Darkstone Code

"What do I need to do with these?"

The new maid stared blankly at the soybeans Lynch brought back. She was familiar with them.

Although soybeans are nutritious and cheap, most of the time, they’re considered food for the poor. Whether it’s canned soybeans or relief food, they’re never meant for the rich!

It’s rare to see anything related to soybeans on the menu in mid to high-end restaurants, at least for now.

So when Lynch brought back these soybeans, the small maid was a bit at a loss. It was her first time working for rich people, and she wasn’t sure if these were what she thought they were.

The maid glanced at the roughly two pounds of soybeans, undecided. After giving the small maid a "wait a moment" look, she ran to Lynch’s side to ask what he intended to do with the soybeans.

"Soak a quarter of them in warm water, rinse them every hour, and leave the rest alone."

He paused for a moment, as if thinking of something. "Oh right, help me find a stone mill, a small one will do, but if there’s an electric one, that would be even better."

Since the maid is now pregnant, many of the tasks are being handled by a newly arranged small maid sent by the community company.

As for why the pregnant maid hasn’t been dismissed, the community company hasn’t offered any opinions; they act as if they’re unaware of it.

Apparently, the small maid was introduced to the community company by the maid, claiming she’s her cousin or something, meaning there’s some family connection, making them practically family from one perspective.

Soon, the soybeans were soaking in water, and without many tasks to handle at Lynch’s home, Penny had no interest in troubling the two maids, allowing the villa to return to its usual tranquility.

But in such a leisurely late September, early October, a chubby man was reminiscing and pondering.

"What exactly is bean curd brain?", Perseus was working out.

Purely from the outside, especially when he’s dressed, he gives off a "this guy is seriously fat" impression.

But now, with his bare torso, he showcased a state that had nothing to do with "fat".

Covered all over with muscles, they made him look fat, that’s all.

If a fitness athlete saw him, they’d certainly lament his ugliness!

This isn’t classical beauty!

Indeed, there’s classical bodybuilding and modern bodybuilding in the fitness world.

Especially with bodybuilding gaining fame across the Federation in recent years, various bodybuilding contests have emerged, and some athletes have started trying other methods to pursue muscle growth, rather than aesthetics!

We all know that when an industry shows potential profits, capital will flock to it.

The bodybuilding industry is the same; for more muscle growth, people began using hormones, some initially meant for animals, but... who cares?

Those trapped in a sort of mania, the "modern bodybuilding icons," only aim for more muscles, ignoring that the essence of bodybuilding is the beauty brought by the body.

They no longer pursue balance and coordination in their body; they only wish for more muscle, and indeed, these individuals began gaining more attention in bodybuilding contests, winning more awards.

After all, to ordinary people, those muscles filled with visual impact seem to epitomize "fitness".

While those who appear balanced but slightly "thin" don’t quite qualify as "bodybuilders", at least not with such exaggerated muscles.

In reality, people only see "fitness", but not "beauty"; modern fitness is rapidly eroding "classical bodybuilding!"

Perseus is the representative of modern fitness, covered entirely in exaggerated muscles, but the hormones he uses aren’t the generic ones outside, they’re safer and more reliable.

He’s not fat at all!

During his rest, he’s pondering over some things he recently heard in a brief conversation with Lynch.

Things like "bean curd brain" which he’s never heard of, but Lynch’s description wasn’t something he just made up.

He certainly has seen or even tasted it to give such a precise description of the texture.

"It’s like slightly curdled milk, like a young woman’s skin..."

Thinking of these descriptions, Perseus drools.

He’s asked many people, but no one has heard of these things, bean curd brain, buns, stir-fried dishes, or sautéed dishes?

No, not at all. The Federation’s simple cooking keeps the methods very straightforward and traditional; it’s either frying, parboiling, or grilling.

Stir-frying and such... is somewhat incomprehensible to them.

Perseus doesn’t have many hobbies. As the "War God," both families placed great expectations on him from a young age.

If he were born into a capitalist family, maybe it would be beneficial for him, like Severa, who resembles a princess more than actual princesses.

Whenever she wants something, Mr. Wardrick will give it to her.

But born into a military family, Perseus’s treatment wasn’t as comfortable.

From a young age, his family groomed him to be a future "Federation Marshal," throwing him into military environments from the start. He genuinely struggled, not in a "fake" way.

This is also why he learned to hide himself at a very young age; after all, the military is not the Capital World, where money makes your voice louder than others.

In the military, strength is the real capital of speech.

Over the years, he hasn’t had many hobbies, except for a slight preference for food. Such a "hobby" for someone of his status is a trivial matter.

The family’s cooks have been replaced one after another, and he’s tasted unique cuisines from around the world, but he’s never tasted the things Lynch spoke of.

Of course, as someone starting at the top, Perseus wouldn’t reach out to Lynch just for some food and promise him anything.

Support for some food, even if he desires it, he wouldn’t be so foolish.

After a series of training, he and the trainer he sparred with immersed their hands in a copper basin.

Inside was a special potion, brought by the trainer who was imparting a combat technique to him.

This potion can soften the stratum corneum, making the skin softer and the sense of touch more sensitive.

Many say that cutting off pain nerves makes someone invincible in combat.

Someone actually did it, but they fought only one match, then retired completely.

Being unable to feel pain means you’ve completely lost control of your body.

You don’t know if your organs are gravely injured, nor if your bones are fractured. By the time you realize something’s wrong, Death God has already arrived.

On the contrary, the more acute your senses in combat, the more practical benefits you’ll gain.

If your skin can sense changes in airflow, you can react in advance, even before someone hits you.

These potions might not be so magical, but at least they ensure the skin is soft, and the senses are sharp.

"Mr. Truman has arrived..."

Someone stood outside the door and announced.

Upon hearing this, Perseus wiped the potion off his hands, gave a few words to the trainer, then headed into the bathroom.

Two girls oversaw his bathing and changing, and soon he appeared neatly dressed before Mr. Truman.

At this moment, Perseus no longer had the terrifying pressure he exuded in the gym; instead, he showed a chubby, harmless appearance.

"Is there a result?" he asked casually, biting into a pastry after sitting down.

Mr. Truman nodded, "I convinced them."

A clear smile appeared on Perseus’s face. He got up, walked over to Mr. Truman, patted him on the shoulder, causing Mr. Truman to roll his eyes.

"Congratulations..."

Mr. Truman gasped after freeing himself from Perseus’s embrace, "I feel like you were hitting me just now."

"Was I?"

The two exchanged glances and then laughed together.

In fact, their relationship was very good. Although Mr. Truman’s grandfather held only the rank of Major, this Major was an adjutant to Perseus’s grandpa. Mr. Truman was deliberately nurtured by the Military as Perseus’s assistant.

That’s why his promotion seems exceptional. If he were from another world or familiar with another world’s culture, he would have heard the phrase "accompany the crown prince to study."

Even though Perseus is not a crown prince, it’s more or less the same.

It’s just that some matters later required him to emerge from the Military and become a political spokesman for the Military, so the exceptional Mr. Truman transitioned from the military to government bodies.

Now, he is the head of the Ministry of International Affairs, having a voice in both domestic and foreign affairs!

Yet, things did not come so smoothly for him at first.

Upon becoming the President’s staff officer, Mr. Truman, freshly out of the military, encountered many setbacks.

The Federation Government is not the Federation Military—straightforward and simple.

The web of interests in the Federation Government is complex. He was pressured to bow down by capitalists many times and was almost forced to suspend his work, nearly ending his political career!

If it weren’t for the military backing him, and the President needing military support, plus Mr. Truman’s outstanding performance, he would have long been ousted from the government by those capitalists.

After "admitting defeat," Mr. Truman finally understood the game’s rules, and he "bowed" to capital.

He started attending various capitalist-organized gatherings, frequenting various occasions, and became good friends with the capitalists, speaking on their behalf when necessary.

But deep down, he still harbored great aversion and even hatred for these people.

This time, the issue with the Duncan Clan wasn’t fatal from the start.

But this precisely gave Mr. Truman hope. He persuaded the President, coupled with his influence in the military, leading a group to begin investigating the Duncan Clan...