Chapter 140
Early evening, in the specialized care room on the seventeenth floor.
Diana changed into sterile scrubs and began Rupert's daily physical maintenance routine.
From finger joints to shoulder blades, from ankles to hips—every muscle, every joint needed precise massage and passive movement to maintain basic function and prevent atrophy.
Her expression was focused, controlling the pressure and rhythm of her fingers perfectly.
Her movements contained no superfluous emotion; she was simply completing a task.
Alaric... Rupert...
One maneuvered strategically in the sunlight, clearing all paths for her.
One lay silent on the hospital bed, becoming the core of all her plans.
Dennis's words—"now he has a co-star"—had created ripples in her mind that hadn't yet settled.
So was this all truly an unspoken collaboration?
Her fingertips pressed against the tendons on the back of his hand, following the contours of his bones, gently kneading the muscles in his palm.
His hand was large with pronounced knuckles. Due to prolonged bed rest, his skin had a pale, unsunned quality, but his palm remained broad and powerful.
Diana's movements were methodical while her mind raced.
If Alaric was Rupert, how could he play the role of a financial titan while perfectly maintaining the physiological signs of a vegetative state?
Athena's 24-hour monitoring would detect any disguise.
Unless... he was using some technology beyond current medical knowledge.
If they were twin brothers, everything would make more sense.
One in the light, one in shadow, jointly guarding the Russell family empire.
But that bone-deep familiarity, that identical look in their eyes when discussing professional matters... it wasn't like brothers, but more like the same person viewed from different angles in different lighting.
Diana's thoughts were jumbled, but her hands remained steady.
She gently lifted his hand and began to exercise each finger joint.
Index finger, middle finger, ring finger...
Just as her thumb and forefinger were gently pressing on the second joint of his right index finger.
His index finger curled downward ever so slightly.
The movement was so minimal it could almost be ignored.
Any ordinary caregiver would dismiss it as an unconscious muscle spasm, or not notice it at all.
But Diana was no ordinary caregiver.
All her senses had been trained to the highest level of acuity.
In that instant, she clearly felt that the movement wasn't a reflexive twitch.
Nor was it a natural muscle spasm.
The movement was gentle, carrying a tentative quality of response.
Diana's movements paused.
Her heart felt gripped by an invisible hand. Blood rushed to her brain in an instant, then froze in the next second.
She didn't look up, just continued her motions as if nothing had happened.
She completed the massage of his index finger and moved to his middle finger.
But her world had completely changed.
All the clues, in this moment, were connected and detonated by this finger that had deliberately moved.
At Ember Base, the creator's light in Alaric's eyes when discussing quantum entanglement observation mirrors.
In the ruins, that undisguised fear when he saw she was unharmed.
Dennis's meaningful comment: "That guy is too serious. I don't like talking to him."
And that cold Eagle Shield badge.
This wasn't a solo performance she was directing to save him.
This was a play he had scripted long ago, personally selecting his leading lady.
He was awake. He had been awake all along.
He had split himself into two people in an inconceivable way.
Diana's fingertips felt cold.
She suddenly wanted to laugh.
She finished massaging all his fingers, then took his hand again, closing his five fingers.
This time, her thumb pressed against his index finger's joint with a rhythm only they could understand—three deliberate taps.
The first slightly longer, the second and third shorter.
It was the Morse code for D.
The initial of her name.
Also a silent question, and a direct challenge:
I'm here. I know you're awake. How long do you plan to keep up this act?
The person on the bed gave no response.
His fingers lay quietly in her palm, as if that slight movement earlier had truly been an illusion.
Diana released his hand and tucked the thin blanket around him.
She stood straight, looking down at him.
His sleeping face remained peaceful, as handsome as a lifeless sculpture.
But now, when Diana looked at this face, everything felt different.
What kind of soul, deep as the ocean, lay hidden behind this face?
She turned and left the room, removing her sterile gear.
As the door closed behind her, a smile crept onto her lips.
Very well, Rupert.
She would find out how exactly he was accomplishing this.
Twin brothers, or... an even more incredible possibility?
---
Shortly after, at the new treatment plan meeting.
Diana stood before the holographic projection.
"Based on the last 'awakening period paroxysmal neural syndrome' response, I've assessed that the patient's deep neural pathways are now capable of receiving stronger stimulation," her voice echoed in the conference room, clear and composed. "I propose initiating the second phase of the neural awakening protocol."
With a slight gesture in the air, she replaced the data stream with a complex acupuncture chart of the human body.
On the chart, several positions were highlighted with red dots—areas classified as high-sensitivity stimulation points in neurological testing.
The neurological specialists present visibly tensed.
Benjamin pushed up his glasses and spoke hesitantly, "Ms. York, these target points are extremely sensitive to stimulation."
"Especially this one—it's directly above the trigeminal nerve. The slightest error could cause irreversible damage to the brainstem. For a patient in a vegetative state, the risk is too high."
"Risk and opportunity go hand in hand," Diana's gaze swept across everyone present. "Conventional physical stimulation has reached its limit. To break through, we must use unconventional methods."
"I will perform the procedure personally, and Athena will monitor all neural signals in real time. At the first sign of abnormality, we'll terminate immediately."
Her words carried undeniable authority, making all objections seem weak.
After the meeting, Elisa followed her into the sterile preparation room, finally unable to contain herself.
"Have you lost your mind?" She snatched the acupuncture needle case from Diana's hands, lowering her voice. "Venipuncture, plantar nerve stimulation—didn't you say you thought he was awake? What are you trying to do? Force a confession?"
Diana took back the case, removing a needle as thin as an ox hair, rolling it gently between her fingertips. The needle tip caught the light with a cold gleam.
"I'm simply conducting a necessary clinical stress test."