Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Chapter 97

Ingrid’s eyes widened. An Axolotl Beastman? She might have not heard enough about Beastman abilities but she knew that this wasn’t ordinary.

Regenerating damaged tissue was already impressive, but being able to regrow limbs and donate cells to help others recover made Maya an extremely valuable person.

’That’s a top-tier healing ability!’

’Correct. It is an ability that a lot of people wants to possess, it’s practically a hot potato. If you can have this kind of person in your arsenal, you’ll benefit greatly from it.’ Lorna responded cheerfully.

Ingrid looked at Maya again. ’Then she should be almost impossible to kill, shouldn’t she?’

’Under normal circumstances, yes. However, Berthanon has exhausted her ability. Maya’s regenerative cells have been used repeatedly, leaving her body unable to maintain its former healing capacity. At present, even a small cut takes a considerable amount of time to heal.’

Ingrid’s expression changed. ’He exhausted her ability?’

’Yes. He repeatedly used her cells to treat injured Hunters and other individuals. Her ability was valuable, and she was forced to provide it until her body could no longer recover at its previous rate.’

Ingrid fell silent. So that was it.

She looked at Maya’s hands, remembering the way she had treated their injuries. Maya had been careful, but she had also seemed unusually cautious about even minor wounds. Ingrid remembered how she had checked the cuts on her own hands after handling the medical equipment. At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it. She had assumed it was simply part of being a nurse who valued cleanliness.

But now, those little details began to take on a different meaning. Maya had once possessed an ability that made her incredibly difficult to kill. She could heal herself, regrow limbs, and even help other people recover. Yet the people who benefited from that ability had drained her until she could barely heal a small cut. The Guild had taken something that should have made her powerful and used it until almost nothing remained.

And now she was afraid to leave.

Ingrid’s gaze returned to Maya’s face. It wasn’t that Maya believed Berthanon would send people to kill her the moment she walked out like Lanxiang was. She was afraid of what would happen if she encountered danger outside and couldn’t recover from her injuries.

Inside the Guild, she might be mistreated, but at least she had a place to sleep, access to medical supplies, and a familiar environment. Outside, she would have to face zombies, hostile Beastmen, and whatever other dangers the world had to offer with a body that could no longer protect itself.

"You’re afraid you’ll die outside, aren’t you?"

Maya’s eyes widened. For a moment, she only stared at Ingrid. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Even Lanxiang turned towards her, clearly surprised by the question.

Ingrid didn’t look away. "Your ability used to be powerful. You could heal yourself and even regrow your limbs, but Berthanon kept using you until you couldn’t do those things anymore. Now, even a small wound takes a long time to heal. So you’re afraid that if you leave the Guild, you won’t survive whatever happens outside."

Maya continued staring at her, then, unexpectedly, she laughed. It wasn’t a cheerful laugh. It was short and tired, and it carried a hint of embarrassment.

"You’re quite something, young lady. You really do think too much. How did you even know what kind of Beastman I have? I’ve never mentioned it."

"Am I wrong?" Ingrid tilted her head to the side, ignoring the other question.

Maya lowered her head. "No." She rubbed her forehead and let out a breath. "You’re right. I’m afraid."

Lanxiang immediately moved closer to her. "Maya..."

"It’s alright, Lanxiang." Maya gave her a small smile before turning back to Ingrid. "I suppose there’s no point pretending now. You already figured it out."

She looked down at her hands. "I used to be different. I could recover from almost anything. If someone lost a limb, I could help them grow it back. If I was injured, I could heal myself without needing anyone’s assistance. I was useful, and people knew it. At first, the Guild praised me. They called me one of the most valuable healers they had ever encountered."

Her smile faded. "Then the requests became more frequent. They wanted my cells for injured Hunters, for people who had suffered severe damage, and for those who were important to the Guild. I was told that I had to contribute for the greater good. Whenever I complained about the strain, they reminded me how many lives depended on my ability. Eventually, I stopped complaining. I thought if I kept helping, perhaps they would finally leave me alone."

She swallowed. "But they didn’t. They kept taking more until my body couldn’t keep up anymore. Now, I can’t even heal myself properly. I know it’s pathetic, but I’m terrified of getting injured outside. I don’t have the strength to protect myself, and I don’t have the ability I once relied on. What would I offer anyone if I left?"

Her voice became quieter. "Who would want to take on someone like me? Everyone is struggling to survive. Nobody wants another burden to carry. People must look down on me already. I can’t blame them."

Ingrid shook her head. "You’re too insecure."

Maya looked up. "Excuse me?"

"You’ve become so focused on what you’ve lost that you can’t even recognise what you still have. You keep describing yourself as useless, but have you ever stopped to consider that the problem might be the place you’re in?"

Maya frowned slightly as Ingrid took a step closer. "Who isn’t afraid of death? Everyone is. Especially now, when dying doesn’t even guarantee that you’ll be able to rest. You can become a zombie and spend the rest of your existence wandering around without your mind. Being afraid of death isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s natural to want to stay alive."