The night wind roared, and a flicker of firelight cut through the darkness.
Huo Qianyun leaned against his race car, exhaling a thin stream of smoke from his strikingly handsome lips.
Ding.
His phone lit up with a message. He opened it impatiently.
Chen Xuan: Xiao Yun’s going to the Grand Gala this month. You going?
Chen Xuan: Don’t tell me you’re not curious—stop pretending.
Huo Qianyun’s eyelid twitched. He really wanted to beat that guy up.
But… the Grand Gala?
He was a little interested.
[Heroes Strike Official Website]:
Dear Ms. Yun, congratulations on winning first place in this voice livestream event. In addition to the 500,000 prize, we sincerely invite you to attend the Grand Gala.
The next second, 500,000 was deposited into Yun Li’s bank account.
She stared at the notification for a long time, kissing her phone over and over.
Only after the excitement faded did she reply to the official message.
Looking at her reflection—her stunning face paired with a plain white shirt and loose shorts—Yun Li pouted.
She needed a proper evening gown.
After browsing luxury brands and niche custom designers, she decisively gave up.
Why?
The original host was too broke.
And as for that 500,000? Sorry—this miser wasn’t letting a single cent go.
To be fair, the original wardrobe wasn’t that bad.
For example… this fluorescent green dress.
Or… these Pleasant Goat themed stockings.
Yun Li froze, her hand trembling slightly as she held the stockings.
Wait—who buys clothes like this?
Ugly at first glance. Worse the second.
The smiling cartoon sheep on the stockings seemed to mock her.
She stuffed them deep into the closet and collapsed onto the bed, brainstorming.
Host, why not ask the all-powerful system?
The little creature swooped in.
Yun Li quietly looked away.
The creature puffed up angrily.
What’s that look?! Aside from interfering with missions, I can do almost anything!
Yun Li finally turned back. “You have a record.”
The creature fell silent.
…It couldn’t even argue.
This time is different, I promise no tricks! Those dresses are expensive because of branding. If you just buy the materials, you can save 90%! With my intelligence, designing one is easy.
Host~~~
It pressed its fluffy face against her shoulder.
“Stop that, it’s gross. Name your price.”
Instantly switching modes, it declared:
20 points. Flat rate. Fair deal!
Yun Li thought for a moment. “18.”
Deal! Excellent eye, dear customer—System 001 at your service!
Watching it work, Yun Li fell into silence.
Why did she still feel like she lost?
She should’ve bargained lower.
Despite the sting of losing points, the system delivered.
In under five hours, it completed everything—from fabric selection to tailoring.
When the covering cloth was lifted, Yun Li was stunned.
A blue mermaid gown, shimmering softly. The hem bloomed like petals, the waist perfectly fitted, with delicate crystal embellishments at the bust and skirt.
When she tried it on—
The impact was overwhelming.
The woman in the mirror was breathtaking: tall, perfectly proportioned, the dress hugging her waist like it was made for her. She looked like a swan about to take flight.
But the most captivating part was her eyes—clear yet tinged with melancholy.
This wasn’t a look just anyone could carry.
Yun Li examined herself again and again, nearly pressing her face against the mirror.
Only after much persuasion did she finally take it off and carefully hang it in a special section of her closet.
When an ugly person suddenly becomes beautiful—or a poor person suddenly becomes rich—it’s the same mindset.
If not for preserving the reveal, she would’ve taken 800 photos and posted every 30 minutes.
At last—
The Grand Gala began.
Inside the venue, before the banquet even started, elites and influencers arrived one after another.
Every guest glittered with wealth, carrying the arrogance of status.
The elites formed circles, casually closing deals worth hundreds of millions over clinking glasses.
Outside those circles, influencers scanned the room, searching for opportunities.
As time ticked down—
Chen Xuan grew impatient. “She’s not seriously going to stand us up, is she?”
Huo Qianyun grabbed his coat. “No show, no fun. I’m leaving.”
“Hey, don’t be so—”
Before he could finish—A dazzling figure appeared at the entrance.
The entire hall lit up.
All eyes turned toward her—and brightened.
Yun Li quietly took a seat in a secluded corner, feeling the subtle glances from all around.
She looked up—and spotted a familiar face.
Near the stage, Yun Xin stood gracefully beside their father, smiling.
As if sensing something, Yun Xin looked over—
Their eyes met.
Yun Xin didn’t recognize the woman, but she was undeniably beautiful.
Beautiful enough to spark jealousy.
The moment passed quickly, and both looked away.
The banquet officially began.
Xiao Meng was once the top female streamer in Heroes Strike.
Now?
Second place.
Yun Li had crushed her with just three streams.
Viewers jokingly called her the “eternal runner-up.”
Jealousy drove her mad.
She had even secretly hired bots to amplify the smear campaign against Yun Li.
Seeing two of Yun Li’s top donors disappear, she felt a twisted satisfaction.
That’s how streaming worked—today you win, tomorrow you lose.
If Yun Li fell, she’d reclaim first place.
Though she doubted the rumors, that didn’t stop her from wanting to expose Yun Li.
So she started a livestream immediately—to see Yun Li’s real face.
She had prepared extensively.
Last night, she didn’t sleep at all, perfecting her makeup.
Today, she was determined to outshine Yun Li.
She had even pre-written articles to promote her “crushing victory.”