July 30, morning.
Imperial First Military Hospital, special care ward.
The smell of disinfectant was somewhat pungent. Min Zimo's eyelids twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.
Snow-white ceiling, unfamiliar room.
He felt somewhat dazed, his memory seemingly experiencing a blank break.
Where was this... a hospital?
"Awake?"
A steady voice sounded beside the bed.
Min Zimo turned his head, his vision capturing a sharply contoured, deeply tanned face, as well as a physique as stalwart as an iron tower.
This was... Teacher?
He struggled, wanting to get up and pay his respects, but an invisible force gently pressed him back onto the bed, rendering him unable to move.
"Lie down." Ding Pojun's tone brooked no argument.
Min Zimo did not persist, lying flat again.
Only then did he clearly feel the dull aches throughout his entire body, not intensely sharp, yet entangled with an unfamiliar sense of powerlessness that made him extremely uncomfortable.
After resting for a little while, he had the mental energy to observe his surroundings.
The tidy ward, the greenery and birdsong outside the window, the warm morning light beating upon his face...
The peaceful and comfortable environment gave him a sense of displacement as if he had crossed lifetimes and been reborn.
"Teacher... did you save me?" His voice was somewhat hoarse.
Ding Pojun shook his head with a bitter smile, "I can't even enter a C-grade rift, how could I save you?"
"Huh?"
Min Zimo frowned, countless fragmented images flashing through his mind: the pencil bridge, the tide of octopus monsters, the roaring of teammates...
Right, his teammates!
Recalling something, his pupils suddenly widened, his fists clenched tightly!
Clearly, clearly... he was about to ignite his apertures at that time!
And then? It seemed the back of his neck ached, and then consciousness faded!