Lin Xiao crouched outside Zhang Wei's house, carefully observing the surroundings. He noticed several police officers discreetly stationed around the property.
His heart raced as he quickly devised a plan. He couldn't risk being seen.
Lin Xiao activated Xiao Bai's teleportation ability and found himself at the window of Zhang Wei's room. Peering inside, he was met with an empty bed. Zhang Wei wasn't there.
"He's not here," Lin Xiao muttered to himself. "If he's in a coma, they must have taken him to a hospital."
Using his 'enhanced' intelligence, Lin Xiao quickly deduced that Zhang Wei would likely be at the hospital where their family doctor worked.
He began his search through the house, methodically checking drawers and shelves.
His patience paid off when he found a document from their family doctor. The name on it read, "Dr. Liu Han," and the address was listed as Central Hospital.
"Central Hospital it is," Lin Xiao whispered, he was not sure if Zhang Wei was there, but he had to take the risk.
He knew he had to be cautious. If the police were watching Zhang Wei's house, they might also be monitoring the hospital.
Teleporting directly there could draw too much attention, so he decided to take a different approach.
...
Lin Xiao arrived at the outskirts of Central Hospital, blending in with the crowd as he made his way toward the entrance.
He kept his head low, avoiding any suspicious glances. His heart pounded in his chest as he entered the hospital, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling his nostrils.
He approached the reception desk, trying to appear calm. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Dr. Liu Han. Can you tell me where I might find him?"
The receptionist looked up from her computer and smiled politely. "Dr. Liu Han's office is on the third floor, room 312. Do you have an appointment?"
Before she could receive an answer, Lin Xiao had already vanished from sight, his quick and silent movements catching her off guard. The receptionist blinked in surprise.
Lin Xiao moved stealthily through the hospital corridors, his heart pounding as he approached Dr. Liu Han's office.
The thought of being caught made his pulse race, but he knew he had to find Zhang Wei. Carefully, he checked to make sure no one was watching before slipping inside the office.
The room was neatly organized, with medical charts and files stacked on the desk.
Lin Xiao quickly began rifling through the documents, searching for anything that could give him information about Zhang Wei's condition.
After a few tense moments, he found a file labeled "Zhang Wei."
He opened the file and scanned through it quickly. The details were chilling.
Patient Name: Zhang Wei
Age: 15
Condition: Severe Regression of Cognitive and Physical Abilities
Current State: Coma
Medical Findings:
Brain Age: Functionally equivalent to a 5-year-old child.
Symptoms: Loss of all memories, drastic reduction in cognitive abilities, and regression to early childhood behavior and understanding.
Possible Causes:
Unknown external manipulation of neural pathways leading to rapid cognitive decline. No signs of physical trauma or disease.
Prognosis:
Recovery is unlikely without significant medical intervention. Patient may remain in a comatose state indefinitely unless neural pathways can be restored or regenerated.
Lin Xiao's heart sank as he read the file.
He had known that using Lil' Blackie's power could have severe consequences, but seeing it laid out in clinical terms made it all the more real.
Zhang Wei's brain had essentially regressed to that of a five-year-old, stripping him of his memories and cognitive functions.
"Why did the system suggest me to use Lil'blackie' powers" Lin Xiao whispered, with a heavy heart.
With a deep breath, Lin Xiao closed the file and slipped it back where he had found it. He knew he had to act quickly.
He left the office and made his way to the room where Zhang Wei was being kept.
After a while, he finally found the room Zhang Wei was being kept at.
The room was quiet and dimly lit, with various medical devices humming softly. Zhang Wei lay on the bed, surrounded by the sterile environment of the hospital.
To Lin Xiao's relief, there were no doctors or nurses present, and Zhang Wei's parents were nowhere to be seen.
Lin Xiao approached Zhang Wei's bed cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest. The room was silent except for the steady beeping of medical equipment.
He placed a hand gently on Zhang Wei's forehead, feeling the coolness of his skin.
"I'm so sorry, Zhang Wei," he whispered. "I'm going to fix this."
"Let's do this, Lil' Blackie," Lin Xiao whispered. The cat focused its powers, and Lin Xiao watched anxiously as Zhang Wei's expression shifted slightly.
His eyelids fluttered, and his hand moved weakly. Lin Xiao's heart leapt with hope, but then he heard noises outside the door.
Panic surged through him. He quickly hid under the bed just as Zhang Wei's parents and a nurse entered the room.
"He's moving!" Zhang Wei's mother exclaimed, her voice filled with hope.
The nurse rushed to the bedside, checking the monitors. "It looks like he's starting to come out of the coma," she said, her tone relieved.
Zhang Wei's father leaned over the bed, tears streaming down his face. "Zhang Wei, can you hear us? It's Mom and Dad."
Zhang Wei's eyes opened, but there was no recognition in them.
He looked around the room with a confused expression, his gaze unfocused. "Where... where am I?" he mumbled, his voice was weak and somewhat childlike.
"Zhang Wei, it's us, your parents," his father said, his voice trembling. "You don't remember us?."
Zhang Wei shook his head slowly, looking at his parents with the bewilderment of a small child. "No. I don't... know you. who are you?"
The nurse looked concerned and pressed a button to call for the doctor. "Dr. Liu, we need you in room 301. The patient is regaining consciousness."
Lin Xiao, hiding under the bed, felt a pang of guilt and sorrow.
Zhang Wei didn't recognize his own parents. The reality of his actions hit him hard.
Lin Xiao had hoped the time manipulation would help, but it was clear Zhang Wei's memory loss was still severe.
The sight of Zhang Wei's parents' heartbreak was almost too much to bear.
As the nurse and parents continued to speak to Zhang Wei, Lin Xiao knew he had to leave before he was discovered.
He focused on his mana, feeling the strain as he prepared to teleport.
With a silent prayer that he wouldn't be caught, he teleported out of the room just as the nurse returned with Dr. Liu Han.
...
Back at home, Lin Xiao collapsed onto his bed, emotionally and physically drained.
He couldn't shake the image of Zhang Wei's parents crying, or the look of confusion on Zhang Wei's face.
The weight of his actions pressed down on him, and he felt a deep sense of guilt and regret.
As he lay there, he couldn't help but wonder if there was any way to make things right. He had tried to fix his mistake, but it seemed like everything he did only made things worse.
The reality of his powers and their consequences was hitting him harder than ever.
His cats, sensing his distress, curled up next to him, offering silent comfort. Lin Xiao knew he couldn't give up.
Lin Xiao sighed and checked the notification that he got from the system.
[Special Mission Completed: Help Zhang Wei - Reward: +2 Intelligence, +2 Strength, +Skill: Memory Manipulation]
The words floated before his eyes, and he could hardly believe what he was seeing. Despite the turmoil and the guilt, the system recognized his efforts to help Zhang Wei.
He felt a surge of energy as the increased stats took effect. His mind felt sharper, his body stronger. But what caught his attention most was the new skill: Memory Manipulation.
Lin Xiao immediately accessed the system to check the details of his new skill.
[Skill: Memory Manipulation]
[Description: Allows the user to manipulate the memories of others, including erasing, altering, or implanting new memories.]
[Cost: Variable mana cost depending on the complexity and extent of the manipulation.]
[Restrictions: Can only be used on individuals without strong mental defenses or supernatural protections.]