Unaware of the events unfolding elsewhere, Zhang Nu and Liu Hai remained entirely focused on Lin Xiao. Their minds were consumed with finding a way to ease his pain, but they were at a complete loss as to how.
Inside the house, Lin Xiao lay on his bed, his senses heightened to an unbearable degree. Every sound, no matter how faint, grated on his nerves—a side effect of the immense power he had used. Even a soft sigh sounded like a disruptive noise to him, and the relentless movement and chatter of Zhang Nu and Liu Hai in the courtyard made his headache worse.
Unable to bear it any longer, Lin Xiao pushed himself out of bed despite his exhaustion. Stumbling outside, he looked at the two men and, with a strained voice, asked, “What are you two doing?”
Startled, Zhang Nu and Liu Hai rushed to his side, alarmed that he had forced himself to get up.
“Lin Xiao, why are you out here?” Liu Hai asked, his concern evident. “How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Do you need anything?”
Lin Xiao shot Liu Hai a sharp, incredulous look, as though he were addressing an imbecile.
“Do you think I’m a god who can just lie down for a moment and recover instantly? Be serious,” Lin Xiao snapped.
Realizing the foolishness of his question, Liu Hai looked embarrassed. Of course, Lin Xiao wasn’t some divine being who could heal in an instant.
“You’re right,” Liu Hai admitted sheepishly. “But if that’s the case, why aren’t you resting properly? Your body hasn’t recovered yet. You need to go back inside and lie down.”
Lin Xiao let out a heavy sigh, his frustration mounting. The constant noise and movement from the two men were driving him to the edge.
“Do you honestly think you’re helping me rest?” Lin Xiao retorted. “You’ve been pacing back and forth in the courtyard, talking endlessly. It’s maddening!”
Liu Hai blinked in disbelief, his expression shifting to indignation. He and Zhang Nu had stayed outside out of concern for Lin Xiao, yet Lin Xiao seemed to see their actions as nothing but a nuisance.
“What do you mean by that?” Liu Hai demanded. “Zhang Nu and I stayed here because we’re worried about you, and now you’re calling us annoying? That’s not fair!”
Lin Xiao grimaced as a sharp pain stabbed through his head, Liu Hai’s voice only worsening his discomfort.
Noticing Lin Xiao’s worsening state, Zhang Nu stepped in. “Liu Hai, stop talking for a moment.”
He gestured toward Lin Xiao, his tone serious. “Look at him. Doesn’t something seem wrong?”
Liu Hai hesitated, frowning. “Wrong? He’s just being difficult. I don’t see anything unusual.”
Zhang Nu shook his head, realizing Liu Hai was missing the signs. “I’m not joking. Look at him carefully.”
Reluctantly, Liu Hai turned his attention back to Lin Xiao. This time, he noticed it too. Lin Xiao’s face was pale and strained, his movements tense as though he were fighting off excruciating pain.
“He’s in agony,” Liu Hai muttered, his voice tinged with concern. “What’s happening to him? What kind of backlash could be this severe?”
“I don’t know,” Zhang Nu admitted, his expression grim. “Lin Xiao, can you hear us? What’s wrong? How can we help you?”
Slowly, Lin Xiao raised his head from his hands, revealing bloodshot eyes that glowed with an eerie red hue. The sight was unsettling, but Zhang Nu and Liu Hai were too focused on his condition to dwell on his appearance.
“I have a splitting headache,” Lin Xiao said, his voice strained. “I need silence. Can you both leave my house? Don’t come near, and don’t make a sound that might disturb me.”
Zhang Nu and Liu Hai exchanged a glance, finally understanding that the best way to help was to give Lin Xiao the peace and quiet he desperately needed.
Without arguing, they carefully helped him back to his bed and tucked him in before quietly leaving the house.
As they stepped outside into the cool night air, they looked at each other, bewildered and concerned. Lin Xiao’s condition remained a mystery, and they had no idea how to address it.