Integration
The success of the simulation mission was indeed a watershed moment. Elaine could clearly sense the subtle changes in the team atmosphere. She was no longer an "outsider" who needed extra attention, but was gradually being recognized as an effective part of the team's operation.
Hesh would directly ask her for predictions about civilian activity patterns in a certain area during tactical discussions; Logan would naturally lend a hand when she was carrying heavy data boxes; even the silent Konig would quietly hand her a rag when she accidentally spilled water on a table in the common area, although he still carefully avoided making eye contact with her.
This sense of belonging eased Elaine's tense nerves slightly. She began to observe the team's operations more closely, especially the starkly different styles of the two core leaders—Ghost and Keegan.
Captain Ghost, as his codename suggests, is the absolute backbone and brain of the team. He is calm, precise, and extremely demanding, possessing an authoritative presence that commands respect without raising his voice. His instructions are concise and clear; no flaw in training or missions escapes his sharp eyes. He will point out mistakes without mercy, pushing everyone to their limits. But behind his sternness lies an absolute responsibility to ensure every team member survives on the brutal battlefield. Elaine once witnessed him leaving Hesh, who had made a mistake, alone after a simulated battle, reviewing the tactical maneuvers repeatedly until they became muscle memory. It was a protective presence, as reliable as a mountain, delivered from a distance.
Sergeant Keegan, on the other hand, was like the glue and safety net of the team. He didn't talk much, but his observation skills were exceptional. If Logan's rifle rail was slightly loose, Keegan would silently hand him the right tool before training began; when Hesh was exhausted from continuous high-intensity reconnaissance, Keegan would "coincidentally" bring him an extra high-energy meal; even after a simulated urban warfare exercise, when Konig was frustrated by tactical coordination issues and was repeatedly disassembling and reassembling his pistol alone in a corner, Keegan went over, didn't lecture him, but simply picked up another gun and silently practiced rapid aiming with him, conveying silent support through his actions. His care was meticulous, yet never ostentatious, as if it were simply the most natural part of his job.
Elaine noticed that Keegan seemed to naturally incorporate her into his protective territory: once, when she fell asleep while working late into the night in the briefing room, a blanket was found on her. Keegan gently reminded her that the data wasn't urgent and that she should remember to rest earlier next time, as it wouldn't grow legs and run away on its own. During her breaks, while observing their training, Keegan would occasionally take the time to teach her some basic escape techniques:
For example, teach her how to hide in the wild, how to make a trap, or teach her how to make a small explosive with a few small parts while she's tinkering with electronic devices.
“This amount won’t hurt anyone, but it’s enough to cause chaos.” Keegan handed her the newly assembled “simulated bomb” that hadn’t yet been wired.
Elaine nodded somewhat nervously, carefully disassembled the device, and then put it back together...
The team successfully completed a low-intensity reconnaissance mission. Elaine, with her keen insight into the logic of social operation, provided crucial analysis for the operation and once again won the team's recognition.
However, upon returning to the "Eagle's Nest" base late at night, the brief sense of relief from success was quickly overwhelmed by immense emptiness and sorrow. In the absolute security of her dormitory, Elaine mustered her courage for the first time and, using an encrypted link circumventing multiple nodes, cautiously searched for publicly available information about her original identity—YN.
The moment the search results appeared, her blood almost froze. The official report was starkly displayed, defining her as someone who "died tragically after being kidnapped by terrorists overseas." What tormented her even more were the related news stories: after learning of the "devastating news," her elderly parents suffered a heart attack and were hospitalized, and her father also fell seriously ill as a result... The webpage was accompanied by a blurry old photo, obtained from an unknown source, and the smiles of her parents in the photo now felt like the sharpest blade, slowly torturing her heart.
She slammed the laptop shut, her body turning ice-cold, tears streaming silently down her face. An overwhelming sense of guilt and agonizing helplessness instantly overwhelmed her. She clicked on the green software, wanting to tell her parents she was alive! But reason bound her like cold iron chains—any tiny signal could be detected by the omnipresent surveillance, and then not only her, but her critically ill parents, and even the entire "ghost" team protecting her, would face annihilation. She could only watch helplessly, unable to do anything.
For the next few days, Elaine was like a walking corpse. She forced herself to complete the data analysis tasks Price assigned, but her eyes were vacant, she had no appetite, and she suffered from insomnia at night, the image of her parents at their sickbeds appearing every time she closed her eyes. She rapidly lost weight and became unsettlingly silent.
Every morning she needed to apply ice to her swollen eyes, and the food on her plate was basically left untouched. She even absentmindedly knocked over parts during training... Keegan paused for a moment, asked nothing, and silently helped her put them away.
One night, Elaine was awakened by a nightmare again. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. No one was there, but there was a steaming cup of milk with honey on the door, and next to it was an old book about psychological adaptation in extreme environments. The pages were curled, as if it had been read many times.
Another day, while she was adjusting equipment in the hangar, Keegan "happened" to be there as well. While maintaining his rifle, he casually mentioned that when he first enlisted, he had experienced similar torment due to being cut off from his family. He briefly shared how to build "psychological anchors" to support oneself—not as a form of comfort, but more as a sharing of experience. Elaine understood that this was Keegan's way of expressing concern: silent, simple, yet carrying a solid warmth.
She picked up the glass of milk, the warmth seeping through the glass to her palm, dispelling a chill. She didn't thank him, but slowly finished it after he left. That night, she still didn't fall asleep completely, but in the darkness, there seemed to be a faint light.
Two weeks later, although she was still sad, she had tried her best to adjust her state of mind. She knew that only by living could there be hope.
As I passed the kitchen for lunch, I heard Hesh sigh at the monotonous military rations provided by logistics: "God, it's this stuff again. My taste buds are about to collectively perish."
These words were like a seed that landed in Elaine's heart. She recalled her childhood, when her parents were busy with work, and she learned to take care of herself at a very young age, developing excellent cooking skills. Especially during her studies abroad, she was adept at transforming a limited variety of exotic ingredients into various dishes, and her culinary skills earned her many friendships and care.
She hesitated for a moment, then approached Price, who was in charge of logistics, and suggested an idea: "Cap, if possible... I'd like to try using the kitchen's stock of ingredients to cook a Chinese meal for everyone? Maybe it can... change things up."
Price looked up from the map, glanced at her with some surprise, then a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips: "Of course, Doctor. As long as you don't violate safety regulations, you can use the kitchen freely. Do you need any special ingredients?"
“Basic oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, rice, and flour will do,” Elaine quickly said. “I’ve checked the inventory list; there are some dried goods and canned food, which should be enough.”
So, for the next few hours, the kitchen became Elaine's new "battlefield." She tied on an apron, neatly tied up her long hair, and carefully inspected the limited ingredients: some dehydrated vegetables, canned meat, rice, noodles, and some basic seasonings.
She planned to cook a simple yet heartwarming home-style meal: a thick soup made with canned beef and dehydrated vegetables, served with fluffy steamed white rice, and some simple scallion pancakes.
The process was not easy; military cooking utensils were very different from the household utensils she was familiar with, and she needed to master the heat control all over again. But she forgot everything else and focused intently on chopping vegetables, kneading dough, and seasoning... her movements were fluid and steady, as if she had returned to those busy evenings in the student dormitory kitchen years ago.
The aroma of food gradually filled the kitchen, a warm, smoky scent completely different from the military rations. Hesh, with his keenest nose, was the first to be drawn in. He poked his head in, sniffing dramatically, "Wow! Doctor, what kind of magic is this? It smells amazing!"
Then, Logan followed the scent and came over, leaning against the doorframe, looking at him curiously: "Need any help?"
"No need, it'll be ready soon." Elaine smiled faintly, a few beads of sweat on her forehead.
Even Konig, who is usually elusive, was seen lingering near the restaurant, his eyes occasionally glancing towards the kitchen.
When dinner time arrived, the atmosphere became noticeably more lively as Elaine brought out a large pot of steaming stew, a bowl of snow-white rice, and a stack of golden scallion pancakes to the table.
Ghost was the last to sit down. He looked at the food on the table, which was quite different from usual, and then at Elaine, who seemed a little nervous. His gaze behind his goggles was unreadable, but he said nothing. He picked up his spoon, scooped up a spoonful of stew, and put it in his mouth. He chewed a few times, paused slightly, and then continued eating. Although he didn't comment, his rapid eating seemed to speak volumes.
Hesh and Logan were lavish in their praise. "My God, Doctor! This is the most human-like food I've eaten in months!" Hesh mumbled between mouthfuls. "It's really good," Logan nodded more subtly in agreement.
“It tastes better than compressed biscuits…” Konig ate quickly with his head down, his ears seemingly turning a little red. Occasionally, he would glance up at Elaine quickly before looking down again.
Keegan sat in his usual spot, eating quietly. He ate carefully and steadily. But Elaine noticed that he ate half a bowl more rice than usual, and when he ate the scallion pancake, he didn't swallow it mechanically like he would with military rations, but rather savored it.
Throughout the entire process, he neither looked at her nor spoke. But when Elaine got up to get more soup, he, who was also adding soup, naturally reached out and took her bowl, silently filling it to the brim. This small gesture warmed Elaine's heart, and she lowered her head to sip the soup.
The warmth of the kitchen subtly brought everyone closer, giving this cold, underground base an indescribable sense of "home."
After dinner, Elaine was washing the dishes in the kitchen. The sound of running water brought her a long-lost sense of peace. She looked up and, through the kitchen window, could see the team members relaxing and chatting in small groups in the dining room. Hesh and Logan seemed to be arguing about something, Konig was quietly cleaning his gun, Ghost and Price were talking quietly in front of the tactics board, and Keegan… he leaned against the wall in the distance, his gaze seemingly fixed on the simulated night view outside the window, or perhaps he wasn't looking at anything at all.
Elaine lowered her head and continued wiping the plates, letting out a soft breath. Although she had no other choice, this didn't seem too difficult.
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