The Sunny family has deep connections with the Estrella family. Even before the establishment of the safe zone, the Sunny family was one of Estrella's followers due to awakening powerful healing abilities, playing a crucial role in the faction. In the initial establishment of the safe zone, Estrella's dominance was partly attributed to the strong backing of the healing abilities from the Sunny family. Since then, the Sunny family has served as loyal vassals to the Estrella family, mutually supporting each other to reach the present day. In this generation, despite Sunny not awakening healing abilities, she holds the position of chief physician due to both her capabilities and the illustrious history of the Sunny family.
Aries, an old member under Estrella, is aware of Sunny's background but has never met her until now. Surprisingly, she finds herself under the care of Sunny, causing a mix of astonishment and flattery. Despite being Estrella's subordinate, Aries wonders what qualifications she has to receive help from Sunny, the chief physician. Aries scoffs at her own thoughts, deciding to put this matter aside, as Estrella's motives are unpredictable.
Sunny's attitude towards Aries is cold, bordering on disdain, which Aries can discern. However, due to the professional relationship between a doctor and a patient, Sunny reluctantly maintains patience and seriousness. Aries, reclining on the pillow, listens with a subtle expression of vitality in her eyes.
Soon, Sunny realizes Aries isn't following medical advice attentively. Aries' probing gaze makes Sunny uncomfortable, especially considering the bloodshed associated with Aries. Deciding not to waste any more time, Sunny coldly announces her departure, treating Aries as if she were an annoying fly.
"Wait, Dr. Sunny," Aries, noticing Sunny's attitude, calls out in a hoarse voice, stopping her in her tracks. Reluctantly turning back, Sunny asks, "What else do you need?"
"Could you give me some medicine?" Aries requests.
Sunny, puzzled, asks, "What kind of medicine?"
Unable to provide a clear answer, Aries vaguely says, "Medicine for treating bruises and injuries."
Staring at her, Sunny's mood worsens. "You've already received treatment, and someone will apply medicine regularly until you recover."
"Not for me," Aries clarifies. "It's for a new recruit of mine. She just arrived, doesn't understand the rules, and got reprimanded by the Boss. If you find it troublesome, Dr. Sunny, forget it. Consider it her bad luck."
Aries' statement wasn't an exaggeration. While awakened individuals experience improved physical fitness, sleeping for a night would usually suffice to recover from ordinary injuries. However, Amber, being a second-tier awakened individual and not possessing enhanced physical attributes like a typical power-enhanced individual, might not recover as swiftly. Though her injuries were not fatal, there could be lingering effects or complications that might impact her for a lifetime.
Aries' concern for Amber was not driven by a sudden surge of compassion but rather because Amber managed to survive under Estrella's watchful eyes. The prospect of things getting interesting stirred excitement within Aries. While Amber was just a toy she picked up on a whim, if the game ended here, it would be a bit regrettable, though inconsequential.
"Medicine for treating bruises and injuries won't save lives... Give me the address," Aries shifted her gaze to the cold-faced Sunny in front of her, her eyes narrowing as she couldn't help but smile. Dr. Sunny was turning out to be quite an interesting character.
"So, don't disappoint me."
In the following days, Aries stayed at the Estrella mansion to recuperate, though it didn't last very long. Perhaps, for Estrella, Aries still had some utility. Despite her cruelty, Estrella wasn't likely to render Aries completely useless. Moreover, superhumans weren't that delicate. After lying in bed for a day, Aries began to move around. If she stayed in bed for too long, Estrella might deem her useless and discard her as a pawn with only the last bit of value left.
Sunny, accustomed to the robust physique of these superhumans, wasn't surprised. Observing that Aries was in good spirits, she allowed the changing of the dressing to proceed. Sunny didn't particularly care for Aries, choosing to avoid her presence. She didn't mind Aries as long as she didn't cause trouble.
The girl who changed Aries' dressing seemed to be one of Sunny's students. She appeared just of age, with a simple gaze that could see through thoughts. Aries found it amusing, wondering if everyone in the Sunny family had this harmless appearance. As she contemplated, she cooperated with the young girl to change the dressing. When the bandage on her chest was removed, the girl glanced at the wound, her expression froze for a moment. The next second, she swiftly averted her gaze, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks.
"?" Aries was puzzled. She lowered her head to see what was causing the reaction and discovered the distinct feature. The wound on her chest was a crisscross of red and swollen flesh, still recognizable as Estrella's name, and blood oozed from it, evidently a result of Estrella's actions that night. Aries furrowed her brow, feeling quite uncomfortable about having someone else's mark carved into her. She looked at the young girl and asked, "Will it heal?" The girl, preparing medicine and gauze, turned her eyes to Aries' chest and then lowered her gaze. While working on the dressing, she commented, "The wound is quite deep; it will probably leave a scar." In other words, Estrella's name would become a scar permanently etched onto her. Aries sighed in resignation, simultaneously feeling frustrated with Estrella's perverse desire for control and distorted possessiveness. However, she didn't bother to ask the girl if there was any scar-removing cream. Aries had plenty of scars on her body, and if she intentionally ignored the disgust in her heart, one more wouldn't make a difference.
After changing the dressing, Aries went to check on Amber. Upon reaching the sleeping figure, she found Amber still in a deep slumber. Amber resided in a crude basement, and since Aries lacked a key, she effortlessly and guiltlessly broke the door to enter.
The basement, too, was filled with a bitter medicinal odor. On the table lay a medicine box, presumably left there by Sunny. Amber lay on a shabby wooden bed with no decent bedding. Her wounds had been treated, and her delicate face appeared pale as paper. The injury on her face had been covered with medicine, and her pretty eyebrows seemed to be slightly furrowed, perhaps due to discomfort, resembling a doll that had been repaired but still looked pitiful.
Aries squinted her eyes, recalling the events from four years ago when Amber knelt in despair before the raging fire, displaying a fragility as if she had lost the entire world.
During that time, Amber wasn't known as Amber but as Lily, the eleventh Miss of the Lily family, once considered almost equal to the Estrella family in the safety zone. The reason it's referred to as 'once' is that the Lily family no longer exists.
In this brutal new era, there could only be one true ruler, and the art of manipulating power was not Aries' forte. In the conflict between the Estrella and Lily families, all Aries could do was tirelessly carry out Estrella's commands. The final operation against the Lily family was when Aries led a team directly into the Lily family mansion, killing everyone encountered and ultimately reducing the Lily family to ashes.
This battle was no easy feat, as the Lily family, being the overlords of the safety zone, had several high-tiered ability users guarding their main residence. For Aries, it was almost a mission with no return. In the end, both sides suffered heavy losses, and Aries, relying on her ability to become invisible, narrowly survived. She silently stood before the raging fire, watching Lily, who remained oblivious to the danger, kneeling on the ground in tears.
In truth, Aries could have easily taken Lily's life without anyone noticing at that moment. However, perhaps exhausted and heavily injured, Aries refrained from harming her. She watched as Lily was forcibly taken away, all while knowing that the person responsible was a member of the team Aries had led into battle that night.
Aries wasn't unfamiliar with this person; he was the traitor who had fought alongside her team and turned against the Estrella family, taking Lily family remnants with him. Aries found this situation rather amusing. Estrella had always known that there were remnants of the Lily family, and she had been searching for them for years. The Lily family, once equal in power to the Estrella family, left behind a complex network of influence. If not handled carefully, the remnants of the Lily family could potentially make a comeback. Estrella needed to eradicate them completely, but ridding herself of the lingering influence of the Lily family was a task that couldn't be accomplished quickly. Therefore, Estrella acted cautiously.
Yet, after four years, this remnant of the Lily family still eluded discovery. Lily was exceptionally fortunate. Unlike other Lily family members, for some unknown reason, she had never shown her face. Most people were unaware of her existence, and even Estrella only managed to find one name. Aries had learned about Lily's true identity four years ago when the traitor took her away, referring to her as 'Miss Eleven'.
Estrella probably never expected that the fish she had been searching for so hard for years would boldly present itself before her. Not only that, but this Lily, now going by the name Amber, had managed to survive right under her nose.
Estrella, despite her capricious temperament, always kept her word. If Aries and she had completed the transaction, then unless Lily, now Amber, willingly walked into the line of fire, Estrella wouldn't act against her.
If Estrella were to discover the truth, her expression would undoubtedly be amusing. Aries thought of this and couldn't help but curve her lips into an excited smile.
At some point, Aries developed a desire to shatter Estrella's high-and-mighty demeanor. She was well aware that this was a dangerously foolish idea. If discovered, Estrella would undoubtedly tear her to pieces.
Aries wasn't someone afraid of death, just someone who instinctively wanted to live. Yet, somehow, this suicidal notion had become a source of great interest to her. She wanted to witness Estrella's downfall and tears, just like when they first met.
Once the desire in her heart surfaced, it lingered like an addiction, persisting until the moment Aries saw Amber. That's when she knew the opportunity had come.
Aries didn't regret making the deal with Estrella for Amber's sake, even if it meant displeasing Estrella. In her eyes, having some fun always came with a price. She narrowed her eyes as she observed Amber's sleeping face, and with fingers as cold as snakes, she gently caressed the soft contours of her cheek. A smirk formed on her lips as she whispered lowly.
"Miss Eleven, I look forward to your performance."
Amber, already uneasy in her sleep, seemed to have nightmares about something dreadful, and her brows furrowed even more.