The lift rattled to a stop, and the group stepped into the upper levels of the Rearguards' base. The air was heavy with the smell of oil, gunpowder, and ink from hastily scribbled reports. Soldiers hurried past them carrying crates, their boots thudding against the reinforced floor in a rhythm that never stopped.
At the center of the chaos stood the Battalion Camp Officer, a man in his late thirties, uniform slightly creased from long hours, hair slicked back but with strands falling stubbornly across his brow. His sharp eyes scanned clipboard after clipboard, lips moving as he muttered inventory numbers under his breath.
"Have you confirmed the inventory? What about the spare list?" His voice carried across the room like a whip-crack, demanding attention. "Sort out the consumables as soon as possible. And check our communication lines while you're at it—"
He paused, noticing the group. His brows drew together. "Yue, deliver this list to Ase. Oh—" his eyes flicked over Yangyang, Rover, Jeff, and Jianxin, "you're not Yue. Where is she? What do you need?"
Yangyang stepped forward, her posture straight and composed, the insignia of the Midnight Rangers gleaming faintly against her chestplate. "Excuse me. I'm an Outrider of the Midnight Rangers. This is Rover, Jeff, and Master Jianxin, who came here to look for someone."
The officer gave a quick nod, though his foot tapped against the floor as if to keep time with the ticking clock in his head. Rover, tilting her head, observed the frantic pace of the room and let out a low whistle. "You seem very busy."
"Busy doesn't even begin to describe it." The officer's jaw tightened as he set the clipboard down with a thud. "Jinzhou is the gateway to Huanglong, and the Desorock Highland is the gateway to Jinzhou. A single breach…" His eyes hardened. "…and everything collapses. Our defense must hold at all costs."
He leaned forward, voice low and grim. "The Tacet Discords aren't human. They don't rest. They don't eat. They don't negotiate. They will keep coming until there's nothing left."
Jeff's shoulders tensed. That's a nightmare of an enemy. One that doesn't need food, water, or sleep? Logistics must be working miracles just to hold this place together.
The officer straightened, his tone brusque again. "Supply is the lifeblood of the army. My job is to keep it flowing, but we're facing a severe shortage."
Jeff, unable to hold back, stepped closer. "Do you need our help?"
The officer gave him a quick look—sharp, measuring—but then shook his head. "I saw how you helped the wounded earlier. Xiulan needs your assistance more than I do. Thank you, but I can't leave my post. Not while vital supplies are still unaccounted for."
Before Jeff could respond, Rover cleared her throat. "Actually, we're here about someone. Master Jianxin's looking for a man named Zhiyuan."
At the name, the officer's stern expression softened with something close to regret. He exhaled heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Zhiyuan… So he never sent a letter home? Not even once?"
His voice dropped lower, almost as if speaking to himself. "He was stubborn. The Rangers don't recruit non-Resonators anymore, but last year—back when the battles weren't as intense—he kept trailing us, begging to be allowed at the front. We sent him back to the city over and over, but he always found a way to return."
The officer's lips quivered, weary and resigned. "Eventually, I caved and let him stay here at the base to help. But now, things have gotten too dangerous. I was planning to send him back when you arrived."
He tapped a finger against his clipboard, remembering. "He should be on the floor above."
Rover turned toward Jianxin. "Master Jianxin, do you want to go look for him first?"
"Yes," Jianxin replied, calm but with a spark of determination in her eyes. She gave a small salute, graceful despite its brevity. "Please excuse me. I'll join you later."
Jeff inclined his head. "We'll meet you there."
Yangyang smiled faintly. "We'll catch up soon."
The group watched Jianxin disappear up the stairs.
Rover then rummaged through her pack. "Oh—right." she pulled out the mangosteen she'd kept, the dark purple fruit catching the officer's attention.
The man's reaction was immediate—his eyes widened, his hand darting toward the sidearm at his hip. "What… what are you doing?!" His voice was sharp, panic flashing across his features.
Jeff's instincts kicked in—hands raised, body tense. "Whoa, hey, easy!"
The officer froze, staring at the fruit, before finally exhaling in relief. His shoulders dropped, but his voice was still tight. "…Please excuse me. For a moment, I thought that was a grenade." He squinted, almost embarrassed. "Is this… a mangosteen?"
Jeff blinked, incredulous. "…A grenade?" His lips twitched with dry humor. Damn, he scared me for a second. He reminded me of those trigger-happy cops back home who shoot black people because they think someone's reaching for a gun when it's just their wallet.
The officer gave a stiff nod, clearing his throat as though to cover the awkwardness. "Yes. An old-fashioned explosive. Back when The Lament caused a technological regression, primitive hybrids of old and new tech emerged. Grenades were one of them. Crude, but deadly. Eventually replaced when Tacetite weapons advanced."
Rover tilted the fruit in his hand curiously. "And what about this? The mangosteen itself?"
The officer's gaze softened, voice losing some of its earlier harshness. "It's not local. Imports bring it in, though lately we've prioritized essentials. General Jiyan's victories should stabilize things soon, then perhaps trade routes will open again. For now, the only waterway open is through Port Gunchao. Rearguards regularly escort goods from there."
He gave a small shrug. "Of course, we avoid buying mangosteen in bulk. Short shelf life—and its resemblance to a grenade causes… complications."
Rover chuckled quietly. "I can imagine."
Moments later, Jianxin returned, her usually serene face touched with something more vulnerable.
Yangyang's eyes lit up. "Master Jianxin, did you find him?"
Jianxin nodded. "Yes. Zhiyuan is safe. The logistics team will escort him back to the city. We will inform Mr. Zongye of his well-being."
Jeff, arms crossed, studied her carefully. "I think I heard he didn't want to leave?"
Jianxin's expression softened, but her eyes carried the weight of what she'd seen. "Zhiyuan is full of courage. Influenced by his grandfather's stories, he longs to fight, to be of use. But after sparring with him… he realized his limitations."
Her gaze distant, she quoted quietly, "'The best sages gain enlightenment in the military, the mediocre in the bustling cities, the worst in seclusion.' Zhiyuan's spirit is admirable, but strength of will alone does not win wars. He admitted, at last, that he was not ready."
Jeff exhaled, muttering under his breath, "Better he learns that lesson now than out there."
Yangyang placed a gentle hand on Jianxin's arm. "What matters is that he's alive. And he'll live to grow stronger, in time."
Jianxin's lips curved into a small smile. "Indeed. But for now, I leave his future in his own hands." She bowed lightly to the group. "It has been an honor traveling with you. When time permits, let us meet again at the Liuxian Teahouse."
"Farewell, Master Jianxin," Rover said warmly.
Jeff offered a short nod. "See you."
And just like that, Jianxin was gone, leaving the three of them to continue their path forward.
Yangyang walked just ahead of us, her hair swaying gently in the breeze. Her voice carried that usual calm steadiness, though her brows were slightly furrowed, a sign she was deep in thought.
"Us running into Master Jianxin was a one-off incident," she murmured, her gaze flicking between Rover and me. "But… if the mangosteen indicates something about war, then what is Madam Magistrate really trying to convey?"
I shoved my hands into my pockets, forcing a crooked grin as if I wasn't bothered. "That civilizations are born from war and suffering … or maybe she just wants us to meet someone."
I was acting dumb—deliberately. Easier to play the fool than admit I was just as lost as Rover.
Rover tilted her head slightly, that distant look in her eyes again, like she was trying to piece together a puzzle only she could see. "Perhaps the moment hasn't arrived yet. She's just… giving us a chance to do a certain thing."
"Have you thought of something, Rover?" Yangyang asked, her tone softer now, a thread of curiosity running through it.
Rover hesitated, her lips parting as if to say something, then closing again. Finally, she drew in a slow breath. "I think… it might be about the Tacet Discord outbreak."
A smart cookie you are. Why didn't I think of something obvious the whole time, like grass is green. Jeff thought sarcastically.
Yangyang's eyes widened, just slightly, before narrowing in concern. "So Madam Magistrate wants to tell us about the TD outbreak? If those Tacet Discords break through our defenses…" She glanced toward the horizon, voice tight with worry. "…it would be a disaster for not just Huanglong, but for all of humanity."
I rubbed the back of my neck, exhaling through my nose. "Or maybe it's about mangosteen's transportation. The quartermaster said they're brought in by boat from the South."
Yangyang hummed thoughtfully, folding her arms beneath her chest. "So Madam Magistrate wants to tell us something about the mangosteen's route of transportation…" She shook her head, silver strands of hair brushing against her cheeks. "Still, it feels too deliberate to be just that."
I exchanged a look with Rover, then muttered, "Or… maybe it's about that general."
Her name struck the air like a blade.
"General Jiyan…" Yangyang whispered, the reverence in her voice unmissable. "So Madam Magistrate wants to tell us about him—or about the war itself." Her voice grew quieter, and her lashes lowered as if shadows passed over her thoughts. "We haven't even reached the frontlines yet, but I can already smell the iron in the air. I sense tension… unease. Our soldiers are stationed at the borders… I hope they're okay."
But before Rover or I could answer, everything slammed into us like a tidal wave.
A sharp, stabbing pain spread through my skull, forcing me to clutch my neck. My Tacet mark was glowing again, searing against my skin like molten fire. Rover staggered beside me, her hand pressed to the mark on her hand. The world blurred—Yangyang's worried voice fading—before darkness claimed me.
And then the visions came.
"Food… food…"
A ragged voice echoed, guttural and hungry.
"General!"
I blinked—or maybe we blinked, because Rover and I weren't ourselves anymore. We were inside someone else's eyes.
A tall figure stood before us, spear in hand, his teal cloak whipping in the storm of dust and blood. The dragon emblem of Qingloong glowed against his armor, radiant and commanding.
"Follow the Qingloong," his voice rang out, clear as steel. "To war!"
General Jiyan charged into battle, his spear dancing like a silver serpent, cutting through waves of Tacet Discords. His every movement was precise, efficient—like he had rehearsed this war a thousand lifetimes before. Discord after Discord fell before him, each strike of his spear bursting with teal light, each swing echoing with the roar of a dragon.
And then, just as quickly as it began, the vision shattered.
"…Jeff! Rover!"
Yangyang's voice yanked me back. My eyes fluttered open to find her kneeling beside us, worry etched across her delicate features.
"What's the matter? Are you alright?" she asked, brushing her hair from her face, her hands hovering over us as if afraid to touch but desperate to help.
"I… I had a vision," I muttered, groaning as I pushed myself up. "Damn it—this link with Rover is a fucking pain in the ass. Whenever she passes out, I pass out alongside her. What the hell…" I muttered under my breath.
Rover was paler than usual, but her voice was steady. "I may have resonated with a Tacet Discord."
Yangyang's brows knit together. "You both just passed out after your tacet marks acted up…. You wouldn't respond to me thank god you guys are awake now." Her lips pressed thin before she asked, carefully, "What did you see?"
"It felt like I was seeing through the eyes of a Tacet Discord," Rover admitted, her gaze unfocused. "I think… I saw what was happening in the Norfall Barrens."
She described the general first, and Yangyang's eyes widened, a sharp gasp escaping her.
"An imposing warrior wielding the power of a Qingloong…" She lowered her voice, reverent. "That's the emblem of the Midnight Rangers. The symbol of General Jiyan himself."
Her hand clenched at her chest, as if holding her racing heart still. "The front lines are not far from here. He must be there now, fighting to keep the Discords at bay."
I leaned back, letting out a humorless chuckle. Funny. Never met him in person yet… aside from, y'know, the meta-knowledge of him in the game of WuWa stuck in my brain. I still remember some female players calling him their daddy or some shit.
Yangyang gave me a strange look but pressed on. "It doesn't seem like a coincidence. We arrived near the battlefield right when General Jiyan was leading the attack…"
Rover then described the woman in red.
Yangyang paled, her amber eyes darkening like storm clouds. "A woman… controlling Tacet Discords?" Her lips trembled before she spoke the word. "…Could it be? One of the Fractsidus?"
"Damn. Must be Phrolova," I muttered under my breath low enough that they doesn't hear. "Means Scar's not far either. So the canon chain of events hasn't deviated yet. I don't know whether it's a good or bad thing."
Yangyang hugged her arms, her voice quieter now. "Your vision… it must be real. What you saw is happening on the battlefield nearby."
Rover straightened her back, determination gleaming in her eyes. "It's real."
"Something's not right," I added, my tone sharper than I intended.
Yangyang nodded slowly, her gaze searching the horizon. "The Streams from the Norfall Barrens feel heavier than ever. Rover, Jeff… something on that battlefield is tied to you both. We just don't know what."
Rover lowered her gaze, curling her fingers into her palm. "There's something inside me. A voice… it's always been there."
I clenched my jaw. That must be Abby.
Yangyang tilted her head, visibly unsettled. "Resonating with Tacet Discords…? But… I didn't hear anything. I didn't sense a frequency."
"Whatever it is…" Rover murmured, staring at her hand, "…maybe I can—"
"Rover?" Yangyang pressed, her voice rising in alarm.
But Rover's tone had already steadied, filled with certainty. "According to Baizhi, the leaf showed residual fluctuations of Tacet Discords. And those fluctuations pointed to coordinates."
Yangyang's lips parted. "…Where?"
"Qichi Village. In the Central Plains."
Her eyes softened, as if pieces were falling into place. "Then that's where we go. The voices in the Streams… they'll guide us there."
I smirked, rolling my shoulders. "Looks like our next destination's set then. Qichi Village it is. Lead the way."
And so, the three of us walked on—toward the village where will have our first meeting with Scar and Phrolova.
My chest tightened in anticipation. I wonder how this shit will go with me here. I can't wait to find out.