Tianhe Platinum Apartments, Building C, Room 1902.
The twilight light was blocked by cappuccino-colored curtains.
Bai Xing, who was practicing her voice exercises, pushed away the microphone stand, took off her Tascam Pro-80 monitor headphones, and stopped her training upon seeing the file forwarded by her senior.
Unbeknownst to many, in the voice acting field, many broadcasting students refer to voice training as "cultivation."
After all, controlling and modulating one’s voice is a fundamental skill in broadcasting, so voice actors occasionally greet each other with abstract phrases like "Did you cultivate this morning?"
At this moment, looking at the screen, Bai Xing saw a character design exuding an overwhelming "divine aura."
It was a strikingly lifelike, almost 3D-level, G-cup, purple-eyed, dark-night succubus.
The succubus's gaze was so tender it could melt one's heart.
Bai Xing felt.
That she was in *danger*.
……
"This…"
"This, this, this…"
She couldn't hold back and let out a soft, doll-like exclamation:
"This is way too beautiful, ahhhhhhh!!!"
Though reluctant to admit it.
At this moment, Bai Xing had transformed into a desk-bound shrimp girl, leaning close to the screen, trembling as she marveled:
"How is this even better than my Rinachan character design…"
"What kind of artist made this top-tier design…"
"No, how am I supposed to use this? Did my boss really spend money to make this for me??? How much did this cost? What kind of financial background does he have to afford such an order…"
The girl pulled out her phone and quickly found a contact named "Catwalk" in her messaging app.
She snapped a photo of the succubus's flat, non-3D image and sent it over, asking:
"Catwalk, can you take a look and tell me what level this design is? I didn’t send the 3D version since it needs to stay confidential until next week. But I trust your professionalism, so please don’t share it. I’ll retract it after you see it."
A minute and a half later.
Catwalk: "??????????"
"……"
[Rinachan retracted a message]
Catwalk: "Ahhhhhhh Rinachan, you… you… are you reborn???
Are you planning to dominate Xsoul with your new weapon??? Why! Why did you abandon me! Wuwuwu, is it because I’m too unworthy to be your artist anymore, wuwuwu…"
"…Please calm down, Catwalk."
Clearly.
This female friend with a cat paw print as her profile picture was the only top-tier artist Bai Xing had ever worked with—
*Catwalk-sensei*.
Known for her works exuding "100% energy," she was selected as the official artist for the X-soul guild. The previous Rinachan character design was also crafted by Catwalk-sensei.
The two had a good relationship, akin to "former colleagues."
Though Bai Xing had been let go, it had no direct connection to Catwalk. In fact, Catwalk had lost quite a few commissions for Rinachan designs as a result… making her the one at a loss.
So, they still exchanged pleasantries occasionally, each harboring the socialite thought of "I might need you again someday."
At this moment, Catwalk…
"Ah!!! Let me see it one more time! Rinachan, please! I want to improve! I want to learn from it…!!!"
[You received a window shake]
[Emoji (hot) Emoji (flushed) Emoji (crazy.jpg)]
"……"
Bai Xing could feel that, at this moment, Catwalk's admiration and longing were overflowing, even more intense than the Gachi fans in her livestreams.
Seeing the usually "aloof, too busy to reply to anyone" Catwalk-sensei reduced to such a desperate state…
Bai Xing fully understood just how exceptional the artist her senior had commissioned was, and the level of the character design she had created.
For a full-time artist to kneel in awe could only mean that Lubia's skills…
—*Were beyond extraordinary*.
…
…
"Catwalk, be honest with me. If you were to make something like this, how much would it cost?"
Bai Xing didn’t beat around the bush and directly asked the question she most wanted to know.
"Oh, my dear Rinachan, you… how can you ask like that? You’re putting this old cat in a tough spot."
Catwalk paused, then typed an explanation:
"What you just showed me was a flat image, just a photo. With one glance, I could tell this is a masterpiece created by a 'conceptual god' of original design.
Especially that gaze—it’s like it’s infused with a 'soul.' Absolutely stunning.
Not exaggerating, at my current level, I could only manage to replicate it at best. To capture that 'soulful' essence, I’m truly incapable. Even if you paid me $30,000, I couldn’t pull it off, sis."
"…Really?"
Now, Bai Xing was genuinely surprised.
She had expected the design to be top-tier, but not *this* top-tier.
Especially since Catwalk-sensei was known for her sky-high confidence and was the type of artist who practiced daily, combining talent with relentless effort.
Her Twitter was filled with original designs and sketches, and since she excelled in "loli-style art," her posts were flooded with praise and comments from fans, constantly urging her to update. She had even earned the title "Loli Goddess."
Yet, even such a figure, someone who could earn $20,000 per commission, was now bowing in admiration to Lubia.
To put it in perspective, the total cost of Rinachan’s commercial design was $26,000.
This was something Catwalk had disclosed herself, and in Bai Xing’s eyes, it was already at the peak of commercial pricing.
As a VTuber with over a thousand subscribers, Bai Xing had done her market research in her field.
She was well aware of the standard pricing for character designs.
So, the concept of "$20,000" was very clear to her.
If Catwalk said she couldn’t do it, it meant her senior must have spent at least double that amount on this design.
As Catwalk’s signature line said:
[There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If you pay $1, you get $1 worth of product. If you pay $10,000, you get $10,000 worth of product. Don’t haggle with me. Otherwise, you’re blocked.]
"So, my senior must have paid top dollar to get this level of L2D…"
Bai Xing began to feel anxious.
"He didn’t secretly spend $40,000 to $50,000 on me, did he…"
As soon as she said it,
She realized the possibility was quite high.
After two years of observation, Bai Xing was almost certain that Lu Qing didn’t have any friends at school who were skilled in art.
Moreover, the level of the animation students at their university was rather underwhelming—truly just undergraduate level, nowhere near the caliber of students from a proper art academy.
She knew that Tianhai City Arts Academy’s strength in the arts lay in "visual design," with the best department being "fashion design"—making clothes, not traditional painting.
Every time she passed the design building, she could see students in the first-floor fashion design classroom meticulously cutting and tailoring clothes on mannequins, completely absorbed in their work.
She had also heard that many seniors ran their own fashion design studios on TaoBao Network, earning extra income and gradually building their careers.
So, L2D design was slightly off from the school’s focus. Even the strongest dual-major students couldn’t produce work at the level of professional artists in the industry.
From this, it was clear that her senior must have placed an order online and paid a hefty sum.
"Oh no. How am I supposed to repay such a huge favor…"
Bai Xing slumped back in her chair, muttering to herself,
"If I don’t make him ten times the profit… wouldn’t that mean I’m just a failure?"
"That can’t happen."
She frowned, glancing at the screen again, her fear deepening.
Indeed.
With a design of this caliber, she wouldn’t even need to do anything. Just sitting in a chair while wearing it.
Even without saying a word…
Those DD fans would go crazy and become Gachi, wouldn’t they?
"How on earth did they create such a killer gaze…"
Certainly, what Lu Qing had sent over was a "self-demo" version of a short video.
In other words, it was the artist themselves, standing from the perspective of a "demonstrator," performing such expressions for the "client."
To put it another way, Lubia herself, wearing the suit, revealed the "service-oriented" expression hidden within this "Unit-01."
This moment was captured by Lubia's camera and vividly brought to life in the short video.
Lu Qing sending the demo video didn’t mean that when Bai Xing wore it herself, she could perfectly replicate Lubia’s motion-captured expressions.
It was like a "secret weapon" hidden within "Unit-01."
The developers had only told you, "There’s this hidden feature inside,"
but they didn’t explain the specific operational methods.
After all, L2D relies on motion capture to synchronize and achieve camera feedback. If Bai Xing couldn’t grasp the "essence" of this succubus suit, she wouldn’t be able to unleash such a "finishing move."
"Forget it… it doesn’t matter. The moment I put on this suit and hit the 'start streaming' button, I’ve already 'won.'"
Bai Xing’s expectations weren’t high.
She wasn’t aiming to unleash 100% of its potential,
only hoping not to embarrass her senior and not let the huge sum of money he spent on her go to waste.
As for the rest,
compensation and repayment…
she’d think about it once she’d earned enough money to treat her grandmother’s illness.
"Honestly…"
"You’re so bad."
With a flushed face, Bai Xing left the message from Mrs. Catwalk on read,
her mind filled with the image of her senior pretending to be aloof while secretly doing so much for her.
"Ahhh…"
Her body grew hotter the more she thought about it,
her cheeks burning.
It didn’t last more than a few minutes before
she suddenly stood up with a *snap*,
grabbing her phone, wanting to reply to her senior with something.
Right at that moment, Lu Qing sent another message: "Bai Xing, which day this week are you free?"
【Which evening are you available?】
"?!?!?!"
Upon seeing this message, the girl’s eyes widened instantly,
her heart skipping a beat.
Holding her breath, she thought:
Wait, what does my senior mean by this??
Could it be… could it be that he can’t hold back anymore and wants to ask me out!?
And at night, no less?!
Uh…
To do… *that* kind of thing??
"Eh…?! T-this fast?"
"I thought I hadn’t made any progress at all…"
Bai Xing’s heart rate began to skyrocket.
Without thinking, she replied:
【Hehe! Senior, if it’s you, any time is fine! I’ll cancel all my other plans! After all, you’ve already bought me such an expensive suit, so I’ll treat it as seriously as a date! With the resolve to give everything, I’ll accompany the only old man in my life! Hehe…!】
After typing this out,
while she still had the courage,
before she could regret it,
she closed her eyes.
With her thumb, she firmly
pressed the 【Send】 button.
*Click.*
"Mmm!!!"
Hiss…
For some reason.
It felt kind of satisfying.
……
A few seconds later.
……
Wait?
"What did I just do?"
"?? Oh no, oh no."
"I messed up."
She had made the first move.
What should she do now…
Would her senior… understand what she meant?
If, if he’s dense, should she… hint at it again?
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to save face…
Ugh…
It’s been seven seconds already, why hasn’t he replied?
Did he not see it? No, he must have seen it, right?
Is he secretly delighted?
Would he rush to ask me out immediately?
Eh…
If that’s the case, wouldn’t I surpass Su Ling and achieve the "attachment" milestone earlier?
Hehe…
"Anyway, I hope he’ll be gentle when the time comes…"
——Just as she was lost in her thoughts,
the 【Typing…】 status bar on Bai Xing’s phone noticeably paused.
Clearly.
Lu Qing was a bit stunned.
Seeing his reaction, she felt even more smug——
"Haha, I’ve definitely got him now, right? This time, this time I’ve really won! Senior, oh senior, your strength is truly nothing to boast about. Hehe… When I see you completely under my control, unable to leave me, I’ll definitely take a picture of your expression! Frame it on the wall and review it every day! Mwahahahahaha…!"
Hahahahaha…
Hahaha…
【You’ve received a message】
Haha.
【Rent-a-Senior: What are you even saying? Calm down. What I meant was, since your debut stream is next week, I wanted to take you to meet the original artist before Friday so you and Lubia can get to know each other and exchange contacts for future communication. Understand?】
Ha.
Ha…
……
"Huh??!!!"
The girl, who had been prematurely celebrating, froze in place,
her joyful expression completely stiffening on her face——
Her lips trembling as she muttered:
"I…"
"…have to meet Lubia??"
……
……
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
