CHAPTER 143: CHAPTER 143; MASTER.....

"Master," one of them spoke carefully, "the results will take time... it could be hours at least. If she awakens, she may be disoriented or even have a serious mental breakdown. We recommend restraint...."

"Restraint?" His cold voice cut through the chamber like a blade. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to them, sharp and dangerous. "If any of you dare bind her like an animal, you will regret it. I tell you, you will regret it..."

The physicians bowed their heads immediately, trembling, adjusting their words. "Of course, Master. We meant only for her safety. We will watch her closely."

Satisfied, Jin Shuren leaned back slightly, though he never let go of Yueyao’s wrist, his voice dropped to a murmur meant for her alone, though every ear in the room strained to catch it, after all, this was Jin Shuren.

"Wake up soon, Yueyao. I promised I would never let you get hurt again. Even if I have to tear the world apart, I will keep that promise. Please, wake up..."

The monitors beeped steadily, the scent of antiseptic heavy in the air, but the entire room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the moment her eyes would flutter open.

An hour passed, each minute dragging like an eternity. Jin Shuren had not moved from her side even for a single minute, his hand still wrapped firmly around Yueyao’s delicate wrist, as though his very grip could anchor her soul back to life.

The physicians worked in hushed urgency, sending samples to the inner laboratory, scribbling notations, and checking her pulse at intervals.

Finally, the door creaked open, and a younger physician walked into the room, clutching a sheaf of results in his trembling hands. His face was pale, frightened, and he immediately bowed deeply before approaching.

"Master Jin," his voice shook as he extended the paper, "the analysis is complete."

Jin Shuren’s gaze snapped to him, storm-dark and unreadable, but the stare itself could give someone a heart attack. He took the report, scanning it quickly, the sharp angles of his jaw tightening further with every line.

"It says here..." the physician faltered, his hands slick with sweat as he gripped the report, "her blood contains traces of hallucinogenic compounds, strong ones, deliberately introduced to her blood system knowingly or unknowingly. There are markers consistent with cannabis derivatives, mixed with other mind-altering agents. They must have been slipped into her food or drink over time, Master. Not a single dose, but a systematic feeding."

The silence in the chamber grew colder.

The physician’s throat bobbed as he forced himself to continue. "And... there is more. Her system also shows a presence of antidepressants, which are powerful prescriptions that should only be given under strict supervision. Alone, they could stabilize mood swings. But combined with hallucinogens, the effect is catastrophic, causing confusion, disorientation, memory gaps, and emotional volatility. It is no wonder she has been like that..."

He lowered his head fully to the floor, trembling. "Master... this was no accident. Someone has been poisoning her mind deliberately, pushing her toward instability in disguise."

The room went colder.

"Damn it! It’s them... I have been wondering what could have happened to her... Now this? It’s their fault to begin with, it’s their fault that she became like this! They will pay it...." Jin Shuren’s hand lingered over the report, the parchment trembling slightly under his grip though his face remained carved in ice stone.

Jin Shuren’s voice dropped lower, almost a growl, the edges frayed with a fury that made the air itself feel razor-sharp, "humph!" They have been calculating on her. He tossed the papers away.

"Get rid of those results, anything else?"

The physicians hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances with each other. The rustle of their white robes was the only sound in the suffocating silence until the eldest among them dared to speak, his voice hoarse with caution.

"Master... there is something else."

Jin Shuren’s gaze snapped to him, sharp and lethal. "Speak." He was heartbroken beyond words. How could a man who is supposed to protect her harm her to this extent?

The physician bowed so low his forehead almost split against the polished floor, "During the earlier scan, we discovered severe scarring along her fallopian tube and parts of the womb... evidence of a botched surgery in the past. Judging from the location, it was likely an ectopic pregnancy. With this degree of damage... it will be difficult, perhaps impossible, for her to conceive naturally."

The words landed like stones in water, spreading ripples of dread all over with shock waves. He, of course, didn’t care, but how can Yueyao not care? How can she really accept this condition?

The physician’s throat tightened, but he forced himself to continue, "Even with the best care, her chances of conceiving again are... slim, perhaps impossible at this rate..."

For a long, suffocating moment, Jin Shuren said nothing. His face remained a mask of ice, but his fingers tightened around Yueyao’s wrist until his knuckles turned white.

"All right... You all are dismissed and don’t say a single word to anyone." He waved his hand, sending everyone out. They bowed their heads before leaving.

The room emptied slowly, the silence settling heavier with every pair of retreating footsteps. The door clicked shut, leaving Jin Shuren alone with the faint beeping of the monitors and the fragile rise and fall of Yueyao’s chest.

He sank into the chair beside her bed, his eyes tracing her pale face. She looked weightless, almost fragile enough to break if he so much as breathed wrong. The fury boiling inside him pressed against the walls of his chest, begging to be unleashed, but he swallowed it down hard.

His hand lifted, hovering above her cheek, before finally resting there with a gentleness that contrasted the violence in his veins. "Yueyao... you have endured all of this all alone?" His voice was barely more than a whisper, hoarse, trembling at the edges.

For a long moment, he stayed like that, thumb brushing over her cold skin, eyes dark with something more dangerous than rage.