"What have you done to her?" Barrett Walker gazed at her struggling to breathe, gasping violently. His heart ached, regretting leaving her behind. Suddenly, he found himself breathing heavily, like a fierce beast trapped in a cage. He turned around with a strong sense of hostility, glaring at Nancy Phoenix, his words cutting like knives.

"I...I didn't do anything," Nancy Phoenix stammered, feeling a chill despite her reliance on Barrett. Faced with his fierce expression, she shivered and took a step back, her teeth chattering. Feeling embarrassed by her retreat, she stepped forward, ready to confront him.

"Sister, stop," Lucy Phoenix quickly intervened, grabbing her impulsive sister and shaking her head. "Hmph! You keep helping him," Nancy Phoenix snapped, feeling betrayed by her closest sister. She stormed off, shouting at the onlookers, "What are you looking at? This isn't a show! If you want to watch, you'll have to pay. Go home and take care of your families."

"Barrett, I'm sorry! My sister, she..." Lucy Phoenix whispered before rushing after Nancy.

Barrett Walker looked at Julia lying in his arms, pinched her philtrum, checked her pulse and body temperature. He discovered that her heartbeat was very slow and weak. "What's wrong? Wake up, don't pass out!" he pleaded, feeling anxious.

The Fox with a Thousand Faces just wanted to roll her eyes. Couldn't you say something to move me? What's with "don't pass out"? Without a second thought, she suddenly fainted, leaving Barrett watching her fall into his arms, feeling desperate. He picked her up and rushed to the hospital, regardless of the cost. She snuggled in his arms, comforted by the strong, steady heartbeat, wishing she could stay there forever. Unfortunately, this embrace did not belong to her. Maybe she could think of a way to change that. Since this encounter, it felt like a cat's claw was scratching at her heart, constantly tugging at her emotions. She wanted to push away this thought, but found it difficult.

She saw an advertisement at the bus stop not far away, a face identical to her own, innocent as a palace maid, and more beautiful than she felt at that moment. In Barrett Walker's arms, she let out a barely perceptible smile, just a slight upturn of the lips, then it vanished.

"Sigh! I have a terrible headache!"

The bustling street was crowded at this moment, and Barrett Walker, carrying a woman, attracted countless onlookers, especially those who caught a glimpse of the graceful figure in his arms, piquing their curiosity. Suddenly, the woman in his arms whimpered, and Barrett felt her neck tighten. He looked down to see that she had woken up, one hand gripping his neck, the other covering her head. Her fair skin had a sickly pallor, a faint, unhealthy flush breaking through. Anyone who saw her would feel heartache and wish to bear her pain. Barrett anxiously embraced her, paying no mind to whether they were on a street or not. "What's wrong? Where does it hurt? Hold on! We're almost at the hospital."

"Don't go to the hospital, let me go back and rest," she said, knowing Barrett didn't have much money. She didn't want him to go to the hospital. Watching Barrett rush to the hospital, she struggled in his arms.

"Don't move, mind your own business. Don't you know a patient needs oxygen?" Barrett scolded the onlookers. He worried that if they saw her true appearance, it would cause a commotion. However, he may have been overly cautious. With her disheveled, sickly appearance, few would connect her with the renowned queen of the music world.

"Tsk! What's so interesting? Go home and look at your own wife," someone commented.

"Hmph! Thought she was so beautiful! Looks sickly," another person remarked.

"Don't move! I'll take you back," Barrett couldn't resist her determined attitude, so he reluctantly carried her back. She finally quieted down.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Get some rest! I have to go to work in the afternoon, so I won't have time to take care of you. But I'll make time to check on you," Barrett said after tending to her and ensuring her temperature had returned to normal.

"Go ahead! Go do your thing!" She felt sorrowful. After he left, she knew she had to leave as well. She nodded softly and replied in a soft voice.

As Barrett left, she lay quietly on the bed, looking at the ceiling. The bed was hard and uncomfortable, but it seemed to have a magical power to calm her heart. After waiting for a long time, she folded the bedding and sighed helplessly. She opened the door and felt a gust of wind. This feeling of danger made her tense. She jumped away, agile as a spirit cat, ready to throw something, but hesitated and withdrew, feeling a sudden rush of wind. A dagger was thrust towards her, aiming for her vitals. She couldn't defend herself.

"Fight back! I thought you were good at pretending," Nancy Phoenix said, her dagger gleaming, smashing things with each strike. She backed the Fox with a Thousand Faces into a corner, clearly dominating the situation. She smirked, "Don't be too bold!"

"You're the one being too bold, not me," the Fox with a Thousand Faces, known in the assassin world, relied not only on her beauty but also on her cunning and strength.

"Hmph! Who's being too bold, you or me?" Nancy Phoenix sneered, looking at her prey with disdain. She was the hunter now.

"Get out!" The Fox with a Thousand Faces displayed her power for the first time in front of a living person, pushing Nancy Phoenix out with incredible speed. She had grabbed her chest, exerted force, and moved like a ghost, pushing her out of the house, avoiding further damage from a fight.

She shook her hand, and Nancy Phoenix was thrown out like a cannonball. Her movements were ethereal, yet her attack was fierce, a stark contrast. Nancy Phoenix felt a heaviness in her chest, gripping her dagger, spat up blood, and stared at her adversary, her dagger aimed at the Fox with a Thousand Faces. But she turned and fled, underestimating her opponent. "Hmph! Until next time!"

As the dagger flew towards her, the Fox with a Thousand Faces furrowed her brow. The technique was familiar! She deftly caught the dagger, and with a sudden movement, her speed increased to the extreme. She reached Nancy Phoenix from behind, ready to end her life. However, she ultimately refrained from acting, pressing a finger to her back. Nancy Phoenix tumbled out, clutching her chest in agony.

"This was just a small lesson for you. Don't be so audacious in the future, prying into others' secrets. It's not only unreasonable but also puts you in danger," the Fox with a Thousand Faces warned as Nancy Phoenix ran downstairs. "Hmph! I don't need your lessons. I'll come back for revenge," Nancy Phoenix said defiantly, but then spat up blood and quickly left.

The Fox with a Thousand Faces looked at the mess in the room and sighed. She regretted backing down earlier. "I had hoped to leave peacefully, but I didn't expect to cause such a disturbance. Well, at least when you hear that she's safe and sound tomorrow, you won't worry."

Nancy Phoenix gazed at Lucy Phoenix sitting on the park bench, then turned away, spat out a mouthful of blood, straightened her disheveled clothes, suppressed the pain in her chest, and walked calmly over to her. She greeted her with a casual "Let's go home!"

"Where did you go, sis? I was so worried," Lucy Phoenix watched Nancy Phoenix approach calmly and suddenly sensed something amiss. Her eyes lit up as she reached for her waist, her expression changing as she took a step forward with terrifying speed, closing the distance in an instant. Her frightening speed and physical strength were evident as she grabbed Nancy Phoenix and checked her pulse, her expression darkening even further. Gone was the demure and shy demeanor she had in front of Barrett Walker. "How did you get injured? Who hurt you? You need to go back and find her."

Nancy Phoenix's face immediately fell as she held Lucy Phoenix's hand, no longer resembling the older sister at all. She coquettishly said, "Little sister, your sister is useless. I wanted to go back and help, but... don't be mad, okay?"

"This is outrageous. I'm going back to find her," Lucy Phoenix's face darkened as she shook off Nancy Phoenix's hand and swiftly made her way out.

"You hurt my sister. Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Lucy Phoenix stood at the bottom of the staircase, watching 'Julia' coming down with a stern expression. Now she exuded a commanding presence, far from the timid and unaware girl she had been before.

"Heh, the genius girl, indeed a genius girl. Are you here to avenge your sister? If Barrett Walker saw you in this fearless and powerful form, I wonder how he would feel!" 'Julia' had already put on a false face, but Lucy Phoenix still recognized her instantly, quickly assessing her strength yet unflinchingly meeting her gaze.