Chapter 1

In the bedroom, Helena Valdez lay sprawled across the bed. She was stunningly beautiful, curvy, and smooth-skinned. The sheer black lace lingerie clinging to her only made her look more seductive.

On top of her was a man with striking features. His hands wandered freely over her body.

Lance Jensen's eyes were dull and vacant, like a soulless fool. And that was exactly what he'd become.

Three years ago, Helena had married Lance.

Before the wedding, he'd been perfectly normal—just poor and raised by a single mother.

Then his mother, Zaria Stokes, fell gravely ill. The surgery alone cost half a million. Desperate to save her, Lance swallowed his pride and married into the Valdez family as a live-in son-in-law.

But something strange happened on their wedding night.

Out of nowhere, Lance lost his mind. No one knew what caused it. He just became a fool.

From that night on, he became the laughingstock of Cindora.

Even after he became a fool, Helena never abandoned him. She took care of him every single day, even footing the medical bills for his hospitalized mother.

For the past three years, she had played the role of a dutiful wife, except for consummating their marriage.

Tonight, Helena had dressed herself in revealing lingerie. She was ready to give herself to Lance.

"At least you're my husband. Giving you is better than letting that beast, Rowan, take advantage of me…"

Tears streamed down her face as she thought about what was coming tonight.

Her company was in crisis. The Benson family's heir, Rowan Benson, offered to help, but only if she met him privately.

Rowan was a notorious playboy in Cindora. Countless women had suffered at his hands.

Helena knew exactly that he wanted to sleep with her, but she had no choice. If the company collapsed, her family would be left homeless. Zaria would die without treatment.

She had to go through with it for her family and Zaria.

Suddenly, Lance bit down hard on her shoulder. Helena gasped, instinctively wanting to push him away.

But thinking of what she was about to do tonight, she stopped herself and said, "Go ahead. Bite me. I deserve it…"

Blood seeped from her shoulder, and Lance swallowed it unknowingly.

At that moment, the emerald pendant he always wore glowed faintly with green light. The light shot into Lance's forehead, and his body trembled.

The emptiness in his eyes began to fade, replaced by clarity.

"W-What am I doing?"

Lance loosened his bite and stared in confusion at the woman beneath him. Her eyes were shut tight. Her top half was bare, and her shoulder was still bleeding.

"Helena?" Memories surged back. She was his wife.

"Lance?" Hearing his voice, Helena shuddered and opened her eyes. She saw the light in his eyes and froze in disbelief.

"Lance, you've recovered?" She covered her mouth, looking at him in disbelief. After three long years, Lance had finally recovered today.

Excitement and shock surged through her, followed by a wave of overwhelming sorrow. Emotions swirled in her eyes.

Deep down, Helena hadn't wanted him to wake up today, not when she was about to be violated by Rowan.

The Benson family was powerful in Cindora. There was no way they could fight back.

If Lance was betrayed, he'd have no choice but to swallow the humiliation. No man in his right mind could possibly endure that.

"Why did it have to be tonight? I'd rather you never woke up…" She broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" Lance quickly sat up, confused.

He remembered clearly that on their wedding night, his soul had been drawn into the pendant his father left behind. Only one fragment remained, turning him into a fool.

But that tragedy had turned into a blessing. Inside the pendant, his soul had spent three years training Eternal Harmony Technique.

Today, triggered by Helena's blood, the rest of his soul finally returned.

"I'm fine. Just leave," Helena said coldly, regaining her composure.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Lance looked worried.

"I said leave!" She increased her volume.

"Alright. I'll go. Take your time." Afraid of upsetting her again, Lance stepped out of the room.

"You were better off as a fool. At least then, you could live without knowing anything." Helena's face twisted in pain.

In the living room, Lance sat on the couch and examined his state. After years of training within the pendant, his medical skills had become peerless. His martial arts had reached unimaginable heights.

Now, he had reached the pinnacle in both medicine and martial arts. He could cure the sick and fight the strong with his silver needle, bending fate to his will.

"With my medical skills, I can finally cure my mom!"

But behind the joy, worry flickered in his eyes.

"What's going on with Helena?"

His memories were still fragmented, but he still remembered her gentle care during these three years. If something had happened to her, he couldn't just stand by.

Just then, the bedroom door opened.

Helena wore a black dress, her makeup flawless. Her long legs were wrapped in black stockings, and her hair was swept up elegantly.

She looked mature, seductive, graceful, and stunning.

"Are you going out?" Lance asked, caught off guard.

"Yes. Stay here and wait for me." Without any expression, she walked out and drove away.

"What's going on with her?" Lance frowned, puzzled.

The phone in the living room rang just then. Lance picked up, and a young man's voice came through.

"Helana, are you ready yet? Mr. Benson is getting impatient. And don't forget those black stockings you bought. He loves those."

Lance's eyes narrowed. A surge of rage swelled in his chest.

Helena had actually dressed up for another man!

Was he being cheated on?

"Where did Helena go?" His fists clenched tight, veins bulging.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" Eric Valdez asked in shock.

"I'm Lance Jensen!"

"Lance? Aren't you a fool? How could you speak? Wait, did you recover?"

Eric paused for a second before bursting into laughter.

"Even better! Now, Helena can finally divorce you and marry Rowan. Without you dragging us down, the Valdez family will rise to the top!"

"Where is she?" Lance roared.

"Where else? She went to meet Rowan at the Empire Grand Hotel. Why? Are you coming to stop her?" Eric sneered.

"Back when you were a fool, I could push you around. Even if you've recovered now, I can still beat the crap out of you!"

"Just wait there!" Lance slammed down the phone and bolted out the door.

Yes, he was the Valdez family's live-in son-in-law, but he was also a man with pride. He would not stand by while his wife cheated on him.

"Helena, were those three years of care all just a lie?"

The memories of her kindness still lingered. He didn't want to believe she was that kind of woman. However, Eric's words left him anxious.

Before long, he arrived at the hotel.

He was just about to head upstairs when a cold voice barked.

"Stop right there!"

Chapter 2

Lance turned and saw Eric approaching with over a dozen thugs in tow.

"Lance, you actually managed to recover after being a fool for three years! Well, I didn't see that coming!" Eric sneered.

He had originally planned to have Lance hit by a car tonight, making it look like an accident. That way, Helena could marry Rowan without a hitch.

"Out of my way. I don't have time to waste on you," Lance said flatly.

"Well, well! Got quite the temper for someone that useless!"

He jabbed his finger at Lance's face.

"I called you here to teach you a lesson, not to let you ruin Helena's big night! You've been dragging our family down for three years. It's time we settle the score."

He snapped his fingers, and the thugs instantly closed in on Lance.

"Break one of his legs. Let him share a ward with his mom," Eric said with a sneer.

"You're playing with fire."

A wave of killing intent erupted from Lance. The air itself seemed to darken. Wind whipped down the street like a storm was about to break.

Lance struck first, smashing his fist into Eric's face.

A sharp crack echoed. Eric's nose collapsed, blood gushing as his face swelled into a grotesque mess.

Lance's eyes glinted with a deadly chill as he swept his gaze over the thugs.

"This is a family matter. But if any of you want to leave here crippled, I won't stop you."

The thugs panicked and bolted without a second thought.

"Lance, how dare you hit me! This isn't over!" Eric screamed, clutching his broken nose.

"We'll settle this after I've seen Helena," Lance said.

With that, he sent Eric flying with a kick and strode into the hotel.

…

Inside, Helena sat on the couch, dressed in a revealing outfit. Her face was blank, her once-bright eyes now dull and lifeless.

She knew exactly what was about to happen tonight, but she had no choice.

"Well, well… No wonder they say you're one of Skylorn's top beauties. Just looking at you got me burning up." A lewd voice came from the bathroom door.

A young man with sharp features but a sleazy expression stepped out of the bathroom in just a towel. With a mocking smile and a predatory gaze, he let his eyes roam brazenly over Helena.

This man was none other than Rowan Benson, the Benson family's heir.

He thought he'd seen it all when it came to women, but Helena was too tempting to resist.

To get her, he pulled every string he could, even threatening Lance's life just to force her into submission.

Helena felt like bugs were crawling all over her skin under Rowan's filthy gaze.

She swallowed her disgust and asked, "When will the Silvergate Chamber of Commerce pay the 50 million they owe us?"

"I already told you. Satisfy me tonight, and I'll have Keith wire the money first thing tomorrow." Rowan smirked.

The Silvergate Chamber of Commerce was just one of the Benson family's enterprises. Its chairman, Keith Parham, ruled the underworld on the west side of Skylorn with over 3,000 men under his command. He had intentionally withheld the payment on Rowan's order.

"Rowan, why are you so obsessed with me?" Helena couldn't comprehend.

"With your family's status, you could have any woman you want."

Rowan gave a wicked smile. "I like someone chaste and untouchable. Breaking women like you gives me a real sense of accomplishment. Enough talk. Take your clothes off now."

He plopped down on the couch and crossed his legs.

Helena knew there was no way she could escape. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Fine. I'll do it."

She began unbuttoning her shirt. By the third button, her white bra came into view, along with the curve of her fair chest.

Rowan couldn't hold himself back any longer. He lunged, pinning her down on the bed. With one vicious rip of her dress, her body was laid bare under cold air.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Every light in the room shattered. A bone-chilling cold swept through the air.

"Who the hell dares ruin my night?" Rowan sharply turned around, his face twisted with fury.

The room was pitch black. He couldn't make out who'd just entered.

"You're really doing this…" Lance's heart twisted at the sight of Helena in disheveled clothes. So this was why she had said those things when he first woke up.

"Lance, what are you doing here?" Recognizing his voice, Helena's mind went blank, her face drained of all color. It felt like she'd just been caught in the act.

"If I hadn't come, I'd never have known what kind of woman you really are," Lance said, his eyes full of pain.

"Idiot Lance, you've recovered?" Rowan was stunned for a moment but quickly regained his composure.

His face was full of scorn as he said, "So what if you've recovered? I'm going to fuck your wife tonight, and no one can stop me! You've got three seconds to get out of here, or else…"

Before he could finish, Lance's figure appeared in front of Rowan like a phantom.

"You…"

Rowan was startled. Before he could retreat, Lance grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head into the wall.

With a dull thud, Rowan's head split open. Blood splattered, and he passed out instantly.

But Lance wasn't done. He rained punches on Rowan's face.

"Stop it! Lance, stop!" Helena rushed forward, trying to pull him away.

If Rowan died, the Benson family would never let them go. Both the Valdez family and Lance would be finished.

"What? Do you care about him now?"

Lance stared at her coldly, like he no longer knew her. "Of course. He's your lover, your powerful benefactor. And I'm just the fool you used."

But those words ignited a fire in Helena's heart.

"Lance Jensen, what's that supposed to mean? Is that how you see me—as some shameless, promiscuous woman?"

Tears streamed down her face, full of hurt and grievances.

She had given everything for this family, and now he had misunderstood her.

"I don't want to believe it either. In the scattered memories I have of the past three years, you were always kind to me. You cared for me. But now, the truth is right in front of me. How am I supposed to trust you?"

"Truth? Do you think I wanted to be here? If it weren't for our family, do you think I'd ever step foot in this place? Do you have any idea what the past three years have been like for me? I took care of you day and night. I endured my family's scorn. And today, I had to deal with that bastard Rowan too! And now that you've recovered, you're going to hurt me also?"

The sharp smack rang through the room.

Helena raised her hand and slapped Lance hard across the face.

The hit landed squarely, leaving a burning sting on his cheek. Yet that pain was nothing compared to the ache in his chest. His heart hurt far more than his face.

"That still doesn't justify selling your body," Lance said firmly.

"Fine! You're right!"

Devastated, Helena shouted, "I'm filthy! I'm a slut! I should've let you die in the street instead of taking care of you! From now on, we're strangers. I never want to see you again!"

With that, she stormed out of the room, sobbing.

"I know you did a lot over the past three years, but you went behind my back to see another man. I can't forgive that."

No matter how humble his background, he had his pride. Tonight, Helena had crossed the line.

"Mom should still be in the hospital."

As he thought of Zaria, he quickened his pace toward the hospital.

Chapter 3

At Skylorn Hospital, Lance asked a nurse for directions and soon found Zaria's room.

"Mom!" When he stepped inside and saw her frail figure, his nose tingled.

He'd spent the past three years as a fool. With no one to care for her, Zaria must've suffered a great deal.

Hearing that familiar voice, Zaria slowly turned her head.

"Lance!" She froze.

For a moment, she thought Helena had brought Lance to see her. But when she looked around, there was no sign of Helena anywhere.

"It's me, Mom. Lance."

Lance walked to her bedside and quietly took in how much she'd changed over the years. Her face was lined with wrinkles, and half of her once beautiful hair had turned grey.

In just three years, she had aged so much.

Zaria stared at him in disbelief, thinking she must be dreaming. But after pinching herself hard, the pain told her it was real.

"Lance, you've really recovered!"

Tears of joy streamed down her face. She pulled him into a hug, sobbing uncontrollably.

She had waited so long for this day. Before that, she hadn't believed in any religion. But after Lance's accident, she had started praying in the church every week for his recovery.

"Mom, I'm sorry for making you wait so long."

Lance's nose tingled, and he almost cried.

While she lay sick in bed, he'd been a fool, unable to take care of her. Now that he'd recovered with strong cultivation, he would never let her suffer again.

"Three years isn't long, Lance. As long as you could recover, I would have waited even if it was 30 years."

Eventually, Zaria calmed down. "Lance, why didn't Helena come with you?"

Lance hesitated. If Zaria knew what Helena had done tonight, she might pass out of anger.

"What's wrong, Lance?" Zaria noticed something wasn't right in his expression.

"Did something happen to Helena? Lance, she's a good girl. She stayed by your side through everything. She brought doctors, specialists, and even took time off to come visit me and pray for you at the church. She paid for every bit of my hospitalization fees these past three years. You can't let her down. We both owe her our lives."

Lance's heart trembled. He had really misunderstood her.

"Zaria Stokes!" Just then, the head nurse burst into the room, shouting.

"Excuse me, what's going on?" Zaria asked, confused.

"Your blood type is Rh-negative, right?" The nurse held a blood test report.

Zaria had her blood tested when she was first admitted. Rh-negative blood was extremely rare. Out of millions, there might not be even one match.

"Yes, I am."

"Thank goodness! Ms. Padilla's life might be saved. Please come with me!" The head nurse was thrilled. She grabbed Zaria and tried to lead her out.

"Wait! Where are you taking my mom?" Lance stepped in to block her path.

"Move aside! A patient was in a car accident and urgently needs a transfusion. If there's any delay, she could die!"

The head nurse was getting impatient and trying to shove Lance. But to her shock, the man who looked so thin and weak didn't budge an inch. He stood there like a mountain.

"Can't you see how frail my mom is? How can she possibly donate blood?" Lance frowned.

If Zaria were healthy, he wouldn't object to her donating blood.

But right now, she was barely holding on. How could she save someone else?

"Do you think your mother's life is worth more than Ms. Padilla's? And it's not like we're draining her dry! Step aside!"

The nurse's tone was full of arrogance.

"I don't care who needs it. Even if it's the president himself, I won't let you draw my mom's blood."

Lance stood firm, completely unmoved.

"Fine! I'll have Mr. Padilla himself come over. Once he gets here, you'll have no choice but to donate!"

With that, the head nurse stormed out.

"Lance, it's a matter of life and death. A little blood won't hurt me."

Zaria tried to ease the tension.

"No, Mom. You're too weak right now. You can't donate." Lance shook his head and rejected.

"You silly boy, I'm not that fragile."

She chided him lightly, but her eyes were full of warmth. Her son had grown up. He knew how to protect her now.

Just then, a commotion rose outside the room.

A well-dressed man burst into the room, followed by a dozen imposing bodyguards. The sheer presence he carried indicated that he wasn't an ordinary man.

"Mr. Padilla, she's the one. Her blood matches your daughter's. She's the only one who can save her." The nurse pointed at Zaria.

"Madam, please, I'm begging you to save my daughter!"

Unlike the nurse's earlier arrogance, Charlie Padilla was respectful and humble. He stepped forward, eyes filled with desperation.

"My daughter's life is hanging by a thread. We've searched all hospitals in Skylorn, and no one else has her blood type. You're a mother too. You know what it's like. You wouldn't want to watch your own child die helplessly, would you?“

He played the sympathy card, hoping to win Zaria over.

Zaria, who had already begun wavering, was completely moved.

She nodded. "Alright. I'll do it. I'll donate."

"Mom!" Lance's expression shifted in shock.

"It's just a bit of blood, Lance. I'll be fine," she assured him.

Seeing how firm she was, Lance reluctantly turned to Charlie. "How much blood do you need?"

"At least 800ml," answered a doctor in a white coat behind him.

"800ml? Are you trying to kill my mom? I'll never agree to this!" Lance refused without hesitation.

Even 500ml was pushing the human limit. They were just trying to kill Zaria.

"Dr. Walker, is there no way to reduce the amount?" Charlie asked. He also felt it was too much.

"No. Ms. Padilla lost too much blood. 800ml is already the minimum." The doctor shook his head.

Charlie gritted his teeth.

"Madam, if you save my daughter, I'll make sure your son lives the rest of his life in luxury."

"No way! It's not happening." Lance rejected directly.

"Kid, don't be so quick to turn me down." Charlie tried to reason with him.

"You probably don't know who I am. I'm Charlie Padilla, Padilla Group's CEO. We're the ones who built this hospital. If your mother saves my daughter, I promise to make both your lives in luxury for the rest of your lives."

The eyes of the other patients in the ward widened, staring at Charlie in disbelief.

The Padilla family was one of Skylorn's four most prestigious families, worth over a hundred billion.

If Zaria really saved their heiress, she and Lance would be set for life.

"I don't care who you are. You can't risk my mom's life to save your daughter." Lance was firm.

"Kid, don't push me," Charlie warned, his brows furrowed.

"Lance, I'm already old. I don't have many years left. Let me do this for you for one last time."

Zaria held his hand and looked at him with deep emotion.

"Mom, you raised me for 23 years. How could I trade your life for wealth and comfort?" Lance's eyes reddened.

Seeing their heartfelt exchange, Charlie was deeply moved. He had assumed that Lance would agree the moment he revealed his identity.

"Forget it. Maybe this is her fate. I was wrong to barge in like this. I'll take my leave now."

Charlie was moved by their display of familial love and ultimately chose to give up.

Just as he was about to leave the ward, a voice rang out.

"Wait! I might be able to save your daughter."

Chapter 4

As soon as Lance said that, Charlie froze in place. Even Zaria looked stunned.

"Lance, you know medicine?"

She and Lance had relied on each other for years, but she'd never heard of him knowing anything about medicine.

"Mom, I came to the hospital to cure your illness," Lance said with a faint smile.

Over the past three years, he had mastered the Eternal Harmony Technique while cultivating inside the emerald pendant. His medical skills had reached unparalleled heights. He could cure nearly ninety percent of all illnesses in the world with ease.

"Kid, my daughter has suffered massive blood loss and multiple serious injuries. Without a blood transfusion, no one can save her!" Charlie turned, his brows furrowing.

"Well, since nothing else is working, why not let me try?" Lance said, calm and composed.

Charlie hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Alright, come with me."

"Mom, stay here and wait for me. I'll be back soon."

Lance stood up and followed Charlie to the emergency room.

On the operating table lay a stunningly beautiful woman, unconscious and drenched in blood. She had a wound about four inches long on her abdomen and thigh. Blood continued to seep out, although the doctors had stitched it up.

"Mr. Padilla, has the blood donor arrived?" the attending physician, Jerry Miller, asked anxiously.

If no fresh blood was administered, Summer Padilla would certainly die!

If Summer died on the operating table, Jerry's career would likely be over.

"No, but this young man says he can save my daughter." Charlie pointed to Lance.

"Him?"

Jerry was caught off guard.

"Mr. Padilla, you're not joking, are you? Let him save her? This kid probably hasn't even completed his internship!"

Clearly, Jerry did not think Lance was a doctor because of his youthful appearance.

Doctors with excellent skills gained their experience through years of treating patients. As for Lance, even if he had started learning medicine from the womb, it had only been 20 years.

Jerry had been practicing medicine for over 30 years, and even he wouldn't dare claim he could save Summer.

Charlie knew all that, too. But right now, he had no other options.

"Kid, the patient's blood levels are critically low, and her internal organs are failing. Without a transfusion, not even a miracle could save her!" Jerry said, his tone firm.

"Just because you can't save her doesn't mean others can't," Lance replied calmly.

While Jerry was speaking, Lance had carefully examined Summer's condition.

It was bad, but he could save her. It was just a bit tricky.

"What a joke! I'm the top surgeon in all of Skylorn, and even I can't do anything. You really think you can pull this off?“ Jerry sneered.

"Mr. Padilla, your daughter's condition can't wait any longer. Otherwise, I'll be of no help."

Lance wasn't interested in arguing. He directly left the choice to Charlie.

"Mr. Padilla, it's fine if you insist on letting this young man treat her." Jerry's expression darkened.

"But let's make one thing clear—if anything happens to Ms. Padilla, I won't be held responsible."

He chose to protect himself.

"Then why don't you step aside for Mr. Jensen?"

Charlie's face grew cold. Someone without any sense of responsibility could never be an excellent doctor.

Lance stepped forward and said to the nurse, "Bring me a set of silver needles."

The nurse froze for a moment, clearly caught off guard.

"Kid, you want to use silver needles to save her? What a joke!"

Jerry sneered. "Traditional medicine is nothing but a scam. Besides, Ms. Padilla has internal injuries. What good will silver needles do?"

"You can insult me all you want, but don't you dare insult traditional medicine!" Lance's expression turned icy.

He had spent three years honing his medical skills within the emerald pendant. The deeper he studied, the more he realized how incredible Alestria's traditional medicine truly was.

Just a few needles could bring someone back from the brink of death. Traditional medicine had lasted for thousands of years for a reason.

However, many of the acupuncture techniques and prescriptions passed down over the years were flawed.

"I'm not insulting anything. I'm just telling the truth," Jerry said dismissively.

"We once had a traditional medicine department at this hospital. And what happened in the end? Every patient still came to us for modern treatment! The modern medicine department was bustling, while the traditional side was always empty.

"Later, an elderly traditional medicine doctor even caused a patient's death. That's when the director shut the whole department down. Now, you're not even as good as that traditional medicine doctor, yet you're making such a bold claim."

Upon hearing this, Charlie furrowed his brow, deeply worried. He had little faith in traditional medicine either. If he'd had a choice, he never would have agreed to let Lance step in.

"Remember what you just said," Lance said, staring at Jerry with a blank expression.

"When I bring her back, I want you to apologize to Alestria's traditional medicine!"

"Fine!" Jerry agreed immediately. "If you can save her, I'll get down on my knees and apologize."

In his view, Summer was a nearly dead woman. Even if the most legendary traditional doctor were here, she couldn't be saved.

"The needles are here!" The nurse hurried over with the silver needles.

Lance took them and first tapped his index finger lightly on Summer's abdomen. Confirming everything was in order, he pulled out the needles and began to insert them one by one.

His movements were fast and precise. His hands were moving so deftly, almost like a magician's hands.

Within ten seconds, her entire body was covered in silver needles.

"Such brilliant technique!" Seeing this, Charlie couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

He didn't know much about traditional medicine, but he'd seen some of the top acupuncturists in the country at work. Even they couldn't match Lance's speed and precision.

Acupuncture required not just talent but also years of practice. For a moment, Charlie became curious about Lance's background.

"You're just putting up a show! I don't believe these needles can save her," Jerry mocked.

"If these things really worked, why would traditional medicine be suppressed by modern medicine?"

Lance remained silent.

After all 24 needles were inserted, he gently tapped their roots. The roots of the silver needles started to vibrate faintly. A surge of energy flowed through the needles and into Summer's body.

"Is that it? I don't see any change in Ms. Padilla," Jerry scoffed.

"The patient's injuries are severe. It will take some time to recover."

Lance exhaled deeply. "Wait three hours before removing the needles."

"Three hours? By then, Ms. Padilla will be a corpse!" Jerry sneered.

Lance suddenly asked, "I find it strange. Do you have a grudge against Ms. Padilla? Why are you so determined to see her die?"

"Watch your mouth! I just don't believe you have the ability to save her!" Jerry snapped, his face flushed with anger.

"Lance! Just now, Helena's mother called me and told you to hurry over." Zaria rushed in, clearly anxious.

"Did something happen to Helena?" Lance's expression changed.

His earlier words had clearly hurt Helena's feelings. If Helena couldn't bear it and did something foolish, Lance would regret it for the rest of his life.

"I'm going back now!"

Chapter 5

"Three years ago, I said we should've never let Lance stay, but none of you listened! Look at the mess now. The moment he woke up, he beat up Eric and humiliated Helena! He's absolutely trash!"

Helena's mother, Valerie Becker, was seething with rage, cursing nonstop in the living room of Regency Villa.

After returning home, Helena had told her everything that had happened at the hotel.

"As soon as that brat comes back, we need to have Helena divorce him! He's not staying in this family for another day!" Valerie snapped as she pulled out the divorce papers she had prepared in advance.

"Mom, that brat has been freeloading off us for so long, and now he even hit me! He can't just get away with this!" Eric gritted his teeth in anger.

"I don't want to let it slide either, but that brat is dirt poor. Even his mom's hospital bills were all paid by Helena!"

The moment money came up, Valerie's fury even deepened. Over the past three years, Helena had paid over half a million for Zaria's hospital expenses. If it weren't for her, Zaria would've died on the streets long ago.

Valerie never expected to get any money back from Lance. As long as he signed the divorce papers, she'd be satisfied.

"We still haven't solved the issue with the remaining payment. Without Rowan's approval, Keith won't release the funds. If we don't get that money within three days, the company will go bankrupt."

Helena's eyes reddened.

"Lance even hit Rowen. With his vengeful nature, he definitely won't let us off the hook."

"Richard, stop smoking and think of a solution!" Valerie kicked her husband, Richard Valdez, who was sitting beside her.

"The Benson family is one of the powerful families in Skylorn. What can I do?" Richard's face darkened as he lit another cigarette.

He couldn't stand the idea of his daughter being forced into sleeping with someone. But facing the Benson family's immense power, there was nothing they could do except to compromise.

"Actually, if Helena can marry Rowan after divorcing Lance, it would be very beneficial for our family," Eric said out of nowhere.

"Our family could soar with the Benson family's influence, becoming the new power in Skylorn."

"I'm just afraid that Rowan is only toying with Helena," Valerie said, her expression dark and conflicted.

She wanted Helena to marry Rowan too. The Benson family was wealthy and powerful. If Helena married into the family, she'd enjoy boundless riches and prestige!

But Helena had already been married once. Even though Lance had never touched her, her reputation was already stained.

Given the Bensons' family rules, it was unlikely they'd accept a divorcee as their daughter-in-law.

"Mom, how could you even think that? I'd rather stay single forever than marry someone like Rowan!"

Helena burst into tears.

She knew exactly that Rowan was a typical playboy. Someone like that wasn't worth entrusting her life to.

"Mom's just joking." Valerie smiled, trying to reassure her.

Just then, Helena's phone rang. The moment she saw the caller ID, her face instantly turned pale.

"Is it Rowan?" Richard asked.

"Yeah..." Helena's face looked grim.

"Answer it. Let's hear what he has to say."

Helena answered the call. The next second, Rowan's furious voice came blaring through the phone.

Half a minute later, the call ended.

"What did Mr. Benson say?" Eric asked curiously.

"He told me to bring Lance to him by sunset tomorrow, or he'll make sure the Valdez family disappears from Skylorn," Helena said in a choked voice.

"That bastard Lance! If it weren't for him, would our family be in this situation?"

Valerie fumed.

"And what the hell was your grandpa thinking? Of all the men in the world, why did he have to pick that penniless loser with no background to marry into our family?"

Three years ago, Helena's grandfather, Edmond Valdez, had suddenly ordered her to marry Lance.

As the Valdez family's absolute authority, no one dared defy him. Helena had no choice but to accept.

But on their wedding night, Lance had suddenly become mentally impaired. Even after learning that, Edmond had insisted they remain married.

"Helena!" A thunderous shout suddenly rang out from outside the villa.

The next second, a figure charged into the living room.

Everyone turned to look.

It was Lance who had rushed back. When he entered the living room and saw Helena sitting on the couch, he let out a breath of relief.

"I'm sorry, Helena, I misunderstood you before."

He seriously apologized to her. "You've suffered a lot these past three years. From now on, I will make it up to you."

"Make it up? You make it sound so easy!" Valerie stood up angrily and pointed her finger at Lance.

"If it weren't for you, would Helena have suffered this humiliation? She worked so hard to take care of you for three years, and what do you do? Wake up and accuse her of being unfaithful! You even beat up Eric! What kind of man does that?

"Sign these divorce papers right now and give Helena her freedom! From now on, stay away from her. Do you hear me?"

Eric also stood up, his face dark. "Lance, I'm going to teach you a lesson today for punching me like that!"

"Lance, just divorce Helena." Richard also spoke up.

Even Helena herself said, "Lance, I've done my best for you and your mom. Yet you've broken my heart. Let's just get a divorce. We'll go our separate ways."

Hearing this, Lance's gaze darkened. He knew that his earlier words had deeply hurt Helena. She must have been completely disappointed in him.

"I won't divorce you," Lance said, shaking his head.

"Lance, do you have no shame? Our family has done more than enough for you. What more do you want? Do you want to destroy our family? Do you really think I won't fight you to the end?"

Eric exploded in anger and kept swearing.

"Lance, can't you just let me go? I'm begging you!" Helena's voice cracked with emotion.

"I know you won't believe me now, but I promise I'll take care of the Benson family situation," Lance said calmly.

"How are you going to solve it? The Silvergate Chamber of Commerce still owes us 50 million dollars! As long as Rowan stays quiet, they won't pay us a cent!"

Valerie snapped. "You're just a live-in son-in-law who we've been supporting for years. What right do you have to say that?"

"I'll prove it to you," Lance said seriously.

"Helena, I'm leaving for now. Stay home and don't do anything foolish."

With that, he turned and walked out.

"This useless fool only knows how to talk big! If he can pull this off, I'll take his last name!" Valerie scoffed.

Then something occurred to her. "By the way, didn't Mr. Atkinson use to pursue you? Maybe you could ask him for help."

"I'll handle it myself," Helena said coldly as she stood up and returned to her room.

…

Outside the hospital, Lance spotted Zaria standing at the entrance, accompanied by several burly men dressed in black suits.

"Lance, run!" Zaria shouted urgently when she saw him.

"Catch that brat. Don't let him get away!" one of the men ordered.

Chapter 6

"Who are you people?" Lance asked.

He didn't flee. He strode straight over and shielded Zaria behind him.

The black-suited bodyguards quickly surrounded him, their expressions hostile. One of them said coldly, "You killed Ms. Padilla. We're here to send you and your mother to the grave!"

"What?" Lance frowned, visibly surprised. "Are you saying that Ms. Padilla is dead?"

"Two minutes ago, her wound suddenly reopened. She bled out, and her heart stopped."

The bodyguard pointed at Lance, eyes filled with rage. "If it weren't for your quack acupuncture, she'd still be alive! Today, you and your mother are going to pay for her life!"

As he spoke, he lunged forward.

"I stabilized Ms. Padilla's condition with silver needles before I left. There shouldn't have been any complications," Lance said, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"You brat! She's already dead and you're still making excuses?" the bodyguard yelled.

"Take me in to see her. If it turns out I really caused her death, I'll take full responsibility." Lance's voice was solemn.

"Fine! Then I'll let you die knowing the truth!"

Under their watch, Lance brought Zaria back into the emergency room.

Inside, Summer lay on the bed, her face deathly pale. The monitors around her had all gone flat, showing no sign of life.

Charlie stood at the bedside, eyes bloodshot.

"Mr. Padilla, we've brought the killer here," one of the bodyguards reported.

"I trusted you. I let you treat Summer with your acupuncture. Yet you've killed her!" Charlie's gaze was cold.

"Mr. Padilla, I told you he couldn't be trusted, but you wouldn't listen."

Jerry jumped in, fanning the flames.

"If you'd let his mother donate blood from the start, Ms. Padilla could've been saved!"

"I failed you, Summer!" Charlie's expression was full of remorse.

"Kid, I told you traditional medicine is nothing but a scam. Do you believe me now?"

Jerry stepped up, his tone provocative. "Do you really think you could save her with a few silver needles? What a joke!"

Lance said nothing. His eyes were fixed on the silver needles still in Summer's body.

"Take him away," Charlie ordered.

"Mr. Padilla, please, let my son go. I'll take full responsibility," Zaria pleaded.

"You old hag, your son just committed murder! A life for a life!" Jerry sneered.

"I'll die in his stead!" Zaria shouted without hesitation.

"What a joke! Who do you think you are?"

Jerry pointed at Summer's body. "That's the Padilla family's heiress. Your lives combined aren't even worth hers."

"Someone tampered with my needles," Lance suddenly said.

"'Tampered'? What do you mean?" Charlie frowned.

"Mr. Padilla, he's just talking nonsense. He's trying to weasel out of this!" Jerry said, although a flicker of panic flashed in his eyes.

Lance stepped forward and pointed at Summer.

"I placed 24 needles before I left. One was at the CV 6, which was meant to stabilize her condition. Now it's gone."

Lance had used too many needles earlier for Charlie to remember exactly which acupuncture points were involved.

But seeing how confident Lance was, Charlie began to waver.

If someone had sabotaged Summer's treatment, killing Lance now might be playing right into their hands.

"You're spouting nonsense, brat!" Jerry snapped, his tone vicious.

"You're clearly just feeling guilty, so now you're making up excuses!"

Lance suddenly turned and stared straight at him. "Was it you?"

"Don't slander me! I've always acted with integrity. I would never do something like that!" Jerry declared, putting on a righteous front.

"Mr. Padilla, did you leave the room at any point after I left?" Lance asked.

Charlie's expression darkened. "I went to the restroom once. Only Dr. Miller was here at the time."

At that, all eyes in the room turned to Jerry.

"Mr. Padilla, I had no reason to remove the needle. I had nothing to gain from hurting your daughter!" Jerry looked completely innocent.

"True, you have nothing to gain, but you couldn't stand to see me succeed."

Lance was calm. "I've met plenty of men like you, who always sabotage others."

"Bullshit! Show me the proof if you insist that I did it!" Jerry barked.

"Search him. If he never left the room, there's a good chance the missing needle is still on him," Lance said outright.

"Search him!" Charlie ordered.

"Mr. Padilla, you can't just listen to him!" Jerry panicked.

Two bodyguards pinned him down and searched him thoroughly. "Mr. Padilla, we found nothing."

"Mr. Padilla, you see now? I've been falsely accused!" Jerry cried, looking wronged.

Suddenly, Lance stepped forward and grabbed his wrist.

"What are you doing?! Let go of me!" Jerry roared.

Lance pointed at his fingers. "Why is there blood on your thumb and index finger?"

"I-I was trying to save her! Of course, I got blood on me!" Jerry insisted stubbornly.

"How could someone rescuing a patient with massive bleeding only get blood on their thumb and index finger?" Lance shot back.

"You clearly got blood on you when you were yanking out the needles!"

"That's nonsense! You're trying to frame me!" Jerry shouted, refusing to admit it.

"Kid, that reasoning seems a bit forced. How would pulling out a needle cause blood to splatter?" Charlie questioned skeptically.

"Try it yourself and you'll see." Lance couldn't be bothered to explain further.

Hearing that, Charlie stepped forward and tried it himself.

The moment his fingers gripped the root of the needle, his expression changed. He could feel a faint tremor running through the needle. When he let go, his once-clean fingers were stained with blood.

"W-What's going on?" Charlie instantly asked.

"Do you think just sticking a silver needle into a patient is enough to cure them?"

Lance added coldly, "I infused each needle with energy. It was stabilizing the patient's condition from within. If you pull it out by force, the blood will surge back through the needle."

"Y-You're lying! That's impossible! It has to be fake!" Jerry shouted in terror.

"Tell me, did you pull out the needle from Summer?" Charlie's eyes were bloodshot. But deep down, he already knew the answer.

"I… I…" Jerry was too terrified to speak.

"Chop this bastard up and feed him to the dogs!"Charlie roared in fury.

With a thud, Jerry dropped to his knees and begged. "Please spare me, Mr. Padilla! I wasn't thinking straight! I just wanted to embarrass him. I didn't mean to kill Ms. Padilla!"

"You bastard!" Charlie could no longer hold back. He kicked Jerry in the face and began pummeling him.

"Take it outside if you're going to beat him. Don't get in my way of saving her."

Hearing that, Charlie abruptly turned to look at Lance. "W-What did you just say? You mean that Summer can still be saved?"

Chapter 7

"Mr. Padilla, this guy is lying to you! Ms. Padilla has been dead for a while. Her heart stopped beating. Unless some god came down from heaven, there's no way she could be saved!" Jerry shouted.

Lance shot him a cold glance. "Why are you so desperate for Ms. Padilla to stay dead? What's your real motive?"

"Get him out of here!" Charlie barked.

Two bodyguards immediately stepped forward and dragged Jerry away.

"Lance, what you said just now is true? Can you really save her?" Charlie asked, his voice trembling.

"Ms. Padilla hasn't completely died. With my medical skills, I should be able to bring her back," Lance said calmly.

"Lance… No, I meant Mr. Jensen! If you really bring her back, you'll be the most honored guest of the Padilla family from now on!" Charlie's eyes lit up with hope.

His daughter was all he had left. If Summer died, he wouldn't want to live either.

"Everyone, leave the room first. I need to be alone," Lance said, waving them off.

"Yes, we'll step out right away." Charlie didn't say another word and led the others out.

Zaria cast a long, meaningful look at Lance before turning to leave.

Once the room was empty, Lance took out a scalpel and sliced open his palm. Blood trickled down and landed on Summer's lips.

Three minutes later, the wound on his palm had completely healed.

He flicked his wrist. The silver needles in Summer's body flew out and embedded themselves into the ceiling. Then, he began re-inserting them into her body.

The silver needles formed the pattern of the Big Dipper, each one embedded on her body steadily.

If any seasoned practitioner of traditional medicine were present, they would've been shocked speechless. What Lance had just used was the long-lost resurrection needle technique—Life-Death Mystic Needle Technique.

He exhaled deeply. Although only seven needles were used, the technique was incredibly complex. It was the first time Lance had ever attempted it.

A minute later, the monitor at the bedside began beeping steadily. All monitors showed Summer's vitals gradually returning to normal.

Another five minutes passed. Her complexion grew rosy, and her breathing stabilized.

Only then did Lance remove the needles and walk out of the emergency room.

"Mr. Jensen, how is Summer?" Charlie hurried over.

"She's fine now. She just needs a few days of rest," Lance replied.

Charlie and several specialists rushed into the emergency room. After a thorough examination, they finally confirmed that Summer was completely out of danger.

"A genius doctor! You're a genius doctor!" Charlie exclaimed in awe. How many people in this world could revive someone whose heart had already stopped?

Summer was then transferred to a VIP ward.

"Where's Mr. Jensen?" When Charlie came out, he found Lance and Zaria were nowhere to be seen.

"Mr. Padilla, I think they went back to their ward," a bodyguard replied.

Upon hearing this, Charlie quickly made his way there. When he arrived, Lance was checking Zaria's pulse.

Charlie didn't dare interrupt and quietly waited on the side.

After a long while, Lance let go of Zaria's wrist. His face had turned grim.

He'd discovered that Zaria wasn't sick. She had been poisoned!

The toxin wasn't immediately lethal, but it accelerated the aging process of the victim's body. Standard medical tests couldn't detect it. That was why her condition hadn't improved after three years in the hospital.

Lance couldn't understand it. They'd always been kind to others. Who could be so vicious as to poison Zaria?

"Mom, you're not sick. You've been poisoned," Lance said, eyes burning with fury.

"It's a very insidious poison. It won't kill you right away, but it slowly destroys your body. To fully cure it, I'll need to gather several rare medicinal herbs."

"Lance, I'm already grateful to have lived this long. Don't worry about me. Just focus on living a good life with Helena."

Zaria didn't look surprised. Instead, she spoke gently, as if she had expected this all along.

"No way!"

Lance's eyes were full of determination. "I will find a way to cure you. And I'll make whoever did this suffer worse than you ever did."

His mother was his bottom line. He would never forgive anyone who dared poison Zaria.

"Mr. Jensen, whatever medicinal herbs you need, I can help you find them," Charlie offered.

"I know many herbal merchants. They have access to some pretty rare medicinal herbs."

As one of Skylorn's most powerful figures, Charlie had extensive connections. Finding medicinal herbs would be easy for him.

"I appreciate it, Mr. Padilla." Lance didn't stand on ceremony.

Gathering those rare medicinal herbs alone would be nearly impossible in a short time. With Charlie's help, it would be much easier.

Lance wrote down the required ingredients on a piece of paper. "Snowdrop, Spirit Flower, Hundred-Year Velvet Leaf..."

Charlie's eyes widened as he read the list. Just the thousand-year-old herbs alone were already three in number.

As for Spirit Flower and Velvet Leaf, he had never even heard of them.

"These will be hard to find, but I'll do my best," Charlie promised sincerely.

After a bit more small talk, Charlie invited Lance to lunch.

"Mr. Jensen, are you free tomorrow at noon? I'd like to treat you to lunch and introduce you to a few friends."

"Sure," Lance agreed.

After all, he still needed Charlie's help with the medicinal herbs. Refusing now would be rude.

"Great. See you tomorrow then!" Charlie left with a satisfied grin.

"Mom, do you know who poisoned you?" Lance asked.

"I don't. If you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have even known I was poisoned," Zaria replied.

"Alright. Get some rest. I'll be going for now."

Seeing that he wouldn't get any answers, Lance could only leave first.

"Lance, it's not that I don't want to tell you, but you're no match for those people…"

Zaria's gaze grew complicated. "All I want is for you to live a safe and peaceful life. Nothing else matters."

…

In Regency Villa, a handsome young man clad in designer labels was seated in the living room.

"Have some tea, Kennard." Valerie wore an ingratiating smile as she poured tea for him.

"Thanks, Mrs. Valdez." Kennard Atkinson smiled politely before glancing toward a room on the second floor.

"Where's Helena? Isn't she home?"

"She is! But it's late, and she's already gone to bed," Valerie replied quickly.

"Kennard, I actually invited you here tonight because we need your help. The Silvergate Chamber of Commerce still owes our company 50 million dollars. It's been nearly two weeks. If they don't pay up soon, the Valdez family is going bankrupt!

"I know you have influence in Skylorn. Keith would never refuse you. And I promise you this—if you can recover that money, I'll let Helena marry you!"

Kennard's eyes lit up.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Valdez. My dad is on good terms with Keith. As long as I speak to him, I guarantee you'll have that 50 million within two days!"

The Atkinson family still carried some weight in Skylorn. Kennard was a well-known trust fund baby. But compared to Rowan, he was still far behind.

What Kennard didn't know was that Keith was only stalling because Rowan had told him to.

"That's wonderful! I knew I could count on you, Kennard! Here, have some more tea." Valerie beamed.

Kennard glanced at the time and stood up. "It's getting late. I should head back now. You should rest early too, Mrs. Valdez."

As he stepped out of the villa, he bumped into Lance, who had just returned from the hospital.

Chapter 8

"Lance, I heard you'd fully recovered. I didn't believe it at first, but it seems to be true," Kennard said. His eyes were filled with mockery.

Lance glanced at the sharply dressed man, digging through the fragments of his memory. Right, he was that shameless man who kept chasing Helena even though he knew she was married.

"Trash will always be trash. Even if you're back to normal, you're still a pathetic loser."

Kennard leaned in. The smirk faded from his face, replaced by something cold and sinister.

"Lance, once I settle the Valdez family's delayed payment, Helena will be mine. I heard you caused more trouble for them today. Thank you for stirring up trouble; otherwise, her mother wouldn't have to beg for my help! It won't be long before I take her to bed. I heard you two never consummated your marriage in three years."

He clicked his tongue and continued, "Only a fool like you would leave a goddess like that untouched."

By the end, Kennard let out a twisted laugh, his expression dark and menacing.

"You're asking for death." Lance's eyes turned icy, his fists clenching tightly.

Ever since he had learned how Helena had sacrificed for him over the past three years, Lance had sworn never to let anyone hurt her again.

Helena and Zaria were both his bottom line. Kennard's words were nothing short of suicidal.

"Me? Asking for death? Try laying a finger on me!"

Kennard scoffed. "If you dare touch me, you'll be giving me the perfect excuse to beat the crap out of you."

He worked out regularly and had been taking combat training for years. Even two or three strong men weren't much of a match for him.

Lance looked thin and weak. Kennard didn't see him as a threat at all.

"What's wrong? Are you too scared to make a move? What a coward!" Kennard said in contempt.

"Once I get Helena in bed, I'll make sure to record the whole thing and send it to you. After all…"

Before he could finish, a fist the size of a sandbag smashed into his right eye.

Kennard screamed, gasping in pain.

"You idiot actually dared to hit me? You're dead!" Once he recovered from the shock, he lunged at Lance in fury.

But Lance moved faster. He delivered a brutal slap across Kennard's face. Before the scream could escape, Lance drove a punch into his stomach.

Kennard's stomach churned violently as he vomited up his entire dinner. His body curled up like a shrimp as he collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain.

"What's going on out here? Who's yelling?"

The commotion drew Valerie and Eric out of the house.

"Kennard! What happened to you?" Valerie gasped when she saw him lying on the ground, writhing in pain. Kennard was their only hope of saving the Valdez family.

"Lance hit me," Kennard growled through clenched teeth.

"Have you lost your mind, Lance? You even dared to lay hands on Mr. Atkinson? Are you tired of living?" Eric exploded in anger.

"Lance, I'm ordering you to apologize to Kennard right now!" Valerie snapped, pointing at him.

"Mom, he insulted Helena first," Lance tried to explain.

"I'm not your mom! The Valdez family never had a son-in-law like you!" Valerie screamed.

"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess! Tomorrow, you'll finalize the divorce with Helena and get out of our family!"

Lance's brows furrowed. He didn't expect Valerie to hate him this much.

"Come on, Kennard, get up. The ground is too cold," Valerie said, stepping forward to help him.

But when she caught a whiff of the vomit covering him, she instantly recoiled in disgust.

Kennard saw everything. It didn't hurt—but it humiliated him.

His face burned with shame. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to kill Lance.

"Mrs. Valdez, I was trying to help your family, but is this how your son-in-law treats me? Do you really expect me to take the high road after this?"

Kennard threatened, "If I don't get an apology today, I'm done helping your family."

"What?" Valerie nearly jumped in shock.

If Kennard walked away now, the Valdez family would be finished.

"Kennard, I'll make that bastard apologize to you right now!"

"Lance, did you hear me? Apologize now!" she demanded, jabbing her finger at his nose.

"I won't apologize." Lance shook his head and rejected. His voice was calm, but firm.

"You ungrateful brat! How dare you defy me now?" Valerie stamped her feet furiously.

"Fine! Just you wait. I'll go get Helena!" She stormed back into the villa.

Two minutes later, she returned with Helena, who was dressed in a black nightgown with lace trim.

The moment Kennard saw her, his gaze locked in. She was stunning. He had to have her in his bed every single night.

"Helena, look what that bastard did to Kennard!" Valerie pointed at the dark bruise around Kennard's eye, her voice full of righteous indignation.

"He beat up the one person who's trying to save the Valdez family for no reason. Tell me, does that even sound like something a decent human being would do?"

Helena had been half-asleep, but those words woke her right up.

"Lance, did you hit him?" Her expression turned icy.

"I hit him because…"

Before Lance could explain, Helena cut him off coldly.

"Lance, I'm so disappointed in you. How many people have you hit today? Do you think your fists can solve everything? Why do you keep letting me down like this?"

She shook her head in disappointment.

"It's fine, Helena. It's not that bad. I'll just put some ice on it later."

Kennard made a tactical retreat. "Don't let me come between your marriage. Lance, maybe you misunderstood me. If I did something wrong, I'll apologize."

In stark contrast to how he'd acted moments ago, he now carried himself with humility and grace. He was the perfect picture of a gentleman.

"Lance, do you have anything to say?“ Helena turned her head slightly, her gaze colder than ever.

How had Lance fallen this far?

"Helena, don't waste your breath on him. File for divorce first thing in the morning."

Valeria fanned the flames. "As long as Kennard settles the delayed payments, the two of you can get married right away!"

"Exactly, Helena. You and Mr. Atkinson are made for each other. That loser isn't even worthy of you," Eric chimed in.

"I know nothing I say now will make you believe me."

Lance met Helena's gaze calmly. "But there's still time, and I'll prove myself to you."

"Prove yourself? We're still paying for your mom's hospital bill!"

Valerie scoffed. "If you're so capable, then stop leeching off us!"

"That's enough, Lance. Just leave. I don't want to see you again."

Helena turned and went back inside, her face full of disappointment.

Knowing there was no point in explaining, Lance quietly turned and walked away.

"Do you really think you can take me on? I could ruin you with just a few words." Watching Lance walk away, Kennard curled his lips into a sneer.