Chapter 1 A Strange Beginning
"Come, baby, open your mouth..."
In the opulent and bustling manor, a tall beastman leaned over a drunken young girl on a table in the attic, his tone a mixture of coaxing and coercion.
"You want to meet Duke Leipert, don't you? Just drink this, and I'll introduce you to him. How about that?"
Before the girl could respond, the beastman lifted the wine glass, gently but firmly pinching her chin, and tilted it to her lips.
"Cough, cough..."
Regaining some semblance of consciousness, Flora Vitalia coughed uncomfortably, her long eyelashes fluttering open to reveal tear-filled eyes. At the same time, a cold voice echoed in her mind.
[Flora, I am your guardian spirit. Please help us save this world. The soul transmission is complete, and the body data is being integrated...]
At that moment, the beastman noticed a change in her demeanor. Despite her garish makeup and peculiar evening dress, she now exuded an inexplicable radiance. Her exposed skin glowed with a newfound luminescence, and her eyes, no longer timid and dull, were moist, clear, and coldly distant. Her gaze, tinged with red at the corners, carried a seductive allure.
The beastman's breathing grew heavy.
The interstellar environment has deteriorated after wars with human mutants and zombie viruses. Scientists discovered that certain animal genes could help humans survive, granting them enhanced abilities and powers. Gene fusion technologies emerged, allowing men to acquire powerful physiques, extended lifespans, and animal traits, enabling them to shift between human and beast forms. These hybrid beings are now known as beastmen. However, the animal genes also eroded human brains, causing the original hosts to become manic and bloodthirsty, gradually transforming into beasts. Male beastmen were classified from D to SS levels based on their post-mutation abilities.
Conversely, female gene fusion experiments continually failed, resulting in many women dying due to the harsh interstellar environment or failed gene fusion. The number of women plummeted until scientists used weaker animals or plants for fusion, finally achieving success and saving endangered women. Mutated women, though not strong in combat, gained special mental abilities to calm manic males, leading to a classification based on their mental power.
Due to their rarity and essential calming abilities, women held high status in the interstellar world. However, many lower-tier male beastmen, whose gene levels were not excellent, couldn't find female partners. They relied on expensive inhibitors to control their estrus and mental power. While estrus could be managed with drugs, mental power could only be temporarily suppressed, requiring female intervention for relief. Without this calming influence, male beastmen risked losing their sanity, becoming complete beasts, and facing death or being killed.
The hardships faced by male beastmen were beyond female comprehension. Women, naturally born with high status, often indulged in enslaving and torturing strong males for pleasure. Despite their distinguished military achievements, many prominent males met tragic ends in female hands.
Amid escalating gender conflicts, a new type of person emerged—the genderless. These individuals, though not truly genderless, had physical traits different from both males and females. Low in status, genderless people lacked estrus and mental power, living ordinary lives reminiscent of pre-gene-modification humans.
Over time, some genderless females sought to climb the social ladder. Flora, the original owner of the body Huggins was leaning over, was such a genderless person. Huggins exploited this, deceitfully luring her here. Duke Leipert, the highest noble and the richest man in the interstellar world was far beyond Flora's reach, given her lowly genderless status.
When the belt buckle clinked, the semi-conscious Flora became more alert.
"What are you doing? Let go of me!"
Flora's struggles only heightened Huggins' excitement. Being a B-level male, he easily restrained her due to his immense strength.
"My baby, don't move. I don't want to hurt you. You'll feel good soon..."
As he spoke, Flora felt a sudden rush of intense heat within her body, her temperature rising rapidly, rendering her weak and helpless. Her left neck, marked by a delicate pink rose tattoo indicating her female scent gland, felt like it was burning. Meanwhile, in her mind, her guardian spirit issued sharp warnings.
[Warning! Warning!]
[Soul and body data integration anomaly!]
Heart racing, Flora tilted her head left, trying to hide her female scent gland. The original owner of this body was indeed female, but a defective one with no mental power, no pheromones, and no reproductive ability, but only estrus.
In this world, what was precious wasn't women per se but their abilities. Though interstellar society appeared female-dominated, gender conflicts grew increasingly severe. A century ago, the Rebel Army even dragged revered women from their pedestal, resorting to extreme measures like imprisonment and torture to obtain mental power and calm. Although the Empire quickly quashed the Rebel Army, discontented male beastmen continued to revolt.
To appease soldiers fighting on the front lines and ease gender conflicts, the royal family passed a law concerning women.
[Defective women, having no social value, will be excluded from women's protection laws and will no longer enjoy any special treatment.]
The law seemed reasonable, but reality was cruel. Obsessed male beastmen, whether fanatical or harboring great malice towards women, wouldn't spare unprotected defective women. These women were often tortured to death or sent to red-light districts, meeting tragic ends.
This was why the original owner had to disguise as a genderless person. Though genderless people were low in status, they wouldn't become male beastmen's playthings or face life-threatening dangers.
Flora, an ordinary waitress who had once delivered leftover burgers to a strangely dressed old lady, had fainted and found her soul transported there. Before her body data was fully integrated with the original owner, she was forcibly fed a potent aphrodisiac, causing her body to lose control. The drug's strong effects made her eyes blurry. Even though the original owner had taken inhibitors before coming, the sweet scent of her female pheromones still uncontrollably wafted out...
When Hawkins detected the scent of a woman, his eyes changed instantly, filling with an almost frenzied delight. “You’re a woman! I’ve never been with a woman before…” At that moment, Flora felt a chill run down her spine. For both her mission and her safety, she couldn’t afford to let this secret slip.
Desperately biting her lip, Flora’s delicate hand slowly reached for the bottle of wine on the table, hidden from Hawkins' view.
Just as she grasped the bottle, a woman with impeccable makeup and an extravagant dress appeared in the attic door.
Seeing that the newcomer was Miss Jenny Clara, the most cherished of the Clara family, Hawkins’ face paled. Given her noble background, her status as a top-tier psychic, and her recent pairing with some of the galaxy’s most elite male beastmen, Hawkins knew he was in no position to provoke her.
His voice trembled. “Miss Clara, I…” Just when Flora thought she might be rescued, Jenny, with a haughty air, covered her nose in disgust. Looking at Flora, trapped and helpless, Jenny sneered,
“This awful smell is truly nauseating…”
“Someone like you doesn’t even deserve to be called a woman?”
“I haven’t seen anything. You can continue.”
Jenny’s smile was tainted with clear malice, her contempt evident. The light in Flora’s eyes flickered out.
As her collar was ripped, Flora gritted her teeth and brought the wine bottle down forcefully onto Hawkins' head. Without hesitation, she drove the jagged shards of the bottle into his chest. The swift and decisive action left Hawkins momentarily stunned, dazed by Flora’s intoxicating scent.
Tick-tock…
Tick-tock…
Blood dripped, staining Flora’s hands and clothes.
As Hawkins recovered from his shock, his horror and rage turned into a violent reaction, roughly subduing the weakened Flora. He felt emboldened by his belief that Flora was merely a defective woman. If she were truly exceptional, the Empire would have protected her, ensuring she lived in luxury and privilege. Flora collapsed to the ground, her consciousness blurring at the edges. Jenny walked over in her high heels, her gaze full of disdain as she muttered something. Flora could only imagine more disparaging remarks. Just when she thought her mission might end before it even began, the attic lights suddenly flickered. Then, with a loud crash! The surroundings were plunged into utter darkness. In the thick blackness, the sounds of screams, heavy objects falling, and the crunching of bones were painfully clear.
Warm liquid splattered across Flora’s face and body.
