Owen stood motionless... Iris's last words still echoed in his ears. The atmosphere inside the cool lab instantly grew hot. The scent of ozone from the machinery and the faint smell of chemicals mingled with the alluring fragrance from Iris's body, while Owen's mind processed everything rapidly.
This offer to evolve his body to B-Rank... it was another massive leap in power. Its only downside was that he had to stay in the lab with Iris for one to two weeks. He had to eat and sleep here. Once the project began, he couldn't stop midway or leave for outside business, as it might cause the evolution to become unstable.
With that much time... disappearing from the outside world and bringing all his work and duties to a halt was definitely not a good thing. Therefore, he needed to plan and prepare in advance before starting this project. Wasting time was a severe and inefficient act or plan.
Owen was well aware that he had "work" that was pending and needed to be "organized" first...
One: 'Victoria'
This was the most urgent. The [Chain of Lust] that bound her was not yet complete... but it was very close. If he spent just "two more days" with her, her affection would finally reach 100 points. After that, he wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. No matter how long he disappeared, her affection score would never drop again. Therefore, he had to "close the job" with her first...
Two: 'OnlyStar'
This was his and Clara's main source of income... It absolutely could not be allowed to stop. Clara's popularity was skyrocketing every day. He needed to spend at least two to three days "filming" content for her, to stockpile clips in advance for uploading while he was gone.
Three: 'Stream Channel'
Although his income from the stream channel wasn't as much as OnlyStar... it was the starting point that had gotten him to where he was today, and he "loved" it very much. He couldn't just abandon his viewers. Therefore, he had to record clips of him playing story-driven games to post during that time. Of course, his video editor, 'Julian', was definitely going to have a heavy workload during this period.
He even idly thought that maybe... if Iris's research lab allowed it, he might find time to do a short stream to talk with his chat during the "project"...
And Four: 'Training'
He still had an appointment to train [Mana Armor] with Nova, and indispensably, training to control the [Essence of Dreams] with Tenzin at the temple, which was a new mission he had just received after clearing the "Nightmare Knot"...
Thinking about this list, Owen couldn't help but sigh... If he didn't manage it or just stopped, it would definitely cause problems later. He had to "clear" everything first, before starting the body evolution project with Iris...
After prioritizing everything in his head, Owen looked up and met the purple-red eyes that were staring at him with hunger. His own gaze remained steady and clear.
"Okay... I understand everything," he said in a flat tone. "But you're not thinking I'm starting this project with you today, are you?"
He paused slightly. "You should know I have a lot of work to clear first..."
Hearing that, Iris's seductive smile faded slightly. The red spark of lust in her eyes was replaced by a spark of "understanding" a few seconds later. She studied him. From a queen's perspective... "organizing" resources and "managing" his broodmothers properly before starting a major project was necessary and maximally "efficient"...
Owen smiled when he saw she seemed to understand without him having to explain. He stepped closer and pulled her slim waist into a tight hug, drawing her soft, warm body against his strong chest...
"I need 5 days..." he whispered. "To 'organize' everything first, and then we'll start this project, my love~"
Iris met his gaze at close range... His scent captivated her, and the warm touch of his embrace mesmerized her. Soon, she slowly nodded in understanding, while enjoying his intimate touch.
"As for today..." Owen smirked, the cunning smile he liked to use. "I can only 'please' you..." His hand began to stroke her smooth back...
"...by quenching your 'thirst' first."
Those words... acted as an ignition switch...
Iris's eyes returned to a sparkle of thirst, even stronger than before. She laughed softly in her throat. "Don't just talk, my king~"
She raised her arms to wrap around his neck, pulling his face down. "Just your scent... it makes me want to 'devour' you right now!"
That undisguised, hungry gaze didn't frighten Owen in the least. He met the challenge with a smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Really?" his deep, low voice sounded. "But I think the one who's going to be 'eaten' ...is you, Iris."
Fwip!
He didn't hesitate for a second. His two strong arms swept her soft body up into his arms securely. Her body flew from the floor. He took only a few steps before placing her body down on the nearest metal table!
Thud!
"Ah...!" Iris let out a soft cry as her back hit the cold metal surface. The stark temperature difference made her body shiver, and before she could even steady herself, Owen leaned down, crushing his lips against hers fiercely and savagely, silencing her hungry moan with a deep kiss.
His tongue invaded her warm mouth, conquering possessively, but Iris was not one to give up easily. In the next second, she responded just as fiercely. Her tongue intertwined, fighting back for rhythm and space. It became an evenly matched battle with neither side backing down.
Owen's hands began to roam her body... The once-clean, odorless atmosphere of the lab exploded with intense heat and the strong scent of lust.
Soon... the sound of heavy breathing, the harsh slap of flesh on flesh, and low moans suppressed in the throat rang out softly. Both were waging "war" against each other, competing with the hum of the machinery throughout the quiet lab. It was the most primal and passionate "down payment" to temporarily quench the queen's insane "thirst"...
...
About two hours passed, until noon...
Owen was standing and straightening his clothes. His t-shirt was slightly wrinkled from the recent battle. He felt tired... but it was an incredibly good kind of tired. Releasing energy and desire with an "equal" opponent had drained a massive amount of his energy.
On the same metal table... Iris, completely naked, slowly and gracefully sat up.
Her smooth white skin had several faint red marks, but they weren't the marks of someone who had been acted upon one-sidedly. They were "medals of honor" from the battle. Her eyes, which had been glowing bright red with lust, were now calm... cool... and shining with ultimate "satisfaction."
Owen turned to pick up his backpack and sling it over his shoulder, preparing to leave and do what he had planned.
"That was an excellent 'down payment', my king," her composed, cool voice sounded, back in the mode of the wise and powerful queen.
"Go 'organize' your business..." She leaned back slightly, using her arms to prop herself up on the table in a pose that was relaxed yet full of authority. "But don't make me wait too long..."
Owen nodded... He didn't need to say anything else. The battle just now was the answer to everything. He turned and walked straight to the lab's exit, leaving only the elegant queen savoring her satisfaction on her cold, metal throne.
Whoosh...
The thick steel security door slid shut behind him quietly. It absorbed the air pressure and muffled all the sounds of the "battlefield" completely... The thick, fishy smell of love juice, the scent of sweat, and the aura of power that filled the lab were perfectly cut off from the outside world.
Owen walked up the stairs one by one until he reached the living room door, and as soon as he opened it, the atmosphere changed abruptly. The bright noon sunlight streamed in from the large window, along with a fragrance that hit his nose hard!
It was a warm, mouth-watering aroma... The smell of garlic and thyme being expertly sautéed in olive oil. The fragrant smell of pasta sauce being simmered to perfection. It was the smell of "lunch." A smell that was so ordinary and peaceful.
Owen blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes and his mind. He scanned the room and saw Alicia standing with her back to him at the stove. She was wearing a cute floral apron, humming softly in a good mood, skillfully stirring the sauce in the pan with a wooden spoon.
That sight made Owen quickly "switch modes" to become the "good boyfriend of the daughter."
He glanced at his t-shirt... It was clearly wrinkled from the earlier battle. He tried to pull the hem and smooth it out one last time, trying to put on the most normal and polite face he could.
"Wow... lunch smells amazing, Mrs. Alicia," he started with a compliment. "It's a shame I can't stay to eat. I have some urgent business to take care of, so I have to get going."
Owen's warm voice made the happily moving figure pause. Alicia stopped stirring the sauce before turning back to him slowly with a "gentle" smile, the kind every mother should have...
But her eyes were something else... Those beautiful purple eyes, the same as Rosy's, were now shining with an unconcealable "cunning."
She scanned Owen. Her gaze was as sharp as a scalpel. It traveled from his slightly damp hair, past the abnormally wrinkled t-shirt (even though he had tried to fix it), and finally... her gaze stopped dead on the "faint red mark" on the side of his neck that Iris had left as a souvenir, which he hadn't noticed.
"Oh, leaving already?" Alicia smiled wider. The smile looked innocent, but her tone was the exact opposite.
"Today, my daughter's 'project'... looks like it was especially 'intense'," she emphasized the words "project" and "intense" clearly... before letting out a soft "giggle" in her throat.
'Shit... That tone... That smile... She must know what we just did!' Owen nearly choked on air. 'Just like a mom, damn it!' He could only laugh drily and think to himself helplessly.
Right now, he felt like he was fifteen again, caught by his mom hiding something embarrassing. The image of the young man who was the pillar of the family vanished instantly, leaving only an embarrassed young man who didn't know how to handle the woman in front of him, only able to laugh to cover it up.
"Haha... uh... yes... the 'project' was... a bit complicated..." Then he pretended to look at his watch. "But it's getting late, I really have to go! See you later!"
Owen didn't wait for a reply. He quickly bowed his head to her slightly before hurrying his steps out of the living room, practically "bolting" out the front door, leaving only Alicia's giggling, victorious, and fond laughter echoing behind him.
He walked quickly until he was outside the house before letting out a huge sigh. 'Damn it...' Owen raised a hand to wipe his face. 'The mother and daughter are exactly alike in their love of teasing... The only difference is the level of cunning, and Mrs. Alicia is light-years ahead of Rosy!'
.....
Five days passed... as fast as a raging storm.
It was the most chaotic, packed, and "efficient" five days of Owen's life. His internal clock seemed to run twice as fast as everyone else's. Every second was precisely allocated to "organize" all his missions...
Mission One: [Chain of Lust] (Days 1-2)
The first two days... Owen spent all his time immersed in his "love nest," in Jessica's apartment.
The atmosphere in the room was thick with the smell of sweat, expensive perfume, and the pungent, fishy smell of love juice, so thick it had almost become the room's permanent scent.
He spent time with "Victoria" closely and fiercely... It was a heavy and continuous "reward." When he saw how diligently she had trained to control her power and mana, improving by leaps and bounds, Owen "injected" her reward without mercy, until the proud slave girl nearly fainted in his arms, time and time again.
And during the breaks between "rewarding"... while Victoria lay panting weakly on the bed... Owen didn't let the time go to waste. He opened his laptop and started typing. He was planning content, writing scripts, and professionally organizing the OnlyStar filming schedule for Clara.
Two days passed quickly... and finally...
Ting!
…
[ Notification! ]:
[ System: 'Victoria's' affection has increased to 100/100! ]
[ Condition for "Chain of Lust" successfully completed! ]
[ Victoria has become your complete "Loyal Slave." Affection will no longer decrease. ]
[ Due to reaching 100 affection, you have fulfilled the condition: "Eternal Love" for Victoria! ]
[ You have received a reward: [Reality Warp] x 1 ]
…
Mission One... Clear...
Mission Two: [OnlyStar] (Days 1-3)
After planning everything well for two days... day three arrived. The day of "filming."
Owen had already scheduled it with Clara. He picked her up at her house at 7 AM... and that was the beginning of their most intense "work."
The two of them frantically traveled to film new "content"... It was a battle against time and morality.
They started with soft scenes in the "bedroom" of a luxury hotel... moved on to the private "poolside" he had rented... before finishing with the most dangerous "risky game": filming in a rather secluded public parking lot. The thrill of fearing someone would see them made Clara express her "emotions" in the most realistic way...
By 8 PM, both were exhausted... but the results were worth the effort...
Dozens of short 2-5 minute clips that didn't even need editing, along with a set of over 30 thrilling photos of Clara in various revealing outfits... It was enough stock to upload continuously for two full weeks.
Mission Two... Clear...
Missions Three and Four: [Training] and [Stream] (Days 4-5)
The last two days were for "refining" himself...
Morning to evening of Day 4... he went to "Nova" at her private gym. He trained [Mana Armor] with her relentlessly. Nova never held back. She beat him until he was sore. His body was bruised and aching, but his mana armor grew stronger every time it was broken...
Morning to evening of Day 5... he traveled to the quiet "temple" to train [Essence of Dreams] with Tenzin. It was a battle within his mind, no less exhausting than the physical battle. His mind was refined until it was sharper and calmer...
And in the evenings until midnight on both days... after his body and mind were nearly broken, Owen still dragged himself back to his computer at home. He found a popular, short indie story game to play. He turned on the recording software and played for hours until he finished the game... before sending all the raw files to "Julian" with a short brief.
Missions Three and Four... Clear...
—-------
From the author: We now have 15 chapters available for early access! This will soon increase to 20. Join my Patreon to get ahead of the story, along with exclusive, uncensored illustrations.
Your support is crucial in helping this story continue. Thank you very much!
[Patreon Spirit_Alphabet: https://patreon.com/SpiritAlphabet]
—-------