X
Lily of the Valley’s smile was truly terrifying, akin to that of a female ghost, sending shivers down Lu Chen’s spine.
Xia Shi had, at some point, sidled up beside him. She nudged Lu Chen’s shoulder, glanced at the screen, and then, with a short, startled “Eek!”, promptly jumped away.
‘It was practically a paranormal photograph…!’
The young man composed himself, lowering the screen before looking up at the teal-clad young woman before him.
Her expression was perfectly normal, as she calmly awaited the photo results, a stark contrast to the eerie image on the screen.
Lu Chen spoke:
“Miss Lily of the Valley, your smile is far too exaggerated. Don’t be so deliberate. A simple smile will suffice.”
Lily of the Valley blinked in confusion, then nodded.
“I understand. How about this?”
As the young woman politely responded, she offered a smile that was even more chilling than before.
Lu Chen’s shoulders twitched. He said:
“Still too much. Just be natural! You don’t have to try so hard!”
Lily of the Valley’s expression grew even more perplexed.
“Natural… I thought this *was* natural. Please, let me see.”
The young woman stepped away from the rolling shutter door, approached Lu Chen, and peered at the photo displayed on the remote’s screen.
Her eyes immediately widened, and her face turned deathly pale, utterly devoid of color.
“Eek…! Th-this is a real person?”
“I’m afraid not only is it real, it *is* you, and without a single filter.”
“S-sorry, I haven’t taken pictures in a long time. I’m a bit nervous.”
Lu Chen gave a helpless smile.
Lily of the Valley rarely gave interviews, and today she was even wearing soft, flowing clothes. It was inevitable that she would feel unaccustomed to the situation.
After a moment of thought, he turned to the young woman.
“It’s alright, this sort of thing happens.
“You usually carry a weapon with you, don’t you? Holding a gun might make you feel more at ease.
“Xia… Miss Administrator, I recall there are some model guns in the armory, aren’t there? Could you please fetch a few for me?”
“Mm-hmm, of course. And Mr. Lu, this auntie is already 38 years old, so there’s no need to call me so young.”
Xia Shi, futilely trying to maintain her persona, lifted the silver-gray rolling shutter door and entered the armory.
After rummaging inside for a while, Xia Shi emerged from the gate, carrying several lifelike, meticulously detailed model guns, which she handed to Lily of the Valley.
The teal-clad young woman selected a shotgun, her fingers slowly caressing the weapon’s cold surface.
A subtle upturn of her lips revealed a perfect smile, and she nodded confidently at Lu Chen.
Lu Chen gave her a thumbs-up and raised the remote control.
“Good, hold that pose, that’s excellent. Let’s try once more. Three, two, one—”
With the countdown finished, Lu Chen pressed the shutter again, and another photo appeared on the screen. The three immediately gathered around to examine the new image.
‘It had to be said, adding a gun certainly had an effect.’
In the photograph, Lily of the Valley had successfully evolved from an eerie female ghost to an eerie female ghost holding a gun, transforming from a subtle psychological horror film into a more mainstream slasher flick.
Lily of the Valley bit her lip, a hint of dejection clouding her features. She gritted her teeth.
“I’m sorry, I did terribly.
“When I get back, I’ll redouble my efforts in training, ensuring a perfect performance next time…!”
Lu Chen offered a helpless smile, lowering the camera as he spoke to Lily of the Valley.
“Please don’t be so nervous; it’ll likely have the opposite effect. Just relax a little.
“Let me think… this setting might not be quite right for you.
“Is there anyone you admire?”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Xia Shi turned, casting a sharp, chilling gaze that prickled Lu Chen’s scalp.
He quickly cleared his throat, adding by way of explanation:
“What I mean is… among those legendary magical girls, or the prominent figures in this city, is there anyone you particularly admire?
“I’ll find a landmark associated with them and take you there to try again.”
Lily of the Valley pondered for a moment before replying:
“I don’t know much about those things. But, if I had to say… when I was a child, I idolized Miss Morning Star and hoped to become someone like her.”
Xia Shi naturally interjected into the conversation, asking curiously:
“’When you were a child’? Did something happen afterwards?”
Lily of the Valley’s brows furrowed slightly, a hint of distaste in her voice.
“Nothing special, really. I simply met her in person and found she was a bit different from my imagination. She lived far too idly, completely wasting her talent.
“Even so… I still respect her greatly.”
Lu Chen nodded, then looked at his companion beside him.
“That’s quite enough.
“Miss Administrator, I believe there’s a statue commemorating Morning Star in this park, isn’t there? That would also serve as a good landmark for promotional photos.”
Suddenly addressed by Lu Chen, Xia Shi froze for a second before feigning composure.
“Mm-hmm, yes, there is. There should be. Probably. A-anyway, let’s go.”
Lily of the Valley looked at her with surprise.
“Madam Administrator, are you coming with us? Don’t you need to continue guarding the armory?”
The “Administrator’s” shoulders stiffened, and she froze in place. Her tone immediately dropped several notches, so much so that she even forgot to lower her voice.
“…Ah, indeed. I wish you both a successful photoshoot.”
With that, the 38-year-old administrator, allergic to UV rays and suffering from a cold, shuffled her feet and trudged towards the small hut.
Lu Chen caught up to her in a few quick strides. He leaned in slightly, whispering into the young woman’s ear:
“This armory is truly fascinating.
“After we finish the photoshoot, I’d like to come back alone and explore the armory’s interior thoroughly.
“When that time comes, could I trouble you to be my guide once more?”
The young man’s voice brushed past her earlobe, causing the young woman to involuntarily shiver.
Then, she lifted her head, and a smile surfaced in her eyes behind the sunglasses.
“Mm, I’d be delighted. I’ll wait for you. See you then.”
“See you then.”
Lu Chen waved, bidding a temporary farewell to Xia Shi. He returned to Lily of the Valley’s side, and together they crossed the lawn, heading towards the statue of Morning Star.
****
As Zero flapped his wings and landed on the windowsill of the administrator’s hut, Ling Wei was contemplatively covering her ears, her expression uncharacteristically perplexed.
The crow curiously scrutinized its master, then asked:
“Master, after suffering from a cold and UV allergy, have you now contracted otitis media?
“What are you pondering?”
Ling Wei lowered her hand and shrugged.
“Nothing significant, just some philosophical questions about flesh, soul, and magic—all rather cliché.”
“Could you please speak in Chinese? That was quite difficult to understand.”
“Alright, enough chitchat. Zero, shouldn’t you be patrolling nearby? Why have you suddenly flown over?
“Have you discovered anything interesting?”
Zero seemed a little surprised.
Ordinarily, his master would have long since discerned the reason for his arrival. She truly was quite distracted.
The familiar glanced at the young woman’s slightly reddened earlobe, deciding not to press the matter further.
He fluttered his wings and performed a chest-tapping salute.
“It might be quite interesting for you, but perhaps not so much for the other people in the park.
“Just now, as I happened to pass by the park’s entrance, I observed a peculiar individual from the ‘Envy’ faction stepping through the gates.
“How do you intend to handle him?”
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read After Refusing to Play the Villain, I Became Their White Moonlight! Click here to discover the next big twist!
Read : After Refusing to Play the Villain, I Became Their White Moonlight
