Damn it!
Serena couldn't help but curse.
She could barely save herself right now, had no idea if she'd crash and die, and yet she was still supposed to save Zed. Did those shadow guards think she was superhuman?
Staring at the massive boulder less than ten meters away, then at Zed hurtling toward her, Serena knew: if she couldn't think of something fast, both she and Zed would be crushed or killed.
Heavens, you really have it out for me.
At a life-or-death moment, no matter how much she hated it, Serena had to make a sacrifice. The gun in her hand was precious, but not worth more than her life—or Zed's.
Without hesitation, Serena rammed the gun backward into the earth. With a scraping sound, both she and the gun were dragged forward several more meters, but the barrel jammed in the dirt and at least slowed her down a bit.
That was enough for Serena. After all, she’d been personally trained by the Demolition Team Captain in the peacekeeping forces—even if she’d only mastered a third of it, it was enough to save herself and Zed. The gun, though, was ruined.
No point feeling bad about it—staying alive mattered more.
"Serena..."
Serena was just a fist’s length from the boulder, and Zed was about to hit the ground. The shadow guards and Dorian Owen had lost hope; even Prince Nolan refused to give up, but there was nothing he could do from so far away.
"Serena." Prince Nolan reached out, his voice choked, but they were still dozens of meters apart. "You promised me—even if you die, you have to kill me first."
Nolan’s eyes were bloodshot, tears welling, but in that split-second Serena pulled off a miraculous reversal. Using her bent pistol to bounce off the boulder, she kicked off with both feet, letting the momentum fling her away.
"I’m not dying today." As she flew through the air, Serena grumbled, startling everyone—especially the shadow guards and Dorian Owen.
She survived this too?
Miss Feng really was too strong. The shadow guards thought back to Serena’s prowess at the racetrack and felt reassured.
"Amazing! Serena, I officially worship you now!" Dorian Owen pumped his fist, his face flushed with excitement.
The tears in Nolan’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a smile that could topple empires. "Turns out I worried for nothing."
Serena had already calculated her trajectory—she’d land right where Zed would fall. Closing her eyes, she reached out to catch him.
"Zed, whether I catch you or not is up to your luck." Serena kept her eyes shut; she couldn’t change her position or speed now, and if she missed, she didn’t want to see Zed die right in front of her.
Zed... really was a kid who made your heart ache.
Luckily, Zed’s luck held out and Serena’s aim was perfect—she managed to catch him. But the impact was brutal, and Zed wasn’t light. Serena’s arms couldn’t support him at all. As she hit the ground, there was a sickening crack...
Serena’s eyes instantly reddened—not from pain, but from sorrow.
Were her arms broken, or completely shattered...?
Serena lay sprawled on the ground; Zed had rolled clear, but she couldn’t move at all.
Just then, Zed—who’d been unconscious—suddenly opened his eyes, trembling. He still couldn’t move and had no idea what was happening, only that everything hurt. His whole body ached.
"Serena." At that moment, Prince Nolan rushed over, scooping Serena into his arms, face full of worry.
Serena’s face had hit the dirt. She hadn’t smashed it completely, but it was covered in grime—she looked utterly bedraggled. Nolan gently wiped the mud from her face.
It took Serena a long moment to recover. She managed a weak smile at Nolan. "I’m fine. Don’t worry about me."
Just then, the Red Blood Hall killers caught up, forcing Nolan to release Serena.
"Wait here. I’ll avenge you." Once he was sure Serena was alive, Prince Nolan relaxed and picked up his sword, diving back into battle with the Red Blood Hall killers.
In that moment, Prince Nolan was like a dragon unleashed—every strike vicious, deadlier than any assassin. The Red Blood Hall killers grew more and more terrified, losing confidence with every blow.
"Serena, are you okay?" Now Dorian Owen arrived with the Master of the Mystic Healer Valley, fighting their way through.
The shadow guards blocked most of the attacks for them, giving Dorian Owen a chance to rush forward.
As soon as Dorian reached Serena, he grabbed her hand—making her break out in a cold sweat from the pain. "Ah, don’t touch me!"
"What’s wrong?" Dorian Owen jumped back in shock, letting go immediately. The Master of the Mystic Healer Valley saw this and, ignoring Zed for the moment, hurried over to check Serena.
"Did you injure your hands?" The Master of the Mystic Healer Valley saw Serena’s arms hanging limp at her sides and knew at once it was serious.
He’d seen how nimble Serena’s hands could be. If they were ruined, it would be a tragedy.
"Seems like a fracture." Serena tried to smile, but it looked worse than crying. She couldn’t check herself, but her experience told her the truth.
Her hands were probably broken.
She didn’t want anyone to worry, but inside she was terrified—terrified her hands were ruined, terrified she’d never wield a scalpel again.
She loved being a doctor, loved the feel of a scalpel in her hands, loved saving lives. Only then did she feel she was worth something—not just an unwanted orphan.
"Let me see." The Master of the Mystic Healer Valley kicked Dorian Owen aside and, not caring about the battlefield setting, rolled up Serena’s sleeves.
Serena’s hands were a bloody, swollen mess, elbows nearly twisted out of place.
"It’s a serious injury." Just from a glance, the Master of the Mystic Healer Valley could tell—Serena’s hands would never be the same again.
Serena choked up and nodded, lifting her chin to keep the tears from falling. "Help me check—can they be healed?"
"Even if you recover, they’ll never be perfect again. You’re a doctor—you know better than anyone, no matter how skilled, no one can erase an injury completely." Once wounded, it never truly goes away.
"I know." She understood all too well that injured hands could never return to their original state.
"If you knew, why did you risk your hands? Don’t you realize how important they are?" The Master of the Mystic Healer Valley fumed, seeing Serena’s ruined hands.
Was Serena trying to destroy her medical career? Really...
"I wasn’t being reckless." She’d only saved someone—her hands existed to heal.
"Your hands are nearly ruined—how is that not reckless? All this for some kid you barely know? Was it really worth destroying your own hands for him?" The Master of the Mystic Healer Valley grew angrier, even kicking at Zed.
"He’s just some unwanted brat—why bother saving him? If he died, so what? You think the Demon Sect would dare come after you?" He grumbled about wasted medicine, wasted time, and now Serena’s ruined hands—his dislike for Zed only grew.
He’d never met a kid so unlovable.
"It’s not Zed’s fault, Master. Don’t take it out on him. Just help me—see how much my hands can recover." Regrets? Of course. But if she had to do it all over, she’d still save Zed.
In that moment, all she’d thought about was saving Zed...