Chapter 3 : Stop!

“Stop! Stop it now!”

Lin Luo screamed in agony.

How was he supposed to know that the random Blood Clan member he picked a fight with… turned out to be royal blood?

He understood exactly what that meant.

Blood Clan magic was powerful, yes—but he had no desire to become one of them.

Besides, there had never been a single male ruler in the entire history of the Blood Clan…

He didn’t dare imagine what that implied.

As someone who had died a virgin in two lives already, the third time was supposed to be different.

This… was not what he had in mind.

Claire, however, paid no mind to his screams.

She simply watched the transformation unfold with a calm, almost amused expression.

A strange, instinctive connection was forming between the two of them.

Never thought I’d go out for a stroll and come back as a mom… Claire thought idly.

Back home, that little rascal kept pestering her to return and take the throne as queen.

She had no interest in ruling anything.

Life on the road, free and unfettered, was far more enjoyable.

Well… the matriarch back home seemed awfully bored these days.

Maybe she’d appreciate having a “daughter” to raise for a change.

“I think you know exactly what this means now…”

Lin Luo panted, his voice hoarse as he looked at Claire.

“Of course,” she nodded matter-of-factly.

“Then why aren’t you stopping this?!”

Lin Luo cursed.

The only person who could halt this blood-binding process was the one who initiated it—the girl standing right in front of him.

“I’ve decided. You’re the one.”

Claire spoke with careless finality, like someone picking out a new pair of shoes.

Lin Luo’s face froze. What do you mean I’m the one?

Huh?

“Please, big sis, I’m begging you! Don’t waste your one and only chance like this!”

He dropped all pretenses and resorted to pleading.

Each royal Blood Clan member only got one chance at a “First Embrace.”

It was a sacred, priceless event.

Yet this woman… was tossing it away like spare change!

“No, no, no…”

Claire shook her head with a smirk.

“I think you’re perfect.”

“Now, come on—say it. Call me ‘Mother.’”

Lin Luo froze.

He could feel it—an undeniable bloodline link had formed between them.

But… adopting a mom while out on a mercenary job?

That just felt fundamentally wrong.

“No no no NO!”

Lin Luo shook his head violently, face going pale.

“There are so many stronger people out there! They’re way more worthy of your only chance than I am!”

“It’s done. All yours now,” Claire waved him off casually, utterly unmoved.

Seeing this, Lin Luo’s eyes sharpened with sudden resolve.

“Cancel the Embrace process, and I’ll tell you the location of the Blood Clan’s hidden treasure!”

It was a secret Lin Luo had stumbled upon by chance, something he’d planned to retrieve in the future.

But now… for the sake of humanity, and for his dignity as a man… he was willing to give it up.

“Liar!”

Claire shot him a glare.

“Once you become my daughter, it doesn’t matter who the treasure belongs to—it’s mine either way.”

She clearly believed him, but the treasure didn’t excite her nearly as much as this strange boy.

“You’re impossible!”

Lin Luo cursed bitterly.

But already, a wave of exhaustion was dragging him down.

He had to get rid of her blood from his body, or this twisted “mom” situation would become permanent.

He pulled the shattered magic cube from his sleeve.

Claire didn’t stop him.

The transformation had reached a point of no return—even she couldn’t undo it now.

Crack!

With a burst of spatial energy, Lin Luo was engulfed in light and slowly vanished.

Claire stood there, watching him disappear… then suddenly chuckled.

***

Knock, knock, knock!

A weak knock tapped against an old wooden door.

Footsteps approached from within.

Creaaak—

The door opened slowly.

An old man in patched clothes peeked out.

“What the hell happened to you?”

Lin Cheng stared at Lin Luo, stunned.

His silver-white hair, reduced body size, skin pale as snow—none of it looked normal.

What kind of trouble did this brat get himself into this time?

“Got bitten by a mosquito…”

Lin Luo muttered, brushing past him and heading straight for his room.

“That must’ve been one hell of a mosquito,” Lin Cheng said dryly, watching his back.

Lin Luo’s legs gave out for a second, nearly tripping on the spot.

“Pretty sure you just lost your retirement plan.”

With a sigh, Lin Luo shut the door behind him.

Lin Cheng shook his head with a rueful smile.

If Lin Luo had come back just a bit earlier, maybe he could’ve helped.

But at this point…

Forget it. Might as well consider this a daughter gained.

Whoever took a liking to that rascal of his—what a waste…

***

Lin Luo sat cross-legged on the bed, his body trembling with fatigue.

He had tried everything.

But the blood inside him—Claire’s blood—was impossible to purge.

A bitter smile curled on his lips. He had no choice but to accept it.

But then—an idea flashed in his mind.

With a jolt, he grabbed a tissue from his nightstand.

Yet fate, as always, had other plans.

A crushing wave of exhaustion slammed into him before he could do anything else.

Oh no.

Not like this!

He passed out… one hand on his pants, the other gripping a tissue.

Under the quiet night sky, the stars bore witness to the final, unfulfilled dream of a three-lives-old virgin.

***

The next morning, Lin Luo slowly opened his eyes, dazed and groggy.

“What… What happened to me?”

It felt like a drunken blackout.

He clutched his aching head—only to feel long, silky hair between his fingers.

In that instant, memories flooded back like a slideshow.

“No… no no no!”

His voice came out—sharp, clear, and… utterly feminine.

Gone was the deep, rich baritone.

In its place was the sweet, melodic tone of a songbird.

He looked down—his once-muscular arms were now slender, porcelain-white.

“What the hell, Blood Clan! You’re completely insane!”

The girl sitting on the bed—formerly Lin Luo—gritted her teeth.

Then, with a hesitant swallow, she slowly reached downward with one dainty, trembling hand.

Smooth.

Flat.

Nothing else.

“I’M SCREWED!!!”

She collapsed face-first onto the bed, silver hair cascading down like a waterfall—an undeniably beautiful sight.

“I’m such an idiot. Seriously.”

“I never should’ve taken that damn job…”

The silence in the room grew heavy, as if time itself had stopped.

Then—

Click.

The door creaked open.

A slender silhouette appeared in the frame, lit by the soft glow of morning.

And standing there, elegant and radiant, was Claire.

Lin Luo: “!!!”