Heroes

"What? A Resonator has gone into overclocking? All right, all right, move them immediately. I'll be right there to help."

"Sorry for the trouble... sorry for the trouble..."

Xiulan hung up and addressed everyone with a slightly apologetic look. "So, you're here to help, right? Could you do me a favor first?"

"The wounded are already being brought down, and they need someone to receive them. But I have to deal with the Resonator who's overclocking, so could I trouble you to help receive the wounded?"

Although Lu Li had been joking around, he knew the situation was urgent. He had only been trying to ease the oppressive weight on everyone's hearts.

"Is there anything specific we need to do?" Lu Li asked.

"Just make sure they're safe as they're brought down. Leave the treatment to the medical staff."

A Piao said, "All right. Leave it to us."

Xiulan nodded and hurried away.

A Piao had come to the front lines to search for clues about the tokens.

But as the saying went, they were already here.

Clearly, the wounded's safety mattered more than those clues.

Besides, perhaps the clues the Magistrate had given them were meant to lead them in this direction in the first place.

Since A Piao had a profound connection to Jinzhou and had remembered a few things upon seeing the statue of Jinzhou's Sentinel, perhaps seeing things on this battlefield would bring back more memories.

On the way to the wounded, Jianxin couldn't help remarking:

"I never knew the army was so busy... it looks like they don't even have time for a sip of water."

As a member of the Midnight Rangers, Yangyang was clearly very familiar with all this:

"Supplies, medical care, repairs, personnel, logistics... only by keeping everything running smoothly amid all this activity can they properly support the front lines."

Jianxin drew a deep breath. "So this is what the wars being fought in this world are like... I never knew the situation was so dire."

Having lived deep in the mountains since childhood, she had yet to learn all the stories of Jinzhou City, let alone things that had been deliberately kept hidden.

Yangyang reassured her, "Most people never encounter scenes like these, actually. Not knowing is normal."

Lu Li also felt he had learned a great deal. After all, in his previous life, he had never encountered such things either, only seen them in videos:

"I think that's what the army wants, too. They want people to live without worries, rather than spend every day anxious and afraid."

Yangyang nodded in agreement.

The place Lu Li had lived in his previous life had been peaceful and stable, but that, too, had been made possible by the quiet sacrifices of those who shouldered the burden.

The group arrived at the camp, where wounded soldiers were everywhere. Most bore horrifying wounds, scars left by slaying countless Remnants on the battlefield.

They approached a wounded soldier who was shouting at the top of his lungs.

"I told you this little scratch didn't warrant bringing me down! Let me go back!"

Jianxin hurried forward. Looking at the gruesome wound on his chest, she said anxiously, "Please calm down. Your wound is still bleeding!"

The wounded soldier swung his arm forcefully. "What's a little blood? Even losing an arm wouldn't stop me!"

A Piao said expressionlessly, "This isn't the time to act tough."

The wounded soldier remained stubborn. "I'm not acting tough!"

"My resonance ability lets my wounds heal on their own. It's just taking a little longer this time! Save that medical care for someone who needs it more!"

Lu Li rubbed his chin. "So there are resonance abilities like that, too. I thought they were all means of attacking."

Just then, the system appeared.

[Resonance abilities come in many forms. Some people's resonance abilities are weak, useful only in everyday life, while others can play a significant role in certain fields.]

So that's how it works. Right now, I can only obtain resonance abilities through intimacy. Looks like I need to spend more time with Resonators...

So far, he had only obtained one resonance ability from Jianxin, an ability related to wind.

Although the system displayed the name of a skill, once he officially became a Resonator, he would be able to develop new skills himself instead of being restricted to that one.

A medic beside them said helplessly, "Stop moving. Our tests aren't wrong. Now that you're here, stay put!"

The medic motioned for everyone to hold the wounded soldier down.

After a good deal of fuss, the medic finally finished treating the stubborn soldier.

The group then followed the medical staff over to another soldier, who was sitting partially upright.

His leg was wrapped in bandages, and a large patch of his back was stained with blood.

He was panting, clearly in considerable pain.

Jianxin crouched down in concern. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine... no need... I just... feel... a little short of breath..."

Once again, everyone helped the medical staff treat the wounded soldier.

Looking around, they saw that most of the other wounded had also been stabilized for the time being under the medical staff's care.

The medic wiped the sweat from their forehead and smiled at the group. "Thank you for your help. You must be tired. Go take a breather."

Jianxin said worriedly, "Their injuries all look quite serious..."

The medic smiled. "Don't worry. They've all received proper care and treatment. They'll recover gradually."

"Ever since General Jiyan restructured the army and established the Midnight Rangers, the condition of our wounded hasn't been nearly as horrific as it was decades ago..."

The medic sighed and continued, "I've heard from the old hands that there used to be a lot of ordinary people in the army. On the battlefields back then... not even heavy rain could wash away the stench of blood hanging in the air."

"Compared with that carnage, things are so much better now."

"...Those wounds are proof that they've defeated thousands upon thousands of ferocious Remnants."

"Every Resonator who makes it into the Midnight Rangers can take on a hundred enemies alone. Anyone brought down with injuries this severe has certainly killed at least that many."

A Piao's expression was solemn. "They're all heroes."

Lu Li sighed in admiration. "I never knew the Midnight Rangers were so formidable. No wonder General Jiyan is held in such high regard."

He had only been in this world for two short days, yet he had already heard people mention General Jiyan several times.

Jianxin drew a deep breath. "To serve the nation, save its people, and bring aid to all living beings... these soldiers have accomplished that. By comparison, what this humble Daoist has done is still far from enough."

Lu Li stroked Jianxin's cowlick without saying much.

After all, he had learned a lesson himself. These were things he might never have experienced or even encountered in an entire lifetime in his previous world.

The medic smiled. "Don't say that. Without you here, we couldn't have finished treating everyone so quickly."

"The wounded are more or less stable now. If you have other things to do, you can go attend to them."

Jianxin cupped her hands in salute. "Sorry for the trouble. This humble Daoist came here to find the quartermaster."

Jianxin hadn't forgotten her purpose. The Midnight Rangers soldier they had met earlier had said that Zhiyuan had been taken away by the Fubo Camp's quartermaster...