Arknights - Echoes Of The Unfound Dawn

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Arknights: Echoes of the unfound Dawn

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The sterile air of the hospital room was quiet, save for the rhythmic hum of the heart monitor. Pale sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a muted glow over the sparse furnishings.

Ch'en stopped beside the bed, folding her arms. Her tail flicked once, betraying her residual tension from the shock of his sudden awakening. "You looked like you saw a ghost," she muttered, her gaze softening despite her tone. "I thought you were having a seizure for a moment."

Xian chuckled weakly, though there was little humor in it. "If only. This was worse."

Ch'en didn't press him further, though the curiosity in her expression lingered. Instead, she turned her attention to the clipboard at the foot of his bed, flipping through the notes. "You're recovering faster than expected," she began, her voice falling into a more professional cadence. "The Originium infections have stabilized, and your body's responding well to the treatment. You're lucky. Most people with your exposure don't walk away with just scars."

He grimaced, glancing at the bandages that peeked from beneath his hospital gown. His body felt heavier than it should.

The events of the past days flickered in his mind like fragments of a shattered mirror. The chaos, the fight, the suffocating darkness… and the kids. His heart skipped a beat, and instinctively, he tried to move, his muscles protesting as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ch'en's sharp voice cut through his haze.

"I need to—" Xian stopped himself, his mind catching up with his body. He slumped back against the pillows, forcing a weak smile. "Never mind. It's nothing."

Ch'en's eyes narrowed, her tail swishing with impatience. "You sure? You don't look like someone thinking about 'nothing.'"

Xian waved her off, though the tension in his jaw betrayed him. "Really, it's fine. Just… habit."

She didn't believe him, but she let it slide. Instead, she pulled a chair closer and sat down, pulling a small knife from her pocket and an apple from the nearby fruit basket. "If you're going to be cryptic, at least let me focus on something else."

The blade glinted as she began peeling the apple with precise movements, her attention seemingly on the task. But Xian knew her well enough to notice how her gaze flicked toward him every so often, studying him, waiting for him to slip and reveal whatever was bothering him.

He leaned back, staring at the ceiling, the phantom tendrils of his nightmare creeping back into his thoughts. That thing. That impossible, towering thing. A single monstrous tentacle, reaching skyward like a grotesque monument, its sheer size blotting out the sun. He could still hear the sickening crunch as it crushed half the city, the ground splitting open beneath its weight.

The rest of the creature had been obscured by the inky black sea that churned around it, a viscous liquid that devoured everything it touched. Whispers had filled the air, unintelligible yet maddening, a chorus of eldritch voices that echoed in the depths of his mind. Even now, awake and surrounded by the mundane safety of the hospital, he could feel their presence lingering at the edges of his consciousness.

"Xian."

Ch'en's voice broke through his reverie. He blinked, focusing on her again. She was halfway through peeling the apple, her brows furrowed as she studied him.

"You zoned out," she said bluntly. "If you're going to keep me in the dark, at least don't look like you're about to keel over. It's unsettling."

Xian forced another smile, though it felt even weaker than before. "Sorry. Just… thinking about something unpleasant."

She didn't respond immediately, her eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to read between the lines. But she only nodded, slicing the apple into neat segments and handing one to him. "Eat. Doctor's orders."

He took the slice without argument, though his appetite was nonexistent. As he chewed, his thoughts drifted again, this time to the kids. Elisa, Rico, Nia, Finn, Mira, and Tobi. He'd left them at the house, trusting them to handle themselves in his absence. Elisa was capable, more than capable but the memory of the nightmare made his chest tighten.

As Xian stared at the ceiling, lost in the lingering echoes of his nightmare, a sharp pinch on his left arm jolted him back to reality.

"Hey!" he hissed, rubbing the spot where Ch'en's fingers had mercilessly pinched him. He turned to glare at her, but she was already leaning back in her chair, her expression a mix of annoyance and exasperation.

"You're ignoring me," Ch'en said flatly, her amber eyes narrowing at him.

Xian blinked, momentarily speechless. "What are you, my nurse now?" he quipped, still rubbing his arm.

Ch'en sighed, her irritation evident, though her tone softened just a fraction. "I'm asking why you're so lost in thought. If you're just going to sit there and brood, at least tell me what's going on." She crossed her arms, but there was something in her gaze—something unspoken, almost gentle—that she quickly masked with her usual authoritative demeanor.

Noticing the flicker of concern beneath her commanding tone, Xian felt a pang of gratitude. He chuckled, the sound low and warm. "Didn't know you cared so much, Ch'en. Makes me feel special."

Her eyes narrowed further, her tail flicking sharply behind her. "Don't get used to it," she retorted, her stoic mask firmly in place.

"Sure, sure," Xian teased, his grin widening. "Though if you wanted to pinch me just to hold my attention, there are less painful ways to flirt."

Ch'en's ears twitched, and her tail bristled slightly, but her expression didn't waver. "You're lucky you're injured, or I'd teach you a thing or two about respect," she said coolly, though the faintest hint of pink crept up her neck.

"You'd miss me too much if I didn't stick around to annoy you," Xian said, his tone dripping with mock sincerity.

"Xian," Ch'en said sharply, her patience clearly thinning.

"Alright, alright," Xian said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, Lieutenant. You're starting to scare me."

Her scowl deepened, and she leaned forward slightly, her voice low and warning. "I am your superior officer, in case you've forgotten. Don't make me remind you who's in charge."

Xian raised an eyebrow, but the smirk softened on his lips. He could see the faint twitch in her jaw, the way her fingers tightened against the armrest of her chair. She wasn't just annoyed; she was genuinely worried, and the realization tempered his teasing.

"Okay, okay," he said, his tone more earnest. "No more jokes. I get it."

Ch'en leaned back again, her arms still crossed, though her expression relaxed slightly. "Good. Now talk."

Xian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's about the city… and Reunion." He paused, his tone growing heavier. "Specifically, what happened at the auction house. When Mephisto and his goons raided it, they weren't just causing random chaos. It was coordinated, like they were after something—or someone."

Ch'en's eyes sharpened. "Go on."

"They had way more firepower than I expected," Xian continued. "And they moved fast, like they knew exactly where to strike. It wasn't just a random raid. Someone on the inside had to be helping them."

Ch'en's expression darkened, her fingers tapping against her armrest. "That lines up with some of the reports we've been getting," she admitted. "There's evidence suggesting a traitor within the LGD—or someone among the city's higher-ups working with Reunion. Someone with access to resources and information that shouldn't be leaking out."

Xian frowned, the weight of her words settling heavily on him. "If that's true, then we're dealing with more than just some rogue faction. They've got connections. They're organized."

Ch'en nodded grimly. "Exactly. And if we don't find out who's behind it soon, things are going to get a lot worse."

Xian leaned back, his thoughts racing. The nightmare felt far away now, replaced by the cold reality of the city's escalating dangers. "Guess I picked a hell of a time to get injured," he muttered.

"You're not the only one dealing with this mess," Ch'en said, her voice firm. "Just focus on recovering. We'll figure out the rest."

Xian glanced at her, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite the tension in the room. "You make it sound like you care again."

Xian after saying that, let out a long sigh, leaning back against the pillows. "Spies, traitors, informants… it's like this city's a breeding ground for backstabbers," he grumbled, rubbing his temples. "Makes you wonder how we manage to hold anything together."

Ch'en, still seated with her arms crossed, gave him a pointed look. "You're one to talk," she retorted, her tone laced with dry amusement.

Xian's head tilted toward her, his expression twisting into a laughable deadpan. "Oh, sure. Blame the guy who spent half his life figuring out how not to get stabbed in the back. I didn't wake up one day and decide, 'Hey, I want to be suspicious of everyone for fun.'"

He gestured vaguely toward her, his voice dripping with mock exasperation. "You try surviving a world where everyone's either lying to you, trying to kill you, or both. It does things to a guy."

Ch'en raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. "You seem to be managing just fine," she said coolly, though her lips curved into the faintest smirk followed by an ominous chuckle.

Xian caught the flicker of amusement in her expression and blinked. "Wait, was that—did you just… chuckle?" He frowned, narrowing his eyes. "Why do I feel like I just walked into a trap?"

Ch'en didn't answer. She returned to the apple, slicing the remaining fruit into clean segments. Her movements were calm and deliberate, but there was something in the way she tilted her head—just a fraction—that set off alarms in Xian's mind.

"Okay, seriously," he said, his tone growing wary. "What's with the ominous chuckling? Did I say something that funny?"

Ch'en still didn't answer. Instead, she speared a slice of apple with the tip of her knife and held it up, inspecting it as if it were a prize. Slowly, she turned back to him, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that was equal parts focused and unnerving.

"Uh… Ch'en?" Xian started, his instincts on high alert.

Without a word, she leaned closer, holding the apple slice in front of his mouth. Her expression was unsettlingly calm, her lips curving into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Open," she said simply, her voice as smooth as silk.

Xian froze, staring at her in disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me," he muttered.

Ch'en's smile widened ever so slightly, and her amber eyes locked onto his like a predator that had just cornered its prey. "Don't make me say it twice," she said, her tone dangerously light.

He couldn't help but notice how satisfied she looked—like she'd just caught the most wanted criminal in Lungmen and was savoring the moment. The absurdity of the situation was almost enough to make him laugh, but the intensity of her gaze stopped him.

"Are you seriously trying to feed me?" Xian asked, his voice incredulous.

Ch'en tilted her head, her expression unchanging. "What does it look like?"

"It looks like you're enjoying this a little too much," Xian said, his eyes narrowing. "What happened to professional Lieutenant Ch'en? The one who doesn't have time for nonsense?"

"She's still here," Ch'en replied smoothly, inching the apple slice closer to his lips. "But even she can appreciate the irony of the situation."

Xian sighed, leaning back as far as he could. "I don't know whether to laugh or be terrified right now."

Ch'en's eyes glinted with amusement. "Both would be appropriate."

He stared at her for a long moment, trying to decide whether she was genuinely messing with him or if this was some bizarre power play. In the end, he relented, opening his mouth with a resigned groan. "Fine. But you're never living this down."

Ch'en's smile softened—just a little—and she gently placed the apple slice into his mouth before sitting back in her chair, the picture of nonchalance. "Good," she said, her tone back to its usual briskness. "Now eat and stop complaining."

Xian chewed the apple slowly, his eyes still on her. "You're lucky I'm injured," he said after swallowing. "Otherwise, I'd find a way to get back at you for this."

"I'd like to see you try," Ch'en replied, the faint smirk still playing at the corners of her lips.

For a moment, the tension between them eased, the absurdity of the situation melting into a rare moment of levity. But beneath it all, Xian couldn't shake the feeling that Ch'en had just outmaneuvered him in a way he couldn't quite define.

And from the look in her eyes, she knew it too.