Novels by Lily Monroe

They drove in silence. Watching the landscape stream backward, Adrian slouched into the seat and shut his eyes, feigning a nap to fend off boredom.Natalie Norris glanced sideways at him, helpless. Heading into an unknown place, and he wasn’t the least bit wary? Did he think this was a sightseeing tour…They rolled into Skyline City’s most exclusive residential enclave.“We’re here,” Natalie said, expression unchanged.Adrian rubbed his eyes, climbed out, and stretched without a care. He’d nearly dozed off—her voice had woken him.Before them rose a stately building, lavish enough to fit its illustrious surroundings. The sign out front read: Royal Club.Natalie led the way. A knot of beautiful women halted at the doors while Adrian followed her inside.Was the entire villa staffed by women?Adrian blinked. He felt like a monk wandering into a spider’s den. Even the guards they passed—women.He wasn’t the only one surprised; a few of the occupants sneaked curious glances at the man in

Adrian had no choice but to stop once more.Sensing a chance, Jasper Emerson quickly softened his request. “How about this, Dr. Doyle? You wouldn’t need to report to the hospital routinely, and we wouldn’t call you for ordinary cases. Only in emergencies would we reach out to you—would that work?”As if afraid Adrian might refuse, Jasper hurried to add, “We’d appoint you as our honorary vice dean—free of any constraints, consulted only for special situations.”“Well?”Jasper’s ingratiating smile was relentless. Adrian couldn’t take being shadowed another step; he sighed.“Fine.”“Good—excellent! I’ll have a contract drafted at once! No—better yet, you go on ahead. I’ll send it straight to Hill Group the moment it’s ready.”He walked Adrian all the way to the hospital entrance. “When you have time to sign, call me—I’ll send someone to collect it.”Adrian nodded. It would indeed save a great deal of trouble.Beaming, Jasper pressed his business card into Adrian’s hand, then had his own

Seeing the grave focus on Adrian’s face, the attending physician dared not interrupt again.But he held out little hope.In all his years of practice, acupuncture—mysterious as it was—had its limits. However miraculous its effects, it could not reclaim a life already lost.As Adrian set needle after needle, sweat gathered across his brow.He had no time to wipe it away.Beyond the major acupoints, every insertion demanded a different technique—slow twirling here, feather-light pricking there, or a deft flick of his finger to send the shaft settling to an exact depth, not a hair’s breadth off.And then, after a long silence, the machines began to chirp again.“Unbelievable!”The attending physician clapped a hand over his mouth at once.This could be the critical moment. If his outburst broke Adrian’s concentration and ruined the procedure, the blame would be his alone.Adrian remained wholly absorbed. The eleventh needle. The twelfth…The little girl’s body soon bristled with silver.

Hearing there was a child involved, Daisy couldn’t help softening. She shot Adrian a furtive look.After all, the girl was young. She shouldn’t be dragged into the crossfire of adult grudges.Adrian remained unmoved, his voice edged with mockery. “President Irving has no qualms about dragging Hill Group into this—why should I be generous to her child?”“You—!”Bianca Irving shot to her feet, livid. “Dean Emerson must have found the wrong person. There’s no way this youngster is a true healer! What kind of miracle doctor stands by and lets someone die?”Adrian’s smile was razor-thin. “The door’s behind you. See yourselves out.”Bianca Irving instantly tugged Finn Thompson away. Finn kept glancing back, wanting to speak, but in the end, he couldn’t overrule his wife.“Adrian, are we being…?”Adrian shook his head, cutting Daisy off. “I have medical skill, but I’m not God. Other people’s fate isn’t our burden. Don’t torment yourself over it.”“Don’t forget how she treated you at noon—how

He didn’t finish the question, but Jasper Emerson understood.“There’s at least a thirty percent chance we can pull her through. But… I want you to prepare for the worst, because…”He let the sentence trail off. He’d already spoken with the attending. The true odds were under ten percent.But looking at Bianca Irving and Finn Thompson, he couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud.At Jasper’s words, Bianca nearly fainted on the spot. Finn caught her tight. “Imogen’s in surgery. You have to hold on—we have to wait for our girl.”“My Imogen… please, Director Emerson, I’m begging you—save her. She’s had such a hard fate…”Finn patted Bianca’s back, trying to soothe her, though his own heart was a storm.“If something really happens to her… it won’t just break us. The grandparents couldn’t bear it either…”Jasper suddenly remembered something and hesitated.“Director Emerson, if there’s something to say, say it.”Finn couldn’t imagine what could be worse than this.“I met Dr. Wallace earlier

Bianca Irving’s arrogance set tempers alight. Adrian was about to speak, but Daisy tugged at his sleeve.“President Irving, here’s our request,” Daisy said evenly. “We’d like your help persuading members of the Chamber to maintain their partnerships with the Hill Group a while longer. Within a month, we guarantee a new product will launch—and it will sweep the market.”“Are you joking?” Bianca replied coolly. “I may be president, but I have no authority to dictate others’ choices.”“Unless you can reverse your reputation now, they’ll naturally continue to cut ties.”Daisy heard it clearly. Bianca had no interest in brokering anything—not even a token effort. With her influence, a word from her would have swayed at least a few.But even when you’re asking for help, the other party has the right to refuse. Daisy let it go.She produced a carefully prepared gift and offered it with a warm smile.“President Irving, I know this puts you in a difficult position. But the Hill Group will turn

A tidal blaze unfurled between heaven and earth, and within the flames—“Holy Emperor…”The warriors of the Solar Kingdom froze.This moment—This was the end.Their power swelled, vast and violent.From all directions the distant onlookers—those who had kept their distance—felt their hearts lurch.The Holy Emperor had fallen.The great factions witnessing it didn’t even dare show their faces.“Kill!”“Kill that brat!”The Solar Kingdom’s elites were enraged.At once they broke into furious curses.In an instant, the crowd drowned in wrath.The strong of the Solar Kingdom were terrified.No one hesitated.All of them lunged to kill Dragon-Slayer and Anthony.“You really want to die together?”The next moment—Anthony struck once.A swath of top-tier experts exploded, their bodies smashed to pieces.Squelch!Some heads spun off into the air.Dead.The Holy Emperor had been killed.But they… were powerless.They could not keep fighting. If they did, the entire Solar Kingdom might be gro

Dragon-Slayer grunted, swallowed the pain in his seams, and rose into it, the sword-edge cutting a white arc.Beside them, Thirteen Smith muttered a curse. “Stupid kid.” The Holy Emperor only sneered, eyes full of scorn.Dragon-Slayer didn’t answer, his grip biting down. “Hnh. I’ll carve you up.”He fought with everything, every stroke meant to kill. Anthony watched, his gaze shifting—he seemed to read the intent, and held his tongue.Boom—the air rolled like a tide swallowing the field. The Holy Emperor’s rampage had passed understanding; each strike was huge and ruthless.A heartbeat later, the gale rose again. His offense poured like a rain-screen, fists and palms crossing, killing intent spearing the clouds. He was a hammer overfilled with thunderfire—blow after blow grinding down.Dragon-Slayer braced in a flash—swordlight fierce—meeting edge with edge.Boom! He staggered back several steps, heart pounding, a flicker of disbelief breaking through his eyes. Why? What in hell did h

Dragon-Slayer dropped lightly to the ground; a tap of the heel, dust settled. He raised his eyes to the figure standing high above, gaze cold, voice low but heavy enough to hold the field.Though his chest still heaved, he ground out each word: “I’m not afraid of you.”“Today, I’ll defeat you—and kill you.”“The Solar Kingdom will never be a match for Ardenia.”“Your warriors are garbage.”The Holy Emperor laughed softly, a rasp like a blade dragging over stone. “You’re sure? Sure you’re not afraid? Then today, I’ll cut you to pieces.”Dragon-Slayer stepped in instead of back, a short drive of the foot, his body tipping forward, killing intent sliding free like a naked edge. He lifted his head and met the sword-hard gaze above, unflinching.The cold in his eyes cut sharper than steel. “To me, you’re—nothing.”“Today, you die.”“I will kill you.”“You think that boy can really keep you safe?” His words fell like a war banner rammed into open ground, snapping in the gale. Wind licked hi

“Y-you—why are you this strong…”Anthony’s mouth pulled into a cold curve. “It’s not that I’m strong. It’s that you’re useless.”Before the last syllable faded, he surged upward, a raptor cutting through knives of wind and sleet, and stooped.Boom!Explosions flowered across the sky, force scattering like invisible hammers pounding the void. Killing intent poured down like a tangible blaze.He raised another fist. Before it even landed, the gale at its edge flayed the dust to air.Bang!The Holy Emperor’s chest was punched straight through. Blood burst like a flower. His armor shattered; a hideous hole tore open across his front. He was blasted backward, blood running in a steady ribbon from his lips, his eyes wide with a terror that couldn’t focus—grasping at reality’s edge and finding nothing.The rim of the armor writhed, trying to stitch itself—futile against the gaping wound.He lifted his gaze in disbelief, and for the first time, true fear flooded his eyes—the primal dread of t

He pulled a breath, dragging his sight back from the dark. He looked up into the Ardenian youth’s face—indifferent, eyes like a winter lake, unruffled.“Your strength isn’t bad,” Anthony said, mild, with a flat contempt folded into it. “Unfortunately for you, you’re facing me. Which makes everything you do useless.”He tipped his chin, the cold at his eye’s corner cutting sharper. “So this is the Solar Kingdom’s best? No more than this.”Contempt, complete and entire.“In all martial ways, speed breaks all.” He sheathed in one clean motion, his pace itself a declaration. The Holy Emperor was fast—unquestionably. But he was facing Anthony. That alone sealed his tragedy.In a handful of exchanges, Anthony had hammered the Holy Emperor’s confidence to splinters. He had never imagined the man before him could be this absurdly strong. Terror—there was no other word in the minds of those watching.To Anthony, it was nothing. His gaze stayed cold; his killing will drew tighter.The Holy Empe

The heaving air over the four quarters suddenly sank. A darkened silhouette dragged itself out of the heights of the sky, like a deeper thread of night within the night, easing toward them. It had no sound, no scent; even the grain of its aura felt sanded smooth—more secret than a ghost, like a frost-sheathed dagger settling wordlessly to the throat.A heartbeat later, a figure fell from the heights. He touched down without a sound, yet his presence tore the silence around him. It was a tyranny that needed no words; with just an inch of ground underfoot, hearts clenched.“Holy Emperor!!”“The Holy Emperor is here!”“Lord Holy Emperor, a god forever…”“Lord Holy Emperor, mighty and unyielding!”“We can kill these Ardenians now…”“We must kill them…”The boiling shouts surged like oil set alight, raising the temperature of every throat at once. The Holy Emperor revealed himself—a man in his middle years, features unassuming, but a severity honed to lethal stillness. When his gaze droppe