I Can Use Filthy Game Currency In The Real World
Chapter 88: Fan-Meeting

Chapter 88: Fan-Meeting

"Am I? Haha," I laughed awkwardly, piecing it together mid-sentence. My heart skipped. I knew it—deep down, I knew. This woman, cloaked in an oversized black sweatsuit that swallowed her frame, was the one from the videos. The one dancing naked, baring it all for the camera.

No way... I thought, my pulse racing.

"What do you want to eat?" she asked casually, like we were old pals.

"Nah, I’m heading out soon anyway," I said, brushing it off.

"Oh, got it," she replied, unfazed.

"...Should we go?" She winked—barely noticeable under the cap—and stood up, hovering by the table. I had no clue where she was off to, but she was already moving.

I scrambled to shove the laptop and tablet into my bag, slinging it over my shoulder as I stood. "Uh... what should I call you?" I asked, catching up.

"...Call me by my nickname. Got it?" she said, her tone firm but playful.

"Oh, nickname... I’d rather know your real name, not just some alias," I pushed, testing the waters.

"...That’s asking a lot. Just call me Ivy," she shot back, shutting me down with a quick smile.

"Got it. Ivy, the nickname," I echoed, nodding. But as I studied her, suspicion clawed at me. Her baggy sweatshirt hid most of her, but those tight training pants hugged her legs and hips, showing off a firm butt and strong, straight legs. A woman with nicknames like "Ivy" and "Zane," tied to those steamy videos... it couldn’t be coincidence.

"Is this really... Tessa?" I wondered, my mind racing. If I was right, this woman leading me out the door was the Tessa—the idol I used to adore, the one I’d lost track of years ago. My heart pounded louder with every step.

Tessa used to shine as part of a big-time girl group, a name everyone knew back in the day. She traded the idol life for a gig as an influencer, but now?

She’s faded into the background, almost erased from the public’s memory. It wasn’t a shock she stepped away from the spotlight after her group fell apart.

Compared to the others, she wasn’t a standout singer, couldn’t act to save her life, and didn’t have that spark to keep people hooked.

Truth is, her looks carried her through the industry—and even those weren’t enough to keep her afloat.

"But I never saw this coming..." I muttered, my mind racing. Years of eyeing women’s bodies—honed from watching way too much of that stuff—gave me a gut feeling I couldn’t shake.

This woman, the one from that wild video, dancing naked, legs spread, showing everything... she had to be Tessa. And with the quest goal in mind, it all lined up.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice a little shaky.

"...Right here," she replied, soft but sure, striding toward a towering building like she owned it. I craned my neck up—glass and steel, a mix of shops and offices stacked high.

’Does she live here?’ I wondered, biting my lip. I didn’t ask, just trailed behind her, curiosity pulling me along.

She swiped a card key at the lobby door with practiced ease, stepped into the elevator, and hit the button for the 23rd floor. The doors slid shut, and we started climbing.

"Do you live here?" I blurted, unable to hold it in.

"...Not really," she said, her tone casual, almost teasing. Her voice—it sounded so much like Tessa’s, that familiar lilt I’d replayed in my head a thousand times. The elevator dinged, and we stepped out onto the 23rd floor in what felt like seconds.

"What’s even happening right now?" I thought, my head spinning. Everything was moving too fast to catch up. I’d barely landed in this quest when I got hit with a triple shock: a crypto balance of a million dollars, that insane video of a naked woman dancing, and now this mystery woman dragging me into some high-rise. I was still half-dazed.

Beep—Click. The door in front of us unlocked.

"Let’s go in," she said, waving me forward. I hesitated, stealing a glance at her—still masked, still a puzzle—and stepped inside.

The place was unreal, a fancy apartment that screamed money. Two stories, wide open, with sleek furniture everywhere. But the first thing that grabbed me was the massive bed parked right in the living room, bold as anything.

Jingle. She shut the door behind us and followed me in. The second she crossed the threshold, she yanked off her cap. Short, light brown hair spilled out of a messy ponytail, and she shook her head, letting it fall loose around her shoulders.

"Short hair, huh," I said, more to myself than her.

"Sit wherever. The bed’s fine if you want," she offered, her voice easy now.

"Oh... sure," I mumbled. The bed felt too weird, so I dropped my laptop bag on a nearby table and slid into a chair instead. The place was decked out—polished wood, plush cushions, the works—but it didn’t feel like anyone lived here. Too perfect, too empty.

"This is..." I started, fishing for something to say.

"Oh, I just crash here when I need a breather," she cut in. "Hotels and stuff make me antsy."

"I get that..." I nodded, still piecing it together.

"Anyway, I’ve been dying to meet Zane in person," she said, her tone warming up. "You’re so young. How old are you?"

She called herself "Ivy" like it was no big deal. Outside, she’d barely said a word, but here, she was loosening up, chatting like we were buddies.

"I’m in my 20s. Just... 20s," I said, keeping it vague.

"Hmm. I’m in my 20s too. Bet you’re younger than me, though," she teased, a little smirk in her voice.

I didn’t reply, just let the silence hang.

"Anyway, I’ve always been thankful for you, Zane," she went on. "Wanted to meet you someday, and now here we are."

"Haha... yeah, same," I said, forcing a laugh. "Uh, but... aren’t you gonna take off the mask?"

"Hehe. What, you wanna see my face that bad?" she teased, leaning in just a bit.

"Uh... yeah?" I admitted, straight-up honest. I was 99.9% sure it was her, but I needed to see Tessa’s face with my own eyes. If this was her, this A-rank quest might be a cakewalk. I mean, here I was, alone with her in this swanky place—how hard could it be?

"Too easy," I thought, my confidence spiking.

She tilted her head, watching me, then reached up. Her fingers tugged at the mask, slipping one strap off her ear. It fell away slow, revealing her face bit by bit.

"That’s her," I whispered to myself.

"Phew. What, disappointed already?" she said, catching my stare.

There she was—Tessa, no doubt about it. She looked different from her idol days, a little sharper around the edges, but the core was the same. Smooth, balanced features with that classy vibe I’d always loved. Her smile crinkled her eyes into soft curves, and man, it was charming.

"Nice," I said under my breath, caught off guard by how much I still liked her face. Not jaw-dropping, but my kind of pretty.

"Hehe. Why’re you staring like that?" she giggled, calling me out.

"Oh. Sorry," I said quick, snapping my eyes away. I wrestled with the idea of spilling it—telling her I’d been a fan since her idol days—but nah, I kept it locked up. No need to tip my hand just yet.

I didn’t need to poke around or stir up trouble. Knowing who Tessa was—and what she might be up to—could bruise her ego if I let it slip. Better to keep it cool and play along.

"Since you’re younger than me, I’ll drop the formal stuff later, alright?" she said, her tone light.

"Uh...?" I blinked, caught off guard.

"It’s just easier to chat that way. Later, I mean," she added with a little shrug.

"Uh... you’re coming back later?" I asked, trying to keep up.

"Yeah. Wanna shower first?" she tossed out, like it was nothing.

"Um. Sure?" I said, still processing.

"Or should I go first?"

"..." I froze, my brain spinning. No matter how I sliced it, Tessa telling me to shower and come back could only mean one thing. My heart thudded.

"Is this really an A-rank quest?" I muttered under my breath, half-doubting it.

"Oh, I’ll shower first," she decided, cutting through my thoughts.

"Hehe. Cool. Bathroom’s that way. There’s a robe in there," she said, pointing with a grin. She made it sound so normal, like we were just buddies hanging out. I nodded quick and bolted for the bathroom, peeling off my clothes as I went. Under the hum of the fan, the pieces started clicking together.

Here’s the rundown: Tessa, now "Ivy," was an influencer raking in cash from adult streams. Me? I was probably some loyal viewer—or maybe a guy who’d shelled out big for her videos. No clue how much I’d spent, but it must’ve been enough to prop her up. And now, here we were, face-to-face in real life.