That night, Chu Lian wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.
Whether it was the debut of Sword and Fairy that began serialization that morning in Firefly magazine, or the cosplay video released by Chu Lian that evening, both left countless people wide awake, hearts stirred.
For those uninterested in the ACG (anime, comics, games) world, the novel was undoubtedly more compelling. Though Chu Lian's story only featured a rather unremarkable beginning, attentive readers caught glimpses of a grand world within the lines. The anticipation for how the plot would unfold was palpable.
For those who spent most of their time and money immersed in ACG culture, Chu Lian's cosplay gave them something different.
They couldn't clearly describe it. Was it the mind-blowing special effects that looked indistinguishable from reality, or the sheer joy of seeing so many high-quality bishoujo in a single cosplay video?
Perhaps what amazed them most were the cosplays themselves, seemingly as if the characters had stepped out of the anime world. Even though Li Xiu'er and the others didn't have access to the system like Chu Lian did, their natural beauty and character fit were already so good that they didn't need much help to shine.
It was the same with Chu Lian. She had said before that given half a month, she could achieve 70% similarity to Misaka Mikoto even without using the system. Even now, without activating Mimic Mode from the Dimensional Barrier, she could still reach 50% resemblance. This wasn't empty boasting—she truly had the confidence.
As the saying goes, "If you look good, you can pull off any cosplay." That was the essence of it.
After all, even before their full development, Chu Lian and the others already had better natural traits than 99% of people. With just a bit of makeup and matching temperament and accuracy, they could recreate any character convincingly.
Aside from fans who only liked one genre, the rest were clearly Chu Lian's die-hard followers. Whether it was her novel or her cosplay content, both sparked a wave of enthusiasm.
Speculation about the plot of Sword and Fairy emerged like mushrooms after rain. Everyone had their theories, their perspectives, and their predictions.
Their imaginations were especially vivid at this early stage of the story, before any concrete worldbuilding or storyline had been laid out by the author.
Some viewpoints were well-reasoned; others were hilarious. One camp favored traditional plotlines, another cheered for outrageous, over-the-top developments. Each camp had its own sub-factions, resulting in total chaos—and pure entertainment.
And this was just a freshly serialized novel, with minimal popularity and a limited readership. No solid world yet. Hence, the discussion around it was still relatively mild.
The other project, A Certain Scientific Railgun, received far more attention.
A complete story, a well-developed world, vivid characters, high popularity of the original work and its protagonist—these all meant the fan-made cosplay work couldn't go unnoticed.
Of course, many were there for the fanservice. Every time a girl's photo appeared, comments flooded in seeking "extras."
The most targeted by these comments were none other than Chu Lian's version of Misaka Mikoto—who, despite wearing safety shorts, couldn't escape attention—and Lux's version of Shokuhou Misaki, in alluring white stockings. Some of the replies on their photos were downright unprintable.
That said, this behavior didn't cause much of a stir. Few criticized it, and many gentlemen quietly liked or replied with similarly "gentlemanly" coded messages.
Beyond the core fans, many others gave a thumbs-up to the photo series. The image quality was stunning, and the post-processing and special effects were incredibly well done. Even the cosplayers—whether leads or supporting characters—were all unbelievably good-looking. Most importantly, they were serious about their craft, and it showed.
Some sharp-eyed viewers noticed that the girl cosplaying Shirai Kuroko bore a striking resemblance to Chu Lian—about 50-60%. Looking more closely, aside from appearing more cheerful and having a better figure, she was practically a mirror image of Chu Lian. This drew gasps and countless requests for information about the girl.
Soon, more and more people picked up on it. Eventually, the "info expert" appeared to explain that the girl was Chu Lian's biological younger sister, a super-loli with a baby face and huge bust. However, since this was all posted in comments and bullet chats, no one could provide any pre-cosplay photos, leaving many feeling regretful.
Despite the rush production, and the inevitable shortcomings in fine details, fans saw Chu Lian's first cosplay as a near-perfect submission. They weren't expecting perfection and instead responded with overwhelming positivity and support.
That night became a sleepless one for her fans. Countless people stayed up with Chu Lian. While Chu Lian missed the girl in red, they were captivated by her new look—and the girls who joined her.
No one knew how long it took before Chu Lian finally drifted to sleep. Suddenly, a wave of anxiety jolted her awake. She opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings, but saw nothing unusual.
Still, the unease in her heart lingered, making it clear that something had definitely happened just moments ago.
Moonlight streamed through the window into her room. She gazed out at the empty street in a daze. Then, in a fleeting moment, she thought she saw a flash of pink pass by her window.
Rubbing her eyes, she looked again—and there it was, a pink silhouette.
Climbing to the window for a better look, she finally saw clearly what that pink figure was. Her eyes widened. "That's...? How could she appear in this world?!"
Though it was late at night, the street wasn't exactly safe. Considering that girl's nature, Chu Lian knew she likely hadn't realized where she was yet. It was never safe for a girl to be running around outside at night, no matter the circumstances.
"I have to find her... Tina, get up..." With her mind made up, no matter what was going on, Chu Lian had to find the girl and bring her back. She got out of bed, opened the wardrobe, quickly changed clothes, then gently shook Tina, who was curled up on the bed.
"I'm going out to find someone. Come with me—I won't feel safe otherwise..." Though the girl hadn't awakened her powers yet, and without someone wielding the Power of the Void, she wasn't very special...
Chu Lian hadn't forgotten she was still a sharpshooter with exceptional physical strength. Bringing Tina was just in case the girl mistook her for an enemy or tried to run. She needed to be caught.
She checked outside the window again, confirming the girl was still nearby, then quietly opened her bedroom door and stepped into the hallway.
The humanoid figure that had been lying outside the door was gone. It seemed her mom had dragged it back to its room and locked it up. That was perfect—less chance of being found out.
The front door was locked, but thankfully she had brought her key. Otherwise, she'd have to detour and fetch it. The only issue was the lock's loud click—which risked waking someone. But at this point, she couldn't care.
Click.
The front door opened with a sharp sound that echoed through the hall—and startled the girl on the street.
Seeing her about to bolt, Chu Lian sprang forward without hesitation, dashing toward her and shouting in Japanese: "Don't go..."
The pink-haired girl, startled at first, stopped in her tracks when she saw that the person who emerged was only a small girl barely reaching her shoulder. She wasn't exactly timid—her reaction had been more of natural caution in unfamiliar territory.
If the other party was just an ordinary girl without special abilities, then perhaps she could ask where she was.
Chu Lian let out a sigh of relief when she saw the girl wasn't running anymore, standing still and silently gazing at her.
As long as she didn't run, they could figure things out later. If the girl had fled, Chu Lian doubted she could find her again without a lengthy search. Who knows what would happen to her during that time. Most likely, she'd vanish from the world entirely.
And if that happened, all the mysteries surrounding her would be left unanswered until a next encounter—if such a thing ever happened again.
"I..." Standing in front of the girl, Chu Lian felt a little at a loss for words as she stared at the CG-perfect beauty before her. This was her favorite character in her past life. How was she here now? Was this fate—or a cruel twist of it?
The pink-haired girl could sense what Chu Lian wanted to ask, but she had questions of her own. As Chu Lian hesitated, she spoke first: "Excuse me... where am I?"
Her voice was like a spring bubbling in a quiet mountain, delicate and soothing.
She spoke in Japanese. But that wasn't a problem for Chu Lian, who now understood it well enough to follow.
"This is another world's Huaxia... Suzhou... Sucheng," she answered softly, calming herself with a deep breath.
"Then... why am I here?" Normally a girl of few words, she now asked more than seven—a rare occurrence that hinted at the confusion in her heart.
"I don't know either. I never thought you would appear in this world. You should exist in a parallel universe... not here," Chu Lian replied, unable to offer more than that.
"Parallel universe?" The girl looked at her, puzzled.
"You crossed over due to unknown reasons. Maybe a dimensional rift, maybe some kind of accident, or maybe... world collapse..."
Before Chu Lian could finish, the girl suddenly clutched her head and crouched down, groaning in pain.
"World collapse... world collapse... everything disappeared... only we remain..." she murmured again and again, then looked up at the night sky, her voice haunted. "Only we remain... Where are you...?"
Her gaze was filled with anguish, as if the memories she had just recalled tore through her.
"Shu~" she whispered a name gently before her body went limp and she fainted.
Thankfully, Chu Lian caught her just in time, holding her in her arms.
Gazing at the unconscious, beautiful girl with tears still clinging to her lashes, Chu Lian reached out to gently wipe them away. She traced her delicate features, listened to her soft breathing, and felt the warmth of her skin—her heartbeat suddenly quickened.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Chu Lian supported the unconscious girl and began walking back home.
If the past was so painful, then let it go. This is a new world. Here, you can have a new life, a new self. You don't have to live merely as a vessel.
Inori Yuzuriha...