Chapter 10:

Anran stood inside the changing room, staring at his reflection in the mirror. The face that looked back was Raiden Shogun's, dressed in black baggy pants, a crisp white short-sleeved shirt, and a denim jacket layered neatly over the top.

He didn't know much about fashion, but even he had to admit—the outfit suited him. With a small grin, he tried a few casual poses, snapping a handful of pictures with his phone. The decision came quickly after that. He purchased the outfit, along with a few others that caught his eye, and swapped out his old clothes on the spot.

Outside the store, he checked his bank balance. The numbers glowed reassuringly across the screen. Ever since his live streams had blown up, the flood of gifts from viewers left him with more money than he knew what to do with.

Maybe I should just rent a place outside… he thought. It would give him privacy to stream without worrying about friends stumbling in, and more importantly, it would let him transform freely whenever he liked.

His eyes flicked to the system panel hovering in his vision. Artoria Pendragon's name was still displayed there. A pang of guilt struck him. The replacement card he had used on her couldn't be undone—should he really keep her locked away, only responding like a program?

He remembered the novels he had read, the ones where summoned beings or clones gradually developed free will, evolving beyond their coded limits. If Artoria ever reached that point, she wouldn't just be a projection; she'd be real.

But that's all speculation, he sighed. One thing at a time.

For now, there were more practical matters to consider—like the contract with Bilibili. Anran pulled out his phone and dialed the number.

"Hello, I'd like to discuss the contract," he said.

A cheerful voice responded almost immediately. "Ah, Miss Suyi! Would you like to meet in person to go over the details?"

"Yes, if possible. Could it be today?"

"Of course! That would be perfect." The woman on the other end sounded almost giddy; the faster the contract was signed, the faster she secured her bonus.

"I see," Anran replied evenly.

"Then let's meet here—####### Café—in one hour," she said briskly.

"Alright. See you then." He ended the call.

That café… wasn't it the same one he had visited before? A convenient coincidence. The place wasn't far, so there was no rush. With nearly 1 hour to spare, he decided to wander around the streets first, letting the buzz of the city occupy his mind before heading to the meeting.

If Anran remembered correctly, the system had given him a few random skills before whenever he completed certain tasks. He had almost forgotten about that feature entirely.

With a thought, he pulled up the system panel and tapped on the option labeled [Random Advanced Beginner Skill].

The neat interface instantly transformed into something unexpected: a slot machine.

“...Seriously?” Anran muttered, speechless at the sudden change. The bright reels spun in front of him, the lever glowing with an inviting light. After shaking his head, he grabbed it and gave it a pull.

The reels spun rapidly, cycling through all kinds of bizarre skills: [Horsing Around], [Umbrella Appreciation], [Melon Peeling Mastery]—he couldn’t even begin to imagine what half of them did.

Please let it be something useful, he thought. Ideally, he wanted something that could affect his surroundings, like a skill to cool himself down. Just imagining walking under the summer sun and casually turning on personal air conditioning made him hopeful.

The reels slowed, one by one, before finally stopping.

[Congratulations, Host! You have acquired 'Good at Talking'!]

“…Huh?”

The system cheerfully explained.

[It’s a skill that allows Host to sway people’s hearts with words! For example, if Host cheats on someone, you can gaslight them into believing they were the one who cheated first!]

Anran twitched. “Isn’t that just a scumbag skill?!”

[If Host doesn’t want to use it that way, you can also use it to toy with men’s hearts!]

“Stop spouting nonsense! I’d never do something like that.”

Still, when he looked at the skill description, he had to admit it was actually quite powerful. The system’s presentation just made it sound sleazy. It reminded him of a certain blonde-haired guy he knew though, honestly, that idiot wasn’t the type to manipulate anyone. If anything, Jin Hao was the one constantly being played by the opposite sex.

Shaking his head, Anran opened the shop tab.

[Shop – Time until reset: 7:20:11]

[Points: 1700]

Honey Juice x3 – 3 points

The NOexistenceN of You AND Me (game) x1 – 5000 points

Raiden Mei Hairpin x1 – 5 points

Character Replacement x1 – 1500 points

Identity Card x1 – 100 points

Anran blinked. “System… what kind of game costs 5000 points? That’s insane I could buy 1 character cards and 1 character replacement for that.”

[What 5000 points, Host?]

“What?”

He glanced back at the shop panel.

[Shop – Time until reset: 7:20:11]

[Points: 1700]

Honey Juice x3 – 3 points

The NOexistenceN of You AND Me (game) x1 – 50 points

Raiden Mei Hairpin x1 – 5 points

Character Replacement x1 – 1500 points

Identity Card x1 – 100 points

“…Wasn’t it 5000 just a second ago? Am I hallucinating?” He rubbed his eyes.

And then he spotted the hairpin. “…System, why is there a Raiden Mei hairpin in your shop? Your inventory is way too random.”

[Thank you for the compliment, Host!]

“That wasn’t a compliment…” he sighed.

His gaze settled on the last item, Identity Card.

“…System, is this what I think it is?”

[Correct. Host can use this card to assume a new identity without arousing suspicion.]

Anran’s eyes widened. “That’s… ridiculously broken. Not that I’m complaining.” And it was cheap, too.

“System, I’ll buy the Identity Card.”

[Identity Card x1 for 100 points. Confirm?]

“Confirm.”

[Item has been purchased.]

A blank white card materialized in his hand. Anran frowned. “System, why is it empty?”

[Host must assign a name to the card before it becomes a true Identity Card.]

“Hm. What name should I use… Meiling, maybe? But what about the family name…” He glanced at the card. “System, you decide.”

[Understood.]

A moment later, the card shimmered. The blank surface now displayed a new identity, An Meiling.

Anran’s eye twitched. “Really, System? You just used my surname?”

[Yes. That way Host’s second identity remains tied to your family.]

He stared at the card for a long moment, then sighed, shoulders slumping. “…At least it sounds somewhat believable.”

Just as Anran was about to leave the shop interface, a thought struck him.

“...Hey, System. Aren’t you forgetting something?” he asked with a sly smile, narrowing his eyes at the floating panel.

[System does not understand what Host is referring to.]

“Don’t play dumb.” He grabbed the edge of the translucent screen as if trying to shake it. “My points. You said I’d earn them through popularity. I did. So where the hell are they?”

There was a pause. Then, reluctantly, the panel updated.

[...]

[Host has gained 3000 points.]

Anran squinted suspiciously. “Only 3000? You sure you’re not holding out on me?”

[Yes, Host. That is the reward for the number of views you received in the last livestream.]

“I see… Wait. Then what about my first livestream?”

[Host has gained 400 points.]

“Unbelievable.” He rolled his eyes. “So you were trying to pocket some of it.”

The panel flickered again, showing his balance.

[Points: 4900]

A grin tugged at his lips. “So this is what rich people feel like, huh? Wonderful.”

Well, since he had so much to spend, why not treat himself? He reopened the store. His eyes landed on a familiar item, Honey Juice. He’d heard some singing ballin' horse girl rave about it before, so naturally, curiosity got the better of him.

Just as he was about to buy it, another item caught his eye.

“The NOexistenceN of You AND Me… wait, wasn’t this game 5000 points last time? Then it dropped to 50. And now… 20?”

He blinked, then chuckled. “So I wasn’t hallucinating. This thing really is bugged. Tsk, tsk, System. Didn’t know you came with glitches.”

Still, he gave a solemn nod, as if making a magnanimous decision. “Guess I’ll support you, little bugged System. Consider this charity.”

[....]

[Honey Juice x3 and The NOexistenceN of You AND Me (game) for 23 points. Confirm?]

“Confirm.”

[Item has been purchased.]

Three glass bottles of golden liquid appeared in his hand, their caps still cool to the touch. But one thing was missing.

“System. Where’s the game?”

[The NOexistenceN of You AND Me has been installed on Host’s laptop.]

“Hm. Fair enough.” He slipped two bottles into his inventory and cracked the seal on the third.

The moment he took a sip, his eyes widened slightly. Sweet, refreshing, and silky smooth it tasted leagues better than the honey drinks sold in stores.

“...Not bad,” he admitted, savoring the flavor.

After finishing his drink, Anran glanced at his phone. Nearly an hour had passed—it was time to head to the café.

The familiar shop came into view, warm lights spilling through its glass windows. Stepping inside, he scanned the tables for the contact he was supposed to meet. His phone rang before he could spot her.

“Miss Suyi? Over here,” a woman’s voice said.

Looking up, Anran saw a woman in her late twenties waving him over. She wore a tailored blazer, her long hair tied neatly, the polished air of a corporate representative clinging to her every movement.

Anran ended the call, nodded, and walked over.

“Hello, Miss Suyi. It’s a pleasure to meet you in person. My name is Shen Zhenya, from Bilibili’s content partnership team. Thank you for making the time. We’ve been following your livestreams closely your creativity and ability to engage with your audience are remarkable.”

Anran smiled faintly. “Hello, Miss Shen. I go by Meiling or, as you may know me better, Suyi.”

Shen Zhenya’s professional smile widened. “I’ll get straight to the point. We’d like to formally invite you to join Bilibili’s official livestream partnership program.”

She handed him a folder, the weight of glossy paper inside carrying the offer. “This contract outlines what we can provide.”

Anran flipped through the pages, his expression unreadable, as Shen Zhenya began her practiced pitch:

“First, signing with us guarantees you monetization benefits, including a base pay structure and performance incentives. You’ll also gain access to sponsorship opportunities.

Second, platform support: priority recommendations on our homepage, increased exposure, and access to technical and marketing assistance.

Finally, a long-term growth plan. This includes training workshops, opportunities for official collaborations, and strategies to expand into other content areas like short videos.”

“Hm.” Anran hummed as he skimmed the clauses, then closed the folder with a polite but firm motion.

“I appreciate the offer,” he said evenly, “but I’ll have to decline.”

The words caught Shen Zhenya off guard. Her smile faltered for the first time. “May I ask why, Miss Suyi? If there’s something unsatisfactory, perhaps we can adjust—”

“Simple,” Anran cut in gently. “I don’t intend to livestream every day, nor do I care for rigid schedules. I stream because I enjoy it, not to treat it like a nine-to-five. The benefits you listed don’t interest me—especially the last three. I have no use for training programs or structured guidance.”

Shen Zhenya’s heart skipped. She could almost feel her superior breathing down her neck if she failed here. “Please, Miss Suyi—perhaps reconsider? We can be flexible.”

Anran leaned back, considering her for a moment, then spoke with a casual confidence that left no room for doubt. “How about this. I set my own conditions. If your company agrees, we can proceed.”

Caught between relief and panic, Shen Zhenya quickly pulled out her phone. “One moment—I’ll need to consult my superiors.”

She stepped aside, speaking rapidly into the line. After a few moments of hushed conversation, she returned, placing the phone on the table with the call still active. “My superiors have approved. Please, state your conditions.”

Anran didn’t waste time. “First: I stream when I want, without restrictions. Second: I will not attend any training classes. They’re unnecessary for me.”

For the next five minutes, he laid out his terms clearly and directly, while Shen Zhenya diligently relayed them to her superior on the other end. Finally, the voice on the line cut in.

“We can accept these terms, Miss Suyi. However, we require a minimum quota of fifty hours per month.”

Anran considered it, then gave a slow nod. “Acceptable.”

“Good. Then let’s call this a happy cooperation.”

“Happy cooperation,” Anran echoed.

“The revised contract will be prepared and delivered tomorrow by Miss Shen,” the superior said. “I’ll leave further communication to her.”

The call ended, leaving the two of them in the café. Shen Zhenya exhaled softly, her smile returning—this time tinged with relief.

“Ahem. I’ll serve as your advisor moving forward. If you need anything, you can reach out to me directly.” She gathered her things, straightening her blazer. “See you tomorrow, Miss Suyi.”

“See you tomorrow, Miss Shen,” Anran replied smoothly.

(A/n: MEI)