"Hm… this thing really worth a few thousand?"
Raven, now changed into casual clothes, sat on the bed appraising the teapot in her hands.
She could feel its unique texture and subtle beauty… Fine, call it art. Someone else could pay the idiot tax.
Raven trusted Gray Serpent's eye. If he said thousands, it was thousands.
The man's knowledge base was so vast even the Herrscher sometimes deferred to him.
She set the pot casually on the bed and shrugged into a black-and-red, slightly edgy jacket.
One more glance back.
A strikingly handsome man now cradled her teapot, offering her an awkward yet polite smile.
"Uh… hello?"
"Hello—put my teapot down. Now."
Raven's face darkened instantly.
"The focus is the teapot?"
"Oh… so this is an extraterrestrial?"
In the heavy, black-toned room, Möbius lounged in the main seat, head propped lazily on one hand while the other idly poked Liu Bai's cheek with a finger.
Möbius?
Wait—Möbius as World Serpent's Herrscher?
Shouldn't it be Kevin?
Liu Bai, restrained by Raven, stared in stunned silence.
Möbius had always had massive fan demand for implementation, sure—but Herrscher of World Serpent? How?
What happened to Kevin's storyline?
What kind of plot garbage had this mod shoved in?
Still… adult-form Möbius, eyes still human pupils.
Meant she wasn't yet a Fusion Warrior.
Tch… mess.
"Very pretty, but looks exactly like a human." Curiosity—or perhaps disappointment—flickered in Möbius's gaze.
"Absolutely certain. The second I finished changing, this guy was sitting on my bed holding my teapot."
"That's my teapot," Liu Bai couldn't help correcting.
"It's my spoils of war," Raven replied flatly, as if stating an obvious fact.
"Correct. You're a captive now. You—and everything on you—belongs to World Serpent."
Möbius sprawled back in her chair, a teasing smile curling her lips as she continued poking Liu Bai's face.
"I'll cooperate. Use me as your lab rat."
The words froze both Raven's stoic expression and Möbius's playful smirk.
"Did this extraterrestrial's brain short-circuit?" Raven muttered under her breath.
Did he have any idea how hard it was to be the Herrscher's personal lab rat?
If Liu Bai could read her mind, he'd reply—very easy. Extremely easy.
Counterintuitive truth: the rarer the specimen, the more cautiously you handled it.
Slice him open?
Who started with vivisection?
Even the concept was a red herring.
He was just an ordinary guy. Möbius might be a mad scientist, but not a murderous lunatic. Once bored or no results emerged, she'd let him go.
Honestly, if Kevin were Herrscher, Liu Bai would be facing hours of ideological lectures. This setup was almost easier.
"Hm~…?"
Recovering from her surprise, Möbius narrowed her eyes, appraising him anew. A charming, sultry smile slowly spread across her face.
"Interesting. I like you. Starting today, you're my little lab rat. Raven—return his teapot."
"…Yes."
Raven reluctantly handed over the several-thousand-credit prize.
"As expected, that pot isn't ordinary." Möbius glanced at it, tilting her head. "Your companion is inside?"
She hadn't forgotten the two life signatures of the extraterrestrials.
"Guinaifen."
Liu Bai shook the pot and tipped it. A red-haired girl tumbled out with a scream.
"Aaaahhh!"
The exit clearly wasn't gentle.
"This is my bodyguard companion, Guinaifen." Liu Bai helped the dizzy girl to her feet.
"Ah… cough, right right—name's Guinaifen, bodyguard at your service."
Once oriented, Guinaifen quickly read the room. As a streamer and street performer, atmosphere sensing was maxed.
Looked like boss's negotiation went smoothly?
They'd already reached introductions.
"Looks human too…" Möbius's disappointment deepened at the sight of Guinaifen.
Raven shot her a subtle glance—this girl wasn't all show. Not a pro assassin or fighter, but she carried real threat.
At least Raven sensed danger.
…If the girl tried to take the Herrscher hostage at this range, trouble.
Though she could grab this "Liu Bai" kid as leverage before anything happened.
Möbius, seemingly catching the signal, swept a faintly melancholic gaze over the pair and the teapot in Liu Bai's hand.
Completely unlike the aliens she'd imagined—utterly boring.
That teapot… she'd handled it earlier. Felt ordinary. Probably keyed only to this man.
…Some kind of bio-lock?
Forcible seizure held no appeal anyway—she disliked that sort of thing.
"Raven, starting today you're in charge of their daily care."
"…Huh?"
A rare crack of confusion appeared on Raven's impassive face.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Any objections?" Möbius propped her head again, gazing lazily at Raven.
"Wait—Herrscher, I'm an assassin! Lab rats and such—can't you just toss them in a cage or something?"
"Hah? What nonsense are you spouting?"
Möbius's expression turned odd.
"They're lab rats, yes—but you can't treat lab rats like actual lab rats. Do you think raising them is easy?"
I already feel inhuman as a scientist, and you're somehow worse?
"…"
Raven opened her mouth to argue, then closed it—countering might just invite harsher mockery.
"Um… Herrscher, honestly, I'm not good at taking care of people. How about Jackal? Isn't she your capable assistant?"
"No way. She'd steal their food."
Möbius rejected it instantly.
"In short, Raven—you're now the lab rat keeper. If anything happens to them, you answer to me."
"Ugh…"
So unreasonable…
"Of course, during this period I'll raise your monthly salary by ten thousand—as hardship pay and their living expenses."
"Subordinate will devote body and soul to Herrscher-sama!"