The little boy lying in the hospital bed was young, but very perceptive. He knew that Sister Nicole had lied to him.
He also understood why—she didn't want him to feel sad. She just wanted him to spend his last moments happily.
So, to keep Nicole from worrying, he did his best to stay cheerful—at least in front of her.
But in the end, he was still just a child. The thought of dying brought tears to his eyes, dripping onto the hamburger in his hands.
Seeing this, Sam Li wasn't made of stone. He was clearly moved.
"People might call Nicole a cunning hare, but she's never once lied to her family or friends. She didn't lie to you either. She really did find a special cure for severe Ether corrosion. You're going to get better very soon…"
Just like Nicole, Sam Li chose to tell a gentle lie.
Hearing that, the boy quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve and looked at Sam Li with wide, hopeful eyes.
"Really? Sister Nicole didn't lie to me?"
Sam Li gave a faint smile. "Of course not. Trust her—you're not going to die."
The boy sniffled, wiped his eyes again, and said earnestly, "Nicole told me you never lie, and that you're the strongest person in Hare's House…"
Sam Li: "…"
He could tell the boy wasn't fully convinced.
After all, that kind of miracle cure didn't exist.
There was a brief silence.
Sam Li quietly sat down in the chair next to the bed, watching as the boy ate his hamburger, one bite at a time.
At the same time, Sam Li mentally summoned his system. A familiar status panel appeared before his eyes:
[Host]: Sam Li
[System]: Strongest Role-Playing System
[System Points]: 178,000
[Current World]: Zenless Zone Zero
[Current Role]: Geo Archon - Morax (Zhongli)
[Role Progress]: 57%
[Abilities]: Spearmanship - Stone Rain, Jade Shield (Enhanced), Geo Spire
[Weapon]: Vortex Vanquisher
[Items]: Teyvat Fried Egg ×1, Statue of the Seven ×1
[Shop]: Statue of the Seven, Jade Chamber, Azhdaha (Bangboo), Serenitea Pot...
...
In the item section, Sam Li quickly spotted the Teyvat Fried Egg he'd been saving.
It had been sitting in his inventory for a long time. As someone with Morax's power, Sam Li had never needed it.
On Teyvat, fried eggs like this were common.
But in the world of Zenless Zone Zero, something so simple could be considered a miracle drug. It would absolutely be enough to heal Ether corrosion.
With that in mind, Sam Li accessed the system and pulled the Teyvat Fried Egg from his inventory.
In the next instant, a small bird egg—perfectly fried sunny-side-up—rested on a folded white napkin in his hand. It looked ordinary, but the aroma was rich and enticing.
The scent immediately caught the boy's attention.
"Sam Li, do you like fried eggs? I know how to make them too! Sister Nicole taught me."
"I've already eaten. This one's for you."
Sam Li handed the egg over.
The boy carefully took a bite. His eyes lit up.
"It's delicious! Did you make this?"
Sam Li nodded. "Mm."
He took another bite, and the yolk spilled out, warm and runny.
But more than that—after just two bites, the boy felt something strange. A warmth spread through his body, soothing and full of strength.
The pain from his Ether-corroded wounds disappeared, replaced by comforting heat and newfound energy.
"Thank you, Sam Li! That fried egg was amazing!"
"I'm glad you liked it."
As Sam Li watched the boy finish the egg, he quietly stood up and walked out of the ward.
...
Outside the door, Nicole, Billy, Nekomata, and Anby sat in silence, their faces still filled with sorrow.
They hadn't noticed Sam Li approaching.
As he stepped out, Nekomata quickly ran over, stood on tiptoe, and whispered in his ear, "Sam Li, try talking to Nicole. Please comfort her… I've never seen her this heartbroken before."
Sam Li nodded. "Alright. I'll talk to her."
He slowly walked up to Nicole, Billy, and Anby.
They looked up as he approached. In that moment, they all seemed to have something they wanted to say—but none of them could find the words.
Nicole's eyes were red and swollen, as if she were trying not to cry.
Sam Li glanced at Nekomata, who gave him an encouraging look. Then he turned back and said calmly,
"Nicole, don't be sad. I just gave the little boy in the ward the special medicine. The Ether corrosion in his body is completely healed."
Nicole froze. "...???"
Billy stared at Sam Li in shock. "...!!!!"
Anby frowned slightly. "..."
Nekomata let out a deep sigh. "You… you really couldn't come up with a more believable line?"
She had asked Sam Li to comfort Nicole because she trusted him.
But she hadn't expected him to go this far—to make up something so blatantly false.
A miracle cure? For severe Ether corrosion?
Everyone knew that didn't exist.
Not just Nekomata—Billy, Anby, and Nicole all wore the same expression. It wasn't that they didn't trust Sam Li, but the claim was so absurd that they naturally assumed he was just trying to cheer them up.
Nicole let out a weary sigh and forced a smile.
"Sam Li… you don't have to try so hard. I've been through this more times than I can count. The result is always the same…"
Billy covered his face in defeat. "Sam Li, you really sound just like Anby when you try to cheer people up…"
Anby: "..."
Nekomata: "..."
Sam Li: "..."
He was just telling the truth—and no one believed him.
Still, he didn't mind.
Once Nicole or the others saw the boy again, they'd understand.
There was a moment of silence.
Nicole let out another sigh. "You shouldn't have come here…"
Anby said seriously, "We were worried about you. We just wanted to help."
Billy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Nicole. Did you forget? Hare's House is a team—we face everything together."
Looking at everyone's concerned faces, Nicole was deeply moved.
"Thank you, all of you… Let's go."