Ehu used to be the owner of a custom clothing store.
It was a high-end boutique specializing in handmade garments, catering to specific groups such as cosplayers, internet celebrities, and film and television costume crews.
Business was slow, but each transaction brought in a lot of money.
Ehu was content with such a life because she was already considered successful among ordinary people.
—That is, until she was selected by the Sequence Game.
When the D-ranked ability "Hypnotic Pupil" appeared in her ability interface, Ehu realized that she had changed. She could now control the destinies of others at will, and the world seemed to revolve around her.
What more effort did she need? What more struggle did she need?
Whatever she wanted, whether it was money, jewelry, or designer bags, she could easily obtain them through hypnotic means.
Such a life was indeed intoxicating, wasn't it?
However, the good times didn't last long. That night, Ehu discovered the existence of player hunters and the official Seventeenth Bureau...
It was indeed dangerous, whether it was the hunters who would do anything to climb the ranks or the patrollers maintaining order in Country Z...
To ensure her carefree life, Ehu kept her Sequence title hidden and lurked in City A, ruling over ordinary people.
She secretly created urban legends that fulfilled people's wishes, attracting and selecting suitable targets, gaining control over their secrets and weaknesses.
Even if the hypnosis wore off later, they wouldn't dare to resist her. And so, she continued to develop...
Ehu believed that as long as she controlled enough territory and had enough influence, one day she would be able to influence the lower structure of the Seventeenth Bureau...
With the refinement of her psychic energy and the increasing number of people under her control, Ehu's Sequence ranking also continued to rise in a different way.
— "E-Rank 92nd."
Being among the top 100 in the E-Rank meant that among over ten million E-Rank players worldwide, she was at the forefront, and in City A, she was a formidable presence...
Using big data to screen for people she could control, she dangled the bait of granting wishes to lure in those who would submit to her...
Yes, that's right, there's also that saying...
"What's your wish?"
— As long as enough people support me, I can influence the elections of the country's governing bodies, right?
...
...
Tonight's luck was good; a high-level executive of a medium-sized company took the bait.
Ah, it feels like I'm getting closer to success again.
Ehu lazily gestured for the next supplicant to come forward. Draped in a dark blue cheongsam, she stood behind a blood-red curtain, looking like a shy bud about to bloom.
"What's your wish?"
Facing different supplicants, Ehu had asked this question countless times.
With her chin in her hand, she suddenly remembered that she had invited one more person, a girl who piqued her interest.
Hmm... Her name should be Luorou. Hehe, I really want to ravish her, hehehe~
Oh well, I can't wait. Serve the delicacies quickly.
Then, a sudden change occurred.
At the moment her Shadow ability appeared.
Ehu instantly dismissed her leisurely attitude, surprised that there was a player present and stared at the direction beyond the curtain.
Who could it be?!
A Seventeenth Bureau patroller? No, that's not right. I've already dealt with the patrolling mechanism of the Seventeenth Bureau...
The moment the blood-red curtain was drawn open, Ehu finally saw the figure of "Shadow" (Shadow).
The other's Sequence title was hidden, and she couldn't determine their true strength... She quickly deduced in her heart.
Is it a high-level player hunter, or an E-Rank player with basic values within the range of ordinary people?!
But Ehu knew that she didn't have time to think about these now.
A lion must exert all its strength when catching a rabbit — that's an unchanging rule for her.
As someone with the ability "Hypnotic Pupil," she was not good at combat, and her first encounter would also be her last, as failure to hypnotize would mean her death!
So Ehu instantly exhausted all her psychic energy and fully activated "Hypnotic Pupil"!
Controlling with all her might as an E-Rank player from the top hundred, she easily suppressed all the supplicants in her field of view and successfully hypnotized the Shadow player into becoming an obedient puppet!
Normally, Ehu would take this opportunity to extract the other party's weaknesses...
But she always had a nagging feeling of unease. Her instincts told her that this Shadow player seemed uncontrollable!
Without any hesitation, Ehu materialized a rhombus-shaped crystal shard in her palm. This was her most powerful trump card.
"Prism of Illusion · Fragment"
"Rank: C"
"Fragment of the B-Rank item Prism of Illusion, capable of trapping the target within the illusions created by the wielder."
"Note: It will disappear once the fragment is broken, use with caution."
As the system prompt appeared, the Prism of Illusion hovered in mid-air, rotating slowly, as if waiting for its wielder's command.
"Do you want to use it?"
Ehu's eyes turned cold, and she commanded in a low voice, "Use it."
Instantly, the image of "Shadow" flashed within the Prism of Illusion and disappeared in an instant!
Then, as if from an ethereal voice, a nonexistent sound rang out, and the illusions of the second level of the Prism of Illusion suddenly descended upon the hypnotized Shadow player!
"State judgment in progress..." The system's prompt echoed in Ehu's ears. After a brief pause, the next prompt appeared!
"State judgment successful."
"The opponent has acquired the state — 'Submersion'."
"The illusions perceived by the opponent are real, and they cannot awaken by any means."
Perhaps I worried too much...
Exhausted of psychic energy, Ehu felt a little dizzy. Leaning on the nearby tables, she stepped over the unconscious supplicants and approached "Shadow."
She panted weakly, her face pale.
Although she didn't use the Prism of Illusion many times, each time the state judgment took over ten seconds, and there were also times when it failed...
Generally, the stronger the opponent, the longer the judgment time...
Looking at the Shadow player, whose state was judged instantly...
Ehu breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that the opponent was just an ordinary E-Rank player, and she had indeed been overly cautious.
Ehu rubbed her temples and adjusted her state.
When her breathing steadied, she became interested and examined this unexpected guest.
There was no excess aura, and the shadow cloak concealed the other person's identity, their pair of black eyes devoid of any emotions.
"Can you tell what is real and what is fake?" Ehu smiled, "Hehehe, it seems that I'm still one step ahead."
At this moment, "Hypnotic Pupil" gave feedback, notifying her that her hypnosis had been broken.
"Oh dear~" Ehu was a bit surprised and relieved that she had used her trump card, "You can actually break free from my hypnosis. I really underestimated you."
But, you know, just the fact that you broke free from my hypnosis and believed that the second illusion was the real world, it makes me want to laugh.
Ehu intended to kill "Shadow" before the submersion state was lifted.
This person who could break free from her hypnosis could only serve as a stepping stone to raise her Sequence ranking.
So, she knelt weakly on the floor, pleading:
"I can do anything you want, as long as you spare my life..."
As she spoke, she slowly unbuttoned her cheongsam, revealing her fair chest bit by bit...