The righteous path is for the gifted, a path to death for the weak.

The weak must forge their own path, a wicked path.

This isn’t cowardice; it’s strategic brilliance. A unicorn strategy.

So,

Ivy tossed the Crane Claw Technique manual onto the bed, sat on a chair, holding an iron bead in her left hand, her right index fingertip probing the broken skin of her fingertip, a small piece of bone protruding.

If my fingertip can’t hook the iron bead, I’ll use my bone.

My fingertip is too smooth to grip the iron bead? Fine, I’ll carve a hole in the bone.

The hole is too shallow? The bead keeps slipping out? No problem, I’ll carve irregular curves on the bone surface, creating a cradle for the bead. I can add barbs around the hole as well.

Normally, mastering the basic techniques of Crane Claw Technique requires natural talent and countless hours of practice, building muscle memory until your fingers become hooks, eventually emulating the essence of a crane’s claw.

Ivy didn’t need to do that. With [Plastic Embryo], she didn’t need to emulate; she could directly shape her fingers into crane claws, eagle claws, cat claws, or any other bizarre form.

She could perfectly bypass the requirements of the Crane Claw Technique.

All she needed was a little physics knowledge, a little imagination, and a lot of meticulous patience.

“If I tried to master another martial art, it would take much longer. But Crane Claw Technique? I can crush it. You’ll see,” Ivy muttered, a cruel smile playing on her lips.

She held an iron bead, pressed it against her bone, used her mind to carve a hole, create a cradle, and add barbs. Then, with a click, she embedded the bead.

“Let’s try,” Ivy said, returning to the basin, and pulling hard.

Her fingertip held the bead tightly; it wouldn’t budge.

Ivy examined her work, experimenting again and again, meticulously adjusting the bone structure.

Each fingertip exerted force at a different angle, requiring adjustments through trial and error.

Though she didn’t need hammers or files, Ivy used her mind, and the adjustments were mentally demanding.

The bones weren’t always obedient. Carving a hole was easy, but creating intricate patterns on the concave surface was exponentially more difficult.

Ivy understood. The [Plastic Embryo] ability was currently only in its white stage, with significant potential for growth.

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And it was more than enough to deal with Crane Claw Technique.

Four hours later, Ivy had finished shaping her ten fingertips.

Standing before the basin, her confidence soared. “Hooking the beads shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve overcome the most difficult step. The remaining challenges are avoiding mistakes and controlling the force to avoid disturbing the other beads.”

She extended her arm, her fingers moving swiftly and smoothly over the beads.

The bowl remained undisturbed. Ivy changed fingers, and an iron bead was neatly nestled in her claw.

Ivy removed the bead and tossed it back into the bowl. “One success,” she said.

Precise hooking and force control were difficult, but since the hook held the bead securely, the remaining challenges became much easier.

It was like shooting a target. Normally, you’d have to manage recoil, but now, the weapon absorbs the recoil, and you only need to focus on aiming and pulling the trigger. How could you miss?

Becoming a sharpshooter in minutes!

Success!

Success!

Success!

Success!

Failure!

Ah, still a way to go before becoming a sharpshooter.

According to Crane Claw Technique, a failure meant starting the process again from the beginning. That was excessive.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t avoid the painstaking process of embedding the beads.

Ivy checked the time on her phone: 3/27, 1:17 AM.

Three unread messages.

——Boss, I asked Brother Ban to take me in, and he agreed.

——Brother Ban ordered a continued investigation of the people on the list. They’ve narrowed the scope further based on testimony. Brother Ban has identified about 50 individuals for closer scrutiny.

——A precinct officer came to the bar this afternoon to investigate. Brother Ban allowed him to search the place. Later, Zheng Si came and angrily scolded Brother Ban.

Ivy read the messages, thinking, Ma Wei is quick. Or rather, Ma Ban is relying on him. Keeping a silenced person under his nose is the safest option.

Narrowed down to fifty people? If it’s not based on concrete suspicions, the questioning is just a pretense. Am I among them?

Ivy didn't think Ma Ban was specifically targeting her. Ma Ban didn’t know her.

But Ma Ban’s feigned investigation might inadvertently involve innocent people to obscure his true target.

It was like a serial killer who seemingly chooses victims randomly, using those random killings to conceal a specific target and motive.

Ivy worried that she was one of those random victims. She was the culprit, but it would be unjust if the Qinglang Gang retaliated against her in this way.

Ivy stared at the third message and quickly replied to Ma Wei.

——Send me the list.

——What’s the relationship between Ma Ban and Zheng Si? Ma Ban is investigating the murder. What is Zheng Si doing?

Putting away her phone, Ivy returned to the basin.

Her fingers moved swiftly and precisely over the iron beads, hooking them one after another, succeeding, succeeding, and then failing, forcing her to start again.

Time slipped away.

Soon, it was 4 AM.

Ivy felt she was on the verge of mastering the basic Crane Claw Technique.

“The highest number of consecutive successful attempts was 81.”

Ivy breathed a sigh of relief. The need for perfect, error-free repetition was incredibly demanding, easily shattering one’s morale.

This was different from the despair of those with weak constitutions who couldn’t see any hope. This was the despair of those who almost achieved success, yet were haunted by failure.

The former was like searching for a drop of broth in a bowl of mouse dung. The latter was like a single mouse dropping ruining a bowl of broth. This wasn’t just one bowl. Ivy had started again from attempt number 119, averaging one and a half attempts per minute. She was going for attempt number 120.

Attempt 120: Failure. Her little finger hit the bowl at attempt 67.

Ivy squeezed her injured fingertip, its deformed bone crunching, then put it in her mouth, chewing it like an enemy’s flesh, swallowing it down.

“Sleep? I’ll train until I drop dead.”

Tomorrow was Sunday. Ivy decided not to sleep. She would fight Crane Claw Technique until dawn…