Ss tossed the money back and said, "Take it back."


    His progenitors had established a rule that restricted him to treating patients at the clinic. He couldn''t make house calls. Despite not knowing the rule''s specific purpose, he had always abided by it.


    The proffered 10 thousand dors was irrelevant to him. If his goal had been to make money, he would''ve made a fortune long ago. He wouldn''t have had to scavenge to get by.


    The man''s voice turned sardonic. "What''s the matter? You think that''s chump change? Not enough for you to make a house call? Here''s more, then!"


    As he spoke, he pulled out two wads of cash and dropped them on the desk. "Money is not a concern for me, but you''ve got to head out soon. If you cure my father, there will be no trouble. You''d better choose wisely."


    Ss furrowed his brow. "I repeat, I do not make house calls. If your father is seriously ill, call 911. If he''s not, you can bring him here and let me see him.


    "Money is not a concern for you, nor for me. I won''t go no matter how much you offer."


    The man in shades was furious. He pointed at Ss and hissed, "300 thousand dors. I''ll give you 300 thousand dors. How about that?


    "Go and see my father. Regardless of whether you can treat him, I''ll give you 300 thousand dors upfront. Happy now?"


    Ss was exasperated. He had repeated himself so many times, yet it was as if the man was deaf. He hadpletely ignored his words. Ss'' anger red, and he asked, "Can you hear me?"


    The man in shades replied anxiously, "I need you to treat my father as soon as possible."


    Having received no answer to his question, Ss asked again, "Can you hear me? If you can''t, I''ll stop talking. If you can, answer me!"


    The man nodded. "I can hear you."


    Ss nodded. "Since you can hear me, I''ll repeat once more I don''t make house calls. Stop wasting time here and dying your father''s treatment. It''s not worth it."


    The man looked at Ss with a fretful expression and suddenly lunged at him. His fist connected with Ss'' head, knocking him out with one punch. Then, he carried Ss off.


    All the patients there were gobsmacked.


    "What''s he doing? He said he didn''t want to go. Why did he abduct him?"


    "If you carry him off, what do we do? We can''t just leave without getting treated!"


    "How heartless! Damn it. I came all this way for nothing."


    The many patients grumbled all they could. Nheless, Ss was gone, and they couldn''t do anything about it.


    All of them stood in ce, not knowing what to do.


    Matthew walked into the clinic. He did not see Ss. Assuming that Ss had gone to the bathroom, he exined to some of the patients who were losing patience, "The doctor might have gone to the bathroom. Please wait for him patiently." A patient pointed outside. "He''s not in the bathroom. He''s been abducted by a patient."


    Abducted?


    Matthew was shocked. "Is that true? I saw him treating patients here ten minutes ago."


    Another patient exined, "I watched him get abducted. A man with sunsses said his father was sick, and he wanted Dr. Solomon to make a house call.


    "But Dr. Solomon said he doesn''t do that. Eventually, the man in sunsses knocked him out and carried him off. They got into a ck car."


    A ck car?


    Matthew was immediately reminded of a speeding car he had seen when he arrived. He promptly rushed out of the clinic, got to his car, and put the pedal to the metal. The car engine revved up with a roar, shaking the entire vehicle. Then it zoomed off, swift as an arrow.


    Matthew kept telling himself as he drove, "Faster. Go faster. I need to catch up to that car."


    Matthew''s car advanced with wild speed, snatching the attention of passersby as it vroomed past.


    Nheless, after five minutes of pursuit, there was still no sign of that ck car.


    Fortunately, there was only one road. Matthew didn''t have to worry about the car turning onto a side road.


    Ten minutester, he finally saw that car. He immediately slowed down and followed it from a distance.


    The car slowly left downtown and moved toward the suburbs.


    In the eastern suburbs of Lambda City, major vige reconstruction was being carried out. Many viges had been torn down, and their inhabitants had relocated. The car at the front headed for a half-demolished vige.


    Only two cars were moving on the entire road. Worried that the person ahead would notice him, Matthew slowed down and put some distance between them. The car ahead entered the vige. Matthew parked his car at the entrance and walked inside.


    In the vige, there was rubble everywhere. The roads were covered in dirt. No one had cleaned them up. The tracks of the car ahead were stark. Matthew followed the tracks to a house.


    There were five cars parked in front of the house. Many and varied footprints covered the entrance. It was obvious that quite a few people were staying there. Atop the main entrance were security cameras. There were surveince devices all around the yard. The ce seemed to be a heavily fortified stronghold. Matthew realized the gravity of the situation. Ss might not have been taken away to treat a patient.


    As he reached the entrance, a tall


    and burly man walked out of the


    yard. There was a scar on the man''s face. He seemed quite tough. He stared at Matthew and barked


    fiercely, "Hey, what the fuck are you doing?"


    Matthew replied coldly, "Watch your mouth."


    Seeing that Matthew continued to approach him, the man grew even more aggressive. "Fuck off with that shit! This is my house. You''re not wee. Scram! Don''te looking for trouble."


    Matthew was agitated. "I''ll say it again-watch your mouth. I hate it when people keep shouting."


    A sinister smile appeared on the


    man''s face. He bent down, grabbed


    a brick from the ground, and


    approached Matthew. "You


    motherfucker. You shouldn''t be here. Since you''re trying to


    get


    yourself killed, I''ll fuck you up real


    g"


    His words were cut off as Matthew swiftlyunched an ax kick, mming his feet into the man''s face.


    The man fell to the ground with a loud thump, dropping the brick. Hey unconscious on the ground.


    Matthew darted into the yard. Frenzied footsteps sounded on the second floor. Several shirtless men rushed out from the gym. All of them held a de in their hands.


    "Eastorians?" Matthew thought, surprised. Right away, Nelson came to his mind.


    His apprentice, Mason, had told him that his grandfather, Nelson, had been lured away with a house call. Nelson was still in Eastoria and could only see his family through the camera in his home. Once the shock faded, killing intent arose within Matthew''s heart. He red at the Eastorians closing in on him, his eyes sharp and murderous.


    The shirtless muscr man at the forefront pointed his de at Matthew. "Who are you? This is a restricted area. You can''t be here!" "Restricted area?" Matthew mused.


    He pointed to the ground. "You''ve set up a restricted area here? Do you even have the rights?"


    The muscr man sneered. "All the people who said we don''t have rights are dead. You could sit down and be a friend, or you could be killed by us and be a dead man wonder if you want to be a friend or a dead man."


    Matthew''s voice was icy and belligerent. "I don''t want to talk to a man who''s about to die."


    The man was stunned and soon became furious. "Since you have a death wish, go ahead and die. Kill him!" he roared at his subordinates.


    At hismand, they raised the des in their hands and charged at Matthew.