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Chapter 240 - Wild Card
🕑 Added 2025-02-11 07:00:07 +0000 UTCShe was about to celebrate her triumphant harem recruitment, but Caterina had abruptly left.
Now, she wasn't even sure if she had succeeded or not.
"What happened? Did you scare her off?" Leyvi asked jokingly.
Anda raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying I'm scary?"
"Of course. Look at Val—she's literally hiding behind me to avoid you," Leyvi teased, gesturing dramatically.
Valenia rolled her eyes, unfazed by Leyvi's antics. "Dragging me into your nonsense again? Really?"
Anda turned to Valenia with a smirk. "Well? Do you think I'm scary, Val?"
"Madam, why are you teaming up with him to pick on me? And where is the Alchemy Association's president anyway? We've been waiting forever." Valenia complained. She changed position standing beside Anda instead of standing behind Leyvi.
Zzzzzzt.
Just as Leyvi was about to continue his teasing, a loud voice echoed from the city's array sound system. Even from just outside the city, the crowd could hear it clearly.
"Attention, people of Holy Cat City," a commanding voice declared. "This is your City Lord, Caterina Feline. I have an important announcement for everyone."
The people in the city grew tense. The last time they heard Caterina speak through the array like this, their city had been under siege by powerful demonic beasts—a catastrophic event that left scars on their hearts.
Panic rippled through the people. Some began fleeing in random directions, not waiting to find out what was happening. Their reactions revealed just how deeply the past disaster had traumatized them.
Leyvi exchanged a concerned glance with Anda. What could have caused Caterina to leave so abruptly earlier, only to make an announcement like this?
"Starting today, I am the wife of Leyvi Leyan."
"WHAT??"
Every single person in the gathering area turned to stare at Leyvi, their expressions ranging from disbelief to outright shock.
Leyvi, however, didn't even notice the attention. He stood frozen, mouth hanging open, utterly stunned by the announcement.
What just happened? What did Anda say to her to make this happen? A peak Soul Formation expert agreed to be my wife… just like that? Isn't this way too ridiculous? Even Senior Sister June gave an almost impossible condition for someone to marry her—but the cat lady ghost just announces it out of nowhere? Has Anda's brainwashing method advanced to godly levels or something?
It wasn't just Leyvi who was stunned—Anda was equally caught off guard by Caterina's move. They had only just reached an agreement, and now she was making a massive announcement to the entire city? Anda suddenly felt like she had invited a wild card into the family.
Perhaps she'd been a little too hasty in her recruitment. This time, her decision was based on secret investigations rather than relying on her unique ability. And given the vast difference in their cultivation levels, she had no control over Caterina's actions at all.
Caterina's voice continued, calm yet commanding.
"I don't need to personally tell you his identity. The news-hungry people will investigate and find out about him soon enough."
She paused briefly before adding, "As soon as my husband returns from his trip to the Mystic Realm, I will organize a grand wedding for us. It will be the grandest event in the history of Holy Cat City. Look forward to it."
Then, as if addressing him directly, she said, "Ah, right. To my husband Leyvi, good luck on your journey. I'll be waiting to experience what my lovely panda sister so confidently promised."
Zzzzzzt.
The city immediately burst into commotion, with people animatedly discussing the completely unexpected announcement.
Those who had bolted in panic, fearing some calamity, sheepishly returned to their previous spots, their faces tinged with embarrassment.
"Who is this Leyvi Leyan?"
"No idea. Never heard of him. Does anyone know?"
"Oh, oh, oh! I think I remember him! I attended the Alchemy Competition seven years ago and sat near him."
"Really? Spill it! He must be some kind of big shot, right?"
"Uh… not exactly. Actually, he's the husband of Alchemist Panda—you know, the champion of that competition. Surely you've heard of her? The Princess of Alchemy Formulas? That's her title now."
"What? Her?! No wonder the City Lord mentioned something about a panda sister just now."
"Wait, does that mean he's a young man? Why would she make a nobody her husband?"
Similar conversations broke out across the city, each group speculating wildly about Leyvi's identity and why their formidable City Lord would declare such a relationship.
Meanwhile,
Leyvi interrogated Anda about the out-of-hand situation, speaking to her discreetly via sound transmission.
"What kind of brainwashing method did you use this time? Why is the cat lady ghost—uhh, I mean, City Lord Caterina—acting like that?" he asked, one eyebrow arched skeptically.
Anda pouted. What do you mean, "what kind"? Of course, she had exploited an emotional weakness—it was her tried-and-true method. But she wasn't about to explain it like that.
"Stop acting cute. What did you promise her?" Leyvi pressed, his patience thinning. He felt that Anda had done something he wouldn't like this time.
Sighing, Anda relented and told Leyvi about the bets she had made with Caterina.
"What?! Anda, are you out of your mind?" Leyvi's voice transmission spiked with frustration. "Why would you take a risk this big? Cutting ties with the family and working under her for a hundred years? Are you serious?"
Anda flinched slightly at his tone.
"We're doing just fine. We don't need her! Why take this unnecessary risk?" Leyvi continued, his anger bubbling over.
Seeing Leyvi upset with her, Anda suddenly realized she might have gone too far. By involving herself in the bet, she had essentially given up some control over her life. To Leyvi, this was no different than sacrificing herself for his sake—something he was absolutely against.
Feeling a pang of guilt, Anda moved closer to him and gently hugged his arm, trying to soothe his anger.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I got too excited about recruiting such a great lady into our family, and the closer I got to success, the more careless I became. But the only reason I didn't hesitate to agree to the bet was because… I knew you could achieve it."
Leyvi sighed, his frustration fading as he looked at her earnest expression. He could never stay angry with her for long. "What if I couldn't do it? This could turn into an unnecessary problem, you know."
Anda looked up at him, her eyes unwavering. "But I think you can make any lady reach heaven, even her." Her voice was filled with confidence, and her expression didn't show even a hint of doubt.
Looking at Anda's face, overflowing with confidence in his ability, Leyvi found himself momentarily speechless. He didn't have the heart to tell her he might not be able to do it. What's done was done, and it seemed he had no choice now but to give it his all when the time came.
"Alright then. Leave it to me," Leyvi finally relented with a sigh. "Let's just hope she won't be too wild for our family to handle."
Anda's face lit up with a wide smile, clearly relieved that Leyvi wasn't upset anymore. "The reports did mention she has a tendency to overreact. But I didn't expect it to be this extreme. Hmm… maybe I should have investigated the scale of her overreactions too." She gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, Leyvi, I messed up this time. But don't worry—she's just a little crazier than most. Nothing you can't handle."
Leyvi blinked, caught off guard. The way she said it sounded as though handling crazy women was his special talent.
Before long, the crowd spotted the group they had been waiting for, flying toward them in formation. The members of the Alchemy Association had finally arrived.
Leyvi's eyes lit up when he recognized someone among them. Elder Godari! So, he would also be joining them on the trip to the Central Region.
His gaze then shifted to the man leading the group. "That must be the President," Leyvi muttered to himself. This was the first time he had seen the infamous president in person.
The man in question, President Albert, was striking in appearance. He looked like a younger version of a middle-aged man, his handsome face free of any facial hair. His white hair wasn't a sign of age—it had an almost ethereal quality, as if it were his natural color. As always, he wore a neatly tailored, luxurious suit that exuded elegance.
But anyone who knew him well could tell you this refined image was deceptive. Despite his polished exterior, President Albert had a reputation for being downright eccentric. He was notorious for flicking boogers or even spitting at people who annoyed him, much to their horror.
After they landed, President Albert let out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! Sorry, everyone. I'm sure you've been waiting for a while. Someone decided to prank me just as I was about to leave the association building, so naturally, I had to get my revenge first."
The crowd stared at him, dumbfounded. Are you sure you're alchemists and not a troupe of pranksters?
Unfazed by the crowd's reaction, President Albert turned to Elder Godari. "Godari, go and do a final headcount before we depart. Make sure we're not missing anyone—and that no uninvited guests sneak aboard."
Elder Godari nodded and got to work immediately, moving through the group with practiced efficiency.
Meanwhile, President Albert strolled over to Leyvi's group, a friendly grin on his face.
