Chapter 37: A Reckless Healer’s Priorities

On Friday afternoon, as Lu Chen extended an invitation for her to visit the shopping district to discuss promotional photo arrangements, Lily of the Valley was amidst the rubble of the pedestrian street, searching for her severed arm.

Just a quarter-hour prior, a monstrous chef, wielding a cleaver and an iron shovel, had launched an assault on the street, intent on transforming everyone in sight into a delectable side dish. Its colossal frame and astonishing strength allowed it to cleave concrete with a single swing, marking it among the most formidable of common monsters. Though Lily of the Valley had triumphed, the chaotic battle had left her severely wounded, bleeding profusely, and even bereft of an arm.

The battle had only just concluded. The scattered populace had yet to return, leaving the wide street eerily desolate, save for a few injured individuals huddled in the alleys.

Standing beside the monster’s corpse, Lily of the Valley commanded her vines to meticulously clear away the surrounding rubble, unearthing the arm she had lost moments before. The vines gently coiled around the severed limb, hastily brushing away the dust from its jagged end. The young woman raised her shoulder, meeting the arm, and pressed the two sections together, channeling her magic.

A soft, shimmering glow emanated as slender, emerald stems sprouted from both sides of the severed joint. They intertwined, drawing the mangled, bloody wound tightly together. The torn skin re-stitched itself, and delicate, white bell-shaped flowers bloomed, cascading over the newly formed connection, concealing the grotesque scar.

Lily of the Valley slowly raised her arm, clenching and unclenching her fist several times to assess the healing’s efficacy. Afterward, she retrieved the jacket she had discarded before the fight, dusting off the grime.

At that very moment, an ambulance bearing the emblem of the Nova Group sped into the street, its lights flashing. Several emergency doctors, clad in white coats, leapt out. Pushing stretchers, they rushed to the young woman’s side, their faces etched with concern as they scrutinized her numerous wounds.

“Miss Lily of the Valley, please lie down on the stretcher immediately. We need to get you into the ambulance for an examination!”

The doctor’s tone was urgent, but Lily of the Valley paid them no mind. Donning her jacket, she channeled her magic and lightly tapped the ground.

Pale green blades of grass instantly burst forth from the cracks in the pavement, stretching from her toes to each of the injured civilians, forming verdant pathways.

“It’s merely a few superficial scratches; they’ll heal on their own in time. Go and assist the ordinary people.”

With that, Lily of the Valley summoned her vines to gather the scattered firearms. She moved with serpentine grace and agility, gliding past the medical personnel, then stomped the ground and soared into the sky.

Only after her figure vanished into the distance did the doctors snap back to reality.

“No! This is far too reckless! Have you forgotten how you overworked yourself last time? You absolutely must—”

These frantic cries couldn’t reach her, quickly fading beneath the soaring young woman.

Lily of the Valley sped towards the abandoned amusement park on the outskirts of the city. As she continued to mend the wounds on her cheek with magic, she pulled out her phone from her pocket to check the message Lu Chen had just sent.

[Miss Lily of the Valley, the logistics department has prepared three outfits for your selection. Additionally, I’ve tentatively scouted several landmarks that match your style for the promotional photoshoot. I’d like to find a time to discuss these matters with you in person. Are you available tomorrow? How about meeting in front of the branch office building to talk in detail? I’ll bring you some of those small cakes from last time.]

The fragrant aroma of the cakes seemed to waft past Lily of the Valley’s nose, causing the young woman’s lips to curve into a faint smile.

She had intended to reply immediately with a ‘Sure,’ but her arm, having just been reattached, felt somewhat weak, and sharp pains occasionally flared from the joint. The intense pain was manageable; it would dissipate with time. However, the pervasive fatigue lingered. While her unique magic, ‘Verdant Grace,’ could rapidly heal her external injuries, it offered no remedy for fatigue or internal ailments, forcing her to endure the slow accumulation of these chronic poisons. Nevertheless, she was still young and vibrant. With a bit of endurance, she could temporarily disregard these troubles and continue to fight.

[Okay, thank you.]

Lily of the Valley tried for a while longer, finally managing to send her two-word reply just as she arrived at the amusement park. She slowed her descent, landing in the open space beside the carousel.

Swinging her arm, the young woman made her way to the shooting gallery, where weapons were stored. After carefully returning the firearms she had used that day, she let out a shallow sigh, preparing to leave the facility.

However, just as she turned, the heavy door creaked open once more.

Old Nie, his face scarred by burns, slowly entered the shooting gallery, raising his eyes to the young woman. He immediately noticed the large bloodstains on her jacket and the fresh, unhealed wounds on her face. At once, the middle-aged man’s eyes lit up, and he joyfully congratulated her in a loud voice:

“Miss Lily of the Valley, welcome! Why didn’t you say you were coming? Did you just defeat another monster? Excellent work! What faction was it from? ‘Envy’s’? Did you manage to gather any intelligence on ‘Envy’? Find any clues?”

The middle-aged man strode closer, rattling off a barrage of questions. Lily of the Valley, her face tinged with shame, shook her head.

“It seemed to be from the ‘Lust’ or ‘Wrath’ faction. And it was incredibly frenzied, completely impossible to communicate with… I couldn’t gather any intelligence.”

Old Nie’s lips drooped in disappointment.

“…I see, well, that can’t be helped. Lily of the Valley, are you free tomorrow? I’ve recently learned a peculiar magic and plan to experiment with it; I’ll need your assistance.”

A sudden pang shot through her shoulder wound, causing Lily of the Valley to involuntarily lower her voice.

“No. I have an appointment with someone from the Nova Group tomorrow to prepare for a promotional photoshoot.”

Old Nie froze, the scars on his face scrunching together in a mixture of surprise and anger.

“Promotional photos! Ha! You’re actually starting to take these utterly meaningless, boring pictures now? Lily of the Valley, Miss Lily of the Valley, can you not distinguish between what’s important and what’s urgent? You’re already weak enough; if you keep slacking off like this, when will you ever be able to kill ‘Envy’?”

The middle-aged man’s furious rebuke was hoarse and loud, sharper even than a monster’s attack.

Lily of the Valley wanted to explain, to clarify the situation. Yet, as the words hovered on her tongue, she felt as though she would merely be making excuses, absolving herself. Instead, she simply murmured,

“My apologies. I’ll handle it as quickly as possible.”

The middle-aged man clicked his tongue in irritation.

“If tomorrow won’t work, then come help now. I’ll figure out how to gather the materials and set up the magic array immediately.”

The young woman hesitated for a moment, then apologized again.

“…I’m sorry, could we perhaps do it the day after tomorrow? Today is the day I’m meeting someone.”

For personal reasons, Lily of the Valley had rented an apartment near the Nova Group’s training center, living alone. However, her parents, worried about their daughter who had just turned eighteen, had made an arrangement to meet at least once every two weeks for dinner. Today happened to be that appointed day.

Having been put off twice in a row, Old Nie grew even more agitated, letting out a cold scoff.

“First it’s these photos, then some meeting… Fine, Miss, go on then, enjoy your youth at your leisure. I’ll continue my magic research.”

The middle-aged man said no more, slamming the door shut as he left.

Lily of the Valley watched his retreating back, sitting still in the shooting gallery for a while. Then, she walked out of the facility and silently flew towards the city.

****

As the sun dipped below the horizon and night began to fall, the shopping mall was ablaze with lights, bustling with the clamor of people. Office workers, having concluded their week, smoothed the creases from their brows, strolling through the arcades with their families, ready for dinner or a movie. Students from the nearby university, meanwhile, gathered in small groups, laughing and teasing with roommates and partners, lingering between the arcade and snack shops.

Lily of the Valley deactivated her transformation, changing into a simple tracksuit, and sat alone on a bench in front of a restaurant. At times, she would lift her gaze, distantly observing the lively crowds nearby; at other times, she would open her phone, launching the work software developed by the Nova Group, dragging through the narrow contact list, repeatedly reviewing the few sparse messages she had exchanged with Xia Shi and Lu Chen.

“Who are you chatting with? You look so serious.”

A familiar and pleasant female voice sounded in her ear. Lily of the Valley quickly turned off her screen and pulled up her collar to conceal the scars on her neck. She rose from the bench and looked at the middle-aged woman who had spoken.

“Good evening, Mother.”