After learning the truth behind the foul stench, Evan didn’t press further.

  He certainly wasn’t going to pry into the mysterious organization — not when his relationship with Wendy Lewis was still shallow.

  Some questions were better saved for later.

  Instead, he shifted the conversation toward evolutionary science.

  Wendy, despite being only a Chrysalis?tier evolver herself, possessed an impressive depth of knowledge.

  Every question Evan asked, she answered with clarity and precision — simple, logical, and easy to digest.

  All of Evan’s evolutionary knowledge came from Liam Zhao’s memories.

  Unfortunately, Liam Zhao had spent his youth chasing pretty teachers and classmates rather than studying.

  His academic foundation was a disaster; the only things he learned well were the wrong things.

  Which meant Evan’s theoretical base was embarrassingly thin.

  Now that he had a real expert in front of him, he naturally seized the chance to cram.

  “Wendy, I just completed my first evolution and haven’t absorbed my next extract yet. For my first Chrysalis?tier extract, do you have any recommendations?”

  By now, Evan called her “Wendy” or “Wendy?sis” with practiced ease, completely forgetting that in his previous life he was older than her.

  Wendy didn’t mind. She thought for a moment and asked:

  “What types of skills do you already have? And what direction are you aiming for?”

  Evan answered honestly:

  “My first three skills are a strength?boosting skill, a charge skill, and a close?range attack skill. I think my offensive power is already strong enough. What I lack is defense and escape ability. So for my next extract, I’m planning to get either a defensive skill or an escape skill.”

  Wendy nodded thoughtfully.

  “First, you need to understand that every evolver has limited skill slots. You can’t be good at everything. You must define your role clearly. Based on your current skill set, your path is already set — you’re a combat?type evolver, and specifically a close?quarters one.”

  Evan agreed completely.

  “You’re right that defensive and escape skills are both survival tools. Close?quarters combat is dangerous and unforgiving, so survivability is important.”

  Then Wendy shifted her tone.

  “But compared to those two categories, I think there’s another option that suits you even better.”

  Evan leaned forward.

  “What is it? Don’t keep me guessing.”

  Wendy didn’t answer immediately.

  Instead, she lifted her milk tea for a sip — only to discover the cup was empty.

  Her brows knitted instantly, her mood visibly dropping.

  Yvonne Hart, ever the composed bodyguard, pushed her own unopened milk tea forward.

  “Dr. Lewis, you can have mine. I’m not used to sweet drinks.”

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  Wendy looked at the cup with longing but shook her head.

  “No. I’ve already had two today.”

  Evan immediately raised his phone and pointed at the screen.

  “It’s past midnight. New day.”

  Wendy’s eyes lit up.

  She shot Evan a “you’re very sensible” look, happily unwrapped the straw, and began sipping the new milk tea with obvious delight.

  After a few satisfied sips, her mood brightened.

  She looked at Evan with renewed warmth and finally said:

  “I think you should consider a self?recovery skill.”

  Evan’s eyes widened.

  “You mean regeneration?”

  He didn’t need Wendy to explain — he instantly understood the advantages.

  Defensive and escape skills were purely defensive.

  But regeneration was both offense and defense.

  It healed injuries, extended combat endurance, and allowed him to fight more aggressively — even trading blows when necessary.

  Wendy nodded.

  “Powerful evolvers usually push one aspect to the extreme — speed, strength, defense, or something else. Skill slots are limited. Trying to be well?rounded often leads to mediocrity.”

  “Your current skills already define you as an offensive fighter. Adding a pure defensive skill would clash with your overall style. A regeneration skill, however, complements your offense while improving survivability.”

  “If you want a pure defensive skill, wait until you reach a higher tier. The return on investment will be much better.”

  Evan accepted the advice humbly.

  “So… any recommendations for regeneration?type skills?”

  Wendy asked, “What’s your budget?”

  “Don’t worry about money.”

  To Wendy and Yvonne, he was just a runaway rich kid anyway.

  Wendy nodded.

  “Understood. Then you should aim for a Tier?2 S?grade extract. Let me think…”

  She took another sip of milk tea before continuing:

  “Among Tier?2 beasts, many ocean?type creatures have regeneration skills, but their extracts are hard to obtain. On land, the strongest regeneration abilities I know of belong to the Forest Titan Roach and the Undying Salamander. Both of their extracts are S?grade.”

  Evan almost choked.

  Forest Titan Roach?

  Wasn’t that just a giant evolved cockroach?

  Even unevolved cockroaches were hard to kill.

  Evolved ones were basically immortal — rumored to shed their shell and revive as long as they had a breath left.

  And salamanders… even unevolved ones could regrow limbs.

  Some species could even regenerate parts of their brain.

  An evolved salamander called “Undying Salamander” had to be terrifying.

  Evan immediately added both names to his phone’s notes.

  Once he reached the Rovan Federation, he would try to buy one of these extracts — either would do.

  The rest of the night, the three of them chatted about everything —

  from evolutionary science,

  to the cultures of the six nations of the Linhua Continent,

  to the scandals of the Muke Republic’s upper class.

  The king’s illegitimate children,

  the second princess’s secret pregnancy,

  the general who preferred men,

  the finance minister Elias Zhao and his hidden mistresses…

  Evan listed them all with ease.

  Wendy listened with wide eyes, repeatedly muttering,

  “Your country is insane.”

  Before they knew it, dawn light crept across the sky.

  Evan went out to buy breakfast.

  After eating, the three headed together to the Black & White Lounge.

  The bar looked normal — clearly the Zhao family hadn’t traced anything here last night.

  The White Bar area was quiet in the early morning, but the Black Bar was already filled with people — most of them the evolvers who had accepted the escort mission.

  Evan counted roughly twenty?seven or twenty?eight people, divided into two obvious groups:

  Six Breaker?tier evolvers standing together,

  and more than twenty Chrysalis?tier evolvers forming another cluster.

  Wendy Lewis isn’t just a scientist — she’s a strategist.

  Her advice pushes Evan toward a path that fits him perfectly…

  but also one that will demand everything from him in the battles ahead.

  If you were Evan, which extract would you choose?