The next day, Kayden set off alone for Zlando.
Because of Vivian’s request the night before, Kayden had no choice but to comply. He asked Wood Faulkner, who had already booked his ticket, to cancel it. Leah had initially planned to travel with Kayden, but the thought of him staying with that woman made her unhappy.
As a result, Leah and Wood Faulkner had left the night before, ahead of him.
On the high-speed train from Inassea to Zlando, Kayden leaned back, closing his eyes as he habitually tried to empty his mind of any thoughts.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from the next train car, followed by a commotion of noise. The once-quiet and stifling atmosphere of the car was instantly shattered. Everyone was stirred into a state of alertness.
Curious passengers began moving toward the source of the sound, and soon people from Kayden’s car joined the rush to see what had happened.
In the neighboring car, they saw a woman dressed in casual clothing pouncing on another woman. Her mouth was clamped onto the other woman’s neck, biting down savagely. The victim’s face contorted in agony, her features twisted as she screamed in pain.
The initial scream had come from this woman, and even now, she continued to cry out in terror.
The attacker seemed possessed, refusing to let go, biting hard enough that blood began to seep from the victim’s face.
At that moment, several train staff members arrived. They forcibly pulled the attacker off the victim and pinned her to the ground.
As soon as she hit the floor, the woman began thrashing and screaming hysterically.
After a while, her eyes rolled back, her mouth foamed, and her body started convulsing violently.
Though the woman was wearing casual clothes, her appearance was striking. Her features were sharp and elegant, exuding the commanding presence of a high-powered executive. Without a doubt, she was someone of considerable status-a classic ice-cold CEO archetype.
But now, sprawled on the ground, she looked utterly disheveled and pitiful.
Her name was Marie Olson, daughter of Nate Olson. Nate was a well-known businessman in Zlando, whose company ranked among the top thirty in the city’s highly competitive market. His wealth and influence were far from ordinary.
Nearby, a group of people stood huddled at a distance, clearly her companions. They kept their distance, as if afraid Marie would attack them next.
The group consisted of her classmates, who had planned a trip together. However, during their outing, Marie had suddenly collapsed. Left with no choice, they brought her back, cutting their trip short.
Marie had been unconscious initially, showing no signs of awareness. But out of nowhere, she woke up and viciously bit one of her companions.
Her bite was ruthless. It tore a chunk of flesh from the other woman’s neck.
Now, the victim, clutching her bleeding wound, cried out in terror, “A monster! A monster! A vampire! A vampire!”
It was clear she was utterly terrified.
After shouting, the woman collapsed to the ground, trembling with fear.
“I’m a doctor! Make way-I’ll take a look.”
A middle-aged man stepped through the crowd and approached the unconscious Marie on the ground. He was dressed in a black suit, with gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. As he spoke, he pulled out an ID badge that read: Patrick Clarkson, Zlando City Hospital, Department Head.
“Dr. Clarkson! It’s Dr. Clarkson!”
Patrick Clarkson was a well-known figure in Zlando, a leading name in the medical field. He had treated countless patients-if not thousands, then at least hundreds-and his reputation was impeccable. He had even been nominated for a prestigious international medical award.
After pushing through the crowd, Clarkson crouched down with practiced ease and began examining Marie using a few medical instruments. Beside him, a young female assistant worked deftly, helping him as he proceeded.
Marie’s body continued to convulse. Her eyes rolled back, her fingers curled into claw-like shapes, rigid and unnatural.
After a thorough examination, Clarkson frowned deeply. He placed his fingers on her wrist to check her pulse, his expression growing more serious.
Finally, he spoke with authority: “It’s epilepsy. She needs to be taken to the hospital for further testing.”
“What?”
One of Marie’s companions, a young woman, hesitantly stepped forward. Seeing that Marie was no longer moving, she mustered her courage and asked in disbelief, “Dr. Clarkson, are you sure? This is Marie Olson-Nate Olson’s daughter. Are you certain she has epilepsy?”
The woman was Stephanie Guillou, Marie’s childhood friend. They had grown up together, and Stephanie knew everything about Marie-even the color of her underwear. Yet, she had never heard of Marie having epilepsy.
Dr. Clarkson looked up, his expression displeased. “Are you questioning me?”
Stephanie lowered her head, her voice faltering. “I wouldn’t dare! I just…”
“Just what? You are questioning my judgment, aren’t you? Do you even know who I am? I was nominated for a world-renowned medical award. In the entire field of medicine, my expertise is unquestionable.”
“If I say she has epilepsy, then she has epilepsy!”
Beside him, Clarkson’s young assistant chimed in, her voice sharp and defensive. “Exactly! I can’t stand people like you who know nothing about medicine yet love to doubt others. It’s so annoying!”
She was a petite woman with a sharp tongue, but one notable feature stood out-her ample chest.
Just as she finished speaking, a calm male voice cut through the air: “Nonsense. Your mentor’s diagnosis doesn’t need doubting-because he doesn’t understand medicine at all.”
The crowd turned in unison toward the source of the voice.
A young man, around twenty-five or twenty-six, with a clean and refined appearance, stepped forward.
It was Kayden.
Hearing his words, the assistant glared at him, indignant. “Who are you? What nonsense are you spouting? Do you even know who this is? This is Dr. Clarkson, the head of Zlando City Hospital. He was nominated for a world medical award, and you dare say he doesn’t understand medicine?”
Kayden glanced at her, unfazed. “Yes, I dare. If he truly understood medicine, he wouldn’t have diagnosed this woman with epilepsy.”
The assistant’s face flushed with anger, clearly offended by Kayden’s blunt words. She opened her mouth to argue, but Dr. Clarkson raised a hand to stop her.
“Enough, Lilly.”