Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Invitation
Confronted with Admiral Snop’s question, Graces didn’t dare to make any guarantees. "The gene fusion agent only has a 50% success rate. There’s no guarantee it will work on the first try, so you need to be mentally prepared."
Admiral Snop stared at him. "So you’re saying you succeeded on the first try?"
Graces answered with a straight face, "Just a stroke of luck."
Admiral Snop chortled. ’He just knew Graces was putting on an act. A stroke of luck? He was probably ecstatic on the inside!’
’As if he didn’t know the man.’
’He was the best at saying the most shocking things with a completely straight face.’
"A 50% success rate is much better than 25%. As conceited as I might be, I never expected to succeed on the first try. Could you ask Duke Lu Xia if I can join as a volunteer?"
"If you wish, you can contact my Female Master directly. I have no right to interfere with her decisions." ’In short, you want to use me for back-door connections—not happening.’
Admiral Snop glared, so furious he could have exploded. "Get out, get out, get out, get the hell out! Stop hovering in front of me, you’re pissing me off!"
Graces gave him a crisp military salute. "Then call me if you need anything else, sir."
With that, he turned and left briskly, as if he weren’t the one who had just refused to help.
Admiral Snop rolled his eyes and muttered, "’Call you if I need anything?’ And what’s the point? You wouldn’t help anyway."
’Fine, I’ll contact her myself.’ He was confident Duke Lu Xia would accommodate him.
As it turned out, he wasn’t wrong. When Lu Xia received his message, she didn’t refuse. She did, however, explain the situation and potential risks, just as Graces had.
Furthermore, all volunteers would be required to sign an informed consent form.
Admiral Snop was no coward, and he was always decisive. Once he made a decision, he wouldn’t back out or hesitate.
That afternoon, Admiral Snop went to No.2 Institute. Before departing, he had only informed his adjutant of his plans.
His adjutant looked at him with concern, wanting to say something but hesitating. Admiral Snop shot him an impatient glance. "Look on the bright side. If I actually succeed, our First Military District will have two Gene Fusion Experts with a 100% gene fusion degree. What will the other districts have on us then?!"
The adjutant couldn’t help but ask, "But what if you fail, sir?"
"If I fail, just submit the letter I left for you. What’s the big deal? The First Military District will get a new commander without me. Stop worrying and think about something positive. I’m off. Don’t drag your feet."
Lu Xia didn’t hide the news of Admiral Snop’s impending visit to No.2 Institute to increase his gene fusion degree from Graces.
Upon hearing the news, Graces said with a sigh, "I knew he’d go. You could have refused if you felt it was inconvenient."
"I already agreed." Lu Xia’s answer surprised Graces.
Seeing the surprise on his face, Lu Xia smiled. "Why? Did you think I would refuse?"
Graces answered honestly, "I admit, I didn’t expect you to agree."
"I explained all the potential consequences and risks to Admiral Snop in detail. If he still chooses to become a volunteer with full knowledge of the dangers, what right do I have to refuse him?"
Lu Xia was no saint. Her initial motivation for promoting the gene fusion agent wasn’t to save the world and become some merciful goddess.
Everything still had to be based on practical benefits.
Only a virtuous cycle could lead to more research breakthroughs.
"However, Smelian also asked to become a volunteer. I can understand how he feels, but..."
"But you’re worried something bad might happen," Graces finished. Having lived with Lu Xia for so long, he had long since figured her out. His little Female Master not only responded to a soft approach over a hard one, but she also clearly categorized people. She was exceptionally attentive and worried when it came to those she cared about, but for those she was indifferent to, she was principled, distant, and detached.
He and Smelian were both fortunate enough to be considered her own people.
"I think he’s mentally prepared." Both he and Smelian had been through a great deal. They were more than capable of handling the consequences of a failed gene fusion.
Lu Xia sighed. "I’ll think it over and give him my answer. I do understand how he feels. I just think it would be better to wait until the gene fusion agent is officially released. It would be safer then. But it’s clear he doesn’t want to wait."
"If you don’t want him to, he won’t object," Graces said.
"But he’d always be left with regrets, wouldn’t he? Oh, well. The situation is what it is, and he knows the risks. Since he wants to do it, I’ll let him." Lu Xia didn’t want to torment herself over the decision.
Graces found this side of Lu Xia—the one who spoke so frankly—to be exceptionally vibrant.
Having made up her mind about Smelian, Lu Xia didn’t hesitate. She informed him of her decision and told him to come to No.2 Institute when he was ready.
That same afternoon, Lu Xia administered the gene fusion agent to Admiral Snop.
Admiral Snop’s beast blood gene was that of a Saber toothed Tiger.
After the injection, Admiral Snop was moved into an observation room. All personnel were in position, and the various monitoring instruments had been activated.
Lu Xia didn’t leave either. She stood behind the glass, patiently recording Admiral Snop’s transformation process.
’I have to admit,’ Lu Xia thought, ’after witnessing Graces’s transformation, my tolerance for this sort of thing has gone up quite a bit. Watching Admiral Snop’s process now, it actually seems less fierce and violent than Graces’s was.’
’You could even call it mild.’
’Perhaps the beast blood gene Graces used was of a higher tier, which would explain why his transformation was so much more violent.’
Admiral Snop, however, did not share that sentiment. As his Beastification Form completely took over, he felt as if his very bones were being shattered and reforged.
He was certain that if it weren’t for his iron willpower, the transformation would not have been successful.
But the moment he succeeded, Admiral Snop felt it had all been worth it.
The sensation of his body brimming with power was incredible.
Once Admiral Snop’s transformation was successful, Lu Xia’s staff immediately entered the observation room to examine him. After confirming his success, everyone was ecstatic.
Lu Xia instructed her subordinates to take good care of Admiral Snop, then headed to her office.
But as she stepped out of the observation room, she saw Smelian waiting for her.
She hadn’t expected him to come at a time like this. A little surprised, Lu Xia walked over. "Smelian, were you hoping to get the injection today?"
When Smelian saw her emerge, he smiled and approached. "Not today. I came to ask if you’re free tonight. I’d like to treat you to dinner—just the two of us."
He specifically emphasized "just the two of us." Lu Xia realized what he was implying and nodded. "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"
Seeing how direct she was, Smelian smiled. "There is something I want to talk to you about, but more than that, I was hoping for an opportunity to spend some time alone with you."
’Time for just him and Duke Lu Xia, with no interruptions.’
