Chapter 4

The shrill alarm tore through everyone's nerves.

“Doctor! He's stopped breathing! Save him!”

Michael threw himself beside the stretcher and let out a cry of pure despair.

Michelle's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed on the spot.

Several of the city's elite rushed to catch her as panic spread through the room.

The livestream comments exploded.

The screen was flooded with a wall of vicious messages.

“This woman deserves to rot in hell! She's a murderer!”

“Lock her up!”

Jason's radio suddenly crackled to life.

A furious voice roared through the speaker.

“Jason Watson! What the hell is going on?

“Are you really going to let millions of people watch a hero die?

“I don't care what it takes! Have her start treatment within five minutes! If anything goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility!”

Michael finally snapped.

His eyes turned bloodshot as he pressed the barrel of his gun against my temple.

“Ashley Cross, this is your last chance.”

His voice was hoarse with desperation.

“Save him right now, or I'll make sure you never set foot in Rivergate again.”

Several of the tough-looking men surged forward at once.

They wrenched my arms behind my back and pinned me against the edge of the treatment table.

A group of bodyguards lifted the stretcher and forcibly moved Samuel's blood-soaked body onto the table.

He was less than two feet away from me.

The overpowering stench of blood and burned flesh filled my lungs.

Then, lying on the table, Samuel's bloodstained eyes slowly cracked open.

His charred, split lips moved weakly.

“Dr. Cross... Don't force yourself...

“My life... isn't worth saving...”

Several family members of the patients broke down in tears on the spot.

Even Jason, a man known for his iron resolve, had tears in his eyes.

The female reporter's voice trembled with emotion.

“Viewers, this is the kind of hero Samuel Hall is.

“Even in his final moments, he's still thinking of others.”

I was pinned against the treatment table.

My chest rose and fell sharply as deep purple bruises formed around my wrists.

The set of Ghost Gate Needles lay scattered less than an inch from my fingertips.

The entire city was pressuring me.

Public opinion became a tidal wave.

I looked at the outraged faces around me.

I looked at Michelle, who had regained consciousness and was now sobbing hysterically.

Then I looked at the dying hero lying on the treatment table.

Suddenly, I laughed.

The laughter grew louder and louder.

“Let me go.”

With a violent jerk, I broke free from their grip and snatched the Ghost Gate Needles from the table.

The entire room fell silent.

Even the livestream comments seemed to freeze for a moment.

Everyone stared at me, terrified that I might destroy the needles in the next second.

I held the Soulbinding Needle between my fingers and slowly swept my gaze across the crowd.

“You all want me to save him that badly? Fine, I'll do it.”

My arm shot up, and the needle hovered above Samuel's forehead.

“But all of you better listen carefully!”

I pointed at the man lying on the table, the hero everyone placed on a pedestal, and shouted.

“Do you know why I would rather die than save this man?”