Hiding Behind Her Superficiality by Kyla Olson

“I need some herbs for Frank’s injuries, so I have to auction it from the black market,” Elspeth answered honestly, gazing at his solemn face.

“I’m coming along.”

Without thinking, she shot him down. “You have a cold now and should take a good rest.”

She was genuinely worried about Callum and thought he shouldn’t be up and about when he was having a cold because it would be bad if it became worse.

Knowing her worries, he gazed at her and smiled gently. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Nobody knew how he was feeling better than himself, and he was sure he would be fine. However, when Elspeth saw the blush on his face, her heart raced with anxiety. Somehow, she had a feeling that it wasn’t a cold as it seemed more like a fever.

“Don’t worry. I’ll let you know when I feel unwell,” he said, pushing down the gas and starting to drive.

The black market was located in the suburbs and rather hidden, where an average person wouldn’t be able to find out its location. However, Elspeth wasn’t any regular hacker, and she knew all about the underground black market of each city.

After entering and seeing that almost everyone was a stranger to her, she put her mind at ease.

Holding Callum’s hand, she searched around for the herbs that she needed and came to a stop in front of an old man in the end.

In this warm underground black market, this old man was tightly wrapped in a long-sleeved top.

“I would like these herbs from you. State a price.”

The old man in front of her didn’t answer immediately and asked calmly, “What are you using it for?”

“Burns,” she answered honestly.

Startled, the old man narrowed his eyes. “These herbs are mainly used to treat chest burns. Why do you have the idea to use it on burns?”

“My mentor taught me that using these herbs to treat burns will bring surprisingly good results.”

old man didn’t know who her mentor was, she reckoned it wouldn’t hurt to mention

Sonny

he could tell she was Sonny’s student just because of the herbs. Does he know Sonny? Are they

you know… Sonny

could hear it from her tone. “We’re more than acquaintances. I hate him

in his voice caught her by surprise. “What

old man didn’t answer and slowly kept away the herbs in front of him. “I’m not

weird, she couldn’t help but

don’t get in the way of my business,” he said, chasing her away

I went through the entire black market, and you’re the only one with these herbs. If

an earnest

can’t treat burns

because she remembered witnessing Sonny

“What do you mean?”

herbs… They can relieve burns for a while, but take a look at my hand.” He rolled up his sleeve and showed her the wound on his arm. “Look, this scar is a result of the treatment I received from Sonny Schwartz twenty years ago. At that time, it had turned better, but the condition relapsed after that, and the wound became

was a gruesome mix of

not merely

Callum had been silent the whole time, and both of them turned to him when he spoke

“What do you mean?”

I inflicted these wounds myself?” the old man

with a cold look in his eyes. “These aren’t burns. Most

the old man turned even

affect his reputation if he fails to treat you to recovery, and reputation is the biggest taboo for medical practitioners. He probably won’t do something such as

what are you trying to

you offend anyone previously?” Callum asked, looking straight at his face. “It’s almost impossible to find this poison in

thought carefully. Suddenly, his eyes flickered as he recalled a familiar person. Willowton… There’s only one