Today felt like the end of the line for him...


    The footsteps below were closing in, and Nick was bracing himself for onest stand.


    But the moment he saw who wasing up, the scalpel slipped from his hand and ttered to the ground.


    It wasn''t just anyone; it was As.


    "Mr. Nick!"


    As''s voice was filled with relief as he leapt up the stairs. Just as he was about to ask what happened, his eyesnded on Nick''s soaked clothes and the droplets of blood dripping from his hand.


    As''s face turned white. "Mr. Nick, you..."


    Nick lifted a hand to cut him off, removing the earpiece from his ear and turning it off. "We need to go."


    As quickly moved to support him, and only then did he notice the back of Nick''s shirt was almost entirely drenched, leaving bloodstains on the stairs behind them.


    The wound was severe; a bullet had torn through his back, narrowly missing his heart.


    Nick was still barely conscious, leaning heavily on As''s shoulder. "Don''t breathe a word about tonight to Mira, not one."


    As''s hands trembled, but knowing Mr. Nick''s stubborn nature, he nodded tightly. "I understand. Please, save your strength. I''ll get you to a hospital."


    "If I don''t make it... As, tell Chester I let him down, couldn''t find any leads on Aunt Tung, and my sister... keep her out of this mess..."


    Nick''s voice faded, and his head slumped forward.


    Realizing how dire Nick''s condition was, As''s eyes burned red, the veins on his hands bulging with tension, but he didn''t dare waste a moment. He motioned for his men to help carry Nick on his back. Just as he was about to head down, he noticed the scalpel on the floor.


    He carefully picked it up, tucked it in his pocket, and told his team, "Someone stay behind and clean up all this blood."


    As managed to slip out the back door with Nick just before the guards arrived.


    They had already created an escape routeing in, so getting out was smooth, without alerting anyone inside the institute.


    *


    Meanwhile, on the other end, Mirabe heard As''s voice through her earpiece before the line went dead. Her fingers danced over the touchpad, pulling up the GPS tracker to watch the blinking red dot move. She should''ve felt relieved, but her heart wouldn''t settle.


    In such a dangerous situation, gunfire almost always meant someone got hurt. Mirabe clenched her fingertips, shut down herputer, and opened the desk drawer filled with bottles and jars.


    She grabbed three bottles and her set of needles, stood up, and headed out with purpose.


    Driving out of the neighborhood, Mirabe called As.


    It took a moment before As picked up, his voice as steady as ever. “Miss Mira, we''ve left the medical college with Mr. Nick."


    Mirabe''s grip tightened on the steering wheel, her eyes fixed on the road. "Is my brother okay?"


    As nced over at Nick, whose seat was soaked in red, his breathing barely perceptible. Remembering Nick''s instructions, he replied, "It''s nothing serious, just... a minor scratch."


    Hearing this, Mirabe''s expression darkened, and she pressed the gas pedal to the floor. "Where are you? I''ming now."