The closer they got to the intensive care unit, the quieter it became.
There were no anxious family members waiting, no visitors holding flowers, only cold white walls and closed doors.
For Jessica, there was no one left in this World who would weep outside her hospital room or keep watch for her through the night.
The four of them stood outside the large glass window, looking into the ward.
Jessica lay lifelessly on the hospital bed, covered in life-support tubes, a ventilator inserted through her nose into her body, and the curves on the monitor rising and falling weakly, proving she was still alive.
Her cheeks, which were never particularly rosy, were now as pale as a sheet of paper.
Her forehead, arms, and neck were wrapped in thick gauze, with faint reddish bloodstains seeping through.
Her eyes were tightly closed, and her long eyelashes hung down, casting faint shadows on her pale face.
If not for the weakly fluctuating ECG monitor beside her, she would look like a broken doll that had lost its soul, lying there quietly, completely unaware of everything in this World.
Peter pressed his hands tightly against the cold glass window, a flicker of pain in his eyes.
"She will wake up, right?" Peter asked, as if questioning those beside him, or perhaps speaking to himself.
Gwen turned her head away silently, unable to bear looking at the scene inside the glass window any longer; she reached up to gently wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, her shoulders trembling slightly.
She wanted to do something, to help this poor girl, but she also knew clearly that in the face of such severe trauma and radiation, there was almost nothing she could do.
Harry stood to the side, sighed deeply, took out his phone, walked to the corner of the corridor, and made a quiet call.
He spoke to the person on the other end with a stern tone, giving orders for the hospital to immediately arrange a consultation with the top experts in the entire hospital, to use the best medication and equipment for Jessica, and to put all expenses on the account of the Osborn Group.
After hanging up, he leaned against the wall, watching the girl through the glass window, his eyes filled with helplessness.
He had money, power, and the entire Osborn Group as his backing, yet he still couldn't buy back Jessica's family or restore her healthy body.
Alice stood quietly behind them, her gaze piercing through the cold glass as she examined the girl on the hospital bed.
Inside Jessica, normal cells and mutant cells were engaged in a fierce battle, with genetic chains breaking and recombining, breaking and recombining again; each recombination made her cells stronger, but also brought her one step closer to death.
This was a life-or-death transformation.
It was also the path that Jessica Jones was destined to walk.
"The Doctor said that it's a miracle in itself that she survived that level of impact and chemical leak," a young Nurse in a uniform walked over, holding a clipboard, and spoke to them softly. "She has multiple internal organ ruptures, over twenty fractures throughout her body, and was exposed to a high dose of radioactive radiation; her heart stopped twice when she was brought to the hospital. But she survived. However, no one can say for sure when she will wake up, or if she will wake up at all."
The Nurse's voice was filled with pity and sympathy.
She had seen many life-and-death partings, but this girl who had lost all her family overnight and lay alone in the intensive care unit still made her heart ache.
"She will get better," Peter looked at the girl inside the glass window, his tone incredibly firm, as if speaking to Jessica and also to himself. "She is stronger than everyone imagines."
That was the kind of person Peter Parker was.
Even when he himself was occasionally stuck in the mire, and even when he was often overwhelmed by the hardships of life, he always held the most sincere kindness and hope for others, always willing to believe that after the darkness, there would always be light.
"Let's go," Alice stepped forward and gently patted Gwen's shoulder, her voice very soft, carrying a comforting power. "We can't help much here. When her condition stabilizes and she's moved to a regular ward, we'll come to see her again."
Gwen nodded, sniffled, took one last look at Jessica on the hospital bed, and followed Alice as they turned and walked out of the corridor.
Peter and Harry also followed with heavy footsteps.
The four of them walked side by side on the sidewalk, the atmosphere still somewhat heavy.
"I've already spoken to the hospital; all medical expenses will be covered by the Osborn Group. I've also arranged for 24-hour nursing care to look after her specifically," Harry said with his hands in his pockets, his tone still that same nonchalant manner.
"I started a fundraiser at school, and the students are very active. We want to save up a recovery fund for Jessica so that when she wakes up, she'll have something to rely on," Gwen also said.
"I'll come to see her every day after school," Peter scratched his head, saying a bit embarrassedly, "Even if she doesn't wake up, I still want to talk to her and let her know she isn't alone."
Seeing this, Alice also voiced her own thoughts.
"I have contacted Dr. Stephen Strange at the Presbyterian Hospital; he is the best neurosurgeon in New York and will come to consult on Jessica's case tomorrow. At the same time, I will have the Umbrella Corporation medical team follow Jessica's case. Once there is any anomaly in her body, we will intervene immediately."
She would not actively interfere with Jessica's mutation, but she would have her back.
She would ensure that this future heroine would safely pass through this transformation and wake up safely.
Peter, Gwen, and Harry were stunned for a moment, then smiles of surprise appeared on their faces.
They didn't know who Dr. Stephen Strange was, but they all knew how miraculous Umbrella Corporation's recovery technology was. With Umbrella Corporation's intervention, the probability of Jessica waking up would increase countless times.
"That's great, Alice, thank you," Peter said excitedly, his eyes shining like stars.
The four of them looked at each other and smiled, and the previously heavy atmosphere finally dissipated quite a bit.
When passing a convenience store at the corner, Peter ran in, bought four cups of milk tea, and handed them to the other three one by one.
The sunset was slowly descending, and the neon lights were lighting up one by one, decorating the city with brilliant colors once again.
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