Everyone has their own ambitions, and so do monsters

Unbelievable, suspicious, and astonished gazes made Xiaoxin deeply uncomfortable. While he hadn’t felt it inside the card shop, the moment they stepped into the mall, this sensation intensified dramatically.

After all, the reality was stark. His cousin, with her fair skin and beautiful features, wore a pristine white shirt paired with a black mini-dress adorned with white lines, elegantly showcasing her graceful figure; she was a true beauty.

Beside her, he resembled a down-and-out loser, perhaps even worse than a hooligan. His hair was disheveled, stubble peppered his chin, and his eyelids drooped. Gaunt, he wore a rumpled black shirt emblazoned with the incomprehensible logo: ‘Let’s do it!’.

The two walked one behind the other, creating the impression of a pure and lovely rich young lady accompanied by an escaped convict attempting a kidnapping and extortion.

‘But it hardly matters; I rarely come here anyway.’

Inexpensive clothes could easily be purchased online, negating the need for a direct shopping trip to the mall. The reason for bringing his cousin here was solely for the promotion.

‘Spend five thousand, get a lucky draw’—a common sales incentive. Even the least valuable prize was a box of yogurt worth about a hundred yuan. Yet, such a lure often compelled many to grit their teeth and raise their spending to that level, all for a small benefit.

Given their willingness to support his cousin’s education at an expensive private school far away, her parents’ financial backing was surely substantial. Spending ten thousand on apparel, he presumed, would not be refused.

“Oh, excuse me,” his cousin apologized, having accidentally bumped into someone behind her while comparing clothes.

Yet, that ‘person’ remained utterly still, unresponsive, their expression fixed in a smile that was rather eerie.

“Oh!”

“Ah, this is the latest high-fidelity mannequin. It’s completely unlike those plastic shells you see in town, isn’t it?”

“You startled me! It’s just like a living person.”

“Indeed. The likenesses of certain celebrities were deliberately chosen to highlight the beauty of the clothing. Sometimes, even less flattering garments can appear exquisite when draped upon such a beautiful model.”

“Hey, you’re right.” His cousin looked around, nodding in agreement.

The models displayed in the store often referenced famous real-life figures: singers, idols, lead actors, or renowned heroes. The entire building felt less like a clothing department and more akin to a celebrity runway show.

“Oh, there’s Magical Girl Xiaoxin!” his cousin exclaimed, pointing to a model in the store.

With her petite figure, the attire, though girlish, leaned heavily into cuteness. A pink and white palette adorned with a checkered pattern lent her an air of innocent romance.

However, this particular outfit was marketed as a couple’s ensemble, and the towering male model beside her, seemingly designed to convey a sense of protection, created an unsettling juxtaposition that Xiaoxin found deeply uncomfortable.

Bringing his cousin to the store, Xiaoxin naturally harbored his own agenda. He had previously spotted a discounted coat in the store. Despite its good quality, its dated grey-green monochrome design meant it was offered at a remarkably low price of 400 yuan! His plan was simply to coax his cousin into settling for a total spend between four hundred and five thousand, then persuade her to contribute to one for him, just barely reaching the five-thousand mark.

With this objective in mind, he began helping his cousin select clothes, mentally tabulating the costs. Being a reputable clothing store, there were no bizarre garments, and the color pairings weren’t overly jarring; most combinations yielded a pleasant aesthetic.

“Cousin, which of these two do you find more appealing?”

“Oh, let me have a look.” Xiaoxin smiled, stepping forward to observe, feigning scrutiny of the garments’ quality while stealthily glancing at their prices.

“I believe this one suits you well.”

“Truly? Then I shall select the outfit Xiaoxin-ge has chosen!”

Witnessing his cousin’s naïve smile, Xiaoxin felt a pang of guilt, a slight regret for the clothes he had unfairly overlooked. Yet, he swiftly proceeded to the next phase of his plan.

“Ah, wait a moment. There’s another piece here that would suit you wonderfully.”

Having confirmed the price, Xiaoxin quickly jogged a couple of steps to retrieve a more adorably styled outerwear piece, presenting it to his cousin. Paired with an internal beige, bunny-eared hoodie, it was not only comfortable but also possessed a charming, contrasting cuteness, perfectly aligning with his internal price calculations.

“Oh, so my cousin prefers girls with a cute aesthetic.”

“Haha, don’t be ridiculous. I simply thought a cute style would truly complement you, and that you would enjoy it, which is why I picked this one,” Xiaoxin said, a little self-consciously. There were other options, of course, but choosing clothes for his cousin couldn’t be done arbitrarily. While this pairing might have been more a product of financial calculation, it was still a meticulously calculated scheme on his part.

“Hey, move aside!” A woman who had materialized behind him without warning suddenly shoved him.

The force was considerable, and he nearly stumbled. Fortunately, he regained his footing; otherwise, if the garments were soiled on the floor, he would surely be made to pay for them.

It was an octet of exorbitantly flashy—no, rather, fashionably audacious—women. Among them were several brawny individuals, and even someone carrying a camera at the back, seemingly an influencer planning a video. The woman at the forefront strode with her head held high, clad in a fur coat, tall and statuesque, with heavily applied, dramatic makeup. Her hands were tucked into her pockets, and she was donning sunglasses even in the late evening. The people behind her, many with unconventional piercings and metallic adornments, wore dark hues like red and black, their outfits boasting striking tension and clearly not inexpensive. An emblem seemed to be on their collars.

“What feral male beast is this! What business do you have here, hm!?”

‘Buying clothes, what else could I possibly be doing? And what concern is it of yours?’

Cursing inwardly, Xiaoxin realized this group was not to be trifled with. He could only swallow his indignation, intending to attempt a proper explanation.

“Oh, I apologize,” his cousin interjected, helping Xiaoxin out of the predicament. “This is my cousin; he brought me here to shop for clothes.”

“Hoo-hoo, a cousin, then. I should have known. With that deadbeat otaku demeanor, how could he possibly be accompanied by a girlfriend?”

“Heh, I actually suspect he’s one of those cross-dressing eccentrics.”

“Ugh, I dread to imagine what he’d look like in women’s clothing—it must be utterly revolting~”

“Taking a girl out and not even bothering to manage his own appearance; it’s no wonder men nowadays are becoming increasingly worthless.”

Xiaoxin had grown accustomed to such malevolent remarks. He forced a conciliatory smile, uttering submissive apologies, intending to usher his cousin away, but was shoved aside with an elbow.

“Ahem, everyone, exercise some restraint!” At the leader’s command, the rest immediately fell silent. Her stern, haughty expression then shifted like a Peking opera mask, transforming into the warm, empathetic face of an older sister as she offered a business card. “Allow me to introduce myself: I am Dong Sheng Lan, president of the Heavenly Flower Society. You may call me Sister Lan.”

“Sister Lan… it’s a pleasure to meet you.” His cousin reluctantly accepted the business card and offered a vague greeting.

“Ah, hello. I apologize for intruding upon you in such a fashion. The Heavenly Flower Society is an organization dedicated to serving all women in Sea City. If my intuition serves me, you must be a high school student, recently arrived from out of town. You are surely harboring aspirations as you come to this city, but perhaps you’ve heard that the gender employment ratio within Sea City is strikingly unbalanced. The male to female employment ratio in corporate companies stands at 83% to 17%, and among these working adults, the average monthly income for men surpasses that of women by over 14,000…”

‘My monthly income is only 3,000!’

She seemed to have missed the crucial point, but both Xiaoxin and his cousin could somewhat grasp the underlying message of her words.

“I apologize, but I have no interest in this…”

“Haha, my dear, there’s no need for apprehension. We are not an anti-establishment organization like the Raven Group, but rather a mutual aid society, designed to help the women of Sea City support one another and pursue their ideals and lives free from harm.”

“Ha, hah…”

“I perceive an infinitely radiant future awaiting you. Such flawless beauty and physique require truly discerning eyes to sculpt and adorn, only then can they blossom into dazzling brilliance.”

An aura of a pyramid scheme, deeply unsettling, permeated the air. With two claps of the woman’s hands, a prosthetic eye transmitted a signal to her attendant behind her. Following a crisp “Yes, Mum,” the attendant’s mechanical prosthetic eye, after less than two seconds of scanning and comparative analysis, darted away in an instant. In under twenty seconds, they returned with a set of clothes.

It was an incredibly chic silver-white coat, devoid of superfluous color embellishments. A scattering of silver components adorned it, and with its pristine white fur collar, it exuded an undeniable aura of a snow queen, elegant and dignified.

While her character might be wanting, her discerning eye for fashion was undeniable. Compared to Xiaoxin’s choice, which merely felt acceptable, this was utterly incomparable. But the price… 12,400. Utterly exorbitant.

“Don’t obstruct us! What sort of trash did this good-for-nothing man choose? Hand it over!”

“Ah…” Utterly disregarding Xiaoxin’s feelings, the garments in his grasp were forcibly wrested away. Facing a muscular, augmented woman who appeared to have undergone numerous physical enhancement injections, Xiaoxin naturally found himself powerless to resist.

“Pfft… Hey, sisters, look at what this man chose! Come take a look~”

“So utterly childish~ This cousin is quite useless, doesn’t he have any taste? The entire ensemble looks like **-style clothing; could he possibly be a pervert?”

“Sister Lan’s discerning eye is worlds apart from his. This clearly looks like the choice of a single, pathetic otaku who can only fantasize about romance.”