Chapter 22: The Kind Healer
Lin Feng winced as he pulled off his training shirt. The fabric stuck to his shoulder where a particularly aggressive sparring session had left its mark. Instructor Liu hadn't been joking about working him harder than ever.
It was Monday afternoon, his first extra training session, and the grizzled instructor had spent two hours drilling him on defensive fundamentals. Not the theory—Lin Feng knew the theory cold. No, Instructor Liu had focused on execution. The precise angle of a deflection. The exact timing of a weight shift. The muscle memory required to perform efficient blocks without thinking.
"Your brain is too fast for your body," Instructor Liu had said after knocking Lin Feng down for the fifth time. "You know what to do three seconds before you can actually do it. That gap gets you killed."
The training had been brutal. Lin Feng's mecha had taken multiple direct hits from Instructor Liu's purposely slow but heavy attacks. In soul space, damage translated to mental strain. Now, back in the physical world, his shoulder throbbed with phantom pain where Logic Frame's armor had been dented.
He needed to visit the medical wing.
The academy's medical facilities occupied the ground floor of Building 7, easily accessible to the two hundred students housed there. Lin Feng had been here once during orientation for a basic health check, but he'd avoided it since. Doctors asked questions. They noticed things. He preferred to keep a low profile.
But Instructor Liu had been insistent. "Get that checked out. Mental strain from mecha damage can cause real problems if you ignore it."
The medical wing was quiet when Lin Feng entered. Soft lighting, clean white walls, the faint smell of antiseptic mixed with something more pleasant—lavender, maybe. A holographic display showed the names of three healers on duty, their specializations listed beneath.
Lin Feng approached the reception desk, where a tired-looking nurse glanced up from her terminal.
"Training injury?" she asked without preamble.
"Yes. Shoulder strain from synchronization damage."
She nodded, clearly familiar with the complaint. "Room 3. Tang Yue will take care of you."
Tang Yue. Lin Feng recognized the name. His teammate from the VR exercises, ranked 31st. The support-type pilot with the gentle personality.
Room 3 was a small treatment space with a comfortable chair, medical equipment neatly organized on shelves, and a window overlooking the academy grounds. Tang Yue stood by the window, her back to the door, studying something on a tablet.
She turned when Lin Feng entered, and her face lit up with recognition. "Oh! Lin Feng. I didn't expect to see you here."
"Instructor Liu insisted," Lin Feng said, suddenly feeling awkward. He wasn't good at casual conversation. Thirty years of social interaction across two lives, and small talk still felt like navigating a minefield.
Tang Yue gestured to the chair. "Sit, please. Training injury?"
"Shoulder. Synchronization strain from taking hits in soul space."
"May I?" she asked, moving closer. When Lin Feng nodded, she placed her hand gently on his shoulder. Her touch was professional, clinical, but there was something else—a warmth that seemed to radiate from her palm.
Tang Yue closed her eyes, and Lin Feng felt a strange sensation. Not pain exactly, but awareness. Like someone had turned on a light in a dark room, illuminating damage he hadn't fully registered.
EXTERNAL ENERGY DETECTED
Source: Support-type mecha resonance
Effect: Diagnostic scan in progress
Analysis Protocol noting energy signature for reference
Lin Feng's upgraded system automatically tracked the sensation, cataloging it as new data. This was his first direct experience with a support-type mecha's abilities.
"Okay," Tang Yue said, opening her eyes. "It's not too bad. The soul space damage hasn't transferred to your physical neural pathways yet, but it was getting close. Another few hours and you'd have had a nasty headache that wouldn't go away for days."
"Can you fix it?"
"Of course." She smiled, and Lin Feng noticed that her smile was genuine. Not the polite expression people wore in social situations, but actual warmth. "This is what I do."
Tang Yue closed her eyes again, and this time Lin Feng felt something different. Energy flowed from her palm into his shoulder—gentle, warm, restorative. It wasn't like his mecha's raw power. This was softer, more precise, like the difference between a hammer and a surgeon's scalpel.
The phantom pain began to fade.
"Your mecha," Lin Feng said, curious. "Healing Light, right? Support and repair specialist?"
"That's right." Tang Yue kept her eyes closed, concentrating on the energy transfer. "Twelve meters tall, specialized in energy manipulation and transfer. Not very useful in direct combat, but excellent for keeping teams functional during extended operations."
"Ranked first among support types in our class," Lin Feng added. "That's impressive."
Tang Yue opened one eye, looking at him with surprise. "You know that?"
"I track academy rankings." Lin Feng shrugged his good shoulder. "Information is useful. You're also ranked 31st overall, which is remarkable considering support types are evaluated primarily on solo combat performance during entrance exams."
"You really do pay attention to details, don't you?" Tang Yue closed her eye again, but Lin Feng caught the slight smile on her face. "Most people forget support pilots exist until they need healing."
"That's shortsighted. Support-type mechas are force multipliers. One skilled healer can extend a team's operational capacity by several hours. In extended operations or siege scenarios, support becomes the most critical role."
The energy flow stopped. Tang Yue stepped back, examining her work with a critical eye. "How does that feel?"
Lin Feng rotated his shoulder experimentally. The phantom pain was gone, replaced by a pleasant warmth. "Much better. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Tang Yue made a note on her tablet. "Try to avoid taking too many hits in the next few days. Your soul space needs time to fully stabilize the repairs. If you push too hard too fast, the damage could come back worse."
"Understood." Lin Feng stood, then hesitated. Should I leave? Is that rude? Social protocols from his past life didn't always apply here. "Do you... work here every day?"
"Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays," Tang Yue said, setting down her tablet. "Part of my scholarship requirements. Support-type pilots are encouraged to practice healing in clinical settings. It helps us refine our energy control."
"That makes sense. Controlled environment, consistent practice, immediate feedback from patients."
"Exactly." Tang Yue tilted her head slightly, studying him. "You know, you're different from most people."
Lin Feng tensed slightly. "Different how?"
"You analyze everything. Even casual conversations. It's not a bad thing," she added quickly, seeing his expression. "Just... interesting. Most students don't think about the strategic value of support mechas. They just see us as walking first-aid kits."
"That's because most students are idiots," Lin Feng said bluntly, then caught himself. "Sorry. That was harsh."
Tang Yue laughed—a genuine sound that filled the small room. "No, you're right. Most eighteen-year-olds think raw power is everything. I've had people tell me I should feel bad about awakening a support-type mecha, like it's some kind of failure."
"That's absurd. Your mecha reflects your potential. Healing Light has Tier 14 potential, which is well above average. You should be proud."
"How do you know my mecha's potential rating?"
Lin Feng paused. Had he revealed too much? No, potential ratings were public information after the entrance exams. "It was in the entrance exam reports. Publicly available data."
"You really do read everything, don't you?" Tang Yue smiled again, and Lin Feng found himself relaxing slightly. There was no judgment in her voice, just curiosity.
"Information is power," Lin Feng said simply. "In my experience, the more you know, the better prepared you are for whatever comes next."
"That sounds like something a person learns the hard way."
Lin Feng didn't respond immediately. Memories of an alley, blood on pavement, betrayal. He pushed them away. "Let's just say I prefer to be prepared."
Tang Yue seemed to sense she'd touched a sensitive topic. She changed the subject smoothly. "How are you finding the academy so far? Besides getting beaten up by Instructor Liu?"
"Challenging. The curriculum is mostly review for me—I spent ten years preparing for awakening. But the practical experience is valuable. You can't learn real combat from books."
"Ten years?" Tang Yue looked impressed. "Most people start preparing maybe two or three years before awakening. You really are committed."
"I had my reasons." Lin Feng moved to the window, looking out at the training grounds where students were practicing. "What about you? How are you finding academy life?"
"Honestly? It's harder than I expected." Tang Yue joined him at the window. "Not the academics—those are fine. But the social aspect. Support pilots aren't exactly popular. We get left out of a lot of activities because people assume we're weak."
"Their loss."
"Maybe." Tang Yue sighed. "I try not to let it bother me. I knew what I was signing up for when I chose to specialize in healing rather than trying to force my mecha into a combat role it's not suited for."
Lin Feng glanced at her. There was quiet strength in her voice, a determination that reminded him of his own resolve. "You made the right choice. Playing to your mecha's strengths is smart. Trying to fight against your natural capabilities is just ego."
"You think so?"
"I know so. In team operations, a good support pilot is worth their weight in gold. The problem is most academy training focuses on individual performance. That skews perception."
Tang Yue was quiet for a moment. "You know, you're the first person who's said that to me. Everyone else either pities me or tells me I should try to develop combat abilities anyway."
"Everyone else is wrong." Lin Feng said it flatly, with complete certainty. "Your mecha is exceptional at what it does. Trying to make it into a mediocre combat mecha would be a waste."
"Thank you." Tang Yue's voice was soft. "That... actually means a lot."
An awkward silence fell. Lin Feng wasn't sure what to say next. In his past life, he'd been better at coding than conversation. That hadn't changed.
Tang Yue broke the silence first. "Can I ask you something? About your fight with Zhao Wei?"
"Sure."
"Everyone says you have some kind of analysis system. That you can predict enemy moves. Is that true?"
Lin Feng considered his response carefully. He'd already demonstrated his capabilities publicly. There was no point hiding the general concept. "I have a systematic approach to combat. I observe patterns, calculate probabilities, and make tactical recommendations to myself. It's like... having a very fast analytical process running alongside my normal thinking."
"That sounds complicated."
"It's just organized thinking. I use my soul space to create mental frameworks that help me process combat data more efficiently."
"Is that even possible?" Tang Yue looked fascinated. "Using soul space for something other than mecha control?"
"Apparently." Lin Feng smiled slightly. "I'm still figuring out the limits myself. But yes, I can manifest mental structures in my soul space using systematic thinking. It's probably related to my previous studies."
"Previous studies? You mean before awakening?"
"I was interested in programming and computer science. Logic, algorithms, systematic problem-solving. Turns out those skills translate to soul space manipulation in unexpected ways."
Tang Yue's eyes widened. "That's incredible. I've never heard of anyone doing that before."
"It might be unique to my particular mindset." Lin Feng shrugged. "Either way, it works. My Analysis Protocol gives me tactical advantages that compensate for lower tier and equipment."
"Analysis Protocol," Tang Yue repeated. "You even named it like a software system."
"It is a software system. Just running in my soul space instead of on a computer."
"That's..." Tang Yue shook her head wonderingly. "That's genius. Absolutely genius."
Lin Feng felt uncomfortable with the praise. "It's just practical application of existing knowledge."
"Don't downplay it," Tang Yue said firmly. "You've done something nobody else has thought of. That's innovation, not just application."
Before Lin Feng could respond, his phone buzzed. A message from Chen Hao: Where are you? Dinner time!
"I should go," Lin Feng said. "My roommate is wondering where I am."
"Of course." Tang Yue walked him to the door. "Come back if you have any more training injuries. And try not to let Instructor Liu beat you up too badly."
"I'll do my best." Lin Feng paused at the threshold. "Thank you. Not just for the healing, but for... understanding. About the system, I mean."
"Thank you for seeing support pilots as more than just healers," Tang Yue replied. "It's rare."
Lin Feng nodded and left, making his way toward the cafeteria. As he walked, he found himself thinking about the conversation. Tang Yue was intelligent, perceptive, and genuinely kind. Not many people combined all three qualities.
She's someone worth knowing, he thought. Worth trusting, maybe. Eventually.
ANALYSIS PROTOCOL - SOCIAL ASSESSMENT
Tang Yue: Ally potential - High
Trust level: Cautiously positive
Shared interests: Tactical thinking, systematic approach to mecha development
Recommendation: Continue building relationship, information exchange mutually beneficial
Lin Feng smiled to himself. Even his Analysis Protocol agreed.
The cafeteria was packed as usual. Chen Hao had secured their regular table, along with Tang Yue's roommate Li Na and a few other students from their building.
"There you are!" Chen Hao said as Lin Feng sat down. "Thought maybe Instructor Liu had finally broken you."
"Close, but not quite." Lin Feng started on his dinner. "Had to visit medical wing afterward."
"Was Tang Yue there?" Li Na asked casually.
"Yes. She fixed my shoulder."
"She's really good," Li Na said. "Best healer in first year. I had synchronization fatigue last week, and she cleared it in five minutes. Most healers take fifteen or twenty."
"She's also ranked 31st overall," another student added. "That's impressive for a support type."
"Should be higher," Lin Feng said. "Entrance exams don't properly evaluate support capabilities."
Chen Hao grinned at him. "You defending Tang Yue's honor now?"
"I'm stating facts. The examination system is biased toward combat performance. Support pilots are systematically underranked."
"He's right, though," Li Na said thoughtfully. "Tang Yue scored really high on team coordination exercises. If those counted more, she'd probably be top twenty."
The conversation drifted to other topics—upcoming classes, rumors about advanced training opportunities, speculation about when they'd get their next Land of Origin access. Lin Feng listened more than he talked, comfortable in the role of observer.
But part of his mind was still back in that treatment room, analyzing the conversation.
Tang Yue understood systematic thinking. She didn't mock his analytical approach or find it strange. She'd actually been interested, engaged, curious about how it worked.
In his past life, Lin Feng had been the weird one. The programmer who thought about life like it was code to be optimized. His coworkers had tolerated him, but never really understood him.
Tang Yue seemed to understand.
One step at a time, he reminded himself. Trust is earned slowly. But this is a good start.
After dinner, Lin Feng returned to his room and entered soul space for his evening practice session. He ran through defensive drills, implementing the corrections Instructor Liu had beaten into him. The improvements were minor but measurable. His deflection angles were more precise, his energy expenditure slightly reduced.
Progress. Always progress.
As he worked, his Analysis Protocol automatically logged the session data:
TRAINING SESSION LOG
Duration: 90 minutes
Focus: Defensive technique refinement
Energy expenditure: 340 units
Technique execution: 73% optimal (improvement from 68% baseline)
Muscle memory development: In progress
Next session priority: Counter-attack timing
But interestingly, his system had also logged something else:
SOCIAL INTERACTION LOG
Tang Yue - Medical Wing Encounter
Duration: 18 minutes
Information exchange: Positive
Trust assessment: Potential ally, shared strategic mindset
Energy signature recorded: Support-type resonance pattern saved for future reference
Recommendation: Maintain contact, explore collaboration possibilities
Lin Feng smiled. His Analysis Protocol was learning to track more than just combat data. Social relationships were just another system to optimize, another problem to solve systematically.
He finished his training and returned to the physical world. Chen Hao was already asleep, snoring softly in the darkness.
Lin Feng lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about his day. Brutal training that revealed weaknesses. Healing that fixed immediate damage. A conversation that opened unexpected doors.
In his past life, he'd been alone. Isolated by his analytical nature, by the way his mind worked differently from everyone else's.
Maybe this life could be different.
Maybe this time, he could find people who understood.
Status: Physical recovery complete. Social assessment: Progress made. Analysis Protocol continuing to evolve. Current focus: Build reliable team for future Land of Origin operations.
Lin Feng closed his eyes and slept, dreaming of systems and solutions, of patterns and possibilities.
Of a second chance, systematically optimized.