"Yes, yes, just like that, Big Sis—hold that pose…" By the poolside balcony, Chu Chu held a camera in her hands, aiming it at Chu Lian, who stood nervously by the water.
Right now, Chu Lian's long hair was tied into twin ponytails. She wore nothing but a pure white school swimsuit, with a pair of white thigh-high stockings covering her legs. Her face was flushed red with shyness.
But she had no choice. If she didn't earn back the seven million Integrity Points she owed, she'd be saddled with that massive debt for a long time.
Worse still, she wouldn't be able to use the Integrity Points that had helped her so much up until now—a loss far too great. She couldn't allow something like that to halt her progress.
So even though she knew that doing this kind of fanservice was embarrassing—so, so, so embarrassing!—what choice did she have? Without fanservice, how could she earn back Integrity?
Besides, it was just a school swimsuit. It wasn't like she was showing that much. Other than her thighs, of course—fully shown on purpose. Otherwise, why would she wear thigh-high stockings, if not to highlight her thighs as the center of attention?
Even though she knew that this outfit only made her look more alluring, could she refuse? Of course not. If she did, how would she ever repay her Integrity debt?
Half the time had already passed. If she kept delaying, it'd be too late once she entered the next dungeon.
So, early that morning, Chu Lian woke up, called Chu Chu and Inori along, and brought a pile of outfits to the balcony.
It wasn't just the school swimsuit—she planned to change into several other costumes too. For now, she had to throw away her shame and let the camera capture her from every angle—selling her fanservice to the fullest.
Of course, given her age and still-flat figure, there wasn't much to show off except her legs.
But these days, there were too many lolicons, leg-lovers, and foot-fetishists—and the combination of school swimsuit, white stockings, and twin ponytails was practically a cheat code. It would definitely attract an army of fans.
Later, she'd change into other costumes to appeal to different preferences. Her goal today was simple—to capture the attention of every ACG fan imaginable.
And she wasn't just selling fanservice, either. Anyone familiar with the ACG scene would recognize that she was cosplaying as certain characters.
If she had to sell fanservice to earn Integrity Points, she might as well use this opportunity to push forward her second Main Quest's first objective.
By cosplaying seven or eight different loli-style characters today, she could easily complete more than half of the "Cosplay" requirement.
As for popularity? Chu Lian didn't even need to worry about that anymore. If someone like her—causing this much buzz—couldn't attract fans, then no other debuting idol had any hope at all.
"Raise your legs a little higher—yes, point your toes straight—perfect, that's so tempting!" Chu Chu fully unleashed her inner pervert, directing Chu Lian into all kinds of poses: seductive, shy, cute, and pure.
Chu Lian knew she didn't have a natural talent for this kind of modeling, but Chu Chu, who loved photography, was completely in her element. She knew exactly how to bring out the best angles. So, Chu Lian simply followed her directions obediently.
As long as Chu Chu didn't push her past her moral line, Chu Lian no longer cared. She'd already thrown away her shame—let the fanservice come crashing down like a storm.
Besides, if any shot accidentally exposed something it shouldn't, she didn't even need to worry. Chu Chu would be the first to either delete it or secretly keep it for herself—it would never be leaked.
"Lian's working really hard, but I don't quite understand why she's taking these… um, strange photos," Inori murmured softly. From her spot on the sofa, she could clearly see the two girls through the balcony glass, her expression filled with quiet confusion.
"Maybe she has her own reasons—something we don't know about, something important enough to make her work this hard," she added after glancing at the pile of clothes beside her, deciding to treat it as one of Chu Lian's secrets.
It had to be said—simple girls had the purest hearts. Their thoughts were straightforward and sincere, often letting them see things more clearly than others. Whether or not it was true, Inori still chose to believe in it.
"…But she does look beautiful," she whispered. Her gaze followed Chu Lian's graceful movements, lingering on her delicate frame. She'd already seen every part of that body before—and back on Tyrael's walking street, she'd seen Chu Lian in various outfits as well.
But somehow, none of those past moments compared to how beautiful Chu Lian looked right now. Maybe it was because Inori's heart had changed.
Before their trip to Miami, Inori had cared deeply for Chu Lian, but there had always been a faint sense of restraint—something that kept her from fully letting Chu Lian into her heart.
But after that final battle in Miami, on the balcony of the Qingping Grand Hotel suite, something inside her had shifted. The invisible chains binding her heart had quietly fallen away.
To the person she had once cherished beyond all else in those distant, immeasurable memories—goodbye.
In that person's place now stood the girl in a white dress—the one who had greeted her, from the very moment she opened her eyes in this world, with the warmest smile and the gentlest embrace.
It was that bond—so deep, so pure—that allowed Inori to finally face her own feelings honestly. She treasured every little moment she shared with Chu Lian; each one was a beautiful memory she would carry for a lifetime.
"Alright, Big Sis, we can move on to the next outfit!" Chu Chu called out, lowering the camera.
Then she flipped through the photos she'd just taken, her eyes sparkling brighter and brighter with every click. She looked every bit the lovestruck pervert. Finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer and blurted out a request. "Big Sis, please let me review all the photos before you upload them, okay?"
"Fine—but make sure you delete anything too revealing or suggestive. If even one indecent photo leaks, I'll personally throw you off the fifth floor headfirst. Understand?" Chu Lian agreed without much fuss, though her warning was sharp and clear.
"Understood, Big Sis! I'll carry out the mission flawlessly!" Chu Chu clenched her fist with fiery determination. As Chu Lian walked off toward the changing area, she pumped her arm excitedly. "Amazing! That faint glimpse of a girl's—ah, so perfect!"
Just thinking about it made her blood boil. No, no, this wasn't good—Big Sis was way too tempting! If she kept watching, she might not be able to hold herself back!
Feeling that she needed to cool down, Chu Chu set the camera aside, unbuttoned her white shirt to reveal her swimsuit underneath, and leapt straight into the crystal-clear pool.
Splash! Water droplets scattered through the air as the girl dove beneath the surface, swimming like a playful mermaid.
Clearly, she didn't just want to calm herself—she wanted to enjoy the refreshing coolness too. After all, it was already mid-May, and the weather was growing hotter by the day.
Standing out in the open air, even though their physiques protected them from sunburn, they could still feel the heat.
So it was no wonder Chu Chu wanted to swim. What could feel better than a dip in cool water on a sweltering day? And since this was their private home, there was no need to worry about being seen.
Because of their family's status, Li Mingxue and Chu Xiao had originally chosen a very special property. Over the years, after several renovations, the Chu residence had become one of the most unique homes in the entire district.
To ensure privacy, they had even built the swimming pool on the rooftop. Thanks to the building's height—the tallest in the area—it was practically impossible for anyone to catch a glimpse of them.
So there was no need for caution, no need to worry about onlookers. If anyone felt too hot, they could even swim naked—if they had the courage, that is.
"Lian, you can do it. I'll be cheering for you," Inori said softly when she saw Chu Lian reappear, now dressed in a white dragon-patterned qipao. Her hair was styled in twin ponytails of light gold, her arms covered by white gloves, her legs wrapped in white stockings, and her feet adorned with high-heeled sandals.
"Haa… even though this is Sora's outfit, she still counts as a loli, right? She's definitely had loli forms in the anime." Chu Lian looked down at her reflection and let out a deep sigh.
All of these costumes had been specially ordered through Cai Ya, and the quality was top-notch.
Honestly, if she still had enough Integrity Points left—if she weren't so broke that even activating Dimensional Barrier was a struggle—she wouldn't have to change by hand. A simple Mirror Mode would've been enough.
But now, as a poverty-stricken Chu Lian, she had no such luxury. If she kept using her powers recklessly, she'd never be able to pay off that seven-million Integrity debt.
"Chu Chu, hurry up and help me with the next set! And get those photos sorted as soon as possible. I want everything ready to post before the afternoon, got it?" Seeing the white shirt tossed by the poolside, Chu Lian immediately guessed what Chu Chu was doing and sighed, crossing her arms as she called out toward the pool.
"Got it, Big Sis! Chu Chu's coming!" Chu Chu surfaced from the water, her ample chest bouncing as droplets splashed across the pool. She wiped the water from her face while answering cheerfully.
"What an unfair chest size!" Chu Lian gritted her teeth. She had told herself countless times not to envy Chu Chu, not to look at Chu Chu's ridiculous proportions…
But seeing that perfectly sculpted figure accentuated by the swimsuit—it was impossible not to look. The curves radiated an irresistible allure that drew the eye no matter how hard she tried to look away.
For someone as flat-chested as Chu Lian, it was a devastating blow. If she was the representative of the "flat-chest faction," then Chu Chu was the living embodiment of a 36E!
Alright, maybe not quite that exaggerated—but at this rate, Chu Lian was certain that in time, Chu Chu would reach that size easily. Maybe even surpass it.
How could she not feel that complex mix of envy and frustration? Each time she saw it, it built up more and more—the deep-seated grudge of a proud flat-chested girl who longed for curves worthy of admiration.
Sensing Chu Lian's increasingly dangerous gaze, Chu Chu quickly realized that if she kept flaunting herself, she'd be in trouble. Even if she hadn't done anything wrong, Big Sis would definitely find a reason to toss her off the fifth floor.
Is it my fault my chest's big? she thought silently. I just inherited Mom's superior genes—it's not like I asked for it! Still, she didn't dare say that out loud.
She swam toward the edge, climbed out of the pool, and quickly slipped her white shirt back on—finally covering the generous curves that drove Chu Lian to madness.
Grabbing her camera, Chu Chu grinned playfully. "Big Sis, it's time for the second set! Should we move to a new location?"
"Yes. We'll go to the fourth floor next." Now that the source of her jealousy was covered up, Chu Lian regained her composure. Hearing Chu Chu's question, she made the decision without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Inori also stood up. Since Chu Lian was changing locations, she would naturally follow.
She gathered up the clothes Chu Lian had left in her care and followed after the two girls as they headed downstairs.
In an instant, the once-lively balcony fell silent—leaving behind only the sound of wind and the fleeting shadow of a bird passing overhead…