The Vixen's Gambit: Tonight We Hunt

For the first step in taking over the world, should I dress more formally? After all, today's photos will be in history books.

Lounging on the sofa, [Lee] imagined her upcoming press conference. The thought of this historic moment made her feel she should… do something, so she switched the position of her crossed legs.

She wasn't worried about dissent. Resisting her was illogical, wasn't it?

The great Lee had graciously given them over a dozen hours to gather information, even flamboyantly announcing her identity.

Anyone with a brain would have used that time to research her via the game, learning about her noble character, her greatness—and her overwhelming power.

Any rational person would realize obeying her was the only logical choice… they should be cheering her arrival! She wouldn't even need to mind control the audience. Though it would make the applause more uniform, genuine cheers were more satisfying.

After her plan succeeded, the lives of seven billion people would rest on her shoulders—come to think of it, this plan was as grand as the Stigma Project! Should she give it a name? It would sound more impressive.

After all, "I will achieve my dawn-colored dream!" had more flair than "I will rule the world!"

"I'll think about it later~"

Glancing at the time, [Lee] stretched languidly. Break time was over. It was time to begin her reign!

The massive press conference hall, though lacking banners and fanfare, was packed. The moment [Lee] appeared on stage, the crowd erupted. Countless cameras were already trained on the podium, but reporters still jostled, desperate for a scoop.

Even after all this time, the Ultraman vs. Chainsaw Man incident remained trending news.

Now, a second otherworldly powerhouse had appeared, one who could communicate, and who wanted to rule Earth… Any one of these keywords would dominate headlines for a week, let alone all three combined!

Hehehe, I'm super popular~ Seeing the fervent crowd, [Lee] smiled smugly, raising a hand slightly.

"[Silence. Be quiet.]"

The hall, a moment ago louder than a bustling market, fell deathly silent, leaving only a sea of stunned faces.

Hmm? Strange. I controlled them, but something feels off…

Though pleased with her instant crowd control, a sense of unease lingered.

Did influencing others with her voice require consciously activating her Herrscher powers before? It felt different, easier in her memories… oh well, probably because I died and haven't used these powers in a while! After arriving on Earth, she'd mostly used direct mind control, not vocal manipulation.

Not a big deal, whatever~

Dismissing her doubts, [Lee] spread her arms, beaming at the cameras and the crowd.

"People of Earth, greetings! I am Lee. Some of you may not know me, but you have plenty of time to get to know your future leader."

"Whether you realize it or not, your Earth is in chaos and danger—fortunately, you have me, someone willing and able to protect and help you!"

"But while I'm confident in my ability to protect you, I will not tolerate any insignificant minds questioning or obstructing my actions, let alone betraying me! Therefore, to prevent such foolishness, you will all obey my commands—I am your authority, your law!"

"Your only duty is to obey me and accept my protection. If you have objections, keep them to yourself. Do not insult my intelligence!"

[Lee] excitedly outlined her future plans—or rather, repeatedly emphasized that everyone must obey her. The only concrete detail she mentioned was abolishing all national, racial, and ethnic barriers, uniting all of humanity under her rule.

Naive—that was Li Bei's only thought as he watched [Lee]'s speech on TV from Japan. Though still abroad, [Lee]'s global broadcast was inescapable.

But the grand spectacle didn't change his assessment of [Lee].

Though powerful, having inherited Unit 3's memories, [Lee] was essentially an infant, easily inflated and incredibly naive. Her understanding of the world was superficial, limited to online arguments… she was oversimplifying everything.

[Lee] knew from Unit 3's memories about the Previous Era's Fire Moths, understanding the importance of a unified organization—but she assumed creating one was simple.

The Fire Moths were the culmination of countless individuals' efforts over time, not something easily replicated. Making those in power relinquish their status was akin to asking for their lives.

Bridging cultural and ethnic divides was even more challenging, not something [Lee] could erase with a few words.

Perhaps someone could achieve it, but not [Lee]. Her only option was to pull a Unit 3 and brainwash everyone… no, even that might be beyond her.

She could mimic Unit 3's appearance and powers, but not her system-granted abilities.

Brainwashing the entire world with memetic influence alone, without Charm… that was seven billion people, over a dozen times the workload of the real Lee. Li Bei didn't think she could manage.

He didn't even think she could pull off this press conference. She'd likely demanded the presence of world leaders, but none were present… which was expected.

Why would important figures risk attending the announcement of a random otherworlder's world domination plan?

They probably sent expendable staff… even those, plus the reporters, would be more than enough to handle.

[Lee], of course, was unaware of Li Bei's pessimistic assessment. She finished her speech triumphantly, looking at the crowd expectantly, awaiting applause, then released her control. "So, you may now appl—"

Before she could finish, a wave of sound drowned her out.

"Are you kidding?! Who would agree to this nonsense?!"

"Are you planning to become Earth's dogtator?!"

"Are there other forces backing you?! Should we consider this a declaration of war against Earth?!"

"Earth's ruler?! Ptooey! The people of Earth have already risen!"

Countless voices merged into a cacophony, their exact words indistinguishable—but the overwhelming dissent was clear.

[Lee] was stunned. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She'd expected cheers and applause, not… accusations and insults?

Looking at the surging crowd, rage ignited within her.

They dare insult me?

How dare they!

Everything she was doing was for their own good! These fools, not only ungrateful, but they dared to insult her—!

"Enough, you imbeciles! I am stronger than you, more perfect! I can protect everyone, something you can't! You should listen to me!"

That's right, might makes right! Since she could do better, they should—

"You died so pathetically! Your political IQ is zero! If you ruled the world, humanity would be doomed!!"

That single sentence shattered [Lee]'s composure.

"What did you say?!?"