Old Brooks said “forgive me” to Prime Minister, quickly stepped forward, and reached out to check Brian Carter’s pulse and breath one after another. He soon confirmed that the child’s life had ended—he was truly dead. But the situation was too sudden and too strange. Even though he could confirm the fourth young master was dead, he dared not be careless. Taking the opportunity to examine the body, he gently flicked his wide sleeve and quietly drove a long needle into Brian Carter’s left chest, right over the heart.

No matter what, with a needle in the heart, this last “demon star” was definitely dead.

Old Brooks was a martial arts master of his time; the silver needle in his sleeve was thrust and withdrawn in an instant, and Prime Minister Foster, being a scholar, couldn’t see through his methods at all…

Only Brian Carter himself knew that he wasn’t dead yet, though he was very confused.

He had been waiting for death with his eyes closed, but before the fat Old Brooks could do anything, a cold sensation rose from his chest and abdomen, quickly spreading through his limbs and bones.

Invaded by this chill, his body became numb and stiff, unable to move at all. Perhaps because of transmigration and soul attachment, Brian Carter could clearly “sense” his own physical state. He distinctly felt that, though he was numb beyond belief, he was still alive—just that his heartbeat, blood flow, and breathing had all slowed to an extreme degree, completely undetectable to outsiders.

He was still alive—a state of feigned death, enough to fool everyone.

His body was numb, but his mind remained clear. Brian Carter could still “think.” After considering everything, he realized there was only one reason for his sudden “feigned death”—Physician Sullivan.

The “feigned death” was just as Brian Carter had guessed.

Physician Sullivan had “taken a liking” to Brian Carter and was determined to steal this child away.

The imperial physician wanted a living child, but how could he possibly steal a lively fourth young master from the prime minister’s residence? So, he gave Brian Carter a miraculous drug that induced “feigned death.” Earlier, when Physician Sullivan visited, he applied a powder called “Xinliang” to Brian Carter’s nose. Life is but a dream, and how many times does one experience “Xinliang” in a lifetime? If you haven’t died once, how would you know “Xinliang”?

“Xinliang” entered the lungs through breathing, and after lying dormant for three hours, its effects would kick in, plunging the victim into a state of feigned death. With turtle-like breathing and an extremely weak heartbeat, there was almost no difference from a real corpse… Stealing the fourth young master was difficult, but if the fourth young master “died,” he would be buried within three days. By then, it would be much easier to dig up a corpse.

Before the hour of You, Brian Carter inhaled “Xinliang”; now, as the hour of Zi approached, it had been exactly three hours.

Because of “dextrocardia,” Physician Sullivan had planned to steal the fourth young master, never expecting the timing of the drug’s effect would be so perfect, saving Brian Carter’s life. And also because of “dextrocardia,” the needle Old Brooks used to ensure nothing went wrong only pierced Brian Carter’s lung, failing to take his life.

Old Brooks left, quietly saying before he departed, “Tomorrow I will bring my daughter over. My lord, please accept my condolences.”

Prime Minister Foster didn’t stay long either. He sat by the bed for a while, wiped the corner of his eye, let out a deep sigh, and then got up to leave…

The prime minister’s fourth son was dead, but Brian Carter was still alive. Because of the “Heavenly Calamity Demon Star,” the Fu family dared not give the fourth son a grand funeral, nor did they allow him to be buried in the ancestral tomb. They hastily prepared a coffin that night, kept it at home for just one day, and then chose a spot with decent feng shui outside the city for a simple burial.

“Xinliang” was miraculous, slowing the body’s metabolism to an extreme degree and greatly extending the time one could survive with turtle-like breathing. Although the child’s body was fragile and his left chest had been pierced by a long needle, Brian Carter still managed to hang on.

The drug’s effects remained; Brian Carter couldn’t move at all, not even open his eyelids. He could only lie in his own grave, listening quietly. He didn’t know how much time had passed before there was finally some movement outside.

First came the soft sound of shoveling earth, then the creaking of the coffin being pried open… Physician Sullivan.

The sickly ghost had arrived—the “demon star” had finally survived this brush with death. Soon after, with a crisp snap, Physician Sullivan pried open the coffin, scooped the child into his arms, and ran toward a carriage parked not far away.

Perhaps it was his first time as a grave robber, so he was nervous; or perhaps he was too excited to have finally found a child with dextrocardia. The skinny stick had barely run two steps before he kicked a stone, let out a startled cry, and tumbled to the ground with the child.

Almost at the same moment he fell, the coachman who had been sitting on the carriage more than ten zhang away suddenly leapt forward like the wind, catching Physician Sullivan steadily before he hit the ground. But Physician Sullivan was not grateful at all. He jumped up angrily and shouted, “Idiot! I can’t die from a fall—you should have caught the child!” Scolding as he went, he hurried forward to pick Brian Carter up again.

Physician Sullivan’s face was full of distress; it seemed that, in his heart, the child was even more precious than his own eyes. Brian Carter was left with a bruised and swollen face from the fall, but having survived life and death, he really didn’t care about another bump. What Brian Carter cared more about was what this skinny stick had gone through so much trouble to steal him for.

The coachman, who possessed excellent martial arts and had kindly helped but been scolded, only smiled slightly, showing no resentment at all. After escorting Physician Sullivan and Brian Carter into the carriage, he leapt back onto the driver’s seat, cracked the whip, and hurried off under the moonlight.