Guardian in a Coma

Zhang Mo was woken up by pain.

It wasn't a sharp, piercing pain, but a dull, throbbing ache that seemed to seep out from the marrow of his bones. His chest, left arm, back—there wasn't a single part of him that felt comfortable.

He opened his eyes and found himself lying on the sofa. Outside the window, the sky was still dark; he had no idea what time it was.

He slowly sat up and looked down at his chest—there were dried bloodstains on his clothes, but the wounds no longer hurt. His left arm could move too, though it still felt a bit sore and swollen.

The system's light screen flickered before his eyes:

[Host current status: Moderate injury, recovering]
[Estimated full recovery time: 48 hours]
[Recommendation: Get plenty of rest, avoid strenuous exercise]

Zhang Mo glanced at it twice and closed the screen.

He turned his head to look at the door to the inner room.

The door was shut, and there was no movement inside.

He stood up, walked to the door on tiptoe, and pressed his ear against it to listen. The sound of steady breathing drifted out; Ning Rongrong was sleeping soundly.

He returned to the sofa and sat down, then suddenly remembered something and felt his pocket.

The golden Spirit Bone was still there.

He took it out and examined it by the light of the streetlamp filtering in through the window. It was the size of a palm, entirely golden, and emitted a faint glow. Holding it in his hand, he could feel a warm surge of power crawling up his arm.

The system's voice rang out again:

[Spirit Bone detected: Strength Boost Right Arm Bone]
[Absorb?]

Zhang Mo thought for a moment and asked in his mind: How long does absorption take?

[Approximately ten minutes. The host will be unable to move during absorption.]

Zhang Mo glanced out the window—the sky was still dark, and there were at least two or three hours until dawn. Ning Rongrong was asleep and shouldn't be coming out.

He took the Spirit Bone, walked to the corner, and sat down with his back against the wall, facing the door to the inner room.

This way, if anything happened, he would be the first to see it.

He said in his mind: Absorb.

The Spirit Bone began to glow.

The golden light grew brighter and brighter until the entire bone transformed into flowing light, surging into his right arm through the palm that held it. As the light burrowed in, his entire arm felt hot and swollen, as if countless needles were pricking it at once.

Zhang Mo gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

The heat flowed up his arm, passed through his shoulder, and spread throughout his entire body. He could feel his damaged areas being repaired—the broken bones in his chest were knitting back together, and the wounds on his left arm were healing.

Ten minutes later, the light vanished.

Zhang Mo looked down at his right arm.

On the surface, there was no change, but when he clenched his fist, he could feel a surging power. He lightly punched the wall—with a dull thud, a shallow crack appeared on the surface.

He was stunned for a moment.

And that was just a casual punch.

If he used his full strength...

The system's voice sounded again:

[Spirit Bone absorption complete. Host has gained the following bonuses:]
[Right arm strength permanently increased by 150%]
[Skill acquired: Mammoth Power (Instantly erupt with triple strength, duration 10 seconds, cooldown 24 hours)]

Zhang Mo stared at that "150%" line and remained silent for a few seconds.

He finally understood why Spirit Bones were so valuable on the Douluo Continent.

He stood up and stretched his right arm. It felt comfortable, as if he had just finished a massage.

Outside the window, the sky was beginning to brighten.

He walked to the door of the inner room and listened again. The breathing was still there, very steady.

He returned to the sofa, lay down, and closed his eyes.

He should be able to get a good night's sleep now.

But just as he closed his eyes, the system popped up another message:

[Abnormal status detected in Ning Rongrong—]
[Current: Deep sleep]
[Reason: Mental exhaustion + Spirit Bone fusion reaction]
[Estimated time of awakening: This afternoon]

[Note: No life-threatening danger, no intervention required.]

Zhang Mo glanced at it twice and let out a sigh of relief.

He turned over, facing the inner room's door, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

When he woke up again, it was because of the sunlight shaking him awake.

The sun shone in through the window, landing right on his face. Zhang Mo squinted as he sat up and checked the time—eleven in the morning.

He had slept for nearly six hours.

He stood up, walked to the door of the inner room, and pressed his ear against it.

There was no sound inside.

He gently pushed the door open and took a peek inside.

Ning Rongrong was lying on the bed, curled into a ball, the quilt kicked to one side. Her powder-blue hair was spread across the pillow, her face turned toward the wall, her breathing light.

Zhang Mo walked in and picked up the quilt to cover her.

Her brows furrowed, and she turned over to face him, muttering something.

Zhang Mo didn't hear it clearly, so he leaned in closer to listen—

"Zhang Mo... don't die..."

The voice was very soft, like a dream-mumble.

Zhang Mo froze for a moment, then straightened up and watched her for a while.

Her brows were still furrowed; he didn't know what kind of dream she was having.

He quietly backed out of the room and closed the door.

In the kitchen, he began to make lunch.

Kneading the dough, chopping the filling, wrapping the buns. There was a little meat left from yesterday, enough to make a few. He put the buns in the steamer and also cooked a pot of porridge, slicing up some pickled vegetables.

Just as he was busy, footsteps came from behind him.

Zhang Mo turned his head and saw Ning Rongrong standing at the kitchen doorway, her hair messy and her eyes not yet fully open.

"What time is it?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"Almost twelve."

Ning Rongrong let out an "oh," then caught the scent from the steamer on the stove and sniffed.

"Buns?"

Zhang Mo nodded.

Ning Rongrong's eyes brightened for a second, but she immediately returned to her dazed state. She leaned against the doorframe, watching Zhang Mo work, and suddenly asked:

"When did you wake up?"

"This morning."

"How long did I sleep?"

"From last night until now."

Ning Rongrong thought for a moment, then suddenly asked: "So you were watching over me the whole time?"

Zhang Mo didn't answer, instead picking the buns out of the steamer.

Ning Rongrong watched his back and didn't ask again.

But the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

Lunch was set on the coffee table.

Ning Rongrong ate very earnestly, a bite of bun followed by a spoonful of porridge, her cheeks puffed out. When she reached her third bun, she suddenly stopped and looked at Zhang Mo.

"That Spirit Bone of yours, did you absorb it?"

Zhang Mo was stunned for a moment: "How did you know?"

"I felt it." Ning Rongrong pointed to the center of her forehead. "After fusing with the Illusion Wisdom Skull, my mental power became stronger, and I can sense the changes in your aura."

Zhang Mo let out an "oh."

Ning Rongrong asked again: "What are the effects?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment, raised his right arm, and slammed his fist onto the coffee table—

Bang!

A crack appeared on the solid wood surface of the coffee table.

Ning Rongrong opened her mouth wide, the bun in her hand nearly falling to the floor.

"Is... is this from that Spirit Bone?"

Zhang Mo nodded: "My strength has increased by about one and a half times. There is also a skill: it can burst out three times the power for ten seconds."

Ning Rongrong stared at his right arm for a long time, then whispered:

"You are now... almost catching up to a power-type Soul Ancestor."

Zhang Mo did not know what level a Soul Ancestor was, but judging by the name, it shouldn't be low.

Ning Rongrong was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "That Life Bond... if it's established, can you become even stronger?"

Zhang Mo was stunned, not expecting her to ask this.

He thought for a moment and said, "The system didn't say."

Ning Rongrong let out an "oh" and continued eating her bun.

But she ate absentmindedly, her eyes frequently darting toward Zhang Mo.

Zhang Mo pretended not to notice.

After finishing the meal, Ning Rongrong took the initiative to wash the dishes. Zhang Mo sat on the sofa and pulled up the system panel to take a look.

[Current World Origin Points: 600]

[Countdown to next Crisis Summon: 6 days]

[Remaining time for current Dual World Collision: 441 days]

He stared at the line saying "6 days" and remained silent for a while.

Ning Rongrong came out after washing the dishes, saw him in a daze, and walked over to sit down.

"Another enemy?"

Zhang Mo nodded.

"When?"

"Six days from now."

Ning Rongrong was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "Do you know who it is?"

Zhang Mo shook his head: "The system didn't say."

Ning Rongrong leaned back against the sofa, looked at the ceiling, and suddenly smiled.

"Six days," she said, "we can still rest for six days."

Zhang Mo turned his head to look at her.

She was still looking at the ceiling, her face expressionless, but the corners of her mouth were slightly curled up.

He suddenly remembered her sleep-talking from last night.

"Zhang Mo... don't die..."

He withdrew his gaze and also leaned back against the sofa, looking at the ceiling.

Outside the window, the sunlight was beautiful and warm.

The two sat like that, neither of them speaking.

After a long time, Ning Rongrong suddenly spoke:

"Zhang Mo."

"Hm?"

"That Soul Bone, did it hurt after you absorbed it?"

Zhang Mo thought about it: "A bit bloated."

Ning Rongrong let out an "oh," then whispered:

"When I fused with the skull yesterday, it hurt too. But only for a little bit."

Zhang Mo turned his head to look at her.

She was still looking at the ceiling, but her eyes were a little red.

"At that time, I was thinking," she continued, "what if the life you shared with me goes to waste."

Zhang Mo didn't speak.

She suddenly sat up and looked at him, her eyes bright.

"So, don't go dying so easily in the future."

Zhang Mo looked at her and nodded.

"Alright."

Ning Rongrong stared at him for a few seconds, then looked away and whispered:

"It's a deal then."

Zhang Mo said: "It's a deal."

Outside the window, the sunlight was just right.

In the distance, the occasional chirping of birds could be heard.

Ning Rongrong lay back down on the sofa and closed her eyes, as if she were going to sleep.

But after a while, she opened her eyes again and looked at Zhang Mo:

"What's for dinner?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment: "What do you want to eat?"

Ning Rongrong thought about it: "Baozi."

Zhang Mo smiled: "Didn't we have that for lunch?"

Ning Rongrong was righteous and confident: "Just because I had it for lunch means I can't have it for dinner?"

Zhang Mo didn't say anything; he stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

Ning Rongrong shouted from behind:

"Make plenty! If I get hungry at night, I can heat them up!"

Zhang Mo didn't look back, just waved his hand.

Ning Rongrong watched his retreating figure, the corners of her mouth curling high.

She lay back down on the sofa and closed her eyes.

This time, she really wanted to sleep.

Before drifting off, a thought popped into her mind—

Whatever happens in six days, we'll deal with it in six days.

Today, we eat baozi first.

The sunlight from outside the window shone on her face, warm and cozy.

With the corners of her mouth still curled, she slowly fell asleep.

Ning Rongrong slept until evening.

When she woke up, the sky outside the window had turned a dark red. She was lying on the sofa with a blanket draped over her—she didn't know when it had been put there.

She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and saw Zhang Mo sitting in the chair opposite, holding a book and reading intently.

The scent of baozi drifted from the kitchen.

Ning Rongrong was stunned, suddenly remembering what happened before she fell asleep.

She said she wanted baozi, so he went to make them.

She looked down at the blanket on her body, then at the figure reading across from her, feeling a strange sensation in her heart that she couldn't quite name.

Zhang Mo looked up and saw she was awake.

"Awake?"

Ning Rongrong gave a soft hum, folded the blanket and set it aside, then stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

Reaching the kitchen doorway, she froze.

On the stove sat three bamboo steamers of baozi, white, plump, and steaming hot. Beside them was a pot of porridge and a small dish of pickled vegetables.

She looked back at Zhang Mo.

Zhang Mo walked over as well, standing beside her.

"I made a bit extra," he said. "Enough for two days."

Ning Rongrong stared at the baozi for a few seconds, then suddenly asked:

"Don't your hands hurt?"

Zhang Mo was taken aback: "What?"

Ning Rongrong pointed at his right arm: "That Spirit Bone—you just finished absorbing it and you're already kneading dough?"

Zhang Mo finally realized what she meant. He moved his right arm; it was indeed a bit sore and swollen, but compared to the injuries he had sustained before, this little bit of soreness was nothing.

"It's fine," he said.

Ning Rongrong pursed her lips and didn't speak, but her eyes remained fixed on his right arm.

At dinner, Ning Rongrong ate very slowly.

It wasn't that the food wasn't good; she just kept spacing out. She would take two bites, look up at Zhang Mo, and then lower her head to continue eating.

Zhang Mo felt baffled by her gaze, but he didn't ask.

Halfway through the meal, Ning Rongrong suddenly spoke up:

"That left arm of yours, is it healed?"

Zhang Mo moved his left arm: "Just about."

"Let me see."

Ning Rongrong put down her chopsticks and reached out to grab his left arm. Zhang Mo didn't dodge, letting her take it.

She rolled up his sleeve, revealing a portion of his arm. There were still some bruises, but most of them had faded. She pressed down gently with her hand and asked:

"Does it hurt?"

"Doesn't hurt."

She pressed another spot: "How about here?"

"Doesn't hurt either."

Ning Rongrong stared at the bruises for a few seconds, then suddenly said:

"That day... when Huyan Li struck you, it looked painful even to me."

Zhang Mo didn't speak.

She pulled his sleeve back down and sat back to continue eating.

After a couple of bites, she said again:

"Don't fight like that next time."

Zhang Mo looked at her.

She kept her head down, her voice muffled:

"You aren't a Spirit Master; you don't have Spirit Power to protect your body. If you fight like that, you'll end up killing yourself sooner or later."

Zhang Mo thought for a moment and asked, "Then how should I fight?"

Ning Rongrong looked up and glared at him: "How would I know! Figure it out yourself!"

Zhang Mo was baffled by her glare, but he didn't argue back.

After glaring at him, Ning Rongrong lowered her head and continued eating.

A while later, she suddenly said:

"In future training, I'll practice Heart Separation Control more. In case you have to run, I'll be able to keep up."

Zhang Mo looked at her, stunned for a moment.

She still didn't look up, but her ears had turned bright red.

He gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment.

After finishing the meal, Ning Rongrong went to wash the dishes. Zhang Mo sat on the sofa and pulled up the system panel to check it.

[Current World Origin Point: 600]

[Countdown to next Crisis Summon: 5 days]

[Remaining time for current Dual World Collision: 441 days]

Five days.

It was one day earlier than before.

He stared at the line of text, silent for a while.

Ning Rongrong came out after washing the dishes, saw him lost in thought, and walked over to sit down.

"Did it move up again?"

Zhang Mo nodded.

"By how many days?"

"Five days."

Ning Rongrong was silent for a few seconds, then said: "Then we continue training tomorrow?"

Zhang Mo looked at her.

Her expression was very calm, as if she were discussing what to eat tomorrow.

"Aren't you afraid?" he asked.

Ning Rongrong thought about it and said, "What use is being afraid?"

She paused, then added: "Besides, don't I still have you?"

Zhang Mo didn't speak.

Ning Rongrong shifted her gaze to look out the window.

It was already dark outside, and the neon lights in the distance flickered on and off.

She suddenly said: "Zhang Mo."