Chapter 135: The Second Mutant
Steven regarded Elinor with a mix of appreciation and relief. "Elinor, thank you for your hard work!" he said with genuine gratitude.
Elinor smiled. "I'm happy to help you!"
Their conversation was interrupted by Cara, who approached them while holding her child. With a desperate, pleading look, she said, "Steven, we've been hungry all day. Can you get some food for me and Mia?"
Steven looked down at her, eyes filled with mockery. If it weren't for Henry, he would have tossed this troublesome woman into the snow long ago. But now she had successfully aroused his disdain, so to Steven, she was already as good as dead.
However, he had bigger priorities for now, and decided to spare her life temporarily. Without much ado, he waved his right hand and produced a box of instant noodles seemingly out of thin air. "Take this! After all, you are Henry's family. I won't let you go hungry!"
Cara stared in disbelief. "You... what kind of magic is this?"
Steven dismissed her curiosity with indifference. Yet, she could know about his abilities; after all, dead people keep no secrets.
He then turned to Elinor, inviting her with a gentle arm around her shoulder. "Come on, you need rest."
Elinor, visibly exhausted from hours of surgery, nodded gratefully. Just as they were about to head back to the room, Cara pursued them, desperation thick in her voice. "Is there anything else to eat besides instant noodles? I saw some eggs in the kitchen and chicken bones in the trash can."
Her weak appearance did little to mask the relentless hunger in her eyes. Steven, irritated by her persistence, snapped, "There's only instant noodles, take it or leave it!"
Cara, sensing his growing anger, took two steps back. "Alright. I was just asking. Instant noodles are actually pretty good," she mumbled, her spirit momentarily broken.
Steven helped Elinor to her room, his demeanor softening as they neared her bed. With tender care, he placed her down and reached to take off her shoes. Elinor's face flushed slightly, and her toes, encased in black stockings, curled up adorably.
"I've been standing all day," she protested gently, "My feet might smell. You... don't..."
'Smell? That's perfect!' Steven thought, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. But seeing her exhaustion, he decided to spare her for the night.
"How is Henry's condition? How long will it take for him to recover, or is it just a case of terminal lucidity, and he won't last long?" Steven queried, his concern evident.
Elinor's expression turned contemplative. "He was seriously injured and lost a lot of blood. Honestly, at first, I thought it would be very difficult to save him without any blood packs."
Steven frowned, realizing his oversight. He wasn't a medical professional and had not considered the necessity of blood packs.
"Then how did you manage to save him?" Steven asked, astonished.
Elinor's eyes held a hint of confusion as she replied, "His heart rate was almost zero. But suddenly, it was as if his body underwent a remarkable change. The activity of his tissues increased rapidly, and the bleeding from his wounds reduced significantly."
She spread her hands, indicating she didn't understand either. "I can't explain this."
Steven was taken aback. He recognized such unnatural phenomena because it had happened to him once. It was very likely that Henry had awakened some kind of superpower!
After his rebirth, Steven had contemplated this possibility. Gamma rays had affected his genetic sequence, turning him into a Psychic. But what if he wasn't alone? Could there be others who also developed superpowers?
In the past month, among the more than a thousand people in the community, Steven hadn't observed a second Psychic. This suggested that the conditions for becoming one were exceedingly rare. Genetic mutations were already infrequent, and beneficial mutations were even scarcer.
Yet here was Henry, seemingly becoming the second Psychic. Steven mused, 'Could a near-death experience be a trigger for such an awakening? If so, it's an extraordinarily high-risk condition. If the ability doesn't include accelerated healing, the individual would likely perish even after awakening.'
'Without my intervention, Henry would have certainly met his end,' Steven realized.
This revelation eased Steven's mind. Given the stringent conditions, the likelihood of encountering another Psychic was incredibly slim. Nevertheless, he remained uncertain about what type of power Henry had awakened.
After some deliberation, Steven addressed Elinor, "From now on, administer a controlled dose of muscle relaxants or sedatives to Henry daily. The dosage should be enough to control his actions but not harm his health."
Elinor, though surprised, quickly connected the dots. "Has Henry developed some special ability like you?"
Steven nodded. "I think so, but without precedent, it's hard to predict what he'll become."
""You know the Hulk, right? He mutated because of gamma rays," Steven said, spreading his hands with a wry smile. "If Henry transforms into the Hulk and loses control, he could tear this house apart!"
Steven exaggerated for effect, but he knew that based on the law of conservation of energy, Henry wouldn't possess immense power in his current state. Nonetheless, for everyone's safety, Steven intended to monitor him closely until he was sure Henry's mutation posed no danger.
Elinor agreed. "That's simple enough; leave it to me."
Steven kissed her gently. "You're exhausted today. Get some rest."
Elinor glanced outside. "What about Henry? Can Cara take care of him?"
Steven's lips curved into a faint smile. "She's an annoying woman, but not foolish. She knows if anything happens to Henry, I'll kick her out immediately. She'll take care of him meticulously."
Elinor nodded in agreement. "That's true."
After ensuring Elinor was settled, Steven exited the room and saw Cara preparing instant noodles, her eyes betraying a furtive ambition to steal more.
"Mrs. Daniels," Steven called to her, "you should stay with Henry and take care of him overnight."
Cara nodded obediently. Steven gestured for her to go, and she complied, entering Henry’s room. Steven then secured the door from the outside, ensuring she couldn't leave without his permission.
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