Sweet for Friends, Blades for Foes

After a long pause of anxious contemplation, Quirles gritted his teeth, making up his mind. "Dr. Yi Bai, despite your exceptional talents, you are still limited in strength. In this terrifying world, a place filled with endless danger, it's simply too perilous for you."

"For your safety, I, as the director, will personally craft a peak-level puppet of a vengeful spirit for you."

He paused, his tone growing more personal. "I'm curious, Dr. Yi Bai, what type of puppet do you prefer? Would you like one that is light and nimble, or perhaps one that's larger and capable of carrying a person…?"

Without competition, there is no rivalry.

Jack's sudden visit had caught Director Quirles off guard, especially with Jack's aggressive attitude, as though he would stop at nothing to steal away Yi Bai. Quirles, seeing Yi Bai as the last hope to revive the Third Hospital, knew he couldn't let it slip away.

After all, Yi Bai's incredible medical skills had earned the trust and admiration of many spirits, and now was the perfect opportunity to restore the hospital's reputation.

So, Quirles swallowed his pride as a vengeful spirit and, with an almost pleading look, asked Yi Bai about his preferences. His sincerity was so overwhelming it could make one jealous.

"Uh…" Yi Bai hesitated for a moment, but the pleasure in his heart far outweighed the surprise. "Well, I'd prefer something small and portable, something good at hiding. That would be perfect."

"..."

Quirles felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth, unsure whether to feel relieved or regretful.

"No problem, I'll get it done as you wish," Quirles replied with a forced smile, his eyes now narrowing as he turned his attention to Jack. "Didn't you hear Dr. Yi Bai? You should leave now, he's busy treating patients."

"Heh heh heh..." Jack didn't budge, instead locking his gaze onto Yi Bai. "Human, are you sure you don't want to join my Black Crow Hospital?"

The sinister tone was filled with an unmistakable threat.

Yi Bai's gaze hardened, his voice calm but unyielding. "I like the atmosphere of the Third Hospital just fine. As for the Black Crow Hospital, I have no interest. Do you understand, Mr. Jack?"

Sweet for friends, blades for foes.

While Yi Bai might set aside his morals to survive, he had his own limits and principles. He couldn't betray the Third Hospital, especially with someone like Lina at his side. And with the background he now had, he couldn't let anyone threaten him without consequence.

"Oh~"

Jack's eerie voice was drawn out as his body made strange rustling noises under his long coat. Yellowish straw emerged from his neck and began to twitch slightly, giving him an unsettling, almost lifelike appearance.

"Jack, do you think I'm invisible?" Quirles, now fully enraged, swelled to a larger form, his massive body casting a shadow in the room. His eight metallic tentacles gleamed ominously, and the animated face on his glass container twisted into an expression of fury.

Lina, standing by Yi Bai's side, seemed to transform before their eyes. Her nurse's gown, stained with dark crimson blood, quickly became a sea of red. The vengeful spirit's aura poured from her, filling the space with unrestrained power.

"Ugh!!"

The surgical blades in Lina's hands flew with deadly precision as a soul-piercing scream escaped her lips. The terrifying side of the red-clad vengeful spirit was now fully revealed, and without hesitation, she lunged straight at Jack.

The sudden shift stunned Quirles, and even Jack, who had only intended to intimidate Yi Bai, was momentarily caught off guard. A red-clad vengeful spirit!

They never imagined that Yi Bai's seemingly harmless nurse would be such a powerful entity. What was even harder to comprehend was how this red-clad vengeful spirit seemed to defer so completely to a human.

"Wait! Wait!" Jack began to panic, his coat already in tatters as he frantically dodged Lina's strikes. He had underestimated her completely.

Lina's eyes, now tinged with a faint grayish hue, held only death. The surgical blade in her hand was a weapon that could kill even the most powerful spirits.

Jack, realizing his peril, narrowly avoided being cut as several strands of straw from his body were severed. But what shocked him was that the severed straw quickly withered and rotted, losing its life force almost instantly.

"Damn it! You're no ordinary red-clad!" Jack's snarling face twisted in panic. Beneath his mask, his expression betrayed genuine fear.

Quirles, observing the situation, saw the opportunity to strike. His tentacles closed in, trapping Jack, and his eyes gleamed with a calculating look. If given the chance, he would not hesitate to eliminate his old rival.

The VIP consultation room was large, and even though Lina had unleashed her full strength, her blades formed a deadly web, Jack was still not reduced to pieces immediately. The floor was littered with decaying straw as Yi Bai stood carefully to one side, his piercing eyes monitoring Jack's every move.

Yi Bai's dual bloodline abilities were stirring, ready to respond to any sudden shifts in the situation.

But then, Yi Bai noticed something in Jack's current state, and his eyes narrowed.

"Lina, come back. He's just a puppet."

The moment Yi Bai spoke, Lina hesitated for only a second before she returned to his side.

Jack's face twisted further, and his murderous intent became palpable. "Interesting human… You've intrigued me even more. Even Quirles couldn't see through my puppet body. How did you figure it out? What gave it away?"

Jack's eerie laugh filled the room, and without further effort to conceal his true form, he stood rigidly, no longer evading Quirles' encroaching tentacles.