"Just a phone?" the geezer asked in concern. "You didn't see anyone?""Nope." The grunt looked around waily with his cell phone's flashlight. "There's no one around here. Maybe someone from the hospital dropped it by accident.""Dropped it? I see…"The geezer patted his chest and sighed in relief at the grunt's reasoning. Still, he snapped, "Now listen here—keep looking. We need to make sure that there's no one else other than us here."You know what would happen if we're exposed—you, me, and everyone else here will become expendable assets for the commissioner and Carlo Group. None of us will survive!""Yes, sir!"The grunts were certainly somber at the geezer's grave words and continued to comb through every nook and cranny around him.Knowing that there was no escaping now, Jolie, who slowly approached the storeroom shutters, finally resolved herself to stay out of this mess involving Zamri Hospital.With a bigwig like the Zamri commissioner being involved, crushing a meas
Since they had to be quick, the truck engine was not turned off.And as soon as he got into the truck, Yannick spun the wheel while flooring the gas pedal, sending the truck bounding straight toward the shadow."You made me do this! Die!" He bellowed savagely as the truck closed in on the fleeing shadow, and as she turned in panic, he actually saw her face."It was her?!"Yannick did a double take since he recognized the face—she was one of the journalists who had been anonymously tipped by Carlo Group to check out Zamri Hospital earlier today.But now that she had found out about his plot, Yannick could not allow her to run and rat him out.Otherwise, the commissioner's plan would be foiled, and even he would be fucked!"Blame your own bad luck. You could've looked anywhere else, but you had to hide in that storeroom and see what we were doing!"Smirking savagely, Yannick jammed his foot harder on the gas pedal.Jolie could actually hear the thundering rumble of an engine c
"Alright, I'll be right there."Winter did not complain at all as she scrubbed up and followed the attending physician into the operating room.She actually flinched when she saw the terrible state Jolie was in as she lay bleeding and dying on the operating table."Prepare for surgery!"However, Winter was not cowed, immediately knowing that they needed an open chest surgery to save Jolie.As she worked gingerly, Frank arrived downstairs.He had found out from Trevor Zurich that Carlo Group was a sizable faction in the midlands. In fact, they could be considered giants, being involved not just in pharmaceuticals, but also in tourism and finance.There were even rumors that they had ties to Thousand Isles Guild of the South Sea.In fact, Frank had come to the hospital precisely to assist in an ongoing investigation, calling in several police officers.The body of Helen's alleged drunk driving victim was still here in the Zamri Hospital morgue, and he would prove Helen's innocen
"How'd you know?""Why wouldn't I know? The commissioner himself staged this whole thing!""Watch what you say, unless you have proof!"Frank entered just then, and the police officers who were whispering among each other quickly composed themselves.The policewoman earlier even cleared her throat awkwardly.Still, Frank did not demand the truth from them—they would not tell him anything and were just following orders.At the same time, he realized that the Zamri commissioner was in league with Carlo Group as he had expected, and they were out to take down Frank himself, Lanecorp, and even Zamri Hospital."Oh, right!"Still, Frank suddenly remembered the token that Stanley Durban, the mayor of Zamri, had given him.It was obvious that someone among the officers inside the morgue had mentioned the commissioner on purpose when he stepped outside to make his phone call.Was it possible that one of them was working for Stanley?Taking out the dagger and weighing it on his palm,
"Don't worry." Frank smiled, seeing both nurses' nervous reaction. "Many journalists came in yesterday, so I was wondering about the one you mentioned…""Huh?"Although Frank assured them that he was not going to scold them, the nurse studied Frank's expression gingerly to ensure that he was not angry.Screeching her head, she then said softly, "She's quite famous, Mr. Lawrence… and she worked for…""Zamri Daily!" Amber, the other nurse, quickly butted in."Oh, right!" Kali, the first nurse, nodded. "She's a special correspondent from Zamri Hospital, but we heard that she ended up the victim of a hit-and-run behind our hospital. And it was by a truck, too! It's terrible!""Yeah…" Amber sighed. "And that reminds me—the chief is personally operating on her! But everyone's saying that the journalist isn't going to live…""A hit and run behind the hospital? By a truck?"Frank was frowning, sensing something wrong just then.It was late at night, but it had to take place in an alle
Once the epinephrine was injected, the heart monitor started beeping faintly again."More blood infusion!" Winter shouted, her voice hoarse after working for so long."Alright, just leave it to me."Seeing that, Frank strode up and took the scalpel from Winter.And seeing him, Winter breathed a sigh of relief, wobbling and ultimately dropping on her rear. "I was so… useless.""Leave the moping for later. On your feet—I need help here," Frank said with a hint of sterness. Winter quickly scrambled to her feet, standing near him as she explained, "I'm done with every other part, but her heart… I'm just afraid…"Frank could see what she meant right away—a tiny bone fragment was cutting into the patient's left ventricle, and blood was trickling out around it.The bleeding only increased as the patient's heart continued pumping, and the only option was to extract the bone fragment.However, that was no easy task. Extracting an object from a puncture wound in the heart could easil
However, was it really possible?Winter was holding on firmly to her own shaking palm—Frank would only have half a second to do the unthinkable.If he even twitched his finger, that would mean death for the patient. Hence, as everyone in the operating room stared, wide-eyed, Frank closed his eyes to still himself. Then, when he reached a serenity one could mistake for death, he slowly drew out two silver needles, holding them between his fingers.Lub dub…Jolie's heart was giving out again—she did not have much time left."Phew…"Exhaling lengthily, Frank's gaze sharpened in the instant Jolie's heart pounded.Swish!Frank moved with lightning speed, his hand a blur as he pulled out the bone fragment lodged in Jolie's left ventricle.Everyone had been staring at the screen and only saw a fuzziness, but not how Frank pulled out the bone fragment.And the instant Frank pulled it out, he inserted both needles he was holding into the puncture wound, snapping, "Freeze!"Pure v
"Thank you… you saved my wife! Thank you…"After Frank and Winter escorted Jolie to the ICU, a tall man stopped them to kowtow at them.Beside him, a boy around five did the same in front of Frank."P-Please, you don't have to do this…"As both father and son struck heads against the floor audibly, drawing quite a crowd, Winter quickly pulled them to their feet and assured them, "We're just doing our jobs, and your wife has a fearsome will to survive too. This is really unnecessary…""Just doing their jobs…"The attendings watching in the distance were speechless, as they were well aware of Jolie's condition.Everyone attending with authority in their respective fields were there, but none of them were brave enough to take up that surgery.They therefore knew how terrible Jolie's condition was and that she had a 0.1% chance of survival.And yet, Winter's young brother took that chance and converted it into success.The skill and determination alone left the other attendings b
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