Bai Heng pinched his chin, mulling over the choices the system had presented.
First up, Option A.
Sounded like some pompous noble—phony and pretentious. Pass!
Then, Option B.
Gave off major obsessive cameraman vibes. Besides, trying to stop her might not even work. Another pass!
As for the last one, Option C...
Well, that was even more out of the question.
He was rather fond of that line from the Angel of Justice:
'The unjust shall burn in flames! The wretched deserve death!'
So that left only one option.
A glint of amusement flashed in Bai Heng's eyes as he tapped open the input field.
--+--
Meanwhile, on the other side of the screen, the live-stream audience watched everything unfold, eagerly awaiting Bai Heng's next move.
「Kiana: "He'll probably pick A, right? Judging from their conversation earlier, Bai Heng seems like a pretty polite guy."」
「Silver Wolf: "Hey, isn't there an option where he uses his looks? If he's one of the Star Children, all he has to do is unlock the [Tear of Stars] restraining his charm, and he'd have Firefly eating out of his hand."」
「Keqing: "The [Tear of Stars] that restrains his charm? What's that?"」
「Jing Yuan: "Due to a blessing from the Aeon of Beauty, the Star Children possess such overwhelming charm that it became a burden. To cope, they developed a device to suppress their allure, allowing them to appear ordinary."」
「Jing Yuan: "Rumor has it that when a Star Child releases this restraint, everyone of the opposite sex around them falls head over heels. The Interastral Peace Corporation even drafted special regulations forbidding them from removing their [Tear of Stars] in public."」
「Kiana: "What kind of human-shaped succubus is that?! But this ability... kinda makes me want it!"」
「Raiden Mei: "Kiana—what would you need that for? 🙂"」
「Silver Wolf: "Heh, I can already picture Firefly completely smitten."」
「Firefly: "Do I really seem that easy to win over?!"」
Just as the live-stream chatters were buzzing with speculation about Bai Heng's choice, the scene shifted—Bai Heng had made his move.
He still wore a smile, but this one was entirely different from the gentle, polite expression he'd had during their conversation earlier.
It was the look a merchant gets when they spot a business opportunity.
Polite and gentle as ever, yet it gave off an unmistakably shady vibe.
The next moment, Bai Heng's smooth, cultured voice rang out.
"Photos are free, but deletion costs twenty thousand. Will you be paying by mobile terminal or cash? If you don't have either, I also accept items of equivalent value as collateral."
His merchant-like, almost playful tone reached the silver-haired girl's ears—and through the live stream, every viewer heard it too.
「Silver Wolf: "Hey, isn't this extortion? This is totally extortion! With a pitch like that, is he really Stellaron-touched? Sounds more like an Interastral Peace Corporation employee!"」
「Topaz: "Oh! Now that's business savvy! I'd love to meet this Bai Heng if I get the chance!"」
「Lumine: "Hard to believe... He looks so innocent, yet he's capable of something like this..."」
「Paimon: "But such an obvious trap—surely Firefly won't fall for it, right?"」
[Firefly froze in place. Yet, pure-hearted as she was, she didn't seem to doubt your words. After hesitantly glancing at her nearly empty wallet, she handed over twenty thousand credits. Firefly's remaining balance: 1,000 credits.]
[If she drinks only one bottle of water a day, she might barely make it five days.]
「Kafka: "...."」
「Paimon: "...."」
「Kiana: "...."」
「Stelle: "...."」
「Lumine: "....."」
As the saying goes: Your silence speaks volumes.
The live chat's reaction was a perfect example.
Ellipses from viewers across different worlds flooded the stream.
Finally, Silver Wolf, both colleague and comrade, delivered the sharpest roast:
「Silver Wolf: "@Firefly, you're something else, kid."」
「Firefly: "Wait... did I really have to pay the twenty thousand?"」
Everyone: .....
You really are something else, kid!
Not only was the live audience stunned—even Bai Heng, who was in the middle of the simulation, felt his lip twitch at the scene.
'Got any smarter sisters at home? Give me three hours, and I'll sweet-talk one into marrying me.'
'One like you, and I'd worry our kids would inherit your lack of sense...'
After that internal jab, Bai Heng refocused on the simulation.
[After accepting Firefly's twenty thousand credits, you notice the clear discomfort on her face. These were credits she'd painstakingly saved over a long time. The days ahead would likely be very lean for her.]
[But you feel no guilt. After deleting the photo, you return to your earlier gentle politeness, offering a slight bow to the girl before you. Then, you extend an invitation:]
"As an apology for the trouble I've caused, Miss Firefly, how about letting me treat you to a meal?"
[The invitation is strange, but the intense hunger she feels makes it hard for Firefly to refuse. Determined to make it through the next few days, she accepts your offer, secretly vowing to eat her way back to those twenty thousand credits!]
[You arrive at Reverie Pavilion, the finest restaurant in the Golden Hour—though its prices are also among the highest in Penacony.]
[The opulent setting makes Firefly visibly nervous. She regrets accepting your invitation. When it comes time to order, she only picks the two cheapest dishes, her earlier ambition completely gone.]
[Seeing through her hesitation, you take the menu, confidently check every single item, and then hand it back to the server.]
[Firefly gasps softly, trying to stop you, but you quiet her with a look.]
[You explain that you're a special guest of Penacony—within the Dreamscape, none of your expenses cost a single credit.]
[Hearing this, she finally relaxes, throwing herself wholeheartedly into the joy of the food. Here in Penacony's dreams, the meals bring satisfaction and happiness without any physical consequences.]
[In short, you stuffed Firefly until she was full.]
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.