Expert Down The Mountain

[Hey, brat. I have a friend in trouble who needs my help. So, I’ll be away for a while, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back.

[You shouldn’t be staying in this ravine anymore, too. A decade ago, I owed someone a favor. At that time, I told him that in the future, I’ll let my student marry his granddaughter to repay that favor.

[Take the half of the pendant that’s holding down the envelope on the table and find him.

[Oh, by the way, leaving without enough money to use would be inconvenient for me. I’ve taken the money in your piggy bank. Don’t worry, I’ve left some for you.

[Lastly, don’t forget to continue with your training. I’ll give you a test once I’m back.]

Cyrus clutched the paper in his hand so hard that it became crumpled. He looked at the broken pieces of his piggy bank with an unpleasant expression. There were a few banknotes underneath the broken pieces, and the largest amount was only ten dollars.

‘You stupid old man, I’ve saved up at least fifty thousand dollars in there, and you only left me with less than twenty dollars?!’

After a long time, he took a deep breath. ‘Whatever. Eighteen dollars it is. At least I can still afford a couple of meals.’

Cyrus picked up that half of the pendant from the table and tore open the envelope. Inside were two pieces of paper; one of them was written by Mr. Frank (his master), which was meant to be given to the person he owed a favor to, and the other one was that person’s address.

……

Two days later, Cyrus arrived at Fliton City, Atralo, like the address on the letter stated. It was a villa district!

“It looks like he’s someone rich.” He was slightly stunned.

‘Any of these villas can easily cost ten million dollars. You’d need a lot of piggy banks to store this much money…’

“Hey, you! What are you doing? This is not somewhere you can stay for long. Leave!”

A security guard holding a riot baton looked at him fiercely.

“I’m looking for someone.” With a flick of his wrist, that pendant flew toward the guard.

The guard caught it, but he suddenly felt a powerful force. It was so great that he had to take three steps back.

He was a little shocked. ‘I’m a retired special officer. Even if a normal person punched me at close range, I wouldn’t budge!

‘He looks like he’s in his twenties, and yet…’

“I’m here to find Lufian Gardner. Bring this pendant to him and say that I’m his old friend’s student, and I’m here to repay a favor.”

The guard looked at him solemnly. He no longer seemed as fierce as he initially was. Instead, he said in a stern voice, “Wait here!”

He then made a phone call. After a while, he came out from the security booth and returned the pendant to Cyrus.

“Go in and find Villa No. 8,” the guard said.

“Thanks.” Cyrus entered the villa district. The guard watched him as he walked in. He then lowered his head and looked at the purplish bruise on his palm as he muttered, “Where did this strong guy come from?”

Cyrus approached the ridiculously luxurious Villa No. 8. He walked past the courtyard and rang the doorbell twice.

The gate opened, and an innocent-looking beauty dressed in casual clothes emerged and stood before him.

‘Wow, this lady is so pretty!’

“Where’s the token?” She did not immediately let him in. There was a hint of disgust in her clear and melodious voice as she frowned.

Cyrus gave her the pendant. The lady took it and looked at it. She then asked, “What’s your name?”

“I’m Cyrus Salazar.”

“Come in.”

She opened the door wider and let him in. The villa looked extremely luxurious. However, it looked vacant, as if no one else was staying in there.

He heard some movement upstairs. It seemed like everyone was gathering in a certain room.

Korah Gardner seemed to be ignoring him. Even so, Cyrus did not mind. He thought to himself, ‘Mr. Frank is such an unreliable man. This family is obviously very influential. They’re very wealthy too.

‘Did he really say that he’ll send me here to marry someone’s granddaughter as a way to repay the person’s favor?

‘I admit that he’s very talented, and the skills he taught me are amazing. But he’s so shameless to even say such words…

‘What should I say later?

‘“Hi, I’m here to repay the favor that my master owes you. So, let me marry your granddaughter…?”

‘I’ll get kicked out…’

“Wait here. Don’t touch anything. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay for things that you can’t afford.” Korah went upstairs right after she said this, ignoring him.

At this moment, Cyrus felt a wave of true aura coming from upstairs. However, this true aura did not seem right…

He hesitated a little. In the end, he straightened up and went upstairs.

The door of a room on the second floor was open. When he approached it, he happened to overhear someone’s conversation.

“Dr. Cohen, how’s my father?” a man said. He sounded anxious.

“Don’t worry. Mr. Gardner’s illness is not serious. He just relapsed. He’ll be fine after I perform acupuncture on him,” an old man said. He sounded calm.

“Please do it now, Dr. Cohen. My grandfather has been unconscious for the past two days!” This was the voice of the woman who let him in.

Later, it seemed like the man named Dr. Cohen was about to perform acupuncture. Cyrus walked in and saw a white-haired old man dressed in black taking out several needles and inserting them at different acupoints on an old man who was laying on the bed.

With just one glance, he realized something was wrong!

‘The person on the bed must be Mr. Lufian Gardner, the one who had helped Mr. Frank. I can’t let anyone kill him!’

Cyrus said resolutely, “Mr. Gardner won’t be able to last more than three years once you do this acupuncture.”

Swish!

His voice shocked the people in the room.

“Who gave you permission to come in?!”

Korah’s expression was sour as she shouted at him.

Next to her was a middle-aged couple. The man was wearing glasses, and he looked like a gentleman. As for the woman, even though she looked exhausted, she still looked beautiful.

“Hmph!”

Dr. Cohen, who was about to perform the acupuncture, looked upset.

The middle-aged man hurriedly said, “Shut up! Dr. Cohen is Atralo’s most famous doctor. He has saved countless people. How could you, a greenhorn, question him?”

Korah said angrily, “This is my home, yet you came upstairs as you pleased. Do you not have manners?”

She was furious. ‘This man is such a monkey!’

Wade Gardner said in a low voice, “Dr. Cohen, he’s just an ignorant child. Don’t get angry because of him!”

After he said that, he turned to Korah and said, “Bring him downstairs. Don’t let him disturb Dr. Cohen when he is treating your grandfather!”

However, the white-haired doctor said, “No need! Let him stay and watch!”

He looked at Cyrus aloofly and with confidence, “Since someone is questioning my skills, I want him to witness how I treat Mr. Gardner’s illness.”

Wade glared at Cyrus angrily. He then said respectfully, “Thank you, Dr. Cohen!”

Dr. Cohen wore an indifferent expression. He held onto the needles and inserted them at different acupoints on Mr. Gardner’s body.

Cyrus watched with a frown. ‘Even though he’s pretty talented, he’s using the wrong technique!

‘Once these few needles are inserted, it’ll cause Mr. Gardner’s blood flow to slow down. Not only might he not wake up, his condition will even worsen!’

After a few minutes, Dr. Cohen was done. He said plainly, “Alright, Mr. Gardner will wake up in about six hours.”

Wade could not suppress his emotions. “Thank you for saving him, Dr. Cohen!”

At this moment, Cyrus moved his finger. A needle flew out and inserted itself into an acupoint on Mr. Gardner’s calf.

Dr. Cohen glanced at Cyrus indifferently and said loftily, “This is just a small matter. Young people shouldn't speak up when they don’t understand something.”

Wade’s expression darkened when he heard Dr. Cohen’s words. He was extremely upset as he stared at Cyrus.

As he was about to reprimand him, Korah shouted with joy, “Grandfather… Grandfather is awake!”

Wade was shocked. Dr. Cohen was also a little caught off guard as he looked at Mr. Gardner!

Indeed, Mr. Gardner, who was breathing weakly with his eyes closed, had woken up!

Dr. Cohen was a little confused. ‘How… How is this possible?!’

Cyrus looked at the old man on the bed and smiled.