A faint crackle lit up the air, followed by the shimmer of a hologram.
Citizens of Jinzhou stopped mid-step, turning their eyes skyward as the blurry projection for everyone to see snapped into focus.
Wait—? The signal's back! " Chixia's eyes widened, the nervous excitement in her voice betraying the tension in her stance.
Yangyang tilted her head, watching as the faint projection sharpened into a figure.
"This is… a holographic message to all of Jinzhou, from the City Hall."
The glow steadied, shaping into the calm figure of Magistrate Jinhsi. Even through light and static, her presence was enough to hush the entire street.
Jinhsi:
"My fellow soldiers and citizens, I apologize for any inconvenience caused. I am Jinhsi, the Magistrate of Jinzhou.
As the Moon-chasing Festival approaches, our city welcomes visitors from around the world. The festivities are highly anticipated by our people, and I, too, share in this joyful sentiment.
Jinzhou has always been a crucial defense against the Tacet Discord outbreaks, safeguarding Huanglong. We have a heavy responsibility on our shoulders with no room for retreat or failure.
It is the dedication of our warriors, along with the diligence of our citizens, that has allowed us to thrive in peace and prosperity. Despite the challenges of Tacet Discord, we remain steadfast and hospitable to visitors, upholding our enduring traditions.
With that in mind, I have a favor to ask."
Her voice grew softer then, not weaker but more deliberate, carrying a weight that drew the people's apt attention .
Jinhsi:
"Among our visitors, there are two individuals who hold utmost importance to me, to the City of Jinzhou, and to the entirety of Huanglong.
We have awaited your arrival for a long time.
Given the circumstances, you may be feeling bewildered. You should have already noticed strange happenings tied to your presence—unprecedented signs even our scholars struggle to explain.
If you choose to stay in Jinzhou, I will be more than delighted to personally meet you in the City Hall. While I cannot promise to provide all the answers, I will do my best to assist you and grant the permissions you may require.
This is only my personal request. The path forward remains yours to decide.
Therefore, I call upon the soldiers and people of Jinzhou: aid these two esteemed visitors whenever the chance arises."
The projection flickered once, twice, before fading into the dark, leaving the city in silence. The air felt heavier, as though Jinhsi's words had carved a new weight upon everyone's shoulders.
The magistrate's message lingered in the air long after the projection faded, leaving behind a strange, weighted silence.
Chixia crossed her arms, brows furrowing. "Why do I get this feeling…"
Baizhi adjusted her glasses, eyes narrowing slightly. "This person our magistrate was talking about…" She paused, gaze sliding toward Rover and me.
Yangyang finished the thought. "…is Rover. And Jeff."
Rover didn't hesitate. "Yeah. That's me," she said in jest.
Jeff stayed quiet, though his stomach twisted. So it's official now. Except… it wasn't supposed to be this official. At least not this early. He felt his pulse quicken as he filed that away with all the other divergences. Another fracture from the story he thought he knew.
"Wow, so this is the true measure of a Chief… I mean, of our Rover! "Chixia blurted, breaking the tension.
Rover tilted her head. "…Chief? "
Jeff raised a brow. "…Chief? "
Chixia waved her hands. "It's—it's from this Hero Play! Been running for four years now. Heartwarming tale about the Chief and their squad. Everyone quotes it."
Yangyang tilted her head at them both. "Does that story sound familiar? "
Rover shook her head. "Too early to tell."
Jeff exhaled through his nose. "No. And even if it did, plays aren't my thing."
That earned him a thoughtful look from Yangyang and a groan from Chixia.
"Great. Now he sounds like Baizhi too."
The group laughed lightly, but Jeff couldn't shake the knot forming in his stomach.
He started listing things out in his head, like he always did when the ground moved under him:
He'd seen Jue. The Sentinel. That vision was supposed to belong only to Rover.
Jinshi had mentioned him. Publicly. Placing him beside Rover as if the two were tied by fate.
The Echo. Shared between him and Rover—unprecedented, unheard of. Baizhi herself had practically said as much.
Every divergence stacked one on top of the other, a growing tower of contradictions. His meta-knowledge had been solid once, like a map through unfamiliar terrain. Now? The map was tearing apart in his hands.
Yangyang's voice pulled him back. "The Moon-chasing Festival and the Spring Loong Festival are the liveliest in Huanglong. Even Jinzhou has its traditions."
Jeff rubbed at his neck. "Tradition, huh. Guess that's one thing that doesn't change, no matter how the story's been altered."
Baizhi picked up seamlessly. "As for our magistrate—her real name is Hsi. The Sentinel selects a candidate during the Appointment Ceremony, and they take on the city's name as their surname. It signifies complete devotion to the people."
Jeff frowned, mulling it over. "That deep… almost sounds like rewriting yourself to fit the role." His voice trailed off before he finished the thought. Not my world. Not my role. And yet here I am, altering it anyway.
Silence threatened to settle again, but Yangyang broke it gently. "What are your plans now? "
Rover answered with quiet certainty. "…Meet the Magistrate at City Hall."
Chixia grinned, raising her hand. "Then it's settled! After that, Panhua's Restaurant. My treat."
Jeff let her enthusiasm wash over him, even as his own thoughts whispered darker. So yeah. Divergence confirmed. And if I keep leaning on what I know, I'll get blindsided. This isn't canon anymore. It's something else. Something that has me tangled in it, whether I want to be or not.
We kept moving forward toward the forest edge rattled with the screeches of Tacet Discords, their warped shapes lunging from the shadows. Chixia charged first, gun flashing. while Rover's blade cut a clean arc through the nearest one.
Jeff raised his Tyro pistol, lining up a shot. Keep steady… don't let your hands shake. The weapon cracked, each round bursting through the Discord's warped carapace.
But in the chaos, he felt it again—that strange pull when Rover struck. The same rhythm that had tied them together before. His pulse quickened. No way. Is this… resonance? With me?
He matched her steps, fired in her rhythm. For a heartbeat, something inside his chest stirred, like an echo answering a call.
Then—silence. The sensation guttered out, leaving only the ring of his shots.
A Discord lunged at him. Jeff sidestepped, bracing the pistol against his arm and emptying two rounds point-blank. The beast crumpled in static.
"Jeff! " Yangyang's voice cut through the din. "Don't overextend! "
"I'm fine! " he called back, though his chest still thrummed strangely.
The last Discord dissolved under Rover's strike, leaving behind the shimmer of an unclaimed Echo. The air vibrated faintly around it.
Baizhi adjusted her glasses, clinical as ever. "Rover. Can you attempt to absorb this one? If Jeff's condition is linked to your resonance, we must test it."
Chixia grinned, dragging the carcass aside. "Yeah, let's try! If we can figure this out, maybe we'll get double the firepower! "
Jeff lifted a hand quickly. "I don't even have a terminal. It's not supposed to respond to me."
Still, when Rover reached for the Echo, he felt the tug again. His breath caught. Oh no. Don't tell me I'm glitching my way into her mechanic. What is this? Am I about to become an Echo farmer?
The shimmer split for an instant, threads of light snaking toward him—
Then sputtered. The glow recoiled, fracturing into motes that vanished before they touched him.
Jeff staggered back, clutching his side as if winded. "Tch—didn't… didn't work. It's like it rejected me."
Rover gave him a questioning look.
Baizhi's tone was even, but her gaze was sharp. "Fascinating. You lack a Terminal, and yet the Echo still acknowledges you. Though incomplete, it confirms a resonance link between the two of you."
Chixia jabbed her spear into the dirt, frustrated. "So close! Hero Chixia thought we'd cracked the mystery! "
Jeff holstered his pistol with a crooked smile. Great. Not a fighter, not a savior. Just some bugged-out Echo interaction. If this really were the game, I'd be the sad guy stuck farming level-one slimes outside town.
Chixia sighed, then brightened, pointing ahead. "Well, look on the bright side. Jinzhou City's just up ahead! "
Far above, unseen by them all, another presence lingered.
Through unseen eyes, the battlefield was a tableau: golden arcs of blades, silver flashes of bullets… and there, the anomaly. The man with no Terminal, yet threads of resonance flickering at his core.
A whisper curled soft as silk.
Hehe… there you are.
My dearest…
…seeds of fate.
The vision dissolved with the wind, leaving only the faint hum of destiny thrumming between them.
The shimmer of the Echo faded, leaving only dust and the faint hum in Jeff's chest. The group gathered themselves, silence settling like a weight.
Chixia broke it first, throwing her spear over her shoulder with a grin. "Well! Looks like we made it through. And Jinzhou's just up ahead! "
Baizhi gave a small nod, adjusting her glasses. "We'll need a proper assessment once we arrive. Both for Rover… and for Jeff."
Jeff exhaled, holstering his pistol. "Great. First day out and I'm already on someone's medical to-do list."
Yangyang looked at him, soft but insistent. "…Better safe than sorry. I'd rather you be checked than risk this getting worse."
Their footsteps carried them onto the worn path, the forest thinning until the outline of walls rose in the distance. The city loomed beyond the haze, spires catching the sun, gates flanked by patrol banners fluttering in the wind.
Jeff slowed for a moment, taking it in. So this is it. Jinzhou City. The hub. NPCs, quests, tutorials—no, stop that. This isn't a game anymore.
Closer now, the sounds of the city drifted to meet them: the clamor of merchants, distant hammering, and the hum of a living place that stood strong against the wilds outside its walls.
Chixia marched proudly at the front, pointing like a guide on parade.
"Welcome to Jinzhou! Best city on the continent, if I do say so myself."
Chixia stretched her arms wide as they passed through the gates. "Alrighty! What should we do next? Shall we grab a bite? "
Jeff's stomach growled on cue. He muttered under his breath, "Finally, someone with priorities straight."
Yangyang, ever composed, shook her head. "We should visit the City Hall. I'll need to prepare the documentation for Rover and Jeff's audience with the magistrate."
Jeff raised an eyebrow. "Documentation? Yeah, it makes sense."
Yangyang blinked at him. "It's the political hub of Jinzhou, and where the Grand Library Data Repository is located. Seeking an audience isn't difficult, but there are still procedures to follow."
"Got it," Jeff said, rubbing the back of his neck. So to summarize: tutorials i already knew, quest logs, politics, and paperworks great.
Baizhi adjusted her glasses. "As for me, I am to return to the Academy. The anomalies at the Gorges of Spirits, the resurgence of that Tacet Field, and the Waveworn Phenomena all require timely reporting."
She turned to Rover, then glanced at Jeff. "And both of you require examinations. The resonance link must be documented properly."
Jeff frowned. "I'm not exactly signing up for being a lab rat."
Baizhi's voice stayed even. "Of course, nothing without consent. Still, your situation cannot be ignored. A thorough analysis may prevent further risks."
Chixia waved her spear dismissively. "Come on, don't scare him off. You both just got here! You can't leave Rover—and Jeff—standing outside the City Hall while we shuffle papers."
Jeff gave a dry laugh. "Appreciate the hospitality package."
Chixia grinned. "Hospitality is Jinzhou's specialty! So I'll take them over to Nexus Tower for registration. Then? We're hitting the town. Lion dances, hero plays, martial championships, you name it. And food—lots of food."
Yangyang sighed, but there was a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Then I'll leave Rover in your care for now, Chixia. I'll send word once the paperwork is complete."
She hesitated, her gaze flicking to Jeff. "…Both of you, actually."
Jeff nodded, hands in his pockets. "No complaints here. Better than doing some boring paperwork."
Baizhi tapped her terminal. "I'll notify Resonmedical ahead of time. Once you've concluded at City Hall, please come to the Academy. Your condition is… unique. It will interest many researchers."
Jeff arched a brow. "Somehow that doesn't make me feel better."
Yangyang gave Baizhi a look. "That last part could have been worded… better."
Baizhi paused. "...I see. I will rephrase later."
Chixia clapped her hands together, breaking the tension. "Are you guys done yet? Let's move! Jinzhou's waiting, and I've got the perfect tour route planned! "
As the others walked ahead, Jeff slowed his pace just enough to fall in step beside Rover.
"Are you holding up? " he asked quietly.
Rover tilted her head, studying him. "…Are you? "
Jeff huffed a little laugh. "Touché. Guess we're both winging it, huh? "
For a moment, the hum of the city drowned out everything else.
Then Rover's lips curved into the faintest smile. "As long as you're here… I don't mind."
Jeff blinked, caught off guard, then rubbed the back of his neck again. "Heh. Careful—say stuff like that and I might misunderstand."
Rover's smile lingered, just enough to make him wonder if she knew exactly what he meant. "You can try not to," she said softly.
Jeff chuckled nervously, a warmth creeping into his chest. "Yeah… I'll try."
There was a pause, the low hum of the city wrapping around them, footsteps and distant chatter fading into the background.
Jeff's voice softened, almost hesitant. "Listen… I know I don't say it enough, but—thanks. For back there with the TDs… and before that, too. Twice now. You've saved me, and I—" He stopped himself, running a hand through his hair, letting out a short, frustrated sigh. "…I just wanted you to know I'm grateful to you for saving my ass."
Rover's eyes softened as she looked at him, the faintest curve tugging at her lips. "…You're welcome," she said quietly, almost like she was surprised to be saying it. "I mean it."
Jeff blinked, caught in the unexpected sincerity of her tone. "Yeah… I know. Still, it matters to me. Seeing you there, looking out for me—twice—isn't something I can just shrug off without making me look like an ungrateful prick."
Rover hesitated for a moment, then looked down at her feet, kicking at a loose pebble on the cobblestone street. "You didn't have to do anything either," she murmured. "Back then… you helped me just as much. I wouldn't have gotten through it without you."
Jeff felt a warmth spread through his chest, equal parts relief and something else he didn't quite name. "Huh… guess we've been watching each other's back more than we realized," he said, voice low.
She glanced up at him then, her eyes meeting his, holding just enough intensity to make his heart skip. "Seems like it," she said softly, a playful tilt to her lips. "So… we're even, for now."
Jeff chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Even, huh? Sounds fair. Though… I have a feeling this isn't the last time either of us will be saving the other."
Rover let out a quiet laugh, the kind that was light and easy, and the corner of her mouth lifted into a small, genuine smile. "Probably not," she agreed.
For a few steps, neither spoke, just the two of them walking side by side through the streets of Jinzhou, the city's hum wrapping around them like a quiet reassurance.
Then Rover's voice softened, carrying just for him. "I'm glad you're here," she said, simple and sincere.
Jeff's chest tightened, and for a moment, the world felt smaller, quieter, as if her words had folded it around them. "Me too," he replied, almost without thinking, but it was the truth.
The two of them kept walking, side by side, the city alive around them, but for once, neither of them felt alone.