RECKLESSNESS BORN FROM ADRENALINE

"Fatty was pulled from the wreck with a ruptured cervical ligament, a compound tibial fracture, and a dislocated patella," Pharsa said, her voice uneven. "The impact was severe — the force of the crash caused rotational trauma, worsening the ligament tear in his neck. He suffered serious injuries from the crash, but…"

Pharsa hesitated, the words catching in her throat.

Shi Min stepped in, his voice carrying the weight of the discovery. “We found something unexpected. A blessing in disguise.”

Ling Li’s sharp gaze fixed on him, her expression unreadable.

Shi Min straightened, adjusting his gloves with careful precision before delivering the news. "Mom," he began, his tone measured but firm, "during the cerebral angiography, I identified two large intracranial aneurysms — ones we weren’t aware of before. One is pressing dangerously close to the middle cerebral artery, and if it ruptures…"

He didn’t need to finish. The silence that followed was heavy.