Andrew had Marcus figured out by now. If he had to sum him up in one sentence, it would be a closet hedonist, through and through.


    The two were originally nning to head back to Rhodes Corporation together. However, before they could leave, Andrew''s phone rang-it was Francesca.


    "Andrew, where are you? Get to Moonlit Apothecary right now-N''s in critical condition!" Her voice was trembling, thick with panic and distress.


    Andrew''s face turned ice-cold. "What happened? Take a deep breath and tell me everything!"


    Francesca broke down into sobs. "That hunchbacked bastard-Aspen''s guy-the one she hired! He hit N, Andrew! Please, hurry! The poison is spreading fast-I can''t save her!"


    Andrew did not waste another second. He hung up, mmed his foot on the gas, and tore through the streets toward Moonlit Apothecary.


    If Francesca''s description was right, N had been struck by Gordon''s guebringer''s Palm.


    Andrew had survived it before because he was immune to toxins. However, N was just an ordinary woman. Taking a hit from a peak senior grandmaster like Gordon and still being alive was already a miracle.


    Nheless, Gordon had just signed his own death warrant.


    Andrew''s eyes burned with pure, lethal intent. It had been a long time since he wanted to kill someone this badly.


    Aspen was on the list too. He had tolerated her games long enough. Now that she hade after his people, there was no longer any mercy left for her.


    The moment his G-Wagon screeched to a halt outside Moonlit Apothecary, Andrew jumped out and stormed inside.


    Francesca was sitting on the floor, cradling N in her arms. Her face was streaked with tears, her expression a mix of helplessness and despair. She had tried to neutralize the poison, but even touching N''s skin made her hands sting.


    guebringer''s Palm-a poison so deadly that even minor contact could spread it.


    "Fran, move!" Andrew quickly took N from Francesca''s arms and carefullyid her on the bed.


    Pulling her cor aside, he saw the ckened imprint of a palm on her shoulder. Tendrils of dark poison had already spread outward, creeping through her veins.


    Her breathing was faint, her eyelids shut tight, and even in unconsciousness, her face was twisted in pain. Andrew''s gaze shifted to the floor-where a pool of fresh blood had gathered beneath her.


    His fury roared even hotter as he thought, ''Gordon... you''re a dead man.''


    "Andrew, can you save her? If N dies, I swear to God-I''ll hunt Aspen down myself!" Francesca''s voice was hoarse from screaming, her eyes red with rage.


    Andrew pulled out a vitality pill and slipped it into N''s mouth,


    temporarily preserving her life force Then, with swift precision, he began inserting silver needles into her acupuncture points, drawing out the deadly poison thread by thread.


    "Calm down. As long as I''m here, N will not die."


    It was only then that he took a second to reassure Francesca.


    The process was grueling. For nearly five hours, Andrew worked tirelessly, extracting everyst trace of poison from N''s body.


    One by one, the silver needles absorbed the toxins, turning ck as ink. The moment they touched a bowl of water, the liquid turned pitch-dark, swirling with lethal venom.


    Francesca watched in horror. "Oh my... if you had been even a littlete, N would''ve..."


    She could not bring herself to finish the sentence. Instead, she choked back a sob, overwhelmed with relief.


    The ck palm mark on N''s


    shoulder had faded significantly. To ensure no lingering effects, Andrew fed her a few detox pills, ensuring that everyst remnant of the


    guebringer''s Palm was


    ov


    fel


    eradicated.


    Finally, he let out a long breath.


    On the bed, N slowly opened her eyes, her voice barely a whisper. "Dr. Aicker... Dr. Lloyd... you''re all here..."


    Francesca immediately gripped her hands. "N, don''t be scared! Andrew''s here you''re safe now!" N turned her weak gaze toward Andrew, offering a faint smile.


    "Dr. Lloyd... thank you... But you need to leave... That hunchbacked man is dangerous He was looking for you... When I said I didn''t know where you were, he said... he''d make me е experience a fate worse than


    death..."


    on