Chapter 15: Caring for a Mermaid’s Scales

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Qin Min had probably arranged the materials in advance. When Yun Fu and Qin Min arrived at the research institute, the necessary materials were already placed in the laboratory. After confirming that everything was in order, Yun Fu donned a white lab coat, familiarized herself with the equipment in the lab, and began to prepare the perfume.

Qin Min, who had never allowed anyone into this lab before, was now assisting Yun Fu, playing the role of an assistant for the first time.

He lifted his eyes to look at Yun Fu, who had gathered her long hair behind her neck, revealing her slender, fair neck. Wearing his lab coat and carrying his aura, she stood at the workbench, focused on her task.

Her feminine and captivating face was calm, her gaze concentrated, and her hands steady as she held the test tube, as if she had done this a thousand times before.

Such quiet composure and skillful use of the workstation—could this really be Yun Fu?

[Wow, the supporting female really knows how to make perfume!]

[You can tell just by watching. Honestly, the supporting female's storyline has twisted so much that I treat her as a completely new character now.]

[Seriously, the supporting female not only awakened spiritual power but also can soothe beastmen. If she really makes perfume that lowers pollution levels, I don't dare imagine how beastmen will adore her. Isn't that stealing the heroine’s spotlight?]

[It shouldn't be that bad. The supporting female isn’t that threatening; the heroine’s spiritual power can still rise to S-level. That’s her highlight. The supporting female’s spiritual power is just F-level. How can she steal any scenes?]

[Why overthink? I just ship the pairing. The supporting female is so beautiful, I ship Yun Fu with all four beast husbands. But the fox has even used hair protection oil—it’s obvious she’s trying to seduce Yun Fu. The mermaid isn’t doing anything though. Will my wish to see the mermaid bear fish babies come true?]

Qin Min habitually read the comments, hoping to glean more information. When he saw the last comment, his brows twitched.

That shedding fox actually used hair protection oil?

Though verbally despising Yun Fu, it was clear he was quietly trying to win her favor with his beautiful fur.

And it was a strong male, no less, caring so much about his beast form’s appearance. Truly just a fox flea.

A cold smile curved Qin Min’s thin lips.

When his gaze returned to Yun Fu, he pictured her eyes sparkling as she stroked the fox, and a wave of discomfort welled up in his otherwise calm heart.

Females always love beautiful things, especially Yun Fu, who cared deeply about the appearances of her beast husbands.

Wasn’t it because she wanted his scales to shine more brilliantly that she deigned to soothe him?

That fox beast form was already charming and favored by Yun Fu. If his fur were even glossier and smoother, she would surely be even more captivated.

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He would probably care even less about him, the hairless merman beast husband.

Qin Min’s gaze grew colder.

“What are you thinking about? Pass me the purple test tube from your watch,” Yun Fu called out.

Qin Min snapped back to reality and handed over the test tube.

Yun Fu glanced at him twice but saw nothing unusual and withdrew her thoughts, continuing to prepare the perfume.

Her calm eyes that briefly studied him stirred something in Qin Min.

He lowered his gaze, unwilling to look at her any longer now. Once that fox came out, she wouldn’t have eyes for him anymore.

Or did Yun Fu really find him useless and only wanted a merman who could shed pearls for her?

Unbeknownst to Yun Fu, as she experimented, a certain merman was lost in his own thoughts, nearly sinking into despair.

After using specialized instruments to test the perfume she had prepared, there was no significant drop in pollution levels—only a slight change.

Yet upon double-checking the materials and proportions, there was no mistake.

Yun Fu was puzzled and couldn’t help but tap the system that provided the perfume ingredients, asking what was missing.

In the Sea of Consciousness, the system swapped into an academic gown and pushed up its glasses with an air of profundity.

“Let me put it this way: for substances that raise beastmen’s pollution levels, there is always an antidote within three steps.”

Yun Fu had a sudden insight. From a modern perspective, antivenom for snakebites does not require the venom of the corresponding snake.

Since the pollutants increasing beastmen’s pollution values were the spiritual power of the insect tribe, the perfume needed to include the insect tribe’s spiritual essence?

After confirming this with the system, Yun Fu turned to Qin Min.

“The perfume needs to include the insect tribe’s spiritual essence. Can we find insect tribe members in the central city?”

As for going to the barren planet to find the insect tribe, Yun Fu dared not even imagine that. That was the insect tribe’s territory. She would be crazy to go there.

Fortunately, the insect tribe had many valuable traits for research, such as their incredibly hard shells used to make mech armor, and their venom, which was made into liquid guns to fight back against the insect tribe.

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So finding the insect tribe in the central city was not truly difficult.

“There is an insect tribe member here in the research institute. I’ll send a robot to extract the spiritual essence,” Qin Min said, giving Yun Fu a deep look as he summoned a robot.

He didn’t ask why, despite never having contacted the insect tribe before, she knew to add the insect tribe’s spiritual essence to the reagent.

Yun Fu ignored the suspicion in his eyes and calmly looked away.

Soon, the robot returned with the insect tribe’s spiritual essence. Yun Fu immediately added it to the test tube and tested the perfume’s effect again.

This time, it succeeded. The instrument showed a clear drop in pollution level by several points.

But whether the perfume worked or not still had to be tested on beastmen.

Qin Min looked at the perfume and said, “I can try it. You know my pollution level isn’t low, so I’m suitable for experiments. If the pollution level drops, you can reduce one soothing session.”

His words were true but sounded odd.

“Why reduce it? Wasn’t that our agreement?” Yun Fu asked curiously.

“But if you really make the perfume, that’s even better. Using both methods, you can shorten the time needed to lower pollution. The scales on the tail will become more brilliant faster. Then I’ll be able to shed the most beautiful scale.”

Yun Fu’s delicate, porcelain-white face showed a look that said, “Don’t even think about fooling me.” She clearly cared about the scales, and her previous words were not empty talk.

At the end, she warned Qin Min with a glance—far from annoying, it felt like a harmless, delicate kitten softly swatting with its paw, warming one’s heart.

Qin Min’s pale blue eyes reflected Yun Fu’s lovely face as he murmured, “Good.”

He quietly calculated the time until his next scale change and silently added a plan to carefully nurture his scales.

No matter how much that fox tried to seduce Yun Fu, it would only make her glance at the fox a little more. Would she ever store the fox’s fur carefully?

Lu Shiling was not someone to be feared.