The Real Heroine Logs In

The day I was about to quit the game, countless floating comments suddenly appeared before my eyes. [Finally! The villainess is quitting!] [Now Janet Cole doesn’t have to worry about getting exposed for using her account to flirt online.] [The heroine is so smart–she always uses voice chat in-game. The villainess has no idea.] [Janet is living the dream–using her max-level account to juggle five top-tier players at once!] [At 2 PM today, she’s meeting her 'No.1 catch'–the cold, untouchable campus heartthrob Cedric Barnes!] [Assassin god tomorrow, rich scion the day after… her time management is insane!] The Janet they were talking about… was the fake heiress who had taken my place in my own family. She had been impersonating me–using my account to flirt with five elite players at once? Then more comments appeared… [Why hasn’t the villainess left yet? The male lead is already waiting.] [This is the first sweet date between the leads–can’t wait!] I turned to look at Janet, touching up her makeup in front of the mirror–and suddenly, it all clicked. The 'villainess' they were talking about… was me. So the real heiress–me–was nothing more than a disposable side character, a stepping stone for the fake one? A faint smile curled on my lips. If she could impersonate me online and play the field, then me showing up in person and stealing everything... wouldn't be too much, right? Chapter 1 In Starlight Odyssey, my in-game ID was Moonlight Glow. I was recognized across the entire server as the number one zero-spend mage. Before I was taken back to the Cole family, I was dirt poor–spending money on a game was never even an option. When my adoptive parents refused to give me living expenses, I survived by taking on paid orders in-game–boosting accounts, carrying players, even playing companion runs for cash. My mechanics were flawless–and because I could crush heavy spenders without spending a single cent–I built a massive reputation. People called me the F2P Mage God. Half a month ago, the old secondhand computer that fought alongside me for years finally gave out. I only just returned to the Cole family and did not get around to setting up a new rig yet. To participate in a guild war tournament, I borrowed Janet Cole's laptop once to log in. I did not expect her to secretly save my password. My parents are soft-hearted. Even after discovering she was not their biological daughter, they could not let go of the years of attachment. So she stayed–still the second young miss of the Cole family. I never resented her for living the life that should have been mine. I treated her like a real sister. However, only through the livestream comments did I find out–she did not just steal my account. She reinvented herself as the only daughter of a top-tier wealthy family and a gaming prodigy, flirting with different men at the same time, stringing people along left and right. Janet stood in front of the mirror, touching up her lipstick. She was even wearing a white branded dress my parents just bought for me–tags still attached. "Hey Eleanor, I've got an interview this afternoon. Mind if I borrow your dress?" She turned around with a sweet, innocent smile–as if taking the real daughter's things was only natural. I looked at her coldly, a faint curl of mockery tugging at my lips. "Sure. Good luck with your interview." The moment she walked out– I went straight to the wardrobe. An interview? More like going to meet my in-game boyfriend. I picked out a dangerously seductive red velvet bodycon slip dress. Then I did my makeup–bold, sharp, and unapologetically striking. In the mirror, the girl's crimson lips curved slightly. Beautiful. Daring. Untamed. So she liked pretending to be me, flirting online? Fine. Then I'd get there first–and steal everything right out from under her. Chapter 2 1:30 in the afternoon. I arrived at the cafe near campus half an hour early. It did not take long to spot Cedric Barnes by the window. He was the law school's famously aloof heartthrob–cold, distant, untouchable. And in the game, he was known as the top swordsman. Right now, he was staring at his phone, something rare flickering in his expression–anticipation. I walked over in ten-centimeter heels, my steps slow and deliberate, carrying myself with effortless confidence. Then I slid into the seat across from him. A faint hint of rose perfume drifted through the air. Cedric frowned instinctively and looked up. However, the moment he saw my face, he froze. [What the hell?! Why is the villainess here already?!] [Wasn't she supposed to log off at home? Why's the plot changing?!] [Oh my god–Eleanor Cole looks stunning. She's like a rich heiress straight out of a photo!] I rested my chin on one hand, watching him with a faint, teasing smile. "What? Been waiting long?" The tips of Cedric's ears turned red instantly. He straightened in his seat, suddenly a little awkward. "You, you're Moonlight? "But your voice, it doesn't sound like it does in the game." The comments kept flying past. [LMAO, she's about to get exposed.] [Our girl chats with the pros every day–there's no way she wouldn't recognize the voice.] I let out a soft laugh. "I use a voice changer in-game. I rely on my skills to make a living–I'd rather not invite unnecessary trouble." Then I casually dropped a detail only the two of us would know. "Last week's cross-server battle–you tanked three ultimates from the opposing mage just to save me. "That orange-grade sword you got afterward had great stats, but the durability was almost gone. I even reminded you to repair it." Cedric's eyes lit up immediately. The cold, untouchable persona shattered in an instant, replaced with pure excitement and awe. "It really is you! "I can't believe I'm actually meeting you in person today." The live comments went wild. [What the hell, this villainess has no shame.] [Relax, guys–the female lead is arriving in five seconds.] Right then, the cafe door swung open. Janet rushed in, drenched in sweat, wearing the ill-fitting white dress that belonged to me. Chapter 3 Janet spotted me the moment she walked in–sitting across from Cedric. The smile on her face froze instantly. Her pupils widened, as if she just saw a ghost. "E–Eleanor?!" I lifted my iced Americano and took a slow sip, not even sparing her a glance. Cedric frowned, clearly displeased, and looked at her. "You know her?" I lazily stirred the ice in my cup. "My sister. Janet." I paused, then added lightly, "No blood relation, though. We were switched at birth in the hospital. My parents still let her stay with the family." Janet bit down hard on her lip. Panic flashed across her eyes–and beneath it, the deep, festering jealousy of someone who stole a place that was never hers. However, she glanced at Cedric's strikingly handsome face and then at me. Greed won. She took a deep breath, pulled out a chair, and sat down right beside us as if nothing was wrong. "Hey, Cedric, what a coincidence." Her voice turned soft and sugary, deliberately pitiful. "Actually, I'm the one who asked to meet you here today." As she spoke, she reached for Cedric's hand on the table. "Eleanor just happened to pass by. She's only recently been brought back to the Cole family. She grew up poor–she could barely even afford food. She doesn't know anything about holographic games, let alone play them." Cedric jerked his hand away as if shocked, a flicker of disgust crossing his eyes. He turned to me, puzzled. I let out a soft laugh, resting my chin in one hand as I looked at Janet. "Oh? You're the one who invited him?" "Then why don't you tell us–what dungeon did we run last night?" Janet froze. She stole my account, sure. However, all she ever did was flirt over voice chat. She did not understand the game at all. She could not squeeze out a single word. "I was too tired last night. I don't remember." Her eyes darted around, trying to salvage her dignity. "Cedric, don't listen to her nonsense. "She grew up in the countryside–she's never even seen what a max-level account looks like!" The smile at the corner of my lips turned sharper, colder. "If you're so knowledgeable, why don't we talk mechanics?" I turned to Cedric, my tone shifting–lazy, but precise. "After last week's update, the mage skill Frozen Expanse had its cast delay secretly reduced by half a second. "If you want to avoid being interrupted in cross-server battles–especially for players like us who rely on skill instead of stacking resistance through spending– "On the third row of the talent tree, should you pick Rapid Cooldown or Frost Shield?" Cedric's eyes lit up instantly. This was the kind of fine-tuned data only top-tier players paid attention to. He turned to Janet, his gaze sharp now, probing. "Janet, if you're Moonlight Glow, what do you think?" She completely froze. All she ever did was use my account in safe zones, acting cute and collecting gifts. She did not even know all the hotkeys–let alone things like cast delays or talent builds. "I think-" She stammered, fingers twisting nervously in the hem of the Chanel dress that was not even hers. "I think you should pick Frost Shield. "At least it helps you survive." She tried to sound confident, offering what seemed like a reasonable answer. Cedric's expression turned cold immediately. I let out a quiet, merciless laugh. "That's a useless talent only beginners under level thirty would choose. "Moonlight Glow is called the number one mage for a reason–max damage, perfect positioning, zero defensive talents. "You don't even understand basic class fundamentals, and you dare impersonate the top mage on the server?" Each word I spoke–landed like a sharp slap across her face. Cedric did not hesitate. "Miss, please leave. "My girlfriend and I have something private to discuss. We don't want to be disturbed." Janet's face flushed a deep, ugly red. Not only did her fake persona tore apart in public–she had to watch helplessly as the big catch she was carefully cultivating was completely taken from her. Humiliation and fury surged through her. She could not hold it in anymore. Covering her face, she bolted out of the cafe like a stray dog chased into the streets. … [Holy shit! That was an insane technical smackdown!] [Janet is such a fraud–she couldn't answer a single thing!] [I'm dying–she doesn't even know Rapid Cooldown and still pretends to be top mage?!] [It's over, it's over. The main target's completely been taken by the villainess!] [Janet cried so hard, she's definitely not letting this go!] … I watched the scrolling comments in front of me, calmly finishing the last sip of my iced Americano. Not letting it go? Perfect. This was only the first catch. The real game did not even begin yet. Chapter 4 For the next three days, armed with the precise itinerary provided by the scrolling comments, I began my little operation–cutting her off at every turn. Tuesday afternoon. Janet was meeting her second target. The number one assassin on the Starlight server. Game ID: Shadow. I slipped into a fitted black outfit–sleek, bold, impossible to ignore–and arrived at the lounge bar, Muse, thirty minutes early. Shadow was a silver-haired boy with a rebellious edge, the kind of untamed wildness that bled into real life. However, the moment he walked up to the booth and saw my face, the shock in his eyes was impossible to hide. Even his steps faltered. I swirled the cocktail in my hand, lips curving slightly. "That ten thousand gold you owe me from our last PK match–when are you paying it back? "We agreed, didn't we? Lose, and you work as my free bodyguard for a month." Just that one detail–something only the two of us would know–was enough to tear down every wall he had. The untouchable, arrogant top assassin turned red at the ears, stammering as he called me, "Moonlight." We were in the middle of an easy, lively conversation when the door to the bar suddenly swung open. Janet rushed in, slightly out of breath. Today, she deliberately dressed in a soft, delicate floral dress–pure, innocent, the kind designed to tug at heartstrings. She came, full of anticipation, ready to reel in her second big catch. However, the moment her gaze swept across the booth and landed on me, smiling across from Shadow– it was like she was struck by lightning. She froze in place. Yesterday it was Cedric. Today it was Shadow. Finally, it clicked. This was not a coincidence. I was systematically stealing everything from her. Her whole body trembled with rage. Her eyes reddened instantly, nails digging deep into her palms. However, when she saw how obedient, how attentive Shadow was toward me, she did not even dare to step forward. She spun around and fled. Wednesday night. Her third target. The number one healer on the server. Game ID: Miracle Hands. This time, I wore a soft, elegant French-style dress and took my seat early at a high-end restaurant. Miracle Hands turned out to be the refined type–gold-rimmed glasses, polished, dangerous in a quiet way. All it took was one sentence: "Last time in the dungeon, your positioning almost wiped the entire team. You still owe me an apology." Just like that, he willingly cut my steak for me, poured my wine–completely at my service. By the time Janet arrived–carefully dressed, full of expectation–what she saw was the two of us deep in conversation, laughing like we knew each other forever. She was on the verge of losing her mind. [It's over! The female lead's men have all been stolen!] [Janet smashed three cups at home already!] [The villainess is ruthless–using info gaps to intercept everything!] [Janet, don't panic–just call all five of them out and confront her!] [Yes! Expose her for being a player!] [But honestly, isn't this fair? Janet was the one impersonating her first.] I watched the comments scroll wildly across my vision, the smile on my lips growing deeper. So, she finally snapped. Backed into a corner–ready to lash out? Right on cue. After I finished meeting the remaining two, Janet finally exploded. Friday night. I received her challenge. I just returned from another meetup when I saw her standing outside my bedroom door, her face dark with fury. "Tomorrow night. I've booked a private room at the Peninsula Hotel. All five of them will be there. Do you dare show up and face them?" I smiled lightly. "Of course. I'll be there on time." Gather all five targets into one place for a showdown? Janet, you really have no idea how fast you're digging your own grave. At eight that night, in ten-centimeter heels, I pushed open the door to the Peninsula Hotel's VIP room. Chapter 5 The atmosphere inside the private room was suffocatingly tense. Janet sat at the head of the table, dressed in a delicate white dress, looking fragile and wronged. Her eyes were swollen red, as if she was crying for hours. Around her sat five men–each one powerful in his own way. To her left were Cedric and Shadow. To her right sat the refined menace, Miracle Hands. In the center–lazily flipping a lighter in his hand–was Lance Farcaster. The crown prince of one of the city's most elite families. And the number two top spender on our server. Beside him, lounging with one leg propped up on the coffee table, looking thoroughly annoyed, was a sharp-looking guy with a buzz cut– Matthew Crater. The campus king from the neighboring sports academy. And the number one archer in the entire server. The moment I stepped inside, Janet shot to her feet. She pointed straight at me, her voice shrill with outrage, like she suffered some unbearable injustice. "Eleanor! You shameless account thief–you finally showed up!" The room fell silent instantly. All five pairs of eyes locked onto me at once. Cedric and Shadow stood up immediately, instinctively moving as if to shield me. Seeing that, Janet's tears spilled even harder, like beads snapping off a broken string. "Cedric, Shadow–don't be fooled by her!" "She's not Moonlight Glow at all!" "She's just the real daughter my family recently took back. Because my parents favor her, she forcibly took over my max-level account– "And she even stole my personal photos to impersonate me and meet you!" Still crying, she slammed her battered laptop onto the table. The screen lit up with the game's login page. "This computer is proof! "The login credentials for the account have always been saved on my device! "She grew up outside, barely able to afford food–how could she possibly spend enough to become number one on the server?" Her tearful accusations dragged the temperature in the room straight to freezing. Cedric and Shadow froze, their gazes flickering uncertainly between the two of us. Lance raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained by the unfolding drama. Matthew, on the other hand, dropped his foot from the table, his eyes turning sharp and hostile as he stared me down. "Hey. You," he said coldly. "Did you steal the account or not?" … [Janet is so brave! She finally confronted her head-on!] [Exactly–this villainess just swooped in and stole everything. Where's the proof she owns the account?] [Janet has login credentials. That's solid evidence. The truth's about to come out!] [Matthew is so fierce–I love it. Kick this fake out already!] … I looked at Janet, standing there with that righteous, aggrieved expression, and almost felt like handing her an Oscar. Slowly, I walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down with casual ease–completely unfazed by Matthew's hostility. "Janet," I said calmly, "You claim the account is yours. The photos, too." I let out a soft, cold laugh, my gaze sharp as a blade. "Then why don't you explain something to everyone here? "If those photos are really yours–why are you sneaking around wearing the custom Chanel dress our parents bought for me, just to pass it off as your own? "And if the account is yours–" I leaned back slightly, voice steady and cutting. "Why don't you prove it right now, in front of all five of them? "Open the real-name verification system and do a face scan verification."