People are in Arknights and becoming Griseo at the beginning

As Alina gazed at the painting, the scene in front of her and the people and environment around her distorted and disappeared almost instantly. Instead, she found herself in a snow-covered, silver forest, observing "herself" lying on the side of the road, covered in blood and grievously injured, yet still tightly holding an empty basket.

"..."

Staring at the scene before her, Alina's eyes revealed disbelief and confusion. Soon, she understood. She was too familiar with this scene; it was where she had been attacked before.

The scene depicted what might have happened without little Griseo's help. Alina had been cruelly killed by the infected who left the team over a small amount of supplies.

Before she could continue her thoughts, the scene changed again. The sky darkened, as if time had passed, and she lay on the ground, her life ebbing away.

A figure Alina recognized appeared on the dim forest path. It was Talulah.

"Ah... Ah..."

"Talulah, I'm here... I'm fine."

Watching Talulah, teary-eyed and in disbelief, walk in front of "her," Alina frowned and tried to reach out to comfort her, but her hand passed through the figure.

At that moment, Alina understood. She didn't belong there and couldn't interfere with anything. She could only be a silent spectator, watching everything unfold.

She watched as the dying "her" was carried on Talulah's back, step by step, towards the camp. She watched "herself" softly and weakly comfort Talulah, telling her not to wallow in anger. She saw herself finally die on her best friend's back.

She observed Talulah facing the village incident alone, collapsing completely, beginning to hate others, and turning to Black Snake. She witnessed Talulah making mistake after mistake, and her colleagues in the Reunion movement dying one by one.

Finally, seeing the girl who had awakened in her anguish but was now burdened with heavy sins and shackles, Alina lowered her eyes, filled with helplessness and sighs.

"..."

"Talulah... I will stay with you this time."

Alina whispered softly, as if making a promise. As her last words fell, a breeze blew across her cheek, and the scene in front of her slowly dissipated with the wind.

...

"Alina, Alina! What's wrong with you?"

Talulah frowned and shouted loudly at Alina, who was staring at the painting and ignoring everything else.

"..."

Standing next to her, Griseo did not intervene. She was also closely watching Alina, ready to rescue her if anything went wrong.

However, when Talulah's shouting didn't work and she was about to take action, Alina suddenly raised her hand, covered her ears, and looked at her best friend helplessly, saying, "Stop, Talulah... the sound is too loud. I heard you."

At the helpless gaze of her friend, Talulah quickly retracted her hand and asked softly, "Are you okay, Alina? What happened just now? Were you too fascinated by the painting?"

"Well..."

Alina squinted her eyes and her expression turned meaningful, not rushing to answer Talulah's question.

"So... what did Sister Alina see in the painting?"

Griseo, curious about what Alina had seen, asked with big, curious eyes.

"Little Griseo doesn't know?"

Now it was Alina's turn to be curious. In her opinion, what she had just seen was because of the painting Griseo gave her. It made no sense that the painter didn't know its effect.

"...Everyone's colors are different, and the paintings they draw are also different."

Griseo gently shook her head and explained in her steady voice. After the explanation, she continued to look at Alina with her big eyes, waiting for her answer.

But before Griseo got an answer, someone else spoke.

"What are you two talking about? Isn't this just an ordinary painting?"

Talulah first glanced at the painting in Alina's arms. She didn't see anything special except that it was very well done. Then she looked at the two people in front of her who were talking in a way she couldn't understand. She was a little confused.

"Nothing. I just think that little Griseo's painting is very good. I was fascinated by it just now."

After saying that, Alina didn't forget to wink at Griseo, hinting at her.

Alina didn't intend to tell her best friend directly about what she saw. Talulah's view of things and people was too idealistic, even a bit out of touch with reality.

Some things, even if she told Talulah, might not be believed. Even if believed, they wouldn't have a very intuitive impact. In this case, Alina didn't want to waste her breath.

What's more, she had plenty of time now. Instead of speaking directly, it was better to slowly train Talulah and subtly change her views on some things.

To help her become a good leader...

"..."

Seeing Alina's hint, Griseo became more curious but didn't ask more questions. Although she didn't know what Alina saw, since she didn't want Talulah to know, Griseo was willing to cooperate. She would ask in private later if necessary.

...

"...I always feel that Alina seems to be hiding a lot from me today... Let's not talk about other things now. I want to know what happened to you today. Why did you get hurt?"

Looking at the two who were interacting closely, Talulah suddenly looked disappointed and puffed her cheeks. She felt that Alina seemed to have more secrets after meeting the little girl in front of her and hadn't told her everything.

Hearing Talulah bring up the matter again, Alina put away her smile and her expression became serious. She slowly closed the distance between herself and her best friend.

As they got closer, until there was only a palm's distance between them, Alina stopped. She stared at Talulah with her serious blue eyes and said, word by word:

"What I encountered today... Talulah, if you want to know, promise me first."

"Promise... not to retaliate against those people."

.