The Idol’s Escape and the Mastermind’s Offer

Run, run!

Xiu Lan frantically twisted the doorknob, the sound of footsteps drawing ever closer behind her, like the Grim Reaper clutching a scythe, each step reverberating in her very soul.

‘What kind of door is this? Why won’t it open?’

Resisting the urge to burst through the door with her shadow abilities, Xiu Lan angrily slammed her hand against the wall, only to inhale a cloud of dust that billowed into her nostrils.

“Cough, cough, cough.”

‘This is awful, sniffle…’

“Why aren’t you running anymore, little ~Xiu~ Lan~?”

The ghostly whisper echoed in the gray-haired girl’s ear, causing Xiu Lan to stiffly turn her head. Mu Yan’s face was mere inches away, a faint, sweet fragrance wafting from her neck. Several strands of her lustrous hair were playfully twirled around Mu Yan’s fingers.

“I… I… I…”

“Stop with the ‘I, I, I’s. To ensure the safety of my future employees, I specifically had the original main gate dismantled, the outer walls expanded and heavily reinforced, and… hey, why are you so light?”

Scooping Xiu Lan up, Mu Yan settled back onto the sofa with her in her arms. Xiu Lan’s surprisingly light weight made Mu Yan feel as if she were cradling a pillow rather than a person.

“And what?”

After several failed attempts to wriggle free from the embrace, Xiu Lan looked up and asked. At this close proximity, she realized Mu Yan wasn’t as old as she had imagined; at most, she was only a few years her senior… probably.

“That door is made from military-grade specialized alloy, the kind used to block Black Blood creatures. I also had someone install the Morningstar security system. Meaning… as long as I don’t allow it…”

As she finished speaking, she raised both hands, mimicking a big bad wolf’s menacing growl.

“You’ll never leave.”

****

‘Seriously, she thinks I’m a child.’

Seizing the opportunity to slip from Mu Yan’s embrace, Xiu Lan retreated to a corner of the sofa, declaring indignantly:

“Let me out right now, or I’ll report you to the regulatory bureau for illegal detention, and you’ll face severe consequences.”

“Oh, is little Xiu Lan really so unwilling to be an idol? I recall girls your age used to yearn for a life under the spotlight.”

“Hmph, then I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. I’m not some vulgar, ignorant, and easily manipulated young girl; I’m a true—manly man.”

“…You, a manly man? More like a Femboy (TL Note: A slang term referring to a male character who is feminine in appearance or mannerisms, used here playfully by Mu Yan to tease Xiu Lan, who is female but claims to be a ‘manly man’).”

A thought striking her, Mu Yan raised an index finger and stated with an unnervingly straight face:

“However, these days, pretty femboys like you seem to attract more attention than regular women. Hmm… perhaps we should try this niche path? What if it becomes a hit?”

“Go to hell!”

The gray-haired girl, utterly exasperated, flung a cushion at her:

“I am not a femboy! Even if I die here, even if I jump from this very spot, I would never become some damn idol!”

Mu Yan caught the cushion, leaned back against it, and lay down, stating languidly:

“It seems you hold quite a prejudice against this industry, don’t you? That’s not a very good start for your upcoming work.”

“Don’t try to mislead me. I don’t have an issue with the industry; I have an issue with *becoming* an [Idol]. Let me go immediately! I’m not doing this job; I quit!”

“…What does little Xiu Lan think an [Idol] is?”

Without waiting for the gray-haired girl to respond, Mu Yan continued, seemingly to herself:

“Those who perform on stage are [Idols]. Artists and writers who are revered are [Idols]. Kings who rule nations are [Idols]. And… how are even the revered [Deities] from ancient myths not, in their own way, [Idols]?”

“Huh? What nonsense are you spouting? What does any of this have to do with me?”

“Are you certain it has nothing to do with you? Or perhaps, to put it another way, Miss [Vanguard] would surely understand the underlying connections, wouldn’t she? After all, she is the Association’s [Hero].”

Upon the sudden mention of that familiar name, a cold sweat instantly broke out on Xiu Lan. She instinctively shied away, her gaze reluctantly meeting Mu Yan’s eyes, which were brimming with mischief and amusement.

‘She’s suspecting me!!?’

“You… you couldn’t possibly think I’m [Vanguard], could you?”

Xiu Lan stammered, frantically trying to distance herself from any connection:

“Am I really that similar to that silver-haired person? I certainly don’t have… *that much*.”

“While I would dearly wish you were her… regrettably, aside from your looks, you two are entirely dissimilar.”

After a prolonged gaze, Mu Yan reached a conclusion. She had met [Vanguard] before, and the seasoned composure forged by countless trials was utterly beyond what this fidgety, impetuous young woman could possess.

‘But what if it’s an act?’

Pfft, the thought made Mu Yan burst into laughter. If that hero had specifically come all this way just to put on this act, wouldn’t it be utterly ungracious of her not to play along?

Still, even if she wasn’t [Vanguard], Xiu Lan must have a close relationship with that silver-haired girl. With faces seemingly carved from the same mold, no one would believe there was no connection whatsoever.

Upon hearing Mu Yan’s denial, Xiu Lan let out a long sigh of relief, though the undisguised joy on her face did not escape Mu Yan’s notice.

Mu Yan sighed once more, her next words sending a fresh wave of apprehension through the girl.

“I can recognize that you aren’t [Vanguard], but that doesn’t mean others can distinguish between you two. No, it’s more accurate to say they simply won’t care if you are [Vanguard] or not.”

“You must understand, even among all hero fanatics, [Vanguard]’s fans are among the most fervent. If they were to discover that there’s a gray-haired, more timid, a rather innocent-looking, perhaps even a bit naive… Vanguard here in Dongchuan, what do you think would happen?”

‘What would happen?’

The gray-haired girl felt a chill spread through her, her body trembling uncontrollably. She remembered the [Vanguard] fans in the forums, how a single photo could ignite a day-long discussion, a torrent of vile, incessant remarks.

If they were to find out there’s someone in Dongchuan who looks exactly like [Vanguard]… the repercussions would be utterly unthinkable.

The mere contemplation of such a scene sent shivers down her spine.

“You… you’re threatening me.”

Xiu Lan’s fierce demeanor was merely a façade concealing her inner trepidation.

“No, no, no, I’m merely reminding you to protect your personal safety when you’re out and about. Pretty femboys like you are easily targeted by creepy older men.”

“I told you I’m not a femboy! Never mind, I’m going home. Open the door right now.”

“Oh?”

Mu Yan looked at Xiu Lan in confusion, which only elicited a derisive scoff from the gray-haired girl:

“Heh heh, my academic background may be modest, but that doesn’t mean my intelligence is, too. What’s the difference between being discovered while performing on stage and you exposing me?”

‘In fact, the former is even more terrifying.’

“I see, so that’s what you’re worried about.”

Understanding the reason, Mu Yan’s demeanor calmed once more. She smiled and said:

“Don’t worry, I’ll provide you with some disguises. After all, if the real [Vanguard] were to perform on stage, it would only attract a great deal of unnecessary trouble.”

With the first hurdle cleared, Xiu Lan immediately raised a second issue:

“I have absolutely no foundation, you know? Do you know what that means? It means I’d need an extensive period to meticulously relearn all the fundamental skills from scratch.”

“Furthermore, my stamina is poor; I’d likely be rife with errors and omissions during high-intensity performances.”

“Can you still accept that?”

The gray-haired girl stated confidently, convinced that no one in the idol industry would want such a talentless individual, possessing nothing but a pretty face.

“I can.”

To Xiu Lan’s disbelief, Mu Yan repeated herself:

“You only need to stand on stage and follow my instructions. Rest assured, I won’t make you engage in high-intensity activities.”

“I have social anxiety; I can’t speak if there’s more than one stranger present. Also, I’m tone-deaf, completely ignorant of music theory, and have absolutely no discernible talent to showcase.”

Xiu Lan clutched at this last, desperate straw.

“I can.”

Mu Yan stated calmly:

“As long as you’re willing to stay, none of these are problems.”

“You’re not trying to pull a fast one on me, are you, like promising two days off only to make it alternating big and small weeks (TL Note: A common work schedule in China where one week has two days off and the next week only one, alternating weekly)?”

‘If she could truly get paid just by standing on stage and doing nothing, then perhaps she could actually agree to try it. As for social anxiety? With sufficient financial incentive, even that could be overcome.’

Though her resolve had begun to waver internally, Xiu Lan’s words, however, remained stubbornly resolute:

“If I find out you’ve deceived me, I’ll leave immediately, and you’ll have to compensate me for the time I’ve lost. Oh, and all of this must be written into the contract terms…”

“Heh heh, do you still remember my recruitment criteria?”

“Pleasing features?”

“Exactly. As long as your appearance meets the standard, I can handle everything else.”

Sitting beside Xiu Lan, Mu Yan leaned in and whispered her plan into the gray-haired girl’s ear.

“Eh?!?”