"Despicable…"Sweat was dripping all over Frank's face.He had to get a little violent to make it to Zamri Hospital in time, running straight toward it past anything in his way.And when he arrived at the ventilation hub in the hospital, he found the security guards around it knocked out, along with a corpse rotted black inside.It was the pedestrian whom Helen had alleged crashed into, but it was obvious that he had been dead before that.Moreover, the body had been forced to ingest a large volume of drugs, and Frank could only imagine the horrors that the person had gone through before their death.Afterward, the body was moved here and injected with a special solution that accelerated the rotting.The particles of rot were then spread into the air through the vents and across the entire hospital by extension.Since corpses could not walk, it was obvious that the mole in the hospital had seized a moment when no one was watching to move it here.Still, Frank was not in a hurr
And upon hearing Yannick's call, a ton of them came running."Hurry! Arrest that man! He's the poisoner!"Yannick pointed at Frank and yelled, "That's him! Don't you see?! He's even doing it while everyone's watching!"The security guards could certainly see Frank standing by the ventilation hub, heating up the pills that released a green smoke.They were actually familiar with the green smoke, since it healed them from their stomach issues and coughing, as well as left them feeling refreshed.However, they recognized Yannick too, as he was the head coroner.And with the seniority between them obvious, it went without saying who they would listen to.Whipping out his stun baton, the security team leader pointed at Frank and snapped, "Stop what you're doing now, brat! You hear me?!""If I do, the poison in the building would infect more victims. Is that what you want?"Frank shot a look at the security team leader, who froze.The rest of the security guards appeared in a dilem
After all, the security guards had all been watching—Frank had remained in the same position throughout, not even lifting a finger.And yet, he somehow managed to stab Yannick in the kneecap with his needle.The feat left the security guards all gasping.At the same time, they also realized that they would not even know what hit them if Frank wanted them dead. The split second it took for him to hit Yannick with that needle was also the same amount of time that he needed to launch a needle on their chest or throat.As such, their threats were no more than child's play to Frank and were of no consequence whatsoever. "H-How dare you attack a doctor in broad daylight!"The security team leader snapped nonetheless, even though he was stammering from fear.Even though they were facing someone as strong as Frank, as the security team of Zamri Hospital, they could not back down.They had a duty to see through, and they were not some street thugs who backed down upon running into some
Winter and Mona soon arrived.Even as Yannick looked on in glee, Winter's eyes lit up when she saw Frank, like he had just saved her world."Frank!" she cried as she threw herself into his arms.Fortunately, Frank had also finished vaporizing the antidote pill he was holding just then, or his pure vigor would burn Winter the way she threw herself at him."Everything's fine now, silly!"Frank patted her head with a gentle smile, leaving the security guards trading glances.There was no mistaking it—the girl was Winter Lawrence, the chief of Zamri Hospital.But why was she making a face like that to the young man?"Frank… Lawrence?!"On the other hand, the security team leader realized with a start that the young man was the mysterious Frank Lawrence, who was also best friends with Gene Pearce!He promptly dropped to his knees in front of Frank, pleading, "Please forgive me, Mr. Lawrence. We didn't recognize you, and…"Once he did and seeing how humble he was, the other securi
"Your income? What are you talking about?"While Winter was still confused, she quickly argued, "I've never deducted anyone's income—I actually remember giving everyone working in the morgue a raise too.""Bah!"Yannick spat on the floor despite Winter's confusion and laughed coolly, "That's why I called you a weaning brat! Don't you know how valuable dead people were to the hospital?!"Ever since you started that stupid scheme of rewarding a thousand dollars for each patient with serious illnesses cured, every doctor and every department is so motivated that they could raise the dead, and it's been so long since the morgue had any bodies!""I-Isn't that a good thing?" Winter was left even more confused."Bah!"Yannick spat on the floor again as he bellowed in inconsolable rage. "You bitch! Do you really not know, or are you just pretending?! Don't you know that the morgue used to bring in the most of the hospital's income?!"There's no point in saving some patients—if they die
Frank then continued, "We need a reason if we have to hold someone against their will. And right now, we don't want that reason to come to light—it's that simple."Mona was left scratching her head. "I don't get it. He—""Don't worry. He's not getting away as long as I'm around," Frank said, glancing at the needle Yannick pulled out of his kneecap and left on the floor.The tip of the needle was dipped in a hint of scarlet blood.-Later, in a luxury hotel at the heart of Zamri…"Incompetent scum! All of them!"A middle-aged man wearing shades and sporting a blade scar on his left cheek was cursing as a blond youth stood gingerly by his couch.Then, as if ranting was not enough, Carlo Barzini, the middle-aged man, flung his phone on the floor, smashing it into pieces."Dad…"Fredo Barzini, the blond youth, tried to calm the man down, only for his father to wheel on him with a murderous glare."Have you any idea how much money I had poured into this venture into the east coas
However, when Jolie Queen charged into Zamri Hospital with the other journalists earlier, all they saw was green smoke spilling in from the vents, and the faint scent in the air was clearly something medicinal.And the official statement Zamri Hospital gave was as conventional as it could get—that the smoke was some aerosol antioxidant that purified the air.What was more, any interviews with the medical staff would only yield the same response.But as the top journalist for Zamri Daily, Jolie had the honed senses of a journalist and the innate female instinct that she was onto something big.That was why even as most of the doctors in Zamri Hospital were leaving work, she did not give up and checked every hospital room for her exclusive.She even chose a moment when no one was watching and slipped into the hospital storeroom where they kept most of their medical supplies.The nurse on duty could not be blamed either. She had already been taken ill by the toxic gas attack earlier
"These people are switching out Zamri Hospital's medical supplies… under orders from the commissioner?!"Jolie's heart was pounding even as she hid in her corner, clasping her hand over her mouth to keep herself silent. "If they use the switched medicine, that could well cause widespread malpractice cases in Zamri Hospital!"And the commissioner himself is coming after Zamri Hospital?!"Hehehe…"While Jolie was stunned by her own hunch, she heard the geezer's laughter while the grunts were done with their work.The old man then growled as he looked around at the grunts, "Alright! No one breathes a word of this, understand?!""Yes, sir!" all the grunts replied at once.The geezer nodded in satisfaction, but just as he was about to beckon for the grunts to close the shutter, there was a bright flash from a corner of the dark storeroom, soon followed by a loud jingle.Ring!!!"What?!" The grunt who was about to close the shutter paused.In fact, at that very moment, everyone,
Frank snorted. "Alright, I'm hanging up. I'm getting started over here soon.""Yeah. Good luck," Jouri replied.Hanging up, Frank looked up at the waterfall overhead, and then at Skyler, who was standing beside him. "So? Is it time yet?""Almost… Now!" Skyler's eyes were glowing even as she stared at her watch."Alright."Frank looked up just as the skies abruptly darkened. "Ah, there it is—the eclipse."The sun seemed to disappear, and the world was suddenly shrouded in darknesses.And beside him, a stone door imbued with the power of the spiritron vein also rumbled as it parted."Got it!" Frank rushed inside without another word as soon as he saw it."Hmph. I'm surprised that you could reach this place." A cold, wrathful voice resounded inside even before Frank got a hold of his surroundings.Looking up, Frank found a youth in a black cossack and sporting grey-white hair, standing upon a cliff as he looked down on him.Frank chuckled. "Hehe. Like I said, I've come to kill
Frank narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?'Crane shrugged. "I don't mind giving it to you straight—members of Torrent are actually… Ahem. A part of Torrent himself."Frank paused. "What's that supposed to mean?""You don't get it, do you?" Crane grinned. "Then let me put it to you this way—every member is a clone of Torrent.""A clone?" Frank gasped in realization."Yes," Crane nodded. "That's why I believe that challenging Crane is just suicide. You have no idea how powerful he is—only death awaits you down that path."Frank smirked. "Oh, but I don't think so."Crane rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever—now listen closely. You will find Torrent in the Mystic Trail, but you would only find that place when the sun and moon coincide, and the entrance is beneath the waterfall south of Horton."As he finished, he snorted coldly. "I have no idea if you can actually do it, but I'm hoping you do kill him… Heh. I'm getting tired of being stuck under his control for so long."Then, waving off
Frank abruptly turned, immediately noticing one of the Cranes crouching, ready to spring forward and blindside him."Got you!" He laughed."Hah! You fell for it!"Just as Frank swung a punch to pulverize that Crane, he suddenly burst into pus that splashed at Frank's face."Damn it!" Frank took a step back, surprised that the clone's presence was identical to the real Crane, and a trap on top of that!"Die!"The Cranes around him each whipped out a dagger, all of them stabbing at Frank at the same time."Get off!" Frank bellowed, unleashing a shockwave that sent all the Cranes flying across all directions."Frank! Above you!" Skyler suddenly shrieked."Yes! I'm right here!" A strange laughter sounded above Frank just as he wiped the pus off his face.Crane was suddenly directly above him, launching an aerial kick straight at Frank's head, and Frank had no time to dodge!"Die!" Crane's smile curled into a twisted angle as he saw that too.He was very confident with this kick
"Disgusting…" Skyler murmured through her hand.Despite being skinned and scalped, the women were all still alive and singing to the music that was playing despite their anguish."Talk about a terrible fetish."Frank was scowling too—why were all the members of Torrent such sick deviants? It seemed like his plan to wipe them out was absolutely correct!"So, you killed my clone?"The lanky man on the couch slowly turned to level his bloodshot eyes at Frank.His lips were wet with bed as they curled upward into an eerie smile."Clone?" Frank narrowed his eyes."Hehe. It's a sage art."Crane shrugged as he stood up and wiped the blood off his lips. "It's only natural that you don't understand… Still, you deserve praise. If you can kill my clone, that means you're not just slightly stronger than Ghost."Naturally, the man was none other than the real Crane.Still, as Skyler studied him from a corner, even she could notice the strange twitch of his fingers, and his veins were pro
Even as Crane ran, he was looking over his shoulder, his heart pounding. "No… I won't win in a one-on-one!"No, as long as I get back to my real body… we can do this together!" He frowned, having seen how Frank sliced off the pinkies of those hood rats. It hence quickly dawned on him that Frank was not just slightly stronger than Ghost, as Torrent had put it!"Almost there!" He gasped when he saw the signboard of Pegasus Showtown in the distance. "As long as I get there and rendezvous with my real body, that brat will lose—"That was when he turned and saw that a shadow had caught up with impossible speed."What?!" Crane's eyes almost popped out in bewilderment. "What speed is that?! Are you kidding—"Even as he spotted the shadow, the shadow turned into a youth with an impassive visage.His fist outstretched, he was clearly punching toward Crane's forehead!"Argh…"Even as Crane looked on, the youth's punch slowed down by tenfold, but his fist kept closing in.Then, whe
Seeing Skyler sigh, the tattooed thug presumed that his extortion worked.He strode up, grabbing Frank's shoulder. "No one's gonna help you, boy. Pay up, or you're not leaving.""Exactly! You're not getting away!" the crowd of hood rats hollered. "Last chance."Frank's eyes were cold and fixed on Dani, however. "Are you going to intervene? If you do, you can keep that check. If you don't…""Ugh. Fuck off! I don't care!" Dani spat, her expression smug as she folded her arms before her chest. "Who do you think you are to threaten me?!""Exactly! Pay up, and you can leave!""Yeah! Ten grand, at least!""You probably don't know my boss Wyvern, but when he's here, you won't get away with just ten grand!"Even as the crowd closed in, Frank shook his head. "Well, you had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next.""You're giving us a chance?! Hah! Who—argh!"Even before Dani could finish gloating, Frank was suddenly in front of her, grabbing her viciously by the wrist."Arg
"Five grand?! Did you hear that?! He just threw five grand!""Must be a rich kid coming here for a secret rendezvous, out of prying eyes? Those types are the easiest mark!""Fuck! And Dani got one of us… It hurts me more than losing at the races!"Frank could hear the buzz around him but ignored it as he strode past the men flanking him and headed toward the street that stank of blood."Stop!" A big tattooed man grinned sinisterly as he intercepted Frank.As his buddies encircled Frank as well, Frank snorted—it seemed that they took his reaction for a sign of weakness and thought that he could be cowed.The tattooed man rubbed his chin as he leered at Skyler's voluptuous figure, chuckling. "Look, boy. I'm short on cash, so let me take a loan. I'll pay you back some other day, how about that?"His friend laughed. "Exactly! You just gave Dani five grand, and we won't ask for more… just four, how about that?"Skyler scowled in turn and glanced worriedly at Frank beside her—was he
Frank himself had just stepped out of the nightclub when his eyes narrowed."Blood," he murmured, his nostrils twitching."Blood?"Skyler sniffed the air, puzzled. "I can't smell it.""It's from the opposite street… I smell the blood of over a dozen people.""A dozen?!" Skyler did a double take.He could identify the number of people who were killed?! That was just ridiculous!"Come on, let's take a look."Just as Frank led the way toward the source of the stench, a woman suddenly came up, catching Frank off guard and throwing herself into his arms."Hmmm?" He looked down to see that she had thick makeup, average looks, and a rather pudgy belly."Argh! He touched me!" she pointed at Frank and shrieked even before he realized what was happening."What?!" Skyler was staring at the woman too, mystified."Oh, sister! You just didn't see it!"The woman kept hollering, pointing at Frank's face. "Your boyfriend grabbed my ass! Is that how you teach him manners?!""Teach him ma
Wyvern screamed even as he clutched the stump that was his hand, screaming so shrilly one might mistake his voice as inhuman."Oh, just shut up." The lanky man glowered and launched a kick, reducing Wyvern into puddles of blood and pieces of innards, splattering all around the lobby. "Argh!!!" the devilish lady screamed as she watched the carnage unfolded."Another sound, and you'd end up just like him." The lanky man turned and frowned at her impatiently."Hngh…" The devilish lady promptly clasped a hand over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as she trembled."What the hell?!"Outside, Wyvern's lackeys heard the screams and ran inside, looking for him. "Hey, where's Wyvern?!"However, the lobby was too dimly lit for them to notice the blood and guts scattered around the walls, and they only sensed that terrible stench."Hngh…" The devilish lady was too scared to speak, and tears trickled out of her eyes."Fuck!"One of the lackeys strode up and seized the lanky man