Transmigration: The Straight-Man Prince Was Driven Crazy by My Overachieving - Chapter 5

The illusory, ethereal, crosshair-like image vanished quickly with the system’s beep. Shen Shangling was instantly locking eyes with this earth bee.

“Buzz~”

The bee flew toward him, its buzzing filled with a joyful, excited emotion, and it plunged into Shen Shangling’s arms like a baby bird returning to its nest.

Shen Shangling: “…” Ah, ah, ah, it scared him to death! He’d rather die than let it get near him.

If one were to ask what Shen Shangling feared most, bees and wasps were certainly at the top of the list. He had been stung when he was a child, and the pain was something he still remembered. Furthermore, he had a mild case of trypophobia; the image of tiny, stinging creatures crawling in dense swarms over a beehive… just thinking about it didn’t just make his skin crawl, it made him feel suffocated, weak in the legs, nauseous, and dizzy.

“Slap.”

The moment the bee reached him, Shen Shangling, almost by reflex, closed his eyes and swiped at it with a slap. The sensation of his palm making contact with the bee was so stimulating that he almost fainted on the spot, his body swaying uncontrollably.

“Beep. Co-congratulations, Host,” the system’s voice sounded cautious and stuttering, likely sensing the erroneous match between the host’s target and the bound target, and fearing this fragile host might be driven mad. “Spirit-transformation successful, bound to o-one spirit bee.”

Shen Shangling: “…”

“Master Shen?” Seeing something was wrong with Shen Shangling, the attendant who had followed him hurried over, taking a few quick steps. “Is there something amiss?”

This Master Shen was always fickle and difficult to serve. That swipe he had just made with his hand… could it be that he found the smell around the stables unbearable?

“It’s nothing,” Shen Shangling suppressed the urge to go crazy and said calmly, “I was just looking around. You… withdraw.”

He didn’t say another word. Earlier, his agent had always lectured him: the more sudden the situation, the less he should speak; the less familiar the people, the less he should speak. They said that because his appearance belonged to the “cold beauty” category, others would think he was noble, cold, and profound if he kept quiet. But once he talked too much, they would see he was just a soft marshmallow that anyone could pinch.

The attendant hesitated in confusion but obediently stepped back a few paces. This Master Shen had always treated servants with a cold face; since the Prince doted on him, they could only serve him well, not daring to offend him.

Shen Shangling closed his eyes and took a deep breath, steadying his mind before feeling like weeping. Swapping a fine steed for a dirt-common earth bee—anyone would be incredibly disappointed, right?

The earth bee, caught off guard by the slap, wobbled and landed on the edge of the horse trough nearby. Its tiny wings trembled slightly, and its little eyes were full of bewilderment. After a moment of confusion, it was overwhelmed by a sense of extreme grievance. When this intense emotion surged into Shen Shangling’s mind, he was also a bit stunned. This feeling was too strange: it was as if these unfamiliar emotions had formed some kind of bond with him, allowing him to perceive them clearly and accurately without the need for language.

He opened his eyes, his gaze following the direction of the emotions in his mind, landing on… the earth bee by the horse trough.

“Beep! Congratulations, Host!” The system’s milky voice suddenly became jubilant again. “This spirit-transformation reached SSS-level, the highest grade, ooh~”

“What does the highest grade mean?” Shen Shangling, who had been feeling a bit desperate, perked up slightly.

“It’s hard to determine,” the system said cautiously. “There is no past record.”

Fortunately, before Shen Shangling could explode, the system offered an explanation. Roughly speaking, the higher the grade, the more and stronger the derivative abilities and biological products would be. But what exactly they were, the system couldn’t be sure. The system did give him a warning, however: he must communicate more with the bound target to promote the discovery of these derivative abilities.

“Communicate more?” Shen Shangling felt he was going to die. He suppressed his fear of bees and took a close look at this one: he didn’t know what variety it was, but it wasn’t small, and… it was quite fat.

“Buzz~”

Perhaps sensing Shen Shangling’s attention, the earth bee became excited again and took flight.

“Don’t come over here!” Shen Shangling was startled. As he stepped back, he couldn’t help but blurt out in a soft cry, his eyes filled with rejection.

Immediately, an overwhelming wave of grievance washed over him. Although the earth bee couldn’t speak, it broke out into a tantrum even more irrational than a spoiled child’s. In front of Shen Shangling, it looked like it had been electrocuted, darting up and down, left and right, in a frenzied flight. It looked as if it were accusing its mother of not recognizing her own child.

Shen Shangling: “…”

Just as Shen Shangling was struggling in total confusion, he suddenly felt himself getting hotter. His palms felt scalding, and his breath turned searingly hot.

Was he running a fever?

Fortunately, the system offered an explanation: after a successful spirit-transformation, the host began to receive a baseline “Spirit-Transformation” empowerment. In short, the host would possess an automated spirit-transformation ability that didn’t need to be activated. As for what exactly this ability was, he would naturally perceive it once the heat subsided and the empowerment ended.

Shen Shangling couldn’t spare the time to ask more. The heat wave surging through his body was so fierce that his legs felt weak and he was in incredible discomfort. He desperately needed to return to his bedroom to lie down.

“You, you, you…”

Before leaving the stables, Shen Shangling gritted his teeth and tried to communicate with the bee. “I’m going back to my room to rest. You can play here by yourself, or… you can come with me.”

God knows how much courage it took for him to say that last half-sentence.

“Buzz~”

The earth bee’s fat little body circled in the air, conveying an excited, joyful emotion, and simultaneously indicating its intention to go back to the room with him.

Shen Shangling: “…” It really isn’t a stranger… fine, I submit to fate.

He felt so unwell from the fever that he walked back with unsteady, uneven steps, feeling dizzy and lightheaded. But he didn’t dare let the attendants help him. He was afraid they would notice he had a fever; he wasn’t really sick, and if they called a physician to treat him randomly, it would be troublesome.

He didn’t even know how he had managed to walk back. As soon as he reached his room, he collapsed headfirst onto the bed. After the earth bee snuck into the room, Shen Shangling didn’t bother to manage it at all. It just flew around the room by itself, exploring, occasionally conveying emotions of curiosity and happiness.

Shen Shangling’s vision was so blurred from the fever that he couldn’t spare the energy to pay attention to it. Not only was he uncomfortable, but he also felt increasingly hungry… the meager breakfast he had eaten seemed to have been completely digested, and his stomach was cramping with hunger.

Just as he felt he was about to faint, the heat in his body gradually receded. His body suddenly felt light, every pore seeming instantly transparent. It felt so good he almost hummed aloud.

“Huh?”

At that moment, he sniffed his nose. “It stinks… what is that foul smell?”

Could it be that little fat bug still flying around? But Shen Shangling quickly realized that the smell was coming from his own body. He scrambled up and looked down to see that his hands were covered in a thin layer of black, foul-smelling gunk that looked like black mud. He tried lifting his hand to his nose: “Ugh!”

He was genuinely shocked. Shen Shangling thought he had transformed himself into having some kind of swine-like attribute, or why else would it smell like a pigsty? He hurriedly rolled up his sleeves and saw that it wasn’t just his hands his arms were covered, and when he felt his neck and body, he realized he was covered in this layer of thin, foul-smelling mud.

Fortunately, he immediately discovered that this black mud could be scrubbed off. Shen Shangling immediately called for hot water, preparing to bathe, and explicitly instructed them to bring plenty of hot water and an extra large wooden tub.

The maids didn’t dare to be negligent, and before long, buckets of hot water were delivered. Shen Shangling couldn’t wait to soak himself in the large tub. The black, mud-like filth on his body was quickly washed away. He pinched his nose and changed to a second bucket, finally switching to fresh, fragrant water.

“Ah…”

Only then did he notice that after washing away the filth, his skin had changed completely. It was tender, white, and smooth… he probably hadn’t had skin like this since he was a teenager.

“Sys, System?” Shen Shangling was stunned, and only after a long moment did he hurriedly call for the system. No way, this—this—my baseline spirit-transformation empowerment is just making my skin better?

“Host,” the system’s milky voice sounded very excited, “it is detected that all physical functions have reached the host’s best data standards, ooh~” It added a few words of explanation.

After listening, Shen Shangling realized that not only had his skin improved, but his vision had also sharpened. He could even clearly see the delicate legs of the earth bee fluttering around the room. His hearing had improved, too; when he concentrated, he could even hear the faint crickets outside.

After pondering the system’s explanation, Shen Shangling roughly understood that the baseline empowerment adjusted his body to its optimal state. At the same time, it helped him purge the existing pathogenic influences from his body.

Shen Shangling took a deep breath. Indeed, he felt an unprecedented level of comfort and ease he hadn’t felt this great even before he transmigrated.

Emerging from the tub, Shen Shangling put on his unfamiliar inner robes and stood before the gold-inlaid bronze mirror to look at himself. He was shocked by what he saw: the bronze mirror of the Great Yin Dynasty reflected everything in minute detail. In the mirror, his entire being seemed to glow; his skin was so clear and moist there wasn’t a single fine line, as if he had applied a super-filter.

He had looked into the mirror when he first arrived. Both the Shen Shangling from before he transmigrated and the Shen Shangling here were near thirty. Although their skin had been very good, being nearly thirty was different from a teenager’s skin condition. But now…

Shen Shangling thought with silent frustration, is this cheat trying to make me kill people with my beauty?

Resigned to his fate, he even couldn’t help but smile: It’s not bad; at least if I die, I can die looking beautiful. With that smile, the beauty in the bronze mirror instantly came to life.

Especially the tiny tear mole under his eye it was even redder, like a tantalizing lure, so captivating that he couldn’t help but stare at it for a long time. No wonder his agent used to warn him not only to speak less but also not to smile casually. They said when he didn’t smile, he was an “alpine snow” cold beauty, with eyes that possessed a cold, melancholic, and detached air. But once he smiled, that was it; the words “seductive” were written all over his face. If he smiled too much, his “cold beauty” persona would easily collapse.

“Buzz~”

The earth bee flew over happily. Sensing Shen Shangling’s rejection, it landed on the corner of the table, feeling wronged, twisting its fat little body round and round. The bee’s movements brought Shen Shangling back to his senses.

The baseline empowerment was a bit useless, but his feeling of having keen eyes and ears was excellent. He had been nearsighted from playing too many games, and he had never experienced a vision as clear as washed water. Even for this alone, he couldn’t call it a loss.

Fortunately, for this “Spirit-Transformation” system, the baseline empowerment was just a freebie; the key was for him to continue developing the derivative abilities… which meant he had to keep communicating with this little fat bug.

Shen Shangling rubbed his face.

Bees… he still got goosebumps just looking at it; he truly was a bit terrified.

“Gurgle”

Just then, his stomach let out a thunderous growl. The hunger he had managed to suppress by bathing now exploded again. Shen Shangling had no choice but to call for someone again.

The long-faced maid lifted the curtain and entered upon hearing his call. Just as she was about to report, she caught sight of something and widened her almond eyes in shock:

Master Shen… why is he suddenly so… so handsome?

After he had washed away the ointment on his face, the beauty of his features had already surprised them privately again and again. But now, that bright and radiant appearance was truly even more breathtaking than the full moon on the fifteenth of the month.

Oh my, no wonder the Prince dotes on him so.