Chapter 182: What Are You Talking About with That Red-Eyed Woman?

In the photo column was a fat guy comparable to a prize hog.

Jiang Jianyue frowned, about to swipe past it.

[Ability: Shape-shifting (Gender Transformation)]

[Note: The user can freely switch to another specific form (female). Per the user’s strong request, a reference photo of this form is attached.]

On the supplementary page of the file was another photo.

It was “Mizuki Hoshi”.

It was a candid shot taken by the registrar of the Special Response Bureau.

The girl in the photo wore an ill-fitting, massive T-shirt and shorts.

The clothes hung loosely on her slender frame, exposing a large expanse of pale collarbone and shoulder, making her look exceptionally… provocative.

The girl’s face still bore tear stains, her eyes filled with terror and shame, yet carrying a hint of stubbornness.

Perfect.

Jiang Jianyue looked at the fatty photo of “Mizuki Kotaro” and then back at the stunning photo of “Mizuki Hoshi”.

The contrast was intense.

“Wow, it’s the same type of stand-in,” Melon suddenly popped up to comment.

“Shut up,” Jiang Jianyue said, ignoring Melon’s mockery.

She turned to look at Akimoto Miki, who was dozing off beside her, and held up the tablet.

“This one. Mizuki Kotaro.”

Akimoto Miki remained silent for three seconds before her lips twitched.

“… My Lady, are you sure?”

“Is there a problem?”

Jiang Jianyue’s tone turned cold.

“No… no problem,” Akimoto Miki immediately waved her hands.

“I was just thinking… is he the ‘topic’ representative for the team?”

“No.”

Jiang Jianyue’s lips curled slightly.

“He is the ‘Magical Girl’ representative.”

And so, the suffix “Magical Girl” was added to the Southern Cross.

Returning to the present, inside the reception room of the Light Chaser Agency.

The other members of the Supernatural Department were being led by the manager, Naito Meidai, and Ohnishi Kaori to visit the practice rooms and dorms of the other Southern Cross members.

Ohnishi Kaori acted like they were old friends and quickly became an “honorary manager”.

“Wow! It’s Miss Kingfisher’s dressing room!”

“Yuki! Look! You can eat as many snacks as you want here!”

The noise from outside made the quiet reception room feel even more oppressive.

Mizuki Hoshi sat upright, hands resting on her knees, nervously watching the girl sitting on the sofa opposite her.

Jiang Jianyue.

She was the top of the agency—no, the top of all of DRG Japan.

It was she who had pulled Mizuki Hoshi out of that hellish room.

It was she who had taken the identity of “Mizuki Hoshi” from being unacknowledged to standing under the spotlight, loved by a vast number of fans.

“Um… Lady Jiang.”

Mizuki Hoshi gathered her courage and bowed deeply.

“I… I am truly grateful to you!”

Jiang Jianyue picked up the black tea on the table and took a light sip.

Her blood-colored eyes looked calmly at the girl before her, saying nothing.

“I…”

Mizuki Hoshi grew somewhat incoherent.

“I know that you know… about Kotaro.”

Just saying that name made Mizuki Hoshi feel a surge of nausea.

“I thought my life was over…”

“Even… even if I got this ability and became ‘Hoshi’…”

Mizuki Hoshi gave a bitter smile.

“I know myself.”

“Mizuki Kotaro is a lazy, cowardly, spineless waste.”

“Even if I turned into a girl, I would only… I would only…”

Mizuki Hoshi found the word hard to say.

“I might have stopped working because I was lazy, or because I couldn’t handle the hardship… and resorted to ‘selling myself’.”

“I would use this face to get money so I could live without trying.”

“In the end, I would still become a broken person.”

“A piece of trash who is pretty on the outside, but rotted on the inside, just like Kotaro.”

Mizuki Hoshi finished speaking.

This was the deepest fear hidden in her heart.

She expected Jiang Jianyue to show a look of contempt like everyone else.

But she didn’t.

Jiang Jianyue simply spoke indifferently.

“You are exaggerating.”

“Eh?”

“You won’t have the chance to… fall.”

Jiang Jianyue set down her teacup, her voice cold and calm.

“I am not… running a charity.”

She looked directly into Mizuki Hoshi’s pale blue eyes.

“DRG has invested resources in you… what I need is… a return.”

“Your past… your gender… they don’t matter at all.”

“You are not trash… you are now…”

“… An asset of DRG.”

Asset.

This cold, heartless word felt more reassuring to Mizuki Hoshi right now than any words of comfort.

“Yes! I understand!” Mizuki Hoshi nodded vigorously.

“I will never disappoint—”

Right then, the agency-issued phone in Mizuki Hoshi’s pocket vibrated abruptly.

Mizuki Hoshi took it out and glanced at it.

The screen displayed an “Unknown Number”.

Then, the girl hurriedly pressed the decline button.

However, as soon as she pressed it, the phone vibrated again.

It was the same number.

Decline.

Vibration.

Decline.

Vibration.

A series of message notifications popped up frantically.

[Hoshi-chan~ Why aren’t you answering my call?]

[I know you’re inside~]

[Hoshi-chan’s uniform is so cute today too~]

[What are you talking about with that red-eyed woman? Let me hear it too, okay?]

Mizuki Hoshi’s face instantly turned as pale as paper.

“What is it?”

Jiang Jianyue’s cold voice pulled Mizuki Hoshi back from her fear.

“No… no, it’s nothing!” Mizuki Hoshi flusteredly tried to hide the phone.

“Your hands are shaking.”

“I…”

Jiang Jianyue’s gaze grew progressively colder, and her already unfriendly tone turned even more somber.

“I hate it… when someone lies to me.”

Mizuki Hoshi’s psychological defenses collapsed instantly under the girl’s gaze.

“It’s… it’s a harassment call.”

Mizuki Hoshi’s lips trembled slightly.

“Harassment?”

“It’s a, uh… fanatic fan.”

Mizuki Hoshi’s voice took on a sobbing tone.

“I don’t know why, but he got my private number…”

Jiang Jianyue frowned.

“He… he sends me messages every day.”

“He sends… some very disgusting photos, and photos of himself…”

“It feels like… he’s been watching me the whole time!”

“So,” Jiang Jianyue seemed to understand something.

“Yes!” Mizuki Hoshi grabbed her hair in a breakdown.

“I… I don’t dare change back at all!”

“I haven’t changed back into ‘Kotaro’ for almost a month!”

“Lady Jiang, do you know?”

“My transformation ability isn’t permanent!”

“It consumes… it consumes mental and physical strength!”

“I have to maintain the ‘Mizuki Hoshi’ form every single second!”

“I don’t dare relax even when I sleep, I’m scared when I shower…”

“I’m so tired… I’m really so tired…”

“My stamina… it’s almost at its limit.”

“If… if one day I’m outside and I accidentally fall asleep and change back to that appearance, and someone sees it…”

“I don’t dare to imagine it…”

“Why… didn’t you tell Naito?” Jiang Jianyue asked coldly.

“I…”

Mizuki Hoshi lowered her head and whispered in shame.

“I didn’t dare.”

“I was afraid of causing trouble for the manager.”

“Mr. Naito already thinks I’m enough of a handful.”

“My dancing can’t keep up with Rena, my singing can’t compare to Miss Kingfisher…”

“I don’t know how to do anything.”

“I only have the gimmick of ‘transformation’.”

“If I can’t even handle a small matter like this and cause a scandal…”

“I’m afraid… I’m afraid he’ll think I have no value and… and fire me!”

“If I’m fired, I… I’ll really have to go back to that room.”

Jiang Jianyue silently watched the girl breaking down before her.

Mizuki Hoshi was the first person in the Southern Cross project, originally intended to be groomed as the main center.

However, Mizuki Hoshi, who was originally a fatty, had absolutely no talent for singing or dancing, and even stumbled through idol fan service.

Of course, Mizuki Hoshi’s current fan base was there specifically for her clumsy nature.

If the day ever came where Mizuki Hoshi became a perfect idol with a constant smile like Kazuki Kingfisher, the fans probably wouldn’t be used to it.

Since the main center plan failed, the Southern Cross group had to add another member who could carry the weight as the lead.

That was also why the Southern Cross, a name implying only four stars, had five members.

There was only one candidate—the experienced Kazuki Kingfisher.

As one of the ability users from the Awakening Incident, Kazuki Kingfisher’s reputation had been boosted by several months of “gimmick” marketing.

Combined with her own impressive skills, she was already top-tier in the underground idol world.

Jiang Jianyue had thought negotiations with Kazuki Kingfisher would be difficult, but in the end, she hadn’t made any unreasonable demands.

Since she agreed, the agency side was the easiest part to handle.

In hindsight, it was a good decision.

If they had added a civilian or a trainee instead, creating a “four-protect-one” situation… even with the traffic boost, the Southern Cross might not be as popular as it was now.

Four-protect-one groups generally didn’t end well.

Having lost the center position, Mizuki Hoshi was already filled with anxiety.

Combined with the manager’s attitude toward her and her own personality… it was understandable how she had ended up like this.

Jiang Jianyue’s silence was more terrifying to Mizuki Hoshi than any reprimand.

Mizuki Hoshi gradually found it hard to breathe, feeling suffocated by the invisible pressure.

Finally, Jiang Jianyue spoke slowly.

“The phone. Give it to me.”

“Eh?”

“The harassment number. Give it to me.”

Mizuki Hoshi dazedly unlocked the phone and handed it over with both hands.

Jiang Jianyue took the phone and, without looking at the filthy message contents, simply pulled up that “Unknown Number”.

She took out her own phone and dialed Morita Soya.

“Morita.”

“Trace a number.”

She recited the string of digits.

“A stalker.”

“You know what to do.”

Morita Soya could hear a faint trace of anger in the young lady’s calm voice—having followed her for so long, he was absolutely certain of it.

“Also… there are moles in both the agency and the Special Response Bureau…”

“Find out who is leaking info on the Southern Cross… especially… Mizuki Hoshi.”

“I’ll give you one hour.”

She hung up the phone and threw Mizuki Hoshi’s phone back onto the table.

“Delete them. Blacklist the number.”

“Lady… Lady Jiang…”

Mizuki Hoshi was dumbfounded, picking up the phone in a daze.

Was it… resolved just like that?

“Be smarter.”

Jiang Jianyue’s gaze swept over the posters in the reception room.

“If the manager… can’t solve… your problems, then apply… for a replacement.”

“Fool.”

Even though she was being scolded, a sense of admiration rose in Mizuki Hoshi’s heart.

She felt an impulse to immediately kneel and submit at the girl’s feet.

“Lady Jiang…”