Bathhouse Antics, Fire Apricot Takes After Her Father

As Nightless Sky Fire Apricot said, most of the things on the control panel of Fire Apricot No. 3 were just for entertainment purposes.

Thinking about it, it's obvious that this is indeed the case—after all, Fire Apricot No. 3 is, in a sense, a kind of "rail transit" that runs around in underground pipes, and since it is used exclusively by Nightless Sky Fire Apricot most of the time, it doesn't really need any complicated operation or corresponding functions.

As the Alchemy Energy around him flowed more frequently and became purer, Lin Yu could roughly sense it.

"We've reached the interior of the City That Never Sleeps, haven't we?"

After all, during the pipeline transportation of Alchemy Energy, it will also pass through a pre-set "refining device" for preliminary purification and diversion underground.

Lin Yu's guess was also confirmed by Nightless Sky Fire Apricot.

"Of course... you're quite sensitive to Alchemy Energy now, no wonder you're called 'Extremely Dangerous,' Arthur."

The Nightless Sky Fire Apricot stepped on the "brake pedal," and Fire Apricot No. 3 began to decelerate. The sound of friction between the metal shell and the pipe wall became sharper and more intense as the speed decreased.

"Squeak--"

After a long braking process of about ten seconds, Fire Apricot No. 3 came to a stop.

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot kicked the control panel, and with a "click," the "door" of Fire Apricot No. 3 opened.

"We'll have to get to the next part... The pipes ahead are located underground in the Nightless Sky Family Mansion, equipped with very sensitive Alchemy Energy detection devices... and they were recently upgraded due to certain events."

"Large vehicles like the 'Fire Apricot No. 3' definitely can't get in."

"The Nightless Sky Fire Apricot," Lin Yu chimed in.

"Something... you're not referring to that time you used these pipes to release 'unstable gas,' are you?"

"You talk as if you didn't get a share," Nightless Sky Fire Apricot clicked her tongue. "Don't accuse me, Arthur, those who benefited from this situation. We were on the same side every time, okay?"

Lin Yu laughed, "We're on the same side now."

"That's a nice way to put it," said Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, making a face. "It's all because I'm going to meet your mother with you next... Honestly, what good would it do me to be there? I'm really bad at dealing with that woman."

"Don't worry, I don't need you to negotiate with her. Just your existence in that space is a huge advantage to me," Lin Yu said casually. "Besides... I naturally have my own methods."

"Wow, don't be so vague, I don't even want to go anymore," said Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, crossing her arms and making a trembling gesture. "It feels so scary."

Of course, that was all an act.

Lin Yu ignored Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, and the two of them soon arrived at an upward passage.

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot extended her Metal Grappling Claw and climbed up the pipe wall, with Lin Yu following closely behind.

After pausing for a second in front of the manhole cover at the end of the passage, Nightless Sky Fire Apricot gave an OK sign.

"Nobody!"

She pushed open the manhole cover and nimbly flipped herself out.

Lin Yu followed closely behind.

Outside the manhole cover was a tool shed with several metal cabinets.

The door to the tool shed was open, revealing a pool of water shrouded in mist and filled with a faint fragrance.

Lin Yu had been here before.

"Is this your bathroom?"

"Yes, I used taking a bath and maintaining my Alchemical Prosthetic as an excuse to sneak out," Nightless Sky Fire Apricot skillfully removed her work clothes, revealing a swimsuit-like garment underneath. "For someone with such a high level of modification as me, taking a bath for four or five hours at a time is quite normal. After all, my senses are mostly closed off most of the time. Only when I take off my Alchemical Prosthetic for maintenance can I get some rare 'physiological enjoyment,' which naturally prolongs the time."

"I usually dismiss all the maids when I take a bath, so that's a good window of opportunity to sneak out."

As she spoke, Nightless Sky Fire Apricot walked to the metal cabinet next to her, put her work clothes, hat, and sunglasses inside, and took out a bathrobe from inside and put it on.

"Let's go, I'll rinse myself in the pool."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot let down her long hair, which she had tied up to wear a hat, and her fiery red hair cascaded down her back.

Lin Yu walked out of the tool shed, Nightless Sky Fire Apricot kicked the door shut, then threw her bathrobe on the edge of the pool and jumped into it.

"Yahoo!"

Lin Yu stood on the shore and gently raised his hand, using the [Water Prayer Necklace] and Water Control Witchcraft to push the splashing water droplets that were about to fall on him back into the pool.

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, keenly sensed the unusual movement of the water droplets and caught Lin Yu's actions.

After thinking for a moment, she immediately raised her arm and struck the surface of the bathtub.

"Splash!"

The water splashed up again, and Lin Yu once again pushed the splashing water droplets back into the pool.

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot decided to play around and this time crouched down slightly, leaving only her head above the water.

Then, the Nightless Sky Fire Apricot clapping her hands underwater activated some kind of alchemical device—with a "bang," a high-pressure water jet gushed out, attacking Lin Yu's direction like a fountain.

Lin Yu raised his hands, and the crystals on the [Water Prayer Necklace] emitted a faint glow beneath his clothes.

The water jet made a turn in the air and then "splashed" back into the bathtub.

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot exclaimed in amazement.

"Wow, that's amazing! Manipulating liquids with energy... and with such precision and strength! That's really interesting!"

Lin Yu explained, "It's an ability I already possessed, but it's incompatible with your world's system... If you're interested, I can take you to the world where this ability originated."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot said with a grin, "Okay!"

Seeing that Lin Yu Nightless Sky Fire Apricot seemed to really intend to take a bath, Lin Yu simply sat down on a deck chair by the shore and adjusted his appearance.

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot had known for a while that Lin Yu would change his appearance, so she wasn't surprised.

After changing his appearance to that of "Supervisor Arthur," Lin Yu spoke again, "But... you went into this bathroom alone, and you came out as two people, is that alright?"

"Didn't you say that there are quite a few people watching you lately—even within the Nightless Sky Family, you've hardly had any peace and quiet?"

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot scooped up water and splashed it on her face, rubbing it haphazardly. "Don't worry, no one cares if I bring a man into the bathroom to shower together... I only had A-Class manager at Truth Company Rule, it's not grounds for impeachment—honestly, it's considered a virtue even among the Noble."

Lin Yu prompted, "The question is, where did I get in from?"

"Let's go through the door... I sent the Servant away precisely so we could have a secret rendezvous, and now I can even explain why I told the maids to stay away," Nightless Sky Fire Apricot rubbed her elbows, then looked up again, "Don't be too nervous. No matter how perverse Royal Nobles family is, they still have privacy when they're bathing..."

Lin Yu thought for a moment, then cautiously said, "I can't say."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, did something bad happen to you in the bath?"

"There really is one, and it's right here in the bathhouse of your Nightless Sky Family."

Lin Yu nodded and pointed to the next room.

"But not yours, it should be the bigger pool behind the wall."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot was quite surprised. "What's going on?"

Lin Yu said in a low voice, "When I went in, I thought no one was there, but actually the Nightless Sky Huo Shu was holding its breath in the pool. As soon as I went in, it stood up, grabbed me, and said a bunch of nonsense—at the time, I was still acting as 'Sherlock'."

"And she wasn't wearing any clothes."

After listening to Lin Yu's account, Nightless Sky Fire Apricot thought for a moment and then sighed softly.

"That idiot really... very tough, Arthur."

After that, it seemed that Nightless Sky Fire Apricot had no intention of continuing to soak.

After she got up, her skin was slightly red, and her body temperature seemed to have risen considerably, as the high temperature quickly evaporated the moisture on her skin and hair.

"Alright, Arthur, I'm going to change my clothes—then we'll go see Mother."

"To be honest, you have no problem taking me with you... If you go by yourself, you have to inform them first, and you even have to apply to enter the house. It's really troublesome," said Nightless Sky Fire Apricot. "With me, even if you go directly to see your mother, you only need to inform the bodyguard who is protecting her."

"However... I only recently obtained this permission."

Hearing Nightless Sky Fire Apricot's words, Lin Yu casually remarked, "Oh, so being designated a 'candidate' does have some advantages, right?"

"Just a tiny, insignificant benefit!"

With that, Nightless Sky Fire Apricot walked into the formal changing room next to the bathhouse.

A moment later, she came out again, now dressed in a black cross-collar ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), the smooth silk fabric embroidered with the flame Family Crest of the Nightless Sky Family in gold thread.

Her fiery red hair was already piled up at the back of her head, tied with two white jade carved hairpins at an angle.

At the same time, a pair of jade pendants adorned her belt, which jingled as she walked.

Lin Yu was somewhat surprised by Huo Xing's appearance at Nightless Sky Fire Apricot.

"Dressed so formally?"

"Nonsense! You're talking to Mother about something that could get you killed, of course I'd dress up nicely," said Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, hands on her hips. "If I look good, Mother might be in a better mood seeing me all dressed up, which would reduce the chances of you getting killed on the spot after the negotiation falls apart!"

"Moreover... black, traditional clothing paired with jade ornaments was my father's favorite style of dress back then—wearing it like that might genuinely awaken a bit of my mother's humanity and conscience."

As she spoke, Nightless Sky Fire Apricot pointed to her face. "Moreover, according to the old video footage, I am the one among my Village Chief most like my father, and some elders have also confirmed this—isn't that why you planned to take me to the negotiations?"

Lin Yu shook his head.

"I really didn't know that... I took you to see your mother not so that she would see you having any ulterior motives."