Having traversed countless realms, can you possibly be as clever as me?

Kasumigaoka Utaha returned home and then stayed home for three days.

Those cold contracts lay spread out on the table, each clause like a poisoned knife, slicing through the little stubbornness and self-respect that Kasumigaoka Utaha had left.

Humans are indeed contradictory. She can speak realistically to Eriri, but when she's alone, she starts to struggle with her own 'despicable' and 'vulgar' thoughts.

By signing this document, I have completely reduced the name "Xia Shizi" and everything it represents to a symbol under VOX Technology, a carefully packaged product launched to the market.

But when she looked at her phone and saw that fake yet real name shining brightly on the trending list, her pride and her sense of "uniqueness" felt like shattered glass, leaving her completely wounded.

It doesn't belong to her, it's not even her illusion, it's just wearing her skin and bringing her endless glory.

For three days, Kasumigaoka Utaha locked herself in her apartment. She asked for leave from school, citing illness, but in reality, she mostly just lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Or, you could 'spy' on the 'you' online.

She was right there, motionless, yet the account claiming to be hers, knowing full well, kept posting all sorts of content.

"Xia Shizi's latest beautiful photos: intellectual charm, showing the charm of a literary goddess!" - In the photos, she is wearing a French retro long dress that she has never worn before, sitting in a cafe full of books. Her profile is perfect and her eyes are deep. But she knows that it is just a fake image synthesized by VOX's AI based on her facial features. She has never worn such clothes before.

"Exclusive Interview with Xia Shizi: Talking about her creative journey and revealing the inspiration for her new work!"—In the video, she answered all kinds of difficult questions and challenges from a sharp-tongued commentator with ease and grace, and even quoted a few philosophical sayings that she herself had never read before.

"Xia Shizi's new novel, 'Urban Immoral Love,' has taken the literary world by storm, selling over a million copies in its first week!"—When she opened the novel and skimmed through a few pages, a strong sense of shame about unearned wealth almost made her vomit. It wasn't her work, yet it bore her name and was being adored by countless people.

However, it is undeniable that...

The fake version of herself on the screen did a much, much better job than her.

The real person remained motionless, while the virtual replica created a perfect version of herself. This sense of disconnect made her uncomfortable. Although the flowing money might solve many of her anxieties, she couldn't suppress the fear of being replaced.

She figured it out; she wanted to prove herself, she wanted to create!

So she made a furious call, getting through to that devilish young capitalist.

"Mr. Tsugumi...why is your work being published under my name?"

The moment the call connected, all her imposing manner vanished. Even through the microphone, the sharp-tongued Kasumigaoka Utaha felt a surge of fear in the face of the young man on the other end of the line, and her tone became weak and subdued.

"Nonsense, once the account is built up and the persona is established, what am I supposed to sell if I don't produce any work?"

Tsurugi said without any politeness

"That finished product is the best result after combining many revisions. You're not worried about quality issues, so why not just lie back and collect royalties? Isn't that great?"

"...Can't I write by myself?" Kasumigaoka Utaha paused for a moment, then said in a somewhat desperate voice.

"Ha, I don't care if you write it or not!" Tsugumi's reply was still not very polite, but her answer made Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes light up.

"As long as what you produce isn't garbage, why should I care whether you post good or bad content? But I have to remind you, your work will be screened before it's published, and any content that could damage your public image or cause other problems is not allowed to be posted!"

"Also—I've sent you the materials. Take a look and see if you want to use them."

She gave a swift and decisive reply, then hung up the phone. Meanwhile, Kasumigaoka Utaha received a 'list of novels' from her account's backend.

The three novels had no titles, summaries, or covers, and each had a total word count of no more than 200,000. Kasumigaoka Utaha opened one of them and quickly became engrossed in it.

It was an obscure novel about ethics in postwar Japanese society, a genre she had never explored before. The writing was concise and powerful, the content rich and varied, and as she delved deeper into the text, she found herself unconsciously drawn in. After finishing the entire book, she wondered if it was the work of AI, or a hidden gem of a master's work?

But without a doubt, this work precisely struck at her deepest reading preferences and blind spots in thinking that she herself was unaware of. It was as if it could see into her soul and open doors to entirely new worlds for her.

She devoured book after book, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. The ingenious plots, dramatic twists and turns, and profound analyses of human nature in those works were like lightning bolts, constantly cleaving through the fog in her mind and igniting countless sparks of inspiration.

By the time she finished the last book, the sky outside was already turning a pale white. She felt as if her mind had been filled with sponges, saturated with the sweet dew of knowledge, and countless writing inspirations flowed forth like a spring, impossible to contain.

She picked up a pen, turned on her computer, and then wrote furiously for hours!

As the first rays of morning sunlight streamed into the room, she suddenly realized that she had unknowingly written 60,000 words. Although exhausted, she felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.

She uploaded the text to the software, and the AI ​​corrected some typos and citation errors in just a few seconds. The revised text read much more smoothly.

Looking at the characters jumping on the screen, she suddenly realized that her resistance to AI seemed to have subsided considerably.

Her inspiration came from the AI ​​novels that drew upon the work of countless writers, works that resonated deeply with her and sparked her intense inspiration.

The software also helped her correct bad habits that she herself hadn't even noticed, saving her a lot of time on proofreading and agonizing over things...

After using AI for writing for the first time, Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly felt that it was no longer the disgusting "thief," but rather like an all-knowing librarian, a catalyst that could unleash her potential.

Her slender, pale fingers gently stroked her cheek, and a smile appeared on her face without her even realizing it. Was it mocking her own hypocrisy, or was it mocking herself for being like a primitive man who used tools?

Perhaps she can understand what Rinri-kun is thinking now.

Two days later, she returned to campus.

As soon as she stepped into the school gate, she keenly sensed that the gazes directed at her seemed more numerous and intense than ever before. Whispers also rose and fell incessantly.

"Look, it's Kasumigaoka-senpai!"

"Isn't that Kasumi Shiko? My god, she's even more beautiful in person than in photos!"

"Her latest novel is amazing! I stayed up all night to finish the latest chapter. No wonder she's the school's top female writer."

Although she had always been a popular figure at school and attracted a lot of attention wherever she went, at this moment, the gazes that were a mixture of curiosity, admiration, and gossip still made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

After all, in their eyes, she was no longer Kasumigaoka Utaha from the Literature Club, but a "Kasumigaoka Utako" who was labeled with countless tags and lived under the spotlight.

But, just like the praise and pursuit of her that I see online.

These words of praise were so overt that, as human instinct, one could neither resist nor resist them.

She quickened her pace and headed straight for her classroom. However, as soon as she stepped inside, a boy she didn't know well boldly approached her. He held up his phone, the screen displaying "Xia Shizi's" profile on a social media platform.

The boy blushed, his voice tinged with excitement and trepidation.

"Kasumigaoka-san...excuse me, is this 'Kasumigaoka Utako'...you yourself?"

In the classroom, everyone's eyes were fixed on her, and the air seemed to freeze.

Kasumigaoka Utaha's heart clenched. She stared at the fake "Kasumigaoka Utaha" on her phone screen, who looked so much like herself, and at the expectant yet questioning eyes around her.

She could deny it, she could distance herself from it, and at least continue to be the pure "Kasumigaoka Utaha" within the school—but that would be meaningless, even self-deceptive...

However, her mind involuntarily drifted to those AI-recommended novels, and the exhilarating memory of writing them all night long.

—It's okay, it's my own work, and I'll release it sooner or later, and I'll use this account to release it anyway.

She hesitated for a moment, then finally took a deep breath and slowly nodded.

"Ah."

Having transmigrated, my only purpose is to kill, kill, kill! : 20. Breakup and Temptation

Kasumigaoka Utaha spent almost the entire day asking all sorts of exciting questions.

The students were incredibly excited about having a new internet celebrity around them, as if they had become celebrities themselves after interacting with one.

Kasumigaoka Utaha felt annoyed.

But she also felt great.

This feeling is both contradictory and natural; when faced with the admiration and cheers of one's peers, it is always easy for people to feel arrogance and joy.

Despite repeatedly warning herself not to get carried away with the feeling, Kasumigaoka Utaha still couldn't help but feel a sense of 'excitement' about becoming a star.

Fake fans are turning into real worship.

The popular persona created out of thin air on the internet is now bringing real admiration and a sense of accomplishment in real life.

The achievements that have made us the focus and center are turning into a continuous stream of things.

Kasumigaoka Utaha seemed to feel that something inexplicable had been added to her soul.

Soon, the day's classes came to an end.

Feeling exhausted and empty after the initial thrill, Kasumigaoka Utaha decided to go see Aki Tomoya.

She wanted to tell him that she seemed to finally understand his thoughts regarding the criticism of Aki Tomoya for using AI in his creations. She wanted to apologize, and then take his hand again, and together they would return to the club to continue working on their unfinished game.

After all, she will have plenty of time in the future and no longer needs to worry about it!

Her steps were tinged with trepidation, lingering with hesitation. Her fingertips even unconsciously rubbed the hem of her clothes, as if seeking some solace in the conversation that was about to begin.

But she believed that the gentle Rinri-kun would surely understand her!

But when she pushed open the door to the club activity room, she saw Aki Tomoya sitting stiffly behind the table, motionless.

He stared silently at the computer screen, the white light from the screen making his face appear pale. He remained silent as he looked at the screen, and a heavy atmosphere filled the entire room.

Kasumigaoka Utaha's heart skipped a beat. The courage that had been urging her forward was dampened by the cold atmosphere. Her throat felt dry, and the words she had prepared seemed frozen, stuck in her throat.

Hearing the door open, Aki Tomoya looked up, but his eyes, which usually sparkled with the enthusiasm typical of otaku, were now filled with unfathomable repression and redness.

His lips were clenched into a straight line, his jawline was tense, and the muscles in his face twitched slightly, as if he was trying his best to restrain something.

"Kasumigaoka-senpai..." He rarely used this title, his voice low and slow.

"Is that 'Xia Shizi' account on the internet really yours, senior?"

“Rinri-kun, I…”

Kasumigaoka Utaha opened her mouth slightly, but her throat seemed blocked, and she couldn't explain—it was the contract, and the contract stipulated that she was not allowed to explain anything done within the company.

Moreover, what binds her at this moment is not just the words on the contract, but also another kind of contractual 'power'.

She couldn't say anything about what happened to VOX Technology!

The explanations she offered failed to clarify the situation and only made her appear as a sophistry, further diminishing her standing in Aki Tomoya's eyes.

Her cheeks turned slightly pale, her lips trembled a few times, and in the end, she could only utter a barely audible syllable.

"Ah."

The sound was barely audible, so faint that it seemed as if it would be swallowed up by the air at any moment.

Aki Tomoya was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice

"These accounts all belong to VOX Technology. Senior, were you an employee of VOX a long time ago?"

“I…I admit it. But, Renri-kun, listen to me, there’s a reason for this…”

She desperately wanted to explain, to salvage the situation. Her hands unconsciously reached out, trying to grasp him and melt the coldness in his eyes.

But she couldn't explain it clearly. The account traffic created by AI was too perfect. Anyone would think that the 'Xia Shizi' account had been popular for at least a year.

Aki Tomoya gave her no chance at all. As if his pent-up anger had reached its peak, his eyes became even colder, filled with undisguised disgust, like a poisoned knife stabbing straight at her.

He suddenly took a step forward, almost touching her face, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white from the force, and the veins on the back of his hands bulging.