Chapter 29: Can She Be a Match? Part 1
Before Mǐ Qiū’s eyes, there was only the blurred face of a man; she couldn’t see his features clearly at all.
She had passed out quickly because she had seen that stranger’s face hidden in the shadows of the trees—half of it was practically drenched in fresh blood. It was absolutely terrifying.
With blood gushing to that extent, her hemophobia kicked in instantly, and she blacked out.
When Mǐ Qiū woke up, she tried her best to recall the fragmented clips of the event that had just occurred.
Mǐ Qiū felt a rather hard bed beneath her. Then, she suddenly rolled over, felt her body go weightless, and plummeted onto the icy concrete floor.
Thankfully, she landed on her butt. There was enough cushion there that it didn’t hurt too much.
Now, Mǐ Qiū’s ears could still catch the ceaseless sound of bullets and grenades outside. She was currently inside a military tent, so the noises were somewhat dampened, sounding muffled and dull.
Where is this?
It must be the Field Zone, given the constant gunfire outside. Mǐ Qiū figured she probably hadn’t guessed wrong.
And who is the person sitting in the chair? Where is Commander Fù?
The man stubbed out his cigarette on the table and walked towards her.
The drifting smoke made Mǐ Qiū cough twice.
The man lazily lifted his eyelids to look at her and said, “It’s a special blend. Harmless.”
Mǐ Qiū asked him, “This is the Field Zone. Is Commander Fù here?”
“Why? Looking for him?”
“I have something I need to discuss with him.”
The man leaned in close to her, letting out a mocking chuckle. “No wonder you were calling his name in your sleep.”
Huh? Was I that dramatic? Mǐ Qiū had no idea she had actually shouted Commander Fù’s name in her dreams.
“Then when can I see him?”
“Soon.”
“By the way, what about my companion? The tall, thin one, his name is Huà Quán. I haven’t seen him since I woke up. Is he okay? After all, he was being strangled by that monster.”
“He’s not dead.”
Mǐ Qiū’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Then where is he now? I haven’t seen him, so I was a little worried.”
“What is your relationship?”
The man asked. Seeing she didn’t answer, he added, “For a Guide to appear in a place like this… unless a Sentinel made an exception to bring a family member, I can’t think of any other reason. Just a routine interrogation, don’t overthink it.”
Mǐ Qiū pulled the quilt up higher, bending her knees, and said, “We’re just colleagues. After surviving this life-and-death situation, I guess we count as friends? But absolutely, definitely not that kind of family relationship.”
“Oh. Then why did you come? I don’t want to hear high-sounding excuses. Speak the truth.”
“I came here under Officer Hè’s orders to complete a mission.”
“What mission? Be clear, be specific!”
Mǐ Qiū looked at him. He was wearing a beige combat uniform, with gold patterns printed on the sleeves. He said, “You can tell me every detail. I count as your superior officer, too.”
Mǐ Qiū dispelled her doubts and said, “I came here to pick someone up. But if I can’t take him back immediately, and if necessary, I need to provide temporary soothing. Using hypnosis techniques to delve into his dreamscape, dive into his spiritual body…”
The man seemed to still be waiting for her answer, so Mǐ Qiū had to say, “It’s exactly the kind of thing you’re thinking of. After all, anything can happen in a dream.”
Mǐ Qiū thought she had explained it very clearly. Up until now, the man hadn’t seemed to ask for her name, which Mǐ Qiū found curious, so she voiced her confusion.
The other party replied indifferently, “Whatever. I’m not interested in what you’re called. Here, everyone is just a code number. When Code One falls, Code Two has to take the battlefield. In the cruel Field Zone, a code is more useful than a name.”
“Obviously, I haven’t received any orders from above regarding your arrival. But since you are here, just stay put.”
Mǐ Qiū finally looked closely at the man’s eyes—reddish-brown pupils, a sharp nose tip, and a high nose bridge.
He was handsome in a way that was almost aggressive. Every movement was filled with a wild beauty. Under Mǐ Qiū’s scrutiny, the man looked back at her, and their eyes met.
Mǐ Qiū realized that this face matched the one in her memory—the blurry face half-covered in blood that she had feared.
Mǐ Qiū lay on the spring bed, curling her body into a ball, scooting backward continuously, assuming a defensive posture as if seeing a monster.
Mǐ Qiū felt palpitations, her heart pounding thump-thump-thump, hard to control.
Mǐ Qiū muttered to herself, “Half his face was red… the monster’s blood…”
Dark, deep eyes stared at her. He stood up and walked towards Mǐ Qiū, the back of his hand gently brushing her forehead. “No fever. But it looks like a bit of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Didn’t they give you medication in time?”
The man asked her, “You’re afraid of the monster’s blood?”
What? That was the monster’s blood?
The man said airily, “I killed it, so naturally, its blood splattered on me. That’s normal.”
Mǐ Qiū continued to stare blankly at the wall in front of her. The man seemed to realize something.
After a long while, he walked out.
Outside, a Sentinel happened to walk towards him. “Chief.”
“What is it?”
“That C-class Sentinel, the one named Huà Quán, we gave him simple treatment. He can breathe for now. But later, he might need to be sent back to the Rear Support Area.”
“But Chief, I don’t understand. Why were there incidents in the Support Area twice?”
“You tell me? Be smarter next time.”
“What about the Guide inside?”
“Let her stay here for now. Also, have the Logistics Support Department send over some medication for PTSD.”
“The Logistics Department lost two Sentinels; it’ll probably be hard to get anyone to deliver it.”
“What the hell are you all good for then? Walking around with A-class titles! Do we need them to come over and deliver it?”
“Yes! Chief!”
Fortunately, Mǐ Qiū had kept her backpack with her because it contained important items. She fished out the light-brain from her bag. It showed about twenty missed calls, mostly from Squad Leader Qí, so Mǐ Qiū quickly dialed back. The call connected in less than two seconds.
Squad Leader Qí’s tone was urgent, clearly the voice of someone who had been worried for a long time. “Guide Mǐ Qiū!”
“Guide Mǐ Qiū! You finally picked up. If we hadn’t found the two of you…”
“Mhm, I know. I’m sorry. I just woke up and saw it. Otherwise, I definitely would have replied to the Squad Leader immediately.”
“I’ve already contacted Huà Quán. He won’t be in the same tent as you. His injuries can’t wait; he needs to be transferred back immediately. Mǐ Qiū, the conditions over there are incredibly harsh. Do you want to come back too?”
Mǐ Qiū thought about it, but she was determined to be in the Field Zone. She said, “I’m not injured. But once I find Commander Fù, I’ll go back. After all, I’m already a member of the Logistics Department.”
Squad Leader Qí: “Guide Mǐ Qiū, actually, if you have business over there, just go. Don’t consider us. Your time in our Logistics Support Department was really just temporary.”
Mǐ Qiū understood the meaning behind Squad Leader Qí’s words. It seemed she could stay here temporarily for now, although the danger was indeed greater. Squad Leader Qí was worried endlessly about her. Even though Mǐ Qiū was fine this time, in the Field Zone, one lived in fear almost every day. He told Mǐ Qiū she was welcome back anytime.
Huà Quán was different from her; he definitely had to find a time to leave. After that, she would be the only one left here. Besides Squad Leader Qí, many people were concerned about her, including Lóu Chēng.
So Mǐ Qiū sent a message to Lóu Chēng, saying she was safe and explaining the whole process clearly.
Mǐ Qiū rested a while longer, then wanted to get up and go outside. However, an A-class Sentinel outside stopped her directly. “Guide, you cannot take a step out of this tent right now. That is the Chief’s order.”
“Where is your Commander Fù? I want to see him,” she asked.
“This is Commander Fù’s tent. If you want to see him, wait for him to return,” the Sentinel replied.
“Alright then. When will he be back?”
He didn’t answer her again, so Mǐ Qiū stopped asking. Not far outside, the sounds of various explosions boomed one after another, shaking her heart and making her anxious.
Mǐ Qiū tried to peek her head out to look. It turned out they were surrounded almost entirely by A-class Sentinels.
She could see their orange-yellow badges.
Restricted from leaving, Mǐ Qiū thought she might as well just wait for him inside the tent.
Mainly to alleviate the uneasiness and boredom in her heart, Mǐ Qiū prepared to play the game she had put aside for a while.
However, there was one issue: the signal here wasn’t very good, so she could only play offline games.
Mǐ Qiū opened her farming game again, which required no internet connection at all.
But upon opening it, she found that many of her vegetables had withered. The pet cat she had just spent Star Coins to buy hadn’t been fed for over ten days; its eyelids were drooping, and it was in bad shape.
So she hurried to feed it, restoring the white cat’s condition in time, and then desperately watered the vegetable plots one by one.
This happened because Mǐ Qiū had forgotten to close the game in the light-brain’s background, so it kept draining battery and running, leading to this result. If she closed it in time, she wouldn’t see withered leaves in the future.
Mǐ Qiū killed time in boredom until nightfall.
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