On the morning of November 8, there was a breeze, and the sky was clear. The deep blue sea resembled a bowl of soup that couldn't be settled—its waves gently rolling and swaying. Zhang Yuanqing stood on the yacht's deck, wearing sunglasses, facing the sea wind and sunlight, gazing toward the horizon where the outline of an island gradually emerged. Throughout the sea, yachts, sightseeing vessels, and large cargo ships were scattered everywhere. The New Covenant County is bordered by numerous small islands, one of which is home to the world-famous Statue of Liberty. As a result, the entire sea area has been designated as a scenic zone for tourists to visit and enjoy. The Divine Beauty Association's New Covenant County branch is located on the island ahead, where the sociable, passionate professionals have established a resort offering services such as sea fishing, surfing, scuba diving, wellness treatments, grilling, and massage—highly favored by the wealthy residents of the county. Of course, the most important attraction remains the beautiful women residing on the island. The Mei Shen Association holds numerous assets across the New Covenant County, spanning industries such as finance, food, trade, military supplies, and luxury goods. To sustain its vast operations, social engagement is indispensable. The island's resort destinations serve as the Association's hub for maintaining client relationships and networking. Every politician and wealthy businessman who has visited the island has hailed it as a heavenly paradise, eager to settle there permanently. Yet even prominent figures from the lawful order find it impossible to reside on the island full-time; the resort explicitly stipulates that each guest may visit no more than three times per month, with each stay limited to a maximum of two days. Zhang Yuanqing stands on the deck, gazing at the island drawing closer. By now, he has gained a deeper understanding of the Mei Shen Association. In the realm of the Spirit Realm, the profession of "landowner" is embodied by the lovers—though they often endure, "holding their lips tight and bracing against the wall, preferring a gentle ache to combat," they remain, in essence, the true landowners. The love-focused profession, not particularly skilled in combat, controls men through physical intimacy, gradually amassing a growing number of devoted male travelers who serve and strive tirelessly for them. All they need to do is earn income and establish an integrated point system, enabling them to build a powerful network of influence and issue tasks to steer the spiritual realm travelers. In this ongoing struggle between order and chaos, the Divine Judgment serves as the main force, yet the Goddess Association and the Merchant Guild have quietly accomplished numerous unseen efforts—such as gathering intelligence and conducting assassinations. Controlling Tanná effectively means controlling the branches of the Goddess Association and their male counterparts. Indeed, it is more cost-effective than gradually corrupting the senior leadership of other orderly organizations. As thoughts flowed, the yacht docked at a small pier, and Zhang Yuanqing leaped down from the deck, landing steadily on the wharf. Anne, who had been waiting for a long time, greeted him warmly with a bright smile. She wore a knee-length pleated skirt, low-heeled sandals, and a light windbreaker open at the collar, revealing soft, creamy flesh beneath. Her golden hair shone like silk, with delicate curls at the ends. Annie pointed to the shuttle bus parked by the roadside and smiled, "Donna has been waiting for you a long time." Her smile was warm, but her eyes held a quiet resentment. Zhang Yuanqing raised a finger to his lips, making a gesture of silence, then lifted the hem of his shirt to reveal the listening device stuck to the fabric. It had been entrusted to him by Katharine, to be carried at all times so that the Free Covenant could continuously monitor the progress of the mission. Sometimes, technology proved more effective than props, and more capable of evading the notice of high-ranking beings. Annie paused, momentarily confused by the situation, but quickly composed herself, swallowing her original words and adopting a more distant, courteous tone: "Please follow me, Mr. Jumang!" "Excellent!" Zhang Yuanqing nodded, maintaining his composure. "Miss Annie, have you upgraded?" "Annie's charm has grown even stronger, stirring in him a strong desire to hold her close, to cradle, kiss, and caress—something he had largely become immune to since reaching the peak of his sixth-level rank." "After dinner, my spiritual realm realm has materialized. Though I still need more experience points to reach the next level, I've successfully cleared an A-grade instance, and my capabilities have noticeably improved." Overjoyed by Master Yuan's warm reception, Annie sensed that her allure had finally touched him, her heart brimming with delight, yet she maintained a composed and courteous demeanor, saying, "Master Juming, please follow me!" As they spoke, they reached the shuttle bus. Once both were on board, the driver immediately started the vehicle, driving it along the wide, straight road toward the distant resort area. Zhang Yuanqing pulled out his phone and sent Annie a message: "Have you found Catherine? I've already shared her height and measurements with you." Annie wrinkled her nose and replied, "You really did sleep with her. After sending me off to the branch, you've completely ignored her ever since. You secretly slept with Catherine, and now you're coming back to the branch to sleep with President Dona." "Wow, you've finally learned to use the word 'her' to sound sweet?" Zhang Yuanqing replied. After Annie vented her frustration, she edited her message: "The goddess of desire—her form and appearance are fluid; height and measurements matter little. You claim Catherine deeply resents and despises Dona, yet in fact, more than half of the members in the desire-focused branch harbor jealousy toward Dona. They envy her beauty and figure, her numerous high-quality romantic partners. Jealousy is simply a woman's nature. I'd like to thoroughly investigate the profiles of all the branch members, but I need to do it quietly—too much visibility would draw Catherine's attention, while a low-key approach inevitably slows progress." The goddess of desire is the title for the peak stage of the desire profession. Don't worry about her anymore... Zhang Yuanqing set down his phone. During tonight's gathering, Catherine will surely appear. If he can defeat her on the spot and send her back to the Spiritual Realm, then he won't need to pay any further attention to her. Should that not happen, with the evil faction severely weakened, Catherine will inevitably flee, and in that case, he too won't need to concern himself. Zhang Yuanqing doesn't harbor a strong desire to eliminate Catherine—not out of affection over time—but because it's extremely difficult to kill a goddess of unparalleled charm. His original plan was to, once he identified Catherine's true form, immediately report it to the senior leadership of the Goddess Association, allowing them to handle the matter themselves. Only the charm itself can counteract charm. Moreover, at the stage of dominion, charm is no longer merely a conceptual force—it manifests as tangible power, akin to a negative status effect. Even a shadow corpse will suffer weakening under the force of such potent charm. The shuttle drives along a wide, well-maintained road, flanked by lush greenery. The dense vegetation filters the briny sea breeze, which now feels warm and pleasant, carrying with it a fragrant blend of floral scents—extremely comfortable. Along the way, one occasionally spots standalone villas with gardens and swimming pools, as well as clubhouse buildings several floors high. There are also facilities such as barbecue areas and golf courses. The driver drives steadily, weaving through half of the resort area before turning toward the seaside, following the coastal road for about fifteen minutes before parking in front of a glass building overlooking the sea. This is a three-story glass building situated at a high elevation. The ground floor features a sunroom filled with rare flowers and plants, while the second floor is adorned with fresh flowers and potted plants, complemented by tables and chairs. The third floor has curtains drawn, and the view is obscured. After the driver parks, Zhang Yuanqing and Anne walk together into the glass building. Anne opens the half-person-high, unlocked door and leads him inside, up to the second floor. Zhang Yuanqing, seated in the wicker chair by the window, spotted the new beauty of the first county—wearing a Bohemian long dress and a simple black off-shoulder blouse, neither powdered nor adorned with jewelry, dressed in a homey manner, gazing out the window with quiet wonder. Outside, the sky was clear and blue, with the sea gently rippling. Under the subtle enchantment that had seeped into her very being and become part of her mannerisms, Zhang Yuanqing found himself subtly parched, his mind flashing through images: A home-loving housekeeper! A serene, nature-inspired teacher! A composed, quiet housewife! "Here you are!" Tang Na turned to look at him, her perfectly beautiful and dignified face radiating just the right amount of joy. Zhang Yuanqing, too, expressed his just-right admiration, and under Anne's guidance, settled himself near Tang Na. "I've prepared only tea and coffee—what would you like?" Tang Na smiled. "Coca-Cola, with a little ice," Zhang Yuanqing replied gently. "The rich depth of tea and the smooth sweetness of coffee are my favorite tastes." This meant: just anything, really. Tangna's smile spread wider. "Annie, boil a pot of green tea." Annie secretly rolled her eyes, then went to the glass round table beside it, where she began serving tea to Mr. Yuansheng and the Chairman, stepping fully into the role of a tea maid. Soon, the fragrant green tea was ready. Zhang Yuanqing took a light sniff and praised it enthusiastically: "Its aroma is just like the scent that always surrounds Tangna Chairman—something that instantly stirs the heart." They sat down to sip the tea and began chatting. Zhang Yuanqing made a conscious effort to suppress his natural performance instinct—he always felt it was quite low-class for men to be unable to control their performance presence in front of women. Though it was an instinct deeply rooted in their genes, much like male animals displaying during courtship. "Vous seem rather reserved," Tangna said with a warm smile. "Besides my first love, you're the only woman who makes me feel nervous." Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head shyly, his long lashes catching the light. The tone and posture completely struck Tangna—her gaze toward Juming grew noticeably warmer. Tangna sighed, "Qu Meng, you are truly an odd man. Your decisiveness and strength in battle are admirable, yet when it comes to women, you're so reserved—so timid, even—like a little boy. I've checked your records, but they're as blank as a piece of paper. Before you arrived in Xinjie County, you were virtually unknown. You were clearly strong, yet you willingly endured solitude. I'm curious—what kind of upbringing could have shaped someone like you?" Zhang Yuanqing felt a spark of awareness—quickly recognizing this as an opportunity to win her favor—and after a moment of silence, said, "My childhood... wasn't particularly happy." Tangna paused. "I lost my father early on and grew up with my mother. She drank heavily, was unproductive, and loved gambling. When she won, she'd give me a little allowance; when she lost, she'd simply ignore me entirely. I didn't starve because kind neighbors provided for me, and I was able to complete my education thanks to the support of my grandparents and grandmother." But my mother often had to fight to even cover the tuition fees, constantly complaining: "What good is it for a boy to study? Let him drop out early and go to the construction site to carry bricks. I won’t be supporting him the rest of his life." "My uncle is a disgrace to the family—just as unproductive as I am. He spends his days singing, dancing, and rapping, and the phrase he repeats over and over is: 'You must become an outstanding rapper. When I see you carrying a school bag to class again, I’ll break your legs.' "I know that education is the only path forward. I’ve already had an unfortunate childhood, and I don’t want to see my youth and middle years fall apart, nor to end my later years in poverty." Probably because of my upbringing in the family of origin, I’ve become unusually reserved and patient. "I’ve always felt deeply insecure since childhood, hesitant to make friends. Throughout my life, I’ve only had one high school romance, but due to family circumstances, I ended it." While telling his life story, he subtly guided Tangan’s emotional response. Dana stared at him, a touch of sympathetic warmth flashing in her eyes, softly reassuring, "Your mother and uncle are truly two utterly heartless people. I'm sorry this brings back unpleasant memories for you." Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "Yet I will still treat them kindly, because they are the only relatives I have in the world. If even my last family members fail to treat me well, then I would truly feel alone." Annie was utterly stunned, thinking to herself: Mr. Yuanshi, does your mother know how harshly you've been portraying her? Zhang Yuanqing then shifted his gaze deeply to Dana, saying, "Dana has a unique grace—so gentle and warm. After that evening banquet, I often find myself imagining: if you were my mother, my childhood would have been truly happy." Annie: "...” As he spoke, Zhang Yuanqing subtly stirred Dana’s sensuality. Half of his words were meant to please Dana, while the other half were directed toward Catherine, watching behind the scenes—perhaps also toward other senior members of the Free Alliance. Tangna's eyes were misty, her desire quietly stirring—already eager to savor the pure, youthful charm of the young man. She glanced at the teapot nearly empty and softly said, "Annie, you go ahead and attend to your tasks. I'd like to spend a moment alone with Mr. Juming." Seeing Mr. Juming silent, Annie hesitated, bit her lip, and reluctantly made her way away. Once Annie had taken her boat to leave, Tangna rose gracefully, her smile warm and subtly alluring, and with a teasing tone said, "Mr. Juming, would you like to experience my mother's tenderness?"