Medical Sage

In northern Italy, a snowy mountain range, celebrated as the permanent marker of the European Continent, exudes an irresistible charm. It lacks the distinct, severe cold of the four seasons; instead, it is warm all year round with pleasant scenery, making it ’one of the most worthwhile places to visit in a lifetime’ in the eyes of many worldwide. It could truly be called a paradise on Earth, bestowed by God.

Unfortunately, Chen Fei was in no mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery. He was, instead, a little nervous… and expectant. He was here to settle a score with certain people, and from what he understood, those people were very, very strong.

As the morning sun began to rise, a refreshing breeze swept across the foot of the Italian Alps. Yet, from the moment Chen Fei set foot there, a layer of thick, dark clouds seemed to envelop the area, heralding the arrival of the Grim Reaper, who had come to conduct a reckoning with certain people and certain organizations.

As the two greatest civilizations on Earth, the Land of the Eastern Dragon and the Western Dark World had always kept to themselves, like well water and river water, each staying in its own lane. The most important rule was that neither side ever crossed the boundary. To do so would be a blatant act of provocation.

Not to mention, the bullet scar on Chen Fei’s neck was a constant reminder. Having been bullied to such an extent, wouldn’t it seem utterly incompetent and cowardly of him to endure it in silence?

”Crimson Fang, the world’s fourth-ranked Assassin Organization?”

Along the way, Chen Fei held a file on the Crimson Fang given to him by Old Brad, murmuring to himself with narrowed eyes.

As the world’s fourth-ranked assassin organization, Crimson Fang’s reputation was well-earned. They boasted numerous top-tier assassins and an arsenal of unbelievable, horrifying methods of murder. In particular, the organization’s twelve Silver Badge Assassins and four Aces were intimidating figures in the international Assassin World. One of them was even considered a legend.

Jack the Blade was lauded as, at minimum, one of the top three most exceptional individuals in the Assassin World today. Since his debut, he had blazed across the dark, cold world of assassins as fiercely and abruptly as a comet. Countless geniuses and veterans had fallen, yet he remained unshakable—a testament to how formidable and astonishing he was.

His most eye-catching achievement had undoubtedly occurred over a decade ago. Alone, armed with only a blade, he had moved like a dark shadow into the Vatican, the gathering place of fanatical believers—the Holy Church of the Divine Holy Church—and emerged with the head of a vice-archbishop. Such a feat was considered spine-chilling on a global scale. After all, that was the Holy Church of the Divine Holy Church, the world’s largest congregation of fanatical believers.

Are we finally there?

As Chen Fei consulted the map of the Alps in his hand and followed the winding mountain road upward, he finally saw a lush, primeval forest in the distance. A cruel smile stretched across his lips. He vanished into a fleeting shadow and entered the forest.

His first stop was the training base for the Crimson Fang’s reserve assassins, hidden within the Great Rift Valley of the Alps.

”Put your backs into it! Run if you don’t want to die! Otherwise, I guarantee you won’t see the sun later today,” a fierce-looking bald man in military attire roared from within the Great Rift Valley, his tone as sharp as a blade.

Before him, a group of children with numb expressions and of various ethnicities struggled to move forward, their teeth gritted under the strain of heavy weights. The moment any of them slowed down, thorny whips lashed out at them. At least four or five men with sinister expressions stood by, whips in hand, cruel sneers plastered on their faces.

BANG!

A sudden gunshot echoed. The head of a white child in the line exploded, splattering red blood and brain matter everywhere. The fierce-looking bald man shook the still-smoking pistol in his hand, his face twisting into a cruel smile. ”It seems you really thought I was joking with you. Oh, my apologies. I forgot to tell you that three months ago, another batch of wastes like you was sent here. Now, they’ve all gone to meet God.

”If you want to survive, you will do everything I say. Otherwise, God might take a special liking to you, hahaha!”

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three more frail bodies collapsed into pools of blood. The man was a complete madman who didn’t see the children as human beings at all. Perhaps, in his eyes, they were merely prospective killing machines, categorized only by whether they had any use value.

Every year, several hundred, sometimes close to a thousand, children were sent here, but only a few—or sometimes none at all—survived. This was cruelty. This was ruthlessness. Crimson Fang had no use for stragglers or wastes. Otherwise... the one who died would be him.

Truly inhumane… Standing on a high cliff overlooking the valley, Chen Fei witnessed the scene and fell silent, his eyes growing colder. Then, he vanished.

”Looks like you’ve given up, huh? Actually, giving up isn’t so bad. It means relief, but…” SMACK! Just as the vicious-faced bald man aimed the cold barrel of his gun at another child who had collapsed and was twitching on the ground, a hand—one that was clearly very young—suddenly shot out and gripped his arm. The man’s expression changed drastically.

”Who’s there!?”

BANG!

The fierce bald man reacted quickly. The pistol in his right hand bizarrely appeared in his left, and he fired at the chilling figure that had materialized behind him.

Instantly, the children who were struggling to run froze. Even the four or five grim-faced henchmen were stunned.

BOOM!

The moment the gunshot rang out, everyone heard a deep, explosive sound fill the air. Their pupils contracted as they saw the young figure, who at some point had quietly extended a hand. In the center of his palm, a searing hot, pitch-black bullet rested, its presence sending a tremor of fear through their hearts.

”No! How can this be…” CRACK!

The fierce bald man was clearly dumbfounded, never expecting the person who had appeared so suddenly to be this terrifying. In the next breath, the words caught in his throat. The figure’s seemingly slender fist, much to his horror, smashed heavily into his body.

A sickening crunch of shattering bone filled the air. Everyone watched, stupefied, as the ground beneath the man’s feet sank several inches. A wave of air like a sandstorm momentarily blinded them.

”What… What was that?”

Everyone stared at the scene in horror. As the gravel and dust settled like a torrential downpour, they finally saw clearly.

On the slightly sunken ground, the fierce bald man lay limp like a dead fish, the light gone from his eyes. On his back stood a strikingly young man with an Eastern face. One of his feet rested casually on the man’s now-twisted and broken spine. As for the bald man, he was completely silent, his life extinguished.

”You, you… who the hell are you!?” Witnessing this, the five or six grim-faced men stared at Chen Fei, their faces etched with terror. Their skin twitched uncontrollably, their eyes wide with fear. They knew the fierce bald man was considered the closest in their organization to a Silver Badge Assassin. He was only training new recruits because he had grown tired of his old life and had volunteered for a change of pace.

But now, this major figure in their organization hadn’t even survived a single move. What did that mean? The thought alone was enough to shatter their courage. It was too unbelievable.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

However, the only response they received was the sharp sound of something piercing the air, followed by their own shrill screams. Before their terrified eyes, crimson flashes of light descended like demonic claws, piercing their necks and hearts.

”No!”

The grim-faced men looked down in disbelief at the blood pouring from their chests. The thorny whips slipped from their grasp and fell to the ground. But just then, a series of rapid gunshots erupted, causing Chen Fei’s eyes to narrow.

As the shots rang out, he waved a hand, casually stopping the bullets that would have meant certain death for any normal person. But it wasn’t the bullets that concerned him. It was the shooters. Shockingly, they were the very children he thought he had just saved. They were the ones pulling the triggers of the pistols they carried.

Some have already been completely brainwashed. How terrifying.

Seeing the numb, savage, and hostile beast-like expressions in the children’s eyes, a helpless smile touched Chen Fei’s lips. The next moment, he waved his hand again. Streaks of crimson flame enveloped the children like a tempest. When the fiery storm dissipated, all of them had collapsed in a heap, unconscious.

Sigh, this heart of mine… I still can’t help but be soft. Chen Fei shook his head with a look of resignation.

But at that very moment, a chill shot up his spine. His hair stood on end, and a profound sense of horror washed over him. He suddenly felt a dangerous presence tearing violently toward his shoulder.

CLANG!

PSHH!

A dull, grating sound, like metal striking metal, rang out. On his shoulder, the skin was torn open, and hot blood began to flow.