During the exchange between Bai Liu and Tang Erda, General Hua took out a measuring tape and carefully measured Mu Sicheng, starting from the tip of his left paw to the tip of the other paw, and then across the two shoulder crests.
"The arms are 2.17 meters long, the toes are 9 centimeters, the shoulders are 46 centimeters wide, and the upper limbs are about 77 centimeters long."
As his apprentice took notes, General Hua pressed down on Mu Sicheng's scapular bulge, then turned to say, "The upper limbs and height could be longer—let's make it 85 centimeters."
Mu Sicheng shifted uncomfortably.
The apprentice, looking at Mu Sicheng with some disbelief, muttered under his breath, slightly envious, "The hands are so long, it's like a monkey..."
Mu Sicheng shot the apprentice a fierce glare. "I'll grow! I'm still young! I can grow all over, even my chest can grow more!"
Apprentice: "...= =..."
General Hua interrupted Mu Sicheng's banter with the apprentice. "He's complimenting you. Long hands are a good thing."
Mu Sicheng looked at him in disbelief.
General Hua continued, "Considering your build, you must have played a lot of sports, right? In sports like basketball, volleyball, and even table tennis, the longer the arms, the more desirable the athlete."
"You've been dominant in sports since you were a kid, haven't you?" Hua Gan gestured with a sweep of his arm.
Mu Sicheng hesitated and nodded.
"Longer arms give you a wider range of attack and defense. I've seen the footage Charles sent me of your games. Your reflexes are quick, and your dynamic vision is among the best I've seen. 90% of attacks that come within your range are neutralized before they even reach you."
General Hua put away the measuring tape and raised his eyes. "Do you know what that means?"
Mu Sicheng was still pondering, but Hua Gan didn't expect an answer from him. He turned around, put the tape away, and continued, "Your team lacks a player who can act as a [shield]."
"Your high movement speed and sneak attack skills make you more of a [roamer] or [attacker], but your arm length extends your defense range, meaning you could be a strong [shield] at arm's length."
Hua Gan sidled up to Mu Sicheng. "You cover your team's defensive weaknesses while also playing as a [rover] and secondary attacker."
"Having this versatile role allows tacticians to use you as a flexible point in their strategy, expanding their offensive capabilities and reducing risk."
Hua Gan then picked up a piece of armor and tried it on Mu Sicheng's body before handing it to him casually, as though instructing him to wash his hands. "Now hold this piece of iron and put your hand in the lava."
Mu Sicheng, caught up in the praise, was puzzled. "Okay... wait, what?! Why are you reaching in!?"
General Hua gave him an odd look. "Your weapon is a monkey's claw, of course you need to put your hand in the lava to temper it."
Mu Sicheng looked at the bubbling, fiery lava where the apprentice had just placed a glittering diamond. Within seconds, the diamond melted into nothing but smoke.
"Has the temperature of the lava increased again?" the apprentice slapped his forehead in distress. "Diamonds with a melting point of 4,000 degrees only make a base now. The cost of transformation just went up again..."
Mu Sicheng: "..."
This guy's arms would shrink to one meter in an instant if he touched the lava!
Mu Sicheng steeled himself, but Hua Gan turned dryly to Bai Liu. "Hey, your team members are resisting the transformation."
Bai Liu, who was talking to Tang Erda, poked his head out from the side. "What's wrong?"
General Hua pointed to Mu Sicheng, who had his hands behind his back. "I just told him to put his hands in the lava, but he refuses for some reason."
Mu Sicheng's eyes widened as he protested, "What do you mean 'just'? Try it yourself, damn it!"
Bai Liu raised his chin at Tang Erda. "Go help him."
Seeing Tang Erda approach, Mu Sicheng instinctively covered his chest and screamed in horror, "Hey! What are you doing? Don't come any closer!!! Ah—!"
Mu Sicheng froze as Tang Erda grabbed him by the back of the neck and forced his hands into the lava. "Eh, it doesn't hurt."
The lava gently licked at his monkey paws, and the metal in his claws melted like butter on an iron plate, slipping through his fingers and swimming slowly around the edges of his toe plating.
Not only was it not too hot, it was almost... comfortable.
Mu Sicheng regained his composure, proudly dipping his arm into the lava again. He glanced back at Tang Erda, kicking him away. "Get out of here. I can handle it myself..."
Before he finished his sentence, the lava splashed onto his pants leg, burning a large hole in it in an instant. The flames crept upward along the hole, making Mu Sicheng jump back.
Liu Jiayi, quick on her feet, doused the flames with a fire extinguisher.
She couldn't help but look at the large hole in Mu Sicheng's pants, just under 20 centimeters from his navel, with a pitying look. "This is lava. It's a bit special when quenching your weapons, but that temperature can burn you and your clothes too."
Mu Sicheng hung his head, a blanket over his legs (because Bai Liu insisted it was inappropriate to show his thighs in front of a little girl, so Mu Sicheng had to cover up).
He sat by the boiler, looking like a chastised bride, not daring to make a move, while tearfully washing his hands in lava.
The transformations of Liu Jiayi and Muke were much smoother than Mu Sicheng's chaotic process.
"I'm assuming the [control] aspect, but I'd like to expand it," Liu Jiayi said, pulling out a vial of poison and antidote. "The fragile glass container limits my potential. I need something more compact with a quicker interval, preferably with some offensive properties."
General Hua pondered for a moment. "There is a container that might work for you, but I'm not sure if it will fuse smoothly with your vial."
Liu Jiayi raised an eyebrow. "What container?"
"Wait here, I'll find it," Hua Gan said, burying himself in a pile of what looked like junk. He occasionally scratched his butt. "...Ah, I remember it being here! Found it!"
Liu Jiayi looked down at the two rusty cans in his hands, his mouth twitching. "A mace bottle?"
General Hua dusted off his hands. "I didn't say I'd use it for you, just offering it as a reference. This spray paint-like bottle could store atomized poisons and antidotes, maximizing their effect and extending the range."
"With this spray bottle, you can use your skills without worrying about cooldowns, as long as you calculate the proper dosage of the poison or antidote."
Liu Jiayi weighed the pepper spray bottle in his hand before tossing it back to General Hua. "If I use this, what's the maximum control range?"
General Hua took the bottle, "I can modify the nozzle to a range of 30 meters, but at that distance, the drug's effect will be minimal, basically just acting as a deterrent."
Liu Jiayi nodded. She understood—spray containers lose effectiveness with distance.
Hua Gan donned his welding helmet, pulled out a welding torch, and pointed it at the spray bottle, glancing at Liu Jiayi with a questioning look. "If you're certain about this container, I can make several nozzles for you with varying potencies. For example, a fifteen-meter nozzle for the highest concentration of the drug, then twenty-five meters and thirty meters for the weaker concentrations."
"Is it possible to make spray nozzles with different concentrations?" Liu Jiayi asked. "Like one with a needle-like stream for a high concentration, and another with a wider spray for more diffusion?"
General Hua Gan nodded sharply. "A small thing."
Liu Jiayi simply replied, "Then that's the one."
The apprentice placed Hua Gan's modified spray bottle and Liu Jiayi's glass container into a funnel and submerged it into the lava.
Mu Sicheng, still washing his hands in the lava, peered in curiosity as he saw Liu Jiayi's glass bottle slowly melt into liquid in the funnel. The molten liquid climbed, bit by bit, up the spray paint bottle at the other end.
Hua Gan casually tossed a pair of black daggers into the air and caught them with his index finger. He turned to Muke. "This isn't your skill weapon. There's no connection between you and these daggers."
Muke responded honestly, "Yes, they were given to me by someone else."
"Light, fast, and sharp," Hua Gan said, running his thumb along the blade. He clicked his tongue, unimpressed, as blood appeared on his finger. He smacked the blade, momentarily lost in thought. "These are top-tier assassin's daggers, though their only flaw is that they're difficult to wound."
Hua Gan lifted his gaze and scanned Muke. "This isn't quite your style, is it?"
He continued, "You're not outwardly aggressive, but your aggression is strong. The dagger you seek to create will be ruthless and venomous. Seemingly harmless, but deadly, just like this dagger whose blade remains closed."
Muke smiled amiably, agreeing with Hua Gan's assessment. "Is that so?"
"This isn't your original weapon, so the alteration process is more complicated," Hua Gan continued, "but I can handle it. The biggest issue, however, is whether you'll still be able to establish a soul connection with the daggers after the modification."
Muke raised an eyebrow. "What happens if it doesn't work?"
"If it doesn't, you'll explode along with the dagger," Hua Gan explained, flexing his fingers and tapping the dagger. "The safest way to alter it is to leave it untouched. If it's safe, you're safe."
Muke lowered his long, slender eyelashes, exuding an air of fragile elegance. He looked like something precious, a delicate object meant for decoration.
"If it were before," Muke mused, "I probably would've chosen the safer option." He looked up with a faint smile, his eyes locking with Hua Gan's before lazily drifting to Bai Liu, who was leaning against the wall.
Bai Liu watched Muke calmly, as though he already knew what choice Muke would make.
Muke turned his gaze back to Hua Gan. "Is there a way to make this dagger's attack power reach its maximum in a single strike? Something that can kill in one blow?"
"I want to be the best assassin," Muke continued, "and when I enter the enemy's camp, I want to take out their tactician."
Hua Gan nodded slowly. "Yes."
"But," he added, "assassins are best suited for [roaming]. But the destiny of an assassin is sacrifice. Saying you'll take down the tactician in one hit—are you ready to sacrifice yourself for that?"
Muke didn't hesitate. "I'm ready."
Hua Gan stared at him for a moment, then turned his gaze to the daggers on the table. After a deep breath, he said, "You're not suited for a short weapon like these daggers. They're too small, too bloodless."
"You're better suited for a long weapon, something like a katana that sacrifices itself for its master."
Muke didn't take issue with Hua Gan's words. He bowed politely. "Thank you, Mr. Hua Gan."
Meanwhile, Mu Sicheng was still washing his hands in the lava when the apprentice approached with another funnel containing two daggers and a long, bloodstained knife. He hung it over the boiler and walked toward Bai Liu and Tang Erda.
The apprentice cast them a timid glance. "It's your turn."
Bai Liu and Tang Erda exchanged looks before walking over. Tang Erda drew his gun, laid it flat on the table, and pushed it toward Hua Gan.
General Hua Gan observed the weapon for a long while before removing a magnifying glass from around his neck and studying the gun closely. He turned to Tang Erda. "Your weapon doesn't need any modification."
He wiped the gun clean and returned it to Tang Erda. "This weapon suits you perfectly. Your desire has remained the same since you first entered the game. This may be the only weapon that doesn't need fine-tuning."
He glanced at the rose brand on the hilt and added, "It's time to get a new brand for your weapon."
Hua Gan gave Tang Erda a deep, knowing look. "It's like giving your soul a new place to belong."
Tang Erda was stunned, his fingers tightening around the gun. The rose brand on the handle pressed into his palm—cold, familiar—a mark that had followed him through countless world lines.
It was like Su Yang's gentle smile waiting for him, and the captain's call.
But the captain was now Su Yang, and he no longer had to wait for the evasive, irresponsible man who once led him.
Tang Erda gazed down at the gun for a long time, contemplating. Finally, a low laugh escaped him, and with a sense of relief, he muttered, "Change it."
The apprentice took another funnel, placed the gun and one of Bai Liu's gloves into it, and submerged it in the lava, hanging it next to the boiler.
Mu Sicheng, still curious, asked, "Wasn't Bai Liu's weapon modification already done? Why bring it back?"
The apprentice didn't even glance back. "It's not to modify Mr. Bai Liu's weapon. It's to use it to change the branding on Mr. Tang Erda's gun."
"You're the last one left," Hua Gan remarked, eyeing the bone whip Bai Liu had put up. He raised an eyebrow, adding, "Don't you understand the rules of a reformer? Weapon modifications don't apply to bone whips."
Bai Liu, hearing this for the first time, asked with amusement, "Why not?"
Hua Gan pushed Bai Liu's bone whip back. "Because, in this game, the perfect weapon is the bone whip. Any reformer who has seen Spades use it knows no attack weapon can rival it." He paused as though recalling something, then added, "And I've seen it many times."
"I thought to myself that I couldn't create a better weapon than the bone whip, so I made a rule to never modify one."
With an impatient wave, General Hua Gan declared, "Get your perfect weapon out of my sight!"
Bai Liu complied, taking the bone whip.
The renovation proceeded.
Liu Jiayi had asked the reformer to mark her contact lenses (Hearts had given her the pair) with the brand of the wandering circus. Meanwhile, Mu Sicheng carefully pulled his hand from the lava as the apprentice retrieved the funnels hanging from the boiler.
The dark brown flowing metal armor on the monkey's paws felt like animal leather—soft, tough, and cold. Mu Sicheng extended his long nails, their silver sheen catching the light. With a casual scratch, he tore through materials with a defense value of four thousand or less as if they were tofu.
"Whaaaat?!" Mu Sicheng jumped to his feet, eyes wide. "The attack value just skyrocketed!"
Muke drew his own long samurai sword from the funnel. Contrary to his appearance, the blade was a simple, short katana, about forty centimeters long. Its cold, snowy blade reflected Muke's stoic face.
The two daggers in the middle broke apart, their hilts detaching and magnetically reattaching, transforming back into a long knife.
Muke stared at the knife silently. His breathing was shallow, his presence still as a deep, stagnant pool—no wind, no ripples. Even as the knife became part of him, his expression remained unreadable.
He gripped the hilt, his gaze snapping, and without warning, he swung hard at a diamond sitting on the table.
The diamond remained untouched.
Muke sheathed his sword and turned away, calm as ever.
A dozen seconds later, tiny cracks appeared at the center of the diamond, growing larger and more interlocking until the stone shattered into a puddle of fragments.
Liu Jiayi's glass bottles had been transformed into two paint cans—one purple, one white. They were light and handy, each about the size of an adult's hand, with a dozen spray nozzles of varying range and dispersion. Liu Jiayi tried them out, eyes lighting up as she used the poison to create an abstract design on the wall.
Tang Erda, however, remained more subdued. He examined his weapon—the hexagram and werewolf's eye symbol on the handle—fingers tracing it absentmindedly.
"I said…" Hua Gan interrupted the murmuring group, his voice tinged with frustration. "Enough. You can't use offensive skills on people in the system lobby. Try them out on objects, but remember: dead things and real people are not the same. Use them in the game."
Bai Liu gathered the excited group and thanked General Hua.
He was shooed away impatiently. "Out, out!"
Bai Liu led the team outside.
Mu Sicheng's headset now bore the six-man star and werewolf markings engraved by Hua Gan, though the design was mostly obscured by his hooked lips.
Liu Jiayi, perched on Tang Erda's shoulder, wore the contact lenses given to her by Hearts. Her pupils reflected a pattern of six stars and a werewolf's eye—the same ones she had requested General Hua to mark on them.
General Hua Gan had wanted to engrave the team's emblem on Muke's short sword, but Muke refused with a shake of his head. As an assassin, the lower his profile, the better—such a conspicuous emblem would only hinder his ability to blend in.
Muke raised his eyes and gazed, reverently and intently, at Bai Liu, walking ahead. His breath was barely a whisper.
He no longer needed an emblem on the outside. His life, his memory, and even his soul were already marked.
After adjusting the edges of his gloves and letting his hands fall naturally at his sides, the six-manifold symbol of flowing lava glowed on the back of his hands. Bai Liu lifted his eyes and took his first step forward.
"League match-up training officially starts tomorrow," Bai Liu announced. "We're looking for games with league players to train with."
"Yes!!!" Mu Sicheng answered eagerly, his voice full of determination. "We'll beat anyone we can tomorrow!"
Bai Liu turned back, smiling. "The killer sequence."
Mu Sicheng blinked in confusion. "?! What? Which guild?!"
"We're going to solo a copy of the ice field with Spades in it tomorrow," Bai Liu said, absently shaking the fishbone whip in his hand, his grin deepening. "To see the rumored perfect weapon for ourselves."