11:43 PM [Current absorption rate: 46.4%].

A cold chill crept up my left shoulder.

12:43 AM [Current absorption rate: 47.4%].

Coldness enveloped my arm; my hand felt numb.

1:43 AM [Current absorption rate: 48.4%].

My left arm was completely numb. The coldness silently crept towards my buttocks; half my buttock felt numb.

2:43 AM [Current absorption rate: 49.4%].

My entire body felt submerged in ice water, only my head remaining above the surface.

2:47 AM [Current absorption rate: 50.0%].

My head was also submerged. I was completely immersed in ice water, even my breath icy. My bones felt like they were vibrating, like cast iron resonating.

In the icy stream, a huge iron hammer swung down, forging me anew. I transformed into a piece of cast iron, being hammered, shaped, and refined.

Cold and fire tempered me, pain and impact intertwined. The impurities in my body were purged, and I became solid and unyielding.

I had transformed into tenfold iron, a hundredfold steel.

I had become a sharp sword, a bloodthirsty spear, a piercing arrow, a heavy shield, an impenetrable armor, and a roaring bullet.

My master slaughtered, leaving war in her wake. I carried death, leaving rivers of blood in my path.

I am merciless destruction, the cold hand of death, burning bloodlust, and unrestrained violence.

And,

Initially, I was just a piece of ordinary cast iron!

1:00 AM

Ivy’s eyes snapped open. A metallic gleam flashed in her black and white eyes before disappearing.

She had had a strange dream, a dream of being forged into a piece of cast iron.

[Currently detected iron type—Common cast iron, absorption rate 50.0%.]

[You have absorbed the property of cast iron—Plastic Embryo (White).]

“It wasn’t a dream. That cast iron is now part of me, integrated into my bones,” Ivy muttered. “Plastic Embryo?”

Ivy instinctively swallowed a few more iron beads.

[Absorption rate ↑↑]

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Her absorption rate increased, but the coldness in her body didn't intensify. Once the iron hardening had covered her bones, it seemed to reach saturation and didn’t spread further into her flesh and skin.

Ivy felt a slight pang of regret but also relief.

After all, with her bones hardened beneath her flesh, how would she be able to blend into human society if her flesh hardened as well? She would be a walking evil corpse and would not be accepted.

Ivy flexed her wrist, her fingers moving. Excess energy pulsed in her fingertips, an urge to tear and claw.

She looked down in surprise to see a sharp pain in her fingertips.

A moment later, her fingertips split open. Blood flowed, and pale, whiteish bone protruded.

Following her instincts, Ivy lightly pressed her fingertip against the table. The bone instantly pierced the wood, leaving a hole.

Ivy swallowed, manipulating the protruding bone fragments according to her will.

Sometimes they were curved claws, sometimes sharp needles, sometimes strange, barbed hooks. Though small, only half a finger-length, they exuded bloodlust and malice.

Like a child with a new toy, Ivy manipulated the ten bony protrusions emerging from her flesh.

In an instant, her palm was covered in blood. Ten bone fragments, like demons bursting from her flesh, danced wildly.

“The Plastic Embryo ability… it’s not like a martial art, it's more like a evil corpse transformation. But it’s powerful, and I like it,” Ivy said happily, amazed by the [Iron Eater] skill’s ability to absorb properties.

Having played enough, Ivy retracted her claws, her gaze falling on the bandaged wrist.

“Can the Plastic Embryo ability only affect my fingers?” she wondered.

She tried to extend the ability to her wrist, but failed.

“It’s not that it can’t be done, but I’m not ready yet. Currently, the Plastic Embryo ability only works on my more flexible fingers,” Ivy reasoned.

“But maybe, once my absorption rate reaches 100%, I can extend it?”

“Or maybe the Plastic Embryo ability can also be upgraded. It’s described as (White), meaning there are likely blue, red, and purple versions.”

“How do I upgrade the Iron Eater absorption ability? Is it linked to the Iron Eater rank, or is there another method?”

Ivy considered many possibilities, concluding that she should first reach 100% absorption rate, then see what changed.

With the daily boost from [Blood Frenzy], reaching 50% absorption should be relatively easy.

She wiped the blood from her palm and examined her fingertips, noting that the wounds had already healed, leaving only faint lines, disrupting her fingerprints.

“Convenient. No need to bandage them,” Ivy said, tossing the towel in the trash.

She opened a drawer, finding her remaining iron beads nearly gone, the irregular black beads scattered amongst them like stray chicks amongst hens.

“The effects of absorbing cast iron are so incredible. The effects of absorbing the Iron Fragments of Evil and Resentment would beyond my imagination,” she thought, her desire for the black beads intensifying with every sight of them.

Closing the drawer, the intense excitement in Ivy’s eyes subsided. “Iron needs to be consumed gradually, and steps need to be taken carefully. Tomorrow, I’ll buy more iron beads, and then I'll start training the Crane Claw Technique. I might buy another manual as well.”

Having calmed down, Ivy took out her phone, inserted a new SIM card, and put on her headphones. She typed a message.

—— Did you sleep well last night? I hope your answer will bring you back to life.

Should she send it?

Ivy’s finger hovered over the send button, then hesitated, deleting the message and typing a new one.

—— Are you suffering from insomnia? Do you have too much energy? Please call 157xxxxxxxxxx and let the city’s hottest girls be your dream angels.

She’d gone to so much trouble to infiltrate; she couldn’t risk exposure because of a careless message.

If the worst happened—if Ma Wei’s phone was taken, and the person didn’t fall for the trap but called back—then it was simply bad luck. She could just infiltrate again.

Fortunately, that didn’t happen. Ma Wei was smarter than she’d anticipated. Moments after sending the message, her phone rang.

Ring… ring… ring…

Ivy waited ten seconds before answering, remaining silent.

Silence filled the line, only faint breathing audible. After a moment, Ma Wei’s voice, heavy with concern, said, “Boss, is that you? I waited all night for your call and didn’t dare to sleep. Don’t scare me.”

A smile curved Ivy’s lips. She said coldly, “I’m glad to hear you’re alive, but I’m not happy to hear that they’re looking for a ‘lame woman’ around here.”