BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM - Chapter 903: The hospital (1)
Erik’s consciousness waned and flowed as June flew him back to Liberty Watch.
Agony assaulted him with every beat of June’s mighty wings, yet some small mercy kept the pain at bay. It was darkness.
Through cracked lids, when Erik’s consciousness returned, he saw the forest pass in a green- black blur.
He tried to lose himself in pondering the battle he just fought, analyzing each of his mistakes in tactics and ability.
Anything to keep from dwelling on the shattered mess of his body and the long road to recovery.
But even his mind could only focus through so much pain. Darkness beckoned once more, and this time he welcomed its haven.
June’s arrived at Liberty Watch’s secret entrance. The high hill was looming above them like a silent giant, which did nothing but increase June’s fears.
The clone’s hands, slick with Erik’s blood, beat a frenzied rhythm against the cold metal door. “Please open the door!” June’s voice cracked with dread; all pretense of control was lost.
At that point, the clone was panicking. June’s fists hammered against the door, but no response came from the other side, increasing his anxiety with every passing second.
His breathing grew heavier, and his chest heaved as panic set in.
He turned to look at his unconscious master on the ground, and that only made things worse. His eyes darted around, considering his options, and his hands clenched into fists.
The clone was getting angry, even if he knew that there weren’t many people left in Liberty Watch to monitor the entrance. But it was stupid.
Either they wanted to avoid for thaids sniffing or hearing them, preventing them from attacking the city, or they were simply stupid.
At that point, he didn’t know, nor could he think calmly, to find an answer.
The door itself seemed to mock his desperation. As his worry morphed into anger even more, the idea of smashing through it grew alluring.
But as he was on the cusp of throwing a kick at the door, June stopped, tilting his head as if listening. He strained to hear-were those footsteps?
A grinding echoed as bolts slid open. The door creaked wide to reveal Ethan and two more people.
Their eyes were widening at the scene before them.
“God,” he said, taking in Erik’s unconscious and bloodied body. “Bring him inside quickly now.”
June moved without hesitating, cradling Erik through the entrance.
The door closed behind them, shutting out the forest as warmth engulfed them.
Ethan led the way. Even the clone understood he was worried. “What happened out there?”
June recounted their encounter with the Hevadrin, struggling to keep his voice steady. Ethan frowned. “I don’t know what that is…”
But from Erik’s injuries, he understood the beast must have been dangerous.
Erik was powerful, very much so, to the point that not even Amos and Samuel, the village’s elders, could contend with him.
And yet, he was in a sorry state, one Ethan had never seen his friend in.
The group reached the other side of the tunnel and soon entered the underground city.
Ethan gave some orders to the two people accompanying them, who left, maybe to tell Noah, Samuel, and Amos about the situation.
They kept running toward the hospital.
“What wounds does he have, exactly?”
Erik had nothing explicitly sticking out, but there was a large, dark hematoma swelled on his side, the skin mottled with shades of purple and black.
Above his left eyebrow, a deep gash oozed blood, mixing with sweat and dirt on his forehead.
His breathing was shallow and labored, hinting at more severe internal injuries.
“I think he has broken ribs, and those punctured his lungs,” the clone said.
He could tell that since each breath his master made was a rasping, painful effort. The three almost arrived at the hospital’s door.
Just then, Amber and Mira arrived, eyes wide at the sight of Erik’s injured body.
“What happened?!” Mira’s eyes were trembling. She saw Erik fight untold monsters, but never got him in that state.
“A Hevadrin.”
Both Mira’s and Amber’s eyes widened upon hearing what reduced Erik to such a state.
Amber rushed to his side, taking his hand in hers.
“How is he?” she asked, brushing a lock of hair from his face as they ran.
“Not good, but he’ll pull through; as soon as he wakes up, he will get the Hevadrin’s brain crystal power and heal.”
“He killed that thing?” Mira asked in shock. Being a mercenary, she knew such beasts were
strong.
“He did, of course.”
The group entered the hospital, and they left Erik in a nurse’s care.
The medical team put Erik on a stretcher, securing his battered body to prevent any further injury.
As they wheeled him down the bustling corridor, Amber, Ethan, Mira, and June followed until a nurse stopped them.
“Please, you’ll need to wait here. We’re taking him to the intensive care unit, and only
medical staff are allowed beyond this point.”
Everyone wondered what medical stuff this woman was talking about since they weren’t to the point of being that advanced in Liberty Watch yet. They remained silent.
The stretcher disappeared around a corner, leaving everyone in a state of anxious helplessness.
The hallway seemed to stretch longer with each second as they watched him being taken away, unable to follow further or see what was happening.
…
…
Erik blinked his eyes open, groaning at the sharp pain that shot through his body.
He turned his head and saw June sitting by his bedside in front of a window from which
Liberty Watch’s artificial lights could be seen.
“You’re awake, master.”
Erik swallowed with difficulty. “What… happened?”
June recounted bringing Erik back to Liberty Watch after his battle against the Hevadrin.
“You fought against the Hevadrin, but it did a number on you. I retrieved its brain crystal and blood, as I thought that may help with your healing. I also have the Skraylash’s brain crystal
and blood.”
He pointed at the two beads and two vials of blood on the bedside.
Erik remembered the fight. It had been hard. The thaid’s brain crystal power was really
dreadful.
No wonder it fought toe to toe with him. Of course, Erik had little mana; otherwise, things would have been simpler, to some degree.
“Thanks,” he said. Every muscle ached. Slight movements sent spikes of agony through his
torso.