As long as you have the courage, fierce ghosts go on maternity leave.

The makeup artist puppet wielded her makeup tools with an air of domineering skillfulness. Yet it wasn’t so much skill as it felt like modifying some sort of program—tweaking Alexander’s external appearance.

At his core, he still felt like Alexander; he could even feel the dampness of his clothes clinging to his skin. But to the external observer—and even to the touch—he had been completely transformed.

The texture of one’s own skin feels inherently different from the touch of another’s, yet as Alexander touched himself, it was as if he were touching another person entirely. It was bizarre, unsettling.

"What’s going on?" The splash made by Alexander’s hand drew the immediate attention of Susannah and Linda. In an instant, the two playful ghostly women shot forth like bolts of lightning, appearing on the other side of the rockery.

Fortunately, the illusory image created by the makeup artist puppet had already disappeared, and both their gazes were now focused on Alexander.

"Jessica! Sister!"

"Captain Jessica!"

Upon seeing Alexander, both women’s eyes widened in shock.

Quickly, Alexander assessed the situation. "Jessica" must be the name of the female ghost he was impersonating. Susannah, who had called him "sister," must have a close relationship with Jessica. Given her naive and adorable demeanor, she would naturally win Jessica’s affection.

Linda, who called him "Captain," exhibited not surprise but a sense of awe and respect—likely the genuine reaction from most of the guard team members.

Yet, why were both staring at his chest? Envy? Both female ghosts were also well-endowed.

Alexander couldn’t help but glance downwards and felt instantly awkward; he had been exploring his new physique and hadn’t moved his hands away.

"I was...I was just scrubbing," he began, his voice now perfectly mimicking a woman’s but tinged with a note of awkwardness.

Before he could finish, Susannah interjected, "We are ghosts. Do we need to scrub? I often see my sisters doing it, not just their breasts but also their private parts. They say it makes them happy. Sister, are you also making yourself—"

Her words were abruptly cut off by Linda, who clamped a hand over her mouth. As she dragged Susannah away, Linda laughed nervously, "Sure, we believe you! Go on, Captain!"

Watching the two as Linda forcefully muffled Susannah and pulled her away, Alexander was momentarily speechless. But then he gathered his thoughts.

Why should he feel awkward? His current appearance wasn’t his own but Jessica’s. A misunderstanding was preferable to being found out.

Realizing this, Alexander felt a tad better. He swam towards the shore, nodding politely at other female ghosts who greeted him, forcing his gaze away from the tantalizing bodies around him.

Thankfully, Jessica didn’t seem like the type to joke around. Besides a few greetings, no one came up to engage him in conversation, which would have certainly risked blowing his cover.

Having swum to the opposite shore, Alexander found himself facing a new dilemma: he had no clothes to wear!

The real Jessica had long since taken them. As an imposter, he naturally was left garment-less, and certainly couldn’t strut about in such a state.

It wasn’t just a matter of indecency; even if the true shame lay with Jessica, Alexander didn’t possess the brazenness to run around naked.

His gaze drifted across the lake, where most of the female ghosts clustered around Seraphina at the lake’s center. A fair number, like Susannah and Linda, were frolicking in the water. All in all, few paid him any mind.

Seizing the opportunity of their inattention, Alexander frantically began his search for suitable attire. However, Jessica’s physique was quite remarkable—finding fitting clothes proved to be no easy feat.

Thankfully, he soon located a suitable garment. The only issue was the color; while most were red, only two sets were silver-white and just these seemed to fit.

At this juncture, Alexander could scarcely care whose clothes they were. He hastily grabbed the garment, threw it on with alacrity, and darted out.

"Highness? Captain Jessica? Why are you wearing the Highness’s clothes?" Two lesser-ranking female ghosts who guarded the courtyard inquired, puzzled by his choice of attire.

"My clothes got damaged; I borrowed these. Any objections?" Alexander’s expression—no, rather a look that was bewitchingly charming—swept coldly over the two ghosts.

"We dare not," they quickly lowered their heads, not uttering another word. Clearly, this Captain Jessica had quite the reputation.

What Alexander hadn’t expected, though, was that the garments he picked so casually were none other than Seraphina’s, not those of some deputy commander.

Fate had a sense of humor, it seemed. One could only imagine Seraphina’s face when she discovered her clothes missing after her bath.

This called for immediate action. He needed to remove his disguise posthaste, burn the garments to leave no trace. Given Seraphina’s frosty and haughty disposition, discovery would lead to dire consequences.

However, as often happens, things don’t always go as planned. Just as Alexander rounded the corner, intending to shed his false identity and locate the city’s ruler, an enthusiastic voice rang out, "Captain Jessica! What a coincidence, I was just about to look for you!"

Turning, Alexander found a wavy-haired female guard sizing him up but asking no questions. "Captain Jessica, follow me. Her Majesty the Empress is waiting in her chamber to discuss urgent matters."

Now, this was awkward. Should he make an excuse and leave?

Meeting the city’s ruler presented an unparalleled opportunity. Missing it would mean finding another way in this heavily guarded palace, risking exposure.

But if he didn’t leave, he would have to meet the Empress under this false identity, and Seraphina would certainly raise hell when she couldn’t find her clothes.

The real Jessica is still somewhere out there, ready to expose him at any moment.

"Captain Jessica..." Seeing that Alexander was silent for a long time, the wavy-haired female ghost prompted him.

"Lead the way. Take me to the city lord!" Finally, Alexander gritted his teeth and followed the ghost.

They quickly arrived at an elegantly furnished courtyard that boasted a medieval style.

"The Empress is waiting for you inside!" Opening the door, the wavy-haired female ghost gestured invitingly.

Alexander strode in, only to stop dead, eyes widening. Do all female ghosts have such a penchant for cleanliness? From the city’s guards to the Empress herself, why was everyone fond of baths?

In the yard was a pool, about two or three meters long and filled with red water and rose petals. A figure with long, flowing hair leaned against one corner of the pool.

The view from behind revealed only her wet, lustrous hair that resembled black pearls, spreading across her dew-covered skin.

"Why are you wearing Seraphina’s clothes?" came a voice, melodious and immaculate, from the pool.

Whoosh!

A delicate arm, fair as snow, rose from the water, rose petals cascading down her arm and back into the pool, as water droplets skittered down her silky skin.

It took Alexander a long while to snap out of his trance.

"Your Highness, my clothes were ruined. General Seraphina lent me hers, considering the urgency of our meeting."

A soft laugh emanated from the pool, melodious yet tinged with a playful undertone."Ah, you! Let’s hope Seraphina won’t be too angry."

Did she know the clothes were stolen? And had his disguise been discovered?

"What are you standing there for? Come and give me a shoulder massage."

Alexander’s doubts dispersed at the sound of the Empress’s voice. It seemed he wasn’t found out; otherwise, he’d have been apprehended on the spot.

Initially, his plan was to reveal his identity upon meeting the Empress and then negotiate for benefits or information.

He believed that the sudden decision to choose an heir wasn’t without reason. Especially when as long as the Empress lived, the three potential heirs posed no threat to her. In this setting, hurrying to choose an heir would only make sense if she was in some life-threatening danger. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

However, she has deliberately created a fourth faction. What have these adopted sons and daughters done to make even the Empress wary, to the point where she felt the need to sabotage their efforts—or the effort of one of them—in this manner?

According to this analysis, Alexander, now in possession of the Voodoo doll and having gained Anlan’s trust, is unquestionably the Empress’s top choice. A straightforward negotiation should be in order.

But the problem is, of all things, ghosts—and powerful female ghosts at that—have a predilection for bathing. Even the Empress, for heaven’s sake! Can’t she discuss matters while fully clothed?

Alexander now dares not reveal his true identity. The Empress’s personality is an enigma; best not to make hasty moves.

Alexander steps forward, gently placing his hands on the Empress’s shoulders. The skin beneath his touch feels almost supernaturally smooth—far better than that of a newborn, a texture that would surely drive countless women to fits of envy.

Yet after only a moment, Alexander freezes. Reflected in the ripples of the bathwater is an entrancing face—a countenance of otherworldly beauty.

Her face was a sublime confluence of nature and art; it was as if the gods themselves had spent extra time sculpting her. Her eyes were windows to celestial realms, flickering with hints of untold stories and unsung ballads. Each glance she cast was a harmony of mystery and allure, captivating all who dared meet her gaze.

Her nose was sculpted with perfect symmetry, a testament to the golden ratio manifest in human form. There was an ineffable grace about her, a majesty hidden in plain sight.

To look upon her face was to forget momentarily the world around you, to be lost in the wonders of a single moment. It was a face that could launch a thousand ships, ignite a million dreams, and inspire endless lines of poetry.

"What are you spacing out for?" The Empress’s voice is light as air, pulling Alexander back to reality.

"You bear a resemblance to Mr. Louis," he blurts out.

"He’s my adopted son. Is it so strange that we look alike?" she replies calmly.

The claim perplexes Alexander. After all, there’s no blood relation; how could they resemble each other? And yet, there is something about the Empress’s features that does echo those of Louis. Could it be...?

"Don’t tell me you’re thinking it wouldn’t be surprising if I, an ancient ghost of a thousand years, had an illegitimate son?" she asks, as if reading his thoughts.

"Of course not, how could I? I wouldn’t dare," Alexander responds, dropping to one knee. Respect must be shown; she is, after all, his elder and Louis’s mother.

Seemingly unable to discern his inner thoughts this time, the Empress asks, "How’s the investigation going? The one I asked you to conduct?"

What investigation?

The first thought that crossed Alexander’s mind was related to the ongoing succession dispute.

The City Lord’s Mansion ruled the entire Dark Hell, and although the identity he was assuming—Jessica—was a Ghost King, Ghost Kings were hardly in short supply in the Mansion.

Just the City Lord’s guard alone consisted of a pseudo-emperor, ten Ghost Kings, and thousands of Ghost Princes. Dark Hell was vast; sending out a Ghost King-level guard could potentially yield a lot of information.

When in doubt? Uncertain of what to do next.

At times like this, Alexander drew upon his social skills from a past life. Regardless of what the investigation was about, an earnest apology could suffice for now.

"My apologies for my inadequacy! Although I have some leads, no substantial progress has been made. I have failed to meet your expectations, and for that, I take full responsibility. I assure you that I will reflect deeply on this and report back with useful information as soon as possible," Alexander declared earnestly.

"So you haven’t found out where my children have hidden the Life-Taking Stone?" The Empress’s eyebrows knit together ever so slightly.

The Life-Taking Stone? It did involve the adopted sons and daughters of the City Lord’s Mansion after all!

Seized by a sudden realization, Alexander quickly lowers his head, saying, "My Lord, I regret that my understanding of the Life-Taking Stone is too limited, and I have disappointed you."

Limited was an understatement; he had never even heard of this name before!

"In that case, let me enlighten you," says the Empress, without a hint of anger. "The Life-Taking Stone, also known as the Abandoned Emperor Stone..."