Chapter One: Prologue

In the depths of the forest, a special operations squad advanced cautiously through the afternoon woods, moving in textbook reconnaissance formation. Leading the team was their captain, sunlight filtering through the leaves to dapple his youthful face. A thin, narrow scar traced his cheek, fading in and out of sight beneath the shifting light.

Suddenly, he raised a clenched fist, signaling the team to halt. This meant there was a potential threat ahead and they needed to observe. The soldier behind him, quick to understand, gestured for the others to remain alert. Instantly, the squad spread out into a defensive posture.

“What’s wrong?” The second-in-command moved closer, lowering his voice. Instinct told him something wasn’t right.

The captain frowned, handing over his multi-functional locator with a sigh. “This thing just malfunctioned. We’ve lost the target’s position.”

The vice captain examined the device closely, his expression growing darker. “We might be experiencing electronic interference.”

At that moment, another soldier wearing a military headset called out with concern, “Report! We’ve lost contact with headquarters!”

“Enemy presence!” The captain’s heart clenched with dread.

Their mission was to search for and eliminate an armed group that had crossed the border. Intelligence indicated the group had infiltrated this forested region illegally.

“Everyone, prepare for combat!” Realizing their covert operation might be compromised, the captain swiftly issued orders.

“Our cover’s blown. We could already be surrounded…” he muttered in a low voice to his deputy.

Before he could finish, a sentry suddenly raised his rifle and fired a burst toward a dense cluster of treetops. A dark figure tumbled down with a strangled cry.

“Contact!” the soldier shouted. The others immediately sought cover, weapons at the ready.

A moment of tense silence, then a storm of gunfire erupted from the surrounding undergrowth. Bullets tore through leaves and earth, sending clods of dirt flying and shredded foliage into the air.

“Machine gunner, lay down suppressing fire! Target: high ground at ten o’clock. Everyone else, cross-cover and move in!” The captain seized the brief lull as the attackers reloaded to redeploy his men.

“Got it!” The soldiers replied, returning fire as they moved.

“First team, hold the left flank; second team, cover the right. Take the men and charge—I’ll cover the rear!” the captain shouted to his deputy.

“You’re the captain! We need you to command—I’ll stay behind!” the deputy fired off a burst, voice trembling with emotion. Though they’d dropped several enemies, more were surging out of the woods, shouting wildly.

“There’s no time! The gunfire at ten o’clock is thinner—breaking out there is our best shot! Get the men out!” Bloodshot eyes blazing, the captain roared.

“No! We go together!” The deputy knew all too well the risk of covering a retreat.

“Get them out now! Otherwise, none of us will make it!” The captain kicked him hard. “Move! I’m not dead yet! Break through and contact HQ if we want any hope of support!”

The deputy’s lips quivered. He wanted to protest, but swallowed his words, locking eyes with the captain before saluting him solemnly. Then, his voice hoarse, he called out, “Everyone, follow me!” Gathering the others, he led the charge toward the high ground under covering fire.

The captain hurled two grenades, blasting several pursuers off their feet and relieving some of the pressure from behind.

Taking advantage of the rising smoke and dust, he rolled into a muddy gully where a stream trickled, propped his rifle, and picked off another enemy who dared show himself.

Panting, he reloaded, barely pausing before a shrill, piercing whine cut through the chaos behind him.

“RPG!”

His instincts kicked in—he dived from the ditch just as the explosion tore through the air, showering him with water and dirt. Thanks to the cover and his quick move, he escaped serious injury, but the blast left him dazed, ears ringing, limbs numb, the world reduced to a whistling void.

His organs felt as if they’d been shaken loose; his vision blurred. Fighting the nausea, he gripped his rifle tightly, staring after his retreating comrades—his weapon now his only lifeline.

The battle wasn’t over. The surviving enemies were closing in, the shapes of gunmen emerging from the brush with deadly intent.

He pressed against a tree, forcing himself to stay conscious, teeth gritted as he emptied his last magazine at the advancing figures, then discarded his rifle and drew his sidearm.

Two sharp cracks—two enemies fell, rifles slipping from their hands.

A deafening blast—a grenade detonated nearby. The shockwave hurled him into the air, slamming him back down in a rain of earth and mud. Even with his body armor, he felt a rib crack.

Blood filled his chest, choking him into fits of coughing. Searing pain robbed him of speech, every cough spraying hot blood from his lips.

His vision rapidly faded. A ruthless enemy strode forward, pressing a boot into his chest, the black muzzle of a rifle leveled at his face. The trigger squeezed—

That was the last thing he saw. In that instant, his mind raced with thoughts of family, comrades, dreams left unfinished…

But all of it seemed to end with the sound of that gunshot.

He had no idea how much time had passed when he gradually sensed light again. Struggling to open his eyes, he was met by a battered roof, sunlight spilling through countless cracks overhead.

He tried to sit up, but agony pinned him to a cold, hard mat, his head still echoing with that relentless ringing. Dimly, he noticed the room’s furnishings and atmosphere were unlike anything in the modern world.

A thought flashed through his mind—perhaps his deputy had risked everything to rescue him, or he was a captive in the enemy’s prison. Either might explain the confusion he felt.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps approached. Instinctively, he reached for a weapon, but as he propped himself up on his elbow and locked eyes with the approaching figure, he froze completely.