A graceful middle-aged woman stood before them.
She wore a dark silk qipao embroidered with faint silver cloud patterns that shimmered subtly under the lights. Her hands were clasped in front of her, holding a cloth bag, presumably containing her needles and herbs.
A thin veil concealed the lower half of her face. Delicate gold-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of her nose, softening the sharpness of her gaze while almost hiding the faint lines at the corners of her eyes.
Her entire bearing radiated calm authority - poised, and unmistakably professional.
Yet there was something else about her. Something utterly captivating.
Huo Shen had very strict rules and a high moral code. Naturally, his men did too. So they saw a competent, poised doctor with a lot of charm.
Anybody else would've told them differently.
The qipao's tailored cut traced the curves of her body with almost artistic precision. The fitted waist emphasized the smooth slope of her hips, while the silk stretched lightly across her chest, like the hands of a greedy lover.
It was said that a Qipao was the ultimate dress of femininity. On this woman that was true.
"Take me to the patient" she said, her voice pitched low.
Gu Qingzhe cleared his throat awkwardly, "Sorry for being rude" he murmured. She looks less than 30. Can she really be the one?
"Please come in".
Lu Mian simply nodded, and walked in.
Only an hour earlier she had slipped out the back window of the residence and hurried through several streets to the Lin family's antique shop.
The shop itself was closed, wooden shutters drawn tight for the night. Fortunately, Old Lin lived upstairs.
When the old physician opened the door and saw her standing there, slightly breathless, he immediately ushered her inside.
"Mian girl? What happened?"
Convincing him had not been easy.
The moment she asked for the Ninefold Celestial Meridian Needles, Old Lin nearly dropped the teacup in his hand. Those needles had been in his family for a long time.
Though they were merchants, the story was that the Lin Patriarch was saved by a healer a long time ago - and the healer had left these needles behind to be given to a "worthy" disciple.
Generations had passed, and no one had come forward to claim it, or even recognize it. Until the day Lu Mian asked for it in the shop.
Old Lin felt then, that maybe it was time. However, seeing this girl rushing to just borrow it, didn't sit too well with him. Clearly, she hadn't realized it's true value.
So he refused outright. But Lu Mian didn't back down. Her voice remained calm, but the urgency in her eyes was impossible to ignore.Finally, after several long minutes of persuasion, Old Lin sighed heavily.
Maybe it was fate - she seemed to be saving someone too!
"I'll lend them to you," he said. "But on one condition. You must apprentice in my clinic afterward."
Lu Mian didn't even pause to consider. Her instincts were screaming at her. Something about Huo Shen's condition felt terribly wrong. If she didn't act quickly, the toxin spreading through his body might reach a point where even she couldn't reverse the damage.
And that… her fingers curled with resolve. That was something she refused to allow.
In her previous life, Huo Shen had ended up crippled, bound to a wheelchair. A brilliant and honorable man forced to watch the world from the sidelines.
This time, she would not let that happen. Someone like him deserved better. And she would do whatever it takes to make that happen.
"I agree," she said immediately.
Old Lin studied her for a long moment before finally retrieving a small lacquered case containing the legendary needles.
He also lent her a set of traditional clothing. What followed was the meticulous transformation that her comrades witnessed.
Lu Mian had studied anti-reconnaissance tactics in her past life. Disguises were her favorite hobby - she loved seeing how small changes could bring a huge impact.
Hidden lifts in her shoes increased her height. Her posture changed completely - her shoulders relaxed, her movements slower and more assured.
Gone were her usual loose school clothes. The elegant qipao reshaped her silhouette entirely. The high collar lengthened her neck. The fitted waist emphasized the graceful curve of her body. The slit of the dress revealed just enough of her legs to suggest confidence rather than youth.
She even changed the way she walked. For good measure, she added a veil to hide the youthful lines of her face. And also threw on glasses to subtly alter the proportions of her eyes.
And her efforts seem to have paid off. None of the people recognized her.
Mentally relieved, she followed Qingze to the first floor. "Our friend is sick and we are quite worried. Please don't take offense" he explained again. Regardless of whether this person was the real deal or not, they didn't dare offend them.
Lu Mian merely smiled. "Call me An'mian." she said calmly and turned full her attention to Huo Shen.
He was still unconscious. However, this time, something had clearly changed.
His complexion had grown even paler than before, almost bloodless against the white pillow. His breathing came shallow and uneven, his chest rising and falling with visible effort. Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead and temples, soaking the collar of his shirt.
Even from a distance, the signs were alarming.
Lu Mian stepped forward without hesitation. She reached for his wrist and placed two slender fingers lightly against his pulse.
The room fell silent.
For a long moment, she didn't move. Her eyes closed slightly as she focused.
Pulse diagnosis required more than counting beats. It was about feeling the subtle rhythm of the body, the balance between strength and weakness.
But what she felt beneath her fingertips made her frown. His pulse was too chaotic - "he has been fighting poison for a long time" she murmured.
It wasn't a question, but a statement. And it hung heavily in the room.
Internally, Lu Mian's heart clenched. Judging by the pulse, she realized how brutal the poison actually was.
It wasn't something that attacked once and disappeared. It gnawed constantly. Slowly draining the body's capacity, forcing the body to fight it again and again, until it became an empty shell.
And yet…
Even while carrying such poison in his body, Huo Shen had continued to fight on the battlefield, leading missions, confronting enemies far stronger than ordinary men.
Lu Mian lowered her gaze slightly.
This man…How much pain has he endured all these years?
A faint ripple of admiration stirred in her heart. But alongside it came a sharper, quieter ache.
She had seen countless soldiers in her previous lifetime broken by wounds, by illness and by the cruel demands of war. Their wounds and sacrifice was acknowledged and they were supported.
But Huo Shen… Her Uncle Shen had to carry all this suffering alone! And he still stood at the very front, doing his best. What an extraordinary man!
She didn't realize that her way of referring to him had changed, that in her head, he now became "hers". At that moment all she knew was that she would not let him carry this burden alone. Not in this life.
"But what his body is fighting is triggered by something newer." she said, pulling herself to the present. "Can you tell me what happened?" she directed her gaze at Qingze.
Qingze took a deep breath. This doctor was a genius. She was right - his friend had indeed been poisoned as a child. His illness they battled almost every month was but a side effect of that poison.
Maybe, after all this time, there was hope?!
He didn't let his feelings show however. Neither did he confirm or deny her diagnosis of poisoning.
"He accidentally inhaled an unknown toxin" Qingzhe answered blandly. "It was shimmery green, vaporised quickly and he lost consciousness within 15 minutes of inhaling" he said quickly.
Lu Mian nodded slightly and continued her examination. She gently lifted Huo Shen's eyelids.His pupils reacted sluggishly to the light. Hmm.. that's not the biggest problem.
Next, she carefully pried open his mouth to check the color of his tongue and throat. Finally, she examined his hands. Her gaze paused at his fingertips.
A faint greenish-grey residue clung to the edges of his nails. Her eyes narrowed.
No way…Is this… Phantom Breath?
The greenish grey residue at the finger tips were unmistakable.
In her previous life this was Black Lotus's ultimate chemical warfare weapon. Originally designed as a nerve toxin, a single inhalation could paralyze dozens of soldiers within minutes.
But before the paralysis set in, victims experienced a terrifying surge of strength and aggression. That made it a favored weapon for assassins. Many targets died not from the poison itself, but from the unstoppable killing frenzy it triggered.
Lu Mian's mind raced.
In her previous life, she herself had developed the antidote. Helios Strategic Holdings had fully funded the initiative and they had finally given it away to the government for free.
But judging by Huo Shen's symptoms…This version of Phantom Breath was not yet that effective or potent.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. It wasn't too bad!
"I can temporarily clear his meridians," she confirmed. "However, without knowing the complete toxin composition, I cannot fully detox him."
She reached into her cloth bag to pull out her Needles.
The team tensed. Could this be when she revealed her true colors and attacked? Rhino's stance shifted slightly. Falcon's gaze sharpened. Even Viper subtly moved closer to the bedside.
Sensing the tension instantly, Lu Mian paused. She slowly lifted the needles into view so they could see them clearly.
"I need to perform acupuncture," she explained evenly. "It will temporarily stabilize his meridians and suppress the toxin."
"Do you have paper and pen? I'll write a prescription" she added
Qingze quickly stepped forward. "Let's start with the prescription first." he hurriedly suggested. He wasn't ready to trust his boss to acupuncture just yet.
Lu Mian frowned. Every second delay meant her Uncle Shen was in more pain. "If you don't trust me, why did you ask me over?" she asked bluntly. Her patience was wearing thin. She didn't have the time to explain - her Uncle Shen didn't! Every second meant his body was getting more damaged.
Without another word, she stepped forward. With absolute precision, she inserted a needle directly into Neiguan acupoint on the inner forearm.
Her movement was so fast it was almost invisible. The team, even with fast reflexes honed with years of training, caught only a flash of needle.
"What did you just do?!" Falcon roared. In an instant, his hand clamped around her wrist like a steel manacle.
Lu Mian barely flinched. Ignoring the pain, she kept the needle perfectly steady. "Treating him," she snapped. Her gaze blazed behind the glasses. "Step back, sir. Let me work."
"We should discuss the treatment plan first-" Qingze began.
He stopped mid-sentence. BEEP…BEEP…BEEP…BEEP.. The heart monitor shrieked urgently
Huo Shen's heart rate was spiking. The blood pressure monitor flashed.
Gu Qingze's eyes widened. "Move!" he shouted. "Now!" and reached to remove her hand.
Falcon hesitated for a fraction of a second. He could tell that Lu Mian had not resisted his grip at all. Had she really wanted to, she could've pushed him away. However, she chose to endure the pain while maintaining the grip on the needle.
Maybe they were wrong, she really was treating him…
Lu Mian used his hesitation to her advantage. Ignoring the crushing grip on her wrist, she retrieved two more needles from the case and inserted them in Hegu and Taichon acupoints.
Qingze watched dumbstruck. Never in all his years of practice had he seen such exquisite precision. And what speed! That was an absolutely genius move.
Unfortunately, his team did not have his understanding. "No!" Falcon roared. He signaled Rhino. "Pull her away"
But before Rhino could move, or Qingze could clarify the situation, Huo Shen's eyes suddenly opened.
His gaze was unfocused at first, hazy with pain. But then his eyes landed on Lu Mian. His eyes sharpened with startling clarity.
"Wife."
The single word landed like thunder. Every person in the room froze. Especially Lu Mian.
Huo Shen's arm lifted weakly - but firmly- and with a twist he removed Falcon's grip from her wrist effortlessly, his eyes flashing with fury and warning.
Despite his fragile state, his grip carried the instinctive authority of a battlefield commander. Falcon was no match for him. He immediately let go and Lu Mian stumbled slightly as Huo Shen drew her against his chest.
Huo Shen slowly sat up. His gaze swept across the room cold and predatory. Even in his weakened state, he put a protective arm around her back, cradling her to him, the warning he gave was clear Don't you dare touch her!
Satisfied that there was temporarily no threat, he pulled Lu Mian further into his embrace.
"Wife" he nuzzled against her neck. "You've finally come to me"