As soon as Xia Lan stepped out of the grand gates of the Shen Mansion, a sleek black Bentley glided to a stop in front of her.
Her brows furrowed the moment she laid eyes on it.
Without hesitation, she turned on her heel, ready to walk away.
But before she could take a single step, the car door swung open. A woman in a tailored black suit stepped out, her posture crisp and respectful.
"Good afternoon, Young Miss," the woman greeted with a slight bow. "I'm Li Xiao. Master has instructed me to accompany you."
Xia Lan raised a brow, her voice flat. "I don't need an escort."
Li Xiao panicked, waving her hands. "N-No, Miss! Madam Luo sent me. I'm here to protect you."
Xia Lan let out a soft sigh, her tone casual. "Tell her there's nothing to worry about. I don't need protection. Goodbye."
She turned again, waving dismissively as she walked off.
But before she could get far, Li Xiao rushed forward and blocked her path. Her eyes shimmered with anxiety, almost on the verge of tears.
"Miss, Madam gave me direct orders... I can't disobey them. Please, just let me come with you," she pleaded in a low voice.
Xia Lan stared at her for a few seconds, then sighed and relented. Without another word, she slid into the backseat of the Bentley.
—
After arriving at her destination, Xia Lan turned to Li Xiao and said calmly, "Tell Mom the program will last one to two months. There's really no need for protection during that time. Just tell her not to worry."
"Yes, Miss," Li Xiao responded obediently, bowing her head.
Xia Lan stepped into the building and entered the training center's spacious main hall. Inside, the energy was almost electric. Dozens of beautiful trainees bustled about, their laughter and chatter filling the space.
Her eyes scanned the room before landing on a familiar figure—a bubbly girl with pink hair bouncing energetically across the training mats.
"Su Xin!" Xia Lan called out with a faint smile. "How have you been?"
The pink-haired girl spun around, her face lighting up like the sun. "Sis Xia! You made it just in time!" she chirped, jogging over. "If you were any later, your credits would've dropped! I was just about to come drag you here!"
Xia Lan's expression turned puzzled. "Credits?"
Su Xin blinked, then her eyes widened. "Wait... You didn't watch the audition videos, did you?"
Xia Lan shook her head. "Nope. Didn't bother."
Su Xin let out a sigh,. "That explains it. Well, they announced something big during the livestreams. Apparently, trainees get credits based on audience support during live performances."
She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Every trainee starts with 1,000 credits. If your credits drop too low, you can get downgraded. Like, if you're in Class S, and your credits run out... boom. You fall straight to Class A."
Xia Lan's brows furrowed slightly. A downgrade system, huh? Interesting.
Just as the trainees were chatting excitedly, the lights in the hall suddenly went out.
Click.
Darkness swallowed the room.
A wave of startled gasps spread through the crowd, followed by soft screams from some of the more timid girls.
"Ahh!"
"W-What's happening?!"
Chaos stirred.
Xia Lan's body tensed instinctively. Her hand shot behind her back, fingers reaching for a pistol that wasn't there.
She froze.
A bitter smile tugged at her lips as she slowly exhaled.Right. She wasn't her anymore.
No pistol. No missions.She wasn't Viper, the shadow assassin feared across continents.
Just Xia Lan.
Her fingers lowered.I need to calm down… No one's trying to kill me here.I'm not Viper anymore. I should live my life the way I want.
Then, just as suddenly, the lights flickered back on.
The room was bathed in brightness again, and standing on the central platform were two striking figures.
The noisy chatter stopped. A collective gasp rippled through the room.
"Oh my god... Isn't that Su Nian?!" a trainee squealed, barely containing her excitement. "The Dancing Queen herself!"
"And that guy—he's Mo Beichen! Lead vocalist of V.I.R!"
"Ahh! He's even more handsome in person!"
"Look at that jawline! And his eyes—so sharp!"
"Su Nian's beauty is unreal... I've followed her since her debut!"
The trainees erupted into admiration and whispers, completely starstruck.
Even Xia Lan raised an eyebrow slightly.
Su Nian stepped forward with a warm, dazzling smile, radiating the aura of a true superstar.
"Hello, trainees! I hope you're all doing well. I'm Su Nian, your dance instructor for this program," she said with a graceful wave. "And beside me is Mr. Mo Beichen, your vocal coach. Let's all work hard together, okay?"
"Nice to meet you!" the trainees echoed enthusiastically in chorus, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
Whispers spread through the room like wildfire as everyone fawned over the two instructors.
"They're so perfect…"
"I can't believe we'll be trained by actual legends…"
While the other girls were busy squealing and whispering, Xia Lan's expression shifted slightly.
Ding!
A soft, metallic chime echoed in her mind.
Her head snapped around instinctively, scanning the room. No one else seemed to hear it.
Her eyes narrowed.
What was that sound...?
Then, a cold, electronic voice echoed in her mind.
[Ding! The Queen Panel has been activated.][Master, I am your personal system. With me, you can become the greatest idol in the world.]
Xia Lan stiffened. Her gaze darted around the room again, but no one was paying her any attention. Everyone was still absorbed by the celebrity instructors.
"…Who's talking? What panel?" she muttered under her breath.
[Master, you don't need to speak aloud. Just think in your mind. I'm your cheat—like in those system novels.]
System... novel? Cheat?What nonsense is this…?
Xia Lan's brows creased in confusion.She had lived a life in the shadows, a life ruled by logic, danger, and blood.Now there was a talking voice in her head offering her a shortcut to stardom?
Absurd.
But then again… so was rebirth into her teenage body,
...Fine. I'll play along.
She crossed her arms and leaned back slightly, her eyes returning to the stage, but her thoughts turned inward.
So what exactly can you do, 'Queen Panel'?