"You can't do this to me! You can't do this to me!" Fren's fish-like eyes were bloodshot again as she stood up from the ground and yelled viciously.
"Aren't you afraid I'll post this on the curtain? Everyone will know your true face, you demon in human skin!"
"You're even worse than me! You caused all of this yourself. You're the mastermind, you're the one who hurt that girl! You're a bigger... bastard than I am!"
The fish-woman's screams were weak and lacked any real force against Xu Xiaoyou. The latter simply watched her vent her rage with indifference, waiting until Fren's body began to wobble as if she might collapse at a gentle push.
Xu Xiaoyou sighed softly. "Miss Fren, do you really think your words have any credibility now?"
"Forget the fact that you have no evidence against me. Even if you really did secretly record our conversation today, who would care at a time like this? Who would even listen?"
"Just like my Little Blue Bird, when she was at the center of public opinion, her words were simply drowned out by the accusations. People are just looking for a simple way to vent their own malice."
Fren opened her mouth as if to speak but only made a choking sound. Her long hair, slick with mucus, hung damply over her face, obscuring her expression.
"Miss Fren, so what is your final choice?"
Xu Xiaoyou's question sounded like an ultimatum. Fren had a premonition that if her next sentence failed to satisfy the other woman, Xu Xiaoyou would turn and walk away, leaving her to rot in the abyss with no hope of redemption.
On the city streets and in every alleyway, people were still venting the purest evil toward her through the curtain. Fren's body was itching uncontrollably as sharp scales sprouted, and mucus seeped from every pore.
Under the curse, her physical characteristics were shifting more and more toward the form of a 'primordial fish-man,' but her feverish mind was gradually calming down.
If the other person really just wanted to use her, there would have been no need to meet at this pier. If she were truly as wicked as she claimed, just wanting to enjoy the sight of her in such a pathetic state, there would have been no reason to tolerate her anger at this moment.
"I understand. I will post an apology video," Fren said, her expression despondent.
Xu Xiaoyou smiled. "Congratulations on making the right choice, Miss Fren."
November 22, New Era Calendar 532.
The weather was overcast with light snow.
"So, as long as we keep moving forward, the road will continue to extend."
The sound of a wall-mounted television echoed in the living room. A winter living room was always warm and cozy. On the wooden porch outside the villa's window sat a half-person-tall snowman. Its round body had tree-branch arms and a carrot nose, looking quite adorable.
It seemed like it could stay that adorable forever, until it met the gaze of a whistling blonde girl.
Xu Xiaoyou: "..."
Dammit, who intentionally made the snowman so cute? It was as sinful as a glass sitting on the edge of a table tempting a cat to push it. It was really hard not to want to kick it.
Xu Xiaoyou pretended to be nonchalant as she pushed open the window and 'accidentally' knocked over the snowman with a thud.
The snowman's round upper body collapsed, and its branch arms and carrot nose twisted together. From the snow pile scattered across the floor, two shiny black glass beads seemed to cast a resentful gaze.
Before entering the house, Xu Xiaoyou stomped her boots on the porch and patted the snow off her fleece-lined, well-crafted, custom-made, and expensive luxury down jacket.
"I'm telling you, I spent a long time building that snowman. Don't do something bad and then act like it has nothing to do with you, thank you."
The blue-haired girl on the sofa glanced at her, her brow furrowing slightly as she spoke.
"Is this not my dearest Little Blue Bird?"
Xu Xiaoyou enthusiastically stepped forward and gave Tang Xin a big hug from behind the sofa, then grinned and massaged the other girl's shoulders.
"How does it feel to be a big star? Was today's concert a success? Was everyone shouting your name?"
She rocked the girl's shoulders back and forth. Xu Xiaoyou looked like a little miser hugging her money tree, wishing she could press her entire face against Tang Xin.
Tang Xin said, "It was alright. Generally speaking, it went smoothly. As for the harsh voices, I'm used to them. I just act like I don't hear them."
Noticing that the girl's mood wasn't great, Xu Xiaoyou's erratic movements gradually stopped.
Since the public opinion storm, Tang Xin had become much quieter. Whether in public or at home, she could often be seen sitting quietly in a corner, lost in thought.
"Have you eaten? There are still some ingredients in the fridge. Auntie Wang isn't here, so I'll cook if you want to eat," Tang Xin asked, looking up.
At that moment, their eyes met, amber and deep blue pupils reflecting each other's faces.
"Sure, I've been busy all morning and haven't eaten a thing yet."
Watching Tang Xin reach for her slippers under the sofa and head toward the kitchen, the smile in Xu Xiaoyou's eyes settled into a calm state.
Over the past half-month, Dream-Chaser Media had entered the public eye, and its name had gradually become famous. Although it was mainly due to Tang Xin's efforts and the 'Dream-Chaser' IP itself didn't have much actual value, it still attracted many investors. Those from high society were incredibly generous, and the word 'risk' didn't seem to exist in their vocabulary.
She was very rich now. She wasn't sure exactly how much inspiration she had in her personal account, but it was enough to easily buy this rented villa in full. There were at least three limited-edition luxury sports cars parked in the garage, and she could wear a different luxury watch every day.
The wine cabinet was filled with a dazzling array of wines—vintages from decades or even a century ago, most of which were brewed in the Bordeaux manors of Chichutian.
Even her mental state had risen to another level. This fanatical worshiper of money had actually begun to harbor the terrifying thought that 'money is merely an external object' and that 'social relationships are more important.'
What a joke! Xu Xiaoyou felt a pang of guilt. Only money could give her a sense of security, and only money could provide her with spiritual fulfillment and happiness. After her daily ten-pull, while waiting for the card animation, Xu Xiaoyou glanced at the skill cards in her slots, which were abundant enough to form countless counter-strategies.
【Wrath of Thunder】, 【Attack Deflection】, 【Shield Replenish】, 【Duel Dance】—this was a close-quarters combat deck, all consisting of limited grade (purple) skill cards.
【Dense Fire Net】, 【Headshot】, 【Suppressive Fire】, 【It's High Noon】—this was a long-range firearm deck, mostly consisting of refined grade (blue) skill cards.
【Death's Boundary】 and 【Vulcan's Path】—these were two trump cards and her greatest hole cards, art grade (gold) skill cards.
【Skill Card: Death's Boundary】
【Quality: art (gold)】
【Effect: When activated, pair with mimicry 'hundred-faced die' to roll. When the roll is greater than 50, ignore priority and trigger forcefully, launching an 'absolute hit' attack based on the roll value. When the roll is less than 50, the card's durability is permanently reduced by 1, and the user is granted the 'Death's Boundary' status. Remaining durability: 3】
【Absolute Hit: Ignores space, time, causality, and all defensive measures. Death's Boundary: All attributes decreased by 90% for 1s.】
Looking at the card's effect alone, it wasn't that great. At first glance, the negative effects seemed far greater than the benefits, but that wasn't actually the case.
When 【Death's Boundary】 was paired with her Mind's Eye talent and other powerful skill cards, the potential of 'absolute hit' was incredibly high. The resulting effect was far more than just a simple addition.
Imagine if she encountered a troublesome enemy at her current stage and was pushed into a corner. She could simply roll on the spot. If she succeeded, she could throw a 100% accurate 【Vulcan's Path】 in the opponent's face. The scene would be too beautiful to imagine.
At the very least, the two art grade skill cards she currently held were enough to catch a powerful enemy off guard and turn the tide of battle in an instant. She began to look forward to pulling more art grade skill cards.
As for the other magic and utility skill cards, there were simply too many to introduce one by one. Xu Xiaoyou herself hadn't fully grasped the effects of all those cards, and some were practically gathering dust in her slots.
Just as Xu Xiaoyou was lost in her own world, a flash of golden light caught her attention.
【Costume Card: Star of the Stage — Blue Iris Silhouette, Summer Swimsuit Limited Edition obtained.】
Rate on N.U.
