069. Abyss Pioneer
The coffee in Triangle Town doesn't come with sugar but instead has a dash of cinnamon powder. Because the water isn't distilled, the coffee has a noticeable mineral taste, slightly bitter upon entry. The smooth cinnamon powder, with its rich aroma, masks the harshness of the hard water.
Led by Lord Auckland, Li Aozi entered the meeting room. The first thing he saw were four or five [Biotechnicians] wearing special bulletproof vests and white lab coats. Each of them bore obvious signs of modification: electric eel-like high-voltage bio-wires, spider silk gloves, insect-like exoskeletal arm guards. They still had some human resemblance, but Li Aozi suspected that their level of modification wasn't any lower than the Cannibal.
These [Biotechnicians] were both male and female, even some with faces from Red Arrow and Zhengxu, all types of genius scholars. They uniformly wore uniforms from a research institution under Abyss Heavy Industries, resembling employees of some NGO (Non-Governmental Organization).
In reality, based on the nature of Abyss Heavy Industries, it was more like a bio-engineering-oriented GTB, aimed at pooling global forces to develop and promote advancements in biological engineering technology.
A major feature of the [Craft] system was that the deeper one's knowledge, the stronger their combat power, and conversely, combat power could help them gain new knowledge, forming a highly efficient positive feedback loop. In the later stages, [Craft] system superhumans often became both smarter and more powerful than others.
Now, these bioengineering talents from all over the world were clustered around a graceful, curvaceous woman with gray hair and green eyes, exuding the charm of a mature woman.
"Greetings, 'Catastrophe' Li Aozi."
The woman casually sat on a sofa, dressed not in the [Biotechnician]'s heavy armor and lab coat with bulletproof plates, but in a revealing gradient evening gown of purples, blues, and whites, like a starry night draped over her body.
With a sheer shawl, barefoot on a wool carpet, and wearing bracelets of unknown herbs on her pale wrists and ankles that exuded a mesmerizing scent, she appeared not cheap but rather fashionable, complementing her delicate figure.
The woman looked to be in her early twenties, much younger than the Professor and even appeared more youthful than the war-worn Li Aozi at first glance. Her gray hair was streaked with glowing neural connectors, adding a sci-fi touch to her beauty. Her green eyes were as lively as a cat's, with long, fluttering lashes enhancing her stunning appearance.
But Li Aozi knew one thing: never guess a [Biotechnician]'s age.
The younger and more beautiful a [Biotechnician] appeared, the farther they had ventured into the field of biochemical science. Their beauty was a direct demonstration of their power and status.
The Abyss Professor, over 90 years old, still maintained the appearance and youthful body of someone in their thirties, though the wrinkles around her eyes indicated she had reached her limit. But the woman before him—she was the Professor's mentor.
Age-wise, she was at least thirty years older than the Professor—possibly forty, fifty, or even a hundred years older.
Lifespan meant little to superhumans. The path to ascension was the road to godhood, where, at times, a few years made no difference between a child and a centuries-old elf.
"Nice to meet you, you may call me N4—or, as most of the outer world calls me, 'The Pioneer.'"
N4 lazily rose to her feet, her delicate body making you worry she might be hurt by the cold floor. As she gracefully approached, her green eyes seemed to see through Li Aozi's exterior. They exchanged a few glances, and N4 seemed to understand something. She crossed her legs and tilted her head as she reached Li Aozi, exuding an air of indifference.
Li Aozi had initially crossed his arms, but seeing N4's knowing look, he realized his posture signaled 'guardedness.' So, he lowered his arms, removed his gloves, and extended his hand.
"Li Aozi."
He introduced himself simply.
The air was thick with the rich aroma of cinnamon coffee, and the fire from the hearth crackled, but there was no warmth to be felt.
When N4 saw him lower his guard, a faint smile played on her lips. She shook Li Aozi's hand, her touch cold, the opposite of Alexia's warm, snow-melting heat. It made Li Aozi slightly uncomfortable.
—He didn't like this woman. His instinct as a [Mutant], coupled with the natural [Biotechnician] threat, kept his muscles tense, preparing for combat at any moment.
Suddenly, the tall woman rose on tiptoe, bringing a waft of lavender scent with her as she leaned toward Li Aozi's shoulder and whispered in his ear:
"Don't be afraid, I'm not going to eat you."
Her voice was like a blend of icy slush and fruit juice, warm against his ear yet sending a soothing tingle down to his toes. Li Aozi felt his ears buzz, and his spine tingled with a numbness.
"Or perhaps," she whispered, "Mr. Li Aozi is enjoying this?"
[You have been affected by a 'Charm'... Processing...]
[Specialization • [Uncompromising] activated!]
[Success! You have resisted the charm effect. Consciousness clear.]
N4's [Charisma] was very high, at least not below 60 points—however, for Li Aozi, whose [Charisma] yielded actual results of 100.1 points, it wasn't enough to sway him.
Had it been anyone else, they might have fallen to their knees beneath N4's pearl-like, flawless feet, completely conquered by her icy beauty.
The more N4 tried to calm Li Aozi, the more he focused, staying vigilant without letting his guard down.
Aside from her [Charisma], N4's [Intelligence] was even more terrifying.
However, since N4 used [Charisma] to test him, Li Aozi didn't hold back either.
Suddenly, he took N4's hand, lowered his head, and gently kissed the back of her hand. His gray eyes gleamed with symbols and a magical aura far beyond the understanding of anyone on Azure Star, something completely different from their technology.
"Forgive me, I'm a bit shy, Ms. N4. When I see beauty, I don't know how to respond."
Li Aozi spoke with an air of undeniable assertiveness. Fully unleashing his [Charisma], he leaned slightly closer to her cheek, his smile kind and disarming:
"Luckily, your beauty isn't blinding. It's taken away all my nervousness and worries. I must say, you're stunning, like a chilled soda fresh from the fridge. Without the cold and the fizz, that burst of brilliance would be gone."
Ever since he absorbed the Abyss Professor's [Persona Simulation], Li Aozi noticed that, at times, he spoke with a strange affectation.
Now, meeting N4, he realized—every woman in the Abyss Humanitarian network was a master manipulator!
Even with N4's high level of [Intelligence], Li Aozi's extraordinary [Charisma] caught her off guard. When she pulled her hand back, there was a brief flash of 'lost composure' on her face, quickly replaced by interest.
"I've heard so much about you, Mr. Li Aozi. I've always wanted to meet you in person, and sure enough, you're even more beautiful than in the videos. Truly, you're a fine-looking little beauty."
"Not at all, Ms. N4. From the moment I saw you, I felt a deep affection for you, like a sister, like family." Li Aozi smiled naturally as he laid out his intentions. "If you have something to say, just speak freely. I'll think of you as my sister."
"You little beauty," N4 chuckled, "not only are you pretty, but your words are sweet too."
N4 laughed lightly but subtly deflected the conversation. She put one hand on her hip, her gaze falling on the coffee on the table. She instantly squatted down like a young girl, picked up the cup, and deeply inhaled the aroma as if the warmth of the steam was warming her heart.
"Such a sweet fragrance. Cinnamon and coffee are a perfect match—Li Aozi, you should try this coffee too."
She turned her back to Li Aozi, glancing over her shoulder with excited green eyes.
"Come on. I want to spend the whole day with you."
By now, Li Aozi understood what was on her mind.
She was continuously teasing him, creating mystery, sparking curiosity. Her next move would be to drop enticing bits of information, trying to reel him in.
"Ms. N4," Li Aozi said, "we're on the same side. I'm sure you don't care about the Professor's death, right?"
—Trying to drag it out? Li Aozi was ready to drop the trump card right away!
He used [Eye of Truth] to scan her, revealing N4's main class as a level 80 [Biotechnician], with 99 [Intelligence], 86 [Constitution], and 63 [Charisma]—impressive stats.
However, [Intelligence] wasn't a direct combat attribute. Li Aozi himself had only 7 [Intelligence]—not even enough to get into a university in Frost-Plated—but that didn't stop him from leveraging his experience and powerful [Charisma] to great effect.
In nature, [Charisma], [Strength], and [Constitution] were the core attributes, the ones that had the most immediate impact. [Intelligence], on the other hand, required language, tools, and actions to manifest indirectly.
Moreover, the passive skill [Benevolent Aura] was constantly active, making all of Li Aozi's words and actions seem devoid of ill intent.
"Well..." N4's voice trailed off lazily, like a relaxed cat.
"I see you as family. Or do you not trust me?"
Li Aozi pitifully raised his hand:
"I know you're a [Biotechnician], filled with plagues and poisons, even capable of killing students—yet even though we're not compatriots, not even of the same nation—despite all this, when I see you, even knowing you might be dangerous, I still choose to trust you."