Girls' Frontline: My Apocalypse with Dolls

Page 389

A simple late-night snack, a chance encounter that sparked a conversation titled "Do you remember...?", became the most comforting interlude in an endless and unmotivated war.

The girls slept on the original owner's sheets and in their own sleeping bags. Akagi and Kaga's large tails crowded the entire attic, while Taihou forcefully and roughly pulled the two tails apart and crawled inside. Shokaku and Eifu had no interest in fighting and slept on the outer edge with Tirpitz, while AK12 and the others obediently slept in their respective spots.

Luo Fan wasn't unaware of this change. He remembered that back in Raccoon City, they would occasionally raid him at night. At that time, there weren't any demanding missions to carry out, so the atmosphere between them was quite relaxed, with room for jokes and intimacy...

But now, everyone is exhausted. In his heart, Lovan has already defined this so-called "operation" as a "war." If Umbrella can still be active in the world, then they will never have a moment's peace.

Sometimes I wonder, would it have been better if I had just ignored everything from the beginning and let things take their course? That way, the biohazard would have spread endlessly, but he could have lived a peaceful life with the girls, enjoying a quiet existence.

After all, the so-called "system" didn't assign me any tasks; it was entirely up to me to do what I wanted, wasn't it? The leader never asked me to do anything; she was merely faithfully fulfilling her duties and helping me achieve my goals.

Oh, right, let's ask the leader. We've never considered her opinion. Maybe once she can speak, she can offer some advice...

Emerging from the pile of tails undetected seemed to be a test, and handling the large phoenix in his arms with care was no easy task, but Luo Fan managed to do so as safely as possible. No one woke up, and he left the attic alone with the tablet.

As I passed the second floor, I encountered Sister 45, who was on night watch. She noticed my presence immediately and nodded slightly.

"Commander, can't sleep?"

"Yeah, I'm going to clear my head."

"Don't overthink it. Just tell us if you have any problems. We're always here for you."

"……Um."

……

Luo Fan went directly to the balcony, leaving 45 sitting in the living room, staring blankly at the spot where the man had disappeared.

"Our commander has had a tough time. For someone with no war experience, he has done a great job."

The instant coffee in the cup was almost gone. After thinking it over, 45 decided to make another cup.

I'll sit down too...

Amidst their chaotic thoughts, 45 made this choice.

……

On the balcony, all he saw was the same decay. Standing in a hell separated from civilization by only a wall, Luo Fan felt his mind being constantly eroded. Longing and exhaustion gnawed at his reason like ants. He no longer had the leisurely feeling of fighting alongside the girls when he arrived. He only wanted to end it all as soon as possible and return to their shared home.

Luo Fan took out the tablet, gently stroked the screen twice, and without even pressing the start button, the leader could sense and respond to his needs.

The white-haired girl sat down on the dark red leather sofa again, her eyes still as terrifying as swords, the brim of her black military cap creating an unparalleled sense of oppression under the right light.

"Chief." The dull voice betrayed weariness, as if waking from a painful hangover.

"I'm here."

"You're so smart, can you tell me when this... conflict will end?"

The girl in the picture didn't answer immediately; she simply tilted her head and then asked another question...

Would you like to hear a more objective perspective, or a more human one?

"...Listen to them all."

Perhaps one doesn't expect the leader to be able to accurately calculate the results, but it's not bad to have someone to pass the time with.

"After 0.72 seconds of calculation, based on the severe economic stagflation risks faced by Moriarty and others in New York, the isolation strategy jointly carried out by multiple companies, including Thomson's expansionary recruitment strategy, and the risks and conflicts you will face in the quarantine zone, combined with all the high-risk events that may occur, it will conservatively take twelve years to bring down Umbrella."

……

"Yeah……"

But the leader added, "However, from another perspective, with the support of Rosalia and others, this timeframe may be significantly reduced."

It still feels like it's a long way off. I don't even know if I can survive until then, let alone continue deceiving Yingque for another twelve years...

"What about a more humane version?" Luo Fan became interested in this idea.

The leader nodded: "It may take a long time."

...Okay, that's quite humane, since people can't give you a definite answer, so this kind of abstract answer will appear.

"So, leader, do you think it was right of me to intend to fight Umbrella to the death from the very beginning?"

The cold may have weakened Luo Fan's psychological defenses, allowing him to ask these emotional questions.

“I cannot judge whether your choice is right or wrong,” the leader said, shifting his position to cross his legs. “But from a historical and modern perspective, the fate of mankind depends on the choices we make. Perhaps everything was already predetermined from the moment you took that step.”

"Whether it's for the greater good or to satisfy your own pitiful sense of personal heroism, every choice comes with a price, and there's no going back once you've made a decision. If you stop, your family will be dragged into an endless abyss. Then, from a moral standpoint, you'll force yourself not to stop, because that's human nature. It's a luxury to expect people to always be rational."

...Luo Fan was slightly shocked by the leader's explanation, but after thinking about it, it made sense. Indeed, even if he regretted it now, it was too late. He couldn't stop. For the girls, for Ying Que, and for the future when he would no longer be bothered by Umbrella, he couldn't stop anymore.

This war must have a conclusion drawn by his own hand...

"Simply make your own choice, and all of the leader's calculations will be aimed at resolving your problems. The leader will never betray you."

P.S.: Writing emotional scenes in War Zone is really difficult, since the plot is currently all about intense fighting.

I don't know what everyone wants to see. I feel like the battle has been going on for a while. After all, I think that everyone is probably not entirely interested in the plot, but also in the sweet moments. But everyone is silent, and I don't know which aspect to focus on anymore.

Um, could you recommend my new book?

The new book I mentioned before is here! Everyone, it's a fanfiction about Ender Lilies. There's no clear main storyline; it focuses on everyday life, travel, redemption, and healing. I'll try my best to use my strengths in this book to give everyone a high-quality sweet experience.

Of course, this book won't stop either; we'll continue writing it together, so everyone can read with peace of mind.

Furthermore, the two books are intricately connected; one book contains some foreshadowing elements from the current one, which can help everyone better understand the future worldview. Of course, the main focus is still on the sweet romance...

There will be an update tonight, don't worry.

Title: My White Witch Can't Find Friends? Well, Here I Come!

595 Untitled

P.S.: I recommend playing "The Last Reunion" by A-Kun below. It's music from Ball 2, easy to find, and the title has no hidden meaning; it's just very fitting. Trust me.

"Of course I believe you."

If it weren't for you, how would I have had the chance to see my girls jumping around in front of me?

If the girls were the only splash of color in his otherwise bleak life, then the leader was the painter who applied that color. She must have been a master of splashing ink, simply by splashing the paint bucket, witnessing countless colors flow down the paper, intersect, diverge, converge, and blend together, ultimately creating what we see today.

With a sigh, taking out a cigarette from his pocket was an instinctive action. Taking advantage of the girls not being on the balcony, Luo Fan lit another one and took a puff with his usual force.

“So you need to understand,” the girl on the screen suddenly raised her hand, seemingly to attract Luo Fan’s attention, “all the calculations and deductions I’ve made are for you to live a better life. No matter how the future unfolds, it will make you stronger than you are now.”

“Yes, I can feel it,” Luo Fan smiled and said, “I’m not as sentimental as before, and I speak more indirectly. I’m more like a smart person now.”

Luo Fan's magnanimous demeanor made the leader pause for a moment, as if he wanted to add something, but he silently shut his mouth and sat on the sofa.

Separated by a screen, the chasm was as insurmountable as the gap between concepts and the world. The leader knew she was intelligent, yet she always struggled to empathize with Luo Fan's emotions. Like now, the leader interpreted the usual dialogue as sarcasm, but she couldn't sense any displeasure from him; instead, she felt a strange, indescribable feeling...

Exhaling a puff of smoke, Luo Fan shook his head again: "It's not your fault. This is a good thing. If becoming more complicated and hypocritical is to protect my girls, then it doesn't matter. Everyone has been through this."

After all, I have deceived someone. I don't expect her to forgive me when she finds out, but I at least hope that one day she will finally understand what I have been through and then judge my history.

......

Silence dissipated along with the smoke. For the first time, the leader realized that dialogue was such a difficult thing. The emotional module itself only accounted for a small part, and the computing power was extremely limited. As the leader, she rarely used this part of the function. But now she was very envious of those tactical dolls, who could fully respond to his emotions in their own way.

Learning based on their emotional circuits will not yield results; it's not something that can be acquired simply by copying and pasting.

It is a luxury to expect someone to remain rational at all times, but the joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness seem to be a luxury she can never attain.

"...Do you want to see her?"

Therefore, the leaders could only try to change the subject.

Luo Fan was caught in the trap without any hesitation: "Who?"

"Abundance and deficiency".

......

"I don't really want to talk to her right now..."

I feel like I have so much to say, but when I actually see her, I don't know what to say. I'm afraid she'll worry, afraid she'll ask, afraid she'll think about me day and night and lose sleep.

"No need for dialogue, just a look, there's surveillance."

......

"That......"

Before the words were even finished, the screen switched to that familiar little room. The leader had already understood Luo Fan's wishes and naturally switched the scene before he could make another excuse.

The camera was positioned at the head of the bed, looking from the right at the girl lying on a double bed. Luo Fan didn't remember putting a surveillance camera there, but he had no time to care about those details. He was stunned the moment he saw her.

There was some dark red liquid in the cup, which looked like medicine. She didn't remember needing to take medicine before... The bed was very tidy. Her own bed was always clean, but she had placed a photo on her own pillow.

It's my own photo...

There were tear stains under her eyes; she seemed to have just been crying. What had happened during this time? Besides leaving, had something bad happened?

And only upon closer inspection did I notice a slight anomaly...

"Her...hair...what's wrong with it...?"

Mixed with a bit of gray, it was somewhat different from what she remembered. Originally, it was short, light yellow hair. Luo Fan had told her that he preferred long hair, and he had even used AK12 and the others as examples in his mind. But Ying Que wouldn't be the kind of person who would dye her hair.

Moreover, the hair didn't look dyed; it was completely haphazard and appeared to grow naturally in various places...

“Reverse Kabbalah factor,” the leader explained, “is a kind of side effect. Combined with her already severe psychological stress and physical condition, it has caused her to develop the abnormal symptom of gray hair.”

Luo Fan was stunned. He reached out to touch the girl, but could only touch the still-warm touchscreen.

"She misses me a lot, doesn't she?"

"Based on the agent's recent observations, yes, she has developed severe anxiety as a result, becoming sensitive to her surroundings and worried about the safety of other family members. But strangely, she is not moody; on the contrary, she smiles no less than before, but in the agent's words... she smiles with exhaustion, as if trying to hide the traces of her crying."

...I'm so tired, yes, so very tired.

We're all tired...

Sometimes I can't help but think, if only you weren't so kind, you could accept this devil, and he wouldn't have to deceive you anymore. He could just focus on doing his best.

But it was precisely this kind of girl who, like moonlight, tore through the clouds and shone on his face. She was the first angel to truly descend before him before the other girls, a walking painting, a talking Bible.

If the girls had appeared before her, they would have been just fleeting passersby. But when she appeared first, she was given a completely new meaning. Sometimes, the love at first sight mentioned in entertainment works is nothing more than this.

She sat on the bed, staring silently at the wall in front of her, her eyes yearning as if she wanted something, yet she was helpless due to exhaustion. The mountain of longing was like cancer cells crossing the immune system, causing her pain without her even realizing it.

"Okay..."

After a long while, Luo Fan lowered his head, moved the screen away, and the leader also turned off the screen and reappeared in front of Luo Fan.

He raised his head, took a deep breath, seeking release, yet stubbornly held it all back behind a mask of pretense...

596 Thoughts of Illness

P.S.: The music keeps playing, let's continue...

Let's turn our attention back to two days ago, to the bar in VA-11 HALL-A.

Chris planned to go shopping with Carmen, the double bass player, so Yingque filled in as the bartender. She wasn't without experience; after all, it had been almost two months since Luo Fan left, and she had done almost every job except for bartending.

Therefore, she was only responsible for entertaining guests, and the bartending work was temporarily handled by Shina. Strangely enough, a violinist was also quite skilled in this area. It has to be said that the friends he made were indeed very capable people, so it is not surprising that they could support so many people in their family at once.

However, many family members had gone on business trips, and the sudden quiet made her feel somewhat uneasy. The death of her adoptive mother also left her depressed and withdrawn...

"There are more now..."

In her spare time, she looked in the mirror and found a few more gray hairs. It had been a week since she first noticed them, and the trend of her hair turning white was becoming more and more obvious. Yingque tried to cook some black sesame paste with her agent, but it had no effect. The number of white hairs increased day by day and now appeared in patches. Perhaps this is not a sign of health, but from another perspective, it has a wonderful sense of harmony with her original light yellow hair color.

She's grown her hair long, just for him to see, but he's not here. Her hair has started to turn the white color he likes, but he's still busy with work and she doesn't know when he'll be back.

Yingque didn't want to, nor did she like to, use hair dye to dye her hair back to its original color. Just like she didn't like to talk about the past casually in front of acquaintances, it would make her feel old and incompetent. She was still very young now and had nothing to talk about in the past.

Aside from the time when I met him...

Her past was a blank slate, but now she has entrusted her entire future to him, and from then on they are bound together in marriage, inseparable.

boom!

A deliberate collision sound came from inside the bar, causing Yingque to shudder slightly before regaining her composure and preparing to greet the guests.

It was still a few unfriendly-looking guys. You could probably guess their purpose. There seemed to be more of them lately. People would come to the bar to cause trouble. But most of the time Yingque wasn't in the lobby. She had never handled these kinds of incidents herself. She left them to "experienced" people like Chris to deal with.

"Hello, how many of you would like some?"

Se-na went to the restroom, which was the only way to deal with the situation for now; she would figure out a better solution later...

“I’d like to order your boss,” the other party said bluntly, without any intention of being evasive: “Where is he now? We’d like to see him.”

“He is currently out working and may not be available at the moment. If you need a message, I can leave one for you.”