Some time later, Yuan spotted six silhouettes approaching from the distance.
Once they drew close enough for him to make out their appearances, the first thing that caught his attention was their attire, which differed noticeably from the military uniforms he had grown accustomed to.
The Ironwoman moved to hover beside Yuan before addressing the approaching group in a calm yet cold tone.
"How can we help you?"
The group did not respond immediately. Instead, their gazes settled on the insignias worn by Yuan and the Ironwoman, silently examining them.
"A corporal and a major? Are the two of you lost or something?" one of them finally asked.
"No, we're not lost," the Ironwoman replied.
"I know you're trying to put on a brave front, but there's no shame in asking for help, even if we're from different cities."
In their eyes, there was only one reasonable explanation for why two soldiers would be wandering the Black Zone alone—the rest of their squad had perished.
