Chapter 125: The Levels of Active Abilities

“Study, absolutely study!” Zhong Shenxiu eagerly responded in his mind to the system.

Soon, with a soft beep, the Steel Heart ability appeared in the passive skills section of Zhong Shenxiu’s profile.

A massive—no, a veritable flood of information surged into his mind like a tidal wave, swelling his thoughts to the point of slight pain. Not even when he was mastering magic had he experienced such an overwhelming influx.

“Truly worthy of being the highest level of passive ability…” Zhong Shenxiu marveled inwardly.

“Xiu, what’s wrong?” Tony noticed that Zhong Shenxiu had suddenly stopped casting Healing, and upon looking up, saw his slightly furrowed brow. Concerned, he asked immediately.

“Nothing, nothing. I overexerted myself using my powers yesterday, just a bit tired. I’ll rest for a while first.” Zhong Shenxiu then pulled over a small stool and sat down, closing his eyes to digest the explosive knowledge flooding his mind.

Though the explanation was somewhat perfunctory, it was far better than admitting, “Your knowledge is too much; it’s giving me a headache…”

After a long while, once Zhong Shenxiu felt the swelling in his head had lessened, he opened his eyes.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I’ll continue your treatment now.” With a smile, Zhong Shenxiu approached Tony.

Tony glanced at him suspiciously and asked with concern, “Why don’t you rest a bit longer? I’m not in that much of a rush…”

But Zhong Shenxiu simply shook his head and said nothing, placing his hands back on Tony’s abdomen.

At the same time, the Healing energy in his hands intensified, the green light condensing until it shone like emerald.

Seeing the piercing green glow, both Pepper and Tony instinctively closed their eyes simultaneously… blinded by the brilliance.

Is he really tired?

Yet Zhong Shenxiu paid little heed to their thoughts at that moment.

Now that he had acquired the ability, there was no need to dawdle with Tony any longer.

If he weren’t afraid of making too many changes and arousing suspicion, he might have unleashed Healing threefold—treating the abdomen, regenerating the right hand, and even extracting a bullet fragment on the side…

Zhong Shenxiu’s Healing skill had grown to heights even he had never imagined through months of relentless practice.

He hadn’t gone all-out in using it for a long time because no one’s injuries had warranted his full effort.

Still, it was odd that his Healing remained at Level 1 despite such a tremendous boost.

He had long been puzzled by how active skills were upgraded.

Compared to the first time he used Healing in prison, its power had increased tens or even hundreds of times, yet the level was unchanged.

Was the gap between Level 1 and Level 2 really that vast?

Come to think of it, he was close to completing a task that would grant him a Level 2 active skill.

It was the one requiring a cumulative 1,000 seconds of Healing usage. He had already reached 953 seconds, and with some overtime work in the next few days, he would complete it.

Then, truly, he would obtain a Level 2 active skill.

Currently, all his abilities were still Level 1, which made him very curious about what Level 2 active skills would be like.

As Zhong Shenxiu relaxed his hands to use Healing again, Tony’s abdominal wound healed rapidly, as if time were reversing, sealing up in seven seconds.

Zhong Shenxiu still had 23 points of mental energy left. Except for some lingering pressure in his head, he felt no discomfort.

However, he stopped the treatment, pretending to catch his breath for a moment before telling Tony, “I’ll rest a bit first, then treat your right hand.”

Tony was visibly moved and hurriedly said, “No rush, no rush. I still want to play Captain Jack for a few more days~”

His familiar sarcastic humor showed that he was in good spirits.

He said that because he thought the sudden intense green light just now had been a significant burden on Zhong Shenxiu.

In fact, Zhong Shenxiu had stopped precisely to give that impression.

Now that he had Steel Heart, Tony Stark was, besides money, no longer of much use to him. Zhong Shenxiu wanted to shake off this burden quickly—heal Tony’s injuries—but without causing suspicion by using Healing too dramatically.

So he chose this method: pretending to pay a heavy price, overexerting himself with Healing.

This explained his sudden surge in Healing power.

Pepper came over, concerned: “Xiu, you don’t look so good either. Come a few days later with Tony, and you should rest these days.”

“I could still…” Zhong Shenxiu hesitated, reluctantly nodding. “Alright, come back in a few days.”

Hearing this, Tony touched his smooth, renewed abdominal skin in awe of Zhong Shenxiu’s skill. He sat up, about to thank him, but the words caught in his throat.

Still that Stark pride getting in the way.

Fortunately, he had Pepper.

She glanced at him knowingly, recognizing his old habit, and instead bowed to Zhong Shenxiu to express thanks on Tony’s behalf.

“Thank you, Mr. Zhong.”

Zhong Shenxiu waved his hand, teasing, “No problem, just don’t forget that 1% stake.”

Tony was momentarily stunned but then laughed heartily—the happiest he had been in years.

“I’ll never forget,” Tony declared firmly.

———

Shortly after Happy drove Tony and Pepper away in the Rolls-Royce, Zhong Shenxiu stood up and closed the door of Zhong Shen Clinic once more.

It meant: no patients today.

Then he stepped outside, heading toward First Street.

At the same time, he continuously used his True Sight to scan his surroundings. The rippling waves of magical energy acted like radar, giving him precise feedback.

No one was following him.

Zhong Shenxiu knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. had placed an agent living in the building where Peter lived, constantly watching his every move.

At night it was fine, but whenever Zhong Shenxiu went out during the day, that clumsy fat man would clumsily tail him, using such obvious tracking tactics that Zhong Shenxiu didn’t even need True Sight to detect it.

At first, Zhong Shenxiu was surprised that S.H.I.E.L.D. would send such an agent.

Could this person be just a decoy to lower his guard?

He searched carefully for other agents but found none, so he eventually ignored it.

As long as no one followed him back to his secret base at night, it was fine.

Today, however, he planned to test whether he could make a daytime trip to the secret base.

That was his intention.