Eldritch Horror Theatre - Ch. 86: King of the White Tower (8)
Clap, clap, clap!
The sound of applause echoed.
Like an old photograph being restored, color seeped into the space before him inch by inch.
As the black, white, and gray rapidly receded, all the mummified corpses they had covered swiftly reverted to their human appearances and began to move, one after another.
The person behind the bar was the one clapping; it was none other than Ji Ping, the man who had delivered the badge to him last night.
"Welcome, welcome."
"I knew I didn't misjudge you!"
Still clapping, Ji Ping picked up a bottle of wine and filled the glass in front of Fu Qian.
"A toast to our new friend."
Fu Qian noticed that the gray eyeball in the man's palm had changed since their last brief encounter; surprisingly, it was now tightly shut.
The illusion from earlier was probably related to that.
"No drinking on the job."
Fu Qian spouted nonsense casually, refusing the glass handed to him.
"Besides, your welcoming ceremony doesn't seem very friendly."
"Our Jenny welcomed you personally, isn't that friendly enough?"
Ji Ping feigned an exaggerated look of surprise and then snapped his fingers at the side.
The sound of clopping hooves came from behind. Fu Qian turned around to find that the centaur had changed her appearance.
A heaving chest, a swaying body—beneath the custom-made black leather jacket, snow-white skin was revealed as she walked.
Most importantly, beneath her thick brown hair was the face of a young woman.
Fu Qian took a specific look at her back. The torn strips of cloth were now covered by a black and gold cape embroidered with exquisite patterns, draping all the way down to cover her perky rear.
The two round, upright hind legs likely belonged to her original body, while the two front legs were equally white and slender, clearly belonging to some equine species based on their shape.
No wonder the centaur hadn't seemed very large earlier.
Fu Qian nodded at the lady and handed over the spear he was holding.
"Pardon my offense."
Hmph!
Ms. Jenny was clearly unhappy. She took the spear without a word, clopped over to the bar, picked up a glass of wine, and downed it in one gulp.
The glass was already half-empty and bore a lipstick mark; it seemed this group had been indulging in a wild revelry before his arrival.
Ji Ping smilingly refilled Jenny's glass.
"I told you Mr. Fu was extraordinarily powerful. Do you believe me now?"
The latter just gave another hmph and turned her head away.
"What is your impression of our Jenny, Mr. Fu?"
Ji Ping chuckled and turned back to Fu Qian.
"Elegant and moving," Fu Qian replied indifferently.
He wasn't speaking against his conscience.
In fact, if one didn't think about her pre-modification appearance, her current form alone boasted well-proportioned limbs and smooth lines.
The aesthetics of the two forms blended at an excellent angle; it was the top-tier craftsmanship he had seen so far.
Aesthetics shouldn't be too narrow-minded; true art must touch the soul. What he had told Tan Ying wasn't just nonsense.
"However—" Fu Qian added, "If I remember correctly, Grafting has strict limits on body proportions. This lady's current state looks quite dangerous."
Fu Qian wasn't making this up. Ever since he learned about Grafting, he had researched a lot of information on the subject.
Although the White Tower Company had obtained permission from the Night Watchers, to prevent unrestricted modification and ethical issues, the Night Watchers had laid down extremely strict regulations in this area.
There was even a rigorously calculated formula; exceeding it even slightly was forbidden.
Uh...
At this, not only the person in question but even Ji Ping was visibly moved.
"Mr. Fu certainly has a sharp eye."
After a few seconds of silence, Ji Ping tutted in admiration.
"Jenny's modification was designed perfectly to meet the maximum limit. Rest assured, it hasn't exceeded it by a single fraction!"
"I see."
Fu Qian looked at the resentful Jenny.
"What a pity."
"What's a pity?"
The latter, who had been glaring at him, finally couldn't help but ask.
"If you added a tail, the effect would be even better."
Fu Qian gestured behind her.
Is this guy serious?
Ji Ping looked at Jenny's back in surprise, then chuckled.
"Perhaps, but right now, our Jenny is a superstar with quite a high profile!"
Is that so?
Fu Qian didn't particularly doubt Ji Ping's words.
Regardless of any flaws, to some people with peculiar fetishes, her look could be called a "deep dark fantasy." It wasn't surprising she'd garnered a large fanbase.
"I assume you didn't just invite me here today to give a rating. Now, can you explain what this means?"
Fu Qian took out the badge and placed it on the table.
"Of course not. I believe you already have some understanding of our situation."
Ji Ping smiled playfully.
"Actually, our goal is very simple. I wonder if you have any interest in joining the club?"
Fu Qian frowned at him.
"I thought you had to be a member of the archipelago to join you?"
"Generally, yes, but that shouldn't be a problem for you at all, right?"
True enough. So far, he hadn't seen many capable fighters; winning the championship would be a breeze.
Unless the White Tower Company was shameless enough to temporarily insert a few of their own people.
Fu Qian suddenly felt that this possibility was quite high.
"Actually, I'm very curious,"
Seeing Fu Qian remain silent, Ji Ping spoke again.
"With your strength, why did you come to the archipelago?
"The rewards that others scramble for, I believe, hold no temptation for you whatsoever."
"You can stay curious. In the meantime, why don't you tell me what the benefits are of joining you?"
Fu Qian scoffed with the full demeanor of a master, choosing to answer a question with a question.
"Joining us, naturally, comes with excellent benefits."
Ji Ping's smile didn't waver.
"Do you know why this place is called the Rebirth Club?"
He flashed his palm.
"I believe you've just experienced its effects.
"To be honest, I used to be just an ordinary person, but now, with its help, I can set up predicaments that even many Beyonders cannot break through.
"Our club is composed of a group of simple enthusiasts. Our common belief is that Grafting is not just simple splicing; it should be an sublimation of life.
"Everyone can find that fitting piece and achieve rebirth as a new life form.
"Whether they are ordinary people or Beyonders.
"And as long as you join us, not only will you have an extremely abundant range of choices, but you can also attempt the process an unlimited number of times until you achieve a perfect state of fusion."
This is giving off such strong pseudo-science vibes!
Watching the impassioned Ji Ping, Fu Qian sighed inwardly.
He had no interest whatsoever in the "sublimation" this man spoke of. However, based on the information revealed in Ji Ping's words, his judgment was correct.
The background of this Rebirth Club was far from simple.
Free selection plus unlimited attempts—if he wasn't boasting, they at least held considerable control over the Laboratory.
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