Chapter 459: The Thrush

Facing these wildly enthusiastic gazes, Bai Mu Yun only coldly looked back, but the excitement on her face did not immediately subside; after meeting those cold golden eyes, the fervor was slightly suppressed.

She inhaled deeply, pulled her slightly forward‑leaning body back, straightened her back, lifted her skirt slightly—a standard kneeling bow.

"I apologize for my recent recklessness, please forgive me; a bird that has been away from its nest for so long inevitably gets a bit excited upon returning to its old grounds."

Her voice shifted from agitation to much gentler tones, carrying just the right apology; the sentence serves to apologize for her rash behavior and to explain it.

She resembled a standard noble lady, one that a long‑standing aristocratic family could only produce after spending abundant resources.

She smiled gracefully at the three of them, her smile exceedingly warm, as if they were long‑separated family reunited.

"Hope your excitement won't make you lose your head and forget your purpose."

Bai Mu Yun's cold voice rang out.

They are not unaware of the indispensable rhetorical compliments among aristocratic circles; they are simply too lazy.

After all, with the Dome as backing and having made a name for themselves in the fashion world, their rudeness appears to those nobles merely as a designer's eccentricity.

The more such a designer, the more people flock to them; the less they produce, the more distinctive their style, and countless nobles will actively seek to flatter them.

"Of course."

The woman gracefully settled onto the single armchair beside them, taking the seat next to Bai Mu Yun; her skirt draped over the chair like a blooming flower.

"As previously stated, I have come for Co-Absorption."

"I am willing to offer all my wealth, only so this place may accept me—a little bird whose nest has been seized."

She spoke in a formal, antiquated manner, fully steeped in ancient aristocratic diction.

Of course, the most important thing remains...

The familiar, repulsive, fishy stench on her—no amount of perfume or rouge could mask.

Unlike the innate warmth the woman showed toward the three, Luo Jinyou, taking advantage of sitting farthest, shifted a bit farther; Bai Mu Yun subconsciously furrowed their brows, while only Ying Duo's expression remained unchanged.

Bai Mu Yun stared at her for a while without speaking, seemingly pondering something.

The woman neither urged nor irritated, and generously allowed Bai Mu Yun to scrutinize her without showing any offense, simply lifting her teacup gracefully for a sip.

She could clearly sense that Bai Mu Yun and Luo Jinyou were of her kind, while Ying Duo only had a Mutation in the Ying Guang Lu atop their head—but that was a Mutation Source.

Even if elsewhere they were disguised as ordinary people, even clashing with the two fellows beside them, she alone would not doubt his identity.

Ying Duo's face itself is the best proof of identity.

Ying Duo sensed a strangely fervent gaze upon them, lifted their eyes and coldly glanced at her; the woman grew even more excited, nearly crushing the teacup's handle with force.

Fortunately, she held back.

Bai Mu Yun was rather vexed; initially they wanted to say those ordinary folk must have a brain malfunction to believe in a cult like Co-Absorption.

But upon first seeing the woman, they immediately understood.

The woman merely followed the scent of honey fruit to the door, seeking kin and huddling for warmth.

From earlier investigations, this woman is also resourceful; her status after joining Co-Absorption would not be low, and even if she harbors other intentions, giving her to Fang Zhiyan for a while would make her compliant.

A homeless little bird, attempting to pledge allegiance to the largest kin group?

Bai Mu Yun need not think much to know what may have happened to her; such scripts repeatedly play out across the wasteland world.

Probably a noble‑born lady was killed by an Aberrant Species for some reason, her family's honor and wealth falling into others' hands, and she, through various adventures, became an Aberrant Species while retaining her own will.

After all, his experiences can be replicated; there are few in the Mutation Division, and this person is smarter than Lu Mu.

"Need any help?"

As someone who has been through it, Bai Mu Yun deliberately asked an extra question.

Putting aside other matters, leveraging authority truly saves a lot of unnecessary trouble.

But unlike them, the woman before them reclaimed her human form without any external aid and has even made a name for herself among humans.

It may also be because the activity of Mutation factors has generally risen recently, causing more Mutations, but that is the fact.

"You really are a gentleman."

The woman merely blinked and thanked Bai Mu Yun for the kindness.

"But I think retrieving everything that belongs to me is still more comfortably done in person, right?"

"My old nest is merely occupied by stored provisions; before predators, they have no right to resist."

The woman appears quite confident in herself, but Bai Mu Yun knows her confidence is justified.

Or rather, other self‑aware Aberrant Species are the same.

They either cannot accept their non‑human status, or deem themselves now more noble than humans.

She is clearly the latter.

Bai Mu Yun cannot comprehend this; they have always been a lazy, accustomed person, perhaps somewhat affected by their own Mutation.

"Very well, now let's discuss what you need to do after joining Co-Absorption."

Bai Mu Yun is already eager to toss this person to Fang Zhiyan, to distract them.

"No, if possible, please give me a bit more time."

Unexpectedly, the woman who had previously been eager and excited about joining Co-Absorption rejected Bai Mu Yun's proposal.

"I have already felt your regard for me, and I also know the method I found is too reckless, but it truly is the only way I could contact you; next, I should present you with a token of allegiance."

The woman was unwaveringly resolute, while Bai Mu Yun blinked innocently.

Only the devil knows they just want to coax the person in quickly, then package them for Fang Zhiyan's laboratory.

What token of allegiance, what sincerity—does Co-Absorption need such things?

No, one should ask whether Co-Absorption ever had such a thing.

"Just a few days will suffice; during that time I will settle all matters of my old nest, then deliver a token of allegiance that will absolutely satisfy you."

Bai Mu Yun's fingertips lightly tapped the sofa armrest; if it's only a few days, that is certainly fine.

Fang Zhiyan can wait, and they can wait as well; after all, holding Fang Zhiyan back for a few days is certainly doable.

It would be better to settle his old debts from his previous life early; he also doesn't want to be a guarantor again.

"Of course that's no problem."

Bai Mu Yun readily agreed, and in principle the negotiations were already more or less complete at this point.

"Let's do a formal self‑introduction: I am Bai Mu Yun, the person beside me is Ying Duo, and the Little Ghost over there is called Luo Jinyou."

"Understood, this person needs no introduction; your great name has long appeared on that invitation‑like wanted notice, and I've already seen it many times."

The woman showed no concealment of her fondness and admiration for Ying Duo, yet at the end of the talk she apologetically smiled toward the three Aberrant Species.

"About the name… actually I hadn't intentionally avoided this topic before, but at least until I reclaim my old nest, allow me not to bring up that name that signifies a shameful past; until then, please call me the Painted Eyebrow Bird."