Chapter 124.5: "Sometimes, healing too quickly is also a kind of debuff..."
Tsukishiro Yanagi had long anticipated this. She didn't even reach for the leave slip—just folded her arms and asked coldly:
"So, Harumasa, what is the reason this time?"
"Uh... I'm going on a blind date!"
Asaba Harumasa replied, cheerful as ever.
"But didn't you say last time that your blind date fell into a void and turned into an Emanator?"
Tsukishiro Yanagi didn't blink.
"Ahhh, right, right!"
Asaba Harumasa nodded eagerly.
"Which is exactly why I'm going this time—to deal with the Emanator she turned into!"
".…You've already used that one.
Tsukishiro Yanagi's voice rose slightly by two degrees.
"Harumasa, I'm giving you five seconds... If you don't hurry up and invent a new one, I might just reject your leave."
"Aww, don't be so heartless, Deputy Chief!"
Asaba Harumasa whined, grinning like he hadn't just dug his own grave.
—
「 "Walking alone in the darkness, fearing every incoming, invisible obstacle, unable to understand other people's descriptions..."
Dan Shu's tone grew increasingly sorrowful. Stelle could tell that she wasn't just comforting the girl in front of her, but also comforting the self who had walked alone in the darkness for hundreds of years.
"As a long-life species, she can expect life to continue like this for nearly a thousand years. She must learn to depend upon herself rather than just foolishly waiting around for the next hero to swoop in and save her."
"But aren't you helping her too?" Stelle looked at Dan Shu.
"Yes... by trying my best to change her personal circumstances." Dan Shu said lightly: "But before that, she must learn to endure the darkness, just as I did."
"I... You're right, Lady Dan Shu... From now on, I'll do my best to rely on myself..."
"Very good. I hope you can remember this point forever, always." Dan Shu gently stroked her small head.
"This place is too dangerous, Stelle. Let's head back to Exalting Sanctum." 」
「 .....」
〜Runeterra World〜
"A thousand years of time, what a long sentence..."
By the pond in Progress Day Plaza, Viktor, resting on his hands, was watching the children playing in the water nearby, his eyes full of envy:
"Unfortunately, I don't have a thousand years, I don't even have three... cough cough..."
"The more brilliant a person is, the more likely they are to exhaust the energy of their life."
Although Heimerdinger felt pity, he still went up to comfort him:
"But, Viktor, the more difficult the time, the less you can give up."
"I have never given up, Professor."
Watching the setting sun gradually sink in the distance, the twilight afterglow made Viktor's pale face look slightly more rosy.
"I must endure it on my own, rather than fantasizing about anyone's rescue."
"The words of Miss Dan Shu, however, have given me a lot of inspiration."
"But science is not about one person quietly closing the door and working in isolation; one person's wisdom is ultimately limited."
Heimerdinger shook his head. He had seen too many talented prodigies who died young, and there was nothing he could do but feel regret.
Viktor's condition was incurable. His fate had been sealed since childhood and was difficult to change—at least, not with the current medical standards of Piltover.
"I know it's difficult, Professor..."
Viktor recalled the profound reaction that occurred when his blood, coughed up earlier that day, dripped onto the runes powering the Hexgates. Using this idea, he might be able to make a bolder attempt.
He silently affirmed this notion in his heart—no one could help him, and he would not fantasize about anyone's rescue. Even if the Council tried to stop him, and even if Jayce did not support his methods... he would continue the experiment.
—
「 After the two sent the young girl home, they returned to the Synwood Pavilion.
"Thank you again for your assistance."
Dan Shu said calmly, "It would seem we Incomplete Ones are often bullied from a tender age... and even after enduring all hardships and sitting in the high position of chief alchemist, we are still helpless in many matters."
"It is precisely for this reason that I said those words to her... Perhaps they sounded harsh to you? But compared to everything she will face in the future, my words are merely a gentle breeze and fine rain."
"Does Xianzhou not have technology like prosthetic eyes?" Stelle didn't quite understand.
"The physical condition of the long-life species is predetermined from the start."
Dan Shu gently shook her head: "Whether the appearance is beautiful or ugly, the mind wise or foolish, the stature tall or short... it is fixed in the flesh and blood genes from birth. The impairments of short-life species can be corrected with ingenia or surgery, but that's an impossibility for Xianzhou natives."
"Not all incompletions are without remedy. Take my ingenium arm, for example — it doesn't require any invasive surgery and operates by detecting bioelectric signals on my skin."
"My eyes are another story — the optic nerves never fully developed. Transplants are a temporary solution, but they are soon rejected by the superior healing powers of the Xianzhou natives... The entire process is worse than death."
"There are many similar situations... skeletal deformities, soft tissue loss, congenital heart disease, and so on." 」
「 .....」
〜Genshin Impact World〜
"So according to her, all the chronic illnesses have by the so-called Incomplete Ones are incurable."
Changsheng, coiled around Baizhu's neck, flicked its bright tongue, making a "tsk tsk" sound.
"I never thought that one day a patient's strong restorative ability could become a problem."
Baizhu sighed,
"Truly, the great world is full of wonders."
"However, Baizhu, I think there is one exception to her statement."
Baizhu took the conversation with curiosity:
"Oh? Who?"
"Have you forgotten about Miss Fu Xuan of the Divination Commission?"
Changsheng recalled,
"I remember... the Dharma Eye on her forehead shouldn't be innate to the long-life species, but belongs to the category of 'implants,' right? Why is it that when we observe the Diviner's daily activities, there is no sign of pain?"
"Changsheng, you underestimate Diviner Fu too much."
Baizhu let out a chuckle.
"Have you forgotten what Miss Qingque said? Aside from her short stature, the Diviner's capability is sky-high."
"The Dharma Eye is not only significant to her personally but also very helpful to the entire Divination Commission and the Xianzhou Luofu... Based on this alone, the strong-willed Diviner Fu wouldn't easily abandon the Dharma Eye, would she?"
"Furthermore, she intends to succeed the General in the future. How could a girl with such grand ambitions be ordinary? Being able to endure pain that ordinary people cannot would seem commonplace for her."
"Hmm... now that you mention it, that's true. If I were given a Dharma Eye to help me divine the future, I might be willing to endure a little suffering."
"Oh? Really?"
Baizhu cast a meaningful smile toward the small snake around his neck.
"...Hiss!"
Changsheng felt creeped out under the gaze.
"I was just joking! Tsk... You really have no sense of humor. Such self-sacrificing deeds are more suitable for you. As for me... hehe, I'll just stick with you."
—
「 "For short-life species, all these problems can be solved with artificial organs and implants. For long-life species, however, they remain as incompletions. To give a common example..."
"Did you know that to varying degrees, most Xianzhou natives are plagued by oral diseases and jaw-related conditions? For most living creatures, wisdom teeth need to be removed as early as possible... but for we long-life species, they are as stubborn as boulders. We must endure them for as long as we live." Dan Shu sneered.
"Then why don't Abominations have Incomplete Ones?" Stelle was quite curious. 」
「 .....」