These doctors often set difficult conditions even before they agreed to examine him.

Yet, his companions had endured it all just for his sake, only to end up getting disappointed again and again.

For Cyrus, each disappointment was like a quiet defeat.

All of a sudden, a crushing sensation took over his chest, and his legs went limp. He fell off the sofa to the floor as he gasped desperately for air.

He had lived a life of respect and dignity, yet as he turned old, he ended up like a stray dog, unable to rise, and trying hard to breathe in some dark corner.

The choking feeling lasted for over ten minutes, which was several times longer than the previous episodes.

As if that was not bad enough, when he tried to get up on his feet again, his once-strong legs barely supported him. Each movement was a struggle. He felt and looked like a puppet with stiff limbs.

With a deep sigh, Cyrus pulled out a pen and a piece of paper from beneath the room's coffee table and wrote down a few lines. After writing, he remained seated until some strength returned to his legs.

Then he got up and left the room.

He was the most powerful man among them in terms of martial arts, so he managed to leave quietly without alerting anyone.

Lilah was restless throughout the night, tossing and turning long after the lights were out.

Several times in the night, she got up to go to Cyrus’ room to check on him. But whenever she approached the door, she always stopped herself because she didn't want to add to his stress.

Gerard stayed with her, and both of them sat on the stairs, until all of a sudden, Devonte burst out from his room and began pounding on Cyrus‘ door.

“Cyrus, open up!" he shouted.

“What's going on?" Lilah asked anxiously as she hurried over.

“I just dreamt that he jumped into the sea. The dream scared me to death," Devonte replied in a trembling voice.

Gerard and Lilah exchanged a look of deep concern when they heard this.

But despite Devonte's persistent knocking, no one answered the door.

Now realizing that something was wrong, Lilah quickly called the hotel staff. When they finally broke into the room, they found it empty.

Without thinking twice, they rushed out and roused Kyler. Together, they all set out into the night to search for Cyrus.

“He couldn't have gone far in his current state, and he didn't take his phone." Devonte spoke nervously as he scanned the area through the car window.

Kyler was just as troubled. “It's my fault for not insisting on staying in the same room with him," he murmured regretfully. "How come Cyrus became so fragile? A minor setback and he can't cope? He's forgotten how we've all pulled through tough times together."

Lilah and Devonte split up from the rest and went in another car to search along the coastal road.

After searching in vain throughout the night, Lilah became frantic.

Standing by the roadside, with her hands on her hips, she watched the morning joggers pass by, her heart pounding with urgency. It was really an unbearable feeling.

But just then, her phone began to ring.

Lilah quickly answered it.

"Hello, is this Miss Phillips?" a cold and firm voice asked.

Lilah didn't say anything for a moment. The voice felt vaguely familiar to her.

“Yes, this is she," she finally said after several seconds of silence.