Chapter 339: The Art of Portrayal

Chapter 339: The Art of Portrayal

"I'm doomed, I can't seem to get away from you."

Kline's eyes glazed over as he leaned on the table, his gaze distant.

"How on earth does your butler create such exquisite cuisine? Is there a path among the twenty-two extraordinary paths called 'Chef'?"

Yesterday, after leaving, he had wandered the streets as bait, following Captain Dunn Smith's instructions. But within a short time, he was called back to Black Thorn Security Company and informed that the Order of Esoteric Studies member who had been tracking him had been found and eliminated by a wild Extraordinary Being.

The fishing plan was completed in less than a day, with the only issue being the emergence of a mysterious individual in Tinggen whose allegiance was unknown. Dunn could only rub his temples and notify the Night Shift Team to patrol in pairs for the time being.

Considering Kline's potentially dangerous situation, and also acknowledging his contribution as bait in striking against the secret organization, Dunn applied for a Sequence 9 magic potion for Kline to enhance his self-protection abilities.

After some contemplation, Kline chose the path of 'Fortune Teller' from the three incomplete paths—'Gravedigger', 'Secret Seer', and 'Fortune Teller'—in addition to the 'Insomnia' path inherently possessed by the Darkness Goddess Church.

As soon as he got off work, he rushed over to share the good news with Luke, and it just so happened to be dinnertime. So, he respectfully stayed for the meal.

Luke, in a leisurely manner, waved for Parrot to clear the table, his tone indifferent.

"Parrot's cooking is not extraordinary; it's pure culinary art."

After a moment's thought, Luke added, "However, there is a path that solely focuses on 'eating' and can enhance culinary skills, but it's not among the conventional extraordinary paths."

"Not among the conventional extraordinary paths?" Kline asked, surprised. "Are there other paths besides the twenty-two divine paths?"

"You're a newly-minted Sequence 9, and you barely know a thing about esotericism. When you encounter something you don't understand, listen more and talk less."

Luke rolled his eyes, referring to the 'Traveler' path under the 'Primordial Hunger'.

This path, starting from Sequence 7 'Gourmet', allows one to gain various information from ingredients. At Sequence 6 'Chef', one can neutralize and cook the ingredients into various delicacies. Sequence 5 'Stripper' can even strip others of their abilities and permanently enhance themselves through digestion.

While this path has great potential, the higher the sequence, the more the Extraordinary Beings on this path lose their humanity, becoming fools driven solely by their hunger. Intelligence is often more important than strength.

In contrast, the 'Return to Unity', which is both divided and unified, has the same ultimate goal of 'unity', but the contradiction between division and unification prevents Luke from being consumed by his appetite.

In fact, even though Luke could consume the extraordinary traits of the twenty-two paths, the 'Traveler' path remains the most compatible with him.

Currently, the Old Gods' encroachment on Earth is not severe. Apart from the Fallen Mother Goddess and the Tree of Desires, the two offspring directly nurtured by the Original Maker, the number of followers of other Old Gods is minimal, and the Sequence of their blessings is unlikely to reach Demigod or higher.

Even as 'Primordial Hunger' pursues Luke's original body, it's unlikely that there will be new believers of 'Primordial Hunger' on Earth, leaving Luke with nowhere to find food.

"I am indeed a newcomer to esotericism, and I don't understand much. Why don't you teach me more about it?"

Kline showed no offense at Luke's words; instead, his face expressed a yearning for esoteric knowledge and the anticipation of taking advantage of him.

His esoteric mentor, Old Neill, was a patient, knowledgeable, and humorous elder. He provided Kline with a wealth of introductory esoteric knowledge, but more advanced knowledge was another matter.

While it's best to take things one step at a time, who wouldn't be tempted by the opportunity to gain advanced knowledge ahead of time? Many have taken on the Cold Ravine Valley's dancer, the Nimble's Guardian's tree, and the large ghostly head with a stick from the start.

Moreover, Kline had just discovered the diary of Roser Emperor on Old Neill's desk, written in simplified Chinese!

This predecessor among crossers overthrew the rule of the Intis Kingdom, invented the steam engine, brought about the industrial revolution, established the Intis Republic, and became its first executive officer. He led a legendary life, conquering various powerful nations in the northern continent and bestowing upon himself the title of 'Caesar'.

He seemed to be an incredibly powerful Extraordinary Being, and his diary, written in Chinese, mentioned various impressive terms like 'Godforsaken Land' and 'Portrayal and Digestion of Magic Potions'...

While these words guided Kline on his extraordinary path, they lacked explanations, leaving him with a vague understanding and a strong desire for clarification.

"Sure."

Luke didn't refuse, looking at Kline with a hint of a smile. "But you should remember that I said it won't be free. Even among brothers, we keep accounts clear. If you want to consult esoteric knowledge, you'll have to pay."

Kline instinctively reached for his pocket, where he had one golden pound and eleven pence, his entire fortune, and it was even an advance on his salary. His face showed a mix of pain and hesitation.

"How much exactly do I need to pay?"

"That depends on your questions."

Luke changed the subject, "I know you're broke, so I'll let you owe it for now."

Kline: ...

He felt offended.

What's wrong with being broke?

Did being broke mean eating your rice?

Kline glanced at the clean table and covered his face in silence.

Damn, he really did eat it!

Luke smiled and said, "So, what do you want to ask? I can answer most things."

Following the principle of not owing too much, Kline carefully considered his words and asked the first and most pressing question.

"The key to magic potions is not just mastering or digging, but portrayal. And the name of the potion is not just a core symbol but also a specific image and the 'key' to digestion. Can you explain the specific meaning of this sentence?"

"What you're referring to is called the portrayal method."

Luke pointed at the table with his index finger and leaned on his hand, "In simple terms, every magic potion contains the spiritual remnants of its previous owner. These remnants prevent you from fully merging with the potion. Portrayal involves acting according to the sequence's name, like an actor, to reconcile the differences between yourself and the residual spiritual imprint of the extraordinary trait, gaining recognition, bypassing existing barriers, and integrating the extraordinary trait with yourself."

Kline nodded thoughtfully, feeling that it was a little more detailed than before, but still a bit elusive. He tentatively asked, "Could you be a little more specific?"

"Then let me give you a more straightforward example."

Luke raised his eyebrows slightly, "Imagine a magic potion as a girlfriend. Because she had relationships with others before, she carries traces of her exes. If you want her to be wholeheartedly devoted to you, you need to completely reshape her into your own image."

"Ordinary Extraordinary Beings are like honest people who don't know anything. They only know how to increase their affection by spending more time together and slowly getting closer. When the magic potion has no other choice, they resign themselves to their fate. Playing a role is like pretending to be a good person and hitting a home run directly. As long as you aim for the path leading to the depths of a girl's heart, your favorability will naturally soar under your efforts."

"But every girl has her own preferences. Some like it simple and rough, some like it gentle with a touch of roughness, and some like it rational yet rough. The name of the magic potion is the way the girl likes it..."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Kline's face turned red with embarrassment as he listened. He awkwardly crossed his legs, feeling particularly annoyed, "What kind of terrible analogy are you making!"

Luke folded his arms across his chest and lifted his chin, "Secluded is the most resonant way to humans, you just say whether you heard it or not!"

Kline: "..."

The worst part was that he actually understood.

"After learning the playing method, as long as you find the corresponding way to play, it will take a few months to a year for low-sequence Extraordinary Beings to completely digest the current sequence of magic potions and advance, and there won't be as high a risk of losing control as with ordinary Extraordinary Beings."

Kline's pupils constricted. In the Nocturne Squad, apart from the captain, only Leonard was Sequence 8, while the others were Sequence 9. They had been Extraordinary Beings for some time, yet they were still stuck at their current sequence, which clearly showed how much help the playing method could provide.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to maintain a calm expression, "How much do I need to pay you?"

"Nine pounds and fifteen pence."

"This price is definitely wrong somewhere! You're reminding me of my unbearable past!"

Kline's mind was suddenly filled with the sounds of hearing tests. He rubbed his temples, but the more important issue was that the value of the playing method shouldn't be less than ten pounds, even though he had a vague understanding of it, and even if he and Luke were friends.

"Isn't this price a bit low?"

"Don't miss the latest chapter at _SHIFT-69 Book Bar_!"

Luke waved his hand dismissively, "I'm not asking for a few hundred pounds in consultation fees from you."

The truth really hurts.

Kline felt like he had been stabbed in the heart again, and he couldn't refute it. In reality, he still needed to save up for a couple of months to afford this ten pounds. He sighed, stood up, and thanked him sincerely.

"Thank you."

Luke waved his hand, and he truly didn't have any particular thoughts. However, the saying, "All gifts of fate come with a price tag attached," applied to any situation.

"Remember to consider me first when you're tired in the future."

As soon as he finished speaking, Luke suddenly felt a stir in his heart, and he heard the sound of shattering bubbles in his ears. Something within him seemed to completely melt and merge with his body.

The Extraordinary Trait "Thief" was fully integrated into his body.

Luke's gaze deepened, and he had a sudden realization.

He hadn't intended to steal from the Source Citadel; he had just casually mentioned it, thinking that having more choices and paths was a good idea. However, it seemed that if the Aspect of the target was high enough, even if it hadn't happened yet, even if the theft wasn't successful, even if it only increased the possibility of theft, the digestion process of the Sequence 9 Thief would still be completed at an accelerated pace.

Kline, still confused, asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"You'll understand later."

Kline couldn't help but smile wryly at the patronizing tone, as if he were being treated like a child. After some casual conversation, he stood up to leave. As he reached the door, he seemed to remember something and stopped in his tracks, turning around.

"By the way, we're moving to 2 Narcissus Street. Feel free to drop by and visit us more often."

"Does that mean you'll be coming over for meals often?"

"Visiting neighbors... how can you call it freeloading!"

Kline responded awkwardly, feeling a bit unnatural.

Luke smiled meaningfully, "I'll definitely go, just don't kick me out when I'm there."

...

The next day.

After a busy day with his brother, Benson, and his sister, Melissa, Kline finally finished moving. He rubbed his sore waist and arms and headed to the washroom, which now belonged exclusively to their family, to wash his face.

As he stepped out, he saw Luke visiting and chatting with Melissa in the living room. The atmosphere between them was harmonious, and Luke was holding a delicately crafted ironclad ship model, which he handed to Melissa, causing the girl, who was usually interested in machinery, to light up with excitement.

"Mr. Genoa, this... this is too precious. I can't accept it."

Luke reached out and patted the girl's head naturally, "It's fine, just take it and play with it. I got along with Kline right away, and his sister is like my own sister. Isn't it natural to prepare a small gift for my own sister?"

It was nice to see how well he treated his own sister.

Just as Kline was feeling the warmth of the moment, the analogy Luke had made the previous day suddenly popped into his mind.

Kline's face immediately turned cloudy, and he barged into the harmonious atmosphere, pushing Luke out the door along with the ironclad ship model. He then slammed the door shut with a loud "thud."

He eyed Luke warily, "Luke, don't tell me you have feelings for Melissa."

Given Luke's inappropriate analogy from the day before, he would never let Melissa get involved with this old acquaintance!

Luke rolled his eyes, "I'm not interested in Melissa. I came here on business."

This was the truth. Melissa was a good girl, but her appearance could only be described as quiet and delicate. He preferred women with dominant physiques and faces!

Hearing this, Kline finally breathed a sigh of relief, but then an inexplicable sense of dissatisfaction welled up inside him. How dare you have no interest in my sister!

Fortunately, his rationality prevailed, and he managed to control his emotions.

"What's the matter?"

Luke, now a Sequence 8 Thief, slowly raised the corners of his mouth, "I want to go to the Black Thorn Security Company."

Kline: "..."

A wild Extraordinary Being going to an official church outpost? Are you planning to turn yourself in?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end