Volume 1, Chapter 127: Recovery

Upon hearing the word "ointment," both the manager and the captain of Yulong let out a soft sigh of relief. Had it been oral medication or something requiring surgery on Ghost's arm, they would have refused even in Zhang Shaodan's presence.

However, when Chi Xingwan produced the ointment, they hesitated again. The greenish paste emitted a peculiar scent and looked quite unsettling.

"This wouldn't happen to be poison, would it?" the Yulong captain questioned.

Xiao Rui jumped up on the spot. "How could you think so poorly of us?"

The Yulong manager glared at his captain, then said to Ghost, "Decide for yourself whether to use it. But I must remind you—the doctors said if your hand heals properly, there is still a chance for a full recovery." He was implying that Ghost should not take such a risk.

Zhang Shaodan remained silent. Although she trusted Chi Xingwan, she knew the ointment looked truly daunting, and it was natural for the Yulong team to be suspicious.

After a moment of contemplation, Ghost said, "I want to try it."

The Yulong captain was shocked. "Ghost, think carefully. If this stuff really is... things could end up even worse than they are now."

Xiao Rui glanced at the captain and said darkly, "Just shut up."

Ghost replied, "I have thought about it. The doctors did say there was a chance of full recovery, but they also said that chance was paper-thin."

"But I can't wait. I'm twenty-one; my peak period will pass soon. Manager, Captain, I don't want to end my career like this. I want to stand on the competition stage again."

His voice was low and calm, almost devoid of emotion, yet every word tugged at the hearts of those present.

"Alright, if that's the case, then let's give it a try," the Yulong manager said.

Ghost looked at Chi Xingwan, his eyes filled with hope. "How should this ointment be used?"

Chi Xingwan said, "Apply it directly to the wound once a day. Three days will be enough."

Ghost pulled up his sleeve to reveal his injured arm; the wound had already closed.

"That's right, apply it directly on top. Don't worry about whether it has healed or not."

Ghost applied some ointment to his arm himself, and everyone watched nervously.

"What does it feel like?" the Yulong captain asked.

"It feels very cool," Ghost replied.

Chi Xingwan stood up. "All right, business is finished. We should be going."

Zhang Shaodan and Xiao Rui stood up to follow. The Yulong manager immediately moved to stop them. "Please wait a moment, we haven't paid you yet. How much for this bottle of ointment?"

Zhang Shaodan said, "No payment is necessary. Consider this compensation from the Alliance to Ghost."

With that said, the manager did not insist further. He walked the three of them to the parking lot, his attitude noticeably much kinder.

Lying in bed, Ghost felt the cooling sensation on his arm linger. His thoughts were a tangled mess, and he expected to suffer from insomnia just like before. To his surprise, he drifted into a deep sleep shortly after lying down.

When he woke up, it was already dark. He sat up, dazed for a long time. He hadn't slept this soundly in ages; no nightmares, no sudden jolts of wakefulness. He had slept soundly for over ten hours—a quality of sleep he hadn't experienced even before the accident.

His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten all day. He left his room for the club's cafeteria, and after eating, he headed straight to the training room.

The other members were already training. Ghost sat at his station and turned on his computer. The captain beside him immediately leaned over, scrutinizing his face for a long moment.

"Captain, is there something on my face?" Ghost asked.

The captain shook his head. "No, it's just that I noticed your complexion is much better, and your dark circles have faded significantly."

The other members heard this and crowded around.

Ghost said calmly, "I just slept a little longer today."

He opened his training software and began basic hand-speed drills. The captain glanced over from time to time, and soon noticed a difference.

"Ghost, your hand speed has improved quite a bit."

Ghost paused his movements and stopped the training. He pulled up the data and discovered that, while his hand speed was still not what it was before the injury, it was indeed faster than it had been over the past few days.

The captain mused, "Could the ointment from Saint Light really be effective?"

Ghost looked at his arm. The cooling sensation had all but faded, and he could barely feel anything. He suddenly felt a sense of urgency, wishing for tomorrow to come quickly so he could apply the ointment again. He also longed for the three days to pass, wanting to know if his hand could truly return to normal.

By the second day, Ghost's hand speed was even faster. By the third day, he had fully recovered to his previous level.

The Yulong members swarmed him, hugging him tightly.

"This is amazing! We can go all out together in the new season!"

"God bless us! The new season's championship will definitely be ours again!"

"Repeat! Repeat! Repeat!"

The cheers in the training room were relentless. The Yulong manager suppressed his own excitement and scolded the team. "What are you all shouting about? Get back to your stations and train! Ghost, come out with me for a moment."

Ghost still wore a dazed expression; as the person involved, he was the most stunned of them all.

The manager draped an arm over his shoulder and said, "Just to be safe, I'm taking you to the hospital for a check-up."

***

Xiao Rui skipped all the way home to find Chi Xingwan, presenting her with a massive fruit basket.

"Sister, this is a token of gratitude from the Yulong team. Ghost's hand is better." He smiled, his eyes beaming with pride.

Chi Xingwan replied, "Oh, then congratulations to him."

"Sister, aren't you even a little excited? Oh wait, you must have known he would recover once he used the ointment."

Xiao Rui talked on, undeterred by Chi Xingwan’s indifferent attitude.

"They even took Ghost to the hospital for a check-up. Hehe, the doctor said his hand has fully recovered. It’s practically a medical miracle."

"Then they rushed to buy gifts to thank us at the club. Since they couldn't find you, they made me promise to convey their gratitude. They even want to invite you to dinner to thank you in person."

As Xiao Rui rambled on, Chi Xingwan’s expression remained flat. She was multitasking, half-listening to Xiao Rui while reviewing files on the spirit master representatives from the Mi Kingdom.

"Hmph, now no one can call us the perpetrators," Xiao Rui said, clearly feeling vindicated.

Chi Xingwan said, "If that's the case, shouldn't you be training?"

"Huh?" Xiao Rui’s brain didn't quite catch up.

"Didn't you say Ghost is very skilled? Now that his hand has recovered, he'll be a strong rival for your team in the new season. Shouldn't you go do some extra training?"

Xiao Rui scratched his head. "It's not like a little time matters, but Sister, you're right. I'll do an extra hour of training at home tonight."

He finally left. Chi Xingwan let out a sigh of relief.