Chapter 289: Our Secret Between the Three of Us

Chapter 289: Our Secret Between the Three of Us

The young master was a man who respected beauty, and he respected all women without exception.

Once, when they visited the Amazon Basin, a beautiful Indian girl served him cassava beer. Unable to refuse her shy gaze, Caesar forced himself to down the beer and even praised it insincerely, which later led to three days of diarrhea.

Caesar would always compromise himself in order to respect women.

Now, he was suddenly told that he needed to learn to respect himself.

"I... I must be dreaming."

Kesha stared blankly at the surging waves before her, her trembling hand reaching down to her thighs. The little companion who had been with her for twenty years was gone, replaced by a strange, unfamiliar valley.

She went dark in front of her eyes and almost fell to the ground.

Calm down! Calm down! In a way, this was also good news. The Gattuso family no longer had to rely on him to become an emperor or achieve any remarkable feats.

At most, she could only become an empress.

"The touch feels so real. I've never heard of alchemy being able to achieve this level. Is this some kind of miraculous incantation?"

Chu Zihan maintained a cold expression, embodying the spirit of academic exploration, and touched it. It felt similar to when her mother's group of girlfriends washed her face, but the hybrid's touch was of higher quality, filled with youthful vitality.

At this moment, her face, even more exquisite than Zero's, cracked open. Although she appeared calm, her heart was actually in a state of panic, but her habit of having a poker face prevented her from making any overly dramatic expressions.

A gentle, mysterious voice interrupted the thoughts of the two. Kesha and Chu Zihan turned to look, and they saw Lu Mingfei, her face flushed, rubbing and caressing her chest. It was this action that had caused her to make an involuntary sound between her lips.

Noticing the gazes of her two senior brothers... and sister, she reflexively stopped and stammered an explanation.

"I... I just think that in this situation, anyone would want to try it."

Kesha and Chu Zihan were momentarily speechless, feeling that the newcomer's heart was incredibly strong.

Lu Ke, with a cheerful smile, held up his phone to record this magical moment of the trio. "It's understandable. After all, it's an experience that ordinary people will never have in their entire lives."

As soon as he spoke, Kesha and Chu Zihan regained some of their senses and turned to look at Lu Ke, both feeling a chill down their spines.

They almost forgot that there was a man present! Moreover, he was the one known behind their backs as Cassel's number one playboy, a promiscuous man with exceptional bedroom skills.

From a male perspective, Lu Ke's appearance was also extremely outstanding. But when he took on a female body and was influenced by new hormones, they realized just how attractive he was to normal women. His perfectly shaped body seemed to constantly stimulate a woman's primal instincts to seek out superior genes for propagation. This guy might be a reincarnated succubus, and he wasn't holding back at all.

Chu Zihan quietly took two steps back, recalling the scene from earlier when they changed clothes. She discreetly grabbed a towel and wrapped herself tightly.

If this was the price of her wish, she might have to reconsider whether she wanted Lu Ke's help.

Kesha, on the other hand, showed more resilience. She scoffed and scooped up a basin of cold water, splashing it over herself.

Everyone had bathed in the spring water, so why shouldn't you change too!

Lu Ke didn't dodge or evade. The water slid over his body, following the force of gravity, but his body didn't undergo any changes.

His own techniques couldn't possibly work on himself. All the data from Curse Spring Village had been analyzed, and he could transform into any type of spring in the village at will: man, woman, child, panda, Asura, and so on.

"Don't be silly. Since he dared to bathe in this Maiden Drowning Spring with us, he must have a backup plan to prevent himself from being affected."

Chu Zihan forced herself to stay calm. "How did you do it?"

Based on her knowledge, the only similar method she could think of was the pureblood dragon clan's ability to implant the Dragon Bone Cross into people of different genders and possess their bodies. However, this was essentially stealing someone else's body, and strictly speaking, it couldn't be considered a gender transformation.

There was another possibility, called "cocoon transformation." Perhaps pureblood dragons could change their gender when reshaping their bodies, but this was just a theory, and its validity was questionable.

"Alchemy is more complex than you think. In ancient times, the Philosopher's Stone had an alias known as the Red Potion. It was called the Elixir of Immortality, capable of rejuvenating and restoring youth. It could change the state of the body, and if it could make you young again, it could also transform your gender."

Lu Ke casually made up an explanation. After the 14th century, no one could create the Philosopher's Stone anymore. In the original work, the new Philosopher's Stone was refined from the Dragon Bone Cross of the Dragon King Constantine. The Philosopher's Stone was the most precious strategic resource measured in milligrams, and it was non-renewable. No one would waste a large amount of it to verify the truth of his words.

"Alright, Boss, stop teasing them, they might take it seriously."

Lu Mingfei couldn't help but cover her face, the current scene was unbearable to watch. "Steam-filled hot springs, a well-built hunk, two gorgeous girls who recently transitioned, and a cute little dessert, all with disheveled clothes and flushed faces, the only fabric covering their bodies being the bath towels around their waists..."

My mind was already imagining over a dozen female-oriented novels and games. Boss, are you gathering material for a new game or novel?"

Keisha's face turned pale, for the first time, she regretted her proficiency in Chinese. She took a step back and pulled the towel from her waist up to her chest.

Lu Mingfei poured a basin of hot water over herself, wincing at the scalding heat amidst the rising steam. The "dessert" reverted to its male form.

The pupils of the two trembled with joy, unable to contain their excitement. They could change back!

Following their lead, they each poured a basin of hot water over themselves. The future Empress transformed back into a domineering noble son, and the cold beauty returned to her usual expressionless killer.

In just a short few minutes, it felt like a lifetime had passed for the two. Chu Zihan was fine, but Caesar was so moved he almost shed tears.

"Cold water turns us into females, and hot water changes us back," Lu Mingfei explained to his two senior brothers. "In this aspect, Chu's Incantation 'Blazing Sovereign' is quite convenient, as it can heat things up anytime, anywhere."

"Is there a permanent solution?"

Lu Mingfei turned to look at Lu Ke, and the other two followed his gaze.

Lu Ke, having gathered enough material, put away his phone and smiled. "No, you'll just have to be more careful and avoid cold water as much as possible."

Caesar, sensing something amiss, spoke in a low voice, "You just guided me to participate in the Gatekeeper Plan."

The Gatekeeper Plan's location was upstream of the Yangtze River, and the Dragon Tomb was underwater. While they would undoubtedly wear protective suits when diving, if something unexpected happened... No, if something did happen, it would be a dangerous situation.

"Are you getting back at me for saying you exude a cheap aura?"

"How could I? What do you take me for? I'm not that petty!"

Lu Ke seemed hurt, sighing in despair. "Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"

Caesar's eyes flashed a few times but he didn't answer. He feared that saying more might lead to an even worse situation, so he turned to Chu Zihan and Lu Mingfei.

"This is a secret between the three of us. You guys don't mind, right?"

Chu Zihan nodded expressionlessly, and Lu Mingfei bowed deeply in assurance.

"No problem, no problem. How could we possibly talk about this to others? But why three people? Boss, won't you give him a heads-up?"

"That guy does whatever he wants and teases others. He's not going to listen to me."

Lu Ke asked sincerely again, "Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"

"... Inform me when the Gatekeeper Plan begins."

Caesar, for the second time, chose to remain silent. He didn't feel like speaking anymore, and the only thing that could cheer him up now was the prospect of slaying a Dragon King in the near future. He put on his clothes and left the room.

"I should take my leave as well."

Chu Zihan got dressed, picked up a bag, and packed some restorative medicine from the fruit plate. Just as he was about to leave, a heavy object came whistling through the air towards him.

His quick reflexes caught the falling object. The familiar weight and texture made him pause.

It was a broken Murasame.

Chu Zihan gripped the sword, and its body trembled slightly, as if rejoicing in its reunion with its master. A strange sensation washed over him; the sword seemed to have a "soul." Drawing the Divine Blade, its chilling aura and oppressive killing intent emanated from its sharp edge, capable of piercing even the toughest of defenses.

The pinnacle of alchemy, killing matter and imbuing it with a new "life."

This memento from his father had undergone a complete transformation. If the previous Murasame was considered a decent alchemical weapon, the current Murasame could be described as an unparalleled dragon-slaying blade, capable of easily tearing through the defenses of a Second Generation.

As for the First Generation, Chu Zihan had little concept of their capabilities and couldn't make a judgment.

"Consider it interest for your patience, assuring you of my ability to fulfill your wishes."

Lu Ke smiled at him, "Your body has been infiltrated by the refined dragon blood from the Blood Burst. I've resolved the hidden dangers using other means. Now, you are truly a Hyper A-Class. But remember, the Blood Burst still disrupts the balance, so avoid using it whenever possible. Also, go easy on Caesar; don't push him too hard."

"Thank you."

Chu Zihan pursed his lips, hesitating for a moment before speaking, "I know I can't help you much, but if there's anything I can do, just let me know."

"Okay, I'll remember that."

After he left, NoMa appeared on the phone screen. This highly intelligent Battle Weapon showed a disapproving look.

"Forgive my frankness, but your actions are inappropriate. Chu Zihan and Caesar are both outstanding students of the academy, and leaving such an embarrassing image behind goes against..."

Lu Ke interrupted her incessant chatter, "So, you don't want to see a certain person's female form anymore?"

"..."

Fingal was speechless for a moment before responding, "If it were EVA, I'd definitely refuse."

Thankfully, it was Fingal.

Lu Mingfei looked at the smart home assistant with curiosity, "Big Bro, is this a new invention of yours?"

"No, it's one of the school's most valuable assets and Fingal's girlfriend."

Lu Mingfei was stunned, "Even the useless senior brother likes paper dolls?"

"Your use of the word 'also' is quite intriguing." Lu Ke chuckled softly, "Unfortunately, it's not that your useless senior brother likes paper dolls, but the person he likes has become a paper doll."

"I don't understand."

"You'll understand once I film 'The Wandering Earth 2'."

Lu Ke rubbed his chin, "Right, Fingal, help Mingfei out with the 3E test."

"You're on the Board of Directors, you call the shots."

Fingal curtsied slightly and disappeared from the center of the phone.

Lu Mingfei watched in amazement, "What's this 3E test again?"

Lu Ke explained briefly, "It's a bloodline test. If you do poorly, you'll drop from S-Class to A-Class or even lower."

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingfei's spirit lifted, "Then there's no need to cheat. If I do poorly, won't you be the only S-Class in the academy?"

"I don't need that title. Besides, having an S-Class as my sidekick is more prestigious."

Lu Ke stretched lazily, "It's your first day of freedom, and you've already had a tough time. Go back and rest. I remember you're rooming with Fingal. If you can't stand his snoring, teeth grinding, and farting, you can move to Norton Hall. There are plenty of empty rooms there."

"No need, the useless senior brother is fine. If it weren't for him drawing fire, I wouldn't have made it to Norton Hall."

Lu Mingfei waved his hands repeatedly.

Fingal, too, had joined his dormitory, and he was the only non-girlfriend member. With Lu Mingfei's addition, there were only two of them. His intelligence-gathering abilities and control over school public opinion were indeed remarkable.

He was also a member of the Lionheart Society and the Student Council, essentially the principal's direct subordinate. Yet, he had ambiguous relationships with the Secret Party and the Board of Directors, making him a true double agent. However, he was quite decent to Lu Mingfei.

"Then I'm off, Big Bro. Remember to call if you need anything. I'm always available."

Lu Mingfei reluctantly put on his clothes, silently praying that the Cassel Academy dormitories wouldn't be too bad.

He left Norton Hall and followed the map to his dorm, when his phone dinged with a notification. It was a money transfer message.

"One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand..."

Lu Mingfei counted, took a deep breath, and put down his phone, muttering to himself.

"I remember that anything over fifty thousand requires an advance appointment."

After walking a bit further, he pinched his face but felt nothing.

"Hmm, I must be dreaming."

He walked a little more and picked up his phone to check the message again. His legs went weak, and he almost collapsed.

"No, Big Bro, you're really giving it to me!"

...

Old Tang woke up from his dream again, panting heavily. His sleepwear was soaked with sweat, and a scorching sensation spread from his chest to the rest of his body, leaving him parched.

Lately, he had been having strange dreams.

In his dreams, the entire world was on fire. Charred human figures ran through the flames, and countless arrows rained down from the sky. A huge plaque burned and flipped as it fell.

There was also a boy who called him 'brother'. The boy looked at him with dark, shining eyes filled with attachment and reluctance. The next second, the boy was hanging from a tall pole in the city center, and the flames of the entire city seemed to be burning just for him, like a grand sacrifice.

"Why am I having these dreams? Am I going crazy from playing games?"

He rubbed his forehead, looking exhausted, and just as he was about to take a short nap, his phone started ringing incessantly. It was a task from a hunter website.

The client's information was scarce, but their level was high, and they could offer large orders. They specifically requested Old Tang for the task, which was usually suspicious. But this time, the reward was exceptionally generous—five million US dollars.

Moreover, the client's tone was mysterious and subtly threatening, implying that they would offer him conditions he couldn't refuse, and it wasn't just about money. He had seen 'The Godfather', after all.

"Oh well, one must live."

He sighed and opened the task details, slowly reading them out loud.

"The Gatekeeper Plan...?"

For some reason, Old Tang's mind suddenly flashed with the image of the burning city from his dream. He finally recognized the plaque of the city—it read 'White Emperor'.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end