Confusion, The Easiest Thing Yet Hardest to Do

Over the next few days, Serena Feng and Ninth Royal Uncle lounged comfortably in the carriage—shielded from wind and rain, snacking on fresh fruit and sipping tea, feeling none of the hardships of travel.

By contrast, Dorian Owen was miserable these days—riding on horseback under the scorching sun and biting wind, his wounds worsening with every jolt. The heat made several injuries fester, and the pain was truly excruciating.

Ninth Royal Uncle watched coldly, his smile growing wider each day. Serena Feng remembered that day’s scheming and ignored Dorian’s pitiful state.

Besides, even if Serena Feng wanted to pity Dorian, she simply didn’t have the time.

During the day, she stayed in the carriage with Ninth Royal Uncle; at night, she shared a room with him. They came and went together, leaving almost no time to worry about Dorian.

That night, after Serena had bathed, Ninth Royal Uncle came over to gently wring out her hair. His movements were so careful that she felt no pain at all. When her hair was half dry, Serena lazily leaned against him.

“Do you think we’ll be able to find Zed this way?” Serena asked. Zed had been committing crimes all over lately—they always had clues, but were always a step behind him.

“No,” Ninth Royal Uncle replied without hesitation. “Zed already knows we’re looking for him—he’s committing crimes on purpose.”

When Zed first killed those traffickers, maybe he had no selfish motives. But now, he’s doing it to confuse us and throw us off his trail, buying himself time to escape. As prey, Zed is undeniably clever.

“This kid is too smart—it’s enough to give you a headache.” Serena nuzzled against Ninth Royal Uncle like a well-behaved kitten.

“No matter how smart he is, he’s still just a child.” Ninth Royal Uncle’s cold expression softened a little as he gently stroked Serena’s cheek. Seeing her furrowed brow, he asked, “Are you anxious to find him?”

“I’m worried about him. No matter what, he’s just a child. He may be capable and quick-witted, but if he falls into the hands of truly vicious people, it’ll be a dead end.” Zed might be brutal, but he was still her patient. Serena had one serious flaw—she was fiercely protective of her own.

Zed was cruel and violent, but Serena had never wished for his death. He was only a child; it wasn’t his fault he turned out this way.

“If you want to see him, then let’s just catch him.” Ninth Royal Uncle said calmly, startling Serena: “You know where he is?”

“I don’t know, but I do know where he’s headed.” Zed’s world was simple—he’d always lived in the Demon Sect. After escaping from Feng Manor, of course he’d want to go back to the Demon Sect.

When a child suffers outside, they always want to go home and seek comfort from their parents. So...

“You know where the Demon Sect is?” Serena’s heart skipped a beat. Remembering what William Wang had said, a flash of fear crossed her eyes.

This man was truly terrifying—he’d quietly sold out Zed without a sound.

Ninth Royal Uncle didn’t realize Serena already knew about the Demon Sect. He thought she was just worried about Zed and tried to reassure her: “Don’t worry, Zed will be fine.”

“What about the Demon Sect? Will something happen to them?” Serena stood up, her eyes icy cold.

That coldness wasn’t blame or anger—it was unease.

No matter how violent Zed was, he was still just a six-year-old child. If he found out that the Demon Sect was destroyed because of him, how could he live with himself?

What Ninth Royal Uncle was doing—how was it any different from those who trafficked children? Both were destroying a child’s future.

Ninth Royal Uncle was no ordinary man. Serena had laid it all out—of course he understood. Since she already knew, he didn’t hide it and explained his cooperation with Sean Xuan.

Finally, he added, “I know you care about Zed, but don’t forget how many innocent people the Demon Sect has killed over the years. Killing them is saving others—I don’t think I’m wrong.”

Even if the Demon Sect hadn’t killed innocents, just for possessing the Nine Provinces Map, he still had to take them down. Some things can’t be measured in terms of right and wrong—everything he did was just to achieve his goal.

“I know you’re not wrong to do this. It’s just... using Zed this way—how is he supposed to face his own people?” In power struggles, there’s no right or wrong, only winners and losers.

She just didn’t want the crime of annihilating a clan to rest on Zed’s shoulders. That burden was far too heavy for a child.

“Using Zed? Serena, that accusation is far too harsh—I can’t accept it. If the Demon Sect Lord hadn’t used his own son first, I never would have used him.” Ninth Royal Uncle sighed quietly.

Serena was colder and stronger than most women, but she was still a woman—her heart had a soft side. Faced with the old and the young, she was always more easily moved than men, not realizing that this very softness could be her undoing.

“The Demon Sect Lord used Zed, you mean?” Serena’s eyes widened. “The Demon Sect wants to break into the Nine Provinces power center?”

Ninth Royal Uncle nodded slowly. “Serena, the Demon Sect has always lived in harsh conditions in the basin. They’ve never given up on entering the Central Plains. Why do you think the Demon Sect Lord has spent years capturing doctors and sent Zed to Eastlyn for you to treat?”

Nothing in this world happens without a reason. The Demon Sect spent years capturing doctors—if they truly wanted to cure Zed, they would have abducted Serena, not sent Zed to her.

It wouldn’t have been hard for the Demon Sect to kidnap Serena, but instead they sent Zed—escorted by over a hundred guards. Others might not suspect a thing, but with his eyes on the Demon Sect, Ninth Royal Uncle couldn’t help but wonder.

Everything he did was just like the Demon Sect—one wrong move and he’d lose everything. He couldn’t afford to lose, so he had to eliminate every possibility.

Whether the Demon Sect was truly an enemy didn’t matter; he just needed to erase the threat, just like Prince Terrence.

“I... My head’s a mess.” Serena clutched her head, stumbling backward and bumping into the dressing table.

Ninth Royal Uncle caught Serena around the waist and pulled her into his arms. “Don’t overthink it. Leave all this to me—I’ll handle everything, and I’ll bear all the sins. You just do what you want to do. The Demon Sect isn’t a matter of simple right or wrong. If they were truly good, why would the martial world agree to attack them together?”

“I know. ‘Those who are not of our kind must have different hearts.’ I just never expected that treating one patient would cause so much trouble.” That’s why she never wanted to treat the powerful—their lives were too entangled with others.

It was just Zed—she simply wanted to heal him, to keep that child from ruining his own life. But her good intentions... had been so thoroughly exploited.

Can’t a doctor just heal patients, and nothing more?

“My duty is simply to heal people—so why... do I end up facing so much trouble?”

Serena looked at her hands, doubting for the first time whether she’d made the right choices.

If she hadn’t cured Rowan Wang, the Wang Clan would have had a new leader—and maybe the family would have declined.

If she hadn’t cured Holden Cui, the Cui Clan would have had a new head too.

If she hadn’t healed Prince Rowan’s leg, the Crown Prince’s heart, or Prince Titus’s leg, would Eastlyn and Lyndaria look completely different now?

“Ha... In the end, without realizing it, my medical skills have changed the power structure of entire nations—and I never even knew.”

Serena stared at her hands, feeling no joy—only deep helplessness and confusion...