The Rearguards Base was chaos wrapped in discipline—men and women rushing in every direction, hauling crates, shouting reports, tending to wounds on the fly. The acrid tang of sweat and iron hung in the air and the faintly scent laced with disinfectant. A scent displeasingly familiar to him.
Yangyang's boots barely touched the ground as she hurried to Jianxin's side, eyes wide with concern. "Master Jianxin, are you alright?" Her voice trembled, but her grip on Jianxin's arm was steady.
Jianxin drew a breath that was more a sigh than anything. Her brows knit together, her usually calm eyes flicking uneasily over the bustle of soldiers and supplies. "This is my first time on a battlefield. It feels so… different here." Her voice was quiet, nearly swallowed by the noise.
Jeff stayed a step back, his eyes tracing the supply lines, the soldiers moving with frantic purpose. Man… déjà vu. This place—it feels too much like the old days. I don't want to be here more than I have to. His jaw tightened, and he shoved the thought down.
They were approached by a woman with a sharp voice and an even sharper gaze—Xiulan. Her dark hair was tied into a neat bun, though a few strands had slipped free in the rush of duty. She barked orders with the speed of a machine gun.
"I know another shipment of supplies just arrived. I've confirmed it, but it's not nearly enough!" Xiulan waved a clipboard as if it were a weapon. "We must reach out to the city again and demand more immediately."
A Logistics Specialist hesitated. "But the approval process—"
Xiulan snapped, "Tell them it's an emergency. Do they not comprehend?" She shoved the list of supplies into the poor soldier's chest. "Here. Take this. And if they still won't listen, I'll talk to them myself. Now go—go!"
Her eyes darted to a group struggling with a chest of medical supplies. "Careful! That's medicine. If the wounded return and find no bandages or salves, it's on your heads. Handle it like your life depends on it—because theirs does!"
Jeff muttered under his breath, lips quivering wryly, Damn… she sounds just like my old CO. Having a PTSD flashback.
A calm but firm voice broke through: "Hello." Rover stepped forward, her tone even but her posture guarded.
Xiulan's eyes snapped to her. "You new here? Are you backups too? Wait—" Her gaze narrowed as she scanned them, suspicion flashing across her face. "You don't look like one of us…"
Yangyang quickly unclipped the badge at her hip and held it forward. "I am Yangyang, Outrider of the Midnight Rangers. And they are with me." Her chin lifted slightly, her confidence returning as the silver insignia gleamed in the light.
Xiulan blinked, then inclined her head. "An Outrider. I see." She turned on her heel, shouting to another soldier. "Keep those crates moving! And mind the inventory this time!" Then, with a quick breath, she faced the group again. "So you're part of the backup force, then? Good. You're just in time."
Before anyone could answer, her terminal chimed at her waist. She tapped it and turned aside. "Yes? …An Overclocked Resonator?" Her voice dipped with urgency. "Understood. I'll be there immediately."
She clicked off and faced them again, lips pressed tight with regret. "I need a favor. The wounded soldiers are being sent back from the frontlines. Someone has to escort them safely to the medics, but I'm needed elsewhere. Could you handle it?"
Jianxin stepped forward, steady but uncertain. "What exactly do you need us to do?"
"Just ensure they reach the medics alive. The healers will take over from there."
Jeff's answer came quickly, almost automatic. "Leave it to us. I'm qualified to provide emergency care if needed, ma'am." His posture straightened, hand lifting in a crisp salute before he could even think about it. A reflex that was drilled into him.
Xiulan's brows lifted in surprise, her sternness cracking into curiosity. "What's your name again?"
"Jeff, ma'am."
There was a flicker in her eyes, like recognition of a kindred spirit. "You answered like a typical grunt, are you one of us?. Did you serve?"
A silence stretched. Yangyang's mouth parted, Jianxin stiffened, Rover tilted her head ever so slightly—none of them had ever heard Jeff speak of his past life before.
Jeff finally nodded once, voice even. "I was. A combat medic. In a country… far from here." a country that doesn't exist anymore the fact he ommited and kept the rest locked behind his head, unwilling to give them details more than necessary.
For a heartbeat, Xiulan studied him, then her lips curved into something almost like a smile. "Once a soldier, always a soldier. With medical training, no less… You remind me of General Jiyan." She straightened her shoulders. "I'll leave them in your capable hands."
Jeff's gaze steadied on hers. "I won't let you down."
"Thank you," she said simply. She returned his salute with a firm one of her own before striding away, her voice already ringing across the base as she gave more orders.
The three women turned to Jeff, their expressions a mix of shock and quiet awe. Yangyang's eyes were wide, almost disbelieving. Jianxin's lips parted like she wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. Rover just… watched him, unreadable, but her face seems to be deep in thought.
Jeff exhaled and adjusted himself "Come on. We've got wounded waiting for us."
And without another word, they fell in beside him, their footsteps aligned as they headed toward the cries of the injured.
Jianxin's gaze swept over the chaos, her dark brows furrowing slightly. The sleeves of her pale robe brushed against her arms as she clasped them close to her chest. "It's so busy here," she murmured, her voice soft but laced with unease. "Looks like they don't even have time to catch their breath."
Yangyang, ever calm despite the turmoil around her, tucked a loose strand of her long hair behind her ear and nodded. "Supplies, medical care, equipment maintenance, personnel management, logistics…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes followed a group of medics sprinting past with stretchers. "They juggle all of it just to keep the frontline standing. Every small detail supports the lives of our fighters."
Jianxin's lips parted slightly as she took it all in. She was usually so composed, yet right now she looked younger, vulnerable. "So this is what a real war looks like…" She shook her head slowly, her eyes glossing with the weight of realization. "I had no idea it could get this bad."
Yangyang's expression softened. Her badge glinted faintly in the daylight, a quiet reminder of her own duty. "Most people would never have the chance to witness this. It's natural for you not to know. And… maybe that's what the military strives for—to keep citizens safe, so they don't have to see the horror of this."
Her words seemed to hang heavy in the air. Jeff, who had been silent until then, straightened his back and let out a short breath. His eyes, sharp and calculating, caught sight of a line of wounded being carried in. His jaw tightened. "The wounded soldiers are here," he said, his voice lower than usual. "Let's go check on them."
A young man staggered in, sweat streaking down his soot-stained face. His lips trembled as he panted.
"Hah… hah…"
Jianxin's delicate fingers reached out instinctively, steadying his arm. "Are you alright?" she asked gently, her dark eyes filled with concern.
"I'm okay… just… a little… out of breath…" the soldier—Xinyu—forced out. His face said otherwise.
Rover stepped closer, studying the tremble in his legs, the too-shallow rise of his chest. "You don't seem okay," Rover said bluntly, their voice steady but not unkind.
"I-It's fine… really, I'm fine…" Xinyu tried to wave them off, but his arm shook with the effort.
Jianxin bit her lip. "I'll go find a medic—"
"No need," Jeff cut in, already kneeling beside the soldier with practiced efficiency. His hands, calloused but steady, began checking airway, breathing, circulation—the ABCDE (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure) assessment protocol flowing out of him like second nature. His focus was absolute, shutting out the noise of the base. His eyes flicked, sharp and precise, noting every small detail.
When a medic finally arrived, Jeff stood and gave a crisp, clinical rundown of the man's condition using ISBAR(Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendations) a standard protocol when transferring critical information of the patient to other healthcare provider. His tone was firm but measured, as if he'd done this a thousand times before.
Rover stood behind him, arms crossed, eyes wide with something close to awe. There was something magnetic in the way Jeff worked—efficient and beautiful in its own way
The next patient fought tooth and nail against treatment. Blood seeped stubbornly through his uniform as he struggled in the medic's grip.
"Like I said, it's not a big deal!" Suihe barked, trying to pull free. "No need to fix me up! Let me go!"
Jianxin stepped forward, her tone firm but kind. "Please calm down. Your wound is still bleeding."
"That's barely a scratch!" he snapped. "You can't stop me!"
Rover's voice cut through the chaos, calm but carrying weight. "Now is not the time for bravado."
Suihe shot them a glare. "That's not bravado! My wounds can close on their own—it's my Resonance ability! The medics should help the others instead!"
The medical personnel struggled, clearly exasperated. "Stop squirming! We're here because you need our help. Calm down and stay still!" The medic looked over to the group desperately. "Please, hold him still."
"I'll do it," Jianxin said, stepping forward without hesitation. Her grip, though elegant, was unyielding as she held Suihe steady while Jeff crouched beside the wound.
"Stay still," Jeff said firmly, his voice edged with command. The kind that brooked no argument. And somehow, Suihe stilled—perhaps more from the authority in Jeff's tone than anything else.
With practiced movements, Jeff guided the medics in controlling the bleeding, his hands working swiftly. His eyes flicked up briefly, a shadow crossing them—as if ghosts from another battlefield lingered behind every motion.
When the chaos finally settled, the medic gave a weary but grateful smile. "Thank you for your assistance. You must be tired—please, rest a while."
Jianxin's gaze softened as she looked at the soldiers being carried off. "They look so badly injured…"
"Don't worry," the medic reassured her. "They've received proper treatment. They'll recover in time. Thanks to General Jiyan, casualties have dropped. Things were worse back then. You wouldn't believe it—the stench of blood used to linger even after the rain."
Jeff's face turned away slightly, shadowed. He didn't need to believe it. He'd lived it. No matter the place or world some shit stays the same.
The medic continued, unaware. "Each wound you see represents countless Tacet Discords killed. These Resonators… they've saved so many lives."
Rover's voice was soft, reverent. "They are our heroes."
Jianxin nodded, her hand pressed against her chest. "They're the ones keeping us safe. Compared to them, what I've been doing feels so small."
"Don't say that," the medic said kindly. "Without your help, we couldn't have treated so many today. Now—go on. The quartermaster's upstairs, distributing munitions. Take the lift."
Yangyang turned, her long ponytail swaying as she asked, "Rover, Jeff, where to next?"
Jeff's voice was clipped, as if snapping himself from his own thoughts. "Follow Jianxin."
But Rover's eyes were sharp, watching him closely. "I want to talk to the quartermaster too."
As they walked, Jianxin offered the medics handwritten recipes for recovery supplements, her calligraphy neat and elegant even in haste. The medic thanked her gratefully.
But Rover still noticed it—Jeff's expression, just slightly distant, the crease in his brow as if he were somewhere else.
"You okay?" Rover asked softly.
Jeff blinked, forced a faint smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." His voice didn't quite convince.
Rover tilted their head. "You never told me you were a soldier… a combat medic at that. But… it kinda makes sense now."
Yangyang's eyes widened slightly. "Even I was surprised."
"And I," Jianxin added gently, "think it's an honorable post."
But Jeff stiffened, as if recoiling from the word itself. His gaze dropped. "That was all in the past. I was discharged. What matters is the here and now."
Rover's voice softened again, curious, insistent. "But… what was it like?"
Yangyang and Jianxin fell quiet, their eyes lingering on him with quiet anticipation.
For a moment, Jeff said nothing. But then Rover looked at him—earnest, searching. And something inside him gave in. Using that puppy dog's eyes on me is so unfair.
He exhaled, voice low and edged with steel. "Let's just say… My comrades' lives depended on me to keep them in the fight. Under the hails of bullets, I had to be faster than the reaper, because the only thing standing between my comrades and the grave…" His eyes met Rover's.
"Was me."
The words left them all silent. Rover's chest tightened, almost breathless with admiration. Yangyang's lips parted in quiet awe. Even Jianxin looked at him differently now, as though she were seeing him clearly for the first time.
But Jeff's expression shuttered again. He cleared his throat and turned away. "Come on. Let's just find the quartermaster."
The others blinked out of their daze, hurrying after him. But Rover's heart still beat faster, warmed by the glimpse Jeff had finally allowed them into his past.