After lunch, on her way to the No. 2 Research Institute, Lu Xia stopped by the First Military District with Graces.

It wasn’t her first time at the First Military District, but it was her first time going with Graces.

When she and Graces stepped out of the hovercar, they drew many curious glances. After all, it was rare for a female to appear in a place like a military district.

Whenever one did, she was bound to attract attention, especially since this particular female was with Graces.

It inevitably reminded people that this Female Master seemed to have visited Graces before.

She was here again. Though no one knew why, they couldn’t help but think, ’Graces is so lucky!’

On the way to Admiral Snop’s office, Lu Xia remembered something and asked, "What happened to that officer who challenged you to a fight last time?"

Graces was somewhat surprised to realize that Lu Xia actually remembered Ko Fei.

"He has already left the military district."

"I see. He’s a man of his word, then."

"Yes, he is."

The two exchanged a smile and said no more on the matter.

Admiral Snop’s aide saw them enter together and quickly rose to greet them. "Duke, Colonel Grace, good day. Admiral Snop has just arrived. This way, please."

After the aide knocked on the door, a crisp voice came from inside: "Come in."

The aide then opened the office door. When Admiral Snop noticed who had appeared at the door, he said in surprise, "Well, Duke Lu Xia! Why have you come in person?"

Although he hadn’t interacted with Duke Lu Xia many times, their few encounters had left Admiral Snop with an excellent impression of her.

Therefore, upon seeing her again, he unconsciously showed a bit more genuine warmth.

After ordering his aide to pour tea, Admiral Snop sat on the sofa and asked, "You’re here about Graces becoming a Gene Fusion Expert, aren’t you?"

"Yes. I heard from Graces that you issued a regulation prohibiting the First Military District from participating in gene research. It was for Graces, wasn’t it? Did someone from the Gene Research Institute contact you?"

Lu Xia didn’t hide her intentions and asked very directly.

Admiral Snop nodded in acknowledgment. "Last night, the director of the Gene Research Institute contacted me personally. He wanted me, as Graces’s superior, to order him to ’voluntarily’ participate in their research and ’contribute to the Empire.’ That son of a... ahem. Anyway, I refused. Does he think I don’t know what they’re after? They make it sound like selfless dedication, but these research experiments... at worst, they can kill you; at best, they’ll just harm your body. Colonel Grace has finally overcome so much hardship. Why should he be their guinea pig? That bunch never lifts a finger unless there’s profit involved. Where was all this concern when others failed their gene fusion?"

Admiral Snop let out a stream of complaints, his temper flaring the moment the topic was raised. He clearly hadn’t calmed down and was thoroughly disgusted by the director of the Gene Research Institute’s behavior.

"I’m very grateful that you’re protecting Graces’s interests and keeping him from harm."

"Don’t say that. It’s what I ought to do. Graces is my subordinate, and I’ve seen with my own eyes how much effort he’s put in to get where he is today. Things are finally looking up for him, and now he’s being targeted by that scum. It would be inexcusable if I didn’t protect him. Besides, now he has a Female Master like you looking out for him. I’m truly happy for him."

"I have my own research institute now and will gradually begin conducting gene research. In the future, if any soldiers from the First Military District have gene-related problems and find it inconvenient to go to the Gene Research Institute, they can come to me. You won’t have to worry about me doing anything to harm their lives or bodies. Scientific research should be about making people’s lives better, not sacrificing some to satisfy others."

"You’ve said it perfectly, Duke Lu Xia! If only those guys at the Gene Research Institute had your principles. Your words have put my mind at ease. To be honest, I was worried about relations becoming too hostile with them. I don’t care about myself, but what if my soldiers get sick or need help, and they just turn their backs on us? Now, that’s settled. The Gene Research Institute no longer poses a threat to the First Military District."

Admiral Snop couldn’t hide the joy on his face. Lu Xia’s promise was simply too important to him.

At that moment, he felt that Duke Lu Xia was truly extraordinary. She lacked the spoiled and willful nature of most females in the Empire; instead, she was reasonable and capable.

Interacting with her wasn’t draining; on the contrary, it was comfortable and sincere.

If at first he had only thought Graces had found a decent Female Master, he now saw how shallow that view had been. Duke Lu Xia was an absolutely one-in-a-million Female Master, the kind that was nearly impossible to find in the entire Empire.

’That kid... his good fortune isn’t just about becoming a Gene Fusion Expert. His luck turned the day he became Duke Lu Xia’s husband.’

Thinking about how Duke Lu Xia protected Graces so wholeheartedly despite his status as a mere husband, Snop couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy, even if he was reluctant to admit it.

Even though he himself was a main husband, his own Female Master had never treated him this way.

It could be said that the treatment Graces was now receiving as a husband was something many main husbands never experienced.

If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he never would have believed that such a special Female Master existed within the Empire.

It was like a fairy tale. No, even a fairy tale couldn’t be this perfect.

Having achieved her goal for the visit, Lu Xia didn’t stay for long. She still had to go to the No.2 Institute, so she bid Admiral Snop farewell and left the First Military District.

After she left, Admiral Snop gently patted Graces’s shoulder. "Your Female Master is really something else."

Graces nodded, his tone exceptionally firm. "She is the best."

Seeing him like this, Admiral Snop couldn’t help but laugh. In the past, Graces would never have responded with such conviction. He was truly different now.

They say love can flesh a person out, and that saying wasn’t false in the slightest. Graces had become more and more confident and expressive.

"But I still have to criticize you. Becoming a Gene Fusion Expert is a huge deal, yet you didn’t breathe a word of it to me. Do you know how shocked I was when the director of the Gene Research Institute told me? I thought he’d made a mistake!"

"I figured that becoming a Gene Fusion Expert wouldn’t affect my duties here, so I didn’t mention it. Besides, my records have already been updated. You were bound to see it sooner or later."

"You sure have a good attitude about it. Anyone else would have announced it to the whole world by now. This is a Gene Fusion Expert we’re talking about! How you managed to keep from shouting it from the rooftops is beyond me!" Snop wasn’t sure he could have done the same; if he were in Graces’s shoes, he probably would have told everyone immediately.

Graces just smiled. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his status as a Gene Fusion Expert; it was just that compared to Lu Xia, such things truly didn’t matter. He already had the best Female Master. Becoming a Gene Fusion Expert was just the icing on the cake.