Arknights - Echoes Of The Unfound Dawn

A/N: Today is like the whole world is against me finish this chapter from continueus pop up of task. Enjoy the chapter everyone❤️✨.

The late afternoon sun hung low over the sprawling city of Lungmen, its golden rays casting long shadows over bustling streets. The usual hum of commerce and chatter filled the air, but Xian barely noticed it. His focus was solely on the woman in his arms—Swire, pale and weak, her body wrapped tightly in his jacket to conceal the creeping originium infection spreading across her skin.

Her head rested against his chest as he carried her in a princess hold, her breaths shallow and uneven. Xian's heart pounded—not from exertion, but from the gnawing fear that he might already be too late.

He sprinted through the crowded streets, his urgency earning him more than a few startled looks. People turned to see what the commotion was, but Xian didn't slow down.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" someone shouted as Xian barreled past, narrowly avoiding a collision with a merchant's cart.

Not everyone was as lucky. A delivery worker carrying a stack of crates stumbled as Xian brushed past, the crates tumbling to the ground. "What the hell, man?" the worker yelled, but Xian didn't even glance back.

Spotting a narrower side street, Xian made a sharp turn, his boots skidding slightly on the cobblestones. The path ahead was less crowded, offering him a chance to move faster. He didn't care about the occasional bump or startled gasp as he shoved past anyone in his way.

Swire stirred weakly in his arms, her voice barely audible over the pounding of his own heartbeat. "You're… stronger… than you look…"

Xian glanced down at her, his jaw tight. "Save your energy, Swire. Don't talk."

Her lips curved into the faintest of smirks. "Didn't… think you… had it in you… Xian the… handyman…"

"Stop wasting your strength," Xian said, his voice sharper than intended. "You need to stay alive."

"Rude…" she whispered, her tone teasing despite its weakness.

He adjusted his grip on her, his pace quickening. "You can chew me out later. Right now, just stay quiet and focus on breathing."

"Bossy…" Swire murmured, her eyes fluttering open briefly. "You're… not my… superior…"

"Yeah, well, someone has to keep you in line," Xian retorted, his voice a mix of frustration and worry.

She coughed weakly, her smirk fading. "Don't… pretend… you're not… scared…"

"I'm not scared," he said firmly, though his grip on her tightened.

"Liar…" she murmured, her voice fading again.

For a moment, the silence between them was broken only by the rhythm of Xian's boots on the ground and Swire's shallow breaths. But then she spoke again, her voice trembling.

"Xian… if it gets… worse… you know… what to do…"

"No," Xian said immediately, his tone final.

"If I… lose control… people will…"

"Not happening," he snapped, cutting her off. "You're not losing control. I won't let it get that far."

"You're… stubborn…" she whispered, her voice carrying a faint trace of approval.

"And you're annoying," Xian muttered, though the edge in his voice softened.

The narrow street ended in another crowded thoroughfare, but Xian didn't hesitate. He plunged back into the sea of people, weaving through the crowd with practiced agility.

As he ran, he fumbled for his comms device with one hand, muttering, "I'm calling Ch'en. She'll know what to do."

"No…" Swire whispered, her voice strained but firm. "She's… in a meeting… important…"

"I don't care if she's negotiating world peace," Xian growled. "This is more important."

"Don't… drag her… into this…" Swire murmured, her fingers clutching weakly at his shirt.

"Then who the hell am I supposed to call?" Xian snapped, his voice rising. "You're dying, Swire! I can't just—"

"Shut up…" she whispered, her tone almost scolding. "Focus… on running…"

Xian clenched his jaw, his frustration mounting. "You don't get to tell me what to do right now, Swire. You're not exactly in a position to argue."

"You're… bossy…" she repeated, her voice faint but teasing.

"And you're ridiculous," Xian shot back, his steps quickening as he spotted his restaurant in the distance.

Swire's head lolled slightly against his chest, her voice barely audible. "Xian…"

"What?" he asked, his voice tinged with impatience.

"Did I ever… tell you… about the time… I broke Ch'en's… favorite pen?"

"What?" Xian asked again, this time more incredulous.

"She was… so mad…" Swire continued, her words slurring slightly. "Thought… she'd… arrest me…"

"You're delirious," Xian muttered, shaking his head.

"She… didn't… though…" Swire murmured, her faint smile returning. "Just… yelled… a lot…"

Xian's patience began to fray as Swire's rambling continued. "Swire, you're not making sense," he said, though his voice lacked its usual sharpness.

"Doesn't… matter…" she whispered. "Just… felt like… telling you…"

"Save your breath for staying alive," Xian muttered, his tone softer now.

As he finally reached his restaurant, he kicked the door open.

He carried Swire to the back room, laying her down gently on a cot. Her eyes fluttered open briefly, meeting his worried gaze.

"You're… stubborn…" she murmured again, her voice barely a whisper.

"And you talk too much," Xian retorted, grabbing supplies to treat her.

Swire's faint smile lingered as her eyes closed again, leaving Xian to work in tense silence, his mind racing with plans and prayers.

Her pale complexion and labored breathing weighing heavily on his mind. He stepped back, staring at her with a mix of frustration and helplessness. His thoughts spiraled as he tried to piece together a plan.

"What the hell do I do now?" he muttered under his breath.

Swire stirred slightly, her lips moving as she forced out a weak, teasing comment. "Don't… overthink… handyman…"

Xian glanced at her, his expression softening for a moment before hardening again. "I told you that you shouldn't be talking. Save your strength."

"You're… bad at hiding… when you're panicking…" she murmured, her voice strained but laced with faint amusement.

Xian ignored her, his eyes drifting to the visible traces of originium infection creeping along her skin. The crystalline formations glinted faintly under the room's pale light, a haunting reminder of the danger she was in. His jaw tightened as he stared at it, lost in thought.

Swire broke the silence again, her voice faint but carrying her usual wit. "Still… looking at me, huh? Can't blame you. I am… quite beautiful…"

Xian didn't respond immediately, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He finally exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Better to be… impossible… than boring…" she whispered, her weak smile faint but present.

Shaking his head, Xian narrowed his eyes and activated his appraisal ability. The world seemed to shift slightly as he focused, his vision overlaying detailed information about Swire's condition. He analyzed the spreading infection, noting the crystalline patterns and the way the originium seemed to integrate into her bloodstream.

Her infection rate wasn't catastrophic yet, but it was progressing quickly. The crystalline structures were most prominent around her chest and arms, pulsing faintly as if alive. The sight made his stomach twist, but he forced himself to keep studying, cataloging every detail.

Swire's weak voice broke his concentration. "Your eyes… scary…"

Xian glanced at her briefly before turning back to his analysis. "It's just a side effect of the ability. Nothing to worry about."

Swire chuckled weakly, though it sounded more like a strained breath. "You're… lying…"

Xian didn't respond this time, his focus locked onto the infection spreading through her body. The more he analyzed, the clearer it became—he needed to act fast, or she wouldn't last much longer.

His mind raced as he pieced together fragments of knowledge he'd gathered about originium and its effects. His abilities allowed him to manipulate small particles within a living being, but extracting large quantities of a substance like this? That was uncharted territory.

Swire's voice broke through his thoughts again, faint and almost teasing. "Thinking… too hard again… handyman…"

"Quiet," Xian muttered, though his tone lacked its usual sharpness.

"You're… scared… I can tell…" she whispered.

Xian clenched his fists, his frustration evident. "Of course I'm scared! I don't have time to screw this up."

Swire fell silent at that, her faint smirk fading as she watched him with tired eyes.

Finally, an idea began to form in Xian's mind. It was risky and far from guaranteed, but it was the only thing he could think of. He had never tried extracting something this significant from a living being, but he had no other choice.

With a deep sigh, he stood abruptly, startling Swire slightly.

"Where… are you going…?" she asked weakly.

"To get what I need," Xian said, already heading toward the door. "Stay awake, Swire. I'll be back in a second."

He rushed into the main part of his restaurant, ignoring the faint hum of the refrigerator and the clutter of the kitchen. His hands moved quickly as he grabbed a bottle of painkillers and a clean cloth. He knew this would be painful, and Swire wasn't in any shape to handle it without some kind of relief.

As he returned to the backroom, Swire's tired eyes tracked his movements. "What… are you… planning…?"

Xian didn't answer immediately, setting the supplies down beside her and pulling up a chair. "Something risky," he admitted, his voice low. "But it's the only shot we've got."

Swire's weak smile returned. "Sounds like… your style…"

Xian didn't respond to the comment, instead focusing on preparing for what came next. Every second felt like an eternity, but he forced himself to stay calm. He couldn't afford to let fear or doubt control him—not when Swire's life was on the line.

Arknights: Echoes of the unfound dawn

As Swire was lying on the cot, her breathing shallow, her pale complexion illuminated by the dim room light. Her once fiery eyes were dull, their light fading, but she still managed a faint smirk.

"Drink this," Xian said firmly, holding the pill and glass out to her.

Swire glanced at the pill and gave a faint, dry chuckle. "No use… at this stage… you know that…"

Xian's jaw tightened, his frustration evident. "Just shut up and take it. Now isn't the time to argue."

She tried to shake her head, her weak voice continuing, "There's no cure… especially now…"

"That's enough!" Xian snapped, his voice louder than he intended. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "You don't get to give up on me. Not now. Not after I've carried your heavy ass all this way. So just take the damn pill, Swire."

Swire's dull eyes flickered, her lips twitching into a faint smile. "You're… dramatic… you know that?"

Xian knelt down, his face close to hers. His voice softened, tinged with desperation. "Dramatic? Fine. But I'm not going to let you die. So stop talking like you're already gone."

Swire didn't respond immediately. Her eyes met his, and for a moment, Xian froze. Her gaze was lifeless, like those of a corpse—empty, devoid of hope or fight. Yet she still smiled at him, a faint, broken expression that sent a pang through his chest.

It was like looking at a doll whose strings had been cut, smiling out of habit rather than any real emotion.

Xian clenched his fists, his breath catching in his throat. His mind screamed at him to act, but the sight of her like this paralyzed him for a moment.

He sighed deeply, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. "You're not allowed to give me that look, Swire. Not you. You're the one who's supposed to be yelling at me, calling me an idiot for not having a plan."

He leaned closer, his tone softening but laced with desperation. "Please, Swire. Just… just take the pill, okay? Let me try to help you."

Her smile didn't waver as she whispered, "No strength… Can't even lift my hand…"

Xian's frustration boiled over, emotions flooding his chest as he swiped the pill from her hand. "Fine!" he barked. "If you won't, I'll do it for you."

Swire's weak gaze followed him, confusion flickering in her tired eyes. "What… are you…?"

He popped the pill into his own mouth, took a sip of the water, and leaned down toward her.

Swire's dull eyes widened in confusion as Xian's face got closer. She opened her mouth to protest, but the words never came.

In one swift motion, Xian pressed his lips to hers, transferring the pill and water into her mouth. It was clumsy and desperate, but effective. Swire's body stiffened in shock, her weak arms twitching as if to push him away, but she had no strength to resist.

Her mind raced—frustration, confusion, and embarrassment all hitting her at once.