Chapter 176: Ew! Pervert!

Chapter 176: Ew! Pervert! Lordi allowed a carefully measured moment of hesitation before nodding solemnly, his expression transforming from worry to quiet determination. He straightened his posture, squaring his shoulders as if steeling himself for this new Chapter. "Senior Brother Valdez," he began, his voice carrying just the right blend of respect and gratitude, "you’re the strongest cultivator among us on this mission." A brief, modest lowering of his eyes. "If you don’t see this junior as a burden..." He raised his gaze to meet Donovan’s, allowing a flicker of hopeful determination to show. "How could I possibly refuse such a generous invitation?" The effect was immediate and spectacular. Donovan’s face lit up like a festival lantern, his scarred features transforming with unrestrained joy. "Fucking perfect!" he roared, unable to contain his excitement. Without ceremony, he yanked open his storage pouch with such enthusiasm that several lesser items tumbled out unnoticed. "Lordi Bro, look at this!" he exclaimed, his voice thick with triumph as he produced a veritable mountain of rare alchemy ingredients, each more precious than the last. The materials gleamed in the dim light—spirit herbs that still seemed to pulse with vitality, vials of shimmering beast cores, and rare minerals that hummed with latent energy. "Every last ingredient you’ll need for the Foundation Establishment Pill," Donovan declared proudly, his chest swelling with satisfaction. The atmosphere shifted palpably as Donovan turned his attention to Emma, his previously warm demeanor toward Lordi freezing into something far more calculating. His scarred face took on a dismissive cast, lips curling slightly as if addressing someone beneath his notice. "Junior Sister Dawson," he began, his voice carrying the weight of unquestioned authority, "hand over the Alchemy Formula." The demand brooked no refusal, his tone making it clear this was not a request but an order from a senior disciple to his junior. He paused, allowing his cold gaze to sweep over her trembling form before adding with deliberate condescension, "Rest assured, I keep my word." The unspoken ’unlike some’ hung heavy in the air between them. "Should the produced elixir pills fall short of expectations in quantity," he continued, flexing his fingers in a gesture that casually displayed his superior cultivation, "I’ll personally cover Lordi’s compensation share of spirit stones." The offer was delivered with the bored confidence of someone discussing trivial sums, another subtle reminder of the power imbalance between them. His entire posture radiated superiority—from the way his broad shoulders blocked her from moving forward to the slight tilt of his chin that forced her to look up at him. Emma’s delicate features remained schooled into careful neutrality even as her stomach twisted into knots of frustration—not primarily at Donovan’s dismissive attitude, but at her own crushing powerlessness in this situation. Her manicured nails bit into her palms as she maintained her composure, the physical pain a welcome distraction from the humiliation coursing through her. The bitter truth was undeniable: her cultivation strength lagged significantly behind both men, rendering her opinion inconsequential in their calculations. Now, with Donovan and Lordi forming their obvious alliance, she found herself more isolated than ever, a decorative piece in their strategic game rather than a participant. A fresh wave of terror washed over her as an even more horrifying possibility occurred. What if Donovan discovered Lordi’s past... humiliation on her? The memory of those unwanted touches in dark underground chamber made her skin crawl. Would these so-called ’brothers’ use that knowledge to further marginalize her? Or worse... might Donovan decide to tear her clothes and offer her like some common courtesan whore to cement their new brotherhood bond? Lordi accepted the Alchemy Formula. He made a show of studying the parchment, his brow furrowing in apparent concentration as he scanned the contents. In truth, this formula for Foundation Establishment Pill was meaningless to him—his AllFullOS System had already recorded every brushstroke of several Alchemy Formulas during their Treasury House excursion the previous night. His entire search with the others had been nothing but theater, a carefully constructed facade to mask his unnatural disinterest in what should have been a priceless treasure. "Captain Valdez," he began, his voice measured and respectful, then deliberately turned to Emma, "Junior Sister Dawson." The honorific was a calculated choice—though Emma stood at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement to his seventh, addressing her as junior served to subtly undermine her position while reinforcing his growing authority within their trio. The psychological maneuver was executed with precision, another brick in the wall of dominance he was quietly constructing. He rolled the formula with deliberate care before continuing in his most professional tone, "The alchemy process for the Foundation Establishment Pill is extraordinarily delicate." His gaze flickered between them, assuming the mantle of the responsible craftsman. "To ensure success, I must be at my absolute peak condition before beginning." A carefully placed pause. "I’ll need time to fully recover my spiritual energy." His eyes met Donovan’s with just the right blend of respect and expectation. "Could I trouble you both to stand guard while I meditate? The slightest disturbance could ruin everything." Lordi exhaled slowly, feeling the potent energy of elixir pills that he "borrowed" from Kim Simona surging through his meridians, restoring his spirit energy to its peak. He flexed his fingers, relishing the familiar hum of power before turning to the Dao furnace with the calm, deliberate movements of a seasoned alchemist. Under Donovan’s watchful, expectant gaze and Emma’s nervous scrutiny, he began his preparations—arranging ingredients, adjusting the furnace’s flame, and centering his breathing. With a mental command, he summoned the AllFullOS System, ready to select the Foundation Establishment Pill’s alchemy formula—only for his entire body to lock up in sheer, abject embarrassment. [AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0] ... > [Select Skill] ... > Untitled Alchemy Skill #0001 > Untitled Alchemy Skill #0002 > Untitled Alchemy Skill #0003 > Untitled Alchemy Skill #0004 A cold sweat beaded on his brow. "Four... Four untitled alchemy skills." His eye twitched. "Not a single fucking description. Not a hint. Not even a goddamn ’pick me, I make pretty pills!’" The AllFullOS System had recorded the Alchemy Formula perfectly—but apparently decided that labeling them was far too generous. It was like being handed four identical, unmarked bottles of poison and being told, "One of these is wine. Good luck!" "Oh, fantastic. Absolutely fucking brilliant. What a demon-tier feature—’Untitled Alchemy Skill #0003,’ my ass. Did this retard system get coded by a drunk pigeon? Did it run out of creativity after ’Version 1.0.0’ and just give up?" He could feel Donovan’s expectant stare burning into the back of his skull. Emma was fidgeting nervously. Meanwhile, Lordi was standing there like an idiot, mentally flipping a coin between four equally mysterious options. He exhaled through his nose, forcing his expression to remain perfectly serene. Lordi maintained an outward appearance of serene professionalism as he addressed Emma, his voice carrying just the right blend of modesty and authority. "Junior Sister Dawson," he began, the honorific rolling off his tongue with practiced ease despite the frantic calculations racing through his mind. His pulse hammered against his ribs, yet none of this inner panic showed on his composed features. "After each alchemy attempt," he continued, his tone suggesting this was merely a practical consideration, "please come over and help me wipe the sweat from my forehead." Emma’s entire body went rigid, her delicate fingers curling into white-knuckled fists at her sides. A hot flush of anger spread from her neck to her cheeks, painting her fair skin an unmistakable crimson. Her eyes, usually so composed, blazed with barely contained fury as they locked onto Lordi’s deceptively calm face. "Ugh!" "Ew!" "Pervert!" The words exploded in her mind like a string of firecrackers. "I fucking knew this perverted rapist wouldn’t give up on molesting me!" Her stomach churned with disgust, the memory of previous unwanted touches surging to the forefront of her mind. Every fiber of her being screamed to reject this blatant ploy, to expose Lordi for the predator he was. Yet even as indignation threatened to overwhelm her, another more chilling thought cut through the rage! What if this was exactly what he wanted? What if he was baiting her into an outburst? Donovan’s eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise at Lordi’s request, his sharp eyes flicking between the two younger disciples with sudden interest. The Mister First Dominator’s sidelong glance was heavy with unspoken questions, his scarred face settling into an expression of speculative amusement. He didn’t speak, but the weight of his attention pressed down on Emma like a physical force, amplifying her discomfort tenfold. Emma’s breath caught in her throat as she watched Donovan’s gaze linger on her flushed face, then drift meaningfully to Lordi. A fresh wave of terror crashed over her. Shit! What if he interpreted this exchange as something consensual? What if, in this Mister First Dominator’s crude masculine logic, he decided to ’facilitate’ whatever relationship he imagined existed between them? The horrifying possibilities unfolded in her mind like a nightmare: Donovan’s rough voice saying, "Oh Lordi bro, since you show such favor to our Junior Sister Dawson, this kind Senior Brother insists on giving her to you." The thought made her want to vomit. With monumental effort, Emma swallowed the acid rising in her throat and gave a single, curt nod. "Aye!" The word came out clipped and harsh, betraying none of the storm raging inside her. Her posture remained rigid, every muscle tensed as if preparing for battle, yet her face smoothed into careful blankness. This was survival now—any abnormal reaction might draw Donovan’s dangerous attention, potentially putting her in even greater peril. Across from her, Lordi maintained his facade of calm professionalism, though internally he was already moving to the next phase of his plan. With the grace of a man walking to his own execution, he reached out to his most powerful and reckless asset. "System," he commanded inwardly, "I want to practice. Select the skill. Select the Untitled Alchemy Skill #0001!"