The alloy pillar was stuck in the container base, emitting a low metallic groan. The green liquid was still seeping, but the flow rate had slowed down, like a pressure cooker with its opening blocked, only hissing out from the cracks. Ye Mo supported himself with both hands on the pillar, his palms burning hot, and the insides of his Steel Bone Transformation arms had begun to turn red, a sign of tissue overload.
He looked down at his fingers; the golden-red threads beneath his skin were flickering, like a streetlamp that was about to be repaired, flashing twice and then going out.
"It's Regeneration," he said in a low voice, his tone as dry as sandpaper scrubbing a wall.
Just then, the ventilation duct above our heads made a "humming" sound.
It wasn't an explosion or a gunshot; it was the vibration sound of an old-fashioned air conditioner starting up. But the power had been cut off long ago, and even the control panel was running on backup batteries. Where was the wind coming from?
Ye Mo's eyelids twitched.
The alarm changed the next second.
It was no longer the slow, drawn-out "beep--beep--" of before, but a high-frequency buzzing so sharp it could pierce eardrums, one after another, so fast it was breathless.
He turned his head sharply, his gaze passing through the bombed-out experimental area and landing on the blast-proof door in the distance marked "Medical Pod-01".
A wisp of pale green mist was slowly drifting out from under the door crack.
"Damn it!" Ye Mo let go and rushed in that direction.
The alloy pillar tilted with a "clang," and green liquid gushed out half a foot, but he couldn't care less. In that one glance, he saw Pepper's body twitch violently in the observation window of the medical pod, the veins on her neck bulging as if they were about to explode.
He smashed through the half-collapsed partition wall, his boots crunching on the broken glass. The thought that " Tony hasn't come back yet" had just flashed through his mind when he suddenly heard a "ding" in his ear.
[System notification: High-risk vital signs fluctuation detected. Host contact Pepper Potts is on the verge of death. Immediate intervention with Regeneration abilities is recommended.]
"Why didn't you say so earlier or later, and only now are you jumping around?" Ye Mo cursed, kicking open the deformed medical pod door.
The air inside had changed; it was stuffy and smelled of a mixture of rust and burning plastic. The monitor screen was flashing wildly, the heart rate line had plummeted to the bottom, leaving only a trembling straight line. Pepper lay on the hospital bed, her face as white as if coated with plaster, her lips purple, and her chest barely moving.
Ye Mo rushed over and yanked off the blanket, reaching out to check her breath—she was still breathing, but as faint as a mosquito's hum.
"No way, Pepper, you're Tony's 'most reliable executive in the universe,' it would be so unprofessional to mess things up now." He said stubbornly while placing his hands on her chest.
The moment his palm touched her, he felt a surge of heat rushing out of her body, as if something was crawling in his veins. He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking deep into his own body, searching for that familiar golden-red energy.
The Regeneration capacity was still recovering, not at full strength, like unplugging a phone charger when it's only 60% charged. He gritted his teeth and forced the ball of light into his palm.
As the first wave of energy was sent out, Pepper arched her back abruptly, letting out a hoarse scream. Her whole body convulsed violently, as if she had been electrocuted.
"Damn it! I was wrong!" Ye Mo immediately withdrew his strength, sweat beading on his forehead.
He recalled the time he broke his ribs and how the Regeneration gradually put the bone back together—not by force-feeding, but by following the natural pathways, patching it up piece by piece. In this situation, it was like repairing an electrical circuit: first connect the main line, then fill in the branch lines.
He took a deep breath and switched to short, pulsed outputs, each pulse precisely timed to the simulated heartbeat, vibrating gently.
one time.
Two times.
The monitor finally moved, trembled, and a small bump appeared on the surface.
Three times.
The heart rate monitor started beating, albeit erratically, but at least the person wasn't dead.
He applied more force, his palms burning and his fingertips beginning to tingle. The Regeneration energy was like a leaky pipe, leaking out while he had to bear the backlash himself.
Pepper's face slowly turned from ashen to sallow, her breathing became long and even, and her convulsions stopped. When she finally caught her breath, Ye Mo almost buckled at the knees.
He withdrew his hand and looked down at himself—four of his ten fingers were cracked, and blood was seeping out from under his nails. His nose was also acting strangely; when he tilted his head back, warm liquid dripped into his throat.
"Am I a sacrificial tool?" He wiped the blood from his nose and forced a smile. "If Tony reimburses me when he gets back, remember to make sure he gives me a generous compensation payment."
He took off his black hoodie and covered Pepper with it, casually tucking her hands inside to keep them warm. Then he turned and walked to the wall, sat down against it, and casually pushed his Steel Bone Transformation left arm behind his spine, using the metal support to steady himself, otherwise he would have slipped to the ground.
The laboratory fell silent, save for the beeping of the monitors and the occasional creaking of the alloy column in the distance, a reminder that the mess over there was far from over.
He looked up towards the experimental area; the green mist was still drifting, but it hadn't spread further. Pepper's situation was stable, but as long as the container wasn't closed, the virus was still leaking, and who knew if another wave would hit?
"You..." He looked at the unconscious Pepper, his voice low, "You usually manage documents, schedules, and make sure Tony gets up and eats breakfast, and now you have to manage your heart rate restart. Aren't you tired?"
That's what he said, but his tone softened.
At least people are alive.
His Regeneration abilities have completely subsided; the cooldown period has begun, and he'll probably have to rest for quite a while this time. Right now, he's just an ordinary person who gets nosebleeds, plus a makeshift crutch that's his own arm.
He sat against the wall, his eyes fixed on the door of the medical bay, his ears listening for any sounds outside. There was still no word from Tony; the communication channels were as silent as a graveyard.
"Don't you dare pick up cats or dogs on the street, Stark," he muttered. "Your woman just got through the emergency; if you don't show up next time, I'll charge double the treatment fee, soul coins if you want."
As he spoke, he chuckled, but the laughter aggravated his injury, causing a dull pain in his ribs, as if someone were slowly sawing inside.
He closed his eyes and paused for a moment.
When I opened my eyes again, my gaze fell on the water glass on Pepper's bedside table. The glass was transparent, with a thin layer of green residue at the bottom, like marks left by condensed mist.
He stared at the mark, without moving.
A few seconds later, he raised his uninjured right hand and gently pushed the cup half a foot to the side.
The movements were small, but resolute.
He knew this wasn't over.
But for now, he had to sit here and wait for Tony to return, for Pepper to open her eyes, and for the green mist in the room to completely dissipate.
The alloy column squeaked again.
He didn't turn around.