2025-03-24 01:01:55The warehouse collapsed with a roar that shook the ground beneath Joaquin’s feet.
He ran without looking back — there was no time.The air behind him was thick with heat and dust, and the sound of steel and concrete folding in on itself rose like a dying beast’s final wail.Every muscle in his body screamed. His lungs burned.Blood trickled down his face, his side, his arms — he could feel it everywhere, but he didn’t stop. He wouldn’t stop.Not with Jasmine in his arms.Her soul flickered against his chest like a fading ember, warm and soft but barely holding on.She felt weightless, fragile, and her glow dimmed more with every second.“Hold on,” he whispered, his voice raw and broken. “Just hold on a little longer.”The light ahead grew brighter.The exit was so close — just a few more steps — but the ground cracked beneath him.The warehouse shuddered violently one last time, and Joaquin dove forward as the earth behind him collap
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The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 139: Recovery and Revelation
Pain was the first thing Joaquin felt. A deep, bone-deep ache spread through his entire body, like he’d been trampled by a freight train. Breathing hurt. Moving hurt. Even thinking felt sluggish and heavy, like his brain was wading through mud.He forced his eyes open. The room was dim and blurry, the edges of his vision swimming until they slowly sharpened. The faint smell of antiseptic and something floral drifted in the air.He was in the hospital. Again.“About damn time.”The familiar voice snapped his attention to the figure slouched in the chair beside his bed. Serena. Her arms were crossed, her eyes red-rimmed but fierce as they fixed on him.“Hey…” Joaquin’s voice cracked, his throat dry and raspy.Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t you ‘hey’ me.”Before he could respond, she shot up from the chair and stood over him, her face a storm of fury and relief. “Do you have any idea what you put me through? Rick called me in the mid
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 140: The Next Move
Joaquin knew he should stay in that hospital bed. He could still feel the deep ache in his ribs, every breath a reminder that his body hadn’t quite forgiven him for what he’d put it through. But there was no time to rest—not when Jasmine’s life was still hanging by a thread.So when Serena finally drifted off in the chair beside his bed, her exhaustion overtaking her worry, Joaquin made his move.He swung his legs over the side of the bed slowly, biting back a grimace as the movement pulled at his injuries. His bare feet hit the cold floor, and for a moment, the room spun. But he gritted his teeth and pushed forward. He found his clothes folded on a chair—thankfully not hospital scrubs—and dressed with careful, deliberate movements. Every stretch of fabric across his battered body felt like fire.But he kept going.The hallway was quiet, the night shift keeping everything calm and slow. Joaquin kept his head down, walking with a steady pace t
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 141: The Awakening
The quiet hum of the machines filled the hospital room, a steady, rhythmic sound that Joaquin had grown too familiar with. It was the only sign of life in the sterile space—aside from the rise and fall of Jasmine’s chest. It should have been comforting. It wasn’t.Joaquin sat slumped in the chair beside her bed, exhaustion pulling at his body like lead weights. His bandages itched, his ribs still ached with every breath, but none of that mattered. Not when his sister was still lying there, pale and silent, her soul finally returned but her body still refusing to wake up.He reached for her hand, taking it gently on his own. Her skin was cool, her fingers limp. He squeezed anyway.“Come on, Jas,” he whispered, his voice rough. “You’re back. You fought so hard… just a little more, okay? I need you.”The clock on the wall ticked on, each second dragging into eternity.Joaquin didn’t know how many hours passed. The light in the room shifted a
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 142: A Brother’s Questions
Joaquin sat by Jasmine's bedside, exhaustion hanging heavy on his shoulders, but there was no way he was leaving. Not yet. Not until he got the answers he’d been waiting for.Jasmine looked so small and fragile against the stark white sheets — her skin pale, her face drawn with the weight of everything she’d endured. But her eyes… those same dark eyes that had always been so fierce and full of life were finally open, watching him with cautious warmth.“You should be resting,” she whispered, her voice still weak but steady.Joaquin shook his head, a small, tired smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You first.”That earned him the smallest huff of a laugh — but the sound was short-lived. The silence that followed felt heavier than it should have, filled with everything they hadn’t said. And Joaquin knew he couldn’t wait any longer.“Jasmine,” he started gently, his voice low. “I need to know what happened. The accident… everything that led up to it. Please.”
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 143: Frustration
The hospital room was quiet, save for the steady beep of the monitors and the soft rustle of curtains swaying with the air conditioning. Joaquin sat in the chair beside Jasmine’s bed, his leg bouncing with restless energy. His mind wouldn’t settle — not after what Jasmine had told him.Andrew.Joaquin clenched his fists, his jaw tight as the name echoed in his head. He hadn’t wanted to believe it. He thought they were done with Andrew Alvarez — that after the kidnapping, the threats, and the betrayal, the man had finally backed off. But now…“Joaquin,” Serena’s soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.He glanced up as she stepped into the room, her expression a careful mix of concern and exhaustion.She looked like she hadn’t slept in days, and knowing Serena, she probably hadn’t.“Hey,” she said, moving closer. “You okay?”“No,” he answered honestly. There was no point pretending otherwise. “I just… I don’t know how much more of this I can take
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 144: The Confrontation
Joaquin didn’t even realize how fast he was moving until he was already storming through the hospital corridors, his pulse pounding like a war drum. He didn’t care who was watching — didn’t care about the nurses turning their heads or the patients staring after him.He was done waiting. Done playing it safe.Andrew Alvarez did it again and Joaquin was done staying silent. When he reached Andrew’s office, he didn’t bother knocking. He shoved the door open so hard it slammed into the wall behind it with a loud crack.Andrew looked up from his desk, startled. He blinked once, twice — and then his expression shifted into something calm and composed. Too calm. Too composed. “Joaquin,” he said smoothly, setting down the pen in his hand. “What a… dramatic entrance.”“Cut the crap,” Joaquin snarled, his voice low and dangerous. He stepped inside and slammed the door shut behind him. “We need to talk.”Andrew leaned back in his chair, fo
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 145: A Game of Power
Andrew stormed into James Villareal’s office without knocking, his pulse hammering in his ears. The confrontation with Joaquin still lingered in his mind, the rage, the humiliation—he hadn’t expected Joaquin to come at him so aggressively. But what unsettled him the most wasn’t Joaquin’s anger. It was his persistence. Joaquin wasn’t going to back down, and that meant Andrew had a problem. James looked up from behind his massive mahogany desk, his expression completely unaffected by Andrew’s entrance. He barely spared him a glance before returning to the documents in front of him, as if Andrew wasn’t worth more than an afterthought. Andrew clenched his fists at his sides, forcing himself to breathe through his frustration. “We need to talk, Mr. Villareal.” James sighed, taking his time flipping through the last page of his document before setting it down. Then, finally, he leaned
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 146: Mikyla’s Warning
Joaquin was pacing outside Jasmine’s hospital room when Mikyla approached him.Her expression was tense, her hands clenched at her sides like she was trying to stop herself from second-guessing her decision.Joaquin eyed her warily.He still didn’t know what to make of her. He had already moved on, but that didn’t mean he would be swayed by her again.And yet, here she was, seeking him out like she had something important to say.“I need to talk to you,” Mikyla said, her voice low.Joaquin crossed his arms. “About what?”She hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was within earshot. Then, she stepped closer.“It’s about Andrew,” she murmured.Joaquin’s eyes darkened. “What about him?”Mikyla’s lips pressed into a thin line. She looked around again, making sure no one was watching or listening.“He’s conspiring with someone to remove you from the hospital.”Joaquin’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t let his expression shift.He h
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Chapter 200: The Ring’s Reckoning
The sting of blood in his mouth was sharp.Metallic.Familiar.But it was the pressure in his gut—the searing pain of Lina's clawed hand still warm from piercing him—that blurred the edges of Joaquin’s vision.He couldn’t move.Not right away.His body was frozen from shock, heat and cold dancing across his spine like a cruel joke.He gasped for air, lips trembling, eyes barely holding onto the sight of Lina’s triumphant smirk.“Thanks for surrendering the ring to me,” she whispered again, her voice soaked in vict
Chapter 199: The Final battle 1
The arena was silent.Joaquin couldn’t deny the nerves coiling in his stomach as he stood at the edge, preparing for his final match.He had triumphed in his last two battles. But even before this one began, he knew—it was going to be hard.Not because his opponent was powerful.But because once again, he would be facing her—Lina.The same girl who had stolen his ring.To this day, she hadn’t given him a single reason why.He used to think he didn’t want to know. But when he saw her fight, he realized—there was som
Chapter 198: Shadows and Sparks
After his earlier match, Joaquin chose to stay in the room for a while longer, waiting for the call to his next battle.Outside, the muffled cheers of the crowd echoed through the concrete walls—constant, rhythmic waves of energy that reminded him: the war was far from over.He shut his eyes for a moment and let the ambient noise fade into the background.Then came a soft knock.A young attendant peeked in, eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and nerves. “Mr. Lopez, the next round’s schedule has been posted. Your match is in two hours.”Joaquin gave a small nod, offering a faint but polite smile. “Thank you.”As the door clicked shut, he stoo
Chapter 197: The First Clash
Joaquin woke up early the next day, readying himself for his first match. Stage Two of the competition had officially begun.He was already inside the waiting room, silently preparing as he waited for his turn. From where he sat, he could hear the roar of the crowd echoing from the arena. There were a few matches scheduled before his, which gave him time—but not peace.The arena was vast—an expanse of polished concrete with high ceilings that amplified every sound. Bright lights bathed the place in a sterile glow, casting long shadows that danced with every movement. Rows upon rows of seats circled the central platform, where the fighters for Stage Two were beginning to prove themselv
Chapter 196: The Last 50
Joaquin adjusted the collar of his coat as he stood outside the grand venue, staring up at the towering building before him. The banquet for the fifty remaining contenders of the Blue Tiger Ranking Competition was being held at a luxury estate—one reserved for elite sponsors and facilitators. Nothing about this place felt casual. Every inch screamed prestige, wealth, and quiet pressure.He wasn’t nervous. But he wasn’t calm, either.For the past two days, he had trained relentlessly at the Suarez estate—throwing punches, dodging blows, simulating combat over and over again with Rick and Cedrick. He barely slept. Barely ate. Not because of the competition—
Chapter 195: A Celebration
After the announcement, Joaquin returned to the Suarez estate. He decided to spend the next three days there to prepare for the upcoming stage. He was already thinking of a plan—how to get his ring back.“Well, congratulations to you, Joaquin! I knew you'd make it,” Miguel said, beaming. He sounded like a proud father celebrating his son’s success.He raised his wine glass.Joaquin gave a small smile and toasted with him.As a celebration of his victory, Miguel had prepared a dinner.Rick and Cedrick were also there to join them.Miguel sat at the center of the long dining table. His son sat to his right, while Joaquin sat to his left.
Chapter 194: The Announcement
Joaquin didn’t stay long at the hospital. As soon as he had recovered, he left immediately. An invitation card had arrived for him—sent by the facilitator of the Blue Tiger Ranking Competition. That day, the winners of Stage One would be officially announced.Joaquin didn’t really want to go. But he had something he needed to get back. He had to reclaim his ring. And he was certain Lina would be there.He didn’t bother dressing up. He simply wore the formal suit Rick had lent him. Rick also drove him to the venue.He entered the hall.
Chapter 193: Lost Ring
Joaquin slowly opened his eyes.The hum of the fluorescent lights above was the first thing he became aware of. His vision adjusted gradually to the blinding white ceiling. For a few seconds, he just stared up in confusion. The sterile white walls, the smell of antiseptic, the pristine linens... it all registered in bits and pieces.A hospital?He turned his head cautiously. Beside him were machines softly beeping, their rhythm oddly comforting. A drip was attached to his arm. His head ached—not sharp pain, just a dull, persistent throb, like a faded memory of something violent.
Chapter 192: Ending
Joaquin continued walking, gripping his knife tightly. Even after that battle with the creature, he couldn’t let his guard down.His legs were dragging with every step. It was only then he realized one of them had a deep wound.Sure, it wasn’t his first time facing strange creatures—but never something like that... Half-human, or whatever it was.He had a strong suspicion it was part of the Black Viper Society. Maybe one of their failed experiments. Maybe that’s why it turned out that way.When he turned a corner in the maze, his legs finally gave out. He slumped to the ground and leaned against the wall, breathing deeply.
—— To be Continued... ——
