Chapter 374: Chapter 373: Plastic Surgery
The cynical Internet wisdom from various public accounts on Modern Earth completely baffled Black Fish and the crowd of onlookers.
After a few seconds of stunned silence, the Governor finally snapped out of it. He coughed desperately at Li Ang, giving him meaningful looks that clearly conveyed, Little bro, why aren’t you following the script?
Li Ang also realized that this might not be the best time to emulate a boxer throwing punches. He awkwardly changed the subject, saying to Black Fish, "Sister Mermaid, loving someone is like a dismembered corpse fermenting in your living room—you can’t hide it. Don’t be timid because of your own circumstances; be brave in pursuing your happiness."
Black Fish glanced at Peter. "But..."
"Hey, are you just worried that your appearance might not fit the narrow aesthetic standards of some people in this era?" Li Ang said righteously. "This world has many very peculiar Magic Potions. Some can change a person’s aesthetic, others can change skin color. Some Magic Potions can even soften or harden bones. Combined with exquisite surgical procedures, they can even alter bone structure, thus adjusting facial features."
Hearing Li Ang’s words, the Governor quickly added, "Peter is a young man with a multicultural sense of beauty; he isn’t that narrow-minded. By the way, our Taylor Family does not oppose or discriminate against aesthetic surgery. The non-profit clinic my wife runs offers such procedures. We believe that people who are marginalized, or believe themselves to be, due to their appearance can enhance their confidence through surgery—society should be ashamed of its narrow beauty standards."
Li Ang glanced at the Governor and didn’t continue. From the information he currently possessed, the development level of superpowers in this world might not be high, but the quality of Magic Potions indeed deserved praise. Some Magic Potions were even comparable to consumable items produced by the Killing Field System.
The Forest Witch, old Dorothy, had provided many Magic Medicine Seeds along with methods for planting, cultivating, and concocting them. However, the treasures of a mere wanted Witch couldn’t possibly compare with those of the Governor’s Taylor Family, who were local magnates.
If he could get a good deal from the Governor or Black Fish...
Li Ang’s eyes flashed with that miserly look again. John Joyce and the others, fearing trouble, worried their murderous teammate might hatch some nefarious plan that could disrupt the newly stabilized situation. They rushed to offer support, saying, "Yes, yes, Miss Mermaid, you’re very beautiful. You should have confidence in yourself."
Hearing John Joyce outright lie, describing Black Fish’s Innsmouth-like appearance as beautiful, Li Ang gave him a displeased glance. "Monkey King, why do children butt in when adults are talking? Keep talking nonsense, and I’ll press you under the Five Finger Mountain again, this time with your butt sticking out."
Butt sticking out, my foot! What kind of artistic influence are you under? John Joyce mentally ranted, yet he maintained an awkward smile.
Actually, Li Ang could perform aesthetic surgery himself—even without medical instruments. With an improved Sanity Value and proficiency, Li Ang could now use the Origin of Life to efficiently perform all sorts of tricky maneuvers. Creating life and altering species were the most difficult. Enhancing the Body came next, then Curing Diseases (even without using the Divine Mark, just by utilizing the Origin of Life, Li Ang could cure most diseases except for those of the brain. His method was essentially to cut out the diseased part and then regrow a new organ). Plain cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, was the simplest of all.
Breast augmentation, liposuction, wrinkle removal and skin rejuvenation, eye, eyebrow, and cheekbone reshaping, nose adjustment... Even if it was a seventy or eighty-year-old grandmother or a 150-kilogram overweight otaku, Li Ang could transform them in minutes into a once-in-a-millennium beautiful girl of sixteen, fresh and radiant, ready to debut as an idol.
Hmm... if Li Ang hadn’t previously encountered special situations where his identity was exposed, and if he himself didn’t have a moral baseline, perhaps he would have tried creating a goddess-like appearance just for fun.
If he did that and then pretended this creation was his girlfriend, Wang Congshan, the class president, would probably faint on the spot from anger...
Of course, Li Ang still couldn’t clearly explain the principle behind the transformations using the Origin of Life. Can a decayed soul possessing a healthy, young body truly be considered immortal?
"Anyway, Maria, since Peter has accepted you, you should stay here for now and take good care of yourself and the baby," Li Ang said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Magic Potions and cosmetic surgery can wait. The most important thing is to ensure the safety of both mother and child. By the way, did you tell your family when you came to the Rune Kingdom?"
"...No." Black Fish lowered her head in embarrassment. "When I left, I only told my closest sisters. It’s been so long now; my mother must be going insane looking for me. I don’t know if my sisters can withstand the pressure..."
"Hmm..." Li Ang mused. "What is your mother’s view on humans?"
Black Fish lifted her head, replying somewhat uncertainly, "My mother dislikes but doesn’t hate humans. Over the years, she has always adhered to the principle of keeping our affairs separate, never allowing her subjects to actively engage with humans. However, ever since the Snow Queen became the ruler of the major kingdoms on land, she seems to have started taking an interest in gathering intelligence about humans... Perhaps she’s observing."
Li Ang and the Governor exchanged glances. If Black Fish wasn’t lying, then the Mermaid Queen might have been swayed by the Snow Queen’s multi-species equality propaganda and was considering friendly contact with humans. If that was indeed the case, then the Taylor Family’s affairs would undoubtedly be much easier to handle.
The Governor’s thoughts raced, and he quickly made up his mind.
He and Li Ang played good cop, bad cop, and in no time at all, had Black Fish completely disoriented. Li Ang even officiated an impromptu engagement ceremony for the couple in his capacity as a Priest.
After the engagement ceremony, the atmosphere was very harmonious. The Governor, under the pretext of "ensuring her prenatal care and rest," arranged another room for Black Fish and assigned Spellcasters to monitor the adjacent room. At the same time, he had Black Fish write two letters: one explaining her current situation, and the other expressing the Rune Kingdom’s goodwill to the Mermaid Queen. The Governor himself also wrote a letter to the Mermaid Queen and another to the Governor of the Rune Kingdom, Princess Anna.
After dealing with Black Fish’s affairs, the Governor didn’t forget Li Ang and the others. He swiftly issued three secret orders to them. With these three secret orders, Li Ang and his team could independently enter the Goddess Churches in various cities. They could conduct secret visits in the name of Eastern Monks and also obtain three pieces of the Magic Mirror.