You Shuo stood outside the convention venue, his entire body stiff.
Though he knew the manga existed, he'd never had time to look at such entertainment products. He knew nothing about manga conventions.
Even outside the venue, the area was packed with people and cosplayers.
"Wow, casual-wear You Shuo!"
"The resemblance is incredible—your makeup is so clean I can't even tell you're wearing any."
"Can I get a photo with you?"
You Shuo couldn't understand a word they were saying. He could only stand there awkwardly.
"Sure thing~" Bi Xi popped up right then, shoving a sign into You Shuo's hands before picking up the recently-rented polaroid camera. "Polaroid photos too~"
You Shuo looked at the sign first. On it was written a single line in large characters:
【Vote Bi Xi for Popularity ^w^】
You Shuo: "..."
You Shuo: "?"
He flipped the sign over, then flipped it back again. On closer inspection—still the same text.
What was this thing? Could someone please explain?
"Bi—" The moment he opened his mouth, Bi Xi slung an arm around his shoulders and posed with the cosplayer who'd just requested a group photo.
The polaroid spat out a picture. The cosplayer standing in the middle was beaming. Bi Xi looked happy too. Only You Shuo stood there holding that idiotic sign, his face full of bewilderment.
"Ahhh! Thank you so much! Thank you Clip Bro, thank you Green-eyed Kitty! I'll definitely vote for Bi Xi!" The cosplayer who received the photo bounced away, overjoyed.
Clip Bro?
Green-eyed Kitty???
"Can I get an explanation?" You Shuo said slowly, watching the growing crowd converging on them.
Bi Xi smiled faintly: "No. Campaign for me properly, or I'll be unhappy."
You Shuo: "?"
The demon being unhappy—that was serious.
Like clocking in for work, with You Shuo as the costumed mascot handing out flyers on the street. Those two hundred sheets of photo paper were the worst mistake he'd made all day.
"Are you two doing a modern AU? I recognized you both instantly even without reference sheets—the resemblance is insane!"
"I'm voting for Bi Xi too—we're family!"
"The in-character performance is perfection. Are you two gods?!"
"I'm going to treasure this polaroid for the rest of my life!!!"
Having had zero time to learn about the manga, You Shuo voiced his confusion during the assembly-line photo sessions: "Is this manga really that popular?"
"It's mega popular! We all love you!" said the excited cosplayer who'd just received a freebie.
You Shuo was genuinely baffled. A manga with him as the protagonist could be this popular?
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but after the cosplayer said that, the look Bi Xi shot him felt distinctly off.
"My, how popular you are. Would it really be so bad to give me the number one spot?" Bi Xi's tone was supremely subtle, his smile equally so.
You Shuo felt a chill run down his spine. Combining the sign in his hands, Bi Xi's inexplicable vote-campaigning at Jinse Bar yesterday, and the emphasis Bi Xi had placed on "first" during their very first meeting—You Shuo understood.
Bi Xi absolutely had a number-one obsession.
Whatever "first" it was, he wanted it. So this so-called popularity number one—he wanted that too.
But this demon actually played by the rules—campaigning for votes according to the system, no threats, no ability use. You Shuo's impression of Bi Xi refreshed.
...
Two hundred sheets of photo paper didn't seem like enough.
You Ling hadn't expected this level of popularity either—or rather, it was You Shuo who was popular.
She stared at You Shuo, full of resentment. Dear brother—what a mountain of a man. So tall, so imposing. The eldest brother who's like a father—and the father's silhouette is said to be a mountain, is that right?
But this mountain was standing in the wrong place—why was it blocking her path to first place?
Still, considering he'd helped her campaign for quite a few votes today, she'd let it go. Leech off his popularity first; deal with the rest later.
She controlled the curve of her lips, performing the exhausting horror that was socializing. Wearing a mask was perfect for letting loose, and she managed not to break character.
But why was everyone calling her Green-eyed Kitty? Wasn't there even one "Lord Bi Xi"?
"Is this all I need to do?" You Shuo asked, looking like an extremely uncomfortable sign-holding robot. "I've never been to a convention before. I don't know how these work."
"And you think I have?" You Ling blinked innocently. "Am I the modern person here, or are you?"
While speaking, she blew a kiss at the girl holding a photo, and that entire group erupted into excited screams.
"Such a handsome Demon God!"
"A deity descends—Green-eyed Kitty is adorable!"
"Over here, over here!"
She was utterly in her element, like a fish in water—like she'd come to hold a concert.
You Ling had never been to a convention either—she'd just done her research.
Conventions were a magical place. Someone who looked like a boy might be a girl, someone who looked like a girl might be a boy. Several times she'd thought about pandering to a cute fan and doing a heart pose, only for the girl in the frilly dress to open her mouth and produce a deep male voice.
Several had masculine faces but sweet feminine voices—and upon closer inspection, those weren't platform shoes but actual stilts.
Time ran short and tickets sold out, so she couldn't get into the venue. But there were plenty of people outside the venue too—more than enough. The allure of good looks drew an ever-growing crowd, and some people even came out of the venue specifically to take photos together.
The two hundred sheets of photo paper ran out quickly, so You Ling could only have You Shuo hold the sign at all times while using other people's phones or cameras for photos.
While weaving through the crowd outside the venue, a wave of fearful emotion caught her attention. Her gaze swept over and landed on a familiar-looking outfit.
Hm? An Yiluoqi cosplay?
This cosplayer's costume was only minutely different from the real thing. Upon spotting You Ling, her expression changed instantly—she seemed to want to flee, but with people around, her foot rose and fell again, caught between advance and retreat.
Looking more carefully, through the makeup, the face seemed somewhat familiar.
Like someone she'd taken a class with, someone who'd been in the same group project. She thought about it—the name was probably Qin Yuelai. Hadn't expected her to be an ability user too.
You Ling's eyes spun with mischief as a wicked idea bubbled to the surface.
When classmates meet, you have to give them a little surprise.
...
'Fuck, am I in Mercury retrograde today?' Only this one thought remained in Qin Yuelai's head.
When her fellow fans said a pair of incredible modern-AU cosplayers of You Shuo and Bi Xi had shown up, she hadn't sensed anything wrong. Egged on by her friends, she'd gone over to get a group photo—and her jaw dropped.
What cosplayers? These were the real people.
Look at Yanmo's face—was he wearing makeup? People said his foundation work was amazing, but the man's dark circles didn't even have concealer on them!
Look at Bi Xi's hands—were those normal human hands? He was a monster—a Demon God!
Taking photos with the Demon God—bold of you people.
Despair beyond all despair. Qin Yuelai felt she was going to die without even understanding why.
Excuse her? Hadn't Yanmo gone to pick up his sister? How had he ended up at the convention with Bi Xi—
This was a convention! Could these manga characters please recognize their own identities and not get so close to the fans?!
She even thought bitterly—was this the price of cosplaying? Once you made enough fake ones, a real one was bound to sneak in.
She shouldn't have felt sorry for the costume she'd hand-crafted all night. When she spotted 【Yanmo】 that morning, she should have pulled her foot back and stayed in the dorm like a good girl instead of going out.
Qin Yuelai didn't dare imagine Yanmo's expression when he saw her. She'd courted death by cosplaying "Yi-mutt"!
Plastering on a fake smile, she used needing the bathroom as an excuse for an emergency escape. She waved goodbye to her enthusiastic fellow fans, then bolted like a ghost was chasing her, sprinting to the side of the venue and sitting in the shadows with her phone out.
[Does anyone in the group have a spatial-type ability? Save me! Green-eyed Kitty is here!]
At this moment, she felt nothing but regret: [I cosplayed Yiluoqi—if I'm found out, I'm done for!]
The group members' comfort was, as always, full of warmth: [Who'd dare come? Even if someone could, no one's going to rescue you. Pray for yourself.]
[Bold. Way too bold. Cosplaying is one thing, but why'd you have to cosplay an Edge IP character? Don't you know they're all real people?]
Qin Yuelai regretted it too now: [I figured dead people don't require copyright fees and won't come knocking!]
[He certainly didn't come knocking—but his demon hotline is here. Surprised? Delighted? Want to try giving them a call?]
What else could Qin Yuelai say? She could only repeat one phrase: [Save me!!!]
Just as she was frantically spam-messaging the chat, a shadow suddenly fell over her from above.
She looked up—and saw only a pair of curved, green eyes, and red tassels swaying in the air.
The Demon God has great taste—this outfit is handsome too, she thought.
If only the Demon God existed solely in the manga and didn't come near her life, she thought again.
"You..." The Demon God spoke a single word in a supremely subtle tone and expression.
Qin Yuelai: "I'm sorry I just thought dead people don't require copyright fees and won't come looking—"
Then the Demon God finished with three more words: "...want a photo?"
"Huh?"
Qin Yuelai froze.
"Vote for me in the popularity poll, yeah?" The demon smiled warmly, not a single threatening word—so approachable, so gentlemanly, so considerate. Those upturned eye corners were so endearing.
Right—demons were expert beguilers of the human heart. Qin Yuelai thought dazedly.
A minute later, when the group saw no more "save me" spam, they began to mourn their departed internet friend.
[Is she still alive?]
[She's been quiet this long. Gone, isn't she.]
[R.I.P.]
[R.I.P.]
[R.I.P.]
After the string of condolences, Qin Yuelai spoke up: [Hey.]
[Lost her mind?]
[Gone stupid?]
[Turned into the Green-eyed Kitty?]
Qin Yuelai: [Hehehehe you have NO idea what just happened to me hahahahahaha I got a photo with the Green-eyed Kitty. Lord Demon God, this humble one is your iron-clad fan from this day forward!]
Qin Yuelai: [Edge's number one male ghost, Edge's number one powerhouse, Edge's number one antagonist—Green-eyed Kitty, we love you!]
Qin Yuelai: [He smelled amazing.]
[???]
[So this is the Green-eyed Kitty's power. Even through mere photo paper, the act of posing together is already enough to warp a person's soul, kneading them into a state of madness.]
[Green-eyed Kitty is terrifying beyond measure!]
[Terrifying beyond measure!]
[Measure!]
[Sorry friend, but to prevent the Green-eyed Kitty from contaminating the entire group through you, we have no choice but to kick you!]
[You have been removed from the group chat.]
Qin Yuelai couldn't be bothered with those people in the group who didn't understand her. The honor of taking a photo with the Demon God was something they'd never have.
She'd won—won so hard it was obscene. Today was the day she absolutely should have left the building. Today was the luckiest day of her life!
Her face was flushed, the corners of her mouth impossible to suppress. She stared rapturously at her new phone wallpaper—Bi Xi's brand-new look, not even drawn in the manga yet.
The Demon God might be terrifying, but he was genuinely beautiful. To die beneath the peony—even as a ghost, one dies with flair.
Besides, she hadn't actually died. So many people had taken photos—if they were going to die, they'd all die together.
With Yanmo the righteous hero present, nothing bad should happen. And even in the manga, Bi Xi wasn't the type to kill indiscriminately—why should she be afraid?
She gazed at her phone wallpaper, continuously emitting happy little giggles.
Just then, a red glow settled over everything like a filter, staining the group photo with an ominous blood-red hue.
Qin Yuelai looked up. She saw the 【Red Moon】 barrier.
Wind blew past. The dead branches on the trees surrounding the venue began to grow, their tips blooming with pink petals. As if seasons had leapt from autumn-winter straight into spring-summer.
An ability—it was an ability user.
An emergency situation. The barrier enveloped the entire venue, including the surrounding unrented empty halls. Ordinary people continued laughing and having fun, taking photos and shopping in groups of twos and threes, completely oblivious to the red glow igniting above their heads.
Qin Yuelai stood up from her corner, looking outside the venue. Sure enough, the Nightwatch agent You Shuo—still holding his 【Vote Bi Xi for Popularity ^w^】 sign—was also gazing at the sky.
"Causing trouble at the convention of all times..." Qin Yuelai muttered. "Aren't they afraid there might be a real one mixed in among the fakes?"
The Demon God was right here!