lol: After being blessed by the Happy Demon, I became the harem king

Page 8

Farn didn't speak, but instead took out the documents he had prepared.

When Faen handed her several sheets of paper, Shuona's face showed a hint of surprise. She perked up slightly, but after only reading the first two lines, her relaxed expression quickly turned serious. By the end, she was even pressing her chin and frowning as she began to read intently, a stark contrast to Zeli's initial bewilderment.

Shuona watched intently until half an hour later when she felt thirsty and needed a drink, at which point she remembered that Faen and the others were still in front of her. She then said apologetically, "Sorry, I got a little engrossed in reading."

"It's alright. In fact, your focus makes me feel at ease."

Meeting Aunt Shuona's gaze, Faen said calmly, "I haven't been in Zaun for long, and I don't know much about the local situation yet, so I can't be as meticulous as you are. If there's anything I think is wrong, I hope you won't hesitate to teach me."

"I don't feel I have the ability to offer any advice or guidance."

Looking at the documents in her hand, Shuona's eyes held a strange glint. She glanced at Faen, and after a moment of silence, a smile appeared on her lips.

“Although Zeli is mischievous, she is a simple and sincere child. I know her personality, so I have never worried about her character. The only thing that troubles me is that her simplicity may not be suitable for Zaun. She is easily hurt if she encounters those with ulterior motives. I was a little worried when I first saw you. But now it seems... I can at least feel a little more at ease.”

Lowering her head again, Shuona said, "If this is the change you want to bring to Zaun, then every worker in Zaun will remember your name."

Shuona spoke earnestly, but Faen showed no sign of pride or arrogance. He knew very well that he could present this directly now because countless predecessors had made mistakes and tried their best.

Thinking this way, Fain also said, "This is a methodology summarized by countless predecessors with their lives and efforts. In my hometown of Ionia, there is a proverb that says, 'Oranges grown in the south are sweet oranges, while those grown in the north are bitter oranges.' This means that the same seeds grown in different places, affected by temperature, soil, and nutrients, will eventually produce completely different fruits."

"These documents are the same. Because I've just arrived in Zaun, I can only see the surface of Zaun and don't know anything about the deeper aspects of Zaun. So we still need the workers in Zaun to find the loopholes and correct them."

"You're too modest." Hearing this, Shuona said with some emotion, "The fact that you can come up with this method and modify it based on your understanding of Zaun already surpasses the vast majority of people in Zaun... or even all of them. Under such circumstances, how could I presume to know more about these methods?"

With a smile on her face, Shuona continued, "However, I still have a question I want to ask you."

"Please say."

Fain nodded. Seeing this, Shuona said, "So... why are you doing this? Bringing such changes to Zaun, wanting to change the whole of Zaun."

Upon hearing this, Fain glanced at Zeli beside him and said after a brief moment of thought, "There are many reasons, but if we separate public and private matters, there are only two."

Farn said sincerely, "Morally speaking, I have many selfish motives because I know that I can be greedy and take advantage of others at times. But it is precisely because of this that I hope there can be more kind, beautiful, warm, and helpful people like Zeli in this world, or around me. And then... there is a curse."

As he said this, Fane exchanged a glance with Zeli. After nodding to Zeli, whose eyes held a hint of worry, Fane then recounted the story of Osilesh and the entanglement he had with Osilesh.

After learning that happiness was extremely important to Faen, and could even be directly converted into a part of his power, Shuona's eyes widened.

After a moment's hesitation, he said, "I...I've never heard of anything related to this. But if it's true, to be honest, I hope there are more of these curses."

Shuona rubbed her temples and said, "What this so-called Happy Demon is going to do sounds much better than what the Alchemist Baron and his men are doing."

"That's not entirely true, because demonic curses can easily lead people down extreme paths," Farn said. "For example, Osiris got carried away and tried to break into the Immortal Realm..."

Shuona nodded thoughtfully at this.

After a moment of silence, Shuona looked at Faen and said, "If that's the case... Faen, can you let me try this feeling? Like what you just said about improving Zeli's mental state during battle."

Although it was a question, Shuona's eyes were full of seriousness.

There was no way around it; Faen's thing sounded really strange. Although Faen's frankness about the drawbacks of the "happy factor" made Shuona trust him even more, trust is trust. Living in a place like Zaun, you can't afford to be careless.

13. Hextech Crystal

Upon hearing Shuona's suggestion, both Faen and Zeli fell silent.

Fan was alright; he knew this ability wasn't entirely negative. With proper dosage control, it could not only improve mental state but even promote physical growth. But for Zeli…

The events of last night were still vivid in her mind. Zeli almost jumped up, but then, under her mother's questioning gaze, she sat down with a flushed face, her lips twitching as she said, "This... has some side effects."

“I know, so I’m wondering what the side effects might be.”

Seeing Zeli's hesitation, Shuona said, "Fan has already said it will cause mental stress, but judging from the state of the two of you, it doesn't seem that serious. On the contrary, you, Zeli, are reacting so strongly. It seems you've suffered quite a bit?"

“…She did eat quite a bit.” Zeli wrinkled her nose, seemingly recalling what had happened that morning. She didn't complain about Fain, but simply said:

"But it's true that it won't cause too much harm... Never mind, you should ask Farn, he knows about this."

Zeli slumped onto the table, looking extremely resentful.

Seeing this, Shuona turned her gaze to Faen. Faen then directly said:

"The so-called side effects are actually the reasons for paying for the happiness that has been borrowed after the mood has been boosted. Generally speaking, the intensity of happiness required varies depending on the dosage. It's like taking out a loan; it's understandable to do it in an emergency. In the context of happiness, it means doing some enjoyable things, such as having a delicious meal or enjoying a vacation."

"But if the debt piles up to the point of robbing Peter to pay Paul with compound interest, then the intense mental pressure can cause the overdoser to do some irrational things. It's not just about simple enjoyment, but a further indulgence. For example, indulging in the thrill of killing, being keen on self-harm, self-torture... This is why I am so careful about the dosage when using it."

Upon hearing this, Shuona nodded thoughtfully, then looked at Zeli beside her and teased with a smile, "So your relationship must be because of~"

"Mom!!" Zeli cried out in a panic, her head practically crackling with electricity.

"Haha, don't be nervous, don't be nervous. I know that sometimes even if two people are mutually attracted, they need a spark as a breakthrough to truly bring them together." Shuona patted Zeli's head, not worried that Zeli's sparks would hurt her.

"What really matters is whether, after the passion subsides and one's mind has calmed down, there is any regret or hesitation."

"I won't regret it! Fain is amazing!" Zeli said angrily, "He could take on a hundred men by himself in the factory!"

Seeing Zeli's reaction, Shuona smiled and nodded, but secretly breathed a sigh of relief—she was worried that Zeli might have made such a choice out of momentary passion. However, judging from Zeli's current reaction, although there was indeed an element of passion, it was clear that Zeli did not regret it, and even seemed to feel a subtle joy.

Thinking it over, Shuona looked at Faen and asked, "So... do you think it's convenient for you?"

“There’s nothing inconvenient about it.” Upon hearing this, Faen also said, “The main issue is the dosage. I don’t know your physiological condition, Aunt, so I can’t accurately grasp the dosage…”

"So how did you use it on Zeli the first time?"

Upon hearing this, Zeli immediately shut up, and after a moment of silence, Faen said, "For oral administration in extremely small doses, in order to ensure that this extremely small dose does not cause any additional loss, we use some techniques to ensure the absorption efficiency of the happiness factor."

"Technique..." Upon hearing Faen's words, Shuona pondered for a moment, but still couldn't understand what he meant. So she simply said, "Then let's try it directly. A little more is fine. My metabolic rate may not be as good as Zeli's, but having lived for so long, my drug resistance is something a young girl can't compare to."

“Okay.” Faen nodded and stopped discussing anything else. After all, explaining it would be too troublesome, and if Shuona couldn’t accept it, they could just end it there.

Meanwhile, watching Fain nod and her mother prepare herself, Zeli opened her mouth, but didn't know how to express her emotions. In the end, she could only take a deep breath and sit nervously and anxiously watching her boyfriend approach her mother.

Farn: "Please open your mouth."

Shuona: "Ah."

As his understanding of the power of Osiris deepened, Fan no longer needed to place the pleasure factor on his hand and carefully smear it on Zeli's little tongue as before. Instead, he directly manipulated the blood plasma into Shuona's mouth—after all, she was Zeli's mother, and as his future elder, it was better to show some respect.

After being separated by Farn, the blood plasma did not have an unpleasant smell.

As the happiness factor entered her body and began to take effect, Shuona closed her eyes to perceive it, and soon understood what her daughter meant by 'happiness from the heart'.

My mind became exceptionally sharp, my emotions exceptionally lively. Looking to one side, even the lifeless, desolate Zaun ditch seemed to come alive with vibrant colors. Pleasant hues spread across the sky, and everything in the world seemed to become lovely and charming…

Experiencing the almost completely transformed world, Shuona's eyes widened almost immediately, her aged face still bearing the air of an elder sister. Her capable and refined features were filled with deep astonishment, and everything that came into view made Shuona feel as if she wanted to linger.

Because the dosage was relatively small, Shuona's sensation did not last long. She quickly returned to normal as the drug's effects wore off.

As the enhancement effect diminished, a sense of emptiness arose within her. This caused Shuona to frown involuntarily, and after a moment of reflection, she asked, "I'm experiencing the so-called price of pleasure. In your experience, what's the most effective way to pay that price?"

“Usually, a small dose like this is enough to wash your face, eat something, and drink some water to fully recover.” As he spoke, Faen also noticed that Zeli’s mother seemed to have a strong resistance to the drug… she recovered so quickly.

Upon hearing this, Shuona nodded. Just as Zeli and Faen returned, she had also finished work. She washed her face and drank a glass of water. The feeling of relaxation brought Shuona a little happiness, and the mental pressure began to melt away like ice and snow.

After waiting a while longer and confirming that she had fully recovered, Shuona leaned back in her chair and said with some emotion:

"No wonder you said Zeli relies on it too much during combat... Just this small dose has already produced such a unique experience. Not to mention Zeli, even I feel like I'm getting addicted. Hmm, it feels a bit like some kind of mental nitric acid booster? It might have unexpected benefits for training too,"

Having just finished her pleasurable experience, and although she had calmed down, Shuona's face was still full of enthusiasm. Along with her heightened energy, her slightly dark skin showed a slight flush from the exercise due to increased blood flow.

Farn understood this very well, because this emotional boost would effectively activate various physiological functions for a considerable period of time. A surge in blood and energy was the most obvious characteristic.

Seeing that Shuona had regained her senses, Faen reminded her, "Because these happiness factors were extracted from my mental realm, they may make you more sensitive to certain things after taking them. Please don't worry about it; usually, you'll recover completely after a while."

During his time with Zeli over the past few days, Fain didn't spend all his time mastering power. He was also constantly sensing his own life form—

According to Farn's perception, although he was blessed by Osiris, this blessing was more like Osiris forcibly elevating his life level, transforming his life level from a single material realm structure into a form interwoven with the material and spiritual realms.

According to Farn's speculation, this happiness factor is less from Ausilex than from Farn's own spiritual essence secreted after he completed his ascension from Ausilex.

This will significantly change the attitudes of those affected by the happiness factor towards Faen. Of course, it still depends on the dosage. After all, most life forms simply cannot perceive and control the power of the mental realm, not that they are devoid of it. Faen can sense that people like Shuona have even stronger resistance to the mental realm than the average person. Unless they actively accept it, even the positive effects of the happiness factor will be somewhat diminished in them.

Upon hearing Fain's words, Shuona stared at him for a moment. Realizing she was indeed subtly observing him, she nodded, but didn't dwell on it, simply saying:

"It's not really a negative effect, after all, family is about caring for each other—don't you agree, Zeli?"

"Mom!" Zeli called out in dissatisfaction, but she was unable to breathe due to the suppression of her bloodline.

"Haha, okay, okay, I won't say anymore." Looking at the angry Zeli, Shuona said with a smile, "Let's go tidy up the house first, after all, there's one more person here."

Upon hearing this, Faen and Zeli exchanged a glance, and then Faen put the large package behind him aside.

Farn used his power to manipulate the water to support the enormous package the whole way. However, because this kind of support would cause mental stress for a long time, Farn and Zeli hired a hand-pushed transport cart after breakfast.

"Considering the projects that Zeli and I will be undertaking next, we plan to establish a sufficiently stable base."

As he spoke, Farn opened the package.

Looking at the large amount of wealth in the package, Shuona's face showed surprise. She then shook her head and exclaimed, "I thought that when you said you took the factory's vault, you only took some expensive things... but now it seems that you emptied it all out in one go?!"

"Pretty much, we took almost everything we could," Farn said. "There are some special and sophisticated instruments inside. Auntie, could you see if there's anything we can use? Or could you help us exchange them for the supplies we need?"

Upon hearing this, Shuona stepped forward and began to carefully select the items. After a moment, Shuona looked helplessly at Zeli beside her.

"I guess Zeli's equipment needs an upgrade?"

“Yes!” Zeli nodded, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with Fan’s speed! He’s too fast! I don’t want to be the one who holds him back!”

“That’s what I thought too,” Shuona said with some emotion. “I even had a spark gun specially made for you, using the best materials I could find here. But now it seems… we won’t need it.”

From the pile of valuables, Shuona removed a small box and took out a handful of about a dozen sky-blue beads. Shuona's face showed some excitement.

"These high-quality Hextech Crystals aren't easy to find. It looks like you've emptied a portion of Spindlaw's coffers! With these Hextech Crystals, not just the Spark Gun, but all usable equipment can be upgraded!"

"Hooray!" Zeli exclaimed excitedly.

"But don't get too excited yet. To make perfect use of these Hextech crystals, you need a lot of Hextech knowledge. If you don't have enough experience, you can only learn and try as you go."

As she said this, Shuona also looked at Faen: "In the coming period, we may need to produce more of your 'stimulants,' especially for Zeli."

"Huh? Why?!" Zeli looked puzzled upon hearing this.

Shuona then explained, "Because your arc magic is linked to your emotions, we need to simulate the equipment's effectiveness under different emotional states. Only in this way can you maintain peak combat power at all times. As for addictiveness..."

After a moment of silence, Shuona stretched her arms and said, "Compared to the harm of the glimmer of light, the pleasure factor of Fann is hardly addictive. Because it doesn't distort people's desires, it only makes people more clearly aware of their innermost thoughts."

After a pause, Shuona glanced at Faen beside her and calmly said:

"Actually, when I first heard that your relationship was related to the 'happy factor,' I was hesitant and confused. Because in Zaun today, there are quite a few Gutter gangs that use the addictive 'Glimmer Potion' to enslave, exploit, and fool the lower classes. Moreover, those alchemist barons even use Glimmer to create their own unique army of 'potion potions.'"

"The addictive nature of glimmer light can even severely distort the human body, leading to severe physiological degeneration upon its loss. In comparison, this thing called the 'pleasure factor'..."

After closing her eyes and briefly sensing the changes in her mind, Shuona said calmly, "Almost harmless."

Farn nodded, indicating that there was no problem. He then pointed to the reform documents beside him and said, "Perfect timing, let's take this time to spread these things around."

14. The Flyer That Brings the Storm

Having finalized the next steps, Shuona immediately closed the door to all visitors—the gold coins she had taken from the Spindleau alchemy factory were enough for Fain, Zeli, and the others to live a carefree life for the rest of their lives.

However, this does not mean that Shuoma is not planning to continue operating; it's just that Shuoma and the others have more important things to do right now.

Having found a trustworthy intermediary, Farn and his team established their base in a tunnel beneath the city block. They hired workers to transport large quantities of steel and processing equipment inside for reinforcement and to convert it into a suitable forge.

Similar tunnels are ubiquitous in Zaun, primarily because of the Sungate – Piltover, located at the mouth of a strait between Valoran and ancient Shurima, is the most important trade hub in Runeterra. In this context, during the ancient Shurima Empire era a thousand years ago, this land was collectively known as 'Oshra Wazaun'.

For ease of reference, the Piltover Adventurers' Guild also refers to it as 'Ancient Zaun'. After countless wars, when Runeterra returned to peace and prosperity, Ancient Zaun began to seek greater development and profits, and built the Sungate Seagate to strengthen its control over trade.

Such a massive project spanning two continents was bound to trigger a series of chain reactions. The powerful figures of Guzuan chose to conceal this fact. The final result was that on the day the Sun Gate Seawall successfully began operation, severe geological disasters and changes in ocean currents caused half of Guzuan to sink and the other half to rise.

The rising part became Piltover, and the sinking part became present-day Zaun. This origin has created a complex and intertwined relationship between the two cities. But for present-day Zaun, the biggest advantage is that it has filled the city with countless tunnels. Most of these tunnels were formed during Zaun's sinking process.

Hidden and mysterious, its only problem is its somewhat fragile structure, making it susceptible to geological disasters. However, considering the advanced technology of Zaun and Piltover, it can be reinforced with Hextech or Alchemy technology as long as there is enough money.

After a high-purity Hextech crystal was used, the middleman quickly brought in a variety of engineers to further reinforce the already partially modified tunnel.

They all lived in the same neighborhood, and the middleman knew Shuona. Looking at the Hextech crystal Shuona handed him, he smiled and said:

"Looks like you've struck it rich, Shuona. But take my advice, don't use this money to help those orphans in the gutter. Save it for Zeli instead. Buying yourself a safe and secure secret base is much more useful than helping orphans."

"Keep your mouth shut, old Anka." Glancing at her old friend, the middleman, who only had a few broken teeth left, covered in deformed tumors, and sporting an alchemical mechanical arm, Shuona said, "You know what Zeli is doing, right? Or do you think she did something wrong?"

“It’s not exactly wrong, but it’s not exactly right either.” Old Anka shook his head and said, “Those alchemy plants will turn the workers into expendable resources and kill them little by little, but without those alchemy plants, those workers will die tomorrow… But speaking of which, Xiao Zeli did a good job last night.”

As the middleman, Old Anka was clearly more informed and timely than Shuona: "The alchemy factory in the third district of the underground city was attacked by two unknown individuals. Judging from the workers' descriptions, one of them should be Zeli, right? This time, Zeli didn't choose to destroy the factory, but instead opened the factory's vault... Not bad, not bad, this is much more useful than destroying the factory."

Old Anka sighed, "You wouldn't believe it, when Zeli destroyed the factory, quite a few workers were still complaining and resentful, thinking that Zeli was the reason they lost their jobs. Now that the warehouse is open and food is being distributed, a whole bunch of workers are starting to think about how to find Zeli... Speaking of which, what about that guy who was with Zeli?"

“He’s Zeli’s man.” Shuona shrugged. “Zeli has good taste; she found a like-minded boyfriend.”

"Big sister, you agree? It seems Zeli has a good eye."

Old Anka seemed somewhat surprised. He knew how high Shuona's standards were—for example, decent appearance, good character, and normal conduct. This would be quite ordinary for most people, with no dowry requirements. But in Zaun, this was definitely considered a high standard.