Save Me, Pain

Not long after, on the outskirts of a heavily marked city in Eastern Europe, beside a withered forest;

What may once have been a lush forest now contained only twisted, charred trunks, like desperate arms reaching from the earth toward the gray sky.

At that moment, an Assault Craft descended precisely and steadily into a relatively flat clearing in the woods, its Maglev Engine emitting an almost imperceptible low-frequency hum.

Then, a faint ripple passed across the craft's surface like water rippling outward. The Optical Camouflage disengaged, revealing the sleek black hull amid dead branches and fallen leaves.

The side hatch slid silently open.

Leon, wearing a worn work jacket and carrying a backpack stuffed with supplies and disguise equipment, stepped out first. His gaze swiftly swept the surroundings, assessing potential threats.

Mike followed, similarly dressed in casual clothes. He tugged at his gray hood, and Maggie came last, her movements light and efficient.

"Good luck."

The pilot offered a brief blessing through the internal comms, his voice kept low.

The hatch quickly closed.

The pilot then expertly worked the control panel, preparing to reactivate stealth mode and take off.

However, just as the Optical Camouflage was about to cover the hull again and the Assault Craft lifted slightly off the ground—

Bzz. Clack. Clack!!

The craft suddenly shuddered abnormally for a brief moment, accompanied by an extremely faint mechanical scraping sound—enough to make an experienced pilot's heart stop.

?!

Inside the cockpit, a fine sheen of cold sweat instantly formed on the pilot's forehead.

His right hand flew across the console, his pupils tightening as he stared at several noncritical warning lights that had suddenly lit up.

"Damn.

Maglev balance regulator feedback abnormal

Primary nozzle efficiency slightly reduced"

He cursed under his breath and quickly pulled up the diagnostic