In the white ward, the silver-faced nurse said to the patient, "Your current body temperature is 36.7 degrees Celsius, which is within the normal range."

"Both white blood cells and platelets are below average, oxygen saturation is still relatively low, C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate are elevated, these are all typical signs of rejection response."

"Please ensure you get plenty of rest and avoid strenuous exercise, as it may cause you to have difficulty breathing."

"Additionally, please refrain from loud noises and any smoking or drinking within the hospital, as it affects other patients."

"Recovery will take some time, please be patient."

Zhang Zhi acknowledged.

Maria 85 left with the equipment.

Only then did Song Xian glance at the doorway and say, "Big brother, should we not leave today? The nurse advised you to rest well..."

"I still need to walk around."

Zhang Zhi put on his leather jacket and glanced out the window.

It was snowing outside. It was still autumn when he came to the hospital, but now it was the cold winter.

However, the ward was very warm.

This was the intensive care unit in the inpatient department of Maria Hospital, with each room housing a patient with various severe illnesses.

The corridor was very quiet, and the air was filled with a faint smell of disinfectant.

Song Xian walked beside Zhang Zhi, constantly glancing at the other wards.

In a low voice, he said, "Big brother, we've been to other alien hospitals, like the 'Nanjing Gulou Hospital' on Holy Mountain, also very powerful. Despite the crowd, their rheumatology and immunology department is top-notch and could also alleviate your condition. But they don't have these considerate nurses. Can it be that this place manufactures better biomedical nurses than Holy Mountain?"

Zhang Zhi shook his head, "Maria Nurses are not mechanical extensions; they are special life forms created by this hospital, essentially a part of it."

Song Xian hissed, "There are so many Maria Nurses in the hospital, all of them? And each one is completely different... like ours, she's a bit too strict."

"Number 30, who takes care of the kid next door, is much gentler, considerate, and even sings to the child. If only she were a real woman..."

"Big brother, how about I ask if we can swap number 30 with us and give number 85 to the kid. A child should be strictly disciplined and pressured."

He looked eager to try.

Zhang Zhi felt a bit helpless towards his brother, "Don't mess with that. It's not random; different nurses are assigned based on the patient's needs."

"That kid has bone cancer, a condition that causes excruciating pain all over. He looks about ten years old; this kind of pain is hard to endure, so he needs a gentle and inclusive nurse."

"I have a malignant Guangna tumor in my lung, which requires many precautions, so they assigned a strict nurse to monitor me."

He smiled, "The organ repair surgery is indeed miraculous."

"Even someone like me, deemed untreatable by Holy Mountain and just barely hanging on with medication, has been repaired here. Even rotting lungs can be fixed... The Wasteland Development Company lives up to its name."

"Of course. We've investigated for a long time. Maria Hospital is a Light Core Level Hospital, the only one in the world right now!"

Song Xian also said happily, "If it wasn't effective, we wouldn't have come here."

The two left the inpatient building and walked along a quiet tree-lined path outside.

Snowflakes were drifting from the sky, and occasionally, other patients in hospital gowns could be seen strolling nearby.

Zhang Zhi whispered, "You all took a big risk at the All Things Expo to find the Wasteland Company. If the Heavenly Kingdom had taken it seriously, it would have been hard to get away."

Song Xian smiled, "Big brother, don't forget, I am a Star Core Elector. As long as there's no solid evidence, no one would harm me in the Heavenly Territory. I could say I was there for the Star Core exhibit and did some promotion."

"This plan was devised by our second brother. You know how prudent he is; he never does anything he's not sure of."

Zhang Zhi agreed, "Second brother's mind and planning are the best among us three."

He showed a hint of suspicion, "But were the surgery slots at this hospital so competitive? Couldn't we get one through normal channels?"

"No way."

Song Xian chuckled wryly, "Big brother, there were only 120 slots for organ repair surgery released this year, no extra slots announced, and you must make an appointment through the hospital's medical department without any other avenues."

"You saw our floor; several of them are famous sea lords or high-ranking knights, or city mayors. They all bought the slots from outside through various means and then applied to replace the patient as relatives or friends, but even many of them didn't pass."

"If they didn't pass, those slots were forfeited by the medical department, not adding any new ones, neither oil nor salt getting through."

"Currently, this place is the only one that controls organ repair surgery. Wasteland Company now works with Star Axis, and I've heard that Mars development is going smoothly, bringing considerable profits. The hospital here has never been a profit-driven project; it's all free healthcare internally."

"So there's no way; everyone seeks different methods. But meeting Chairman Zhou is impossible; it's completely out of the question for special treatment."

"Our second brother considered that Zhou Yi would appear at the expo by Black Emperor's invitation, so he let me try to meet him in person to see if there was a chance to discuss it. Although I didn't meet him, we managed to get this slot."

Song Xian showed a relieved expression.

"Big brother, your health is the most important. This effort means nothing compared to that."

Zhang Zhi sighed, "You've worked hard."

"We are brothers; no need for these words."

Song Xian grinned.

Zhang Zhi's vision blurred for a moment.

Song Xian's face suddenly transformed into another.

That thick-browed, big-eyed young man seemed to reappear before him, his eyes bright with light, "We two brothers must change the fate of mutants!"

"Old Zhang, let's do it together!"

Can I really achieve it?

Zhang Zhi didn't know.

But every time he felt utterly exhausted or hopeless, Wu Gang's voice always rang in his ears.

"It's okay, failure is always the norm."

"Old Zhang, what we aim to do is what no predecessor has accomplished; difficulty is to be expected, but don't give up. We'll succeed together, as brothers."

"I heard that Guangna Species was also considered monsters initially, just like mutants now. But as long as we dare to resist, continue to speak and exert ourselves, we too will find our day."

"Brothers united, their strength can cut through metal! As long as we gather enough power, mutants can change the current situation!"

...

"Big brother, big brother?"

Zhang Zhi came back to his senses to see Song Xian's concerned expression, "Big brother, are you okay? Let's return to the hospital; you don't look well."

"I'm fine."

Zhang Zhi waved his hand.

In fact, his head was a bit dizzy. The frequent hallucinations of Wu Gang were probably due to mutation reactions.

"Give me a smoke pill."

"But big brother... your lungs... the nurse said you couldn't take smoke pills."

"It's fine, just one."

"Just one?"

"Just one."

Song Xian took out a small paper box from his pocket and poured out a black sugar cube.

Zhang Zhi took it and threw it into his mouth, slowly chewing.

Nicotinamide and sugar spread in his mouth.

He felt a bit clearer in his mind, though his lungs became more strained.

Gains and losses, a common trade-off.

Zhang Zhi said, "You have always asked me what I did before coming to Outer Sea. I'll tell you today."

Song Xian was immediately interested.

"You all know I come from East Pole Island. There, we have a giant alien 'Deathmatch Arena' where civilians like us, once chosen, are transformed into mutants and thrown in to start a battle royale. Only by winning in all sorts of competitions can one survive."

"At that time, I met someone inside."

Zhang Zhi recalled, "His name was Wu Gang, a year older than me. He shared half of a poor-quality smoke pill with me, saying that if we ever met again alive, we'd be brothers for life and death."

"In the end, we both survived luckily."

"But we survived only because we ran faster than most mutants and were stronger than them."

"Unlike my cautious nature, Wu Gang was very trustworthy and charismatic. He wanted to break through the arena's confines, to lead mutants to break free from the established blockade and oppression, to go out and become free people not confined to dungeons, not used as assassins nor consumable tools."

"Perhaps because of his single-mindedness, we trained ourselves to the brink of madness in the arena. While others rejoiced in surviving the last round, we exhausted ourselves to the limit, continuing to fight."

"Wu Gang and I constantly fought, not to defeat each other but to push ourselves beyond, to gain the arena's augmentation. The victor would surpass their current limits and receive some energy and consciousness as rewards, the stronger the opponent, the greater the reward."

"Such self-initiated battles also activated the arena."

"Wu Gang taught this method to others, but their results were unsatisfactory. Most people avoided conflict and consumption, hoping to survive the next round. They feared injury, so even when fighting, they held back..."

Here, Zhang Zhi paused.

"Most people lacked the resolve to risk it all."

"Wu Gang and I had no such scruples because we promised that whoever became stronger must lead the rest forward."

"I never thought of being a leader back then."

"I just wanted to die."

"Death would bring release. I just wanted to do something good and help him before I died. That smoke was the most enjoyable one I ever had."

Scenes of combat floated before Zhang Zhi's eyes, each time furiously fighting Wu Gang, blood splattering everywhere until one of them could no longer move.

Both always ended up covered in wounds, and he often thought they would die soon, but they survived under the arena's enhancement, only thinking of seeking death intensely.

"Then, we became the first two Skywalkers in the arena."

"We inherited the powers of those who died inside and received substantial augmentation from the arena's abilities...later we really led a team out of the arena."

"There was no need for a violent breakthrough. By winning all the competition projects inside, one could proudly walk out and receive vast power infusions from the arena."

Zhang Zhi slowly said, "The Governor Dongji Duke received us. He proposed that we could lead mutants to form an army and escape, to loot nearby. This would benefit us both; he could also account to the Heavenly Kingdom."

Song Xian stroked his chin, "Classic play, feeding off bandits."

Zhang Zhi looked at the falling snowflakes, "But Wu Gang refused."

"Huh? This was the best plan. Why did he refuse?"

"Wu Gang was not the brightest but not foolish either. He knew it was beneficial for us, but he realized a proxy had targeted him by then. Knowing he would die, he chose to make a scene."

"Meanwhile, I went to Outer Sea to seek refuge and find a way to gather mutants. After returning, that's when I met He Qiang and you."

Song Xian looked puzzled, "Why did a proxy target Wu Gang?"

Zhang Zhi said calmly, "Because Wu Gang's ability was 'Borrowing Power.' As long as others were willing, they could lend their power to him, letting him rival a Light Core Body briefly."

"This is why Dongji Duke negotiated with us; Wu Gang's power exceeded his capacity to handle."

Zhang Zhi softly said, "The proxy wanted to eliminate his capability due to its immense potential. That's why Wu Gang rather stirred trouble, leading to Heavenly Kingdom's suppression..."

A sudden girl's voice came from behind.

"Both of you, the Chairman requests your presence."

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