Chapter 66: Starting to Care About Si Jin
"You fool."
Si Jin forced the two low, raspy words from his throat, seemingly cursing Yun Sheng for her reckless, life-or-death fighting style.
But the arms holding her tight, the almost cautious fingertips that brushed aside her sweat-soaked hair, and the undercurrent of alarm and lingering fear deep in his eyes all betrayed a completely different sentiment.
Just then, the door on the other side of the training grounds was pushed open.
Several medical personnel in white uniforms rushed in, carrying a stretcher.
Si Jin’s eyes darkened, and he reined in all outward emotion.
He carefully lifted Yun Sheng and gently placed her on the stretcher.
"Her spiritual power is severely depleted and her stamina is exhausted. She needs deep restoration and replenishment. Use the best treatment plan. Make sure there are no lasting side effects."
"Yes, sir."
The medical officer responded respectfully and immediately directed his team to carry Yun Sheng out carefully, taking the unconscious C-10 with them.
Si Jin’s gaze followed them until the door closed again, cutting off his view.
The training grounds returned to a state of empty silence, with only the faint fluctuations of Yun Sheng’s spiritual power lingering in the air.
He stood there alone, a turbulent undercurrent swirling in the depths of his ice-blue eyes.
’A promise... Of course, he would keep it.’
But Yun Sheng... she defied his expectations time and time again.
Her tenacity, her potential, the near-dazzling light that erupted from her in desperate situations... and her ability to so easily stir his emotions now.
’All of this has deviated from my original plan!’
’Dangerous.’
’Not just for her, but for him as well.’
Si Jin slowly raised his hand. His fingertips seemed to retain the cool sensation of brushing against her cheek.
He stared at his fingers for a long time before finally turning to leave the training grounds.
His back was straight and rigid, as if his earlier loss of composure and the tremor in his heart had never happened.
But some things, once they begin to sprout, are not so easily erased.
...
Yun Sheng gradually regained consciousness amidst a gentle, soothing halo of healing light.
The first thing she felt was a dull ache at the back of her head and her temples—the discomfort of overusing her spiritual power.
She struggled to open her heavy eyelids. Her vision was blurry at first, then slowly came into focus.
Her eyes fell upon a simple medical room.
Yun Sheng was lying on a soft treatment bed, thin wires connected to her to monitor her vitals and spiritual power fluctuations. A gentle healing light was slowly cascading down from above.
The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the instruments and the sound of her own breathing.
Si Jin wasn’t there.
This realization sent an indescribable emotion through her—like a sigh of relief, yet also... a little empty?
"You’re awake," a gentle female voice suddenly said.
Yun Sheng turned her head and saw a female doctor approaching.
"How are you feeling? Any particular discomfort?"
The doctor asked while checking the monitoring data beside the bed.
"My head hurts a little, and I have no strength."
Yun Sheng answered truthfully, her voice still a bit hoarse.
"That’s normal," the doctor said with a nod. "Your spiritual power was severely depleted, and your stamina was completely exhausted. Your body shut down to protect itself, which is why you fainted. We’ve given you a high-efficiency spiritual power restorative and a nutrient solution. The pain and weakness will gradually subside. You’ll need to rest for a day or two. Avoid strenuous exercise and excessive use of your spiritual power during that time."
Yun Sheng listened quietly, mentally calculating her recovery time.
’Looks like I won’t be able to do any high-intensity training for the next few days.’
After recording the data, the doctor looked at Yun Sheng’s slightly pale face. As if remembering something, her tone became more reflective.
"You know, it’s a good thing the S-Class visitor who booked the training grounds had the foresight to have our medical team on standby next door. That’s why we were able to get to you the moment you collapsed."
"If we had been even a few minutes later, your spiritual landscape could have suffered deeper damage, and recovery would have been much more difficult."
’An S-Class visitor... had the medical team on standby in advance?’
Yun Sheng froze for a moment.
’Was it Si Jin?’
’Did he... expect her to get hurt? Or was it just a precaution?’
In a corner of Yun Sheng’s heart, it felt as if a feather had lightly brushed against it, creating an indescribable ripple.
’Was he... worried about me?’
The thought flashed through her mind but was quickly suppressed by logic.
’A man like Si Jin always has his own motives and calculations.’
’Arranging for the medical team in advance was probably just to ensure that his valuable partner wouldn’t be easily crippled, or... to avoid unnecessary trouble.’
But regardless, his prudence had certainly saved her a lot of suffering.
"Thank you, Doctor," Yun Sheng said softly.
The doctor smiled. "Rest for a little longer. Once your monitoring data is stable, you can leave. Press the call button if you need anything."
After the doctor left, the medical room fell silent once more.
Yun Sheng lay on the treatment bed, staring at the soft light on the ceiling, her mind involuntarily replaying the battle in the training grounds.
Although the process had been fraught with danger, and she had nearly lost herself in it, the rewards were even greater.
Her control over her abilities and her confidence in them had both risen to a new level.
After about another half-hour of rest, the dull ache in her temples had mostly faded, and the monitoring data had stabilized.
Yun Sheng got up from the treatment bed, straightened her clothes, and walked toward the door.
However, just as she stepped out of the medical room, she stopped dead in her tracks.
Across the corridor, leaning against the wall, was a tall figure. Who else could it be but Si Jin?
He just stood there quietly, his gaze fixed on her, his expression deep and inscrutable, betraying no hint of pleasure or anger.
Yun Sheng hadn’t expected him to be waiting for her here.
’Is he here to check on my condition? Or... to fulfill his promise?’
After a brief moment of shock, Yun Sheng quickly composed herself and walked over to Si Jin, stopping about two steps away from him.
"The medical team said it’s thanks to you that they were on standby in advance. Thank you."
She looked directly into his eyes, her tone sincere.
Her gratitude was genuine. Regardless of his motives, his foresight had indeed spared her a great deal of pain.
Si Jin’s gaze lingered on Yun Sheng’s face for a moment, sweeping from her still slightly pale complexion to her clear, yet questioning eyes.
A low "Mm" escaped his throat in acknowledgment of her thanks. He then asked, "How’s your recovery?"
"The doctor said I’m fine, I just need to rest for a couple of days," Yun Sheng replied honestly, then remembered something and added, "That Sentinel... is he okay?"
"His spiritual landscape took a hit. He’ll need a period of rest."
Yun Sheng nodded and didn’t ask any more questions.
’She didn’t understand the rules here, nor did she intend to dig any deeper.’
A brief silence flowed between them.
The corridor lights were soft, and the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and a faint, almost imperceptible scent that belonged to Si Jin.
Yun Sheng looked up at Si Jin.
She blinked, then suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, tinged with a hint of probing, as if offering a reminder.
"My... reward. Is it still valid?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Yun Sheng saw Si Jin’s ice-blue eyes narrow slightly.
There was no displeasure in them. Instead, it was as if something amusing had lightly tickled him, creating the faintest of ripples.
He didn’t answer right away. He simply leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them.
The movement caused his tall figure to completely envelop her, casting an even more intense, oppressive aura.
"In such a hurry?" he began, his deep, magnetic voice like a feather brushing past her ear, laced with a barely-there hint of teasing. "You just woke up, and you’re already thinking about claiming your prize?"