Chapter 28: Chapter 31: "You Are... My Brother?
After gulping down the potent version of the Shimmer formula, a sharper, violet light ignited in Jinx's eyes, and with it, a surge of intense pain flooded her senses.
"Ahh!" Jinx clutched her head, feeling as if it were splitting open, and instinctively reached for the bombs strapped to her waist, ready to pull the pin.
Lin Feng quickly pulled her into a firm embrace, refusing to let her act out in her agony. Watching her writhe in torment, he couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy himself.
Jinx had nearly died once; in that near-fatal moment, it was Singed who had brought her back—with the help of Shimmer. But Lin Feng had always doubted Singed's intentions. The formula used on her was not ordinary Shimmer; this version twisted the mind far beyond mere survival.
It mixed reality and illusion until one could no longer discern truth from nightmare. Black turned to white, and white to black. It was a never-ending loop that eroded her perception, an endless descent into delusion.
Because of this, Jinx had grown estranged from her sister, Vi. Misunderstandings took root, amplified by the hallucinations. Eventually, in her confusion, Jinx had even killed her second adoptive father, Silco, whom she had viewed as a father figure despite his dark nature.
Though Lin Feng didn't know exactly what the system meant by "saving Jinx," he had decided to start by healing her mind and undoing the damage from Shimmer.
He wasn't usually one to meddle in others' affairs, especially with someone as unpredictable as Jinx. His claim to be her "brother" had been nothing more than a fabricated story. Yet, this time, he felt compelled to help her.
Jinx's tragic life had struck a chord with him, breaking through the guarded walls he usually kept up. He had decided that the first step to helping her would be purging her body of the toxic Shimmer residues.
The powerful Shimmer variant was unlike the standard formula; it was designed to remove its harmful effects while neutralizing residual toxins with the super-soldier serum. Right now, it was like a battle raging inside her—on one side, the potent Shimmer, and on the other, mutated toxins.
Gritting his teeth, Lin Feng used his remaining coins in the system, exchanging everything he could for more doses of the super-soldier serum. He even recycled his Uru metal supplies, exchanging them all for additional serum.
Without a second thought, he injected the serum directly into Jinx.
The Shimmer's enhancement began to take effect, making Jinx's struggles even more intense. Lin Feng had to exert all his strength, even calling upon his runic powers, just to hold her down.
It was an excruciating tug-of-war as the toxins and serum clashed in her system. Jinx's behavior grew erratic; she began trying to harm herself, even biting down on her own hand. Lin Feng couldn't allow that. He thrust his own arm into her grip, letting her bite him instead. Reinforced with runic energy, his skin held firm, but the deep indentations her teeth left on his arms were unmistakable.
After several agonizing minutes, the violet gleam in Jinx's eyes slowly dimmed, and her strength waned until she was almost limp in his arms.
Lin Feng supported her as she slumped, panting heavily and drenched in sweat, her vacant gaze fixed somewhere in the distance, like someone waking from a dreadful nightmare.
"Boom Boom... Boom Boom?" he called out to her softly.
Gradually, Jinx's glassy eyes regained their focus, and her hazy vision cleared. After a moment, she managed to stammer two words:
"Bro... Brother?"
With the violet taint nearly gone from her eyes, Lin Feng smiled softly and handed her a small, cherished doll—a mini Jinx.
"I'm right here," he said, "Now, hold onto this."
Jinx, still dazed, took the small toy. Slowly, fragments of memory began to flood back to her.
Seeing the blood and bite marks on his arms, the bullet hole in his thigh—memories of the chaotic events came rushing back.
Startled, she leapt to her feet and examined Lin Feng's arms, shifting anxiously as she saw the deep bite marks accompanied by faint traces of blood. She didn't know where to start, her voice trembling with shame. "I... I..."
Overcome with regret, she looked down, at a loss for words, repeating, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I—"
Before she could finish, Lin Feng placed a finger on her lips, gently silencing her.
"Enough with the apologies," he said, forcing a smile as he slumped back into his chair, wincing at the pain from his wounded thigh. "First things first—let's get that bullet out."
Snapping back to her senses, Jinx reached into her gear and retrieved a knife, carefully extracting the bullet lodged in his leg. Despite her mental state, Jinx was a renowned talent in Zaun, and her medical precision was testament to that.
After a few minutes, she managed to extract the bullet cleanly. Though her custom gun packed quite a punch, Lin Feng's enhanced physique meant it hadn't pierced all the way through.
Jinx wanted to treat his other injuries, but he stopped her.
With the super Shimmer in his system, he now had regenerative capabilities akin to a lizard. His body would heal completely within a day or two; these wounds wouldn't trouble him for long.
Sitting quietly beside him, Jinx looked down in silence, like a chastened child. At this moment, she wasn't Jinx—she was Powder, the girl she used to be.
"How do you feel?" Lin Feng asked, breaking the silence with a soft smile.
Jinx paused, then slowly nodded. "I... feel good."
In her blurry memories, she recalled Lin Feng giving her something. It had seemed like Shimmer but felt... different.
Now, for the first time in what felt like forever, she wasn't being tormented by painful hallucinations. The endless, irrational fury had lessened. It had been so long since she felt this clear-headed.
That formula definitely hadn't come from Zaun—she was certain of it. She had tried everything to escape the unending side effects of Shimmer but had always failed.
Lin Feng sighed in relief. "Do you believe me now?" he asked gently.
Jinx hesitated for a moment, then nodded again, a flicker of sorrow crossing her face.
In that moment, a deep remorse surfaced within her heart. She didn't want to lose anyone she cared about again.
Because, right now, Lin Feng was all she had left.
Seeing her understanding, Lin Feng gave her a warm smile. "Good."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone