Aelfric inquired further, “Mr. Black Snake, does this mean you accept our partnership?”
Marissa replied, “I look forward to our successful collaboration.”
“OK. We’ll meet on the Sunrise. Keep in touch. Stay adaptable,” said Aelfric
“OK.” Marissa logged off the Dark Net after ending the chat with Aelfric
She was certain of one thing: King had no intention of harming Connor. Before she departed for Blebert, King had clearly instructed her that offending Connor was out of the question and urged her to keep her distance
It was evident that Aelfric had made this decision independently. A short while later, she sent a message to Connor. “Do you have any personal grievances with Aelfric Warren?”
Connor’s response was prompt. “Why do you bring him up all of a sudden? What’s going on?”
Marissa responded, “His younger brother broke off his engagement with Tiffany. I had a run-in with his younger sister last night. I’m trying to gather more information about them. Also, I heard he’s the deputy chief instructor of Doomsday Base. That sounds ominous!”
Connor replied, “Aelfric and I have been rivals since we were kids. We’ve accumulated a lot of bad blood over the years. But don’t worry. As long as you’re with me, he won’t dare touch you.”
“I see,” Marissa typed back, now fully grasping the situation. It was clear that Aelfric harbored deep-seated grudges against Connor but lacked the power to confront him alone. Masking his personal vendetta under the guise of Doomsday Base’s decision, he reached out to Black Snake to get rid of Connor. Marissa’s expression hardened as she pieced everything together
Doomsday Base had stringent policies. Graduates were to sever all ties with the base once they left, regardless of their future affiliations or actions. The base would only intervene if a graduate was unjustly targeted or bullied. Yet here was Aelfric, the deputy chief instructor, attempting to embroil the entire organization in his personal vendetta. He wasn’t just acting in the name of Doomsday Base; he had also falsely claimed the endorsement of Black Mallow and King. Marissa knew it was time to remove the black sheep from the base. Still, she delayed confronting Aelfric. Her immediate priority was performing surgery on Caylee
Three days later, Marissa performed Caylee’s surgery at Benevolence Hospital. The operation drew a crowd. Doctors and medical staff crammed the hallway outside the operating room, eager to observe. Like the previous time she had saved Caylee, Marissa donned a white surgical gown, cap, and mask, concealing her identity as she entered through the back door. As the surgery commenced, an unexpected visitor appeared outside the operating room, causing a stir among the members of the Sanchez family
Aelfric, clad in a gray suit and a silver mask, stood tall, exuding an aura of mystery and menace. He appeared abruptly outside Caylee’s operating room, accompanied by Melinda and Chloe, sending a shockwave through the crowd. Though Aelfric had only been seen in Blebert a few times, his reputation preceded him. Occupying a high position in Doomsday Base, he was known for his ruthlessness and vengefulness. Only Connor had ever dared to cross him
The Sanchez family tensed up the moment they spotted Aelfric stepping out of the elevator, recalling Marissa’s recent affront to Melinda. It seemed obvious that Aelfric was here to seek revenge for his sister
In their haste to safeguard Tiffany, the Sanchez family realized she was nowhere to be found. “It’s odd, isn’t it? Aunt Caylee’s undergoing surgery. Where could Tiffany be?” Leila muttered to herself
Just then, Aelfric approached. Daryl, caught off guard, hurriedly greeted him, “Mr. Warren, to what do we owe this visit?”
With his face obscured by the mask, Aelfric’s expression remained unreadable. He replied in a low and steady voice, “I’ve come to see the renowned Dr. Riss.”
Behind him, Melinda tilted her chin up with pride, whispering to Chloe, “He’s only saying that as a cover. He’s actually here to avenge me.”
Chloe feigned worry. “What does Aelfric intend to do?”
With a scoff, Melinda retorted, “Tiffany acted so high and mighty the last time we met. Today, my brother will make her pay. Her mother will die on that operating table, and I’ll watch Tiffany weep her heart out!”
Chloe’s mouth fell open in mock surprise. “I really don’t think that’s a wise choice.”
“Have you forgotten the way she embarrassed us? Just wait and see!” With a derisive snort, Melinda turned to the Sanchez family and called out loudly, “Where’s Tiffany?”
It dawned on the Sanchez family that Aelfric had come looking for Tiffany, and that visiting Riss was merely a pretext
“Tiffany didn’t show up,” Rachel replied
“She didn’t come?” Melinda’s voice was tinged with disbelief. “She didn’t even show up for her mother’s surgery today. What a cold-hearted bitch she is!”
“Watch your mouth, Melinda!” Leila snapped, clearly agitated. “Tiffany might have been held up by something. It’s not right for you to come here and bad-mouth her like this!”
Clap!
Aelfric struck Leila across the face. Leila, slight as she was, could not withstand Aelfric’s forceful slap and toppled to the floor. The Sanchez family hadn’t expected Aelfric to attack someone right in front of them. By the time they realized what had happened, Leila was already on the floor, blood spilling from her mouth. Rachel quickly helped her up, while Daryl confronted Aelfric
“What do you mean by this, Mr. Warren?”
Aelfric’s sneer was cold as he responded, “Consider that slap a lesson. She mustn’t cross my sister again. Should it happen again, the consequences will be far worse than just spitting blood.”
Melinda’s smile was smug as she demanded, “Hand over Tiffany now!”
“We’ve already told you, she’s not here!” Rachel chimed in fiercely. “And even if she were, Mr. Warren, surely you’d hesitate to do what you want for the sake of Mr. Connor Daniels, wouldn’t you?”
Aelfric bristled at the mention of Connor. Staring icily at Rachel, he asked, “Are you threatening me with Connor?”
His demeanor was intimidating, enough to frighten the average person, but Rachel stood her ground. “Do you want to mess with Mr. Connor Daniels?”
As Aelfric clenched his fists, his eyes seethed with fury. Rachel’s words might have been irritating, but they rang true. He couldn’t afford a confrontation with Connor. So even if Tiffany was here, he couldn’t hurt her. However, compelled to vent his frustration and defend his sister’s honor, Aelfric couldn’t leave without making his presence felt
With these thoughts swirling in his head, he kicked open the door to the operating room and stormed inside
Everyone gasped in shock as the door to the operating room burst open with a loud bang. Aelfric had kicked the door open with such force that Riss, who was mid-surgery, was startled, causing her hand to waver dangerously close to jeopardizing the patient’s life. As the initial shock subsided, the Sanchez family rushed into the operating room, bracing themselves for the worst. However, to their relief, the scene was far from catastrophic
Unperturbed by Aelfric’s disruption, Riss continued her delicate work with surgical precision, her eyelids steady. Beside her, Ferris, her chief assistant, remained composed, aiding Riss with seamless efficiency. The Sanchez family exhaled a collective sigh of relief, though they were itching to confront Aelfric. Yet, they knew all too well that he was beyond their control
Aelfric himself was taken aback by Riss’s composure. She didn’t seem like a typical doctor; she was as unshakeable as a veteran soldier. Her calmness briefly mesmerized Aelfric, reminding him of only one other woman who possessed such formidable resolve in the face of peril-Black Mallow, the famed chief instructor of the Doomsday Base. A trace of admiration flickered across his face as he watched the female doctor. Lost in his thoughts, Aelfric was jolted back to reality by Riss’s firm voice
“Mr. Warren, if you wish to observe the surgery, please do so quietly. If you’re unable to, I must ask you to leave.”
Before Aelfric could respond, Melinda exclaimed with arrogance, “You might be the skilled Dr. Riss, but so what? My brother holds the rank of deputy chief instructor in Doomsday Base. You should mind your manners… Ah!”
Her taunt was cut short as a streak of silver light flashed before her eyes. Before she could make sense of what had happened, an object skimmed past her scalp, leaving a chilling sensation along her head and spine. Recovering from the initial shock, Melinda instinctively reached up to touch her head, only to discover a significant chunk of her hair missing. The others present were equally stunned. Their eyes followed the trajectory of the silver light and found a scalpel embedded in the wall, Melinda’s severed hair still clinging to it
Unlike the others, Aelfric had seen everything clearly. He fixed his gaze on Marissa and sneered, “Dr. Riss, those are impressive fighting skills. How about we test them in a spar?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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