A Mother’s Desperate Gambit

Once Qing Shui Ling Yin departed, the empty hospital room was left with only Little Nightingale, who quietly chewed her rice, silently guarding Ming Yu.

The fabric curtains by the window occasionally swayed as the cool night breeze, as clear as water, dispersed the lingering scent of food. After quickly satisfying her hunger, Little Nightingale rose and approached the edge of the bed. She cautiously reached out a hand, gently stroking Ming Yu’s face with her fingers.

It was icy, chilling.

A biting cold seeped into her fingertips, traveling upward until it spread to her very heart. Little Nightingale pressed her lips together, her usually bright eyes now dull and trembling slightly.

This time, Ming Yu had indeed kept her promise; she had returned quickly. Yet, her return had brought her to this state. Though Little Nightingale remained silent, the old doctor’s words relentlessly echoed in her mind, over and over.

‘Was Ming Yu going to die?’

‘Was she going to leave her forever?’

‘Just like Father did?’

Little Nightingale sat blankly by the bed, her thumb tracing circles over that frighteningly pale face. Her mind was a complete mess, utterly incapable of coherent thought. Every second, her mind flickered with countless memories of her time with Ming Yu.

Every call, every touch, every promise…

They were like the legendary five-colored stones that patched the sky, continuously increasing Ming Yu’s significance in Little Nightingale’s heart and mending her once-shattered spiritual firmament.

Now, her sky had collapsed.

****

Two days and two nights passed.

Inside the hospital room, as the first rays of morning sunlight streamed through the window, they landed on delicate eyelashes. The light and shadow cast upon Ming Yu’s eyelids began to tremble faintly.

Ming Yu slowly pushed open her heavy eyelids. The light caused a slight discomfort, and the ceiling in her vision remained somewhat blurred. After a moment, her pupils finally focused. She attempted to sit up, but her body refused to obey, feeling as if it had completely come apart.

That once-powerful physique, capable of high speeds and extreme strength, now struggled even to move a single knuckle, let alone turn over. It was as if every bone groaned and every muscle wailed.

However, she had survived.

Ming Yu’s gaze drifted for a moment. The power bestowed by the seven gene injections had surpassed any previous genetic enhancement, but the ensuing side effects were more severe than ever before. Her very survival was a miracle.

Based on her understanding, the side effects of gene enhancement manifested in many forms. Mental derangement leading to berserker rages was common; physical deformities were a possibility; and the most prevalent outcome was the contraction of a new genetic disease or the worsening of an existing one.

She was uncertain which category she currently fell into.

Amidst her bitter smile, Ming Yu felt a faint sense of relief. Simply being alive and having returned was enough for her. After a brief period of adaptation, her fingers, which had only been able to twitch slightly before, could now stretch with more flexibility.

She attempted to lift one arm, slowly bringing her hand to her face. With great effort, she pulled off the oxygen mask, then let it fall weakly to the side, panting slightly.

As she gasped for breath, a faint scent of lilies wafted to her nose. Within that floral aroma, there seemed to be a familiar girlish fragrance mixed in. Ming Yu painstakingly turned her head, catching sight of the girl sleeping beside her pillow. Sunlight traced across the girl’s disheveled golden hair and settled on her beautiful sleeping face.

It was Little Nightingale.

No wonder the scent felt familiar. Having slept in each other’s arms for such a long time, how could it not be?

A smile tugged at the corners of Ming Yu’s lips. Subconsciously, she tried to reach out and stroke Little Nightingale’s head, but she found her arm too heavy to lift. After several failed attempts, she reluctantly gave up.

Ming Yu turned her head back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Everything was over.

She no longer needed to be a sea beast hunter. Her life’s journey, it seemed, would end more fortunately than An Ran’s, Viktor’s, or even Jiang Chen’s.

Speaking of Jiang Chen…

Ming Yu sighed inwardly, silently bidding him farewell. From the very first day Ming Yu had entered the training camp and met him, that fellow had incessantly lectured them on theory, constantly proclaiming,