Break the Siege

Endministrator! You alright? Are you hurt?

I'm okay, but we'll have to walk the rest of the way.

The Aggeloi even managed to reach this place. The situation in the field is far more severe than our previous estimates.

I actually hoped for a gentler reception than this...

Supervisor Perlica! You arrived at just the right time! Our temporary defenses have been breached. If you weren't here...

And I'm glad that you're alright, Director Qin. I believe you have a sitrep for me.

Yes. An Ankhor fell right into the Base. The thing won't stop spawning the Aggeloi...

We've sent all our injured personnel to the Control Tower. There are just too many Aggeloi and they will overrun our Security Division eventually.

We must find a way to stop the Ankhor...

Supervisor Perlica, may I ask who this...

Ah, of course... This, is our Endministrator.

Endministrator!? Are we talking about THE Endministrator!?

Ah ... apologies. Many operators in Valley IV have never seen you before, Endmin. News of your awakening gave rise to plenty of gossip and rumors.

When we received the message from Dijiang, the entire crew tried to plan a welcoming ceremony. But just a few days later, we were suddenly attacked... I didn't expect you to arrive here in the midst of the battle.

We're here to help, Director Qin. Do we have any news about the missing personnel? How many of our people are outside the Base?

It's hard to say. The Aggeloi just kept attacking. Security Division can only maintain a limited security perimeter...

People here are in danger. I suggest we delay our earlier arrangements, Endministrator.

Good, Endministrator. I knew you would say that...

Director Qin, we'll handle the hostiles in the Base and direct any of your missing staff to the Control Tower for safety.

Wonderful... Your help will set my mind at ease. Good luck out there.

By the way, I'm not seeing Mr. Andre anywhere. Where is he right now?

...ARRGGH! That silly old man! He went off trying to be a hero again!

That fool never stops treating his projects with far more respect than his own feathery hide!

Anyway, if you see that old fool, tie him up and haul him back to the Control Tower... This might be the only safe place left in the Base.

We'll find him. Have faith in us.

The Ankhor at the Old Factory is still spawning Aggeloi. We must first eliminate this threat. Time to initiate our mission, Endmin.

Endministrator, is there anything you wish to know?

Ankhors are constructs that fall from the sky. After landing, they extract soil minerals to create the Aggeloi... We figured out how to take out the Ankhors, but we still have no idea where they come from.

Of course. The Aggeloi are composed of a wide range of materials. In extreme scenarios, Ankhors can even use nearby biomass to build new Aggeloi... Though such incidents are rare, they can be horrifying to behold.

The Ankhor must be taken out to stop the Aggeloi from spawning. This must be done before we can start rebuilding the Hub Base.

The emergency barrier of the Control Tower is still working. Our security team did their best and fought off a few attacks, but they're barely holding on.

No deaths have been reported so far but we have plenty of injuries and our facilities took heavy damage. Most of our staff evacuated to the first floor of the Control Tower. As for Andre ... I just hope he's alright...

There's no way we can outlast the Aggeloi. I can hardly imagine what would happen if you weren't here... But since you are, the worst is finally behind us.

Supervisor Perlica, Endministrator ... please be careful out there. If you see any scattered personnel, tell them to evac to the Control Tower.

This is the Ankhor... But its core is not here.

No. All active Ankhors give off that light... This Ankhor plunged itself deep underground. That's where its core should be.

I've seen the Hub Base building plans. This Old Factory should have an underground floor that we could reach.

If this basement area is stable, we should be able to reach and destroy the Ankhor core. Let's go, Endmin. This should be the way.

Supervisor Perlica? Thank goodness, you're finally here.

We assembled here after the Ankhorfall and managed to hold on to this place... Okay, I guess we held on to this place until five minutes ago.

I understand, but I must tend to the wounded... Wait. You're injured as well.

Are you alright?

This is where we grow Buckflowers. Buckflower Powder is a common pharmaceutical ingredient and it's easy to make. Take some. They'll come in useful.

...This will give me a peace of mind.

I'll stay here and care for the injured for now, and then join up with Director Qin when we could start moving again. I look forward to your good news.

Hehe! Awesome, right? What do you think of that move?

Heh. I'll show you an even deadlier killer move next time. A single swing will take anything out! Guaranteed!

Endministrator, I'm Chen Qianyu, or Chen for short! If you got a problem you need trimming, my blade is yours to command.

Oh. So you are familiar with swordmancy. Yeah, I swung it a little too fast.

Anyways, I'll show you an even deadlier move next time!

Back to business! Endmin, I'm Chen Qianyu, or Chen for short! If you got a problem you need trimming, my blade is yours to command.

Perlica also told me about you! Every time she mentions the Endmin, she just goes on and on and on —

Ahem! We ... should check on Mr. Andre...

Hnggg... Hrrk... This hurts...

Mr. Andre, are you alright?

The lab ... the Prototype... Enemies?! Did you fight them off? You, you are—

End — ENDMIN?! You're really back!

I thought you'd be here ten days later! You're not hurt, are you? And what's with the mask?

Endmin, this is Mr. Andre, our resident Endfield technical expert at this site. He is also the chief engineer of the Automated Industry Complex.

Ah ... that's because I saw the Ankhor crashing into the Old Factory, so I rushed over here to check if the Prototype was alright. Look, here it is.

Is this the contraption you were protecting? It looks really expensive! You must have spent quite a bit of time on it...

It would be unfair to say that this is my work. A friend of mine left this Prototype to me. I'm very grateful that you came here and saved it.

Now that the Ankhor has been taken out ... there shouldn't be any more Aggeloi around. We should quickly get our base back up and running.

Leave it to us. By the way, Director Qin requests your immediate return to the Control Tower.

Oh. So ... what was she like when she asked about me? Was she angry?

Hmm...

Oh dear... I'm finished.

Nicely done, Endmin. And thank goodness you arrived on time, Chen.

Never mind that — thank goodness you're back. Endmin, it's been ten years! We finally did it! We cracked the project you left behind!

Puccini and Popov can finally rest in peace. During their final moments, they lamented that they couldn't deliver this solution into your hands—

Ahem...

Uh, what's with the formal intro, Supervisor Perlica?

Wait. Did Endmin really forget...

...This isn't fair! Why?! Why does suffering always happen to... *Sigh*.

We should set aside the details for later. Now, Mr. Andre, why did you risk your safety to rush to this place?

This is an all-channel broadcast. I repeat. This is an all-channel broadcast.

All Security Division combatants are to assemble at the base entrance ASAP. I repeat. Assemble at the base entrance ASAP. Over.

I believe Director Qin needs help at her place.

Go and assemble. I'll be with you shortly once I'm done checking the machines.

Assessing exterior damage is difficult... I also need to check the interior structure.

Gotta figure out a way to delay the meeting with Director Qin... Oh dear...

Doing okay? Did you get hurt?

I ... uh ... probably sprained my ankle when I passed out... Ughhh... Age is really catching up on me.

...Okay... I guess you can leave first, Endmin and Perlica. I'll watch over the Big Owl—I mean ... Mr. Andre.

What's going on, Director Qin...

Landbreakers ... and so many of them.

This isn't the worst of it. Look over there.

That place... It's the deployment area we reserved for the Automation-Core.

From the scale of the rising smoke columns, the deployment area has completely fallen.

This area was completely surrounded by Aggeloi, yet these bandits still got through... How did they manage to slip in without anyone noticing?

Those Landbreakers we encountered were probably just their vanguard... Director Qin, is there anything we can use?

Security Division gathered as much intel as they could. I'll sync it with you.

You got a team of pros, Director Qin. Endmin, you saw what I did, right? I know tons about fighting these scummy LBs!

I'm afraid my creaky bones won't let me swing a weapon... But I can still offer plenty of help with the Automation-Core.

But ... should we come up with a more ... foolproof plan? There are just so many LBs outside...

Have faith in us, Director Qin.

I'm not just the Supervisor of Endfield Industries. I'm also the acting lead of the Endfield Crisis Team.

I'm part of it too! Excited to work with you, Endmin! I'm sure there's a lot I can learn from you.

Alrighty! Now let's go and teach those pipefaces what happens when you mess with Endfield!

Endministrator, I ... I'd actually prefer it if you can just stay and rest here. Fighting the Landbreakers is very different from fighting the Aggeloi. The conditions of your health...

...Much appreciated, Endmin.

So we have a conclusion, Director Qin. The Crisis Team will whittle down enemy forces, deploy the PAC at the designated site, and transmit power back to Base with relay towers to restore Base operations.

Mr. Andre, I'll contact you once the roads are clear. Apologies for forcing you to travel into the wildlands, but we will need your help.

No problem! I feel so much better knowing I can finally help everyone properly this time!

Stop puffing up your feathers, old man. Endministrator, Supervisor Perlica, and Operator Chen, do be careful out there.

Before I forget, the TP Point is not part of the Base's power system. If there's something more than you can handle, just head back to Base and rest.

...We're counting on you.

Whoa, Endministrator! Is there anything else? I ... I have to take a closer look at this. It won't take long! Chen will keep me safe, don't worry!

Ankhors... From the north they come, flying to various spots of the world, and spawning the Aggeloi where they land. In our eyes, they seem just as dangerous as natural disasters.

We still have trouble predicting the appearance of Ankhors and their landing sites. If we fail to intercept them and let them land, our only option is to destroy their cores and stop their activities.

Speaking of which, we haven't seen an Ankhor strike of such a scale for a really, really long time. What on Talos is happening...?

A machine that a friend of mine left here. I'm giving it a heat insulation coating and an expanded mobility module, amongst other modifications.

I literally saw how that Ankhor plunged into this place with my own eyes just a while ago. Hoooo. It got my feathers all ruffled up and I totally freaked out!

If the Prototype got destroyed under my care, I wouldn't know how to tell Yvonne the bad news.

Well, it seems your recovery isn't complete. Supervisor Perlica did mention this possibility, but ... *Sigh*. This is such a shame!

We worked on plenty of projects! Systematization of the tele-protocols, overall optimization to local deployment plans, and the AIC Factory itself ——

Let's not dwell on the past for now. In any case, everything you see here is the fruit of your leadership. Together, we made this happen. People might forget, but data and machinery would retain records and logs.