Thalnor—or rather Lucas, still hidden behind the perfect illusion of the Thalnor mask—sat alone in the dimly lit lab. A sly smirk tugged at his lips, eyes glinting with amusement as he reflected on the moment he had handed over the Nether Puppet Cultivation Manual to Vesperin. Everything was going according to plan, just as he had intended.
In the quiet of the lab, Lucas reached out to the one presence that always accompanied him. "System," he called mentally, his voice calm but laced with curiosity, "I know you had your hand in improving the Nether Puppet Cultivation Manual. It's a little too refined for Thalnor's capabilities."
