Kai raised the Status Crystal, its glow shimring as he focused on Xian first.
"What is this? Wait... You have a Status Crystal?"
"Yep... Just put your hand here." Kai said.
Soon, he got the result he needed.
[ Na: Xian ]
[ Title: Scrap Survivor ]
[ Level: 3 ]
[ Health: 75 / 85 ]
[ Spirit: 30 / 30 ]
[ Physique Rating: F ]
[ Active Skills: None ]
[ Passive Skills: None ]
"Huh? You have a title? Scrap Survivor?"
Kai was shocked. Even the others who were looking at the crystal. They weren’t unfamiliar with the Survivor Title... They had seen Beginner Survivor, Skilled Survivor, and even Expert Survivor.
However, it was their first ti seeing a Scrap Survivor!
Without hesitation, Kai checked the Title Effect, and he was even more surprised!
[ Scrap Survivor (Title Effect): Grants experience when successfully scavenging usable materials, repairing damaged equipnt, or repurposing junk into functional items. Provides high resistance against hunger and fatigue when in 50% Health Points or lower. ]
Xian scratched his head. He didn’t know that he already had a title.
"Amazing... So I’m already Level 3... But I’ve never received any Gene Enhancent Serum."
"Well... You probably worked hard scavenging for materials or finding junk you can repurpose."
Then Kai turned the crystal toward the girl.
He then helped her other hand to touch the crystal and soon, everyone saw the result.
[ Na: Xinyi ]
[ Title: None ]
[ Level: 2 ]
[ Health: 15 / 70 ]
[ Spirit: 50 / 50 ]
[ Physique Rating: F- ]
[ Active Skills: None ]
[ Passive Skills: None ]
[ Status: Severe necrosis in the left arm. Blood circulation has failed. Corruption spreading from the shoulder to the fingertips. Health regeneration suppressed until condition is resolved. ]
Kai’s eyes narrowed. Her health bar was critically low, and the necrosis in her arm explained the imbalance. Yet her Spirit was unusually high for soone so weak.
Her level was lower than Xian, but she was still 20 points higher in terms of Spirit Points.
Of course, it was also noticed by Farrah.
"Her body is failing... but her Spirit is strong. That’s rare."
Then, finally, they noticed the strange Status.
Kai frowned as the status crystal confird his suspicion
"...So it’s that bad," he muttered, staring at the words. "Her arm really is gone."
i’s face paled. She had noticed the discoloration earlier, but seeing it spelled out in the Status made her disappointed.
"It’s worse than I thought," she said quietly. "No wonder she can barely stand."
Kai glanced at Xinyi again...
"She’s holding on with Spirit alone," he said. "That’s the only reason she’s still alive."
The three of them exchanged uneasy looks.
"Don’t worry... We have so options left."
Xian’s hands trembled as he looked at the crystal. "Really?! Can you save her?"
Kai didn’t answer imdiately. He studied the young girl carefully and nodded.
"We might have a chance," he muttered. "If we can stop the corruption and keep her alive long enough... she should have a second life. Still, my solution must be done if all else fails."
Xian’s face brightened with hope, while i and Farrah exchanged uneasy glances. They had no idea what Kai was about to do.
***
Kai didn’t waste ti. He left the cramped room and pushed through the narrow alleys of the slums, recalling the small clinic where a physician kept his practice...
The man’s na was Chriso... At the very least, he was known for treating the desperate, but never without demanding paynt first.
When Kai arrived, he explained the situation quickly.
"Necrosis, huh..."
Chriso’s eyes squinted behind the mask he had just worn.
"I’ll do my best... But before I can give you assurance, I need to see her directly and run so tests."
"Alright... We can do that." Kai replied.
"Great! As for the paynt..."
Just like that, Chriso agreed to co, but only after Kai placed ten C‑Grade cores on the counter for the advance.
The physician’s gloved hands scooped them up without hesitation, and he followed Kai back through the winding streets.
Inside, Chriso moved like it was his ho.
He even knelt beside Xinyi... Thanks to his mask, it filtered the stench of rot, and he pressed two fingers against her wrist.
"Let’s see..."
His brow furrowed as he checked her pulse, then shifted his hand to her neck. The silence in the room lasted for so ti as he examined her arm, lifting it slightly. The blackened flesh was already stiff and lifeless.
"This is advanced necrosis," Chriso said flatly. "The corruption has already taken the limb. If it spreads further, she won’t last." He straightened and shook his head... "The only option is removal. Amputation... But I’m not an expert on that matter. There could be side effects if I operate."
Xian’s face went pale, his hands trembling as he looked between his sister and the physician. "Then... do it. Please."
Chriso raised a hand, stopping him. "Paynt first. An additional 30 C‑Grade cores. That is the price for the procedure."
The demand lasted for a few monts before Kai wryly smiled. He had already paid ten just to bring the man here, and now the physician was asking for more... far more than most slum families could ever afford.
Farrah and i could only sigh at the situation.
They had seen this before... physicians who treated survival as business, not rcy.
Kai finally spoke, deciding to take this matter into his own hands. "Enough. You can leave now."
Chriso blinked, surprised at the reaction, but when Kai gestured toward the door, he gathered his bag and left without another word.
The sound of his boots faded down the alley, leaving only silence behind.
Finally, Kai turned back to Xinyi... "We’ll handle this ourselves. Trust ."
He then looked at Xian and the others...
Since the physician couldn’t heal her, amputation was an obvious answer.
"My solution is simple. Give her sedatives. Then, we cut the arm cleanly and heal it with my Hemostatic Vial. After that, we use the Arm Replacent Implant."
"Ahhh... I think I know about that. I didn’t expect you to purchase one." i comnted as she saw the Arm Replacent Implant from the Gene Trader before.
"But how about the pain? I don’t think that will be comfortable." Farrah asked curiously.
But Kai just smiled. "I’ll handle that with my dic Gift Pack..."
He then turned to the patient.
"For now, I need to ask you, Xinyi... Is it okay to replace your left arm with a machine?" Kai asked.
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