2026-08-16 02:55:08
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CHAPTER 243
Ethan began placing the needles with surgical precision. One into the crown of the head. Two at the temples. Three along the collarbone. Each needle slid into its acupoint with a soft whisper, never wavering, never hesitating. Across the torso, down the arms, over the heart, he worked with the calm speed of a man who had done this a thousand times and had never once made a mistake.When the eighteenth needle sank into place, Ethan placed both hands over the array and closed his eyes.Then he channeled true fire through the needles.The room temperature rose ten degrees in seconds. Sweat broke out on every forehead. The needles began to vibrate, humming at a frequency that made the surgical instruments rattle on their trays like teeth chattering in the cold. A thin shimmer of golden light spread across Webb’s body from needle to needle, forming a glowing web over his skin.Inside Webb’s body, the true energy traveled along the needle paths, a river of warmth flowing through broken chan
CHAPTER 242
Ethan pushed through the doors of the operating theater and the smell of antiseptic and blood hit him like a wall. The room was bright and cold, filled with the steady, mocking beep of machines that were counting down a life.Captain Marcus Webb lay on the table with a breathing tube down his throat and wires crossing his chest like a spider web. His skin was the color of old candle wax. The monitors showed vital signs so low they were practically flatlines decorated with occasional blips of hope.His heart meridian is shattered, the Spirit said, and the joking tone was completely gone. Organs bleeding from the inside. Whoever hit him used a palm technique meant to destroy from within. That was not a Dark List assassin’s style, kid. That was something worse.“Later.” Ethan stepped closer to the table. “First I save him.”The surgical team was already gathered around the bed in green gowns and masks, their hands raised and sterile, their eyes tense above the cloth. A tray of gleaming i
CHAPTER 241
Lawrence rose from his chair slowly. Even with bandages on his head, his presence filled the room like a wall.“This young man is more capable than your entire department combined.” His voice was calm and cold. “He saved my life twice. I would trust him over every doctor in this building.”Dr. Smith scoffed, his face reddening with wounded pride. His chin lifted and his shoulders squared, the posture of a man who had never once been told he was wrong and had no idea how to handle it.“Fine. I’ll make a bet.” He folded his arms across his chest. “If this boy can heal Captain Webb’s injuries without surgery, without sutures, and without leaving a single scar, I will get on my knees and call him Dad.”The room went quiet. Even the heart monitors seemed to beep softer.Oh, I love this man, the Spirit said with sparkling delight. A fool who puts his dignity on the table before the game even starts. Take the bet. Take it right now.Ethan looked at Dr. Smith for a long moment, his face as ca
CHAPTER 240
Ethan was halfway across the Crestwood bridge when his phone lit up on the dashboard. Lawrence Griffin’s name filled the screen, and the second he answered, he knew something was wrong. Lawrence never called after midnight unless the world was on fire.“Ethan, I need your help.” Lawrence’s voice was tight and strained, stripped of its usual warmth. “The Special Division agents guarding me at the Park estate were attacked by Damon Hale. Two agents are dead.”“Are you hurt?”“Scratches. I’ll live.” Lawrence took a heavy breath. “Captain Marcus Webb took a direct hit protecting me. He’s at Crestwood General Hospital. The doctors say he won’t survive the night.”Ethan turned the wheel hard and swung the car toward the hospital without another word. The engine roared as he pushed the speed far past anything legal.Damon Hale again, the Spirit muttered. That man has more lives than a cat and worse manners. I should have taken his head when I had the chance.“He’s finished as a fighter. His
CHAPTER 239
They arrived at Vivienne’s villa. It was a three story modern estate with floor to ceiling windows and a garden that looked like it had been designed by someone who charged by the petal. Rachel met them at the door, gave Ethan a brief nod that contained respect and exactly zero warmth, and disappeared around the side of the house to patrol the perimeter.“You’re staying for dinner.” Vivienne kicked off her heels at the front door. It was not a question.“Can you cook?” Ethan followed her inside.“I’m offended you had to ask.” She was already tying an apron over her sundress. “My grandmother taught me before she died. Moonflow family tradition. Every woman cooks, no matter how much money she has.”She cooked surprisingly well. Pasta with a cream sauce that tasted like it had been made by a professional. A salad with dressing she mixed by hand. Fresh bread that she pulled from the oven at exactly the right moment, golden and steaming.They ate together at a table overlooking the garden.
CHAPTER 238
On the drive home, the silence in the car lasted exactly forty five seconds before Vivienne broke it. She was gripping the steering wheel with both hands and staring at the road with the focused intensity of a woman whose brain was running three separate investigations at the same time.“Explain the trunk thing.” Her voice was calm but her knuckles were white. “And don’t say magic again or I will drive this car into a lamppost.”Ethan looked out the window. The city lights of Crestwood streaked past like orange stars falling sideways. He was quiet for a moment, the kind of quiet that comes before a person decides how much truth to share.“It’s a spatial artifact. Thousands of years old.” He kept his voice even, like he was describing the weather. “It can store physical objects in a pocket dimension and retrieve them at will. It also amplifies my pill refinement process.”Vivienne’s foot eased off the gas. The Bentley slowed by five miles per hour. Her mouth opened and then closed and
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