Chapter 183 - 150: Prosthetic Selection

Chapter 183: Chapter 150: Prosthetic Selection

Huai Yu was so frustrated by Zhou Qian’s blows to her ego that she just wanted to sulk.

But the other party just casually finished his extra meal and then urged her, "Hurry up and go sell your vegetables. You brought such a big basket. If you don’t sell them soon, they won’t be fresh anymore."

Huai Yu looked down at the long beans in the basket on the table next to her. Thinking that Boss Tang was still waiting for her, she stood by the table, turned around, and swiftly hoisted the basket onto her back. Because she didn’t have to bend down and stand back up, the heavy basket pressing on her shoulders made her wince and struggle, but it wasn’t so heavy that she couldn’t carry it. Her expression was just a bit contorted.

Huai Yu subconsciously looked at Zhou Qian; she had a feeling he would secretly laugh at her. Turning her head, she indeed saw him twitching the corners of his lips in an expression that was hard to decipher as a smile or something else.

"Hmph!" Huai Yu held her breath sulkily and waved a hand. "I’m going to sell the vegetables now."

Zhou Qian nodded, his face as normal as ever. "Go on."

But as she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something and turned around to ask, "Aren’t you getting your prosthetic fitted today? What time? I’ll come keep you company."

Zhou Qian said impatiently, "It’s just a basic fitting. It’s not time to actually attach it yet. Why would I need your company for such a small thing? It’s still up in the air whether you can even finish selling your vegetables this afternoon. Hurry up and go earn your Contribution Points."

Huai Yu thought, "You’re underestimating me! Boss Tang will buy these vegetables in a heartbeat!" But she didn’t say anything aloud, only turning her head haughtily and walking away.

The sound of footsteps in the corridor gradually faded away, and Zhou Qian expressionlessly pressed the call button. Before long, three doctors arrived in the ward, carrying a thick contract in their hands.

"Hello, we need to confirm once again—are you certain about choosing the new biomaterial prosthetic?"

"Confirmed."

"Do you understand the pros and cons of traditional prosthetics versus the new biomaterial prosthetics?"

"I understand."

"Are you voluntarily signing the new biomaterial observational trial contract? As a supplementary note: the biomaterial laboratory will not interfere with your personal life. They will only conduct regular follow-up visits, and you will be required to provide a detailed description of your user experience."

"I sign voluntarily."

"Very well then." One of the doctors handed the contract over. "Please sign and affix your fingerprint in the designated areas. The contract will take effect immediately upon completion."

Zhou Qian flipped open the contract—RUSTLE, RUSTLE—quickly signed his name in several designated spots, and then neatly pressed his fingerprint onto them.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Zhou. Please head to the observation room over here. Before the procedure, we need to confirm your data once more. At 2:00 PM, a professional team will arrive to conduct your prosthetic fitting."

The doctors left satisfied with the contract. Zhou Qian declined the wheelchair offered by a nurse and instead leaned on the crutch that had been kept by his bedside.

TAP... TAP... TAP...

The crutch struck the floor, making a crisp sound. He moved forward step by step, his movements arduous yet resolute—just like Huai Yu’s frail body bearing that heavy burden.

Behind him, at the private ward’s dedicated nurses’ station, two nurses watched his retreating back with a mix of admiration and pity, unable to help but whisper in awe.

"Does he not feel any pain? That’s a mid-thigh amputation! In all the time we’ve been taking care of him, I’ve never heard him cry out in pain even once..."

But it was obvious he could feel pain. Every day, his hospital gown was heavily drenched in sweat. During IV drips, his arms would be covered in cold sweat. If it weren’t for the indwelling needle, his muscles would likely be so tense that they wouldn’t even be able to insert one.

"You didn’t see it, but in the beginning, he managed to endure nerve pain for so many days... By the time he was brought back here later on, his wounds had been soaked to the point of rotting..."

He was truly capable of enduring it all. Legends about him circulated throughout the entire medical system—whether it was his narrow escape from the highly toxic and agonizing neurotoxins, or his later ability to endure pain that completely surpassed human limits. Whenever people talked about it, they could only sigh and say, "Sheesh! Thank goodness he’s from the Defense Army. His physical constitution is stronger than the average person’s."

"That ability to endure pain is the most terrifying part. And he even chose the new material. Look at our traditional prosthetics—they’ve incorporated new materials, and the user experience isn’t bad at all nowadays!"

Before the cataclysm, the technological methods for traditional prosthetics were already highly mature. Now, with continuous research and large numbers of disabled personnel, the medical demand had sharply increased. Today’s prosthetics, combined with some biomaterials, were crafted exceptionally well. However, Zhou Qian had specifically chosen the new pure biomaterial fusion option, a material with much starker pros and cons.

Therefore, the nurses were even more baffled.

"Exactly. Traditional prosthetics can also bear weight and allow for normal walking. They just can’t handle high intensity, and the adjustment period is a bit slower... But hasn’t he already retired? There’s no need for high intensity anymore."

"I don’t get it... Maybe he’s short on Contribution Points? I heard that the research institute offers a compensation of 2,800 points to those who choose the new biomaterial prosthetic!"

"That’s true... But they say that unless someone is so impoverished they have no other way out, they wouldn’t choose it. The Defense Army’s benefits are decent, so he shouldn’t be pushed to that extreme..."

"Not necessarily. Look at that girl who comes to deliver his meals every day. Her face is so pale, and she’s so thin and small... It probably takes a lot of points to support her."

"Sigh..."

Zhou Qian didn’t hear their conversation. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have cared.

Whether the prosthetic was suitable or not was a conclusion only he himself could reach. The advantages of traditional prosthetics were so obvious—gentle and harmless, stable and durable. They only had one flaw: low structural strength, which couldn’t keep up with his now significantly enhanced physique. Once fitted, it would no longer be able to support his body in high-intensity combat and exercise.

Only the new full-biomaterial fusion could do that.

Because it was a biomaterial derived from multiple induced sources, its integration with the human body and nerves would be much closer. There would be no rejection reactions, and it possessed basic nerve feedback.

The downside was that when the biomaterial bonded and fused with the nerves, it would trigger severe pain and discomfort no less agonizing than that caused by neurotoxins. Soreness, swelling, numbness, itchiness, and pain... The continuous bonding of all the newly formed nerves would cause pain worse than death.

Because of this, globally—even though the biomaterial was impeccable in all other aspects—the number of people who had managed to endure the adaptation period did not exceed ten.

At first, Zhou Qian hadn’t even considered this option. He had already worked hard enough for the past thirty-plus years. Now, getting a more ordinary prosthetic that wouldn’t hinder his walking would have been enough.

But...

Things were different now.

Huai Yu was still so young. Every time he saw her working hard for a better life, he felt that her tiny body was truly bearing too much weight. Yet, she wasn’t an ordinary little girl. She had a child’s innocent kindness and softness, but occasionally, she would blurt out words with an astonishing sense of maturity. She was covered in secrets from head to toe, yet she was so easily trusting of others...

That was when Zhou Qian finally realized it—an ordinary person couldn’t help her, nor could they protect her.

As for himself, he hadn’t been able to protect Zhou Ning six years ago. Six years later, he hoped to give Huai Yu a safe and stable life.