"Huff… good thing we ran fast. Otherwise, once those people showed up, we really wouldn't have been able to escape." Chu Chu leaned against the wall, panting as she spoke to Chu Lian and the others.
She was the first to notice something wrong. It was because of her reminder that Chu Lian and the others decided to leave immediately after finishing their outfit change. Chu Chu had spotted posts online with people searching for Chu Lian. They should have left long ago, but because Chu Lian was busy changing clothes and taking photos, they wasted more than an hour. That gave the fan groups time to pinpoint the exact address and rush over.
If it weren't for the fact that the women's shopping street had plenty of pedestrians, along with groups of black-suited bodyguards secretly protecting various young ladies and noblewomen, blocking those people's path, they would have barged in more than half an hour ago.
Still, Chu Lian's diversion worked brilliantly. She had the staff send their clothes to the hotel, and then, while everyone was distracted, let Tina rush out in her majestic, battle-ready form—larger than any adult tiger—drawing all attention to herself. That gave them the chance to slip away right under everyone's noses.
It was a simple plan, but incredibly effective. No one could guess where that "tiger" had come from, let alone suspect its connection to Chu Lian's group. So by the time the pursuers arrived and found the tiger gone, they could only look on helplessly.
Of course, some people weren't going to give up so easily. After all, their sole purpose in coming here was to track Chu Lian. Until they succeeded, they wouldn't stop. As long as she remained in Tai'an, they believed they would eventually find her.
"Comrades, we face a problem. Where do we go next? Chu Lian and her group only said they were coming to Tai'an, but they never revealed their exact itinerary. If we choose wrong, we might lose the only chance we'll ever get. So, I'd like to hear your opinions—where should we head next?"
In a dimly lit living room, the place was already full of people. At the center sat a fat man, adjusting the glasses on his nose as he spoke in a serious, heavy tone. Everyone around him looked tense, as if struggling with a difficult decision.
His words silenced them for a long time, until finally someone spoke: "Tai'an's most famous tourist spot is Mount Tai, the foremost of the Five Great Mountains. Based on their itinerary in Chang'an—visiting Mount Li and the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum—it's likely they'll go to all the major landmarks. This morning, Chu Lian and the others went shopping, which means they probably already planned it out. They used the morning for rest and personal time, then they'll regroup at a set time to head out together."
The speaker's face was half-hidden in the shadows, only the top half visible under the dim yellow light. With his glasses and sharp features, he looked especially eerie. Yet his reasoning was sound, hitting close to the truth.
"I think their meeting time is probably after lunch. Since they're here for tourism and don't know the local food, it makes sense they'd eat at their hotel. Given they can afford to stay at Qingping Grand Hotel, they won't mind dining there too."
"So the best plan is to station some comrades at Qingping Grand Hotel to watch for the students gathering. In addition, we need agile comrades to tail some of them, to find out their route." The fat man smiled with satisfaction as he picked up the thread. "The rest will split into two groups: half with me to prepare at Mount Tai, the other half will stay here on the shopping street. No matter which side spots Chu Lian first, they must notify the other immediately. This time, we'll find her no matter what! Because—we are the one-in-a-million loli-cons!"
At this point, the fat man suddenly stood, raising his fist high. "Comrades, do you remember our team oath? Let's repeat it together once more!"
"Loli forever, loli is the best, loli is supreme! We dedicate our lives to protecting lolis, swearing never to regret it unto death!"
"Loli forever, loli is the best, loli is supreme! We dedicate our lives to protecting lolis, swearing never to regret it unto death!"
"Loli forever, loli is the best, loli is supreme! We dedicate our lives to protecting lolis, swearing never to regret it unto death!"
Everyone shouted together, faces alight with fanatical devotion. But right after their chant ended, knocking echoed at the door. From outside came a sweet, pleasant female voice: "Excuse me, is anyone home? I'm here to sell insurance. Could you open the door?"
Hearing that voice, these usually shut-in otaku almost went weak at the knees. The voice was simply too cute—even as loli-cons, they couldn't resist!
Immediately, someone rushed excitedly to the door, reaching for the lock. The fat man was one of the few still keeping his head. Suddenly realizing something, his heart jumped as he shouted: "Don't open the door!"
But he was too late. The scrawny boy at the door looked back at him in surprise, but his hand had already pulled it open.
In an instant, a group of muscular men in Armed Police uniforms stormed inside, pinning them all to the floor. A cold female voice followed: "We received a report that a group was gathering illegally here. We suspect you were planning something bad."
"Now, cooperate and come with us to the station. If the investigation shows you're innocent, you'll be released soon. If you resist, be ready to eat government meals for a few years. Take them away!"
The fat man recognized the voice—it was the same sweet voice that had lured them to open the door. Silently lying on the floor, a single tear slid from the corner of his eye. "To die before the battle even begins… The Heart of First Love Alliance, Loli Corps' very first mission… ends in failure. Big Sister, I've let you down…"
A blessing in disguise, perhaps. If Chu Lian knew that this group of hentai had ended up arrested simply because they pulled their curtains shut in broad daylight to set the mood—making neighbors think something shady was going on and call the police—she would probably laugh herself silly.
In fact, Chu Chu already had. Many of those arrested had also joined the "Push Down Chu Lian" Alliance. Some even managed to post about it before being hauled off, warning others not to make the same mistake!
From then on, among fans, the list of suspicious visitors to guard against grew longer. In addition to water meter inspectors, deliverymen, couriers, repairmen, and all kinds of door-to-door service staff, there was now one more to beware of: insurance sales reps!
Watching Chu Chu grinning foolishly at her screen for ages, Chu Lian finally couldn't help herself. With a swift hand chop to the head, she snapped her out of it. Rubbing her head but still smiling, Chu Chu looked at her and asked: "Big Sis, is something wrong?"
"I just want to know what on earth you're laughing at so much. Want to show me?" Chu Lian pursed her lips and muttered softly.
"Ah, just some really H jokes. Big Sis, you sure you want to see?" No way could she let her big sister know she was actually the leader of the "Push Down Chu Lian" Alliance. That would be a death sentence.
If her sister, who had just returned from Queen Mode, discovered this, who knew what other state she might enter? She already saw Chu Chu as a pervert—better to let her think she was just a big pervert, rather than find out the truth.
"Hopeless. Forget it, I don't want to see that stuff." Turning her head away, Chu Lian's face was full of disdain. Then she picked up her milk tea and crossed the street, heading toward Inori Yuzuriha and Li Xiu'er, who were waiting for her.
Relieved that she had covered it up, Chu Chu hurriedly wiped all her login records clean. Then she grabbed the pile of food in her hands and chased after Chu Lian, calling: "Big Sis, wait for me! It's almost noon—should we head back now?"
Taking the handkerchief Inori Yuzuriha handed her, Chu Lian wiped the fine sweat from her face and nodded. "Yes, we should head back now, since we still have Mount Tai this afternoon. Climbing it will definitely be much harder than Mount Li, so we need to prepare some things in advance. And tonight, we're going to watch the sunset. Dinner will likely need to be prepared ahead of time too. Better to go back early so we won't have to rush."
"Can't we just eat dinner after coming back?" Li Xiu'er thought of Mount Tai's height—over 1,500 meters—and how exhausting the climb would be. If she had to carry a bunch of things on top of that, she wasn't sure she could manage. Tugging lightly at Chu Lian's sleeve, she asked timidly.
For such a weak-voiced question, Chu Lian could only shake her head regretfully. "Teacher Ning said everyone has to carry their share. After all, we're still a group, so no one can be treated specially. But don't worry—I won't let you get worn out this time."
Biting her lip, Li Xiu'er looked into Chu Lian's eyes for a while before finally nodding pitifully.
Seeing her so dejected, Chu Lian reached out to rub her head, a gentle smile softening her features. "I won't let my Xiu'er get tired. So just relax, okay? Be good."
Squinting her eyes as she enjoyed Chu Lian's tenderness, Li Xiu'er's unease gradually faded, her nerves slowly easing.
Watching this scene, Chu Chu puffed up angrily, frustrated at why she couldn't be as soft and sweet as Li Xiu'er—why she couldn't so easily receive her big sister's gentleness.
Her gaze shifted toward Inori, who walked quietly beside Chu Lian, carrying a bag while watching her profile. At that, Chu Chu's jealous thoughts suddenly vanished. Instead, she sighed inwardly. "Maybe this is Big Sis's true charm—unconsciously influencing everyone around her, making them center themselves on her. Am I not the same? After over ten years together, this dependence and affection have already sunk deep into my bones, become instinct itself. But I think… that's a good thing."
The sun shone brightly, the long street buzzed with noise, and the girls walked side by side, each with her own thoughts, heading back the way they had come.
As for the chaos of the shopping street and the uproar online—those no longer had anything to do with them.