Betrayed, Then Back For Blood

Chapter 36

Joshua and Marvin, well past middle age, fell into heavy silence after broaching such a somber topic. Finally, Marvin sighed and urged, “Alright, our old bones can still hold up.

“Let’s give youngsters more time. When the moment comes, they’ll definitely do better than we did back in the day. Go on in, don’t keep Briar

waiting.”

Joshua nodded, waving Marvin off. “Go on, scram before our close contact draws attention.” With that, he shut the lab door,

Bored of waiting in Joshua’s office, Briar got up to check out the space. The room was simply furnished–just a desk and bookshelves lining

the wall.

Alongside traditional medicine texts, the shelves held countless specimens of rare herbs, some of which Briar had only seen in Tristan’s private vault.

But what truly caught her eye was an old picture frame nestled amongst the specimens. The photo showed five young men. The one in the center was clearly a younger Joshua.

A

To his left stood Marvin, whom she’d just met. To the right, she recognized Griffin in his youth. The man next to Griffin was unfamiliar to her.

But the real shock came from the long–haired, black–rimmed man on the far right–he was the spitting image of a young Tristan.

‘Whoa, she thought, ‘didn’t know Tristan was such a trendsetter back then.‘

the photo frame. “Briar,” he chuckled, “bet

turned with a smile. “Obviously you,

alone, I’ll make sure you get the best

hadn’t expected this seemingly stern, old–fashioned Joshua to be so witty. “I’ll study

to your seniors. In

his warm demeanor sparked

thought, ‘Who would’ve thought I’d ever look forward to attending

medicine students were men, many from hereditary practitioner families. With Dasmieca cracking down on traditional practices recently, most aspiring doctors opted for

8:2 male–female ratio, Shoneport’s ratio was relatively balanced

enrollment in Shoneport’s Traditional Medicine department

number Joshua deemed exceptional enough to join his lab was rare.

students.

are ten males and only one female. So this young lady instantly became the beloved

every guy in the lab stopped what they were doing. Their eyes were

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Chapter 36

transfer student in first year. She’s 18,

enthusiastically. “Hey there, I’m James, head of the lab and this year’s

fourth year.”

Mosby chimed in, “Hey, Briar. I’m Karl, also