Adrian's heart pounded violently as he answered the call."Hello?""Mr. Hale?"It was Doctor Lewis again."The transplant team has contacted us. They need confirmation of payment before five o'clock this afternoon. Otherwise..." He paused before continuing, "...they'll assign the donor to another patient."Adrian's face turned pale."I... I'll find the money.""We'll do our best to buy you some time.""Thank you, Doctor."After hanging up, Adrian stood motionless in front of the Sterling Mansion for several seconds.His body felt cold.He had exhausted every option.There was only one person left who might be able to help him.Director Victor Kane.Taking a deep breath, Adrian hailed a taxi back to St. Raphael Medical Center.The ride felt unbearably long.Every passing second brought Lily closer to death....The hospital bustled with activity as usual.Doctors hurried through the corridors while patients waited anxiously outside consultation rooms.Adrian ignored the strange looks d

"Lily..."Adrian's voice had become hoarse from crying.He knelt in the middle of the hospital courtyard, cradling Lily's lifeless body against his chest. Her blood had soaked through his uniform, staining it a deep crimson.The crowd surrounding them had grown larger.Patients.Doctors.Nurses.Visitors.Security guards.They all watched silently.Some pitied him.Others whispered among themselves.No one dared to step forward.Director Victor Kane remained standing at the entrance of the hospital with his hands in his pockets, his expression as indifferent as ever."Take the body away."He spoke as though he were discussing the disposal of medical waste."We're blocking the hospital entrance."The security guards looked at one another hesitantly.Neither of them moved.Adrian didn't seem to hear him.His eyes remained fixed on Lily's peaceful face.Only this morning...She had smiled at him.She had reminded him to eat breakfast.She had worried about him despite being the one lying

Adrian's hand remained suspended above Lily's chest.The silver needle between his fingers reflected the light from the ceiling.Behind him, Elias Harrison stood with one hand pressing against GV20, the acupoint at the crown of Lily's head, while his other hand maintained pressure on KI1, located at the sole of her foot.Although Elias had agreed to help, his heart was filled with doubt.He had spent more than forty years practicing medicine.He had treated countless critically ill patients.He had witnessed people survive injuries that should have killed them and had also watched patients die despite every possible medical intervention.But never had he seen anyone attempt to revive a person whose heartbeat had completely stopped with nothing more than acupuncture needles."Young man," Elias finally said, "are you certain about this?"Adrian didn't answer immediately.His eyes were fixed on Lily.Through his Diagnostic Vision, her body was no longer a mystery.He could see the intric

Adrian did not leave Lily's side for the rest of the night.Even after her breathing became steady, he remained seated beside the treatment bed, watching her chest rise and fall. Every few minutes, he would reach out and check her pulse, just to reassure himself that she was still there.Alive.That single thought was enough to keep him awake.The pharmacy remained open throughout the night, and Elias had already instructed the employees to assist Adrian with anything he needed. No one dared disturb him.For the first time in years, Adrian experienced something he had almost forgotten existed.Kindness.Nobody mocked him.Nobody called him useless.Nobody demanded that he prove his worth before helping him.They simply helped because Lily needed it.As dawn approached, Adrian finally leaned back in his chair.His eyes were exhausted, but his mind remained strangely alert.He glanced at the jade pendant hanging beneath his shirt.Ever since it had awakened, an enormous amount of knowled

Adrian arrived at the Sterling family's home in Eastbury just as the afternoon sun began to fade. The neighborhood looked as worn-down as ever, with cracked walls, narrow roads, and old buildings packed closely together. Three years ago, Adrian had hated this place. Today, he barely felt anything as he stared at the familiar building.He had spent three years living here as a live-in son-in-law, enduring every insult the Sterling family threw at him. He had cooked their meals, washed their clothes, cleaned their home, and obeyed every command without complaint.He had done it all for Lily.As long as Lily needed money for her treatment, Adrian had endured everything. But Lily was finally safe. For the first time in three years, Adrian realized that he no longer needed the Sterling family's approval—or their money.He parked the black Maybach outside the community and walked toward the building. Before he could reach the stairs, the front door opened, and Margaret Sterling appeared with