Chapter Thirty-Nine – Alice's Condition

Inside a dilapidated hospital, Xiao Feng gently helped Alice down from the vehicle. The rotund Budala had already gone ahead to find a doctor he was familiar with. Given the mercenary corps' frequent entanglement with perilous bounty missions, injuries were almost routine—and the hospital, a second home. Though Budala's official duty was merely to drive, he was invariably the one who transported wounded comrades, which over time earned him a certain rapport with the medical staff.

As Xiao Feng escorted Alice into the hospital lobby, Budala emerged pulling along a doctor with a thick, bushy beard.

"This is Doctor Edison," Budala said with a grin. "The finest physician this alliance hospital has to offer."

"Doctor, please," Xiao Feng implored politely. "Could you examine my sister's eyes? She's sustained a serious injury."

Doctor Edison examined Alice's condition with urgency in his gaze. "To the examination room—quickly, this way."

Inside, the doctor assisted Xiao Feng in helping Alice lie on a small cot. He gently pried open her eyes and shone a small flashlight into them. His expression darkened swiftly.

"The injury is far too old. How long has it been since she was hurt?"

Old White pondered, then replied solemnly, "About two years."

"What were you all thinking? Waiting so long! You've completely missed the window for treatment," Edison snapped. "At this stage, the only hope for her to see again is to receive a new pair of eyes."

"A transplant?" Old White asked, visibly worried. "Do you have any that would suit her?"

"Yes, we have mechanical implants available."

"Mechanical eyes?" White frowned. "Aren't those... grotesque?"

"There is no alternative. Her eyes are utterly destroyed—not just the corneas, even the optic nerves and ocular tissue are extensively damaged. The mechanical replacements are crafted to resemble natural eyes perfectly—most can't tell the difference unless they're specialists."

"If that's the only way," White sighed, "then we must proceed."

Alice, who had remained silent, now spoke softly, her expression colder than ever. "Father… perhaps we should forgo the operation. I can still live like this."

White's voice was gentle but firm. "My child, you don't understand. I cannot let you spend the rest of your life in darkness. I must give you back the light of the world you love."

"Okay, Daddy. Do your best!"

Old White turned again to Edison. "Doctor, is the operation safe? Will my daughter be at risk? And how much will it cost?"

Edison gave a thoughtful nod. "There are always risks in surgery, but don't worry. Our alliance-standard medical robots are highly advanced. While not top-tier, they are widely used and reliable. For them, this operation is routine. As for the cost—two hundred thousand alliance coins."

"What?" White gasped. "That's far more than we can afford!"

Xiao Feng, however, smiled. "Money is no object. If there's a chance to restore my sister's sight, no price is too high. For now, admit Alice to the hospital. I'll find a way to cover the expense."

White, as always, was deeply moved by Xiao Feng's resolve, his eyes nearly welling with tears. "Two hundred thousand… we'll need to slay a lot more beasts."

Alice murmured from her bed, "Maybe we shouldn't go through with it. What if I can't get used to the new eyes?"

Xiao Feng chuckled. "Alice, trust your big brother. I'll find the money, I promise. You just rest here and prepare for the operation." Then, turning to White, he added, "Uncle, stay with her. I'll handle the rest."

Old White murmured, "Two hundred thousand… such a daunting sum."

Budala echoed his sentiment. "Even Rice couldn't gather that kind of money on short notice."

Xiao Feng reached into his coat and pulled something from his inner pocket, unfolding his hand before White's astonished eyes.

"Look at this, Uncle. Ever seen one of these?"

White's eyes widened in shock. "Is that… an E-class magic crystal?"

Xiao Feng nodded. "It should fetch over a hundred thousand, right?"

Even Doctor Edison was taken aback. "An E-class crystal? Where did you get such a pure specimen? Our hospital could use that kind of energy. How about this—give us the crystal, and you'll only need to pay one hundred thousand coins. I'll ensure she gets her new eyes."

White's gloom lifted in an instant. "Really?"

"Of course. This is an incredibly rare crystal from a high-level beast. I'll arrange her admission immediately."

White embraced Xiao Feng tightly. "Thank you, my boy. I don't know what we'd do without you!"

Xiao Feng laughed. "Easy there, Uncle—you're about to crush me. Even with this crystal worth a hundred thousand, we're still short. I'll go sell some F-class crystals to make up the rest. You stay with Alice. I'll swing by the black market and pick up more bullets while I'm at it."

"Be careful," White urged. "Don't draw attention from bandits again."

"I'll be fine." With that, Xiao Feng slung his long, black bag over his shoulder and left the hospital with Budala.

As they walked, Budala sighed. "Never imagined a young man like you would have access to an E-class crystal. Where did you get it? Tell me—I could use some luck of my own!"

Xiao Feng grinned. "Next time, I'll take you hunting."

Soon they returned to the black market. Xiao Feng sold several F-class beast crystals, netting another seventy thousand alliance coins. Then, they headed straight to the arms dealer, Glass.

"Two hundred more rounds," Xiao Feng said, tossing a thick stack of bills onto the counter. "You know the caliber." He gestured to the sniper rifle slung over his back.

As Glass cheerfully counted the notes, a man in a sleek black suit appeared at Xiao Feng's side. With an elegant smile, he asked, "Brother, where did you get so much money?"

Xiao Feng turned and met the gaze of Carey. His smile froze, his tone cool and defiant. "None of your d*mn business."