章 80: Finally Waking Up!

Hey there, Yozuka here!

So, you've had a few days time to compare the writing stiles for speech in the new and old chapters, but no one's giving me their opinion until now.. :D

Personally, I like the new style more, but I'd like to hear your take on this, as well! Please let me know what you think about in in the comments!

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In the late evening of the same day they headed out, Song Weihan, Sheng Lingtian and their men returned to their base in Song Weihan's hometown in the south. After their miserable defeat, most of them were heavily injured and nearly all of their equipment was destroyed; some of them might even become crippled for their lives! Sheng Lingtian landed his Mecha next to the laboratory and carefully helped Song Weihan out of the cabin. The latter was heavily injured and from what Sheng Lingtian could tell, he would need at least two months time to make a full recovery.

Glancing back, Sheng Lingtian saw his once shining Purple Mecha being nearly destroyed. Most of the armour plates had either been slashed or pierced through, one of the mechanical arms was destroyed from the shoulder downwards and the whole machine looked more like a wrecked lump of scrapmetal than a Mecha. Still, compared to others, he was still fortunate as his Mecha hadn't been completely destroyed. In fact, the most heavily injured people, those that were nearly certain to be crippled for their lives, were the other Mecha pilots. Unlike Yun Ming, who showed some consideration while fighting Sheng Lingtian and Song Weihan, the other Sea God's Pavilion Elders destroyed and attacked their enemies in the most effective ways and destroyed all of the weaponry and machines they brought with them.

Although none of them would ever forgive Shrek Academy for their sins, Sheng Lingtian and Song Weihan had no other choice but to lay low for now and lick their wounds; Continuing to fight against them would only yield to deaths on their own side!

After the tumult made by the actions of Song Weihan and the others, the continent calmed down considerably, but the incident was well remembered by the people. Song Weihan's accusations he said during their attack on Shrek Academy didn't go unnoticed and many powers thorough the continent started investigating these matters. Shrek Academy's negligence concerning the Soul Train accident and the fact that one of their students died in it during an official Exam spread and the fact that the clan of that student was eliminated also became known to the pubic soon after. Still, only a small minority believed the rumours of the prestigious Shrek Academy being the instigators of these incidents.

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She Meixiao, the middle aged woman that had found Sheng Feilong lying near the 100.000-years-old Doomstinger Dragonfly's corpse a few days ago, naturally heard about those rumours as well, but failed to make any connections between the matter and the boy she found in the wilderness; There was simply no clue that would lead to such a conclusion. The day after Song Weihan's defeat at Shrek Academy, she once again visited the doctor in the infirmary where Sheng Feilong was treated, or observed.

Having a friendly chat with the doctor about recent happenings, both of them slightly relaxed before She Meixiao asked about Sheng Feilong's condition. "So, doctor, how is the boy doing?"

The doctor laughed lightly before walking over to the screen at the side where he tapped a few buttons and the like. After a moment, the screen finally showed Sheng Feilong's statistics and the doctor turned back to face She Meixiao. "Well, his condition is still the same. No injuries other than the strange scar, but his blood essence, Soul Power and Spirit Power gradually recover. He is still unconscious, but there are also no abnormalities with his brain's functions, so I still assume he will wake up once he has recovered enough physical strength. At the current rate of recovery, he should wake up in approximately four to six days."

She Meixiao nodded lightly. She had already expected an answer like this, though she was a bit surprised to get an estimation of the boy's recovery. If she had to be honest, her curiosity about this boys origins were growing with each day. In her opinion, it should be absolutely impossible for such a young boy to live near the Doomstinger Dragonfly. This monster was the overlord of an area and known for its aggressive nature, causing even Titled Douluo's only approached with great caution, yet this boy lay sleeping but naked in the middle of its territory, next to the Soul Beasts corpse even!

While She Meixiao was lost in her thoughts, the doctor tapped on the computer screen again and came across another piece of information about Sheng Feilong. Speaking out a word of surprise, as if suddenly remembering something again, the doctor looked at She Meixiao. "Right, there's one more thing about the boy, Madam She. I've taken the liberty to test the source of the boy's corrosive energy by doing a few test before and after trying to give him some nutrient fluid. According to the results, it seems that the origin of this energy is related to the boy's Spirit Essence. We've observed a considerable drop in his Soul Power right after the energy flared up to dissolve the nutrient fluid."

She Meixiao's heart shook lightly. She looked at the doctor in surprise while spurting out her thoughts. "So you are saying that the energy that corroded the whole area in the western wastelands and supposedly killed the Doomstinger Dragonfly was really released by this boy?", she paused for a moment before starting to mutter once more, seemingly lost in thought as she ignored the doctor that lightly smiled at her behaviour. "Then, the corroded land is related to his Soul Skill? No, no Soul Skills couldn't have such a range, even if that boy is a Titled Douluo... A Domain Ability? But what Domain would have such a sinister effect...? Even in the organisation, there isn't anyone with abilities that matches this kind of corrosion... A new, prior unknown type of Spirit Essence? And with a powerful Domain ability... This is getting more and more exciting!"

She Meixiao was looking at Sheng Feilong's unconscious body in delight like a child that had obtained a new toy, causing the doctor to laugh a bit more. The usually refined Madam She always started to act like this whenever she discovered something new. But the doctor had to admit that he shared her excitement when it came to the unknown boy. From his looks and the tests he conducted, the boy definitely wasn't some old monster that kept themselves young, but a child of less than 15 years of age. For him to already have a body on par with Power Attack System Soul Emperor's is truly incredible.

Faking a light cough to pull She Meixiao out of her fantasy, the doctor continued to chit-chat with her for a while before he had to leave for another place. Following this day, She Meixiao came by two days later, asking the doctor for another update, but the result was still the same; According to the doctors estimations, the boy would wake up in about two to four days. She Meixiao had no choice but to accept this and returned another two days later, but the boy still remained unconscious, truly straining her patience.

The next day, She Meixiao walked down a hallway within the building, letting out a long sigh. She had promised the doctor to be patient and only return every other day since the doctor had to tend to other patients and She Meixiao couldn't neglect her own work, as well. She was about to enter a room at the side, when her Soul Communicator rang. Answering the call, she heard the voice of the doctor she just thought about, with a tinge of excitement mixed in his voice. "Madam She, the boy's brain activity changed just a few seconds ago; He is finally waking up!"

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Sheng Feilong felt like he was waking up from a long, long dream. After taking the advice of the weird voice he truly closed his eyes and let himself slip into his own dreamscape. Although he couldn't remember what he had dreamt about at all, he truly felt calmed down and refreshed. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a pure white, lightly lit and unfamiliar ceiling above himself. Taking a glance around, he found himself in a white room with a few machines and a big mirror at the wall. He somewhat sobered up and recognized this room as a hospital room.

His eyes widened slightly and he tensed up a bit as he suddenly remembered what had happened before he had gone to 'rest'. Taking a Soul Train to Heaven Dou City and tricking Tang Wulin, being involved in a terrorist incident, fighting a Soul Saint and being kidnapped by the latter. And lastly... that terrifying insect type Soul Beast that killed the Soul Saint and... killed him. Sheng Feilong shuddered as he unconsciously grabbed his own chest with his hand, only to feel a over 3 centimetres deep ravine right above his heart. Lightly rubbing it with his fingers, he could clearly feel his own ribs directly beneath the rough skin.

Looking down on himself, he saw a few electrodes attached to him as well as the horrendous scar that reached from the lower end of his ribcage all the way up to his left shoulder and onto his back. Nearly three centimetres deep and, at the thickest point, more than 7 centimetres wide. It was clearly visible with thick scar tissue covering it all the way around. Sheng Feilong's hands began shaking even more violently while his breathing quickened. He knew it wasn't just a dream. He didn't know what that strange voice was that told him to rest. And he also didn't understand how he was still alive!

Just as his thoughts were about to wander off, he heard a mechanic sound from one side of the room and abruptly turned his head towards the source; a simple automatic door that was the only entrance and exit to the room. Two figures entered, a normal looking middle aged woman with a warm feeling around her and an old man in a white coat, most probably a doctor. The walked up to Sheng Feilong, halting within a respectful distance from his bed to give him enough space, when the middle aged woman spoke up in a calm tone. "You are finally awake, boy. I am She Mexiao. I know this might be a bit sudden, but can you tell me how you feel? And what's your name?"