It was impossible to keep secret that Vincent Su had been rejected by several old aristocratic families—anyone who asked around would quickly learn the truth. Likewise, after being turned away, Vincent visited Serena Feng’s small courtyard, and that too couldn’t be concealed.
After leaving Serena’s courtyard, Vincent Su returned to those same aristocratic families—and this time, he convinced them all.
To say this was pure coincidence and had nothing to do with Serena Feng—no one, not even Prince Damien of Southlyn or Duke Allen, would believe it. They were certain Serena had orchestrated the whole affair as revenge against them.
So, Serena was out of luck. Even though it really was her idea, neither the person who carried it out nor the one who benefited most was her. But… when it came time for revenge, those people only targeted her.
They always pick the softest target. At this moment, neither Prince Damien nor Duke Allen dared to move against Vincent Su—hitting Vincent would be like slapping the faces of the Wang–Hsieh Alliance and Duke Ning’s circle.
Though Prince Damien and Duke Allen didn’t know each other well, it was as if they’d made a pact—to take revenge on Serena Feng.
The amputation surgery for Prince Titus of Lyndaria was to be carried out in secret, so they’d agreed from the start that it would happen at night. As soon as the time arrived, Serena packed her things and waited for her escort.
"Ninth Royal Uncle?" Serena hadn’t expected Nolan to come for her in person. She was a little surprised—it seemed Nolan really valued Prince Titus.
Tonight, Nolan had set aside his luxurious brocade robes and wore simple black clothing, neat and clean. His deep black eyes swept around the room, finally settling on Serena’s surgical case. "Let’s go."
If Vincent Su hadn’t been suspicious enough to investigate, he would never have noticed that Serena Feng had suffered such humiliation at Earl Yongchang’s manor yesterday—she’d hidden it far too well.
Ahem… yet another beautiful misunderstanding.
Serena nodded, lifting her surgical case to signal Nolan to lead the way. But Nolan reached out to take the case from her hand.
His hand was slightly cold as it covered the back of Serena’s hand. Serena froze, refusing to let go. She wasn’t used to handing her surgical case to anyone else, but Nolan insisted, gripping the handle and refusing to yield.
Their eyes met, neither willing to compromise. They stood there, locked in a stalemate. Serena rolled her eyes, annoyed—she didn’t want to waste time on something so pointless.
So, fine, Nolan—you win!
Serena let go of the case. Nolan, satisfied, took it—but his hand nearly dropped from the weight. He barely managed to steady himself, saving face in front of Serena thanks to his quick reflexes.
So heavy? Nolan frowned. It must be tough for Serena to carry it all the time—no wonder her wrist often aches. He decided he’d have to find someone reliable to stay by Serena’s side. If nothing else, at least they could carry her case for her.
As soon as Serena and Nolan stepped outside, they saw a squad of black-clad guards waiting. Serena finally relaxed—a nighttime journey was never safe, so the more protection, the better. If they ran into an assassination attempt, at least she wouldn’t have to risk her life alone.
The group quickly vanished from Serena’s small West District courtyard, heading straight for the city outskirts. Serena considered herself fairly fit, but keeping up with Nolan’s pace was exhausting.
After sprinting across five streets, Serena was gasping for breath. No matter how hard she tried to steady her breathing, she couldn’t keep her steps from faltering. At least Nolan was carrying the case—if she’d had to lug it herself, she’d be lucky to make it through a single street.
Being a doctor really is physical work. Serena had lugged her medical case around plenty in the past—sometimes trekking for days to reach her destination. But no matter how fast she moved back then, she was never as quick as these martial experts.
"Useless," Nolan muttered, noticing something off about Serena. But even as he said it, he slowed his pace considerably, remembering that the woman behind him didn’t know martial arts.
Serena finally caught her breath, adjusted her pace, and kept going. She secretly resolved that when she got back, she’d have to train harder—a doctor’s stamina couldn’t lag behind, not if she wanted to stand for dozens of hours at the operating table.
What Serena didn’t know was that the black-clad guards escorting them had been watching her with eyes full of admiration.
This Doctor Feng was incredible—she could actually keep up with their master’s pace. Even for trained martial artists, matching Nolan’s speed was exhausting.
Later, when Nolan slowed down, even ordinary men couldn’t keep up with him. Yet Doctor Feng managed to stay steady, without showing any signs of fatigue.
Not far from the city gate, Nolan stopped and took a bundle from one of his men, tossing it to Serena. "Put this on."
He pulled up the hood on his own outfit, covering himself from head to toe in black. With Nolan deliberately suppressing his presence, he seemed to melt right into the night.
Was this a disguise? The effect was obvious—no one could tell that this black-clad figure was Nolan.
Serena dressed herself, copying Nolan and pulling up the hood to wrap herself in black. The black-clad guards did the same, and the group moved through the night like a band of ghosts.
A cluster of black shadows darted through the night—an eerie sight. If Serena didn’t already know people were nearby, she might have thought she’d run into ghosts.
She was a firm atheist, but ever since the smart medical kit had brought her to this world, Serena had started to believe there might be some extraordinary powers out there—like the latent ability she hadn’t awakened yet.
Sigh—she wondered if this body had any powers at all. Serena felt a bit disappointed; she was genuinely curious to know what her ability might be.
The group soon reached the city gate. When the gate guards approached, Nolan flashed a token and said, "Divine Machine Battalion business—open the gate."
On one side of the token was a large character for "Divine," and on the other, a giant dragon.
The Divine Machine Battalion was the Eastern Ling royal family’s greatest hidden force, currently controlled by Prince Su and Nolan.
"Yes, sir." The gate guard didn’t ask a single extra question. He immediately opened the small side gate, and once Nolan’s group slipped through, it closed again as if nothing had happened.
Three miles outside the city gate, Nolan’s men waited with eighteen horses. After confirming identities, Nolan sent nine men off on separate missions, leaving seven guards with Serena.
"Mount up." Nolan swung onto his horse and reached out his right hand, inviting Serena to ride with him.
"Thank you, but I can manage." Serena shook her head, pulled a pair of gloves from her sleeve, put them on, and casually picked a horse for herself.
Nolan’s expression instantly changed—thankfully, the black clothing hid it from view.
Who arranged these horses? How did they end up with an extra one?
Nolan was furious, glaring at the stable hand so fiercely that the poor man didn’t dare say a word.
The stable hand wanted to cry—he’d planned to tell Nolan that the horse Serena picked was actually his own steed. Could she give it back? He really didn’t want to chase after his horse on foot…
Serena’s refusal left Nolan frustrated, but duty came first. He cracked his whip, ready to ride ahead—when suddenly, his horse grew restless, stamping its hooves and snorting anxiously. From the roadside grass, there came a rustling sound…
"Assassins!" Nolan drew the soft sword from his waist; a cold, ruthless light flashed in his eyes.
Someone had leaked his movements—there was a traitor in his ranks…