With Aalto guiding them, Rover approaches the sleek-looking base. The walk is punctuated by Rover’s terminal humming with an incoming communication. However, the quality is very granular and fluctuates drastically.

Youhu: “Hey! Can you hear me! Is that you, Rover? Are you okay?! We couldn't reach you for so long! Yangyang was freaking out! Someone must have teleported us away from the Port City of Guixu when things went south. You know, in the blink of an eye, we were back in Jinzhou. Hey, is that the sea behind you? What? Ro...ver…”

Aalto: “Comm's dead? Don't worry. It happens a lot around here. The Black Shores sits atop a massive Tacetite, wreaking havoc on standard communications. Once we reach the Greenhouse, you can patch them in near our beacon Only our beacons can cut through the Tacetite's interference.”

A resonance beacon is only a short walk away, letting Rover sync their terminal with ease to the network even on this faraway rock. With a clear signal, they receive another communications request.

Yangyang: “…Rover! Finally got through…”

Chixia: “Hey, you scared us to death!!!”

Rover: “Sorry, the Tacetite's interference was too strong. I'm in the Black Shores now.”

Yangyang: “Glad to know you're all right.”

Rover: ****“Chixia, is that you?”

Chixia: “Yeah! Just so you know, we got the Black Shores' warning, so we cranked up the defenses in Jinzhou.”

Yangyang: “The Midnight Rangers are preparing to secure the Port City of Guixu, and…As for the Bloom Bearers who have passed, we'll bring their bodies back to the Black Shores. I know the Black Shores hold many answers for you—your memories, your past…Though the road ahead is uncertain, I hope you find the truth you seek. And please remember, you never have to bear the weight alone... I... We are here with you. Always.”

The comms end, and Aalto directs Rover towards someone who can handle the aberrant frequencies found in Guixu… who turns out to be a cuboid robot with a rather dapper digital moustache.

KU-Money: “Ku ku ku… Aalto? I've told you before, when it comes to the classic games on the TR-1200, you don't stand a chance against me. Not in the slightest!”

Rover: “Is that... a talking robot?”

Aalto: “Well, in a sense, yes. They're directly linked to the Tethys System, their voice frequencies are encoded into languages we could understand. If you think about it, they could be considered a unique living race of their own. As for the Tethys System, imagine it as a supercomputer. The Black Shores relies on its calculations to observe, forewarn, and solve anything Lament-related. Anyway... let me introduce you to KU-Money. They manage the cash flow and keep tabs on robot terminals across the region. They're the shrewd profiteer of the Black Shores.”

**KU-Money: “**Yo, hold up! You can't call me that! Every move I make is about stacking those chips for the Black Shores!”

Aalto: “Easy there. Let's get back to business. The recent quake's stirred up Tacetite's interference. How's your underground connection holding?”

**KU-Money: “**Rock solid. As long as Tethys is up, we're wired tight.”

Aalto: “That's comforting. Hey Rover, you can give the abnormal frequency to KU-Money. They'll handle the upload.”

You hand over the card Youhu gave you to the peculiar robot.

**KU-Money: “**This a new rookie? You've got skills if you snagged that abnormal frequency from Port City of Guixu. Better not underestimate you.”