"Let's get out of this place," I said, shifting the subject, hoping they'd take the hint and drop it. The ruins felt heavier than before, the silence pressing against my ears. Rover glanced at me, one golden eye narrowing, but she didn't argue. Yangyang, as always, scanned the surroundings, doing her due diligence. Chixia… well, being Chixia, walked with a calm confidence that somehow made the ruins feel slightly less threatening.
We walked the ruins for a few more minutes, hoping to get out of the Gorges of Spirits sooner. If my memory served me right, and I hoped it did, just up the path lay the enormous sculpture of the Sentinel of Jinzhou—one of the seven Sentinels of Huanglong. Even on the screen I played at, they were intimidating, but seeing one in person? That was going to be a whole different level of terrifying.
The path ahead became more visible, and there it was—the Jinzhou Sentinel. Towering, carved from some dark, weathered stone, it loomed over the city like a silent guardian. Its eyes—or what looked like eyes—seemed to glint even in the dim light, as if it were aware of every step we took.
Then suddenly the unexpected happens.
When both the Rover and I made eye contact, sudden headaches occurred to the both of us, giving us a glimpse of the exalted Sentinel of Jinzhou. "What the hell?" I muttered, trying to figure out what just happened. It was not supposed to happen to me, just the Rover. What kind of fuckery is going on here?
"What's wrong? Are you guys hurt from the fight? " Yangyang asked, her voice calm but probing.
I rubbed my temple, a sudden ache pulsing behind my eyes. "I… think I just remembered something," I muttered.
Rover's golden eyes flicked toward me, sharp and alert. "Remembered? About what? "
Before I could answer, a sharp, simultaneous jolt of dizziness hit both Rover and me. Her sword hand twitched, and I staggered slightly, gripping the rubble for balance.
"What the—" I muttered, the world tilting.
Rover's eyes widened, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "Did you… see it too? "
I blinked, trying to process what my mind was showing me. The massive, loong-shaped figure of Jué—the Jinzhou Sentinel—flashed vividly in my memory, almost like I was standing right in front of it before. But this time, it wasn't just a memory. It felt alive, looming over us with a silent awareness.
"You saw our Sentinel… in your memories? " Yangyang asked, leaning in slightly.
I hesitated, trying to keep my expression neutral. "Sentinel? " I echoed, deliberately slow, hiding the fact that I already knew its name from the game.
Yangyang nodded, eyes scanning the statue. "Yes. The one we built this for—the Sentinel Oracle Engine in Jinzhou. There's one capital and six cities in Huanglong, each with its own Sentinel. While they share similarities, there are differences too."
Rover swallowed, her hand tightening slightly around her sword. "So… this statue isn't just decoration? "
"No," Yangyang said firmly. "This is Jué, the Sentinel of Jinzhou. Most people never get to see it up close. Only the appointed Resonator is allowed within its proximity. Usually, that person is the magistrate, the highest official here."
I took a cautious step back, glancing at Rover. She looked just as unsettled, golden eyes narrowing as if trying to make sense of the simultaneous vision. "We… saw it at the same time," she whispered.
"Yeah," I admitted, keeping my voice low. "And it wasn't just a memory. It felt… alive, like it was aware of us."
Yangyang's gaze flickered between us, sharp. "That's unusual. Almost no one experiences a Sentinel this way, let alone two people at the same time. You were close enough to feel its presence, and clearly, it noticed you both."
Rover exhaled slowly, a faint frown creasing her forehead. "It felt familiar… the way it moved in my head, the way it watched. I don't understand it, but it's like I've known it before."
I nodded, knowing the fact that you're its former master, which is terrifying and cool at the same time, hiding the flash of recognition that came from the game. "Yeah… familiar. But I don't know why." The thought pressed against my chest—what connection did I have with this Sentinel that it seemed to watch me in return? The uncertainty was unsettling, a knot tightening in my gut. I didn't like not knowing a damn thing.
Yangyang's lips pressed into a thin line. "Whatever it is, it's testing you—or at least acknowledging you. Pay attention. That feeling and awareness—it might be important."
We both stayed silent for a moment, letting the weight of Jué's presence settle around us. Despite the fear and confusion, there was a strange grounding to it—Rover beside me, both of us reacting in the same way, both marked by the Sentinel's silent recognition.
And somehow, I knew this wasn't the last time we'd feel it.
Time blurred as we tore through the ruins, each step a battle, each glance a silent instruction. Tacet Discords erupted from the shadows, their limbs twitching unnaturally, each one faster and smarter than the last.
Rover led with her sword, golden arcs cutting through the chaos, her movements precise and fluid. I followed, Tyro Pistol in hand, timing shots to exploit openings she created. My body reacted before my brain caught up, the rhythm almost second nature.
Yangyang moved like a shadow, her sword flashing in deadly arcs, cutting off any Echo that tried to flank us. Chixia, ever calm and unflappable, wielded two pistols with uncanny precision, each shot controlled, each reload seamless. Her bullets tore through the joints of larger Echoes, staggering them just long enough for Rover or me to finish the strike.
An Elite TD lunged from a crumbling wall; Rover pivoted mid-step, slicing at its limbs while I fired at its exposed flank. Chixia fired in tandem, one pistol aimed high, the other low, covering every angle without hesitation. Yangyang slipped behind it, spinning her daggers in a blur, and the creature crumpled.
We moved almost without speaking—nods, shifts of weight, the occasional whisper—but every action was synchronized. Step, slash, pivot, fire, cover, repeat. Even when a hulking TD smashed through debris, sending dust into the air, Chixia's twin pistols barked out controlled bursts, keeping it staggered long enough for us to regroup.
Rover's sword hummed through the air, my pistol cracked with precision, Yangyang's daggers danced, and Chixia's dual-wielding fire swept across the battlefield. We were a single, lethal entity.
By the time the dust settled, our breaths came in ragged gasps. Clothing torn, weapons scorched and dented, TD lay scattered and twitching across the ruins and disappeared shortly right after.
The dust still hung in the air when Chixia clapped her hands, eyes bright. "That was close! You two fought really well! "
I wiped sweat and grime from my brow, still gripping the Tyro Pistol. Rover's sword rested at her side, and she gave me a short nod, sharp but approving.
Chixia leaned forward, hands waving animatedly. "I didn't even get a chance to help much, and Yangyang just rushed over to protect you like a ma—" She caught herself, eyes widening. "Ahem. Anyway, Yangyang was trying to shield you, and then BAM! The Tacet Discord was down before I could even get a good look! "
Yangyang shot her a pointed glance. "…Chixia."
Chixia giggled, unfazed. "Hehe… Oh, speaking of Baizhi! We're almost there—the place where we said we'd meet her! She's a Resonator we've been coordinating with. You'll see what I mean."
I exchanged a glance with Rover, who tilted her head, cautious. "Baizhi? " she asked, voice low. "I don't think we've met her yet."
Chixia nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! She's incredible—her Resonance Ability lets her heal others. Perfect timing too, because after that last fight, you two are both looking like you went through a meat grinder."
Yangyang stepped closer, her expression serious. "Baizhi will handle your injuries. Cuts, bruises, and the strain from dodging those elite-class TDs—fresh, all from today's fight. Nothing will be left untreated."
I rubbed the back of my neck, still wary. "Right… so we just met her, and she's supposed to patch us up? "
Rover's lips pressed into a thin line, watching Chixia and Yangyang with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "And we just trust her… because? "
Chixia laughed, waving her hand. "Because she's Baizhi! The healer we've told you about. You'll see—she knows her stuff. Even Yangyang was impressed, and that's saying something."
Yangyang groaned softly. "Chi-Chixia! Focus. She'll check your injuries carefully, and you need to let her do it. No funny business like last time."
I watched Chixia and Yangyang talk about Baizhi, my mind half-listening while running its own calculations. Heal others with her Resonance Ability, huh? I'd read about her before—in the cutscenes, hell even played her in the game—but seeing her through someone else's description was different. Real people with real consequences and real injuries… not pixels on a screen.
The idea of healing through resonance abilities was fascinating, and part of me wanted to analyze it the logic behind it like I would a patient back home. How did it actually work? Did it manipulate the body's natural recovery, accelerate tissue regeneration, or stabilize energy flows I couldn't even detect yet? Was there a risk of overcompensation, or could the power backfire if misused? My medical training couldn't ignore the questions.
At the same time, I couldn't help but feel curious—maybe even cautious. She could patch us up, but how much could I trust someone I hadn't even met in real life despite knowing her in the game, whose very abilities I'd only glimpsed in a game? And yet, the logic of it made sense—Resonators had patterns, rules, limits, and a framework that allowed them to operate. And more importantly… the law of conservation of energy still applies, right? Energy can't just appear from nowhere. If she's healing someone, that energy has to come from somewhere—her own body, her Resonance, the surrounding streams in the wind… maybe all of it combined.
I rubbed the back of my neck, glancing at Rover. She looked equally skeptical, and I felt a strange sort of solidarity. We didn't know this healer yet, but soon enough, we'd see exactly what she could do. And when that happened, I intended to understand it as much as I could.
We approached the soft glow of the Resonance Beacon. Chixia gestured toward it. "See that? That's a Resonance Beacon. Make sure to register and activate it. It's usually safe within five meters and can protect you from immediate danger."
I glanced at it, shrugging. "So it's like a small safe zone. Got it."
Rover's golden eyes swept over the beacon. "Looks like a lot of people rely on these things."
"Yeah," I said, leaning slightly on the rubble, "helps keep you alive when things get messy."
Yangyang stepped forward. "Rover, can I borrow your terminal for a moment? "
Rover handed it over without a word, still scanning the ruins. "Here. But don't break it."
Yangyang examined the device. "Its design and system version are different from ours, but the core functions—data transfer, basic interface—work the same. You should be able to register at the Beacon with it."
I raised an eyebrow at Rover. "So, your terminal actually works on other systems. Handy to know."
Rover gave me a flat look. "Just don't assume it's a toy. It's a tool, like everything else out here."
I nodded, letting the weight of her words sink in. "Understood."
The beacon pulsed steadily, a quiet reminder of order in the chaos around us. Even in the tension, there was a rhythm to our movements, the unspoken understanding that we had to work together to survive.
We reached the edge of the gorge, the air shifting as the view opened before us.
Yangyang gestured down. "We're almost at the entrance. There'll be a descent, but if your terminal's glider module still works, it'll make things easier. I'll show you how to use it."
Chixia's eyes sparkled as she pointed toward the distant city. "Once we're out of the gorge, it's just a short walk to Jinzhou! It's the safest place around—Resonance Nexus coverage, protective barriers, and strong fortifications. You name it."
I blinked, taking it all in. Screens and simulations never did this justice. The gorge stretched below, jagged cliffs cutting through the mist. Light caught on the streams in ways I hadn't expected. Grass and small stone shifted in the wind like the world was alive. Even Jinzhou, with its distant walls and spires, looked… monumental and real.
"Not bad," I muttered, almost to myself. The version I saw on my screen didn't prepare me for the sight I'm seeing right now. I can even say that it didn't do it justice, not even close.
Rover stepped closer, her golden eyes scanning the gorge. She let out a soft breath. "Yeah… I get it. It's breathtaking. The scenery before my eyes… seeing it like this, it really is quite spectacular."
Chixia laughed softly flattered with the praise of her beloved hometown. "Hehe, maybe it's not as big as some other cities. BUT! Jinzhou's always been the best place in my heart."
Yangyang added, more factual than sentimental, "Jinzhou sits between the Desorock Highland and the Norfall Barrens. A border city, a fortress. Crucial to Huanglong's safety."
I exhaled slowly, feeling the reality sink in. Standing here, with the wind in my face and the gorge sprawling beneath me, I realized just how small our problems might seem in comparison—and yet how immediate every step down into it would be.
Rover tilted her head at me, eyes still lingering on the vista. "You can't deny it… this view of the city—it's beautiful. Makes you understand why people protect this place."
I nodded, letting my eyes sweep over the gorge and the city beyond. Jinzhou—cliffs, streets, the distant shimmer of the river—looked nothing like the screens I'd seen on Earth. It was alive, messy, and beautiful in ways no game or simulation could capture. The scale, the sounds, the faint wind carrying scents of grass and stone made everything feel real and fragile.
The wind brushed past, carrying faint scents of stone, grass, and something I can't pin yet, and I felt a pang of something I hadn't expected—responsibility. Being transmigrated here, ripped from the world I knew, thrust into a place I didn't understand, with powers I couldn't yet control… it all hit me at once.
And yet, despite the fear, despite the disorientation, I knew why I'd ever fought back home. It wasn't about the medals or the prestige. It was about moments like this—looking out at something worth protecting, a city alive with people who might never know the cost of safety.
This view, this city, this fragile life—it made sense why soldiers stood guard, why warriors risked everything. That instinct, buried under all the confusion and the insanity of the past few hours, felt… familiar. The reason I had joined the military, the reason I had trained, the reason I had picked up a weapon, the reason I had saved lives—it was always for this. To protect something real, something alive.
But there was something else that struck me even more. Rover, standing beside me, calm and alert, golden eyes fixed on the horizon. Her dark hair caught the sunlight in strands that glimmered almost like threads of bronze. Her posture—relaxed yet taut with readiness—spoke of someone who could handle anything. The curve of her jaw, the subtle arch of her brows, the way her lips pressed together when she focused—it all drew my attention in a way that made the world beyond her blur. In my mind, she became the clearest, most beautiful view I'd ever seen, sharper and more alive than any city or gorge below.
And as I stood there, feeling the wind on my face, I realized the path ahead wouldn't be easy. Battles, uncertainty, the unknown—it was all coming. But for the first time, I didn't feel afraid. I felt anticipation. The thought of facing whatever's next, of moving forward with her and this team, made the risk worth it.
Rover's gaze didn't waver, and I drew a quiet breath. Whatever awaited us, I'd be ready. For the city, for the people I don't even know, and for her—and to the view and future I couldn't look away from.