Evan Lin walked down the street, his pace steady and unhurried. Everything he saw along the way entered his eyes, but never touched his heart.
Oceanport Commercial Center, a high-end office building.
Angel Epoch Oceanport Regional Headquarters.
Inside the lounge, Manager Zhang looked troubled as he gazed at Lily Zhong curled up on the bed.
"Ms. Zhong, I've already searched for every renowned doctor in the area, but none of them know how to treat your illness."
Manager Zhang looked deeply troubled, full of nerves. Sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead and cheeks. "Besides that, I've contacted everyone we possibly could."
"I've also leveraged all the connections Angel Epoch has built up in Oceanport, invited several experts—including a Pointing-to-Mystery Realm master—to confront those people and try to get the antidote. But every single one of them went out and never came back."
At this point, Manager Zhang's anxiety was impossible to hide.
He looked at Lily Zhong lying before him, his expression full of indescribable pain.
At this moment, Lily Zhong's body was already three inches shorter than before.
Under the effects of Bone-Melt Miasma, her bones were dissolving every moment. Even her hair was falling out in handfuls.
Once she had a head of black hair, but now Lily Zhong looked desolate—a beauty faded before her time.
"Then keep searching."
Lily Zhong was extremely weak; her voice barely audible when she spoke.
These days, all she wanted was to sleep. Even staying awake was a struggle, and the pain from her dissolving bones kept ravaging both her body and mind.
"This can't go on."
Manager Zhang rubbed his hands together. "Should I call Master Lin from Seacrest right now?"
"I believe that if Master Lin comes here, he'll definitely have a way to solve this."
"And with Master Lin's abilities, those people are absolutely no match for him."
Manager Zhang asked cautiously.
Master Lin from Seacrest.
He'd only met that young man three times.
The first was in River City, back when he was still manager at Sunwave Bluebay, and he showed Master Lin the utmost respect.
The second was in the villa, when facing mortal danger. Manager Zhang would rather lose a finger than betray Evan Lin.
The third time, Evan Lin had someone bring him to Angel Epoch, officially giving him a bright future—and even helped restore his finger, changing the course of his life.
For that legendary youth, Manager Zhang felt nothing but admiration and gratitude deep in his heart.
To him, Evan Lin was someone who could do anything.
"No."
Hearing Manager Zhang's words, Lily Zhong gritted her teeth. "Those people came from Hong Kong."
"That Grandmaster Victor Zhou they mentioned—I looked him up. He's no ordinary expert. I'm afraid if Evan Lin comes, he'll be at a disadvantage."
Lily Zhong's voice was weak, but her tone was firm when she spoke.
Even if it meant risking her life, she was still trying, in her own way, to protect Evan Lin from harm.
It might seem a bit childish.
But Lily Zhong really couldn't bear to let Evan Lin fall into unnecessary danger because of her.
"But this isn't a solution."
Hearing Lily Zhong's words, Manager Zhang became anxious. "Maybe we should just agree to their demands for now?"
"If we hand over the Youth-Preserving Beauty Pill, at least you'll stay alive. If you lose your life, what's the point of all that money?"
Manager Zhang was getting frantic.
He worked under Lily Zhong, and she'd always treated him well.
Seeing Lily Zhong in so much pain, Manager Zhang couldn't bear it.
"That's even less possible."
Lily Zhong shook her head. "Angel Epoch or the Youth-Preserving Beauty Pill—none of it belongs to me."
"All of it is Evan Lin's. I have no reason to trade something that isn't mine for my own life."
"I'm fine, just a little tired. I should be okay soon."
Lily Zhong didn't want to say more and started to send him away.
"But..."
Manager Zhang clenched his teeth at her words.
He wanted to say more, but Lily Zhong closed her eyes, clearly unwilling to argue further.
"Then please rest."
Manager Zhang seemed to have made up his mind about something.
After leaving, he drove away immediately.
Lily Zhong curled up, and the room suddenly fell quiet.
She felt herself shrinking, her body collapsing, bones breaking, pain stabbing at her nerves.
"Why bother?"
Suddenly, a faint voice broke the silence of the room.
Hearing that familiar voice, Lily Zhong's heart skipped a beat. She forced her eyes open and saw the lounge door being pushed open.
The youth who entered from outside was dressed entirely in fiery red.
"Who are you?"
Lily Zhong was stunned when she saw him.
The youth before her felt so much like Evan Lin, but in terms of looks, he was even more handsome.
Evan Lin's appearance was subtle and low-key, but this youth before her radiated arrogance.
His crimson eyes burned like the hottest flames, fire pulsing in his pupils.
"Why bother?"
Evan Lin sighed and walked forward, stopping right in front of Lily Zhong.
Lily Zhong gritted her teeth, trying to get up.
"Just sleep for a while."
That faint voice echoed in her ears again.
Evan Lin reached out and touched Lily Zhong's forehead with a finger.
"Sleep for a while. When you wake up, everything will be over."
"Treat these past few days as nothing more than a dream."