15: wake up

Qin Feng's consciousness drifted amidst endless darkness and searing pain.

In a daze, he felt as if he had returned to the fire brigade of his previous life. The ear-piercing sound of the alarm, the resolute faces of his comrades blurred before him, and the heavy fire-resistant suit wrapped around him, smelling of sweat and smoke. Blazing flames licked at everything; he ran through thick smoke holding that light-as-a-feather little girl, while behind him came the building's overburdened groans... then, boundless darkness and suffocation.

"Big Brother Qin Feng..."

"Host..."

Different voices intertwined in his mind, dragging him back bit by bit from the abyss.

"Aaaagh—!" Accompanied by a suppressed groan of pain, Qin Feng snapped his eyes open, the intense agony instantly clearing his mind.

What met his eyes was the flickering light of a campfire and a pretty face filled with worry and pleasant surprise.

"Brother Qin Feng! You're awake!" Xiaochun stayed by his side, her eyes red and swollen, but at this moment, they shone with incredible brightness.

On the other side of the campfire, Doctor Chu was sitting cross-legged, regulating his breathing. Hearing the voice, he also opened his eyes and looked over. His face was still somewhat pale, but his gaze had regained its usual depth and calm.

"Kid, you're quite something," Doctor Chu's voice carried a hint of subtle praise. "Your will is tenacious. It's good that you've woken up."

Qin Feng tried to move, but it aggravated the wound on his back. He immediately sucked in a breath of cold air, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Don't move!" Xiaochun hurriedly held him down. "Father said your injuries are very severe. You lost too much blood and were poisoned. Although the poison has been neutralized and the wounds bandaged, you need rest."

Doctor Chu stood up and walked over, checking Qin Feng's pulse and the condition of his wounds. He said in a heavy voice, "Your injuries haven't healed yet, and you can't withstand any jolting. For the next few days, we will stay temporarily in this Ruined Temple. Let Xiaochun take care of you, and I will stay here to guard you both. Once you can barely walk, we will quietly return to the city."

"Thank you for saving my life, Senior!" Qin Feng thanked him weakly, knowing in his heart that if it weren't for Doctor Chu's miraculous medical skills, he would have surely died this time. He also noticed that while Doctor Chu spoke, his gaze would inadvertently sweep over Xiaochun, carrying a sense of lingering fear and determination after having regained what was lost. After this ordeal, this father would never easily let his daughter out of his sight again.

Taking advantage of the gap when Xiaochun went to pour him some water, Qin Feng focused his mind and opened his character panel.

"[Name: Qin Feng]"

"[Age: 16 years old]"

"[Rank: Entry-level Martial Apprentice]"

"[Status: Severely Injured (Level 3) (Internal organs damaged, massive blood loss, residual toxins, recovering...)]"

"[Note: Tenacious vitality is the key to survival.]"

Level 3 Severe Injury! It was even more serious than the Level 2 internal injury he suffered from that Martial Artist's casual strike last time! Qin Feng secretly rejoiced. If he hadn't spent these days polishing his body to the Entry-level of a Martial Apprentice with the help of qi and blood pills and exercise, making his qi and blood far more vigorous than an ordinary person's, he probably wouldn't have lasted until Doctor Chu's treatment and would have died on the spot.

Night once again shrouded the Ruined Temple; the zi hour had arrived. Although he was out in the wilderness and severely injured, Qin Feng still habitually refreshed the System intelligence.

"[(White) The Host's injuries this time are extremely severe, damaging the Origin of the internal organs. Ordinary medicine will find it difficult to heal them completely, and there is a fear of leaving behind hidden ailments. The Profound Rank Intermediate Medicinal Pill 'Jade Dew Ginseng Blood Pill' is required to replenish qi and blood, repair hidden injuries, and achieve full recovery.]"

"[(White) Xiaochun's favorability toward the Host has significantly increased (currently +70). She has learned from her father that it was the Host who risked danger to lead the way and sacrificed himself to save her, thus preserving her life and purity. Her heart is filled with gratitude and guilt.]"

"[(Yellow) The Flower Picking Bandit Chen Yulang has hidden most of the wealth, Secret Manuals, and some unidentified items he accumulated over the years in a hidden compartment under the bed in heaven character room number three of the Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion in Star South City. The room is currently vacant.]"

Looking at these three pieces of intelligence, Qin Feng's mood was complex.

White intelligence! It actually directly pointed out the key to healing his current injuries—a Profound Rank Intermediate Medicinal Pill! This kind of thing sounded incredibly precious just by the name; he probably wouldn't be able to buy it even if he spent all his current gold coins. He had truly damaged his Foundation this time.

The increase in Xiaochun's favorability was an unexpected joy; this pure gratitude warmed his heart.

And the third piece of yellow intelligence... Chen Yulang's hidden treasure! Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion? That was one of the most famous brothels in Star South City! In his current state, how could he possibly go to such a place to retrieve anything? Moreover, that place was a mix of dragons and snakes, with immense risks.

"Sigh..." Qin Feng sighed in his heart. Although he almost lost his life this time, he had ultimately saved Xiaochun and eliminated the major threat that was Chen Yulang, which could be considered ridding the people of a scourge. Furthermore, the Yin Demon Cult scouts lurking near the Ruined Temple and the unexpected factor of Chen Yulang had both been cleared. He finally had a chance to go for that "Little White Sword" mentioned in the golden intelligence!

However, with this severely injured body, let alone retrieving treasure, even moving was a struggle. Everything would have to wait until his injuries were slightly better before making further plans.

He closed his eyes, feeling the waves of dull pain coming from his back and the warm water Xiaochun carefully fed to his lips, his mind filled with tangled thoughts. The road ahead was long, with both crises and opportunities coexisting. Survival and becoming stronger were the only choices.