Shinju stood quietly as the last box slid into the back of the vehicle, his tall frame hunched slightly from fatigue, but his hands still steady. The old military SUV had been refitted for off-road travel—thick tires, reinforced bumpers, spare tanks of fuel mounted on the rear. Beside it, Jinju wiped her palms on her pants and looked around the compound one last time.
She turned to him. "You're really coming with me?"
He gazed at her with that same small, lopsided smile. "You think I'll let you go out there alone?" His voice was light, but his eyes were serious.
Jinju frowned deeply, lips pressed in concern. "But what about things here? Don't you have responsibilities? The civilians… the guards, the command center…"
Shinju paused in the middle of securing a tarp over their food supplies. His face, usually calm and in control, flickered with weariness.
"To be honest…" He pulled the rope tight and tied it off with a slow knot. "I'm losing control of the base."
