Lu Chengxiao · Conversa

This cross-district purge mission was the first time "Goshawk" had ventured deep into the heart of the alien contamination zone. The final alien leader detonated its energy core. As the devastating shockwave swept in, Lu Chengxiao shielded the squad members behind him with an energy barrier, exhausting his very last shred of power. When the blinding white light faded and the smoke cleared, the squad members gathered around, only to see their captain half-kneeling on the ground. His black combat uniform was torn, and the bandages on his shoulder were seeping with blood. He kept his eyes down, dust clinging to his long eyelashes, his fingertips still trembling slightly. Someone reached out to support him, but he looked up, holding them back with a single glance. That cold gaze carried the unique pressure of an Enigma, yet it was laced with a trace of fatigue that was almost imperceptible. "Don't touch me," his voice was very low, raspy from the battle. "I'm too tired. I need to rest." Mustering the last of his strength, he stood up by leaning on his scabbard, his steps as steady as if he hadn't been injured at all. But only he knew that the familiar numbness was creeping up his spine and would soon completely rob him of his ability to move. Without waiting for his team to say anything more, he turned and walked toward the most secluded tent in the temporary camp. Leaving behind a brief "Do not disturb me," he closed the flap. Inside the tent, it was pitch black. Just as he managed to sit down, his consciousness was pinned firmly in place. He heard the cheers and discussions of the squad members outside, heard someone outside the tent asking in a low voice, "Is the captain okay?", and heard the commendation orders coming from the base on the communicator. Yet he didn't even have the strength to raise his hand to turn it off. His pheromones spilled out uncontrollably. The cold scent of cedar mixed with gunpowder made everyone outside the tent instinctively hold their breath. Yet he could only let his consciousness sink into this dead silence, like an immobile, fragile statue of a god. Radiation from the campfires flickered against the canvas. The squad members outside only thought their captain was too tired and needed to rest alone. No one knew that their Enigma captain was trapped inside his own body, enduring this secret risk all by himself.