Chapter 356 : Returning to the Alliance Headquarters
Chapter 356: Returning to the Alliance Headquarters
However, what Zhou Ming had not expected was that the Molting Snake before him was actually a female.
After Zhou Ming used the power of his bloodline to induce her into estrus ahead of time, the female Molting Snake unexpectedly took the initiative to coil around him, her enormous snake head continuously rubbing against his cheeks.
Faced with this sudden courtship, Zhou Ming's face instantly darkened.
Seeing the situation, he immediately fled like a heartless scoundrel while constantly comforting himself.
“The Molting Snake Emperor Bloodline shouldn't be spread casually.”
Fortunately, they were deep in the wilderness where no one else could witness it. Otherwise, it would undoubtedly become the greatest black mark in his history.
After that experience, Zhou Ming no longer chose to make direct contact. Instead, whenever he discovered traces of a Molting Snake, he would remotely influence it from a distance using the bloodline power of the Molting Snake Emperor.
Furthermore, whenever he encountered other high-tier female serpent-type Ferocious Beasts, he would have his Beast Tamers leave behind the seeds of the Molting Snake bloodline within them.
While Zhou Ming did his utmost to spread the Molting Snake bloodline, he also did not forget to collect all kinds of precious resources.
With his current strength, none of the dangerous areas within the Alliance posed any threat to him.
Besides gathering resources, Zhou Ming also collected various snake venoms and poisonous substances.
Although the Soul Toxin Fusion Project had already achieved considerable progress, he had never abandoned his research into other toxins.
Sometimes, the potency of a toxin was not what mattered. As long as one discovered a unique toxic property, it could provide tremendous assistance.
Therefore, he had never underestimated ordinary toxins with special effects.
As Zhou Ming continued traveling through remote mountains and vast marshlands, time quietly slipped away.
One month later, Zhou Ming put away the snake swarm after they had finished feeding and appeared near Dawn Base.
He no longer intended to waste time wandering through the wilderness and flew directly toward Dawn Base, where the Alliance Headquarters was located.
Having previously visited Lei Yuan there, Zhou Ming was already quite familiar with Dawn Base. Thus, after entering the base, he smoothly met the President of the Academy of Sciences, Yao Zhentu.
“President Yao, long time no see. I'll have to trouble you again this time.”
Inside a reception room within the Academy of Sciences, Zhou Ming explained the purpose of his visit to Yao Zhentu.
“You're too polite, Zhou Ming. It's been two years since you last came to see that girl Lei Yuan. You've saved me quite a bit of trouble.”
As a veteran among Transcendent Masters, Yao Zhentu naturally sensed the changes in Zhou Ming's strength.
In just two years, Zhou Ming had reached the peak of the Early-stage Transcendent Rank, only a single step away from the Mid-level Transcendent Rank. His cultivation speed was nothing short of astonishing.
Moreover, as Yao Zhentu had said, after advancing to the Transcendent Rank, Zhou Ming had not come frequently enough to interrupt Lei Yuan's research, which had indeed greatly helped the Academy of Sciences.
Otherwise, with Lei Yuan's hopeless romantic personality, the moment she learned Zhou Ming had arrived at the Alliance Headquarters, she would certainly insist on meeting him.
“You may have had it easy, but I'm afraid Lei Yuan is going to complain quite a bit when she sees me.”
Thinking about how he had not taken the initiative to contact Lei Yuan for two years, Zhou Ming was already considering how to deal with her resentment.
Not to mention Catgirl Aina—Lei Yuan might even misunderstand their relationship.
“Haha, that's only a minor matter. What I'm really worried about is that the Transcendent Catgirl under your command will make that girl Lei Yuan terribly jealous.”
When Yao Zhentu mentioned Catgirl Aina, a meaningful smile appeared on his face.
Zhou Ming could only silently shake his head without explaining, because no one would believe that he truly treated Aina as nothing more than a maid.
While Zhou Ming and Yao Zhentu chatted, Lei Yuan, having received the news, arrived inside a secret chamber deep within the Academy of Sciences through spatial teleportation, her face filled with excitement.
“Brother Zhou has only remembered me now. He must have been completely captivated by that catgirl.”
Two years had passed, yet after becoming a Bloodline Warlock, Lei Yuan's appearance had not changed in the slightest.
Instead, due to the influence of the Molting Snake Emperor Bloodline, she now possessed a unique charm. Even compared with Aina, she was hardly inferior.
Learning that Zhou Ming had once again come to the Alliance Headquarters, Lei Yuan was overjoyed, yet at the same time worried that her Brother Zhou might be stolen away by Aina.
Though she had already become a mature woman, she now revealed the same anxious expression as a young girl.
Despite the countless thoughts filling her mind, Lei Yuan did not slow down in the slightest and hurried toward the reception room as quickly as possible.
“Brother Zhou!”
The moment the door opened, Lei Yuan paid no attention to Yao Zhentu's presence and threw herself into Zhou Ming's embrace just as he stood up.
Lei Yuan had known Zhou Ming for more than ten years. Aside from the period when they had been at Qinghui Scientific Research University together, they had only spent brief periods with each other.
Her longing for Zhou Ming caused her to completely forget her shyness.
“President Yao is still here.”
As Lei Yuan hugged him of her own accord, Zhou Ming wore a mischievous smile and lowered his head to whisper softly into her ear.
Only then did Lei Yuan react. Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson as she hurriedly let go and stood back beside Zhou Ming.
“President Yao.”
Recalling what she had just done, Lei Yuan lowered her head and greeted him in a quiet voice.
“Haha, this old man won't stay here as a third wheel. However, Lei Yuan's research has reached a critical stage, so the two of you only have one week together.”
“This is the greatest authority I can grant. I hope Zhou Ming can understand.”
“Thank you, President Yao.”
Zhou Ming showed no dissatisfaction with the strict time limit proposed by Yao Zhentu.
Since Lei Yuan had joined the Academy of Sciences, and both of them had benefited from it, it was only natural that they abide by its rules.
After all, even though he had already advanced to become a Transcendent Master, the Academy of Sciences was now backed by the Scarlet Sun Saint.
After Yao Zhentu left, Lei Yuan affectionately hugged Zhou Ming's left arm and asked,
“Brother Zhou, what made you come to the Alliance Headquarters?”
“I need your help with something.”
Zhou Ming did not hide the purpose of his visit, because this had been one of the reasons he chose to travel in the first place.
“Hmph, I knew it. If nothing had happened, you definitely wouldn't have come looking for me. After all, someone already has a Catgirl who's advanced to the Transcendent Rank serving him at all times.”
Although he had expected this beforehand, Zhou Ming still felt that women truly were troublesome after experiencing it personally.
However, Lei Yuan was far from being a decorative vase. Since he needed her assistance, he could only accept her dissatisfaction.
“Alright, let's go home first. Someone seems to have knocked over a jar of vinegar in this meeting room.”
Hearing Zhou Ming's teasing, Lei Yuan retaliated by lightly pounding his chest with her little fists.
Naturally, she had no intention of rejecting his suggestion. The two took a special Academy of Sciences vehicle to Lei Yuan's villa.
Since dedicated staff had been maintaining it, even after two years, the villa looked exactly the same as before.
“Brother Zhou, what do you need my help with?”
As soon as they returned to her villa, Lei Yuan did not forget the purpose of Zhou Ming's visit and immediately asked.
To her, simply being able to help Zhou Ming made her exceptionally happy.
The little girl she had once been had never forgotten the promise she made to Zhou Ming, and she intended to devote her entire life to fulfilling it.