"It’s not impossible, but I’d have to go through my father—he might have a way.""Still, we may be short on time."Alice pondered the matter carefully."Ahem… whether it’s cold weapons or firearms, I already have what I need."Joseph cleared his throat lightly."You really do?"Alice looked unconvinced."Of course. For me, acquiring a few means of self-defense is hardly difficult."Joseph replied with quiet certainty."Alright, then."Alice chose to believe him; Joseph wasn’t the kind of person who would lie to her."Don’t worry so much, you little thing.""With Professor Wilson’s strength, he’s as fierce as any predator.""In those deep mountains, wolves and tigers aren’t the real threats—he is.""Any beast that sees him would think twice and steer clear."Mason Alvarez spoke with careless confidence."No matter how strong a person is, it’s not the same as facing wild animals."Alice countered."Relax. No beast is going to harm me. You’re underestimating me."Joseph said with an easy

After a moment of intimate closeness, the girl in Joseph’s arms slowly turned around and, of her own accord, pressed her lips to his.At the very least, that boldness felt unmistakably like Professor Alvarez.Sensing her response, Joseph’s restraint dissolved. Before long, the two of them stood bare before each other.What followed was a tempest—fierce, unrestrained, and drawn out far into the night.Only after everything had run its course, after release had finally come, did Joseph sink into a deep, heavy sleep.Some time later—he could not tell how long—Joseph stirred awake, parched from the alcohol he had consumed.As he opened his eyes, he noticed the soft glow of a bedside lamp illuminating the room. Beside him lay a girl, her skin pale as porcelain, her figure exquisitely graceful.She faced away from him, her features hidden from his view.Joseph glanced at the smooth curve of her bare back, then down at himself—and a sudden unease gripped him.The person beside him… was not M

A few minutes later, Joseph felt a heavy pressure against his back as the plane lifted smoothly into the air.Before long, he drifted into a deep sleep.There were other passengers beside him, but seated in first class by the window, he was left undisturbed.He slept for quite a while during the flight—if not for the cabin service waking him, he might have slept the entire way.To be honest, after everything that had happened the night before, he hadn’t gotten much rest.Heidi had been no different. After all that drinking—and everything that followed—how could she have slept well?Alcohol is pleasant while you’re drinking it, but afterward, it becomes its own kind of torment.Better to drink less in the future—it takes a toll on the body.After waking, Joseph dozed a little longer.In what felt like the blink of an eye, nearly four hours had passed.Soon, he felt a subtle sense of weightlessness again—the plane was descending.A little over ten minutes later, the aircraft landed at S

“I haven’t arranged a car yet,”Joseph answered honestly.“In that case, why not let the hotel provide a car to take you there? What do you think?”Manager Howard ???????ed.“If that’s possible, it would be ideal. But wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you?”Joseph said, a little embarrassed.“Not at all, not at all.”“It’s our honor to be of service to you, Mr. Joseph.”Howard replied with a genial smile.“If the hotel can arrange the ride, that would certainly be best.”“I’ll cover any related expenses.”After a moment’s thought, Joseph decided not to stand on ceremony.“Mr. Joseph, what are you saying? Expenses? Miss Morgan has already taken care of everything.”“The young lady is a woman of refinement. Even at her own family’s hotel, she insisted on paying, saying she didn’t want to affect our performance metrics.”Howard quickly waved off the suggestion.“Is that so?”Joseph hadn’t expected that.“Indeed. So every service you enjoy here has already been paid for by the young l

Within the bounds of Mystic Medical Valley, there were over a dozen, perhaps twenty villages scattered across the region. Joseph knew this place was unlikely to be Hidden Dragon Village, yet he asked anyway.“Judging by the way you’re dressed, you’ve come from outside, haven’t you?”The old man looked him over and replied with a question.“Yes, I have. I’m here to visit a friend.”Joseph answered with a smile.“This isn’t Hidden Dragon Village. This is Little Ridge Village. Hidden Dragon Village lies further ahead—you’ll need another one or two hours on the mountain paths.”“If you set off now, you might still make it there before nightfall.”“Once it gets dark, running into a wild boar wouldn’t be too bad—but if you encounter wolves or worse, it could be dangerous.”Seeing that Joseph didn’t seem like a bad sort, the old man spoke candidly.“Thank you, sir. Here—these are a few cans I brought with me. Please take them.”Joseph took three cans from his pack and offered them to the old