Chapter 31: You Quit

Steve... Is it really okay for you to be so blunt?

Looking at the others, it was clear that they were all thinking the same thing.

With no choice left, Steve began to untie the cloth wrapped around his hands, one painful inch at a time.

Since it was already afternoon, the blood had coagulated and dried.

Each time he pulled at the bandages, the pain was so intense that Steve couldn't help but gasp and grimace.

Seeing Steve's exaggerated reactions, the others were at a loss as to whether to laugh or cry.

Finally, Jarvis stepped forward, grabbed Steve's hand, and said, "Let me help you." She smiled at him, clearly amused. She hadn't expected him to be so afraid of pain. When she touched the wound, sweat broke out on her forehead.

"Be gentle, gentle, slow, slow, slow!" Steve kept muttering in pain.

Everyone looked on helplessly. His injury was so minor, but the way he was acting, it seemed like it was the worst thing ever.

When the last layer of cloth was peeled away, a grotesque wound was revealed. It ran through his palm, and the muscles were exposed, turning outward. The wound slowly oozed blood, and the pale fascia at the deepest part could even be seen.

The faces of the group instantly changed, and the mocking expressions they had were replaced with concern and shock.

Jarvis froze for a moment, her face turning pale as she carefully held Steve's hand. Tears started to flow freely down her face, and she looked up at him with a mix of heartache, guilt, and self-blame. She opened her mouth to say something, but her sobs choked her words.

"You... you..."

Mina, too, stared at the horrifying wound with a pale face, her own tears streaming as she asked, "How did this happen? How could the injury be so serious?"

Steve, looking at the two girls with tears in their eyes, smiled faintly, his face as pale as ever. "It's okay, it just looks worse than it is. These are just flesh wounds. They'll heal soon. Kevin said that, at the latest, by tomorrow noon, I'll be fine."

To lighten the mood, Steve even teased Kevin, who had been more concerned than anyone.

Kevin's face flushed a deep red. "Steve, I was too self-assured earlier. I'm sorry. Let me help you apply the medicine."

Peng Peng, who had been silently observing, was now visibly shaken. He looked at the wound in fear, his legs shaking as he tried to steady himself.

Steve was about to thank Kevin, but before he could say anything, Jarvis interrupted him. "No, I'll do it." Her tone carried a hint of resentment, clearly directed at Kevin for his earlier comment about Steve being spoiled.

It was almost as if she had forgotten that, not long ago, she had been silently laughing at Steve's fear of pain.

This might just be the magical theorem: Whatever I say to my people is fine, but if others say it, it's a problem.

Kevin smiled bitterly and stepped aside.

Mina wanted to help as well, but she was too afraid of making things worse, so she could only watch from the side, her face full of anxiety and concern.

"Does it hurt?" Mina asked softly, her eyes filled with heartache as she looked at Steve, tears still streaming down her face.

Steve forced a grin, though it was hard to mask the pain. "Isn't that a silly question? Of course, it hurts."

Mina raised her delicate hands and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "If it hurts, cry. Crying helps you forget the pain."

Steve shook his head, his lips curving into a reluctant smile. "It's okay. I'll hold on."

Jarvis had no time to feel jealous. She was too focused on carefully cleaning away the dried blood around Steve's wound.

As she was wiping, Jarvis suddenly paused, as if she had made an important decision. With red eyes, she looked at Steve and said something that completely changed the mood.

"You should quit."

Steve was taken aback. With a forced smile, he asked, "What do you mean? It sounds like you want me to leave, but I'm not going anywhere. I still want to win the grand prize."

Jarvis sniffed and glared at Steve. "I'm not joking. You're seriously injured. You can't afford to delay. If you get infected or develop tetanus, it'll be a nightmare. You need to leave and go to the hospital right away."

"Yes, I agree with Jarvis," Mina chimed in. "You should get treatment right away. If it's delayed, it could be disastrous."

Before Steve could even argue, Kevin joined in: "They're right, Steve. Your injury isn't small—it's serious. If something goes wrong, you might lose your hand."

"I agree too," Peng Peng said, raising his hand awkwardly, as if to prove he was also concerned.

Seeing everyone so unified in their concerns, Steve grew serious. "I'm not quitting. I promised Chris I'd stick it out until the end."

He gave them a sincere smile. "Thank you for caring, but I won't change my mind. I'm confident this injury is nothing, and I'll recover soon."

As he spoke, Steve tried to reassure them, but deep down, he knew he had to be cautious. If his injury got infected, it could force him to quit, even if he didn't want to.

Kevin spoke up quickly, his voice urgent. "Now isn't the time to act recklessly. Your health is the most important thing. You're in a dangerous situation if you don't withdraw."

"Steve, please quit. I promise you, I will carry on for you. If I win the grand prize, I'll give it all to you. But please, go out and get treatment," Jarvis said, her voice full of emotion and pleading.

Steve's heart skipped a beat. He could tell just how much Jarvis cared for him—if she wasn't extremely worried, she would never have said something like that.

But despite how much he appreciated her concern, he still couldn't bring himself to agree.

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