"Has the child really woken up?" a middle-aged man in a white coat asked. Walking beside him, the nurse who had gone to call him replied,
"Yes, doctor, he has. Most of his major injuries have already healed," she explained.
"WHAT?" the doctor exclaimed in shock. "This shouldn't be possible! He was just admitted to the hospital yesterday. With injuries that severe from the abuse, even recovering in a year would be a miracle—but in just a single day?" he said, too stunned to find more words.
"Oh, also, doctor," the nurse said, suddenly remembering something, "his eyes are golden now instead of crystal green."
The doctor stopped in his tracks and turned sharply toward the nurse. "What did you just say?" he asked.
"His eyes are now golden instead of crystal green," she repeated, slightly tense and worried.
Hearing those words again, the doctor's expression changed from shock to sheer joy. A wide smile spread across his face, and then he burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! I never thought I'd be this lucky," he said.
"Huh?" The nurse blinked in confusion, unable to understand why the doctor was suddenly laughing like that.
"Doctor, what happened? Why are you suddenly laughing?" she couldn't help but ask.
"Well," the doctor said, calming down, "if what I'm thinking is true, then you and I are in for a promotion."
"Anyway, let's hurry up. We can't make the child wait too long for us," he said, resuming his walk.
"Okay," the nurse replied, quickly following him.
After two or three minutes of walking, they finally reached the child's room. Without hesitation, the doctor opened the door and entered.
The first thing he saw was the child sitting upright on the bed—and even more striking were his golden, glowing eyes. Inside them, a strange rune slowly rotated within his irises. The effect was otherworldly and breathtaking.
Anyone who looked into those eyes would find it difficult to look away. Both the doctor and nurse stood frozen, enchanted by the sight. But while the doctor was briefly mesmerized, he was far more thrilled by another realization.
'He's really one of those dormant bloodline possessors,' the doctor thought, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest with joy.
While the doctor was lost in thought and the nurse dazzled by the child's eyes, the child himself was thinking of something entirely different.
'Trash,' the child thought, gazing at the doctor. His eyes allowed him to see everything—his body, his muscles, his bones—completely exposed and analyzed in detail.
What he saw disappointed him.
The doctor clearly didn't exercise. His muscles were so weak that even light work might strain them. His bones weren't in good shape either. In comparison, the nurse was at least somewhat better. Her muscles suggested she did some form of physical training, even if just a little.
Still, he said nothing aloud. It felt rude to insult them—after all, they had been taking care of him since yesterday.
The only reason he could judge their bodies so easily was because he had evaluated his own the same way. And his conclusion was no different. His own body was also trash. His muscles were so frail that even minor movements left him exhausted and aching.
After finishing his silent evaluations, he slowly closed his eyes, then reopened them. The glow and the rune were now gone, leaving behind only a pair of beautiful golden eyes.
As soon as his eyes returned to normal, the doctor and nurse broke free of their daze. The doctor was the first to speak, stepping closer to the child.
"How are you feeling, child?" he asked gently.
"Umm… okay," the child replied with a soft hum.
"I see. That's good," the doctor said, beginning to check the boy's temperature and other vitals. After confirming that everything looked normal, he stepped back.
"Good. You've recovered from all your injuries and can now be discharged," he said, turning around to leave.
But before he could walk out of the room, the child spoke up.
"Doctor… what is going to happen to me now that I've recovered?" he asked, already guessing the answer. He expected to be sent to an orphanage—after all, he had no relatives to take care of him.
The doctor paused and sighed. "Hmm… I won't lie to you, child. Normally, someone like you, with no family or guardian, would be sent to an orphanage. But your case is… a bit different."
The child tilted his head, clearly confused.
"You yourself are different from an ordinary child. You should know that by now," the doctor said.
The child nodded in quiet agreement.
"That's why, instead of sending you to an orphanage, I'll contact the Association."
"Association?" the child asked, puzzled.
"Yes. The Association is a neutral force affiliated with the government. It's made up of individuals who possess God's bloodline and their abilities. Their role is to monitor and keep the three major clans—the Dragon God Clan, the Vampire Goddess Clan, and the Elemental Goddess Clan—as well as many other smaller clans, in check. They ensure that none of them overstep their boundaries.
"I see," the child said quietly.
"I'll contact them and tell them about you—that you're one of those rare dormant bloodline users, and that you've awakened your Bloodline. I'm sure they'll take you in without hesitation. Dormant bloodline possessors are incredibly rare, especially ones who have awakened their bloodlines on their own," the doctor said with a smile.
"I see," the child said again, his tone unreadable.
"So, I'll go contact them now. Just wait here for a little while, okay?"
"Okay," the child replied.
The doctor smiled warmly and walked out of the room.