Spring rain was as precious as oil.

I carried my sword and a bottle of wine, heading to the bridge to shelter from the rain, only to find someone fishing there.

The man sat there calmly, draped in a snow-white cloak. His loose hair flowed over his shoulders, and the wide-brimmed hat he wore cast a shadow over half his face, leaving only his sharply chiseled jaw exposed.

"No hook, no bait. How do you expect to catch any fish?" I asked.

The man remained silent.

Sensing the conversation was going nowhere, I stopped talking.

The rain poured down steadily. I glanced at the man, calculated the time, and pulled out a broken jade pendant from my pocket, tossing it to him.

Without looking up, he caught it effortlessly.

"Here, half a jade pendant for one of your hats."

I casually picked up one of the hats lying at his feet, put it on, and walked away with ease.

I didn't look back, but I could feel his intense gaze on my back.

Ripples spread across the river, but they weren't from the rain hitting the water.

They were from a fish taking the bait.

The night was pitch black, with clouds drifting, and lightning like silver serpents slithering across the vast sky.

It was the day of Awakening of Insects.

I stood beneath a tree, eyes closed, quietly waiting.

The roaring rain drowned out all noise. I didn't know how long I had waited, but at last, the sound of galloping hooves splashing through puddles and clashing swords was carried by the fierce wind.

"Austin, this is the price of betrayal."

A cold blade slashed down, the wind howled, and the thud of a body falling from a horse hit the ground with a resounding crash.

Just as the man was about to strike again, Austin, who had fallen after being stabbed, suddenly sprang up. His unusually thin blade slid out like a serpent, piercing the man's neck from behind, before swiftly withdrawing and slicing through the legs of the leading horse.

The white horse neighed in agony, crashing into the horses behind it and sending men tumbling down.

At that moment, Austin had already slipped into the crowd, killing as he went.

Blood sprayed along with the rain, staining the flashes of lightning red.

When the last head rolled, only Austin remained standing in the downpour.

This was the power of the world's top assassin. The people of Blood Sacrifices returned empty-handed, even when they sent their finest to hunt him down.

I looked at Austin, my lips moving silently.

Three.

Two.

One.

Austin collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood.

Outnumbered, even with his unmatched skills, it was impossible for him to emerge unscathed.

I pulled my hat lower and walked toward him, step by step, until I stood in front of him.

Blood pooled at my feet, forming a rapid stream. I looked down to see Austin's body covered in wounds, his clothes torn, revealing countless scars of varying depths.

His eyes were filled with the dullness of death. He muttered and reached out, trying to grab the hem of my clothes.

"Help... help me..."

I didn't move.

I stood there, indifferent, unmoved, even though I was right beside him.

In my past life, I had saved Austin without hesitation. I helped him escape from his pursuers and even helped him conquer Blood Sacrifices entire organization.

And what about him?

When I was dying, he stood by coldly, watching as I suffered and died in agony.

"Why didn't you save me?"

Austin never answered. I stood there as the rain eased and dawn approached. The blood had drained from his body and had congealed like dark red roots across the ground, but still, he didn't answer.

Austin couldn't answer my question, so I had no choice but to go find Jason.

In my previous life, I went down to Watson to find medicine to heal Austin's injuries, and I ran into Jason, who was also looking for the same medicine.

The Evans family, four generations of powerful lords, was undeniably the most prestigious family in the world, dominating Ramirez during this time of chaos.

Jason, the illegitimate son of the Evans family, was born frail and never earned the affection of his father, the head of the Evans family. His brothers bullied him. As a child, an accident caused by his older brother left him crippled.

In his quest to cure his disability and fight for the position of family head, Jason secretly sought doctors everywhere, but without success.

I first met Jason at Powell Mountain.

The herb was called Powell Grass, and it grew at the peak of Powell Mountain. In my previous life, I almost fell off a cliff trying to gather it, but Jason's people saved me.

That herb was crucial to him; it was the missing ingredient in the prescription for his leg treatment. Yet, he gave it to me, so I could save Austin.

I felt guilty towards him. After healing Austin's wounds, I willingly stayed by his side for six months as his doctor. During those six months, I combed through ancient texts, performing acupuncture and massages day and night. After much hardship, I finally cured his leg condition.

But later, I found out that he had always known the treatment for his leg was ineffective and that the herb wasn't essential. He had just used me.

In this life, without Austin dragging me down, I arrived two months earlier at Powell Mountain in Watson.

I picked the Powell Grass and opened a pharmacy at the foot of the mountain, patiently waiting for Jason to arrive.