Here, the doctor, Choya, accepted them, claiming to cure Anna's illness.

Over the past few months, Anna had been taking medication, yet there was no sign of improvement in her condition. Even so, Anna was still grateful to the factory owner, George, and Dr. Choya.

However, what she couldn't accept was that just three days ago, her younger brother, Little Wood, was carried back to the shabby basement by several workers, barely breathing, covered in bruises and scars, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"Anna... sister..." Little Wood said weakly, "I went to George to get our money back..."

"They tricked us, sister." Little Wood managed to utter a few words, "Those medicines... are just flour and sugar... the clinic is a scam by George and his son."

Little Wood muttered intermittently, mentioning that the people from the Black Robe Gang told him, George and the Black Light Clinic are scams.

Then, he went to George to demand wages but was beaten out by the workers in the factory who had been bought by George, even losing his job.

Not willing to give up, Little Wood took those so-called "medicines" to the Black Light Clinic to question Dr. Choya but ran into Dr. Choya receiving a noble investor from the Upper City District.

After failing to retrieve his money, Little Wood decisively told the noble investor about Dr. Choya using fake medicine to deceive workers.

"I thought... exposing them... would do some good."

Little Wood's voice was weak, tears streaming down his cheeks, "Instead, the noble said people like us... it doesn't matter if we live or die; extracting money is what counts.

He even praised... Choya as a talent... capable of precisely controlling the clinic's costs and immediately agreed to help Choya build a hospital in the industrial zone.

Because the Union promised, factory owners would provide workers with necessary medical help, building a hospital could eat from both sides, squeezing out the last bit of money from the workers."

Although Dr. Choya's transaction with the noble was reached, how could he let go of this mud-legged person attempting to interfere with his business?

Dr. Choya arranged for someone to injure Little Wood severely and threw him into the garbage heap; if not for being seen by his former coworkers, Little Wood might have died right there in the trash.

But even bringing Little Wood home, for a destitute family, is no different from slow death.

With confusion and puzzlement about the world, Little Wood drew his last breath on that gloomy night, his young life dissipating like the factory steam under Oranck's gray sky.

Now, Anna supported her body, afflicted for months, standing at the back door of the Black Light Clinic.

Her lungs were in severe pain; each breath sliced like a knife; she knew she wouldn't live much longer, yet she was determined to avenge her brother.

When the last light in the clinic went out, Anna quietly pushed open the back door.

Under the dim moonlight, she fumbled forward while Choya was counting the day's income in the room behind.

"Is there anyone?" A voice called out from inside the room, "Who is there?"

Choya opened the door and saw Anna wobbling in the corridor. Under the faint light, he did not recognize this haggard woman.

"Ah, another patient." Choya gave a professional fake smile, "Coming so late, I suppose it's urgent; let me check for you immediately."

Anna bowed her head, letting Choya lead her into a simple examination room, her hand always tightly gripping the knife hidden in her sleeve.

"Where are you uncomfortable?" Choya asked, his eyes sizing up any possibly valuable items on Anna, "I have the latest special medicine here, but it's a bit pricey."

With a brief pause, Choya added.

"Of course, you can trust the efficacy; my medical skills have been acknowledged by the White Family.

A month later, I'll be taking the position of deputy director at Oranck Industrial Hospital; by then, you'd have no chance to find me for treatment."

Choya's expression was proud; in these few days, he had already deceived dozens of workers with this set of words, and none failed to praise his medical skills.

Even those who knew before that he was unskilled now started to have doubts, for the White family's recognition was indeed genuine.

Yet as Choya pondered how to extract the last shilling from this mud-legged person before him, Anna suddenly spoke.

"Do you remember Little Wood?"

Choya paused, then resumed his smile: "Sorry, I see so many patients every day; it's hard to remember."

"It was three days ago, the boy you arranged to be beaten to death!"

Anna's eyes flashed with harshness, "You and your father used fake medicine to cheat us, squeezed out his hard-earned money, and almost killed him!"

Choya's face showed a hint of panic but quickly regained composure: "Madam, you must be mistaken. I only offer proper treatment here; it's impossible for such a thing to happen."

Showing a few disdainful looks in his eyes, Choya spoke coldly:

"If you're thinking of extorting me like this, you're overthinking it; I won't fall for this.

If you truly have evidence, go to court and sue me!"

"Of course, provided you can afford a lawyer....."

Before he could finish, Anna suddenly drew the knife hidden in her sleeve, thrusting it towards Choya's chest.

However, the illness and weakness tormenting her for months slowed her movement; Choya easily dodged the deadly spot, leaving that knife only to cut a shallow wound on his shoulder.

The wound on his shoulder wasn't heavy, but the rusty kitchen knife made Choya fearful.

"Damn crazy woman!" Choya roared, grabbing the iron medicine box on the table and smashing it towards Anna's head.

At first hit, Anna staggered back.

Second hit, falling to her knees.

Third hit, blood flowed from her temple, spreading across the floor.

"Lowly workers, who do they think they are?" Choya panted heavily, face filled with rage, "Such people as you, dying one less one!"

Anna lay on the cold floor, her vision gradually blurring.

She remembered the look in Little Wood's eyes at his last moment, filled with disappointment and resentment towards this world.

The chill of death spread from her limbs throughout her body; this sentiment had appeared countless times in the past few months, each time she managed to persist by thinking of taking care of Little Wood.

And now, she could finally hold on no longer.

In her blurred vision, everything seemed to slow down.

Choya's pacing, the clock in the corner, and the gradually trailing sound of Choya's rant.

Anna felt as if she were in another space, a world beyond reality.

In this slow and silent time-space, a figure emerged from the darkness.

That person was elegantly dressed, holding a silver cane, reminiscent of someone Anna felt she had heard from Little Wood.

Yet amidst the chaotic thoughts, she could no longer sustain her thinking.

"Reluctance, anger, despair, and this rich essence of death..."

Lu Yan whispered softly, as if admiring a work of art.

His voice echoed in the space, seemingly from a distant shore, yet sounded directly within the depths of Anna's soul.

"Anna Wood, I can give you a chance, a chance for revenge." Lu Yan tapped his cane lightly on the ground, a crisp sound echoed distinctly in the silent clinic.

Anna floated above her broken body, her consciousness hovering between void and existence.

She saw Choya's look of panic, saw her own gradually cooling body, everything like a thin veil.

"You can become a guardian of order or transform into a feared avenger, all in your whim."

As Lu Yan spoke, Anna's mind grew increasingly lucid.

Mists upon her thoughts condensed; she recalled her brother's desperate look before death, remembered the figures struggling amidst the roar of machines, remembered the sight of a city split in two.

"Then, what is the cost?" Anna asked, her voice no longer hoarse, but soft as the night breeze.

Lu Yan smiled faintly, his cane drawing a symbol on the ground: a majestic city carved like mountains.

"To tread a path never walked by anyone before."

Anna gazed at Lu Yan, clearly in the shadow, yet Lu Yan's silhouette felt sacred, almost causing her consciousness to sink once more.

"I am willing."

Lu Yan slowly approached her, pressing his finger gently against her forehead.

"Drink the potion named death; this is the path leading to the Underworld."

The vitality of the flesh scattered, whilst the soul completed gestation outside the body; Anna felt herself torn apart and reassembled, falling and rising within boundless darkness, traversing countless corridors of cries and whispers.

"Sequence Nine, named: Wandering Soul!"

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