Derek slowly lifted his hand from the old man's forehead. Reaching down to the small travel bag beside him, he unzipped it and pulled out a single golden acupuncture needle, the very one Sophia had given him before he left the mountain.The moment Doctor Cole caught sight of the golden gleam, his eyes expanded. He stared fixedly at the needle, his chest freezing mid-breath. "Wait a second."His voice had completely lost its smug edge, but Derek carried on preparing the needle without giving him a glance.Doctor Cole took an involuntary step forward, his eyes locked on the metallic sheen. "Where did you get that?"He recognized the needle immediately, or at least, he recognized its legendary reputation. It was no ordinary acupuncture tool; it belonged to a famous, rare collection of ancient medical treasures that had been preserved for generations. Throughout history, only the absolute elite among medical masters were ever permitted to even set eyes on such a tool.Doctor Cole swallowe

The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the bedroom, cutting off every other sound. For several endless seconds, nobody moved.Bosworth Junior stood utterly frozen, his hand slowly rising to clutch his reddening cheek. His eyes bulged with sheer disbelief. Nobody had ever dared to lay a hand on him like that, not in Blue Lake City, not in front of the West family, and certainly not in the presence of Doctor Cole.Patricia’s mother was the first to snap out of the shock. "You fool!"Her sharp voice shook the room as she lunged forward, her face flushed with fury. "Do you know who you just hit? Do you even have any idea who you just hit?"Derek merely looked at her, his posture relaxed and unbothered."That is Bosworth Junior!" she spat, pointing a trembling finger at the stunned young man. "Do you understand what you have just done? His family controls some of the largest enterprises in Blue Lake City, and his father sits on the boards of major corporations. Are you actively looking

Patricia's sharp accusation hung heavily in the air, cutting through the silence of the room."You just paralyzed my grandfather!"Derek looked back at her, his voice perfectly even. "No."Her eyes flashed with fury. "Then why isn't he moving?""Because the poison hasn't been completely removed."The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Pushing past the exhaustion that weighed on his limbs, Derek stood up slowly from the chair, though his body still felt heavy from the immense energy he had just expended."The poison is still inside him," he explained, his voice low and steady. "I removed a large portion of it, but not all of it."Patricia’s defensive stance faltered, confusion mixing with her rage. "What do you mean, not all of it?""Exactly what I said." Derek turned and walked back toward the bed, his focus shifting entirely to the old man. "Someone deliberately poisoned your grandfather. The toxin was formulated to spread slowly through his body, hiding beneath normal, harmles

Bosworth Junior pressed his phone to his ear and tapped the screen to put the call on speaker.A tense hush fell over the room. Everyone stood frozen, waiting.The phone rang once. Then a second time. On the third ring, a voice picked up. "Hello?"Bosworth straightened his spine, puffing out his chest. "Is this the Fire Dragon Squad?"A brief pause heavy with caution came from the receiver. "Yes. Who is this?"Bosworth’s face lit up with smug confidence. "Fire Dragon Squad, I need five of your men at the West mansion immediately."The moment the name left his lips, the atmosphere shifted instantly. Patricia’s expression froze, her posture stiffening. Her parents exchanged wide-eyed, uneasy glances, while even Doctor Cole’s usual composure faltered.The Fire Dragon Squad was a name everyone in Blue Lake City knew and feared. They were far from ordinary bodyguards. They were a notorious elite unit hired by powerful families to resolve dangerous situations by force, and five of their ope

Derek returned to the bedroom and walked straight back to Old Master West's bedside. The room had grown exceptionally quiet, the oppressive tension finally evaporating now that Bosworth was gone. With no one left to interrupt or posture, Derek could work in peace.He pressed his index and middle fingers against the old man's frail wrist, carefully reading the subtle rhythm of his pulse. His expression remained unreadable, though his eyes narrowed slightly as he concentrated. The heartbeat was noticeably firmer and far more stable than before.Reaching into his leather kit, he pulled out a slim, specialized metal tool. With practiced precision, he applied firm pressure to specific acupoints across Old Master West's upper body before making minute adjustments to the remaining needles.Doctor Cole hovered nearby, his eyes tracking every flicker of movement. Having spent decades studying modern and traditional medicine, he found himself genuinely stumped by Derek’s unconventional techniqu