7

"No, I haven’t taken anything at all," Adnan said, keeping his voice as steady as he could.

He had to lie—how could he possibly explain that his healing came from a potion given by a mysterious System living inside his mind?

Dr. Adi studied him closely. His sharp gaze moved from Adnan’s face to his hands resting atop the bed.

"Wait… am I mistaken? When you were wheeled into surgery, your skin was dark and dull from severe diabetic complications. But now… it’s clear and fresh—like someone who has never been ill a day in their life," Dr. Adi said, gently turning Adnan’s hands over to examine every detail.

Adnan felt his face grow warm. He scratched his cheek, though it wasn’t itchy, and turned toward the window overlooking the hospital garden. "You… you must be seeing things, Doctor. Perhaps it’s just the lighting in here," he replied, his tone evasive.

Dr. Adi shook his head, unconvinced. "Is that so? I do not believe I am mistaken. I have been a doctor for over twenty years—I know the difference between skin discoloration from metabolic illness and a healthy complexion," he said firmly.

Before Adnan could offer another excuse, Dr. Rani spoke up, holding a thick stack of medical records.

"It is not just his skin that is remarkable, Dr. Adi," she said, spreading the papers across the bedside table. "Mr. Adnan’s blood sugar has dropped to completely normal levels. And the latest MRI shows the tumor in his frontal lobe has shrunk. This is extraordinary!"

Dr. Adi took the report and read it, his eyes widening. "Indeed… only hours ago we determined he would not survive another 48 hours. He had stopped breathing entirely. Now he is not only alive—his body is stronger than it was before he ever fell ill," Dr. Adi said, his suspicion deepening.

Dr. Rani stepped closer to the bed, her curiosity impossible to hide. "Most confusing of all—we have found no trace of any known medication in your blood, Mr. Adnan. Are you keeping something from us? Did you seek alternative treatment without telling us? Or did someone give you something to drink?"

Adnan met their searching gazes. Then, a quiet message appeared in his mind:

[Do not reveal the System. Your safety is the highest priority.]

He took a deep breath, composing his expression. "Truly, Doctors—I do not understand any of this either. It simply happened. Perhaps God has granted me a second chance to finish what I have yet to do," Adnan said, hoping they would accept his words.

Dr. Rani sighed, touching her forehead which had begun to perspire despite the room’s cool temperature. This was not the answer she and her research team had hoped for after months of study.

"Very well… Mr. Adnan, the results show you have nearly recovered from what was a critical condition. However, I must ask—we would like to keep you here for further observation and study," Dr. Rani said, her voice calm but her eyes fixed intently on the reports.

"I cannot, Doctor. I need to go home today," Adnan replied firmly, meeting her gaze as he began to pull himself up. His lean but muscular frame tensed with resolve.

"But you still require a full examination, Mr. Adnan. The data we have gathered shows that fewer than one in a million people possess biological characteristics like yours. This is not merely about your own health—it could also hold the key to solving the mysteries surrounding rare diseases we are currently battling," Dr. Rani said, her tone growing increasingly eager, bordering on insistence. Unintentionally, her hand reached toward Adnan as if to block his path.