Ava was almost done.
The last rifle lay half-assembled on her workspace, power core humming softly as her Blueprint System finalized the repairs.
[REPAIR SUCCESSFUL]
[MODIFIED ENERGY OUTPUT: +12%]
[STABILITY: OPTIMAL]
Ava sighed, rolling her shoulders.
Two full days of nothing but fixing, upgrading, and waiting.
William hadn't returned yet.
But someone else had.
Because just as she reached for the next piece—The door swung open.
Ava's head snapped up.
Lucas Bai stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame like he had barely made it there.
His clothes were wrecked—his usual combat jacket missing, his undershirt torn and darkened with dirt and something thicker.
His gear?
Completely destroyed.
Ava's stomach clenched.
But before she could say anything—
"Food."
Lucas's voice was hoarse, edged with exhaustion.
Ava blinked. "What?"
Lucas stepped inside, golden eyes sharper than they should've been considering the state he was in.
"Food, Zhang. I need it."
