"Ah...wait...! That's too much... That's too much!" Lin Wenzhi's voice rose sharply as the nurse gripped his injured leg.
Pain shot up instantly, sharp and blinding, forcing his fingers to clench tightly against the edge of the bed.
"Sir," the nurse said, her brows drawn together in a deep frown, clearly unimpressed by his reaction, "your ankle is dislocated. I need to set it back in place."
"I can tell!" Wenzhi snapped, breathing unevenly. "Doesn't mean it hurts any less!"
It had been a complete mess since they arrived.
The medical facility was massive, cold and pristine, the sharp scent of antiseptic hanging heavily in the air. Voices overlapped everywhere. Crying. Shouting. Orders being barked. Children wailing somewhere in the distance.
Under different circumstances, Wenzhi might have actually been interested. The place had that sleek, futuristic design straight out of the kind of novels he used to read.
Right now? He was seconds away from kicking someone in the face.
The nurse adjusted her grip again.
Wenzhi's entire body tensed instantly. "Wait—"
Too late.
Pain flared again, sharper this time, and he threw his head back with a strangled shout.
"Ah..fuck...!"
He bit down hard, forcing himself not to lash out. His good leg twitched dangerously, his control hanging by a thread.
"Sir!" the nurse snapped, clearly losing patience now.
That did it.
"I will do it myself!" Wenzhi's voice dropped, sharper this time.
The nurse paused, then slowly let go, though the look she gave him made it very clear she thought he was an idiot.
Wenzhi ignored her.
He shifted carefully, adjusting his position on the bed. One hand braced against the mattress, the other gripping his injured ankle.
He exhaled slowly.
"…Great," he muttered under his breath. "First day in a new world and I'm already fixing my own body. Love that for me."
He moved. A sharp twist.
Snap.
A sickening crack followed, the joint sliding back into place.
Pain exploded up his leg.
Wenzhi sucked in a harsh breath, his vision going white for a second as he clenched his teeth hard enough that his jaw ached.
"…fuck," he hissed, eyes squeezing shut.
For a moment, he didn't move. He just breathed, slow and controlled, forcing the pain back down.
Then finally, he opened his eyes.
The nurse was staring at him now. She looked surprised. A little impressed. Mostly concerned.
Wenzhi met her gaze, completely deadpan.
"…What?" he said flatly. "Never seen someone fix their own leg before?"
The nurse blinked once, then frowned again, professionalism snapping back into place.
"You'll be transferred to a healing pod to repair muscle damage," she said, already reaching for supplies. "Your organization is covering all expenses."
Wenzhi leaned back slightly at that, one brow lifting faintly. He glanced down at the fresh tear across his palm, watching the thin line of blood before flexing his fingers once.
Without another word, he followed after the nurse.
They stopped in front of a large chamber.
Wenzhi paused. "…Oh."
The healing pod sat at the center of the room, larger than he expected, its structure smooth and seamless. Transparent panels curved around it, connected by thick tubes that ran along the walls and ceiling.
A soft, rhythmic blue light pulsed steadily from within. It hummed quietly, like something alive.
Wenzhi raised a brow slightly. "…Okay. That's kind of cool."
The nurse stepped forward and tapped a control panel at the side.
With a soft hiss, the pod slid open.
"Inside," she said, already sounding impatient. "Quickly."
Wenzhi glanced at her.
…Did she not like him or something?
He frowned faintly.
Rude.
Then again, he probably looked like he crawled out of a grave.
Fair.
He stepped in anyway, lowering himself into the pod and leaning back.
The moment he settled, It closed. Sealing him in completely.
A faint blue light swept over his body from head to toe. Once. Twice. It stopped.
Wenzhi blinked. "…That's it?"
The light suddenly concentrated on his forehead, ankle and palm. A faint sting spread through each point, sharp but brief... and then... Gone.
The pain disappeared. Completely.
A mechanical voice echoed calmly inside the pod.
'Scan complete. Healing progress: 100%.'
"…What."
The pod opened with another soft hiss.
Just like that. Done.
Wenzhi sat there for a second longer. He slowly moved his ankle.
No pain.
He flexed his fingers.
Nothing.
He stared at his palm.
Not even a scar.
"…This is insane," he muttered under his breath, stepping out.
The nurse gave him a strange look, something between irritation and disbelief, but Wenzhi ignored her completely.
Because right now, he was distracted.
There was a glass panel across the room. And on the surface was his reflection.
His lips parted as he stared.
Soft, naturally tinted lips. Pale skin. Freckles scattered lightly across his nose and cheeks. His eyes were grey, half-lidded, lazy-looking, but sharp underneath.
His hair fell in dark, messy strands around his face, slightly too long, like he hadn't bothered fixing it in days.
A complete bird's nest and yet...
"…I'm cute," he said flatly.
Then paused.
"…No, wait." He tilted his head, studying himself again. "…I'm actually very cute."
A slow grin spread across his face. "Nice."
He lifted a hand, touching his cheek lightly like he didn't quite believe it and walked out.
"Wenzhi!" A familiar voice rang out, filled with relief.
Wenzhi stiffened.
"Oh fuck, he looks like shit!" Another voice followed immediately, far less concerned.
Wenzhi turned slowly.
Three figures rushed toward him.
The pink-haired woman first. Ru Yi. She was perfectly alive.
Behind her were two men.
One was huge. Tall enough to tower over almost everyone in the room, broad shoulders, built like he could punch through a wall without trying.
He looked intimidating at first glance. But his expression? Worried. Soft. Golden retriever energy.
Du Ze. An A-rank combat guide.
The other was slim, glasses on his face with calm eyes already scanning him like he was a problem to solve.
Pei Luo. A C-rank tech analyst guide who was also his dorm mate.
Ru Yi reached him first.
She threw her arms around Lin Wenzhi tightly, holding on like she was afraid he might disappear if she let go.
"You're okay," she said, her voice trembling slightly despite the smile on her face. "I'm so glad you're okay."
Wenzhi stiffened for half a second. Slowly... he hugged her back.
"…hmm," he said quietly. "You too."
"It's a miracle you both survived," Pei Luo said, adjusting his glasses as he looked them over carefully. "Records already confirm that was one of the largest rifts recorded since the Great Fall."
"I don't think now is the time for statistics," Duan Ze cut in, his voice low but firm. "We should head back to Halo. The director will want to see every surviving guide."
Ru Yi slowly let go of Wenzhi, though her hand lingered for a second before she stepped back.
Her expression dimmed. "We lost the others."
Duan Ze's shoulders tensed. "…How many?"
"Eight guides."
The number landed heavily.
Even Wenzhi felt it. Not as grief but as something uncomfortable.
Duan Ze exhaled slowly, his jaw tightening before his gaze shifted toward Wenzhi. "…You alright?"
Wenzhi blinked.
"Yes," he said, a little too quickly. "I mean… I think so. Why?"
Duan Ze studied him for a second. Then his lips curled into a warm, reassuring smile. "Nothing."
He reached out and tapped Wenzhi lightly on the shoulder. "Let's go."
Wenzhi's body went still for a brief moment at the contact.
…He wasn't used to this.
Duan Ze had already turned away.
Pei Luo followed without a word.
Ru Yi, on the other hand, slipped back to Wenzhi's side, looping her arm around his naturally, like it was something she'd done a hundred times before.
She smiled up at him.
Wenzhi glanced down at her, a flicker of memory surfacing.
…Ah.
Right.
Their relationship. A casual, physical, complicated relationship.
Of course.
They exited the institute together, stepping out into the open.
Wenzhi paused as the sleek, massive and very much alive city stretched out before him.
Towering skyscrapers pierced into the sky, layers of infrastructure built over each other like the city had grown upward instead of outward. Lights flickered across glass surfaces, vehicles moving in organized streams across elevated roads.
It didn't look like a world constantly under threat. It looked… advanced. Too advanced.
In the parking area, two high-powered bikes waited.
Duan Ze swung onto one with ease.
Pei Luo took the other.
Helmets were tossed their way.
"Get on," Duan Ze said.
Wenzhi caught his, staring at it for a second. "…Where is my own bike?"
"Wenzhi, come on," Pei Luo groaned.
Wenzhi clicked his tongue and put the helmet on.
Ru Yi climbed on behind Pei Luo, arms wrapping around his waist.
Wenzhi hesitated for a second then got on behind Duan Ze.
The engine roared to life beneath him. And then, they shot forward.
The city blurred past them, wind rushing violently against his body as they sped through wide, gleaming roads that cut through the massive capital. There were lights, movement everywhere.
Wenzhi held on tighter instinctively, eyes narrowing slightly as he took it all in.
"uh… I'm definitely not in my world anymore." he muttered under his breath.