Smelian said softly, "I’m fine now, Xiaxia. Get some rest."

Reassured, Lu Xia closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. This time, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart, she slept with a rare sense of peace.

After Lu Xia fell asleep, Smelian raised his hand. A small cloud of icy mist materialized in his palm, and he could feel his body brimming with superpower. The sensation was incredible.

He had never felt so powerful. ’So this is what it’s like to have a superpower.’

Careful not to disturb Lu Xia, Smelian took a quick shower in the bathroom and then left the room.

Cecil was just coming in, holding a vibrant bouquet of roses. He was a little surprised to see Smelian. "You didn’t go to work today?"

"Yeah, something came up today. Why are you back so early?"

"I finished up, so I came back. Where’s Lu Xia?"

"She’s resting in her room. Don’t disturb her."

"Okay, then."

Cecil uttered the two words reluctantly, his gaze lingering on Smelian’s face with a hint of surprise. "You seem... different today."

Smelian didn’t look any different, but Cecil had a strong feeling that something about him had changed.

’Cecil’s more perceptive than I thought.’ Smelian smiled at him and suddenly raised his hand. In the next instant, Cecil noticed a thin layer of frost forming on the roses in his arms.

Cecil’s blue eyes widened. He snapped his gaze to Smelian, his expression a mixture of shock and astonishment. "You... You have a superpower?"

Smelian didn’t hide it, simply nodding. "A gift from Xiaxia."

Cecil recalled Lu Xia mentioning Superpower Genes in the lab and telling him to pick one he liked. ’So that’s why Smelian didn’t go to work today. It was for this.’

Smelian wasn’t surprised to see the look of dawning realization mixed with Cecil’s shock; he knew Cecil was aware of the situation.

’Just as Lu Xia could prepare this gift for me and Graces, she can do the same for Cecil.’

So he spoke up. "You’re already a Gene Fusion Expert. Once your body stabilizes, you can start increasing your gene fusion degree. After that, you’ll have a chance to gain a superpower, too."

Cecil nodded. "Yes, Lu Xia told me she likes it when I look all shimmery and gold. I’ll probably choose the Golden Spirit Gene for my superpower."

Smelian was a bit surprised, but then he remembered that Cecil was a member of the Imperial Family, and most of the males in their family possessed the Golden Lion Gene. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Besides, Cecil had a real knack for business. Lu Xia choosing the Golden Spirit Gene for his superpower wasn’t so hard to understand; it even revealed a bit of her own playful way of thinking.

He smiled and agreed. "It does suit you. It’s just that the Golden Spirit Gene can be difficult to find, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for it yourself."

"I know."

Cecil wasn’t actually too worried about the difficulty. ’After all, I have the superpower of money.’ With enough cash, countless people would search for the Golden Spirit Gene on his behalf. He had already posted a notice on the dark web and was confident he’d get the information he needed soon.

Having offered his advice, Smelian didn’t press the issue. After all, this was something he could only warn Cecil about, not solve for him.

That evening, Cecil received a voice message from Lady Daina. She was planning a banquet to celebrate him becoming a Gene Fusion Expert. The guest list had already been drafted, and Lady Daina wanted Cecil to show it to Lu Xia for her approval.

Cecil knew his mother had given him this task personally to create more opportunities for him to interact with Lu Xia. He was grateful for her thoughtfulness, so after dinner, he said to Lu Xia, "My mother has drafted the guest list for the banquet. Let me show you."

Surprised by Lady Daina’s efficiency, Lu Xia hadn’t expected it to be so soon. She simply nodded.

Smelian wasn’t surprised to hear that Lady Daina was throwing a celebratory banquet for Cecil. After all, both he and Graces had received one, so it was only natural for Cecil to be next.

Smelian also told Cecil, "If you need anything, just let me know."

’We’re a family now. It’s only natural that we help each other.’

After reviewing the list and seeing no issues, Lu Xia contacted Lady Daina herself to confirm the date for the banquet.

Cecil had attended countless banquets in his life, but never before had one been held in his honor.

But because of Lu Xia, he had become a Gene Fusion Expert, finally giving his mother a reason to hold a banquet just for him.

He was keenly aware that ever since he’d gotten together with Lu Xia, his life had been getting better and better. Things he’d never dared to imagine before now seemed within reach.

Smelian found Cecil sitting in the living room, staring into space after coming out of the study. He walked over. "What’s on your mind?"

Noticing his approach, Cecil looked up at Smelian. "I was just thinking about what you told me before. I didn’t believe it then, but now I finally understand what you meant. Since I’ve been with Lu Xia, my life gets better every single day. Things I never dared to imagine, never dared to hope for... they’re slowly becoming reality. I was pretty childish back then, wasn’t I?"

A slight smile touched Smelian’s lips. He was in an excellent mood himself. "I wouldn’t say you’re all that mature now, either."

’Smelian could still be so infuriating.’

But as their eyes met, they both broke into laughter.

The next morning, Smelian received a message from Nanxi No. 19.

He then went to find Cecil, and the two of them headed to Nanxi No. 19 together.

When they arrived, the personnel stationed at Nanxi No. 19 had already been notified. They weren’t surprised to see Cecil and simply opened the door to let them in. Smelian checked on the patients from before. After confirming that they were recovering well, he removed his gloves and asked the person beside him, "When is Graces contacting us?"

The person didn’t delay, immediately opening a terminal. A moment later, Graces appeared on the display, dressed in the dark uniform of the Federation Army.

The moment Cecil saw him, the situation finally felt real.

Graces nodded to Cecil. He clearly wasn’t surprised to see him there; in fact, he had intended for it to happen.

So the first thing he said was, "Welcome aboard, Cecil."

"I’m only joining for Lu Xia’s sake, not because of you."

Cecil stated his position instinctively, but for Graces, that was enough. More than enough, even.

’I don’t need Cecil’s loyalty,’ Graces thought. ’I just need him to be loyal to Lu Xia. In fact, Cecil’s loyalty to Lu Xia is more trustworthy than loyalty to me ever could be.’

"Then let’s talk," Graces said, making an inviting gesture. He was indicating that Cecil could speak first.

Cecil didn’t hesitate. He said directly, "I don’t care what your objectives are, but you have to guarantee Lu Xia’s safety. Whatever we do, it can’t drag her into it."