Chapter 176: A Surge in Popularity, Bai Fu Successfully Charms Scarlet Leaf! [6k]
Bai Fu had to exert a lot of effort to push her way out of the cheering crowd and make it to the room where Scarlet Leaf was resting.
“The people of the Star Ocean are really热情 (enthusiastic).”
Bai Fu wiped the sweat from her brow.
Nowadays, she was already something of a star within the Sea Lion Galaxy System, and she needed to take advantage of her fame to earn more money. Otherwise, relying solely on commissions would take far too long to raise Youlia and develop Ulysses and Source Star.
“Being the head of Silent Courtyard is no easy task. Others who lead have secretaries to do their work for them, while I… when there’s work, I do it myself, and when there isn’t, I get dragged off for experiments. It’s almost like they expect me to babysit them. How come it feels like I’m here to be a mother?”
Despite her complaints, Bai Fu was genuinely happy.
From being just another passerby to becoming a star in the Sea Lion Galaxy System, such a significant rise couldn’t fail to bring joy.
In order to further herself, investing in some promising individuals was necessary.
Once Youlia and the others grew stronger, then she could live a life where Youlia and the others handled the work, leaving her free to relax.
Bai Fu sat down next to Scarlet Leaf. Out of safety concerns, she used medical equipment sent by Manu to give Scarlet Leaf a full body check-up and sent the results to the military doctors aboard the Heaven Lake Star fleet.
During the examination, she suddenly noticed something odd about Scarlet Leaf’s legs. It seemed as if the skin had peeled off. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it wasn’t the skin but rather a special material, flesh-colored tights that Scarlet Leaf wore. These tights had several large holes below the knees due to battle.
【Void Stockings】
【Quality】: Orange
【Additional Effects】: As clothing, it repels dust and has an excellent body-shaping effect. As equipment, it greatly enhances the wearer’s perception of the surrounding environment and spatial fluctuations, while also reducing external stimuli to the wearer’s body.
“No wonder Scarlet Leaf doesn’t wear shoes; I thought she might have some peculiar preferences.”
Bai Fu understood immediately.
She reached out and touched Scarlet Leaf’s toes. As expected, it was a split-toe stocking. The Void Stockings were essentially a layer of “membrane” formed on Scarlet Leaf’s surface using void energy. This “membrane” was similar to her Spiritual Construct and was classified as special equipment by the game.
“If it can enhance perception of the surroundings and spatial fluctuations, integrating this ability into my Spiritual Construct along with the 【Spiritual Energy Hyper-perception】 skill could significantly improve my reaction speed during combat. Oh, and this stocking also reduces external stimuli, which seems quite useful.”
Bai Fu stared at Scarlet Leaf’s toes, getting excited.
However, she didn’t rush to study it.
Studying what?
She knew nothing about void energy. Even if she removed the stockings while Scarlet Leaf was unconscious, she wouldn’t be able to figure anything out.
She decided to wait until Scarlet Leaf woke up to ask.
Sitting by the bed, after the fleet left Heaven Lake Star, Bai Fu could now freely access the Star Network.
After the war at Heaven Lake Star, her reputation within the Star Network Community skyrocketed to 860, still 140 points away from universal recognition (1000). She wanted to see how the people of the Star Network Community were evaluating her now.
Opening the largest forum in the Star Network Community, Bai Fu found that her name had become one of the hottest search terms.
The most popular post related to her was titled:
【Introducing the Queen from the Dark Domain – White· Savior Holy Maiden· Goddess of Victory· Pure Hero· Fu】
In the post, spectators marveled, stating that it was rare to see someone become famous so quickly in recent decades.
【It took the Void War Princess half a year to reach such high popularity】
A group of people discussed Bai Fu’s deeds, appearance, abilities, origins, and why her current popularity was so exaggerated. They concluded that there were three main reasons.
One, Bai Fu was very attractive, conforming to the aesthetic standards of most species in the universe, except for special species like stone men who couldn’t appreciate her beauty.
Two, Heaven Lake Star was extremely important in the hearts of the Star Network Community members, so many people had been paying attention to the progress of the Heaven Lake Star war. Under such scrutiny, Bai Fu delivered nearly MVP-level performances.
Three, Bai Fu came from the Dark Domain, this particularly unique identity shrouded her in an enticing veil, making people naturally curious to uncover what lay beneath.
Based on this conclusion, many spectators predicted that Bai Fu would soon become the new queen of advertising.
Bai Fu was in a great mood, imagining credit points waving towards her.
Being a hero felt pretty good!
At this moment, she had to thank her past self for sticking to principles and refusing to go down the scandalous route. Although playing that way could accumulate a lot of popularity in a short time, how could it compare to standing under the spotlight and receiving cheers from countless people?
Next, Bai Fu opened the second most popular post in the topic.
This post was more complex, with all the spectators discussing various scandals about her. Most of these scandals came from a news site called 【Surfing News】, with a few coming from accounts of alleged informants on the forum.
【Gentle Holy Maiden? All Lies, Watch the Video, Bai Fu Beating Up an Elderly Woman】
【Not only does she beat up elderly women, but she also bullies little boys】
【Bai Fu isn’t even from the Dark Domain, she lied. Actually, she comes from the Chaotic Star Route; I was once her neighbor】
【I can confirm the above statement is true. Bai Fu once joined a gang and hasn’t hesitated to commit arson and murder. Pure Hero? Probably just pretending】
Bai Fu: “?”
Surfing News?
That name sounded familiar.
After defeating the Titan Hammer that attacked her, she obtained a communicator. Manu had experts crack it and discovered that the Titan Hammer secretly contacted many trolls and media outlets to spread slanderous information about her. Surfing News was one of the most famous among them.
“What a birthmark, smearing me so much. Can’t you learn from the kind person who gave me the knowledge for advancement!”
Bai Fu was speechless.
Annoying black PR, don’t hinder sister from making money!
She immediately contacted Manu, who upon receiving the message, confidently promised to solve the problem.
Manu’s efficiency was truly commendable. In just a few minutes, the official spokesperson of the Star Network Community announced the record of “Tower of Secrets assassin Holter” hiring trolls to smear Bai Fu, and dispatched personnel to surround the headquarters of the news media companies linked to Holter.
The major black PR was arrested on the spot, the minor ones scattered in panic, and Bai Fu’s name instantly made the headlines of all news media in the Star Network Community due to this incident.
Secret Tower, Bai Fu, fake black PR… any one of these alone was a hot topic, combined together, they became the hottest topic.
【Who is Bai Fu, and why did Secret Tower release false information to smear her?】
Many people who originally weren’t paying much attention to Bai Fu were attracted by this strange news.
After understanding the ins and outs of the matter, all those drawn in became extremely agitated.
【Holy cow, effortlessly thwarting Secret Tower’s assassination attempt, forcing them to resort to fake black PR tactics, this is seriously impressive!】
【Is this the first in many years? Truly worthy of being the queen from the Dark Domain civilization!】
【Secret Tower is losing face big time, hahaha】
Bai Fu was already quite famous. With the notorious Secret Tower contrast, her reputation soared again. Within a very short period, her reputation in the Star Network Community rose from 860 to 1031, achieving household-name status and becoming an idol in many people’s eyes.
Moreover, her reputation in other star systems of the Initial Gateway Star Cluster also increased to varying degrees.
Beautiful and taking on the Secret Tower?
Saint Fu Fu, we support you!
Bai Fu estimated that her fame in the Initial Gateway Star Cluster was already not lower than the well-established Scarlet Leaf.
The obvious benefit of skyrocketing popularity among NPCs was clear. The most direct benefit was that when Convert to Me Fu posted screenshots of Bai Fu topping the news search rankings across various star systems in the gaming community, it immediately sparked countless player speculations.
【No way, buddy, could Fu Fu still be the real protagonist after reaching the Star Ocean?】
【To be honest, it’s highly possible. Among all the protagonists introduced on the novice planets, Fu Fu’s identity is the most special. She comes from the Star Ocean and has appeared on more than one novice planet. I think even if Fu Fu isn’t the main character of the Star Ocean storyline, she must be an important linking role】
【I’m increasingly looking forward to the prestige of Overlord Yoye. Could Fu Fu have actually been an Overlord-level superhuman before her injury?】
Hehe.
Bai Fu was overjoyed. She hadn’t expected that in the classification of superhuman strength in the Star Ocean, there was a level called Overlord, and it coincidentally matched the Yoye Overlord identity players speculated about her.
It could only be said that acting well is not as good as players speculating well, and speculating well is not as good as speculating cleverly.
If the players form a consensus that she is an Overlord, recruiting players would become much easier. A flick of her fingers or a wiggle of her toes, how could players not bow down?
After wildly sparking the players’ imagination, Bai Fu suddenly received many private messages on the account she registered on the Pan-Universe Commission Platform.
Upon opening them, she found that they were all from companies within the Sea Lion Galaxy System. After confirming that her negative information was false, many well-known companies in the Sea Lion Galaxy System, as predicted by the forum, immediately extended cooperation invitations to her.
There were arms companies, entertainment companies, cosmetics companies, underwear companies, and even companies selling stockings.
【Stockings worn by the Queen of the Dark Domain, exceptionally good!】
“Ssss—”
Bai Fu sucked in a sharp breath.
Money, so much money!
Would she no longer need to worry about the funds for raising Youlia and developing Ulysses and Source Star?
【Let’s discuss in detail upon meeting】
Bai Fu replied to a few companies she thought were decent.
After replying, her gaze fell on Scarlet Leaf beside her.
She had an even more profitable idea. If Scarlet Leaf agreed to join her in accepting advertisements, and if they both appeared together, the amount of the advertising contract would undoubtedly be greater than 1+1=2.
Unfortunately, currently…
Still subordinate to Scarlet Leaf, her relationship with Scarlet Leaf has not reached the same level of closeness she shares with Youlia—”you in me, and me in you.” If she were to suggest that Scarlet Leaf join her in taking on advertisements, it would most likely be rejected.
Just as Bai Fu sighed, Scarlet Leaf’s fingers on the bed suddenly twitched.
Hmm? She woke up?
Bai Fu quickly leaned in.
Scarlet Leaf hadn’t woken up; instead, she began to struggle in her dream. Sweat started pouring from her forehead, her limbs flailing uncontrollably until one of her feet kicked towards Bai Fu.
Slap.
Bai Fu grabbed her ankle firmly, but even being held, Scarlet Leaf continued to fidget, rubbing her foot around restlessly.
“If you keep moving, I’ll elbow you!”
After dozens of seconds, Scarlet Leaf finally stopped struggling. She abruptly opened her eyes, her red pupils first revealing fear, which soon dissipated, followed by confusion. She looked at Bai Fu’s hand gripping her ankle with bewilderment.
“What do you intend to do by grabbing my foot?”
Tch.
Bai Fu pushed Scarlet Leaf’s foot away disdainfully: “Who wants to do anything with your foot? You were just moving around wildly in your dream, almost sticking your foot in my mouth.”
Scarlet Leaf was momentarily stunned.
Ah, almost into my mouth?
No, the dream, the one she had…
Scarlet Leaf regained her senses from her daze, finally remembering what had happened and what she had seen in her dream.
In the dream, she returned to a past she didn’t want to face, where she turned into an ugly void monster.
As the content of the dream surfaced, her eyes lost their color, and she lay there blankly on the bed, staring vacantly at the ceiling.
Bai Fu, who had communicated with Green Mud, roughly guessed why Scarlet Leaf had become like this—was she worried about becoming a void monster?
She smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Director Scarlet Leaf. I won’t let you turn into those twisted void monsters. I can help adjust your body, ensuring your compatibility with humanoid void life genes rises to over 99%, while reducing your chances of matching with those twisted void monsters to less than 10%.”
This statement successfully caught Scarlet Leaf’s attention, who turned her head, her eyes still dim.
“You don’t understand.”
Are you looking down on me?
Bai Fu confidently replied, “Trust me, I’m an expert in this field. When have I ever disappointed you?”
But Scarlet Leaf shook her head again. “I don’t care if my body is twisted or retains its human form. I just don’t want to become a void life.”
“Why?” Bai Fu was very puzzled. “Void lives’ innate abilities are much stronger than ordinary humans in the universe. Becoming a void life would surely enhance your power further.”
Fear appeared on Scarlet Leaf’s face. “You don’t understand.”
Bai Fu said, “How would you know unless you tell me? It seems there’s something hidden behind this. I’ve come all the way from the Dark Domain, and my experiences may not be fewer than yours. Tell me, perhaps I can share some of my experience with you.”
Scarlet Leaf closed her eyes, biting her lower lip tightly, trembling slightly. At this moment, she lacked any semblance of the Void War Princess’s authority, resembling more of a naughty younger sister refusing to listen.
After a long time, she finally relented.
“My hometown was in a remote area of the Sea Lion Galaxy System. There was little connection with the Star Network Community or the Chaotic Star Route, one might say there was almost no interaction. One day, a huge hole appeared above the dome. Void monsters emerged from it, invading my hometown. Void lives are greedy and hungry; many people I knew were eaten by them. My sister and I hid everywhere we could. We were lucky enough to survive for two and a half months without dying.”
Bai Fu raised an eyebrow slightly. Was it because her hometown was invaded by voids that she instinctively rejected everything related to voids?
“But we were nearing our limits, mentally exhausted and severely lacking food. For a meal, my sister temporarily bid farewell to me and went on a distant journey alone…”
Scarlet Leaf waited anxiously and fearfully. On the seventh day, someone knocked on the door of their hiding place.
Happy, she opened the door, thinking her sister had returned, only to find an injured void monster standing there.
Driven by fear, she gave the monster a strong kick and rushed back inside, raising her gun and firing.
Unexpectedly, during the entire process, the void monster did not resist at all. Only when she tripped herself out of fear did the void monster gently pull her up and take out a pile of food from behind.
“It was then that I realized that the void monster was my sister. To save me, she risked great danger to search for food outside and accidentally infected herself with void blood, transforming into a void life. Even so, she did not forget me. Despite her severe injuries, she brought the food back. And at the moment she opened the door, she was attacked by me.”
The hospitalized Scarlet Leaf’s mental state became increasingly unstable as she spoke.
Bai Fu was startled. Could it be that Scarlet Leaf killed her sister?
She immediately grabbed Scarlet Leaf’s hand, ready to say, “That wasn’t your fault,” when Scarlet Leaf spoke again.
That gunshot inflicted new wounds on her sister, but void lives have extremely tenacious vitality and did not die. However, her movements became even more difficult.
At that time, Scarlet Leaf’s sister lay on the ground, pleading with Scarlet Leaf to kill her before she lost herself, but knowing the truth, how could Scarlet Leaf bring herself to do it?
Thus, they stayed in that hiding place for five more days.
During these five days, Scarlet Leaf watched her sister become increasingly distorted, unable to speak or write. She was afraid, but every time she thought of what her sister had done for her, she managed to hold on and not run away.
On the fifth night, a large void monster appeared nearby. She thought she was doomed. At that moment, her sister lying on the ground suddenly got up and pressed her against the wall.
Her sister wasn’t trying to attack her. Leaving behind her last bit of reason with the words “No matter what, you will always be my younger sister,” she charged towards the giant void monster outside.
Later, Scarlet Leaf survived. During her escape, she was bitten by a void monster and infected with void blood, but luckily, she met The Sworn One passing by. The Sworn One took her back to the Star Treaty, preventing her from turning into a void life.
“If you had gone through such an experience, could you accept becoming a void life without any psychological burden?
“Actually, I don’t reject void lives. Rejecting void lives would be rejecting my sister who died to save me. I am just afraid that after my sister made such a great sacrifice, I still ended up becoming a void life. What meaning would her sacrifice have then?
“No, perhaps what I’m really afraid of isn’t this. I fear the loneliness after losing my sister. If I became a void life, that loneliness would probably haunt me like a nightmare for the rest of my life.”
The more Scarlet Leaf spoke, the more agitated she became.
Bai Fu was stunned for a moment. “If that’s the case, why do you still use this hidden power to save me? Without using this power, at least for the short term, you wouldn’t have to worry about becoming a void life.”
Scarlet Leaf didn’t answer Bai Fu’s question directly: “There’s nothing to say. It was my voluntary choice.”
Since she didn’t want to talk, Bai Fu started guessing on her own: “Also because of fear of loneliness, feeling that it’s hard to lose a subordinate like me?”
Scarlet Leaf didn’t say a word, but Bai Fu received a Game Prompt.
[Scarlet Leaf’s Affinity -1]
If she had guessed wrong, there should have been no reaction. But now the affinity decreased, indicating she was right and had hit Scarlet Leaf’s inner feelings.
Bai Fu was unhappy.
It’s too much. I guessed correctly, yet the affinity decreases. Doesn’t this show that we are in sync?
“Go away, don’t bother with me.”
Scarlet Leaf started shooing her away.
Of course, Bai Fu wouldn’t leave just like that. She had promised Green Mud to help Scarlet Leaf become a humanoid void life. Moreover, if she left, Scarlet Leaf would give up on herself, and then what kind of big leg would she be clinging to?
“Why aren’t you leaving?”
“I don’t need your help, nor do I feel guilty towards you.”
“You insist on making me say gu…”
Before the word “roll” came out, Bai Fu suddenly stood up, casting a shadow over Scarlet Leaf’s face.
She realized that the perfect opportunity she had been expecting—skyrocketing Scarlet Leaf’s affection and overturning “Empress Scarlet Leaf” as a “traitor,” manipulating politics, and turning Scarlet Leaf into her puppet—was here.
“As long as you come into contact with void blood, there’s a possibility of becoming a void life, right?”
Bai Fu asked.
Scarlet Leaf frowned deeply but eventually nodded.
“Great. Since you think you’ll feel lonely after becoming a void life, I’ll accompany you!”
Scarlet Leaf was startled for a moment, not understanding Bai Fu’s meaning. Accompany? How?
She soon understood because Bai Fu jumped onto the bed, sat on her waist, firmly pinned her hands down, and lunged to bite her.
Bai Fu intended to drink her blood and transform into a void life together with her!
Scarlet Leaf panicked instantly.
“You… get off! Are you crazy? Get off me!”
Despite her efforts to struggle, her injured state didn’t give her much strength compared to Bai Fu wearing Spiritual Constructs, making it impossible to break free immediately.
At that moment, the door suddenly opened, and Youlia walked in.
“You two…”
Seeing Bai Fu straddling Scarlet Leaf, Youlia was utterly confused.
Did she come at the wrong time?
The room fell silent for a moment. Then Youlia casually closed the door and asked, “Should I help you hold her down?”
Scarlet Leaf: “?”
Ah, is this the time to say such things?
Bai Fu’s eyes lit up.
Now’s the time!
Taking advantage of Scarlet Leaf’s shock from Youlia’s words, she bit down on Scarlet Leaf’s shoulder.
Suck.
The blood melted in her mouth instantly.
Then, she received a Game Prompt.
[You have been infected with Void Blood]
[Void Blood fused with your genes, you gained stat corrections]
Done, done!
Bai Fu was overjoyed.
Not only did she successfully increase Scarlet Leaf’s affection, but she also unlocked the chance to become a new race. This time, she was truly reaping enormous benefits!
PS: Thank you to book friend 20190715004003379 for the tip
Putting out a bowl to ask for monthly votes~
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