Human Transformation

Five Mutant behemoths came and went in succession. Yuri stood still, exhaling lightly: "There are still too few of our people."

He had never forgotten his true identity. He was a member of the Mutants, and more importantly, their leader. Leading the tribe toward prosperity and revival was not just his duty—it was his responsibility.

"Arctic..."

Captain America popsicle?

A smirk tugged at Yuri's lips: I really just want to dig my people out. If I happen to unearth some star-spangled guy, that's just an accident!

"Chirp—!"

What flies in the sky is always faster than what swims in the water or runs on land. The giant bird dove into the sea in a single swoop, swam dozens of meters underwater, then burst back out with a violent splash.

Yuri wrapped an arm around its long neck while controlling the dozens of transmission tubes behind him, using them like fingers to tease the feathers atop its head: "Full?"

"Chirp!"

"Then let's start now."

The giant bird obediently crouched down. Its large eyes, brimming with joy, held a trace of nervousness: every evolution made it stronger, but the pain along the way was nothing to ignore.

Yuri waved his hand, scattering several black metal spheres. These had once trapped Makkari, who possessed Super Speed, in Iraq. But these little gadgets, looted from Phastos's home after killing him, clearly had more uses than that.

Energy concentration, storage, restraint, energy release, gravity manipulation... Without a doubt, these were Phastos's greatest works!

Invisible dark energy streamed continuously into the black spheres floating in the air. After conversion, strands of brilliant golden energy, radiating the breath of life, were all absorbed by Yuri, who stood at the center of the sphere array.

But Yuri was not the final destination for this energy. After integrating it, all the life energy gathered within his body was channeled through transmission tubes swollen to the thickness of a finger, finally pouring into the giant bird.

"Chirp—!!!"

The bird trembled in agony, but with its leader before it, it dared not make the slightest move.

Feathers of red, blue, and green fell one by one. The bird's bones and muscles emitted a chilling grinding sound. A pink mist of blood sprayed from the 128,000 pores on its body surface, and then its size visibly shrank at a rapid pace...

Ajak's ability was far more than just healing wounds. From the moment he obtained it, Yuri had felt an instinctive sense that he could modify any living being: wherever life energy reached, he could even conjure a new organ out of thin air!

Thank heavens—his first completely uncertain modification was a perfect success. All five of his remaining subordinates had gained tremendous improvements in some aspect.

This was no mere healing or recovery. It was more like the combined product of certain Celestial abilities!

Just as he was thinking, the modification of the giant bird neared completion: the green, red, and blue on its skin slowly faded, replaced by the smooth, fair softness of human skin—hair, facial features, limbs, five organs, six viscera, curves in all the right places...

Yuri retracted the transmission tubes and pulled out a large coat he had prepared long ago, draping it over the naked woman: "From now on, your name is Vanax Ambrosius. Got it?"

"Vanax Ambrosius!"

The woman repeated the name, curiously lifting and lowering the coat on her body: "Master, is this what a human body is like?"

Yuri helped her zip up the coat, fastened the buttons, shoved a portable computer into her hands, and unceremoniously kicked her aside: "Done? Go learn about human society on your own. Next!"

Vanax—Phoenix! Shack—Shark! Tiger—Tiger! Cheetah—Cheetah! Kate—Lynx!

Before the first rays of sunlight touched the land of the free, Yuri returned to the "Ancestor's Handicraft Shop" with his five tribesmen, now transformed into human forms. These people would need at least a week of basic learning, and the teacher could only be Yuri himself.

"First, from now on, change your address for me from 'Master' to 'Boss'!"

"Wait!"

Vanax raised her slender right hand high: "Then, Boss, will you pay us a salary? My phone says a boss who doesn't pay isn't worthy of being called a boss!"

Yuri's face darkened: "Not worthy"? So you think 'boss' is a step up from 'master,' huh?

"Second, if anyone ever asks about your origins, say I found you at the Refugee Detention Center!"

"Wait!"

Though she hadn't gotten an answer to her first question, that didn't stop Vanax from eagerly asking a second: "Can't we say we woke up from an ice hole? Boss, I remember you were lying on top of me back then!"

"No!"

Yuri swept his gaze around. The other four were sitting upright, listening attentively, showing no signs of asking any bizarre questions.

He shot Vanax a suspicious glance: Did I give her too little energy when her brain was developing?

"Third, learn to control the power you have. Learn to suppress your violent emotions and bloodthirsty instincts! This is human society. If you accidentally kill someone, we'll all be in deep trouble!"

"Wait!"

Vanax had gotten an answer to her second question, so she asked a third with even more enthusiasm: "Accidental killing causes trouble—what about intentional killing?"

Yuri struggled to suppress his own violent emotions and bloodthirsty instincts. He was barely holding back the urge to lash out and kill her: "What I mean is—no killing! Stupid bird!"

"Oh!"

Vanax nodded emphatically, not feeling the least bit offended. She lined up again with her four companions, her bright eyes fixed on Yuri, waiting for his fourth rule.

Yuri was silent for a moment. He waved his hand, using the steel on the second floor to construct four large beds: "Everyone except Vanax, pick one."

"What about me? What about me?"

Vanax was quite envious of these four large beds: the phone had said that once a spring mattress was laid on them and a person lay down covered with a quilt, you couldn't even see them from the outside!

She wondered if two people could...

Vanax's beautiful eyes fixed on Yuri, waiting for him to give an answer.

Yuri let out a light sigh, turned around, and headed for the third floor. This Silly Bird was far too foolish—he feared her foolishness might infect the other four generals. "Follow me. You'll stay on the third floor with me."

"Okay!"

Vanax jumped up in excitement on the spot, her thick, turquoise-blue hair wrapping around her not-so-bright head as it smacked hard against the ceiling.

She didn't even glance at the four large iron beds she'd been so envious of just moments ago, scampering after Yuri up to the third floor: What was so great about spring mattresses? Could they compare to sleeping soundly in the boss's arms?

The four people left on the second floor watched Vanax disappear around the corner. Shack swept an imperceptible glance at the stern-faced Kate—the only woman among the four standing there—and muttered as if to himself, "The boss is definitely going to mate with her."

Hearing this, Kate plopped down onto an iron bed by the window, pulled out her portable computer, and put on a pretense of being deep in study.

The remaining three exchanged glances, each picked a bed, and sat down gently. They, too, pulled out their portable computers in imitation, but in secret they pricked up their ears, hoping to catch some sounds from upstairs suitable for all ages.