Chapter 554: 80.2 Short Rest

"Leader."

The muted call of Anna gently took me out of my musings as I felt her stand by my side. I... Huh, I almost asked her why she was with me when I remembered that I was still bleeding from all orifices. Heh... Shvt... That was probably why I couldn't hear a damn thing she was screaming at me by my side.

I kept my focus on the structure out in the distance when I felt something hot and painful touch my side. In an instant, everything became clear to me again as the sounds of battle pierced through the roaring veil of the engine. Muted explosions, cracks of lightning. It even became apparent that the occasional bumps that I thought were benign were actually the enemy attacking the APC.

Fvck! I really am a fvcking idiot.

"Does it hurt?" Anna nervously asked beside me. "Please bear with it for now-"