Rebirth: She Cuts Ties and Takes Revenge (Noelle Kain) novel Chapter 560

This time, Noelle was even more careful than before. Every needle landed with perfect precision, and every twist was controlled just right.

Christine closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, the tension between her brows easing slightly.

After finishing the treatment, Noelle packed away the needles. She hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "My condolences."

Christine opened her eyes and looked at her, something complicated flickering in her gaze. Her lips parted like she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only smiled faintly. "Thank you, Ms. Kain."

Noelle nodded and turned to leave.

After she left, the bamboo grove fell silent.

Christine remained seated on the stone stool without moving.

The wind swept through the bamboo leaves with a soft rustling sound.

She lowered her head and looked at the tiny needle marks on her wrist as the corners of her lips slowly curved upward.

It wasn't a smile.

It was the expression of a hunter watching prey walk willingly into a trap.

"You can come out now." Her voice was soft and calm.

A man stepped out from behind the bamboo grove.

He wore skintight black clothing that covered him from head to toe, leaving only his eyes exposed.

Those eyes were cold like a snake's, without the slightest warmth.

He walked over to Christine, dropped to one knee, and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Congratulations, Ms. Duncan. It seems you've already gained her trust."

Christine didn't look at him. She only stared at the needle marks on her wrist, her gaze unreadably deep.

"How much longer until the parasite matures?"

"Three days."

Christine gave a quiet hum, her tone so light that it sounded like she was discussing something meaningless. "Then plant it in three days."

The man in black looked up, hesitating briefly. "Once the parasite is planted, the host will become a puppet who obeys only the holder of the mother parasite. At that point, Ms. Kain will—"

"At that point, she'll belong to us."

Christine cut him off, a cold curve lifting her lips. "Her medical skills are excellent, and Mr. Shelton values her highly. She'll go far in the Nightfall Circle sooner or later. With her around, we'll be able to monitor everything happening inside the Medicine Department. That old man hides all the good things from everyone except her. Once we have her, the Medicine Department's secrets will eventually become ours."

She paused, her gaze drifting toward the photo hidden behind the bamboo. Her voice lowered. "Besides... she has other uses too."

The man in black didn't ask further questions. He lowered his head. "Understood."

I don't understand why Aunt Christine treats Noelle so well.

She apologized to her, offered her coffee, and even slapped me for her sake. I'm the Duncans' legitimate daughter, so what makes that country bumpkin so special?

Noelle glanced at it. "Duskvine."

"You sure?" Shirley snorted. "Last time, you said duskvine, and this time it's duskvine again. Don't tell me duskvine is the only herb you know. Is that it? Besides duskvine, you can't recognize anything else?"

Several Medicine Department disciples nearby looked up at Shirley, then at Noelle, but nobody said a word.

During the past few days of training, everyone had seen Noelle's abilities clearly.

She kept a low profile, but she ranked first in every assessment. Mark himself also kept showing up every few days under the excuse of "inspection." Anyone could tell how highly he valued her.

Shirley might belong to the Duncans, but inside the Medicine Department, medical skill mattered more than status.

Noelle said nothing. She picked up the duskvine and placed it back in Shirley's hand. "Taste it. If it's bitter, it's duskvine. If it isn't, it's astragalus root."

Shirley's face changed instantly. Like she'd been burned, she jerked her hand back and dropped the herb onto the floor. "You want me to taste random herbs? What if it's poisonous? What are you trying to pull?"

"Duskvine isn't poisonous." Noelle bent down, picked up the herb, and placed it back on the table, her tone calm enough to sound like she was discussing the weather. "If you don't even know something that basic, go read The Herbal Canon instead of wasting everyone's time here."

Shirley's face flushed bright red. "W-who do you think you are? What gives you the right to lecture me?"

"I'm not lecturing you." Noelle lifted her eyes and looked at her. "I'm stating facts. You're the Duncans' legitimate daughter, yet you can't even tell the difference between duskvine and astragalus root. If word gets out, the Duncans will bear the shame."

One of the older disciples nearby finally couldn't stand it anymore and stood up. "Shirley, duskvine really isn't poisonous. That's common knowledge. If you can't tell them apart, go check The Herbal Canon instead of giving Ms. Kain trouble here. We're all part of the Medicine Department. Let's keep things peaceful."