Inside Juniper''s research institute.


    "Ah, Juniper, you''re back!" The moment they saw her, the senior researchers at the institute lit up.


    “Yeah.” Juniper dropped her backpack and plopped down into a chair with an air of casual authority.


    "It''s been a while since you''ve visited. We hope you''re well. How are your studies?" The director approached with a milkshake and some dessert, his aged face beaming with a fawning smile.


    Juniper slowly lifted her eyelids, her gazezily falling on the old man across from her. “If you have something to say, just say it."


    "Oh, nothing at all!" The director shrugged with a cheerful grin. "We were just concerned about you. We''ve missed you."


    "Oh." A slight curve formed on Juniper''s lips. "If there''s nothing, then I''ll get to work."


    "No, no, no!" Seeing that she was about to leave, the director quickly followed, scratching his head. “It''s just... the number of research projects this month has increased, and we''ve gone over budget."


    "I just transferred twenty million to youst month..." Juniper said, turning her headnguidly.


    The director looked like he was about to get on his knees. Research burned through money like water, and they had already tried their best to be frugal.


    But they hadn''t saved much. He had been stressing over how to ask the boss for more funds. By sheer coincidence, Juniper had returned.


    The director was a dedicated man, and Juniper didn''t want to make things difficult for him. "The money will be in the ount by tomorrow afternoon," she said softly. "Now, I need you to look at something for me."


    "Right away!” ted to have secured the funding, the director practically flew off, moving faster than anyone else.


    In theb.


    The director, now in a whiteb coat, carefully reviewed the blood analysis report Juniper had given him, his brow deeply furrowed. “Juniper, is this Ebony Fox''s report?"


    “No,” Juniper said, her lips tightening. "Another sister."


    "Huh?" The director was stunned and blurted out, "I thought you had only found one sister, and that her health wasn''t good."


    "That was the case," Juniper said, licking her dry lips. Unsure how to exin, she put it bluntly, "I found another one. Her health isn''t good either."


    The director stared at Juniper, his mouth slightly agape, with an expression that was hard to describe. What a string of bad luck.


    "Based on this report, it''s highly likely her condition was caused by severe psychological trauma," the director answered professionally. "The most effective treatment would be hypnotherapy."


    But this kind of hypnotherapy was unlike the usual kind. The treatment process required the patient to continuously relive their most


    painfubmemories. If she could''


    confront them, she could awaken. If not... they would have to repeat the hypnosis over and over, forcing her to face the pain again and again. If she couldn''t withstand it, the extreme emotional distress could easily cause a cerebral hemorrhage, killing her during the session.


    That was why the institute had never dared to use this hypnotherapy technique.


    “Juniper, you''re worried that..." The director looked at Juniper''s grim face, hesitating to finish his sentence.


    Juniper stood motionless, a dark


    cloud hanging over her. Her voice


    was hoarse. "I just need an answer. I


    was hoping it was a brain injury. At


    least with brain surgery I could guarantee her safety."


    Hypnotherapy... If her guess was


    correct, her sister''s cognitive regression was likely caused by the "maritime disaster. Het parents her siblings-all lost to the sea. Who could bear that kind of pain?


    There was no guarantee of sess on the first try with hypnotherapy? Did she


    really have to make her sister relive that agony repeatedly?


    "There''s no other method besides hypnotherapy, is there?"


    "No." The director shook his head with a look of regret. "Sometimes, forgetting the pain is a blessing.”


    A blessing? She thought of Celine on the ind with Warren, happily nting flowers and tending to her garden. It really did seem like a good life.