"Mission activated: Cry once in public without damaging your artistic index."
"Failure penalty: Bust size increases by 20%, lasting one week."
The long-silent mission system suddenly flashed to life.
Are you the devil?!!
Luo Xiaolu’s eyes locked solely on that glaring line about the failure penalty.
Was inflating bust size by 20% something any sane person would design?!
At sixteen, Luo Xiaolu was firmly on the flatter side. Loose dresses hid it well enough in public. But at home? Slipping into a white shirt and glancing in the mirror—*she* couldn’t even handle it. No matter how pure her face looked, one downward glance felt utterly lewd.
If Luo Xiaotang’s bust grew 20%, no problem. But Luo Xiaolu? She’d become even more monstrous than Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Hashira.
You could pad a small chest. But shrink a suddenly huge one? Impossible. She’d never dare step outside.
Imagine being forced to attend an event or work function—Luo Xiaolu would literally explode on the spot!
So much for the "literary girl" image. No matter how pristine the persona, all anyone would see is a blur of white.
*SHOCKING! Renowned Literary Girl Zhou Shuren Jumps to Cup Size E Overnight!*
*SHOCKING! Novelist Zhou Shuren Suspected of Chest Swelling After Fall!*
*Rumor: Xiao Kuihua Pharmaceutical Enlists Zhou Shuren to Endorse Breast Enhancement Capsules—You Deserve It!*
...
Damn it! Failure was not an option!
Luo Xiaolu snapped out of the spiral, panicked, and hastily checked her chest. Familiar. Normal. She forced a breath, calmed down, and reread the mission:
*Cry once in public without damaging your artistic index.*
Cry?
The word struck her like ice.
As the undisputed boss for years, she’d weathered every storm. *She* made others cry—not the reverse.
Even after that brutal one-vs-ten brawl, three broken ribs and all… not a single tear fell.
And now *she* had to cry?
Technically easy: onions, chili spray, shady eye drops—tears were doable.
The real nightmare? Preserving her image.
Her persona was the aloof, flawless literary girl. How could *she* cry without shattering it?
Seriously—could you picture the emotionless King of Knights sobbing in front of a crowd?
This mission was brutal!!
The system clearly enjoyed assigning image-destroying tasks. "Refining artistic skills"? More like trying to kill her.
But knowing the system… such difficulty meant a massive reward.
Anyway—Teacher Liu Yu’s invitation was waiting. Head out first, figure it out later.
And absolutely *no* cute outfits.
With her looks, even slightly youthful dresses or school uniforms + tears = global cuteness overload.
Luo Xiaolu was already dangerously cute. One notch higher? World hazard level.
After careful thought, she chose a mature white dress with subtle classical Chinese flair—elegant, not flashy like the signing ceremony gown.
Ready. Out the door.
At Red Spider Lily Animation’s entrance, Liu Yu stood beside Luo Xiaolu.
Huacai and Xiaoqiu, part-time college students, had classes today. This audition was meant for Luo Xiaolu alone.
The studio was adapting *Reincarnated into Another World as a Demon God*. They’d specifically requested rookie voice actor Zhou Shuren (from Quartz Talent Agency) to audition for Alice, the female second lead.
Though NB Publishing’s director had sealed all leaks—no videos, no proof—the entire rookie VA scene had witnessed that auditory feast. Rumors spread.
Red Spider Lily heard them. "Rookie? Cheap. If she’s truly gifted? Worth it."
Of course, until Quartz officially confirmed it, no one knew this "Zhou Shuren" VA was *the* novelist Zhou Shuren behind *July*. Most would assume it was just a name-grab.
At the lobby, Liu Yu dialed.
"Hello, Liu Yu from Quartz Talent Agency. We’ve arrived with Ms. Zhou Shuren," she said politely.
"Ah… Ms. Liu Yu! Hello… um…" The voice on the line flustered.
?
Luo Xiaolu caught a hint of wrongness.
*Definitely* off.
Airi, the animation’s sound director, was panicking.
Originally, Alice—a cold aristocratic heroine—was offered to veteran VA Yulu, famed for such roles ("Miss Yulu" to fans). Perfect fit.
But Yulu declined due to schedule. So they invited rookie Zhou Shuren.
Then, an hour ago: Yulu’s agency called back. Another project canceled. Was Alice’s role still open?
Airi hesitated… then locked Yulu in.
A star VA meant traffic, credibility, respect for the source material.
Which meant—
Luo Xiaolu got ghosted.
No warning. Standing right at the building entrance.
A barefaced slap in the face.
After Airi explained:
"We sincerely apologize. Please… head back," she said.
Luo Xiaolu wasn’t fazed. Voice acting was just a hobby. Novels were her life. She didn’t need the cash.
But then—
"The hell is wrong with you?! If you already had someone locked in, why invite our Ms. Shuren?! Are you insane?!" Liu Yu snapped.
