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[⚠️ : Graphic Content]
Scorching hot summer sun toasted everyone's back as they went down to rebuild new tents at the far north. Patients were moved out to the clearing for the mean time as centipedes and snakes frequented the cave. Y/N wanted to stay with the injured but Maria influenced her to come along. Now, she has been in motion for about forty minutes, carrying heavy rods and decluttering.
Commander Choi had left an hour prior, so Sergeant Kang was tasked to supervise for the mean time.
"I saw you earlier this morning." Maria poked her friend's side. "You were with commander. What's up with that?"
"Well, you told me to tend a patient, so I did my duty."
"Tending, huh?" Maria let out a chortle. "Tell me, does sitting close to each other justify it all?"
"You're talking nonsense."
"Am I? What's going on between you two, huh?"
"Nothing."
"Really? Your blush doesn't make it seem so. Oooh, Y/N, is this some growth I'm seeing?"
Y/N hit her head with a roll of fabric. "I said nothing! God, we just talked. Aren't we allowed to do so?!"
"Ahh.." Maria winced, rubbing the thumping spot. "Calm down. Didn't have to be so brutal about it."
"Ah!" A male nurse straightened up, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Sergeant Kang, excuse me, sir. Do you mind if we take a seat? My back is killing me!"
"Go ahead," the sergeant permitted. "Everyone, make shelter under the trees for a moment. Maria, can you bring over a water jug?"
"No problem."
Maria gave her items to the soldier before running off. Y/N took the opportunity to join her peers by the shade of a big acacia. The soil was too hot, thus she leaned against the rough trunk instead, arms crossed, as she watched the vapor rise up to the humid air. The rest of the troops scooted over as well.
"Very tiring," Sergeant Kang approached her. "Not quite a good start for your first week in Galyette, is it?"
Y/N nodded. "I was told that things here are much worse than the raids in Montverde."
"You need to get used to it, Nurse Y/N. This is our life."
"Has it always been like this?"
"Eh," he pocketed his hands. "What else could you expect? Of course there's a shit ton of brutality and.. Whatever."
"I listened to the radio a while ago."
Sergeant Kang batted her an eye. "Yeah?"
"They said Betherel has formed alliance with Nordame."
"Betherel is a strong country," he fanned himself with his hat. "I hate to admit this but it's a threat."
"What are we gonna do now?"
"Commander Choi's headed to the east coast today. We had just received a call from Laim; they're sending eight hundred men to cover us."
Laim. A far off nation across the globe, long known to be one of Monverde's loyal assets- including Galyette. It was such a funny coincidence since Laiman people were in a tight feud with the countrymen of Betherel- thus, sparking a speculation that these two lands hopped into Montverde and Nordame's fiery situation to spit at each other.
"Sharkbait 05, Sharkbait 05."
Sergeant Kang pulled out his radio.
"This is Sharkbait 05, over."
"Sharkbait 05, how do you read?"
"5 out 5, commander. Over."
"Good. I need you and the boys to run down at east coast. Nordame might be waiting for the Laiman battalion. It's better to have backup."
"Alright, commander. Copy that."
"Bring five nurses with you too. Move. Now. I'll be waiting here."
"Roger that. Wilco."
Sergeant Kang sighed heavily before stuffing his radio back to his chest pocket. Y/N blinked at him.
"Sharkbait? Where did you get that nickname?"
"Training camp." He chuckled. "You know, our call signs depend on our performances and personalities. Private Con's named Dumbo 64 since he's a little stupid."
"How does that do to you?"
"See this?" He grinned wide, showing his sharp canines. "That's the story."
She raised a brow. "Interesting."
"Right." He cleared his throat. "Well, you heard the boss. We better get going. You and Maria are coming to the coast with us. Let's go."
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A hundred troops and five nurses arrived at the east coast near sundown. Commander Choi was sitting on a junk tire with Corporal Pierre, meeting them.
Commander Choi wasn't wearing his formal uniform but rather, his pants were rolled up his calves, exposing the rest of his long combat boots. His torso was clothed in a fit, khaki shirt- his toned muscles were highly defined. His right shoulder was still wrapped in bandage but that didn't really matter as he didn't show any pained reaction as he moved. Man, he was indeed tough.
Galyette's beach was silent except for the crashing waves by the shore. Y/N could make out a silhouette of a ship at the distance- the Laiman soldiers.
"Eight hundred men!" Corporal Pierre raised his arms in gratitude. "Good old Laim. Knew we could always count on them. Bless their motherland."
"That's a lot to take back to camp though." Maria doubted. "How are we going to accommodate all of them?"
"We're only bringing a quarter with us. The rest will be scattered throughout Galyette and Montverde." Commander Choi explained. "Laim will follow up with their artillery and launchers tomorrow. That should be good."
Commander Choi's gaze landed to Y/N who was staring at the sea. When she felt prying eyes on her, she turned and saw him. He scoffed.
"You're here."
She raised a brow. "Do we have a problem with that, commander?"
"Oh," his tone was laced with mockery. "No, Nurse Y/N."
She rolled her eyes sideways. Corporal Pierre suddenly applauded and marched towards the pier. The Laiman ship has docked. Eight hundred Laiman soldiers have arrived. Commander Choi led the rest of his battalion onwards. Y/N and her medical peers tailed.
"Scatter." Commander Choi firmly ordered. "Load your guns, boys. It's no time to be off guard."
Y/N consciously looked around. She had almost lost her life from one careless move; she wasn't about to risk it again.
"Commander." She called and pointed by a far-away mound.
Commander Choi traced her finger and squinted his eyes. Five gun barrels were aimed to them. A tank was silently positioned to blast towards the newly fetched Laimans.
"GET DOWN!" He roared.
BANG!
The dreary silence ripped as Nordame initiated attack. Commander Choi sped to the allie's troops and beckoned them to battle. Corporal Pierre ushered a group of thirty soldiers around Nordame's hideout with their grenades and rocket launchers. Sergeant Kang united with the Laiman army, dove to their stomachs, and fired their guns.
WHIRRR..
BOOM!
Sand flew to all directions as a missile hit the beach. Y/N and the rest of the medics scurried around, dragging bleeding men away from the havoc.
"Disengage from the west!" Commander Choi belted. "Nordame's heading south! Charge!"
BOOM!
Y/N covered her ears as a bomb detonated meters away. Blood from different people splattered on her uniform and skin. She didn't wipe them off— there was no time. Cries and screams filled the air which was once only dominanted by calming seafoam and seagulls.
"Nurse Y/N!" Commander Choi shouted. "Follow!"
Y/N ran up to Commander Choi. On her way, she spotted a bloody rifle. She picked and swung it to her back, unbeknownst to the commander. He bolted behind a wall of limestone where ten Montverde men ducked, shooting.
"EHEY!" One of them cackled, belting his machine gun with a loud ratata. "THAT'S RIGHT, BITCH. RUN."
"Commander," Private Con chirped. "Seems like they're retreating. Look at them go. Aha!"
"No," Commander Choi opposed. "They're not."
Commander Choi positioned his own rifle to the ground, closed one eye, aimed towards one enemy, and pulled the trigger.
"GAH!"
Y/N spun to collect a fallen private. She hurriedly brought him by a dead tree and aided his wounded chest. Luckily, the bullet didn't pierce to where his heart was. However, he was bleeding terribly.
"You'll be alright." Y/N reassured. "Don't move, sir. Don't move!"
"Ngh..!"
"It's okay! It's okay! Sir!"
Y/N pressed a considerable amount of pressure to the gushing hole but it only equated to intolerable pain. The man, Private Lim, breathlessly screamed. Tears streamed down his face as his dirty hands reached out for something in his pocket.
"Private Lim," she sternly addressed. "Hold on for me, please. It's nothing, see? Come on, sir. Come on!"
Private Lim whimpered. He extended a badly creased photograph to the nurse, shaky. Y/N hesitantly took it. It was a portrait of a breathtakingly beautiful, brunette woman cradling a sleeping baby in her arms.
"Give it to them.. When this is all over.." He gulped up his own blood. "Tell Diana.. I'm sorry.. For not making it.. To Vivian's birthday.."
Y/N's heart squeezed.
"No, no, listen to me!" Y/N gritted, frantically fishing out her tools from the kit. "You will give this to your family! You will make it out of this hell hole!"
Private Lim hopelessly grimaced at her. Y/N, now desperate, skillfully pulled the bullet out. But the moment she heaved out a relieved sigh, Private Lim had had his last breath.
"Private Lim." She shook his arm. "Private.. Lim.."
WHIRRR..
BOOM!
She instinctively covered her head as a rocket flew past above her. She turned back to Commander Choi and the remaining comrades. They were still firing endlessly. Two soldiers dropped dead amongst them. Y/N took the initiative.
Closing her kit, she returned to the commander's side and whipped out her stolen rifle.
She fired.