Situation 1

When Dilos woke up, he found that his surroundings had been replaced by a room decorated in warm, pastel blue tones.

Immediately, he felt stiff all over, accompanied by an intense itch. His eyes instinctively swept downward, and he was forced to accept the helpless reality that he had become a "mummy." One arm and both legs were encased in thick plaster casts, while his other hand, though not casted, was wrapped in layer upon layer of bandages.

"A hospital?" Dilos scanned the room's facilities—the warm-toned theme and the electronic heart monitor nearby.

What brought him a small sense of relief was that he wasn't handcuffed. This proved that the police weren't giving him trouble over the mess of a corpse he had left behind, which was better left censored. Though he couldn't be entirely certain, he knew he was safe from immediate trouble.

His gaze drifted to the figure in the chair beside him, his sharp eyes softening instantly. Chloe was sitting there with her arms crossed, head bowed in deep sleep.

Looking at her pale, haggard face, a wave of warmth washed over Dilos, followed by a pang of heartache.

Dilos tried to move his limbs, but the moment he did, a searing pain shot through his entire body, as if he were being gnawed on by ants. He couldn't help but let out a cry of pain.

Though the sound was faint, it startled Chloe awake. Her expression upon waking was one of sheer terror, as if she had seen something horrific in a nightmare. She gasped, breathing heavily as if she were suffocating. After a long moment, she finally looked up, her red, swollen eyes meeting Dilos's.

"Thank God, Dilos, you're awake!" Chloe hurried over to sit on the edge of the bed, looking at him with joyful surprise. "You've been in a coma for three days. When I saw you back then, I almost thought you were dead..."

As she spoke, her voice began to choke with emotion, which made Dilos's heart ache.

He instinctively reached out to stroke Chloe's hair, even though the movement caused him excruciating pain.

"Come on now, aren't I fine?"

After a long while, Chloe finally managed to steady her emotions.

"Dad was worried sick. If Lex hadn't repeatedly assured him you were fine, he would have quit his job to take care of you. Lex gave Dad a month off, though. We've been taking turns watching over you these past few days; he must have gone out to grab some takeout."

Dilos fell silent at the mention of Lex, wondering why Chloe kept bringing him up. Could it be...

Dilos mused, his mind drifting back to the scene before he lost consciousness, and asked, "Did Lex bring me here?"

Chloe nodded and added, "And Clark."

"What about Jeremy?"

At the mention of the name, Chloe froze. Her expression turned unnatural, and it took her a moment to reply. "Jeremy is dead. The police suspected you killed him and wanted to handcuff you, but Lex intervened. He hired several lawyers to prove that Jeremy was a mutant and that he died because his powers spiraled out of control while he was attempting to use them to kill."

"Clark also provided testimony for you. Based on the incident involving the three people Jeremy attacked earlier, you were cleared of all charges. You're considered a victim, and Jeremy's parents are even required to compensate you for your medical expenses and other damages. So, just focus on recovering."

Noticing the flicker of unnaturalness on Chloe's face, Dilos guessed the reason. It likely had to do with Jeremy's parents, who were still alive.

There was one more thing... Dilos checked Chloe's pulse and whispered a single sentence.

The next second, Chloe started in shock and lowered her head, falling silent. Seeing this, Dilos sighed. Chloe had always been incredibly sharp; how could she not have sensed something about what happened? He spoke up, "Your guess is correct. I killed Jeremy."

Chloe's hands tightened, but she remained silent. Dilos continued, "Jeremy had completely lost his mind by then. He didn't just attack me; he attacked Clark as well..."

He recounted the rest of the events to Chloe, though he omitted the fact that Clark possessed superpowers. The entire story was carefully edited.

"So, even if time could turn back and we did it all over again, I would still kill him. I'm no saint, and I don't want to be killed by a lunatic for no reason. If..."

"I know." Chloe cut him off, large tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Dilos. I just... I just can't handle it (sobbing). If I hadn't been so nosy looking into Jeremy's background, you wouldn't have gone to find Clark and been attacked by him... none of the rest would have happened. And your legs wouldn't have..."

Dilos knew his own body better than anyone. Both his hands and feet had suffered varying degrees of fractures, with his legs being the worst. By modern medical standards, he was looking at a life of disability. However, with the aid of the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound and the regulation of his internal qi, these fractures were nothing. If all went well, he estimated he would be up and running in less than a month, and by then, he would be even stronger!

"This isn't your fault, Chloe. Besides, I know martial arts; these fractures are nothing." Dilos tugged at the corners of his mouth, attempting a gentle smile, but the pain in his face made it look rather grim.

Chloe interrupted him, saying firmly, "Dilos, just rest and recover. Lex said he would find the best doctors in the country to help you walk again..."

No matter how Dilos explained it, Chloe didn't believe he could heal his own legs. She assumed he was just saying that to comfort her, so she took a firm stance, insisting he rest while she went to contact Lex.

Dilos watched Chloe leave with a helpless expression. In the end, he had no choice but to secretly use the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound to heal himself.

However, as he began the technique, he realized he should have waited until he got home. Using the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound didn't just cause him intense pain; it also produced a sound like muffled thunder and made the bed beneath him vibrate violently.

It was better to keep a low profile in the hospital. If he caused too much of a stir and attracted the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D. or someone similar, it would be a disaster. Those who flaunted their abilities too openly usually ended up dead. Even Superman wasn't that arrogant. Keeping a low profile, playing the fool, and leveling up in the shadows—that was the true path to success!