"It's possible, but it won't be possible to recover to peak condition in a short time," Zhou Yu said calmly. "If I get injured again in the arena, it will leave a permanent mark."
Lin Weidong's brow furrowed, a hint of frustration in his tone. He glanced at Da Xiong, unable to bring himself to tell him to give up the fight for the championship. He simply patted Da Xiong's shoulder and sighed, "It's the Dragon Group's oversight. I apologize."
Before Da Xiong could respond, Lin Weidong turned to Zhou Yu. "In a couple of days, higher-ups will send someone to investigate this matter thoroughly. They might have some questions."
"If Doctor Zhou is available, we'd appreciate your help in hosting them."
Due to the Sun Yu incident, all Dragon Group members at the new recruit training base were on high alert, patrolling intensely. Thus, they couldn't spare manpower to entertain the visiting officials. This crucial task had to fall to Zhou Yu. Moreover, from the initial encounter with the mysterious creature to the present, Zhou Yu had been the most deeply involved. Having him interact with the Dragon Group's superiors would also facilitate a clear explanation of the situation.
Zhou Yu blinked, then nodded. In his opinion, it was just a matter of explaining things; it wasn't a big deal.
After confirming Da Xiong was not in critical condition, Lin Weidong left in a hurry. The Sun Yu incident was deeply intertwined with many matters that he still needed to attend to.
Over the next two days, although the martial arts competition continued, the new recruits' minds were clearly no longer focused on the matches. Many were quietly discussing the Sun Yu incident amongst themselves.
"I heard Sun Yu has already been escorted to the special forces. Looks like we won't be seeing him again!"
"Sigh, I really wanted to witness what a 'Qi Warrior' was, but it seems I won't have the chance."
"Pfft, you still want to see a Qi Warrior? Didn't you see Da Xiong's tragic state? He's bedridden!"
"They say Da Xiong's body is now riddled with toxins. He'll likely forfeit his next match. What a shame."
"Who knows? I really thought he was a contender for the championship."
The match between Sun Yu and Da Xiong was witnessed by almost everyone, so it became a hot topic of conversation everywhere. It was even being exaggerated, painting Sun Yu as an all-powerful figure! Lin Weidong wished he could clarify these rumors, but he was powerless. The matter of the Shadow Organization involved Dragon Group secrets, and he couldn't disclose such information if he were to step forward. He could only let the new recruits let their imaginations run wild.
In the medical bay, Ouyang Feng arrived with a thermos, containing pigeon congee. He placed it on the table, poured bowls for Da Xiong and Zhou Yu, and said excitedly, "Today's pigeon congee was personally cooked by Doctor Zhao. It's exceptionally fragrant and sweet!"
Da Xiong scoffed at Ouyang Feng. "Doctor Zhao clearly cooked it for Doctor Zhou. What are you so excited about?"
Ouyang Feng retorted, "It's good enough to get a share of it!" He knew that previously, when Zhao Ruyue brought meals for Zhou Yu, they often didn't get any.
Da Xiong scratched his head, thinking it made sense. At this moment, Ouyang Feng casually remarked, "By the way, it seems the special forces arrived today. I saw Elder Lin leading a group towards the mess hall just now."
The special forces were here? Zhou Yu's curiosity was immediately piqued. "How are you so sure they're from the special forces?"
Ouyang Feng grinned. "I saw them just now. Their uniforms were so cool!"
"Doctor Zhou, if I successfully pass this new recruit training, will I have a chance to join the special forces?"
Earlier, when Zhou Yu met Leng Xue, his attention was focused on her, so he hadn't paid much attention to the uniforms. Hearing Ouyang Feng say this, Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. "Forget it. You'll have to ask Elder Lin about that." Heaven knew he had only come as an observer, and yet he had unknowingly done so much for the Dragon Group! Elder Lin probably had ulterior motives when he first invited him.
Ouyang Feng scratched his head, took a sip of congee, and then said, "Elder Lin will definitely say that as long as I work hard, I can achieve anything!" This was indeed something Lin Weidong often told them. Zhou Yu found it both amusing and exasperating.
After the three quickly finished lunch, Zhou Yu had Da Xiong try to walk. After lying in bed for so long, it was impossible to quickly restore his physical functions. Therefore, Zhou Yu planned to stimulate Da Xiong's acupoints through medicinal baths and acupuncture to speed up his recovery.
Da Xiong obediently stood up, holding onto the edge of the bed. However, after just two steps, he gasped in pain! Anyone who had been bedridden knew the discomfort. As soon as he got out of bed, his soles felt like they were being pricked by needles, causing extreme discomfort! Seeing Da Xiong swaying precariously, Ouyang Feng quickly stepped forward to help. But Zhou Yu stopped him.
"Don't move. Let him do it himself."
So, Ouyang Feng could only stand by, unable to assist. Da Xiong endured the pain in his feet and began to walk around the bed. After a short while, the pain subsided, replaced by a tingling sensation. After a few laps, Da Xiong felt he had adapted. He then tried to let go of the bed and walked towards the door.
*Thump, thump, thump...*
Da Xiong's feet hadn't fully regained their sensation. He walked like a zombie, hopping and skipping, making noises.
"Doctor Zhou, I have to go on the stage tomorrow. Can this really work?" Da Xiong said, panting, with a mournful look on his face. If he was this winded after just a few steps, would he be beaten up mercilessly in the arena tomorrow?
Zhou Yu twitched the corner of his mouth. "What are you afraid of? We still have the medicinal bath to soak in."
"For now, just do your recovery exercises. After you soak in the medicinal bath later, you'll be fine when you wake up tomorrow morning."
In fact, given Da Xiong's condition, he would need ten to fifteen days of rest. But there was no choice. The martial arts competition was imminent. Having three days of rest was already a stroke of luck. It wasn't just Zhou Yu pushing Da Xiong; Da Xiong himself, having reached the finals, was unwilling to give up easily.
Hearing Zhou Yu's confident plan, Da Xiong could only comply.
As it neared dinnertime, Da Xiong felt like his entire body was no longer his own. His head felt like mush!
"Alright, now you can soak in the medicinal bath." Zhou Yu, seeing that it was about time, had Ouyang Feng bring over the bathtub and had Da Xiong get in. The medicinal herbs were from Zhou Yu's prescription and provided by the Dragon Group. After all, Da Xiong was a new recruit of the Dragon Group!
Da Xiong, wearing only light clothing, submerged himself in the medicated water. As soon as he lay down, Da Xiong started to wail.
"No, Doctor Zhou, there's something in this water, and it's biting me!" Da Xiong shouted, struggling to climb out.