Muyu: Of course. My name is Muyu. I am an Artisan under the Xuanfang Ministry of Development. If you do not trust me, I have my badge with me.

Muyu: Yesterday, on orders from the Ministry of War, I went to a nearby Censure Court for routine maintenance.

Muyu: But before I even made it inside, I watched the Autopuppets go rogue. They attacked the Wardens escorting me.

Muyu: I was fortunate. I lived. But I had to retreat deep into the cliffs. Only once I was certain the Autopuppets had moved on did I dare come back out.

Muyu: Then I found you here, looking rather shaken. Judging by the area around us, you must have endured quite a battle. Did you fight all these Autopuppets yourself? Remarkable...

Yangyang: (There's something about this man...)

Yangyang: Since you're a Ministry of Development Artisan, let me escort you back to the Hold.

Muyu: This is no time to return to the Hold. I must get to the Western Fang Peaks, now. I must not dally.

Yangyang: The Western Fang Peaks... Why? What's there?

Muyu: The Western Fang Peaks houses the Skyworks, Xuanfang's largest Autopuppet production plant and Tacet Discord disposal facility. If that place falls, rogue Autopuppets and Tacet Discords will spill into every corner of Xuanfang. The consequences are unthinkable.

Muyu: In truth, when I reviewed the patrol routes of the Autopuppets days ago, I noticed a few had deviated from their assigned paths.

Muyu: Autopuppets are self-operating machines. At first, I assumed a few units had suffered minor faults in their circuits after fighting Tacet Discords. But now it seems the "rebellion" may have started from there.

Muyu: And the point where all those rogue units' paths converged... was the Skyworks.

Yangyang: So you suspect... the answer to why the Autopuppets went rogue might be there?

Muyu: Precisely.

Yangyang: We still don't know why the Autopuppets malfunctioned. If, as you say, Autopuppets and Tacet Discords have gathered at the Skyworks, then how do you stay safe if you go there alone?

Muyu: Heh. The Xuanfang Artisans spent generations crossing mountains and valleys. That is how the Hold was built. I have inherited a measure of that nerve.

Muyu: Besides, Xuanfang is now on a knife's edge. Everyone thinking only of their own survival is hardly a wise strategy.

Muyu: But still, young lady from the Midnight Rangers, your skills are extraordinary. Were you to come with me, perhaps my safety would be much less of a concern?

Yangyang: (The disappearances in Jinzhou also began around that same time. I can't ignore this lead.)

Yangyang: (And... whether he's telling the truth or not, I can't just leave this man on his own.)

Yangyang: ...All right. I'll go with you.

Muyu: Excellent. Then let's not waste another second.

Follow Muyu towards the Western Fang Peaks

Yangyang: But the ruins of Yuan Fortress lie between the Eastern and Western Fang Peaks. How do you plan to get there?

Muyu: That is no problem. We Artisans know every mechanical structure in the Land of Xuanfang, and that includes Yuan Fortress.

Muyu: There's an old passage through the ruins that connects to the Western Fang Peaks. Rarely used now, but I know of it.

Muyu: This is the entrance. The Fortress has been abandoned. No Autopuppets to concern us. I will lead the way.

Yangyang: ...Yes. Thank you.

Navigate Yuan Fortress under Muyu's guide

Follow Muyu

Yangyang: These... are traces of the Fortress and Gorges War...

Muyu: Correct. When that war erupted, Tacet Discords swept into Xuanfang. The main battlefield was this Fortress, built by Mengzhou in earlier days against these monsters.

Yangyang: Those symbols on the mechanisms...

Muyu: The construction was overseen by both the Ministry of Development and Zhuojun Atelier's Grand Helm. It would be strange if the Atelier's marks were not here.

Continue forward

Yangyang: The Yuan Fortress battlefield... Even after all these years, it still feels so...

Muyu: At the time, the tide of Tacet Discords swelled relentlessly. Mengzhou's Sentinel, Hsin the Moon Fox, concluded that the Fortress alone would not withstand their onslaught.

Muyu: So She turned to powers beyond mortal understanding. With the authority of Her station, she raised Xuanfang Hold atop the ruins of Yuan Fortress.

Muyu: It was meant to be the apex of Automata Mechanics. Once complete, as the Sentinel envisioned, its very architecture would redirect and eliminate Tacet Discords.

Muyu: A mechanism so vast, so intricate, so perfectly ordered... that no mortal hand could ever hope to build it.

Muyu: Unfortunately, Ovathrax launched its surprise attack just days before completion.

Check on the Yuan Fortress Ruins

Clear the Tacet Discords along the way

Continue forward

Watch the Reverberations of the past

Yangyang: They were... using themselves as bait. Luring Tacet Discords into the Censure Cages.

Muyu: Against a Tacet Discord Outbreak, the forces stationed in the Fortress and the Atelier's Bladepuppets were little more than... straw and mud.

Yangyang: ...And yet, because of them, so many others were spared.

Head down from the cliff's edge, deep into Yuan Fortress

Pass through the lower level of Yuan Fortress

(Optional) Inspect the Censure Cage

Continue forward

Enter the deepest part of Yuan Fortress

Yangyang: This damage... it isn't just from Tacet Discords. It looks more like... some kind of explosion.

Muyu: ...Then it seems you do not know how the Fortress and Gorges War truly ended.

Muyu: That is to be expected. Even now, to most of Mengzhou, it is little more than a memory of suffering.

Check the detonation platform

Muyu: When they realized that no amount of human effort could ever drive back the Tacet Discords...

Muyu: When every hope was exhausted, every option spent... Mengzhou's last defenders detonated the entire Yuan Fortress.

After that, a Higher Will descended upon Xuanfang and brought that... gruesome war to an end.

Check on the Xuanfang Wardens

Young Artisan: No... no, this isn't right...

Young Artisan: What went wrong? Weapons? Mobility? Or is it...

Young Artisan: Argh—?!

Tenacious Xuanfang Warden: Damn you... Tacet Discord—!

Young Artisan: Is this...?

Young Artisan: How fascinating...

Young Artisan: The most uncontrollable part of a person... remade into the stepping stone toward perfection.

Young Artisan: ...Is that not putting it to its best use?

Muyu: What is it, young lady? The Skyworks lies just ahead. We may soon learn the reason for the Autopuppets' rebellion.

Yangyang: Your... right eye.

Muyu: Hmm? This eye? Pay it no mind. An old wound left by a Tacet Discord years ago, nothing more.

Yangyang: This encounter... was it during the Fortress and Gorges War?

Muyu: ...

Muyu: ...Interesting. You couldn't have known me before. And no one alive in Xuanfang knows the particulars of my past.

Yangyang: When people speak, they always try, without knowing, to hide what they leave unsaid.

Yangyang: Unfortunately, I'm very good at seeing it.

Muyu: Oh? You possess that ability?

Muyu: So then, I assume you saw something in that Sonoro, didn't you?

Yangyang: ...Two hundred years ago, you were with Zhuojun Atelier.

Muyu: Zhuojun Atelier... Even now, the name elicits a certain fondness.

Muyu: A so-called gathering of "geniuses," "eccentrics," and "madmen"... A sophisticated nursery.

Muyu: In the eyes of a Higher Will, what difference is there between the wisest human beings and the cleverest colony of ants?

Muyu: The "destination" lies plainly within sight, and yet the Sentinel... only watches from her lofty perch as the ants line up and march in circles. Meaningless circles.

Muyu: Fire has burned in this world so long, the world has forgotten how the fire began. The first flame was stolen from the gods by none other than human hands.

Yangyang: You... You're the one behind all of this.

Muyu: I'm not "behind" anything. Please do not demote me into one of those dull schemers. The sort you've likely heard of... the Fractsidus?

Muyu: I am simply finishing a "research project." To do that, one requires "experiments" for supporting evidence.

Yangyang: You can save that speech for the Ministry of War.

Muyu: I am a man who values efficiency. To waste even one second on anyone or anything unrelated to my purpose would already be excessive.

Muyu: I only revealed myself to you here because I determined it was necessary.

Yangyang: ...

Muyu: ...You lavish so much attention on others, and so remain stubbornly blind to your own nature.

Muyu: Pitiful. The way you live is no different from burning a qin for kindling and boiling a crane for broth.

Muyu: I can sense it. The Reverberations formed from your frequency are the perfect medium. The one I have long sought.

Muyu: A hundred... No, a thousand ordinary Reverberations could not compare to you.

Yangyang: From the moment we met, you've done nothing but talk at yourself...

Yangyang: I don't understand what you're saying, and I don't care to.

Yangyang: But I do know this... the wind will not carry these words anywhere.

Yangyang: Your madness ends here!