Having clarified the source of the foul stench, Su Ze didn't press the topic further. He certainly wasn't about to rashly probe for information about the mysterious organization.
Although he had a feeling Liou Wenxin might know something about the mysterious organization, they didn't know each other well enough yet. It wasn't appropriate to delve too deeply into certain matters.
Instead, Su Ze began asking Liou Wenxin questions about evolutionary science.
One had to admit, even though Liou Wenxin was also only at the Pupa Stage, her research into evolutionary science was profound. She could always answer Su Ze's questions in just a few sentences, explaining complex topics in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
Su Ze's knowledge of evolutionary science all came from Zhao Lingxiao. Despite receiving the best education from a young age, that guy's mind was completely focused on his pretty female teachers and classmates. He hadn't learned much in the way of proper knowledge, but he'd certainly learned plenty of *positions*. He was, through and through, a slacker and a scumbag.
This left Su Ze's own knowledge of evolutionary science rather lacking. Now that he had run into an expert, he was determined to seize the opportunity and learn as much as he could.
"Sister, I just recently completed my first evolution and haven't absorbed an extract yet. Do you have any good recommendations for the first extract I should absorb during my Pupa Stage?"
By now, Su Ze was calling her "Sister" with practiced ease, as if he'd forgotten that in his past life, he was actually several years older than her.
Liou Wenxin had also gotten used to how Su Ze was addressing her. After a moment of thought, she asked, "What types are your first few skills? And what are you thinking yourself?"
"My first three skills are a power amplification skill, a Charge Skill, and a Close Combat Attack Skill. I feel my offensive capabilities are already strong enough. What I'm currently lacking are defensive and escape abilities. So, my plan for the next extract is to get either a defensive or an escape skill."
After hearing Su Ze out, Liou Wenxin thought for a moment. "First, you need to understand that every evolver has a limited number of skill slots. It's impossible to be a jack-of-all-trades. You have to find your specialization. Based on your current skill set, you're clearly a combat-type evolver, and your fighting style leans toward close combat."
Su Ze nodded, agreeing with Liou Wenxin's analysis.
"The defensive and escape skills you want are, to put it bluntly, survival skills. That line of thinking isn't wrong. Close combat is extremely dangerous and has a low margin for error, so you definitely need some way to stay alive. However, compared to those two types of skills, I think another option would suit you better."
"What is it? C'mon, Sister, don't keep me in suspense."
But Liou Wenxin was in no hurry. She leisurely put the straw to her lips and took a sip of her milk tea, only to find the cup was empty. She couldn't help but frown, her good mood vanishing in an instant.
Mrs. Yun pushed her own, unopened milk tea across the table. "Dr. Liou, please have mine. I'm not much for sweet drinks."
Dr. Liou reluctantly tore her gaze from the milk tea and shook her head. "I can't. I've already had two cups today."
Su Ze immediately lit up his phone screen and pointed to the time. "It's already past midnight. It's a new day."
Liou Wenxin's eyes lit up. She gave Su Ze a look that said, 'You're a clever one,' then delightedly picked up the other cup of milk tea, poked the straw in, and started taking small sips.
After a few sips of milk tea, she squinted in satisfaction. Now in a much better mood, she even found Su Ze more pleasant to look at. Meeting his eager, questioning gaze, she said:
"Actually, I think you should consider self-regeneration type skills."
"Self-regeneration? You mean a Healing Skill?" Su Ze's eyes lit up. He didn't need Liou Wenxin to explain; he immediately understood the advantages of a Healing Skill.
'Defensive skills and escape skills are purely for "defense." They don't do anything to enhance my offensive power. But a Healing Skill is different. It's useful for both offense and defense. It can heal my injuries to keep me alive and also boost my endurance in a fight. It would let me be more aggressive, even allowing me to trade blow for blow with an enemy.'
Liou Wenxin continued, "The most powerful evolvers tend to develop one aspect to its absolute limit—be it extreme speed, extreme strength, or extreme defense. Because skill slots are limited, those who aim for versatility often pay for it with mediocrity. Your first few skills have already defined your fighting style as offense-oriented. Adding a purely defensive skill now wouldn't synergize well with your build. That's why a self-healing skill, which benefits both offense and defense, is a better choice."
"If you really want a purely defensive skill, you'd be better off waiting until you reach a higher evolution level and then looking for a high-tier defensive skill. It's a much more cost-effective approach."
Su Ze nodded, readily accepting Liou Wenxin's advice. He then asked, "Do you have any recommendations for a Healing Skill that would suit me?"
"What's your budget?"
"Money is no object."
Su Ze wasn't worried about revealing his wealth in front of Liou Wenxin and Mrs. Yun. After all, in their eyes, he was already some "rich kid on the run."
"Got it. A Tier-2 S-Class skill... Let me think." Liou Wenxin took another sip of her milk tea before continuing, "Among Tier-2 beasts, quite a few possess a Healing Skill, but a lot of them are Marine Beasts, which makes their extracts difficult to obtain. As for land dwellers, the ones with the strongest Self-Healing Ability I know of are the Forest Giant Cockroach and the Undying Salamander. The extracts from both are S-Class."
'The Forest Giant Cockroach? Isn't that just an evolved cockroach?'
'Even unevolved cockroaches are incredibly resilient, let alone evolved ones. They say as long as it has a single breath left, it can molt and be reborn.'
'And don't even get me started on salamanders. Even before evolving, they're one of the animals with the best Self-Healing Ability. They can regrow severed tails and limbs, some can even regenerate their heads, and they never scar. For an evolved one to be called the Undying Salamander, its Self-Healing Ability must be terrifyingly powerful.'
Su Ze jotted down the names of the two beasts in his phone's notes app. He never had much faith in his own memory.
Once he reached Luofan Country, he planned to immediately start looking to buy those two extracts. Getting his hands on either one would be enough.
For the rest of the time, Su Ze and Liou Wenxin chatted about everything from evolutionary science to the local customs of the six nations on the Lin Hua Continent, and even the various gossip surrounding the upper echelons of Mu Country.
From the King of Mu's several illegitimate children, to the second princess of Mu Country's unwed pregnancy, to the fact that Mu Country's great General preferred men, to the several mistresses kept by the Minister of Finance, Zhao Yuanyi... Su Ze rattled off the stories with practiced ease, leaving Liou Wenxin wide-eyed and exclaiming at how chaotic the lives of the elite were.
Before they knew it, the eastern sky had begun to lighten, and the two of them were startled to realize it was already dawn.
Su Ze went out and bought breakfast.
After the three of them finished breakfast, it was about time to leave, so they headed to the Black and White Bar together.
The Black and White Bar looked completely normal; apparently, the Zhao Family hadn't traced them here last night.
In the early morning, the "White" side of the bar was cold and deserted, a far cry from the previous night's lively atmosphere. The Black Bar, however, was already crowded. Most of the people there had accepted the escort mission and were gathering to meet up.
The moment they saw Liou Wenxin and Mrs. Yun walk in, the people who had taken the mission immediately gathered around.
Su Ze did a quick count. There were about twenty-seven or twenty-eight people, sharply divided into two distinct groups. The six at the Cocoon Stage stood together, while the other twenty or so at the Pupa Stage formed their own circle.