"There's no first come, first serve. All four participants can diagnose the patient at the same time. The specific requirement to claim the item is for whoever can cure the patient the best."This is absolutely fair, don't worry," Wayne said.The severity of the patient's condition was evident. Even with a master healer like Lemuel getting invited, Wayne's calm demeanor suggested that the case was particularly challenging.…It was two in the morning when Felix returned home. He had taken off the Shadow Mask before he entered his house. Melissa, who had been waiting, threw herself into his arms. "Felix! I'm so sorry!"Felix smiled and comforted her, "It's okay, it's okay. No matter what happens next time, tell me the truth, okay?"Melissa wiped away her tears. Her fear was evident in her eyes. "It's not like that. He was always by my side. I didn't dare to tell you the truth."As she said this, Felix's expression turned solemn. "Who brought you to the auction?"If the root o
Felix almost turned around out of pure instinct. Who wouldn't react when someone called the name they had their whole life? Fortunately, Felix recognized that this was Aiden's voice, so he held back.His strong willpower allowed him to control his impulses and resume his movements, at least on the surface, without any signs of hesitation."Did you see Felix somewhere, Aiden?" Asher asked in confusion.Aiden shook his head with a smile. "I must've been mistaken."This time, the meeting place was actually the same auction hall they had been to before. Felix was still feeling a little uneasy after sitting down.After his strength improved, his wariness toward Aiden began to decrease. However, this time, it instantly shot back up to an even more exaggerated level.Calling Felix's name to test his reaction meant Aiden believed this "middle-aged man" was Felix somehow. Although he wasn't fully certain, the situation was terrifying enough.Soon, everyone gathered. Felix saw Craig from
"To me, I only care whether they are patients or healthy people—nothing else matters." After Magnus said so, Lemuel nodded in agreement. He clearly shared the same thought. Right then, Wayne turned his attention to Craig. "I hope you could do this for the sake of Skyward Guild, Dr. Dixon. We invited you here today because you're just a master healer who has no relations to the headquarters. "Once our transaction is complete and everyone leaves, whatever happens next has nothing to do with Skyward Guild." Craig remained silent. Skyward Guild was an influential powerhouse with an extensive network of connections, including many high-ranking officials at the headquarters. After all, he was just their chief medical officer, not a warlord. So, he decided it was best to let the matter drop after weighing the pros and cons. Felix was not particularly concerned. Business was business, and given the involvement of the Dragonspine, Dane's identity as a criminal could take a backseat.
Once Felix left, there was no reason for anyone else to stay. They all knew finding the Frost Crystal was crucial. Without it, everything else would be pointless. Craig's departure was particularly awkward. Even with the Frost Crystal, his skills weren't sufficient to fully cure Dane. The gap in medical expertise was just too wide. On his way back, Felix was about to call Seven when he remembered Mira's recent call. That unknown number might still be active. He was running out of options, and his resources were extremely limited in comparison to the Greenes'. Without Mira's help, even if the Frost Crystal still existed somewhere, the Greenes would have far better chances of finding it. "Felix." Felix sighed with relief when he heard Mira's voice on the line. "I thought you might have ditched this number." "I was about to, then you called." Contacting Mira would be much more reliable than dealing with Averill, who would probably just show up at his place trying to get him in
Felix was curious about what kind of strange occurrences would have the headquarters so short-staffed. "When do I leave?" "Early the day after tomorrow. Since this is your first operation, I'll send someone to assist you. You'll still be in charge. I've sent the details to your phone," Xena said.The call ended abruptly. Indeed, it was strictly business. He had to handle it properly since he had taken on this assignment, and this job was tied to the Dragonspine too. Felix immediately started reviewing the mission details. The village was called Pine Valley, tucked away in a remote mountainous region. The reported "strange occurrences" were just disappearing livestock. There were chickens, ducks, and sheep vanishing every few days. Felix had a strange look on his face after reading the information. How could livestock disappearing in a village near the mountains be considered strange? With dense forests around, weren't predators expected? Still, his opinions didn't matter if th
Felix turned around, and his expression darkened. "I won't hire her." Bewildered, Melissa's smile froze. Felix was usually quite patient. He wouldn't dismiss a stranger so harshly without even asking for more of their information. "If you hire me, I can help you find the Frost Crystal!" the woman said.Felix, who had been about to walk away, clenched and unclenched his fists. "That damn fatso!" He wanted nothing more than to storm into Floral Wreath Boutique next door and beat Billy to a pulp. "Do you know each other?" When Melissa asked curiously, Felix just nodded. He was still thinking. The nurse applicant was none other than Nala, who was still wearing her signature veil. Why else would he react this way? To his surprise, this answer only made Melissa happier as she linked arms with Nala. "Perfect! Since you know each other, Felix will definitely keep you around." Felix's expression darkened further. If he wasn't certain Melissa was fine, he would have suspected Nala
At this, Nelly's eyes started to become teary. "I… I do need something. After seeing your medical skills, I remembered my cousin. She's disabled—not from birth, but after a high fever when she was four that left her unable to hear anything. I was hoping you could take a look at her," she said.If it was not congenital, it could be treated. "Of course. Let's go. Keep your money. Every second counts when it comes to changing someone's fate, if you know what I mean," Felix said.Nelly quickly apologized, "I understand, Felix. I promise I won't do this again." Tom was still in Gray City. Killing him could wait as long as it was done before sunset. They arrived at a run-down neighborhood in Gray City, where Nelly's cousin lived. The conditions were below modest. In fact, it was downright poor. "Poor June. After her mother died, her father ran away from gambling debts and left her alone to survive. Thankfully, a factory hired her despite her disability; I can't imagine otherwise!
Instead of rushing to beat up Tom, Felix held up his right hand with a silver needle between his fingers. "I don't care whether those five people at the clinic deserved to die or if they made some deal to sacrifice their lives. But you showed absolute disregard for human life, and that deserves consequences. "Once I insert this needle, you'll have constant urges to urinate, even without drinking water. It will be extremely painful each time you pee. There's only one way to fix it, and that's to remove the needle. But if you do that, you'll die." Before Tom could react, the needle was already in the back of his hand. "The choice is yours," Felix said.As Felix walked back into the yard, Tom scoffed. "Who do you think you are? Did you think you could control my body with a mere needle? What an idiot! If you want to play games, that's fine. Let's see if anyone can save you this time." Just as he was about to pull out the needle, Tom's body jerked. An overwhelming urge to urinat
Ginny was naturally present as well, and she spoke up at that moment. "Mr. Goldstein, no one wanted to see Justus die like that. But why did you bring your people to Longstone residence? Are you suggesting that his sudden death has something to do with us?"Joaquin's expression grew darker as he looked at her. He blamed Ginny for this, thinking that none of this would have happened if she had just agreed earlier. And now, they couldn't even determine the cause of death."No connection? That doctor from your household, Felix Zeller—he's the one responsible for Justus' death."Right then, someone spoke up from the crowd. "That's him! That's Felix Zeller!"Felix, who had been calmly sitting in a chair, finally saw Wagner standing among them. And in that moment, everything made sense."Wagner? You've gotten quite bold, huh?" Gras sneered.Wagner flinched at Gras's words, but remembering that he now had the Goldsteins backing him, he stiffened his spine and stood tall. "Cut the crap
In Cloud City, there were a few noble families. Nonetheless, behind the polite smiles, tensions surged. Infiltrating each other's estates with spies had practically become a tradition. While they rarely uncovered major secrets, the information they did gather always gave them a head start.So when the news broke, Gras didn't doubt it for a second. He jumped to his feet, furious. "This is outrageous! Their son dies, and somehow it's the Longstone family's fault?"Ryker looked just as puzzled, agreeing that the accusation made no sense.But Felix let out a quiet, weary sigh. "Mr. Longstone, I'm afraid this is probably my fault. I'm a doctor, and I've gotten a bit of attention lately. After they failed to determine the cause of Justus' death, and given our meeting earlier today, they likely saw an opportunity to drag your family into the mess." Gras's expression darkened, knowing that Felix wasn't wrong. After all, doctors could also be poisoners, and plenty of martial artists had fa
It was clear someone had said something to Justus. Otherwise, this situation wouldn't have escalated to this point.Felix said calmly, "It was a standard therapeutic massage technique, and I was blindfolded the entire time. Does that explanation satisfy you? Or would you rather find someone else capable of treating Ms. Longstone—I'll gladly step aside if you can."Justus sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. "Cut the crap, Felix. Don't act like I don't know exactly what's going through your head. Ginny's the heiress of the Longstone residence—Gras's precious jewel. Everyone knows that marrying her is like securing the entire household. Don't tell me that thought never crossed your mind.""It didn't," Felix said simply.Unfortunately, that answer was never going to satisfy Justus. He snarled, "Listen up, boy! I'm giving you three days to get the hell out of the Longstone residence. If you don't, you won't even get the chance to regret it. Everyone else might be afraid of Gras—but I
As Wagner watched Justus explode in rage, he felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. With what he'd just uncovered, there was no need to exaggerate—it was already explosive enough on its own.After all, Justus' future fiancée was touched in that kind of intimate way by a young, healthy doctor. Any man with a spine would lose it."But Justus," Wagner added with a smirk. "Didn't Felix just get publicly praised by the Green King?"Cloud City wasn't that big. Anyone with any influence had been keeping close tabs on Green King Manor—especially with the mystery man who walked out of Desolated Lands involved. So, the news of Felix being rewarded had already spread far and wide.Justus clenched his jaw. "So what? It's just a flash in the pan. If he was truly skilled, the Green King would've kept him. But as long as he hasn't climbed into the Green King's inner circle, I can crush him whenever I want."Wagner's grin widened. That was exactly the attitude he needed. If Justus had shown
The moment the Flame Monarch mentioned the Healer Sage, the Green King's expression shifted noticeably. "So the Sage really was living out there in seclusion... No wonder. Flame Monarch, does this mean you've taken a liking to Felix?"But the Flame Monarch waved his hand dismissively. "There's no need for that."That response made the Green King secretly rejoice. If the Flame Monarch didn't intend to recruit Felix, then he understood why—and that was perfect. It meant the opportunity to take Felix under his own wing was wide open.The night passed quietly. Felix stood beside Christopher's bedside, noticing the man's breathing had grown steady and stable.At this point, the herb had run its course and was no longer effective. But what was left inside Christopher's soul—a strange, lingering force—was exactly what Felix had hoped for.Christopher was alive but completely unconscious. The remaining energy had no regenerative properties, which meant he'd likely never wake again. For Fe
Felix wasn't the least bit surprised by the Flame Monarch's reaction, but he still feigned confusion. "Flame Monarch, I'm sorry... but I don't understand. What do you mean by soul-related injuries?"Just from that single line, Felix confirmed what he suspected—Aquamarinus had no concept of soul-based matters. Whether it was training methods or anything else, this realm hadn't yet touched that domain.The Flame Monarch stared at him, pressure radiating from his body. Felix immediately felt his limbs start to tremble under the invisible weight."You don't know? Then how could you claim to treat that man's condition?" Felix calmly pointed toward the herbs laid out on the table. "The force inside him is definitely strange. It triggered a memory... I once sensed something very similar, and it came from within that herb. It was purely instinct—when something feels familiar, there's a chance it might work."The Flame Monarch shifted his gaze to the herb, then said flatly, "Start from th
Felix gave him a direct and honest answer. "As long as I have enough herbs. I can treat him. I won't promise a full recovery, but one thing I can guarantee you is that this man won't die."For now, that was the best possible answer anyone could offer.The Flame Monarch replied, "Good. Begin. As long as you can keep him alive, you'll be handsomely rewarded."It seemed the Flame Monarch already knew something and never truly expected anyone to completely cure Christopher. Preserving his life alone would already be a feat."Flame Monarch, please reconsider!" one of the elderly doctors suddenly cut in, seething with resentment. "This boy is barely grown—how could he possibly possess such remarkable skill in medicine?"The Flame Monarch turned and gave him a cold, mocking glance. "If he can't do it, then can you?"The old man went silent. Perhaps fearing the loss of favor or acting out of sheer pride, he hesitated. Eventually, he found the courage to speak again."I admit I can't, bu
The Green King's expression changed instantly, and he turned to Felix in a hurry. "Dr. Zeller, please come with me to greet him.""Of course," Felix replied.For anyone in Aquamarinus, getting the chance to see the Flame Monarch up close was like a once-in-a-lifetime dream, and people would probably die happy just for that. Naturally, Felix put on a show of reverence as well, even if he didn't feel it deep down.As they reached the front gate, Felix saw several figures striding toward them with heavy steps. At the front of the group was a towering man, nearly nine feet tall. Even someone as built as Dave looked like a delicate bystander next to him.What stood out the most was his bright crimson hair, which flared upward like flames, making it look like his head was on fire. His facial features were fairly average, but the power behind his gaze radiated pure, undeniable authority.So, this was the Flame Monarch?Felix studied him closely. He suspected the man had cultivated some
According to the rules set by the Flame Monarch, the position of Minor Kings rotated every five years. Those who made outstanding contributions could keep their titles, but anyone who fell short would have to fight for their place all over again.The Green King knew he wasn't particularly strong—he was painfully aware of that. And with the next year marking the fifth year, the pressure was mounting fast. So when Christopher appeared, it felt like fate. If he could heal this man before the Flame Monarch arrived with his elite doctors, the credit would be immense, and his reappointment would be virtually guaranteed. Anyone who had never held a Minor King title wouldn't understand just how many perks came with it. If they did, no one would give it up willingly."I can treat him," Felix said calmly. "But I can't promise a full recovery."The Green King smiled. "Do your best. Even if you can only keep him alive, that alone is worth it."Two doctors before had said that Christopher's b