Matthew Bennett's gaze was as sharp as a blade, coldly staring at Eric Foster as he said, "Three years ago you didn't kill me—do you regret it now?"

With a calm smile, Eric Foster's expression held an indescribable sense of melancholy. "Though I didn't kill you three years ago, killing you three years later is not out of the question."

Matthew Bennett sneered, "Eric Foster, you are indeed a prodigy, forging your own path in martial arts and creating the Nine Farewells Eighteen Departures inner strength technique. I've always admired you greatly. But after three years, do you know what level my Thirteen Limitless Skills have reached?"

A pair of eyes flashed with a sword-like gleam. Eric Foster said in a deep voice, "Indeed, after three days apart, one should look at a person with new eyes. Three years ago, you were at the seventh level, 'No Wind, No Rise,' far from being my match. I never expected you to break through four levels in just three years, and now you've reached the eleventh level of the Thirteen Limitless Skills—'Creating Something from Nothing!'"

Matthew Bennett's body trembled, but he quickly regained his composure and said in a calm voice, "People say Eric Foster's insight surpasses even his swordsmanship. Seeing you today, it's true. But even though you can see the depth of my inner strength, do you know how confident you are in killing me?"

Slowly shaking his head, Eric Foster replied, "None." After a slight pause, "But how confident are you in defeating me?"

Matthew Bennett was taken aback, and after a long moment said, "Not even a little."

Slowly drawing the iron sword from his waist, gazing at the streak of black along the blade, Eric Foster said in a deep voice, "It's a pity that today, you and I have reached the point where things must be settled. Matthew Bennett, have you ever thought that as long as Marshal Yue lives, your Jin Kingdom's ambitions will never succeed? Since that's the case, why not turn back while you still can? Moreover..." He wanted to say more, but finally held back.

Matthew Bennett looked at the large banner bearing the character 'Yue' behind his opponent, and a hint of respect actually appeared in his eyes. He slowly unfastened the Demon Flame Saber from his saddle. "You're right. But can I still turn back? Or can you stop now?"

After a slight pause, Matthew Bennett said coldly, "Yang Zaixing is already dead, and one of the Yue Family's Five Tigers has fallen. Next will be you, Heaven-Questioning Sword Eric Foster!"

His expression grew somewhat somber, but more than that, it was helplessness. Yet in his eyes, boundless fury erupted. Eric Foster's grip on his iron sword tightened, and he said in a deep voice, "Who will win and who will lose is still unknown. Yes, the ties between us have long been severed. Since that's the case, please!"

The sword tip merely pointed diagonally at the ground, but his entire demeanor had changed—no more melancholy, no more gloom, but instead a surge of righteousness and boundless awe.

Matthew Bennett's eyes lit up, as if spitting fire, but he raised his saber to the sky. The killing intent had vanished, and the figure that had been on horseback now seemed elusive and unfathomable.

A great battle was about to erupt!

※※※ August 23, 2002 ※※※

Anping Hospital is a city-level hospital, located in the northeast corner of Jiangyuan City. Although it's a city hospital, people say that in terms of standards and medical conditions, it's absolutely on par with provincial-level hospitals.

The hospital is close to the scenic East Lake of Jiangyuan City, with a pleasant climate and beautiful scenery. Not only is it a good place for treatment, but even for convalescence, it's quite a nice spot.

At noon, when everything makes people drowsy, a piercing, mournful ambulance siren sounded at an inopportune moment, approaching from afar and rushing through the gates of Anping Hospital.

Before the ambulance had even come to a complete stop, several people in white coats had already rushed out from inside the hospital, deftly receiving the stretcher from the vehicle and quickly running toward the emergency room.

The person on the stretcher was wearing an oxygen mask, eyes tightly closed, a trace of pain between the brows, as if still faintly conscious. On the chest, the stretcher was stained with patches of red—clearly, the patient had lost a lot of blood and was seriously injured.

The emergency light above the operating room door instantly turned red. In less than five minutes, all the emergency personnel were in position.

The attending physician's eyes were bright and sharp, though his face was covered by a mask, making it impossible to see his features. But from his full head of black hair, it was clear he was not very old.

He quickly glanced at the medical record: Patient Ethan Brooks, sophomore at Zheqing University, 20 years old, suffered severe contusion and hematoma of the right brain tissue due to a car accident, closed abdominal injury, suspected major vascular damage, and rib fractures!

Zheqing University? That's one of the top universities in the country. Although the current job market is unimaginably tough, anyone who can get into this university is guaranteed a secure future. The attending physician sighed inwardly—this person still had a bright youth and future ahead, but after this car accident, everything was uncertain.

"Have the family members been notified?" The attending physician didn't forget to ask. In such cases, the hospital's priority is always rescue, but follow-up procedures require the family to be present—someone has to sign and pay the bills. Otherwise, if you save one after another but no one pays for treatment or takes responsibility, even the best hospital can't last long.

"There was no family contact information on the patient," a nurse said softly.

"Then contact the university," the attending physician said, a bit anxiously.

"It's summer break now, and it's noon. The university can't be reached at the moment," the nurse replied.