[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-investing-in-my-crippled-wife-every-return-makes":3,"chapter-investing-in-my-crippled-wife-every-return-makes-investing-in-my-crippled-wife-every-return-makes-chapter-4":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},148461,250,"Chapter 4: Investor’s Eyes","investing-in-my-crippled-wife-every-return-makes-chapter-4",4,"\u003Cp>\"Huf... Huf...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Soren was about to relax, the second wave hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, it wasn’t physical this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a violent surge of information that felt like it was being hammered into the very structure of his brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"AGH!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soren’s head snapped back, his eyes rolling into his skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ice Emperor’s Legacy flooded his consciousness. Thousands of complex mana pathways, intricate details of the legacy, and Heaven-Treading Flash forced their way in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a library’s worth of mastery being compressed into a single, agonizing instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the rotation of the stars, the flow of glaciers, and the silent death of the absolute zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His legs gave out completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slumped against the cold tile of the bathroom wall, his chest heaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Progress: 100%]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Integration complete!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the pressure subsided, leaving behind a heavy, echoing silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soren sat there for a long minute, staring at his hands. They were bloody and pale but also steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weakness that had defined his life for twenty years was gone. In its place was a dense, cold power that pulsed in time with his heartbeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at his injured forearm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out and slowly unwound the bandage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he expected it somehow, he still couldn’t believe his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skin underneath was flawless, as if it hadn’t been injured at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-It... It’s really gone...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soren muttered in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha... Haha...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A silly laugh escaped from his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt as if he was dreaming, that this was just a nightmare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But... Those things he just experienced...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no denying it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He has awakened!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha... I did it... I really awakened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strangely, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weight that had pressed on his chest for seven years had finally vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being a dud made his already uneventful life even worse. He had spent years as the punching bag for his siblings’ ridicule and the shadow his friends eventually stopped noticing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This had once been his only dream, but after years of failing every test, he had buried that hope deep enough to forget it existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clenched his fist, feeling the cold energy pulsing through his veins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He caught himself starting to grin again and immediately forced his face into a neutral expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Calm down. This isn’t the time.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still had to return and check on Ethea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soren moved quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned on the shower, scrubbing away the half-dried blood and the dark, foul-smelling grime that had seeped out of his pores during the transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ’stench’ of his past self was washed down the drain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dried off, pulled on a fresh set of clothes, and stepped back into the bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly, Ethea was still awake, her eyes fixed on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he entered, their gazes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes immediately dropped to his forearm, which was now bare and completely unblemished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint, surprised glint passed through her pupils, a crack in her icy mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soren didn’t miss it, but he pretended not to notice and offered a reassuring smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"See? It’s already healed. Told you it wasn’t a big deal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You awakened?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of replying, she asked a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Yes.\" He nodded. He walked to the bedside and carefully adjusted the blanket, tucking her in with a gentleness that didn’t match the new, heavy pressure radiating from his body. \"Besides, you must have already sensed it, right? That was why you were awake back then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remained silent, her lifeless eyes tracking his every move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being already used to her antics, Soren continued as he stepped away from the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry. Now that I have awakened, I will protect you even better!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethea squinted at him briefly, her gaze unreadable. After a moment, she turned her head away, staring at the far wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soren let out an awkward smile, realizing how that might have sounded to a former 7th Circle Ice Empress. He was a newly awakened novice promising to protect a fallen legend. And... It also sounded like a confession. But he didn’t take his words back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, then have a good night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He muttered and walked to his futon, positioned it across the doorway, and sat down. He crossed his legs into a lotus posture, closing his eyes to finally explore the massive, frozen ocean of knowledge now resting in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, before that, he had to check something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He focused his mind on the newly acquired skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Investor’s Eyes.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His pupils flickered with a faint, golden hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, a faint overlay appeared around her body, and glowing text materialized in his field of view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______ _______\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Name: Ethea Morvain\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Status: Critical\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Age: 21]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Rank: 7th Circle [Crippled \u002F Regressed]]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Current Mana Level: 0 (Sealed)]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Core condition: 97% destroyed - severe irreparable damage]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Mana pathways: 4% functional - catastrophic severing]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Physical Condition:]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Paralysis (Near-Complete - Below Neck)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Chronic Pain (Level 8\u002F10 - Constant)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Nerve Damage (Severe - Permanent without intervention)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Muscle Atrophy (Advanced Stage)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Core Instability (Deteriorating - Life-Threatening)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Malnutrition (Moderate)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Cold Body Constitution (Ice Attribute Residue - Uncontrolled)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Authority Status: Frost Sovereign - Sealed\u002FDormant]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Affliction Detected:]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Curse: ▇▇▇▇▇’s ▇▇▇▇▇ - Grade: Eighth Circle]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Details: Insufficient Authority - Unable to analyze]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Effect: ???]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Origin: ???]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Estimated Survival Without Treatment: 8-14 months]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Mental State: Broken Will - Suicidal Ideation - Resigned to Death]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Investment Value: SUPREME]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Potential: Immeasurable (If restored, can surpass previous peak)]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Recommendation: Immediate investment in recovery resources required]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______ _______\u003C\u002Fp>",913,"2026-05-29T03:49:54.535Z","2026-06-01T04:29:07.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","d2ac269d2e58c912d8f991b0087871a570cd9d15216e19701917735830730b56","investing-in-my-crippled-wife-every-return-makes-chapter-5","investing-in-my-crippled-wife-every-return-makes-chapter-3",102,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-my-crippled-wife-every-return-makes-cover.jpg"]