Chapter 82: The Ice Prince

"Put me down!" the assassin shouted from the air.

He kicked his legs wildly and swung his fists at the empty space around him, hoping he would hit whatever was holding him up.

But even after struggling for a while, he still had no idea what was keeping him suspended at least six meters above the ground, no matter how much he moved, there was nothing there for him to grab, hit, or even see.

The livestream comments immediately became even more chaotic.

[HE’S SIX METERS IN THE AIR?!]

[Whoever is holding him, please spin him around once!]

[At this point, I don’t even care what it is. Just don’t let that assassin escape.]

[Can someone clip this? Nobody is going to believe us later.]

[Dw, bro. This sister is the master of clipping livestreams!]

The assassin kept struggling in the air, but no matter how much he moved, nothing changed.

Not long after, the sound of the helicopter blades grew louder, making Saddie and Julie, who were standing near the door, look up.

The medical helicopter slowly descended from above, pushing dust, loose leaves, and small pieces of debris across the ground below.

Julie quickly covered her face with one arm while keeping her rifle close to her body.

"Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me," Saddie said as she rolled her eyes.

There were three people sitting in the back of the helicopter.

Two of them were part of the medical team. The third person was someone Saddie did not even want to see on a screen, much less in person.

Julie, on the other hand, widened her eyes the moment she saw him. "Is that..."

Her voice disappeared under the loud sound of the helicopter, but the livestream comments had already said it for her.

[BALIAN DEVEREAUX?!]

[Damn! What is the Ice Prince doing here?!]

[Wait, THAT Balian Devereaux?!]

[Why does he look like he walked straight out of a royal painting?!]

[Why is he coming with the medical team?!]

[Wait, wait, I heard he collects samples from different polluted zones whenever breeding season starts. He probably just happened to be in Zone 33 today!]

[Fucking hell, he looks even more handsome up close!]

[Where are my pants?!]

Summer, who was still sitting on the couch, leaned slightly to the side and tried her best to peek through the window.

After just one look, she had to admit that the comments were not exaggerating at all.

The word "handsome" might not even be enough to describe him.

The moment he stepped out of the helicopter, the strong wind from the blades caught his long hair and sent it flowing behind him.

For a second, with the light behind him and his calm expression, he looked less like someone arriving at a polluted zone and more like someone who had just descended from heaven.

Summer had seen plenty of attractive people before, especially after meeting so many high-ranking Sentinels.

But this man was different.

His long white hair moved with the wind, and his clear blue eyes stood out even from a distance. The snow leopard ears on top of his head only made him look more striking, especially with the calm, noble way he carried himself.

He was beautiful in a way that almost did not feel real. He was not soft or delicate, but cold, elegant, and impossible to ignore.

Summer stared for a few seconds before thinking that he looked exactly like the kind of person people would turn around to look at twice, even if they had no idea who he was.

[Why does it feel like background music automatically starts playing every time he appears on screen?]

[Because the universe itself knows he needs an entrance theme.]

[Why is his hair moving like he has his own personal wind machine?!]

[Fuck! His face just raised my standards and ruined my future.]

[Mods, help! These people are starting to drool!]

[The moderator team is drooling too!]

"Where is the patient?" The medical team reached the abandoned bar first.

Saddie glanced toward Balian in the distance and gave a small shake of her head before turning back to them.

"She’s inside," Saddie said. "I already removed the tranquilizer bullet, but most of her body is still hard to move."

The two members of the medical team immediately hurried inside.

Summer was still sitting on the couch with her jumpsuit covering her body. Her face looked pale, and although she could move her head and fingers now, the rest of her body still felt heavy.

One of the medics crouched beside her and quickly checked her eyes, pulse, and breathing. "Can you hear me clearly?"

Summer nodded. "Good. Do you know where you are?"

"Zone 33," she answered weakly.

The medic looked relieved. "That’s a good sign."

The other medic carefully checked the wound on her shoulder. "The bullet is already out?"

"Yes," Saddie answered. "I cleaned the wound and stitched it. I also checked for fragments."

The medic gave her a quick look before nodding. "You did a good job."

Saddie chuckled. "I know."

The medics then prepared several injections for Summer. One of them injected a neutralizing drug to help clear the remaining tranquilizer from her system, while the other gave her something to reduce the swelling and pain around her shoulder.

"This one should help your body recover faster," the medic explained as he prepared the last syringe. "You might feel warm or a little dizzy for a few minutes, but that’s normal."

Summer nodded weakly as the response.

The needle went into her arm, and she barely reacted. After all, compared to everything she had already been through, a few injections were nothing.

After that, the medic opened a small medical pouch and took out several pills.

"These are for the next two days," he said as he handed them to her. "One is for pain, one is to prevent infection, and the last one should help with the remaining effects of the tranquilizer."

Summer looked down at the pills in her palm. "Do I take all of them now?"

"Only these two," the medic replied, pointing at them. "The other one is for later tonight."

Julie quickly brought over a bottle of water. "Here, Miss Beaumont."

"Thanks."

Summer swallowed the pills one by one, then leaned back against the couch.

A moment later, the sound of leather shoes stepping across the wooden floor reached her ears.

Before Summer could even turn around, Saddie spoke first. "Long time no see, Young Master Devereaux."

Her tone sounded polite, but there was no warmth in it. She slowly looked Balian up and down, then crossed her arms.

"So," Saddie said, "do you have a good reason for being here? Right now?"