"Choose—do you value a person's soul quality more, or a person's physical beauty?"
Here it comes! The classic dilemma!
The little moralist in Serie's heart immediately jumped out, waving flags and shouting: "Choose the soul! The soul! Inner beauty is eternal!"
The theory is perfect; who doesn't want to say they value an interesting soul? Who doesn't want to be someone who transcends low-level tastes?
As the saying goes, beautiful appearances are a dime a dozen, but interesting souls are one in a million, but...
"Gomen nasai, I'm still a face-con after all!!!"
Serie cried out in despair internally: "I choose the latter!"
If it weren't for Chloe's beautiful face, especially her beautiful warm white skin when they first met, so tender it looked like water could be squeezed from it... would Serie have so readily jumped onto the Black Queen's "pirate ship" and worked so desperately? Don't be ridiculous!
Wuwuwu, I'm just lusting after their bodies, wuwuwu...
I'm lowly! I'm shallow! I repent to the God of Face-Worshippers!
She knew that, from beginning to end, she was a complete "beauty is justice" believer.
Not to mention, in this desperate, face-obsessed world, she was also a beneficiary.
Serie's current advantages were basically all obtained through this calamitous little face.
What right did she have to talk about loving souls!
Besides, was Serie's own soul so superior?
She wasn't evil, but she was certainly not a good person either.
She was greedy for pleasure, afraid of death, covetous of wealth and lustful... just an ordinary person!
Her Joy Witch avatars, one by one, were embodiments of desire.
Either addicted to alcohol, or gluttonous, or promiscuous, or addicted to stealing; it was just that everyone's direction was different.
Only Kuchiha, a little angel, was so kind that she didn't seem like a Joy Witch at all.
Everyone was equally flawed; no one should pretend to be pure!
The female voice was either searching for a target or simply shocked by Serie's shamelessness.
She was silent for a few seconds, then continued—
"Choose—do you want to become someone's beloved; or become someone's feared person?"
Serie fell into thought again.
Feared? Sounds cool.
Can making people afraid force them to do things?
But... fear is a double-edged sword; even a cornered rabbit will bite.
As the saying goes, extreme fear leads to anger, and it might incite desperate, all-out retaliation.
But if she became someone's beloved, this seemed more... subtle?
Making people willingly do things for you, without worrying about being stabbed in the back.
Although she might have to worry about other things stabbing her from behind... at least the risk was controllable.
Extreme love should still be love... right?
"Love," Serie decided resolutely.
The choice continued to advance.
"Choose—do you prefer to live a short life, enjoying it while it lasts; or to study diligently to achieve success?"
This time, Serie skipped the thought process entirely.
"Of course, enjoy it while it lasts," she said emphatically.
Are you kidding me! In this precarious world, who knows if they'll even be alive tomorrow?
Effort? Effort leading to rewards is a fairy tale!
Life isn't a game where effort always pays off, but happiness...
That is truly happiness.
She wasn't lazy in her previous life, but she still couldn't even reach some people's starting points.
Rather than that, it's better to live more freely.
It was just that she didn't have time to grasp this truth in her previous life before she died.
Having a second life, she didn't want to stumble in the same place twice.
Heaven gave her a second chance; couldn't she enjoy it?
This life, I, Serie, will live to the fullest!
The selection ended.
The female voice fell silent.
Serie's consciousness gradually withdrew from Goluthos, leaving only 5% of her mental power still lingering in Chloe's tender embrace.
Immediately after, Serie's consciousness plunged abruptly into a dense, blood-red expanse.
When she opened her eyes again, her vision was filled with crimson petals like congealed blood.
A strong sense of abnormality struck her!
Serie tried to look around but discovered in horror—she had no neck to turn! Nor any limbs to stretch!
It was as if she was confined to a fixed, narrow viewpoint.
In her astonishment, Serie quickly opened the "Joy Witch" interface.
Unlike other Joy Witches, what met her eyes was not the anticipated graceful female body, but—
But a... flower?!
A plant of extremely bizarre form, deeply rooted in a writhing and viscous crimson fungal mat!
No way...
I... I turned into a flower?!
Serie's mind went blank for a moment.
What about the promised Joy Witch? What about the promised overwhelming combat power?
What about the promised beauty? Never mind if it's good-looking or not, there isn't even a human face, hey!
This was definitely not any docile flower found in nature.
They didn't unfurl gracefully but grew outward, thorny and malicious, in a grotesque manner.
The petals were the deepest color of congealed blood, their edges sharp as newly honed blades.
The black leaves had ambiguous glowing pink edges, gleaming faintly in the dim red mist, like demonic eyes peering from the darkness.
The most bizarre aspect was that the surrounding air was as silent as a tomb, without a hint of wind.
Yet, her petals were still trembling unnaturally, as if quivering from an unspeakable, instinctive craving, making her continuously convulse with excitement.
Serie summoned the "Joy Witch" panel, wanting to confirm what exactly she had become—
[Name: None]
[Codename: Joy Witch]
[Gender: Female]
[Stage: Germination]
[Species: euphoria rose | Joy Witch]
[Attributes: Strength F | Endurance F | Charm C | Agility F | Spirit F]
[Evaluation: A bewitching flower seedling born from filth and despair, dangerous and charming. Any minor harm—too much sunlight, insufficient rainwater, or even an accidental touch—could cause her to wither completely. Only with careful nurturing can she bloom.]
[Ability: "Aphrodisiac Pollen": Your existence is temptation. The pollen and its rich fragrance you release carry a special radiation field, which has a strong psychoactive effect on mammals, especially humans.
Even if exposed individuals do not inhale the pollen, prolonged exposure to the radiation will cause hallucinations and rapidly induce extreme euphoria, heightened sensory perception, strong sexual urges, and a pathological craving for emotional connection.]
[Background: You were born in a severely biohazardous Abnormal Contamination Zone and immediately ceased growing due to the scarce living conditions.
Your species is the most tenacious curse of this corrupted land; even after countless extermination campaigns, it persists like a maggot in bone.
But only just so.
Most of your kin either withered or sought metamorphosis into more easily survivable life forms, and you are the only remaining flower seedling.
Your roots are embedded in her hottest remains.
Your bud was nurtured by her most heartbroken tears.
Their love nourished you, but you are never satisfied...
You need more... craving transformation...
Even more craving to be filled with more intense, more twisted desires...
To fill your bottomless hunger...]
At the same time, a quest appeared—
[Main Quest: Rose Bloom]
[Objective: Prevent this euphoria rose from withering and dying, and truly let her bloom into a Joy Witch]
[Reward: Ability Point +1 (Joy Witch exclusive)]
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I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"