Free Web NovelChapter 287: The Calm Before the Needle Falls
The Calm Before the Needle Falls
Seeing Lina return, she smiled and asked,
"You Got ginseng?"
The wind howled across the rooftop of the five-star hotel, carrying the distant glow of city lights beneath the night sky. The helicopter’s rotors remained still for the moment, but the cold air around it trembled with anticipation.
Lina Ashford stepped out of the shadows, her movements graceful and unhurried despite the dangerous mission she had just completed. In one hand, she carried the small freezer containing the priceless thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"When have I ever failed?"
Her voice carried a trace of pride.
Liza Voss laughed softly. The confidence in Lina’s tone wasn’t arrogance—it was earned through countless successful missions.
Lina placed the freezer down and smiled as she removed the human skin mask from her face.
As the thin layer peeled away, the appearance of a middle-aged maid vanished completely.
Beneath it emerged her true beauty.
Long green hair cascaded over her shoulders like flowing silk. Her striking purple eyes shimmered under the rooftop lights, calm and confident. The disguise that had fooled the entire Ashbourne family seemed almost unbelievable now.
Her specialty was disguise.
With a human skin mask and makeup, she could transform into even an eighty-year-old lady.
Throughout the years, she had perfected the art to an astonishing level. Age, gender, height, posture—every detail could be altered under her hands.
Tonight’s operation had been a perfect example.
Neither Dario Ashbourne nor Steffan had suspected anything.
Even the servants who had worked alongside her for hours had noticed nothing unusual.
Liza glanced at the freezer and whistled softly.
"You really switched it out without anyone noticing?"
Lina crossed her arms and chuckled.
"They were all focused on Steffan and Dario."
"The kitchen wasn’t guarded at all."
Liza nodded.
That made sense.
Everyone in the Ashbourne villa was waiting for the treatment to succeed. No one would imagine that the crucial medicinal ingredient had already been replaced.
The genuine thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng was now safely in their possession.
Meanwhile, Steffan was probably preparing to treat Dario Ashbourne with a fake ingredient.
Just thinking about it was amusing.
Liza smiled and started the helicopter, heading back to Valemont.
The engine roared to life.
The massive blades began spinning faster and faster, slicing through the night air.
A powerful gust swept across the rooftop.
Within moments, the helicopter lifted into the sky.
Below them, Silverhaven City’s lights stretched endlessly into the distance like a sea of stars.
Lina settled into her seat and looked out the window.
The mission had gone even smoother than expected.
Julian D’Aurelius had anticipated every step.
From the moment Steffan sent Black Ghost and White Ghost to steal the thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng, Julian had already begun setting his trap.
The brothers believed they had successfully stolen the treasure.
Steffan believed he had obtained the key medicinal ingredient.
Dario believed his suffering would finally end.
Yet none of them realized they had all become pieces on Julian’s chessboard.
A faint smile appeared on Lina’s face.
Sometimes she truly wondered how Julian’s mind worked.
The man always seemed several moves ahead of everyone else.
The helicopter disappeared into the darkness.
Meanwhile, at the Ashbourne family, a group of people sat in the hall, patiently waiting.
The villa was brightly illuminated.
Crystal chandeliers cast warm golden light across the luxurious hall.
The aroma of freshly brewed tea lingered in the air.
Yet despite the comfortable surroundings, tension quietly filled the room.
Everyone knew the next few hours would determine whether Dario Ashbourne’s two-year nightmare would finally come to an end.
Dario himself sat upright in his chair.
His fingers repeatedly tapped the armrest.
His leg bounced unconsciously.
Every passing minute felt unbearably long.
Across from him, Steffan remained calm and composed.
At least on the surface.
His expression was serene, carrying the confidence of a master physician.
The image of a peerless expert.
The image of the Martial Art King of Africa.
Everything appeared flawless.
Only his eyes occasionally drifted toward the kitchen.
He was waiting too.
Waiting for the medicinal soup.
Waiting for success.
Waiting for another powerful ally to stand behind him.
Not far away, Felberta Ashbourne sat quietly on a sofa.
A thick book rested in her hands.
Felberta, sitting on the sofa reading, felt inexplicably anxious.
Her beautiful red eyes moved across the pages, but she wasn’t actually reading.
Not a single word entered her mind.
Ever since she heard Julian D’Aurelius’s inner voice last time, she had been wary of Steffan.
The memory remained vivid.
Every warning.
Every prediction.
Every suspicious detail.
At first, she had questioned her own sanity.
How could someone hear another person’s thoughts?
Yet everything Julian’s inner voice had revealed had gradually proven true.
That was what frightened her.
Now, seeing Steffan seemingly about to successfully treat her father, she pondered in her heart that if everything matched Julian’s inner voice, she wouldn’t let this guy treat her.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the book.
The paper crinkled softly.
A trace of uncertainty flickered through her eyes.
As for exposing his plot, Felberta couldn’t find enough evidence and could only take it one step at a time.
After all, what evidence did she possess?
None.
Could she tell her father that she had heard another man’s thoughts?
Could she accuse Steffan based solely on intuition?
No one would believe her.
Even she found it difficult to believe sometimes.
For now, all she could do was watch.
Observe.
Wait.
And prepare herself if Julian’s warnings proved true once again.
Outside the villa, evening gradually deepened.
The last traces of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon.
The wind rustled through the trees.
Leaves swayed gently.
Time passed quietly.
In her anxiousness, two hours quickly passed.
The wall clock finally struck the appointed hour.
Noticing the time, Steffan instructed the servant nearby.
"Time’s up, you can bring the medicine now."
His tone was calm.
Confident.
As if success had already been guaranteed.
A servant quickly ran to the kitchen and carefully brought the brewed medicinal soup.
Steam rose from the bowl in twisting white strands.
The rich scent of herbs spread throughout the room.
Everyone’s attention immediately focused on it.
Even Dario unconsciously leaned forward.
For two years he had suffered humiliation, frustration, and despair.
Countless doctors had failed.
Countless medicines had proven useless.
This bowl represented hope.
Seeing the steaming bowl of medicinal soup, Dario Ashbourne was eager to drink it.
His eyes practically glowed.
The desire to recover overwhelmed every other thought.
However, the soup was freshly brewed and too hot to drink immediately.
He had to wait a bit longer and asked Steffan, "Steffan, will my illness be cured after drinking this soup?"
The room became quiet.
Everyone looked toward Steffan.
"Not yet. After drinking, I’ll give you another Acupuncture Theropy session, and then you’ll be fine."
Steffan nodded.
His expression remained completely relaxed.
Such a small matter, which others couldn’t cure, was just a trivial task for him, the Martial Art King of Africa!
Dario immediately relaxed.
"That’s good. You’ve really helped me a lot this time. If you ever need anything from the Ashbourne family, just say the word."
His voice carried genuine gratitude.
Over the past two years, the illness had become a source of endless torment.
Not only physically.
Mentally as well.
A wealthy and powerful man who possessed everything suddenly found himself powerless in the most fundamental aspect of being a man.
The suffering was difficult for outsiders to understand.
Now, at long last, there appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Dario Ashbourne let out a long breath.
The two years of suffering were finally coming to an end.
Nearby, Felberta silently watched Steffan.
For some reason, the more confident he appeared, the more uneasy she felt.
The feeling refused to disappear.
It lingered stubbornly in her chest.
But she remained silent.
Waiting.
Watching.
Once the soup cooled a bit, Dario eagerly gulped it down.
The dark medicinal liquid flowed into his mouth.
Its bitterness exploded instantly.
The taste was so intense that even nearby servants involuntarily grimaced. freewebnovel.cσ๓
The soup was extremely bitter.
But for a man eager to revive his little brother, even if the bowl contained gold juice, it would taste sweet.
Dario didn’t hesitate.
He drank every last drop.
Not a single mouthful remained.
After finishing the soup in one go, Dario Ashbourne grabbed Steffan’s arm and said, "Come on, Steffan, let’s go inside."
