Zenless Zone Zero - Detective Grey Go (гет)

Scene 1. Gloss of New Eridu (Advertising block)

Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: Sixth Street.

The camera glides smoothly between the futuristic skyscrapers of New Eridu (p. 1). Under the cheeky, swinging beat, "Sly Hares" effectively jump out of the alley. Nicole barely holds a heavy suitcase, bills fly out of the cracks (p. 1).

Nicole: (on the run, panting)

—Billy, cover me!" But without too much pathos, we have every cartridge on the bill!

Billy the Kid: (twirls revolvers on his fingers, does a pretentious somersault)

— The Star Knight never skimps on style, boss! The director's version of my attack is starting right now!

Billy opens heavy fire. The shot with an explosion is replaced by a frosty flash: to the graceful classical music, Ellen Joe raises huge scissors with a cold sigh, and Von Lycaon, in a flawless jump, breaks the icy Efril into thousands of beautiful sparkling fragments.

A new sharp mounting joint is the screeching brakes of a police car. Zhu Yuan and Qingyi synchronously snap handcuffs on robbers in the neon light of flashing Light.

Pretentious female voice-over:

"And all this... our valiant Agents of New Eridu!" They protect your peace from any threats. Don't be afraid, this city is in safe hands!

(Bright holographic phone numbers of faction hotlines pop up on the screen)

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## Scene 2. The living city at the showcase

Location: Near the General Chop noodle shop / Toy Store.

The picture shrinks sharply and turns into a flat screen of an old TV in a showcase . Two boys are standing by a large clear glass, pressing their noses against the glossy surface . Their eyes are burning with admiration.

The right boy: (actively gesturing with imaginary pistols)

— Well, tough guy!.. I also want to shoot so cool on the run! Or chop enemies into cabbage, like Ellen!

The boy on the left (Chris, wearing a cap): (crosses his arms over his chest)

— Nah... the strength is in defense, Chris. Did you see Officer Seth's plasma shield? It's huge! With such a shield, you're actually immortal!

The right boy:

— Are you serious, Chris?.. Hiding behind a shield is a mortal boredom! Uncle Billy's guns are cooler! Or like that wolf butler — bam, bam with his feet, and all the monsters scattered!

Their mother softly approaches them from behind in an elegant raincoat, rustling a paper bag with purchases. From there, there is an appetizing smell of fresh pastries.

Mom: (gently, with a warm smile)

— Well, boys, don't quarrel. Are you arguing about some nonsense right in the middle of the street again?

The boy on the left (Chris): (turns around offended)

— Mom, it's not nonsense! We're finding out which Agent is the strongest! Seth would definitely beat everyone!

The right boy:

— No, Billy is cooler! Did you see his bullets?

Mom sighs, gently stroking her son on the peak of his cap In the background, a van drives by, a Banbu cleaner diligently wipes the pavement with a mop, creating an atmosphere of a bustling weekday.

Mother:

—Oh, silly. Everyone is strong in their own way. You can't just say who is worse and who is better. One defends, the other attacks. That's why they work together, and each of them is important to New Eridu

The boys simultaneously puff out their cheeks and grumble with displeasure (p. 1):

Boys: (in one voice)

— Mom, this is boring!.. Comparing the numbers would be much more reasonable and interesting!

Mother: (he smiles a little confused, shaking his head)

— Okay, analysts... Come on, I'll buy you some ice cream

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## Scene 3. The reality of everyday detective

work.: Under a spreading tree by the window.

The tension subsides. The boys instantly forget about the argument and stretch their arms to their mother with smiles

The boy is without a cap.:

— Mom, honestly?! I don't care about the shape of Billy's head! With strawberry syrup!

The boy in the cap (Chris):

— And I have a Security badge! Lemon!

Mom: (leaving the frame)

— Yes, yes, well, you will have both the SAT and the Hares...

The camera slowly rises up to the dense foliage of an old tree that stood next to the store. There is a furious, angry hissing and muffled grunting .

The frame focuses on a thick branch. Gray lies sprawled on it in an extremely uncomfortable position. His face is covered with Band-aids in several places, and there are fresh, burning red scratches on his cheek. In his hands, he clutches a fluffy, violently struggling cat in a death grip.

Finally, the cat quiets down, staring at him resentfully.

Gray: (breathing heavily, hoarsely into her face)

—Eh... well, well. I finally caught you, little wool monster... Now you can't escape from my brilliant tactical mind...

Gray, without letting go of the cat with one hand, tries to feel the saving peanuts in the pocket of his rumpled detective coat with the other. Fingers find the cherished a nut. He is about to put it in his mouth when suddenly…

CRUNCH!

The branch under him breaks abruptly (p. 2). Gray's face stretches in horror. He flies backwards, clutching the cat tightly to his chest.

TIME FREEZES. The frame becomes monochrome, except for Gray and the cat. A neon bar appears, and the stern, deep voice of the announcer solemnly announces:

Announcer:

— "Unsuccessful part—time detective — Gray." (p. 2)

THE TIME IS COMING BACK. Gray slams his back into the asphalt with a dull, painful sound. The cat gracefully lands on his face, pushes off his nose with its paws and runs away. Gray is writhing on the ground, holding his lower back.

Gray: (quietly wheezes into the ground)

— My coccyx... I feel like I've aged another ten years...

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# Scene 4. Higher education versus harsh life

Location: Sixth Street, residential areas.

Gray wanders dejectedly along the sidewalk, listlessly nibbling peeled peanuts . His appearance is a walking anti—advertising detective bureau: disheveled black hair sticks out in all directions, a long detective raincoat is rumpled, covered with dust and some suspicious green spots from the leaves. He looks exhausted He looks 35 years old, although according to his passport he is only 23.

Rare passers-by squint at him in disgust and quicken their pace. The same mother from the first scene, passing by with her sons finishing their ice cream, pointedly points at Gray with her finger.

Mom: (in a loud whisper)

— Do you see, boys? If you skip classes and study poorly, you will become exactly like this untidy uncle...

Gray is just throwing in another peanut at this moment and chokes on such a statement, coughing dryly.

Gray: (to himself, indignantly wiping his mouth the sleeve)

—Skipping classes?" Yes, I have an honours degree and a higher analytical education! When I was nineteen, I wrote reports for half the department!.. Oh, well. Calm down, Fan. Do not engage in discussions with civilians, it harms the nervous system.

He turns into a small cozy house with a quiet courtyard, where an elderly woman, Grandma Liv, is already waiting for him on the porch. The cat that caused Gray to fall from the tree is already peacefully rubbing against her legs.

Grandma Liv: (with with a kind, compassionate smile)

— Fanchik, my grandson! Thank you so much! My Fuyi is always wandering off somewhere, then climbing into the engine of someone else's car, then into a tree. You helped old Enlu so much last week, too — you found his favorite wrench, otherwise he turned over the whole house, grumbling, old… What would we do in our neighborhood without you?

Gray: (smiles politely and warmly, bowing slightly)

— You're welcome, Miss Liv. If this furry beast decides to storm the peaks again, you know where to look for me. As usual, you will be charged for minor services... only 50 den. (Aside, sighing softly): Just for one pack of peanuts in the vending machine.

Grandma Liv looks at his rumpled raincoat, bruises under his eyes and shakes her head with deep maternal pity.

Grandma Liv:

— Granddaughter, what a little thing, look at yourself — you've lost weight completely! Come inside, I made fresh soup today and just took the raspberry pie out of the oven. At least you'll eat normally!

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## Scene 5. Inflation and the fatal coupon

Location: The alley by the vending machine.

Gray backs away, politely putting his palms forward and trying to tactfully shirk.

Gray:

—Oh, Miss Liv, that's so kind of you, but I have an... um... incredibly busy schedule!" So many unsolved cases, calls, clients... literally every minute counts! Thank you, I ran!

He turns around and walks briskly around the corner, throwing the last nut into his mouth as he goes. In fact, he has nothing to do.

The frame changes: Gray trudges wearily down a deserted alley . He approaches a bright vending machine with a food logo. His face lights up with anticipation, he drops a 50-den coin into the slot and reaches for the button with the inscription "Simple Peanuts".

Suddenly the machine emits a nasty squeak. "BEEP-BOOP," and the coin flies back into the tray. Gray looks closer and notices a small sticker, freshly glued on top of the old price: 65 den.

Gray: (grabs his hair, his face contorting with rage)

"What do I need all this for?" Okay, the day didn't go well, okay, fell off the tree, but inflation?! Peanuts?! How dare they raise the price of a holy thing in the first place?!

In complete despair, he falls back on a wooden bench next to the vending machine and throws his head back, looking up at the gray sky.

Gray: (whispers dejectedly)

— Maybe... I shouldn't have quit the Security Service after all?.. Would I live now On a stable salary, I didn't know any grief.…

A brief memory pops up before his eyes: Zhu Yuan, with a stern face, stands over his desk, on which stands a mountain of folders as tall as a man. "Officer Fan, you submitted the report out of form! Rewrite all thirty volumes by tomorrow morning! And no peanuts in the workplace!"

Gray shakes his bluish head sharply, driving away the nightmare.

Gray:

—No, no, no!" Fuck me! Did I quit and sign those papers for nothing, so that I could voluntarily climb into this bureaucratic hell again? If I had stayed to fill out these endless Zhu Yuan reports, I would now look 55 years old instead of 35!

Suddenly his analytical gaze catches on to something. A mangy street cat sits on a thick rusty pipe against the opposite wall. And in his teeth this cat holds a bright gold glossy flyer with a large inscription: "ACTION! Coupon for a free large pack of peanuts in the EXPRESS CLASS!"

Gray gets up from the bench slowly, as if spellbound. His pupils constrict.

Gray: (in a low, insinuating, almost purring voice)

— Oh... it seems the gods of luck have decided to return the favor... Kitty-kitty-kitty, good kitty... Give me this piece of paper, Uncle Detective needs it more...

The cat squints one eye, emits a contemptuous "Meow" and abruptly breaks off the pipe.

Gray:

— STOP!

Gray makes a sharp lunge, trips over his own raincoat, crashes his shoulder into a trash can with a bang, but does not notice the pain (p. 3). He rushes after the cat through the alleys, waving his arms.

Gray: (shouting at the top of his voice)

— Give me the ticket, fleabag! I'm already having the worst day of my life, don't piss off the evil uncle!

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## Scene 6. The siren and the leap into the unknown

Location: The border of a residential area and abandoned neighborhoods.

The cat runs incredibly fast, as if it has turned on turbo mode. Gray is already ready to give his best when suddenly a deafening, ear-crushing siren howls through the air.

Holographic screens on buildings instantly switch to an alarming red color. The heavy mechanical voice of the public address system reverberates over the city:

The voice of AI:

— "Attention! A sudden expansion of the Cavity was detected in subsector 4-B! All civilians proceed to safe shelters immediately! I repeat..."

Gray slams on the brakes, his boots grinding against the asphalt. There is a fork in the road in front of him. To the left is an evacuation sign and complete safety . To the right is a cat with a golden coupon going deep into abandoned warehouses, and the eerie purple—black fog of the cavern is already gathering over the roofs.

Thoughts are racing through his head at the speed of a computer. Leave? Hide as usual? But my stomach is rumbling, and the image of a pack of express peanuts is in front of my eyes ...

Gray: (clenches his teeth, his face becomes determined)

— If I turn back now, everything will continue like this... It's the same every day! To hell with it! It's better to take a risk than to starve to death under a fence!

He takes a sharp step to the right and rushes straight towards the growing Cavern as fast as he can.

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## Scene 7. Code red in PubSec

Location: Evacuation Area.

Captain Zhu Yuan coordinates the streams of frightened people, directing them to the armored doors of the underground shelter (p. 3). Qingyi approaches her with quick, calculating steps, her mechanical joints barely audibly ticking.

Qingyi:

— Captain Zhu. We have an emergency situation. The perimeter sensors detected a civilian entering directly into the Cavern formation zone a second before the contour closes.

Zhu Yuan's eyes widen in shock. She instantly switches on the walkie-talkie on her shoulder.

Zhu Yuan: (in a commanding but agitated voice)

— Headquarters, I'm reporting! We have a civilian at the epicenter of the cavern! (p. 3) The code is red! All free Agents of the SB are to move to Square 4-B immediately! We must make it before the infection level becomes critical!

She takes off and rushes to the breach. Officer Set, who just ran up with his huge plasma shield, and Qingyi rush after her.

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## Scene 8. The Trap and Gray's "Special Status."

Location: Inside The Cavern.

Grey, breathing heavily and literally dodging the black crystals forming from the air, makes the final jump and covers the cat with his jacket. He carefully pulls the coveted gold coupon out of his teeth.

Grey: (happy, crazy smile from ear to ear)

— Yes! Gotcha! My ticket to peanut heaven and a comfortable week!..

Suddenly the ground disappears under his feet . Gray realizes that the asphalt has dissolved, and he is flying into the abyss. The smile instantly slips from his face, replaced by complete humility (p. 4)

Gray: (with a sigh, his catchphrase)

— Well, yes. As usual. Well, at least I'll die at the coupon...

He falls screaming into a thick purple hole .

After a couple of seconds, Zhu Yuan runs to this place, but in front of her nose the sinkhole is covered with a hard gray coating . Seth and Qingyi slow down next to each other.

Qingyi: (calmly, trying to support her)

— Captain, the ether level was rising too fast. It's not your fault. You have done everything you could, the human factor is inevitable...

Zhu Yuan literally exudes a heavy, suffocating aura of guilt. She can't stand it when people suffer because of slowness or accidents. Seth, seeing her condition, shrinks her head into her shoulders in fright and tries not to even look at the captain.

Zhu Yuan: (sharply, restraining emotions)

— Qingyi. Officer Seth. Follow me. We're going inside. I have to find this man. I have to see him... with my own eyes to make sure he's alive or...

Seth and Qingyi: (synchronously hitting their turn)

— That's right, Captain! It will be completed!

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Meanwhile, at the bottom of the Cave.

Gray falls with a crash onto a pile of old iron boxes. It hurts him wildly, but thanks to the instant calculation of the trajectory in flight, he regrouped and did not break anything. He holds his buzzing head and looks around.

Around him is the distorted reality of the Cavern: floating there are fragments of walls in the air, purple fog. And then lectures from the SB Academy come back to his memory: "If you stay in a Cave for a long time without protection, an ordinary person is guaranteed to mutate into an Ephril" .

Gray instantly jumps up, panic seizes him .

Gray: (running in circles, shouting)

"Damn, damn, damn!" What should I do?! The only weapons are pepper spray and a lighter, against ether it's like spitting into a volcano! Can... not breathe? No, that's not an option, I'll die even faster that way!

From complete impotence, he falls to his knees, folding his hands in prayer .

Gray:

"That's it," the detective said… Kaverna, if you can hear me, at least turn me into some kind of young, muscular and strong monster, and not into a slug!

A minute passes. Two. Five. Gray opens one eye. His skin does not turn gray, his tail does not grow, his mind is clear . Outwardly, he is still the same tired person. His analytical mind instantly throws off panic, and violent fantasy turns on

Gray: (slowly rises, his eyes shine)

"Wait a minute… Am I not turning? Means… AM I SPECIAL?! Do I have a hidden blessing? An ancient blood magic that I didn't know about?!

He stands in a pretentious anime pose, stretches his arm forward, concentrating "inner energy", and shouts for effect

Gray:

— FIREBALL!!!

(Silence. Only the wind blows purple dust)

Gray: (changes his position, makes passes with his hands)

— ICE CAPS!!!

(Nothing happens. Gray begins to doubt)

Gray: (quietly, embarrassed)

— Uh... Peanut bullets...

BAM! A heavy iron bucket falls on his head with a crash from a floating wreckage. Gray falls flat. After a second, he rises up, rubbing the lump .

Gray: (dejectedly)

— Well, yes, of course… He counted on the hidden power. Fuck you, Fan, not magic. They don't even let you dream before you die...

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## Scene 9. Tactical survival and an old nightmare

Location: An abandoned laboratory inside a Cave.

Huge, neon-glowing eyes light up in the fog nearby. A terrible roar of massive Efril is heard.

Gray: (eyes round)

— RUN WHILE YOU REMEMBER!!!

Gray flashes his heels. The monster rushes after him, smashing crystals. On the run, Gray notices a sagging iron hut (trailer) and dives there. His brain scans the room in a hundredth of a second: a pile of junk, debris and ... rows of rusty nitrogen cylinders against the wall . In a tactical chain is instantly formed in his head.

The monster breaks down the iron door of the cabin with a bang. Gray, standing by the cylinders, sharply strikes a lighter, striking a spark right in front of the valve, which he managed to open.

BOOOOOOMH!

A directional gas explosion occurs. The monster is thrown away and covered with burning fragments of the ceiling . Gray, panting, falls to the ground behind the shelter, wiping sweat from his forehead .

Gray:

— Ugh... gone. On the coupon... Now you can have peanuts...

He reaches for his pocket, when suddenly there is a heavy, clear, perfectly even stomp of army boots outside . Gray wouldn't confuse that sound with anything else in the world. His stress level instantly soars higher than when he sees Efril .

Gray: (shrinks into a ball in horror, thoughts rush through his head in panic)

"IT'S ZHU YUAN!"!! Damn, damn, damn, not her! I quit! I have written all the rejection documents! Are you going to haunt me for the rest of my life?!

He needs to hide urgently. He notices a large empty barrel of supplies. On pure survival instinct, he turns it over on himself, shrinking inside, and quickly pokes small holes for eyes through the rusty crack with his finger.

The door finally flies off its hinges. Zhu Yuan rushes into the hut first with a submachine gun at the ready, followed by Seth, who covers her with a shield.

Zhu Yuan: (looking around)

"There was an explosion here. Officer Seth, check the upper level of the cabin. I'll inspect the rubble on the first one . The civilian should be somewhere nearby.

As soon as Zhu Yuan turns away to the rubble, the barrel against the wall rises neatly on human legs and tiptoes, silently, begins to back away to the exit Gray, using all his knowledge of PubSec blind spots, manages to slip out unnoticed .

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## Scene 10. Robo-girl and the deserter

Location: Exit from the Cavern subsector.

Gray, leaving the barrel, thanks to his ingenious internal navigator, practically finds a safe way out of the Cavern (p. 5). He already sees the light at the end of the tunnel, when suddenly Qingyi appears out of thin air in front of him, with the sound of hydraulics, with his arms folded on his chest

Gray falls to He kneels down and holds out his hands to her in a pleading gesture (p. 5).

Gray:

—Qingyi! Please, please, for God's sake! Don't give me up to that woman! She'll bury me alive under a mountain of reports for trespassing!

Qingyi looks down at him, a slight, sly robo-grin appears on her face.

Qingyi:

— Oh. Fan Freys. A former Security Officer. And why should I be scared to help... a deserter? Captain Yuan has clearly outlined the goal: to save a civilian. You are a civilian

Gray instantly turns pale, realizing that he has been discovered.

Gray: (clutches his head)

— What have you done, Robo-girl?! You will pay for this betrayal! I thought we were loyal comrades in misfortune in that department!

Qingyi chuckles mechanically, covering her mouth with her palm.

Qingyi:

"I'm sorry, Fan Freys. That's the job. And perhaps refrain from addressing yourself as a "Robo-girl". It's extremely incompetent to hear from a man who fled the Security Service in disgrace, afraid of paperwork

She presses the button on the walkie-talkie

QINGYI:

Captain Zhu. The object was found at the southern exit. He is unharmed and... talks a lot

Behind Gray, the sound of Zhu Yuan's boots is heard rapidly approaching Gray slowly turns his head back, his face caricaturally elongated with horror, and a golden peanut coupon falls out of his pocket

The screen abruptly turns off to a comedic sound effect