Jessica believed that if Xin Feng were to grow stronger through all the pain, he would be alone with or without her. Realistically, it would be difficult for her parents to survive, which meant that she would be the only one left, since Xin Feng told her that he would prioritize her safety after his. Of course, there were also others who might survive. But she knew that in the end, if he really grew stronger than the average human, he would be the only one left, unless he was able to protect her for as long as he was alive. She knew she couldn't change such fate easily, but that's why she would try to not become a burden to her brother, who was going through so much already.
"Hey… Don't go too hard on yourself, okay." She encouraged him, before she continued with her training to be less of a burden. She would occasionally look back at her brother, since he continued with his training as well, but couldn't continue looking for too long. It was too cruel for her heart, but she knew through her brother's words, that if he didn't do that, he would end up in such a state or worse, before dying.
Soon, the sun went into hiding, and the sky had become dark. It wasn't until nine, when Xin Feng decided to stop their training and go home. Xin Feng was satisfied of his progress, due to the visible improvement that showed itself after hours of vigorous training. His skin had become stronger, and couldn't be cut easily by a piece of glass.
The divine liquid was a blessing, as it would not only heal the part that was injured, but strengthen every part of his body equally. The equal share of strengthening did cause the effects to be weak, but through vigorous training the little amount could easily become great.
His bones for example, would become a bit stronger after fixing itself, but not only does it literally fix itself, but it fixes the endurance of every bone of his to be able to prevent breaking as easy as before. It made Xin Feng wonder if what the goddess said about drinking it in case of a dead end, would evolve him into a different being.
The liquid was some type of instant adaptability potion after all, and drinking it might make him adapt to the danger of his environment. It could be due to that reason why she recommended him to drink it in the most dangerous situation, but it was all an assumption, Xin Feng thought. He didn't know the goddess at all, which was why he couldn't be confident about his theories.
'Why couldn't she see the potential of her divine liquid though….? Does it have the same effect when I take it in slowly or something…? No, not really… It would all depend on what is dangerous for me or if I'm unlucky. If I can't find a situation as dangerous as going against the demon, drinking the liquid would be a waste, since my power would be limited below the demon. That's why training with the help of it is better, because it would be a set of critical situations that are artificially created, which I would adapt to efficiently.'
Xin Feng kept pondering about the unknown secrets of the liquid, as he was making his way back to his home. He didn't bring his sister to her home, because they would spend their following days training, and because he didn't want his mother to question the peeled skin on her hands and the slight bump hidden within her hair.
When the two got in the house, they took turns to wash off the sweat and dirt from their body, before taking their own spot on the bed. Xin Feng was the first one to take a shower, and had the opportunity to relax on the soft pillow first. Jessica was tired from her training, and was dragging herself to the bed. She lay on her part of Xin Feng's bed, and embraced her brother as usual to have a peaceful sleep.
"I'm sorry for hitting you…" Xin Feng slowly muttered to her.
"Hey, why are you even thinking about that? I understand wh-"
Before she could finish easing him, something happened that she could only experience in dreams. A brotherly love that her brother hadn't warm her with since she was eight. Xin Feng's face was facing hers, as her head was below his nose. He had wrapped his arm around her, as he let her head rest onto his chest.
"Here's my apology… Thank you for trusting me." He whispered while stroking her hair. A tear could be felt going through his shirt, before his sister embraced him tighter. The two fell in sleep peacefully, and when it was morning, Xin Feng shook her awake like he usually would whenever he tried waking her. It worked as always, as she woke up with a clear state of mind, thanks to the aggressive agitation of her brother.
"Let's go. To the backyard."
"Backyard? We're not going to that factory anymore?"
"No. That place was for you to prepare, since many places will become like that in an apocalypse. It was for you to get used to the smell, the filth, and the bloody sight of someone."
"Oh! Is that why you hurt yourself as well? You're very farsighted to do something that's comparable to hitting two birds with one stone. Does that mean that you won't injure yourself to such extend anymore? I mean… I do understand how the healing thing works, but it's just too painful for me to see you injured."
"Yes, I won't be injuring myself anymore" Xin Feng replied, which made his sister sigh in relief. "Instead, you will be the one to injure me." He continued after she thought that she wouldn't have to see a gruesome sight anymore.
"What?!"
"Yes, you need to get used to seeing blood. Come on, here, take this bat and start hitting my body. Not my head though, unless you want me to die. You don't want me to die right?" He squinted his eyes in suspicion.
"N-no! I don't even want to hurt you!"
"Do it…" Xin Feng beseeched her with a villainous voice, which made it seem like he was tempting her to pick up some corrupted item. He then laid at the ground, covering the back of his head with his hand, while leaving his back wide open for her to hit him. "I'm waiting… Sis." The sound of his voice was muffled due to the grass.
Jessica huffed in anxiousness, pondering if she should hit her brother or not. In the end, through his continuous muffling, she decided to slam the bat on his back.
"Yes! Harder!" He yelled out to encourage her, as he figured that she was holding back. With the conformation that her brother wasn't in pain, she continued hitting different locations on his body, until cracks of bones were heard. When she heard the loud sound, of his bones breaking, she couldn't help to stop in concern.
"Why did you stop?! Keep going! Just a little bit longer, I'm almost finished!"
With his conformation, she continued, while trying to ignore the terrifying sound of bones breaking. After half an hour, Jessica had run out of stamina, and couldn't continue further. Xin Feng assured her that it was okay, because the damage she did was satisfyingly enough. Since they were done, Xin Feng summoned the vial in front of his face, and opened it with his hand that was still functional. Fortunately, it was a lid that could be popped open with a finger, or else he wouldn't have been able to open in the abandoned factory.
A sniff was enough to heal and improve his broken body. The sight of Xin Feng standing up as if nothing happened, was still too miraculous for his sister. "Are you sure that was enough? We could go for another round if you want to." She suggested, after she saw the state of her brother that looked as if he was left unsatisfied.
"How about we make some breakfast first, shall we? You must be hungry after consuming so much energy, after all." Xin Feng suggested, as he walked towards the door of the house.
"Uhm… Okay, I'll cook instead. We should have something lavish after working so hard. How about some macaroni and cheese?"
"Oh, I never thought you could cook such things" Xin Feng giggled, just to mock her.
"Hey! We both know we only cook simple things because we're lazy! You and me both! Since today is a nice morning, I don't mind cooking things that mom does. We've gotten closer than before, so it's worth to celebrate."
"Closer?"
"Yes, you dummy!" She jumped on his back, before she started kissing his cheeks continuously. "To the kitchen!" She yelled out after her kisses, signifying him to carry her all the way to the kitchen.