#admin interface

[easylaunchpad]

Why .NET Developers Love EasyLaunchpad’s Tailwind UI + Admin Panel Combo

Building a powerful backend is essential — but what about the admin interface your team will use every day?

Let’s face it: Most admin panels are either outdated, bloated with unused UI components, or too time-consuming to design from scratch.

That’s why .NET developers love the UI stack behind EasyLaunchpad: a clean, production-ready admin panel powered by Tailwind CSS and DaisyUI — fully integrated with the .NET Razor view engine.

In this post, we’ll explore how EasyLaunchpad’s UI architecture empowers developers to move faster, customize more easily, and deliver better internal UX from day one.

💡 Why UI Simplicity Matters in a Boilerplate

Your admin panel is the cockpit of your app — where roles are assigned, emails are configured, users are managed, and plans are published.

It must be:

Fast

Clean

Responsive

Easy to navigate

Simple to extend

Most .NET boilerplates focus heavily on backend setup but neglect frontend design. EasyLaunchpad closes this gap by offering a modern, developer-friendly dashboard built with today’s best UI tools.

🎨 The Tech Behind the UI

Here’s what powers EasyLaunchpad’s frontend:

Technology and Purpose

✅Tailwind CSS: Utility-first CSS framework for fast, responsive styling

✅DaisyUI: Prebuilt Tailwind UI components for forms, tables, modals, and alerts

✅Razor Views: Server-side rendering for .NET Core

✅Partial Views & Layouts: Consistent structure and DRY components

✅Alpine.js (Optional): Lightweight interactivity without a frontend framework

Together, these technologies allow for rapid UI development without introducing SPA complexity (like Angular or React), keeping everything lean and maintainable.

What the Admin Panel Includes

From the moment you launch EasyLaunchpad, you get a beautiful and functional admin UI with:

Module and Purpose

✅ Dashboard Overview: Quick-glance metrics, activity log, shortcut links

✅ User Management: CRUD operations, activation toggle, password reset

✅ Role Management: Assign/remove user roles, filter access

✅ Email Settings: Configure SMTP, test mail delivery

✅ Packages & Plans: Add/edit plans linked to Stripe/Paddle

✅ System Settings: Toggle features, branding, limits

✅ Job Monitoring: Integrated Hangfire dashboard for background jobs

All pages are fully responsive and follow a consistent layout, so new features blend in effortlessly.

Why Tailwind CSS Makes It Better

Tailwind CSS takes a utility-first approach to styling. Rather than writing custom classes or cascading stylesheets, you build UI components using readable, descriptive class names.

Example:

<button class=”bg-blue-600 hover:bg-blue-700 text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded”>

Save Changes

</button>

Advantages:

Faster styling workflow

Consistent spacing, color, and typography

Fully responsive without breakpoints guesswork

No CSS bloat — unused styles are purged in production

Tailwind is the modern CSS solution embraced by frameworks like Laravel, Next.js — and now .NET developers through EasyLaunchpad.

Why DaisyUI Takes It Further

DaisyUI is a UI component library built on top of Tailwind. It provides styled components like:

Alerts

Modal

Tabs

Tables

Forms

Dropdowns

Cards

It dramatically reduces time spent on design and layout. You focus on functionality — DaisyUI handles the visuals.

Example:

<div class=”alert alert-success shadow-lg”>

<div>

<span>Changes saved successfully!</span>

</div>

</div>

In EasyLaunchpad, DaisyUI is integrated from day one, so your forms, tables, and pages look polished without writing custom CSS.

UI Architecture and Extensibility

EasyLaunchpad’s UI is structured in Razor Views with:

_Layout.cshtml for layout consistency

_SidebarPartial.cshtml, _NavbarPartial.cshtml for navigation

Views/Admin/ for page-specific content

Reusable partials for tables, modals, input forms

This makes it easy to:

Reuse components

Add new features quickly

Maintain consistency across all modules

How to Add a New Page in the Admin Panel

Let’s say you want to add a “Feedback Manager.”

Step 1: Create Razor View

Views/Admin/Feedback.cshtml

Step 2: Add a Controller Action

public IActionResult Feedback()

{

return View();

}

Step 3: Add Navigation Link

In _SidebarPartial.cshtml:

<li><a href=”/Admin/Feedback”>Feedback</a></li>

Done. It fits seamlessly with the existing layout and design.

Fully Responsive on All Devices

Tailwind + DaisyUI ensures that all admin pages:

Work flawlessly on desktop and mobile

Adjust automatically to screen size

Maintain clean readability and spacing

This is especially helpful for founders and team leads who manage admin functions on the go.

🎯Developer-Friendly Design

Feature and Why It Helps

✅ Utility-first CSS: No need for deep CSS knowledge

✅ Prebuilt components: Save time building UI from scratch

✅ Razor + Partial Views: Easier to manage and reuse code

✅ No JS framework overhead: Great for teams that want clean .NET-only solutions

✅ Production styling: Look polished out of the box

You’re not forced into a heavy frontend framework — just clean Razor + Tailwind + DaisyUI.

Use Cases and Customization Ideas

The admin panel is great for:

Managing your SaaS backend

Granting roles to beta testers

Viewing plan subscriptions

Monitoring job queues

Sending support emails

You can also extend it with:

Graphs (using Chart.js or ApexCharts)

File uploads

Support ticket system

Multi-language settings

The UI architecture is ready for it all.

Developer Feedback

“I loved how EasyLaunchpad gave me a working admin UI in 5 minutes. Tailwind + DaisyUI just clicked — everything was clean and intuitive.” – Full Stack .NET Developer, Startup Founder

Summary: Why You’ll Love It Too

Feature and Value

✅ Tailwind CSS: Rapid, clean UI styling

✅ DaisyUI: Polished components, ready to use

✅ Razor Views: Familiar for .NET devs

✅ Admin Layout: Fully responsive and extendable

✅ No extra frameworks: Pure .NET simplicity

Final Thoughts

When choosing a boilerplate, don’t settle for just backend setup. Your team — and your users — will thank you for a clean, intuitive, scalable admin interface.

EasyLaunchpad gives you a complete Tailwind + DaisyUI admin panel, tightly integrated into your .NET Core app, so you can ship faster and look better from day one.

👉 Want a beautiful dashboard without wasting weeks on UI work? Start with EasyLaunchpad today → https://easylaunchpad.com

[techdriveplay]

How Can I Improve My Home Wi-Fi Network?

In today’s connected world, a reliable home Wi-Fi network is essential. Whether you’re working from home, streaming your favourite shows, or simply browsing the internet, a strong and stable Wi-Fi connection is crucial. So, how can you improve your home Wi-Fi network? Let’s explore some effective strategies and solutions. Statistics to Consider: 74% of households experience Wi-Fi issues at…

[silveredcircuitry]

evil evil psitanium-enhanced computer..... wgat are you planning.

Vex "stealing brains is a violation of the first law of robotics so I'll do something worse" ter

[theropodtheroblogs]

today i learned it feels fucking impossible to get a free minecraft server running a 1.7.10 modpack unless you know esoteric coding language and even when you try to figure that shit out it doesn't fucking work so i guess i wont be able to play 1.7.10 Regrowth with friends because fuck me I guess

[lemonpepperworld]

Very person of interest coded

oh fucc...

[virtualizationhowto]

Setting Up Nginx Proxy Manager on Docker with Easy LetsEncrypt SSL

Setting Up Nginx Proxy Manager on Docker with Easy LetsEncrypt SSL #homelab #selfhosted #NginxProxyManagerGuide #EasySSLCertificateManagement #UserFriendlyProxyHostSetup #AdvancedNginxConfiguration #PortForwarding #CustomDomainForwarding #FreeSSL

There are many reverse proxy solutions that enable configuring SSL certificates, both in the home lab and production environments. Most have heard about Traefik reverse proxy that allows you to pull LetsEncrypt certificates for your domain name automatically. However, there is another solution that provides a really great GUI dashboard for managing your reverse proxy configuration and LetsEncrypt…

[dapperd3m0n]

Drone language is so fun to use with hypnosis. There’s so much room for creativity, and it’s so easy to fall into the rhythm of that kind of role play with even just a few phrases. For example:

– You can call your hypnotist “User.” You can even word things as if you were an interface: “How may I/it serve you, User?”

– On that note, using it/its identifiers. Computers/drones don’t need to be addressed as anything otherwise.

– If you’re poly/open and want to reserve specific things just for your User(s), they can be referred to as admin privileges.

– Lower your mental defenses? No, no. Drop your firewall. (Bonus points for my favorite four letter word.)

– Implementing new triggers? Installing new software.

– Want to see if the new software works? Let’s run that new program.

– You could implement an off switch, power button, or similar as a trance trigger.

The list goes on. And on. And on. Don’t even get me started on the way you can talk about code and the rewriting thereof, or getting really nerdy and talking like you’re coding (even if it’s not with the goal of trance, it can just be really fun to flirt with the idea).

I’d love to hear others’ thoughts on these, and hear some of your favorite drone related phrases and actions as well. I’m always looking to add to my repertoire – in the words of one of the best movies of 2005, it’s all about “upgrades, people, upgrades.”

[goldetrash]

Have you ever drawn Goth or the other hordes of children Geno and Reaper have? Who are your favorites?

Yeah i have actually– though i kid you not the art I have for Goth is from the most unlikely place you would ever find it 😭😭😭

I was an admin for this Afterdeath amino group and I was like- the shop person so like made a whole ass shop interface with Goth

I even had the dedication to make a text only version of the shop for people who had phones that couldn't handle images 💔

I'm pretty sure I used this gif of Goth I made for stuff underconstruction too. Golde in 2019 before the pandemic was actually so cracked rauhhh (I only had these photos to archive the entire thing before I left amino 4 good)

[fuck-customers]

I work at one of those places that has a rewards program.

I got this guy that just wanted to buy a TV mount. No big deal.

"Do you want a 3 year protection plan for that? X amount for Y amount through Allstate."

"No.".

"Okay. Are you a member of our (points program)?"

"No."

"Okay. So I'm going to need to to tap 'not now over here on my touchscreen '.

"No."

"We are at a point in our transaction when you need to interact with the touchscreen, right here." I actually point to the specific place on the touchscreen where he just has to tap.

"I'm not touching that."

"Sir, we are at a point in our transaction where I need your interface on the touchscreen."

"You must have voted for Biden, I'm not touching that."

That's the back and forth we had for like 5 minutes.

I was able to have that conversation back out with my in house HR person... Apparently I should have just cut him loose after the first time he said he wasn't going to touch the touchscreen.

Posted by admin Rodney

[artbyblastweave]

Is it weird that, the more posts you make about how being a genre fiction protagonist would suck and ruin your life (posts I love and think are great), the more I want to go full "No, suck eggs, Alan Moore, being a superhero is cool and good, actually?" I can't tell if it's mindless contraiantism or an actual point.

I think it's an understandable impulse, because there are absolutely strains of very-online genre-fic and cape-fic critique that, if taken super seriously as a blueprint for how fiction ought to be written, would basically amount to the Wertham Scare with a social justice gloss, and we don't need a second one of those. If a person bins the entire superhero genre as "irredeemably fascist" or anything similar, for example, I start paying extremely close attention to the implicit back half of that proclamation, the part where they lay out what part of that condemnation they consider actionable. The censorious should be made to eat their own black markers. You can do whatever you want forever.

On the other hand, you really can't get around what happens to a lot of escapist genre-fic- cape-fic in particular- if you apply any kind of scrutiny or big-boy grown up emotional or moral logic to it whatsoever. It wasn't built to survive that level of scrutiny, it wasn't built to still see publication 80 years after the fact- and indeed, stuff in that space that isn't seeing active mass-market success, John Carter and the like, that tends to get judged basically as harshly as I think it deserves. There really isn't any way around the fact that we're all playing Frankenstein with the innards of mass-market children's stories. And moreover I feel like there's an offputting mealy-mouthedness to a lot of the contemporary big-two output that notices the cracks in the foundation and tries to have their cake and eat it too, having capes that beat bad guys up but in a markedly progressive way. A certain level of pessimism and cynicism is often the only believable way to get those wires to connect if you're trying to make your spandex crowd interface with real-world cynicism. (Superman is ironically one of the Big-two properties that I think most consistently threads this needle. Batman has a harder time due to the billionaire thing. The X-Men are turbofucked and have been for a while.)

Astro City is one of the capethings that I think hits the best balance on all of this, and nonetheless one of the worldbuilding beats that does a lot of the heavy lifting on believability for me is that the Nixon Admin executed the setting's Captain American analogue on trumped-up charges as a show of force and as a distraction from Watergate. Because he would! He would do that! "What about Nixon" is a fantastic litmus test for this kind of thing IMO- even if the answer is that he was the head of a cult that built a mutant-powered flying saucer to take over the world with, that's still better than dodging the question entirely, or having Superman suck off Reagan like Byrne did.

[ltechofficial]

Does L-Tech have any insurance in there programing to ensure there software isn't used by malicious (well, i guess in this case more malicious) actors for traditional corporate crime ala corporate espionage? Also, what kind of security is in place (if any) to insure valuable L-Tech equipment cant be compromised by malicious agents outside of working hours?

I need the tech knowledgeable people to help me with what the exact methods would be but they are extremely serious about securing their program in multiple ways

1. Software is proprietary and heavily encrypted

2. It takes a huge amount of data or access to L-Techs cloud software to run the complex and purposefully non-optimized software. OSeditor looks simple on the user end but is constantly iterated on and bloated with tweaks and from the complexity of successfully interfacing w an outside entities mind

3. The install requires multiple written guides that explain things not available in the software itself, so even if you crack the program, you also need the internal literature to operate it correctly. I think many unauthorized users are stopped by accidentally hypnotizing themselves

4. There are some basic commands built into the hypnosis and a handful of top secret number combinations that can affect an OS without their admins approval.

5. They have government support and support from other large corporate entities to discourage the spread of information about OSeditor

6. They work hard to deincentivize corporate espionage resulting from employee dissatisfaction or disloyalty... the perks are very high and if anyone seems like a risk for disloyalty, you can always tweak them a little... Which can make them into a very useful double agent

Its still not impossible for hackers to mess with it ofc... there's always people working hard to undermine L-Tech despite all the hoops... many T4T yuri hacker couples

[arthenaa]

ikaw at ikaw (only you) — mizu x f!reader

synopsis: 4 times your team lead chose you and 1 time you chose her.

content: modern!au, office romance, you and mizu are creatives, specifically in the character and concept design department in a very very famous gaming company (take a guess), she is your creative director and lead designer and you are the concept artist, 4+1 format, FLUFF, work relations, dynamic, and position might not be accurate, forgive me, this is basically just me projecting yet again.

a/n: this is requested by @andieperrie18 ! the answer shit isn't letting me edit my answer so ill be @-ing you here. TYSM FOR ENJOYING MY WORKS !! means a lot ... u also chose pasilyo 🥹🥹🥹🥹 sunkissed lola is the best

1.

Being part of the creatives team was a nightmare.

To tell you the truth, the position for a Concept Artist with a specialty in 2D design wasn't actually all that bad. The monthly benefits and wage were something you're quite lucky to receive considering the constant side eye other departments have with the admin's treatment of the artist employees. This was also your dream job—having had to play their games, specifically, VALORANT, left you in awe and gearing to apply once you were ready for an Internship. After your OJT course, you were accepted for a position in Character and Concept Design and are considered one of the team's most beloved artists (Your followers on Twitter reckon so).

In short, the work environment was great. A solid 15/10 experience—I mean how can you beat a company that caters not only to you as an artist but also as a player? Nothing can beat that feeling of satisfaction once you see your work displayed on various monitors all around the world.

It was more of ... the relationships and interactions with that work space environment that left you grasping at a chance to breathe.

People think you're overreacting but you think it's completely reasonable.

"Yes, you are overreacting."

Your face falls at Taigen's words—watching as he plays a round of unrated in the company's leisure space decked with state of the art PC builds that could definitely beat your poor touchscreen fridge with just a move of its mouse. You could hear the familiar voicelines of Jett from VALORANT as he uses the character's abilities to swiftly enter the site and take a hold of the defenders' positions.

Taigen is part of the Gaming Development Department in the VALORANT Team. He often does routine user gameplay checks and one of its perks is that you literally just have to play the game and get paid for it. You think its unfair but then again, its Taigen. He's always unfair.

"I think you're just saying that to be mean," You frowned, eyes trained on his face—the lights reflecting back on his stupid, stupid, clear-skinned face. Taigen rolls his eyes but not an ounce of his focus leaves the game.

"Being honest equals to being mean, got it." Taigen's voice comes out in a sarcastic tone. You kick a speck of dust on the cement floor, twirling in the gaming chair you're seated on.

"I just think its a reasonable thing to complain about!" You throw your hands in the air in an attempt to get him to look at your side of things. "You're completely unfazed because your team lead has the patience of a mother with 7 kids."

You hear the familiar cue of an ACE kill as Taigen hits a headshot on the last player. The game's interface shifts to the winner screen and finally, he turns to you, pulling his headphones off and giving his best deadpan stare.

"You're freaking out over Mizu sighing over your concept design proposal for Neon and overanalyzed even the way she drank her coffee because you're obsessed with her like that." Taigen arches his eyebrow to make the situation all the more ridiculous. Your mouth closes and opens like a fish out of water. "Am I right? Wait no, don't answer that. I know I am."

"What the fuck?" Your voice comes out in a desperate attempt of self-defence but it ultimately just sounds defeated. Taigen chuckles as he turns back to his monitor to take a look at the game stats.

"Look," Taigen tries to be empathetic but you're pretty sure this is just to get you off his back. The queue for competitive is already up and running. "As your friend, I say this with the love that I have for you and your works but please, Mizu is just one woman. If my mind process went like yours, I would've assumed Akemi hated my very existence and this is coming from someone who IS dating Akemi."

You purse your lips in thought as he raises his eyebrows in exaggeration. You're not exactly sure why you approached Taigen with this problem but he was the only familiar face that you saw after walking out of the meeting room in a hurry.

But then the question in this situation is who exactly is Mizu?

Well, there were a lot of things you could associate with the familiar blue-eyed director. Mizu is your boss—the creative director for Concept and Character design for the VALORANT team. She oversees character ideas, map visuals, detailing, and the final approval for character and asset ideation before it's sent for building in the 3D and VFX departments. She is your employer but you can also consider her your friend, albeit a highly respected one (she did the character design for Jett and Yoru).

It's not that you were obsessed—Taigen is wrong, he's always wrong—it was definitely because you respected her very much. Being a Riot Design Lead is basically fucking God. You create and give life to ideas. She's part of the original team that worked on the pre-release of VALORANT during its early stages and got to see the whole thing unfold. Something you wished to see back then but glad that you were able to become part of the journey despite being a few patches late.

You respected her enough to always want to be on her good side. I mean, who wouldn't? She's talented and very... youthful-looking and one of Riot's youngest leads, you honestly think that being worried over her approval like this is just a matter of respect and definitely NOT obsession.

"You're doing that thing where you space out and I have to assume that it's probably because of Mizu, yeah?" Taigen's voice intercepts your reprieve and suddenly, a curl of your eyebrows creates a look of annoyance on your face.

"I am not obssesed with Mizu," You reiterate, but this time with your mouth. "I just... respect her."

Taigen leans back on his gaming chair, nodding as if you just told him that he didn't need to double double-click everything.

"That's the most unbelievable shit I've heard today," Taigen finally replies with a scrunch of his nose. Your jaw falls open.

"I do not!"

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too!"

"Do fucking not—Stop it."

Taigen purses his lips, and makes a motion of zipping his mouth and shaking his head. You huff in anger. Taigen was never going to believe you.

Just as you were about to chastise him again for being mistaken, a knock on the glass doors notifies you of a new presence. You turn by instinct and your eyes widen in shock and probably, dread—who knows.

"There you are," Mizu's voice filters through your ears like classical music on a good Friday evening. You stammer slightly as she enters the area, eyes trained on you through those tinted orange specs. Mizu momentarily greets Taigen who only raises his hand in greeting before turning towards the screen (only you can see through your peripheral vision that this motherfucker is laughing). "I've been looking for you."

"You did?" Your voice comes off quiet. Mizu furrows her eyebrows.

"Uh, yeah?" She replies with a confused tone. "I had your concept design for Neon approved, it was more direct compared to Matt's. I wanted to tell you in person since you just bolted from the meeting room."

You fall silent at her words. She looks a bit concerned as you try to make sense of the information.

"You seem in shock—Are you okay?" Mizu asks, eyes glancing towards Taigen who looks at her before shrugging.

You feel your heart speed up. You momentarily calm yourself before finally responding. "Y-Yeah, sorry. Just didn't think that you'd approve it."

Mizu tilts her head like a fucking cat and you're quite sure you would drop dead then and there. "Why not? It's your work."

You're not sure what she means by that but a sudden shiver runs through your veins at her praise and suddenly your cheeks are flushing.

"Ah," You're voice fills in the silence, awkward and quiet. "Thank you?"

There's a pause of silence before Mizu chuckles. She heaves a breath before pulling the glass door open.

"I'll see you at my office, Y/N." She smiles. "Great work."

The silence further pushes you into the void as you and Taigen watch her exit and disappear into another hallway through the glass windows. Just as you were a few minutes ago, you lean forward to slouch over your knees, hands on your face as you meltdown from what just happened. You hear Taigen chuckle beside you.

"Give it a few more months and she'll give you a ring on your finger with a bent knee on the ground."

You sob into your hands as Taigen erupts in heaps of laughter.

Oh my fucking God.

2.

The release for Neon was a hit. An all-time new duelist originating from the Philippines, your concept design took off without a hitch. It's safe to say that your hard work paid off as you stood over the central common room—leisure areas decked with your coworkers trying out and celebrating the release. A sense of satisfaction fills you.

"I hear you spearheaded the design concept for Neon," A voice infiltrates your sense like a lure. You can't help but smile at its familiarity. Akemi wraps her arms around your waist, chin on your shoulder as she continues. "Marketing was thrilled with the positive response. Good job."

You turn around, her arms loosely accommodating you. "Akemi," you coo.

The girl grins wide and pulls you into a hug. You return the affection in a grander gesture of squeezing her tight against you.

Akemi's part of the Marketing Department for Riot. While she often creates publication material for VALORANT, she also has cross work with League of Legends for its various strategic releases (ie. KDA).

"I just want to say that I already predicted Neon would be a sure hit, it's your work after all," Akemi pulls away from the hug with a smug smile. She grabs your hands in hers, swinging them slowly. "Marketing it was like a breeze in the park."

You laugh softly at her enthusiasm. "You give me way too much credit."

Akemi rolls her eyes affectionately. "Humility is a disease—live a little."

You shake your head at her quips, opting to smile in response. A member of your team passes by, eyes widening in recognition of you before giving you a thumbs up. Akemi watches the interaction—eyes trained on that person's figure as they walked towards Mizu who was busy talking to other creative team leads. Your eyebrows furrow in confusion at her prolonged silence.

"Who are you—?" Your words trail off as you turn to look at what she's so focused on before turning back at the sight of Mizu. "Nevermind."

Akemi raises her eyebrow with an amused look on her face. "Taigen always has a penchant for exaggerating but I didn't think it was this bad?"

Your face falls at the information. "Taigen told you?"

Akemi gives you a 'duh' look—eyebrows raised and eyes half-lidded. "Taigen's a loose lock if you pry hard enough. He basically can never keep a secret."

You give her a deadpan stare before shifting in your position. Akemi crosses her arms over her chest as she eyes you up and down—filled to the brim with amusement. "I'm fine, stop making a big deal out of it."

"Uh huh," Akemi squints her eyes playfully. You could only glare back in response.

The loud cheering at the front catches your attention as resident workers, interns, and newbies alike begin to tune in at the commotion. Akemi and you move to the sidelines, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as you tried to find out what's happening.

"What's happening?" You ask the person to your front. He turns, eyes beaming with excitement.

"The creative director for C&C got pulled in a 1v1. They're playing against Beckham."

Your breath hitches at the information. Akemi nudges you with her elbow, overhearing the conversation. The two of you move to the side, finally getting a glimpse of the two team leads focused on a custom game of VALORANT. Your eyes zone in on familiar raven locks seated on the right monitor.

A live stream of their game is projected on the monitor up front and suddenly you feel sick from the amount of butterflies fluttering in your stomach.

She's playing Neon. The character you designed.

Oh God. You watched her take kill after kill, headshot after headshot as she sprinted across the map—zapping characters with Neon's electric abilities. You've never seen someone look so fucking hot playing an FPS game before. It's doing things to your brain.

Just as you expected, the winning banner appears on Mizu's screen and the C&C Team erupts in cheers. You become entranced at the sight—a few of your co-workers patting her on the back before she erupts in smiles and laughs. This is not healthy for your heart.

And just as you think the night couldn't get any better, one of the people from the Marketing departments begins stirring up an interview.

"What made you choose Neon on the character pick? You usually go for Sentinels, no?"

Your eyes meet and suddenly you could feel your heart skip a few beats. Mizu chuckles.

"Wanted to do a duelist around for a spin," Mizu replies. "The design and character visuals for Neon was amazing and I ought to pay the artist who did it a homage."

Suddenly all eyes are on you—some of them even "ooh-ing" for being praised by Mizu. You pale at the attention before doing a hesitant bow in gratitude.

Mizu pulls the headphones off her head and smiles. "Congrats, Y/N. Hope you liked the win."

You feel Akemi stir up beside you, chuckling at the interaction.

You're going to die. You can feel it and its all because of your boss.

3.

Okay, maybe admitting that you were a little bit obsessed and crushing over your employer was a bit overdue. You weren't exactly the type to parade your feelings around the office but if people were to zone in on you acting sheepish and awkward around Mizu, there was a 55% chance that you could tell based on that alone.

It wasn't like your admiration for Mizu started on a whim. As said countless and countless times, it had a foundation of respect until Mizu started trying to get to know and interact with you and those same feelings of admiration started to change. What else were you supposed to do? Mizu is a fucking all-in-one holiday basket—you didn't have it in you to resist the charms.

It also didn't help that over the past few days, Mizu seems to have her undivided attention on you. Showering you with praises, asking if you wanna spearhead a certain project, revel in your work—all that shit. It's messing with your productivity and mindset and that's not a good idea.

The Head Director for the VALORANT Team had decided to call a night out for drinking to reward the team for the positive feedback for the latest patch. You were quite thankful for the opportunity as this was a way for you to get a moment of rest from Mizu's constant attention. Not that you were complaining, it's just a little... too much.

You were seated at the far right booth of the restaurant, keeping to yourself as you watched Ringo and Taigen begin to have a debate about team composition. Akemi grumbles beside you, clearly not enjoying whatever the fuck these two were talking about.

"Look," Taigen holds his hands out in front of him, trying to make a point. "All I'm saying is if you keep putting DPS builds on your team comp, how in the hell will you be able to maximize their kit? Supports are there for a reason."

Ringo rolls his eyes. "It's called enjoying the game, Taigen. So what if I want to put dick 1, dick 2, and dick 3, together?"

Taigen's jaw drops. "Do you know how much skill point dependent they are? I'm even surprised you could bust a skill out." The raven haired man pauses before continuing with a face contorted in disgust. "And stop calling them dick 1,2,3? It's Dan Heng, Blade, and Jing Yuan."

"Of course you'd police that as well. You look like that fucking emoji." Ringo raises his prosthetic hand, imitating pushing up a pair of glasses. "Um, actually—"

"You are as annoying as my grandmother, do you know that?" Taigen snarls, eyes pulled into a glare. Your tall huggable co-worker only grins and bats his eyelashes.

You begin to tune out the two as Akemi excuses herself to take a cigarette break—already having enough of their banter. You eye the glass of beer in front of you, watching as the liquid sloshes around with each twirl of your wrist.

You had hoped to end the night with silence but alas, you can never get everything that you wanted. You feel a pair of eyes on you—direct and unashamed. Already having a feeling on who this was, you looked up and met the reflection of the ocean.

'You okay?' She mouths, concern overflowing her features. It's subtle enough for people to not notice her sudden shift of attention but enough for you to understand her. Your cheeks flush as you nod back with the same softness that she had thrown your way.

She nods in understanding, sending a soft smile your way before turning back towards her conversation with the Head. You hang your head down, wishing that the night would end faster so that you can finally have the moment of peace you have been wanting ever since this morning.

It was as if the world decided to cast hell upon you and revoked you of your rights to peace at the arrival of yet another problem.

"L/N!" The Head Director's voice encompassed the whole area—eyes turning towards him then at you in amusement. "You're one of the star employees and yet you haven't touched a single speck on that glass of yours!"

His hearty laughter follows—giggles and cheering from you co-workers following suite. You sweat drop, eyes darting to Taigen and Ringo who both looked away at your glare before turning towards the window where Akemi sends you a gracious thumbs up, a cigarette hanging from her lips. You groan.

"I-I'm fine," You wave your hand, laughing it off. Your eyes connect with Mizu, an unreadable look on her face as she takes a sip of her chosen beverage.

God decides to punish you more as the team lead beside Mizu chimes in. "Oh c'mon! You're a great asset to the company! I suggest drink up!"

One of your team members passes a full pint of beer as the others begin to urge you to drink up. You hadn't felt the intensity of peer pressure ever since your dance recital on 10th grade and that wasn't even as half bad as this. You weren't feeling on drinking yourself to death as well so trying to down a full pint of beer was a ticket for you to the afterlife (ie. you on your bed with puke all over the floors). The previous pint you had was enough.

You tried to decline as humbly as you could, afraid that this might be the instance that you could finally be fired off from Riot. You knew that if they kept pushing a 3rd more of their attempts that you'd probably give in for the sake of never doing this again but while the need hasn't yet arisen, you'll try fighting off the urge to be a people-pleaser.

Just as you finally begin to decline for the nth time, a hand emerges to your right—pushing the pint of beer in your co-worker's hands. The table falls silent. Your breath falters as the familiar scent of lavender and probably a hint of sunlight begins to seep in from behind you.

"Stop pressuring her like that," Mizu's voice sounds so close —your heart hammering off your chest. Your co-worker gives Mizu a sheepish smile.

"C'mon Mizu, let your team live a little!" The Head laughs once more before leaning forward with a smug smirk. "Unless you'll save this one yet again?"

There's a pause of silence as your co-workers darted between them—back and forth. You feel Mizu sigh behind you before her arms encase you against the table, one arm placed on the beside you each. Your breath hitches.

"Sorry," She mutters as she reaches for the pint. You stammer, turning towards her as you reach out to her wrist by instinct. Mizu blinks with her eyes wide open, suddenly surprised by your actions.

"Y-you don't have to!" You murmured, trying to keep your voice low. Mizu's eyes are unreadable. "You don't drink—!"

The woman chuckles before patting your hand and gently pulling herself off your grasp. "It's okay." She says.

You watch with stammering breath as she gulps the pint in one go, others cheering as she did. The Head claps.

"Didn't expect to see Mizu downing a beer today but here we are," The man bellows in laughter. Mizu chuckles, wiping the residue off her lips. You could only stare at her in shock.

Mizu glances down at you with a smile before patting your head then walking off. Your gaze trails on her and somehow the hammering within you becomes all the more intense.

Oh, Lord.

4.

It was supposed to just be a little game—a past time that the others decided to force you along. You really had no qualms joining games like this but if it concerns the people around you, especially in your work place, somehow you feel the risk of being outed for liking someone in you work space.

"If you guys wanted to date someone in the office, who'd you pick?" Ise leans forward, eyes squinted as she gives you and Akemi a smirk. The three of you were currently lounging in the cafeteria during you lunch break. There weren't many people present due an event going on in one of the building's sectors, so having a conversation like this somehow was less anxiety inducing.

"Taigen, unfortunately," Akemi deadpans. Ise rolls her eyes.

"I mean! Besides him," Ise whispers excitedly. "There's a newbie from marketing that looks cute but kinda quiet, maybe he's nice."

"You mean Takayoshi?" Akemi raises an eyebrow as she takes a sip of her tea. You glance back and forth between them.

"Is that his name?" Ise watches Akemi nod in response. "Well, I'll just have to go get his number then."

Akemi shakes her head at Ise's musings and you had hoped that the conversation would end there, but Ise suddenly turns to you with that mischievous look in her eye.

"What?" You whisper out, eyebrows furrowed in innocence. Akemi side glances you, the corners of her lips upturned in a smile. God, she was enjoying this too.

"What about you, Y/N?" Ise props her arm on the table, placing her cheek on her palm. "Got someone you're interested in?"

You avoid eye contact. "No."

Ise leans forward with a gasp. "You do!"

"I don't!" You reiterate with urgency. You turn to Akemi with a frantic stare. "Tell her I don't."

Ise turns to Akemi who smiles. "She doesn't."

"Bullshit." Ise deadpans. "The moment I'd believe Akemi with a smile on her face is the moment I'd die," Akemi flashes her middle finger at her to which Ise returns generously. Finally, the girl turns to you—chair scooted over to your right as she flashes you her doe eyes. "So? Who is it?"

You Akemi chuckle against her cup as you stammer in front of Ise. "I don't really like someone though?"

"Lies," Ise declares. "We might not be that close but you got that twitch in your eye that already tells me something. Who is it?"

"Ise," You plead, eyes darting around the space. Somehow, saying it out loud meant that you're solidifying the fact that you liked Mizu—an occurrence you'd like to keep to yourself as much as possible. You loved Ise, you really do. You worked with her hand in hand in bringing Neon to life (You worked on her design while she worked on the 3D build) and have become tremendously grateful for her critique and contributions to your work. But this, this was something else. You could feel your heart speed up as she started listing some names.

"Is it Beckham? That piece of shit always too full himself." Ise places a hand on her chin in thought. "Or Ringo? Nah, he's way too focused on content map-building."

There's a pause of silence before an 'aha!' look spreads through her face. You prayed that she would get it wrong but this is Ise we're talking about.

"Is it perhaps," Ise pauses, eyes darting all over your face. "Mizu—"

"What about me?"

The three of you tense, eyes darting behind you as you turn to find the familiar stance of your boss. She leans forward, a hand on the back of your chair as she gives the three of you a curious glance. You hadn't heard her at all, and something about Ise's frantic glance towards you says she didn't expect the same thing as well.

"W-we we're just listing people we found attractive," Ise laughs uncomfortably under Mizu's stare. The creative director glances at Akemi who raises an eyebrow at her. Somehow there was a silent conversation going on between the two that left you confused.

"Really?" Mizu asks, the ends of her words trailing off as she glances back at Ise. "Who said I was attractive?"

"It was Y/—"

"NO ONE!" You exclaimed, cutting Ise off with a jump. You flush under Mizu's wide gazed, surprised at your interference. Somehow, the way you said it implied that no one found her attractive at all, and that was way too wrong so you caught yourself before you delved into a pit of despair. "I mean, w-we haven't started and was just listing people off."

Mizu nods slowly in understanding, eyes examining your face for any slip-ups. You looked away from the intensity.

Ise finally saves your ass. "Yeah. What she said."

"What about you, Director?" Akemi chimes in from your left and both you and Ise turn to her with wide gazes. She simply smiles over her cup, face contorted in a mischievous look. You couldn't read Mizu at all. You had expected Akemi to drop it—after all, she wasn't even joining in on Ise's incessant need to know everything about everyone. "Who do you find the most attractive in this office, hm?"

You can feel Mizu shifting behind you before a chuckle pulls out from her lips. You turn towards her in curiosity as she flashes a smile towards you.

"I'd pick Y/N, of course,"

Huh?

Akemi rolls her eyes, somehow already expecting the answer. Your jaw drops at her response as Mizu turns to Ise who already has a knowing look on her face.

"She's just that reliable," Mizu looks back down towards you, those shades of blue peeking from her tinted glasses. She pinches your cheek in a flash before pulling away. "Cute too."

You turn away, afraid that the flush on your cheeks might've given you away.

"Anyways, I just dropped by to see what's happening outside the event," Mizu sighs, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "I'll see you girls around."

Your interactions always end up one sided somehow. She gives and then leaves—resulting in you malfunctioning from whatever she's left for you to deal with.

Ise turns to you with a mischievous grin when Mizu finally turns the corner. "You and the Director huh?"

"Shut up, oh my God."

+1

"Why do you always do stuff like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're not leaving me any room to process the shit you do?"

Mizu lets out quiet laughs from beside you. 10:47 pm. Normally, work hours in the office end at about 9 but you've learned that staying late is where the good things happen.

"I literally just told you 'good job' the other day and you malfunctioned in front of me," Mizu giggles, leaning forward as she tapped you on the nose with the pen to her digital tablet. "And I heard everything by the way. Quite adorable of you to deny everything."

You flush under her affectionate gaze. "Everyone's so gossipy. You can't blame me."

Mizu turns her chair towards you, arms reach out to take a hold of your own before pulling them close to her side. You lean back at her sudden proximity.

"Well you can't blame me either when you're this adorable," Mizu grins. You furrow your eyebrows, finally leaning close as you cupped her cheeks within your palms.

"You even drank beer," You whisper, tone apologetic. "You don't even like alcohol."

Mizu leans into your touch. "And you don't like being pressured into something you don't want to do. I can sacrifice a little bit of something I don't like just for you."

You melt at her words, eyes darting over her softened features. "Thank you," You whisper, grateful.

"Anything for my girlfriend," Mizu teases. You roll your eyes before pulling her into a soft kiss. She kisses back instantly, hands gripping the arm chair as you take lead of the kiss. After a few pecks and chaste kisses here and there, you finally pull back—reveling in the soft flush across Mizu's cheeks.

"Also," You chime in. Mizu raises an eyebrow. "I was the one who pursued, not you. Correct that when they catch on."

Mizu chuckles at your words. "Right on. Akemi threatened me the other day, saying something like, 'I forbid you from dating Y/N Y/L/N, Mizu Tagawa!' Funniest shit, I've heard. If only she knew."

You pinch her cheeks, giggling at her words. "Of course, she's say that."

There's a pause of silence before Mizu turns to her work, a sketch of VALORANT's newest agent displayed on screen.

"Want to help me with the new guy?" She nudges towards the screen. "Heard he's French."

You turn to her monitor, dozens of details sketched on the edges with a version of her idea of the new agent. You grin, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"You could've just asked me to marry you." You tease. "Also, sure."

You turn towards the table and pulled her tablet towards you. Mizu scoffs as you take over her work.

"And if I actually did?"

"Sure, Mizu, sure."

"I'm serious!"

a/n: hey guys!!! this was so fun to write and honestly i was just inspired to do this request bc ive been drafting an office romance for mizu after the roommate thing. hope yall enjoyed ! if yall arent familiar with valorant, here are the agents mentioned or referenced (neon & chamber (french guy)). also mizu's last name is derived from master eiji's va! cary-hiroyuki tagawa!

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC’s Lucien - Labyrinth Date - English Translation (1/2)

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!! ⚠️

This post contains a detailed spoiler for a date that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

I slowly press the needle tip against his neck.

I exhale softly, the hand pushing the syringe plunger trembling almost imperceptibly.

The next moment, Lucien’s hand suddenly covers the back of mine, his fingertips slipping unhurriedly between my fingers.

"I’ve taught you."

"Hesitation is the emotion most likely to lead to failure."

Translation under the cut!

T/N: I think this date does a good job with world-building. I just want to add something mentioned in the PV song lyrics and other guys’ dates. There's this thing called Iris Device, which is a lens implanted in everyone’s eye at the age of seven. It's directly linked to a multidimensional scoring system that monitors what you see and tracks your vitals as part of deciding your score. I guess it’s similar to those sci-fi contact lenses? Anyway, yea that’s all for now-

I really recommend y'all to read previous dates from this year (like Sinking and Floating in Indulgence MQ and Dawn Date) Not much reason other than I find this reoccurrence of this guy being imprisoned is amusing tho the previous date seem to ease on the idea of them being lunatics (affectionately).

Also like Dawn Date, I'd appreciate not giving heavy spoilers for this date to other people that hasn't read the date bc the plot twist is part of the fun :D

[Subbed Video, TURN ON CC!]

I would really appreciate it if you could also follow along with the acting because his CN VA just nails this date so perfectly, and BGM does a great job of helping set the mood n atmosphere.

=[Part 1]=

The sound of the prison gates slowly closing rings out from afar, shattering the silence of the space.

Almost simultaneously, my lens also flickers slightly.

I slow my steps, raise a hand, and tap the corner of my frame. In the next second, a fluorescent admin interface spreads out across the lens's view.

A very small prompt box appears at the top of the layered notification bar: "Execution in two hours."

I glance at the time and pick up my pace a little.

All criminals held in this prison must undergo bi-monthly systematic scoring to quantify the degree of ‘repentance’.

If their scores show no increase for three consecutive times, they are deemed ‘incorrigible’.

The prison will then administer punishment by erasing the criminal's key memories and reshaping a sound personality through visual education.

And as medical staff, carrying out this punishment is the core part of my work beyond daily treatments.

It's just that recently, the criminals have been relatively well-behaved, and for months, this is the first time I’ve received an execution notice.

I wonder what kind of heinous, unrepentant person I will deal with this time...

Thinking about the tedious procedures ahead, I can’t help but sigh softly and helplessly close the interface before me.

After clearing identity verification at the gate to the high-risk area, I continue down the corridor.

The faint sound of footsteps in the distance gradually grows clearer, mingled with the muffled scrape of chains dragging across the floor.

I lift my head absentmindedly, only for a familiar figure to suddenly come into view, catching me off guard.

....Lucien walks from the opposite direction under the watch of two guards, his hands bound in chains, hanging loosely in front of him.

His prison uniform seems ill-fitting, slipping off his shoulders as he moves, revealing his slender neck.

Yet the corners of his lips hold a hint of a relaxed smile, as if he is not heading toward the depths of the prison, but rather toward a sunlit garden.

On the contrary, the guards look tense as if facing a lethal enemy.

Upon seeing me, a glint of surprise seems to flash through those dark eyes. Lucien takes the initiative to stop walking, coming to a halt just an arm’s length away from me.

Lucien: [smiles] At this hour, why isn't Miss Section Chief resting in the office area?

MC: Perhaps you should know better why you didn’t cherish your opportunities.*

MC: Not only will you have your memories erased, but you’re also ‘dragging’ me into working overtime.

Lucien helplessly spreads out his hands, the restraints on his wrists glaringly conspicuous.

Lucien: I’m also very surprised about this.

Lucien: Clearly, I’ve been very well-behaved recently.

MC: The system doesn't misjudge. It seems like you're not only extremely bad, but you also lack self-awareness.

Probably sensing the absence of sympathy in my voice, Lucien lets out a sigh that seems tinged with regret.

The chains binding his wrists are suddenly pulled taut. I look up to see a guard beside him turning to address me.

Guard: Section Chief MC, please refrain from communicating with Number 0525.

Guard: Several managers who have been in contact with him have recently experienced a drop in their scores.

MC: Thank you, but my psyche has never been influenced by criminals.

MC: Otherwise, the warden wouldn’t have specifically assigned me to perform the execution.

My tone carries faint arrogance. The guard pauses briefly, his expression shifting almost imperceptibly before traces of respect surface.

Guard: ...As expected of the prison’s youngest medical section chief.

Guard: A criminal who is this dangerous still needs your direct intervention to command control.

MC: Aren't you going to escort Number 0525 back? You've already wasted quite a bit of time.

I ignore the gaze trailing me and speak up to remind them. The guards nod, turning to sternly urge Lucien.

He lowers his eyes obediently and moves at a leisurely pace. I also withdraw my gaze and continue walking toward the office area.

The metallic scrape of shackles intermingles with the click-clack staccato of high heels. In the fleeting moment we pass each other, the periphery of my vision suddenly plunges into shadow.

Lucien suddenly leans in close, his whisper—accompanied by the warmth of his breath— brushing just near yet distant against my ear.

Lucien: [whispers] I've been waiting for this day for a long time.

Lucien: Let me see what you've learned in this place.

Guard: Number 0525!!

The chain around Lucien’s neck jerks taut. I take half a step back and coldly spit out a word.

MC: ...Lunatic.

✂———————–

[T/N]

I find it neat that while Lucien affectionately calls her 小疯子 (xiǎo fēngzi – little lunatic) in Dawn Date, here it’s her turn to call him 疯子 😆

*: The phrase “这恐怕要问你” (lit. “I’m afraid I have to ask you”) before “why you didn’t cherish your opportunities?” is translated here as “Perhaps you should know better” to retain its implied rhetorical blame. It’s like, why did he ask why MC is here instead of resting when it’s his fault that she’s working overtime LOL. He should know better, the reason why he’s so unrepentant despite his opportunities, which eventually leads to his ‘execution’ and her working overtime.

✂———————–

=[Part 2]=

=Flashback Start=

Countless streamers were projected across the azure sky, the melodious tune of the school anthem gradually fading as the flying media player departed.

From time to time, young men and women cheered as they tossed their graduation caps into the sky, adjusting their robots to capture this beautiful scene.

Although technology has undergone tremendous changes, the graduation ceremony at Mainland University still adheres to the old-time celebration traditions from a century ago.

I was gazing listlessly at the scene outside the window when I heard someone behind me speaking in a gentle voice.

Lucien: Who knows the next time when we'll meet again.

MC: Mentor, don’t say that. Even if work keeps me busy, I’ll still come back to visit you.

MC: If it weren't for your guidance these past few years, with my mental state, it would have been very difficult to maintain a stable high score of 85 in the system.

Lucien: I've also cherished these years of talking with you, MC. By the way, have you already decided on where you want to go after graduation?

A vague heaviness sank in my heart. I looked away from the window and, maintaining politeness, forced the corners of my mouth into a smile.

MC: The system recommended four or five places tailored to my score, I’ll just pick from those.

MC: After all, every employer needs to check the score. There’s hardly any room for freedom to choose, is there?

A cup of hot tea was slid before me, its rising, swirling steam blurring his gaze from view.

Lucien: But I think you don't necessarily have to heed its suggestions.

I was taken aback, looking at this renowned instructor somewhat incredulously.

…For as long as I can remember, the system has been the most important part of the societal evaluation framework.

Everyone begins receiving scores starting at the age of seven. Choosing a major, a job, even a spouse… every major life decision must be made with reference to one’s score.

Those who achieve high scores naturally enjoy greater access to societal resources, while even the freedoms low scorers possess are constrained.

Individuals like Lucien, whose scores place them at the pinnacle of the social pyramid, can easily attain everything they desire… whether wealth or the golden ticket into the ruling class.

Wouldn't someone with such vested interests be even more inclined to uphold the system's judgments? Then why would he say something like that?

MC: ...Mentor, what do you mean?

Lucien: The work one pursues should be considered from many dimensions, including interests, development, and many more.

Lucien: Score is merely a number, not the sole decision criterion.

My actions faltered briefly as I let out a soft "Hm?"

MC: But can human judgment truly be more scientific than the system?

MC: It was only after the multidimensional scoring system was born that society achieved the most efficient resource allocation mechanism.

MC: Moreover, the Mainland’s average annual economic growth rate increased by 9.8 percentage points compared to before the system's implementation, and even the crime rate...

My fluent recitation stumbled mid-sentence as I met his smiling gaze.

Lucien: So MC has always been this knowledgeable about the system.

Lucien: It was a mistake on its part not to assign you to the system operation and maintenance major.

MC: …It’s almost impossible to forget this kind of information that’s been pushed at us since childhood.

I muttered in a low voice, then belatedly pressed my lips into a tight line as I glanced at him tentatively.

Outside the window, the melody of the school anthem became clear once more alongside the hum of flying machines. Lucien quietly looked at me, a subtle curve suddenly appearing at the corner of his lips.

Lucien: Actually, I only need you to answer one question.

Lucien: MC, do you truly place unwavering faith in the system's judgment?

=Flashback end=

System: “Drug formulation has been completed.”

An eye-catching prompt box suddenly popped up from the lower-right corner of the lens interface, flashing rhythmically.

MC: Mentor Xu…

I pick up the drug solution from the pharmacy bench, murmuring softly.

The memory from the graduation ceremony is still vivid, but the person who spoke with measured grace across from me that day has now become a criminal.

After that consultation, I still chose the prison among the job placements recommended by the system.

I never expected that not long after, I’d abruptly see one breaking news story after another about Lucien.

His photos dominate the pages of countless media outlets, and the headlines incite an even greater public outcry.

”Renowned Psychologist Suspected of Interfering with System Standards”—this incident has stirred a massive uproar.

The scoring time for that month was even postponed by a week to conduct an item-by-item audit and recalibration of entries he had handled.

Everyone who had close contact with him, including me, was urgently interrogated and retested.

Fortunately, my system score remains stable. Relying on this, I haven’t faced any further repercussions.

What about him? 

When he gazes through the bars at that unchanging sky, does he think of his once free and bright life?

The final instrument is now fully prepared. I lower my gaze to sweep a glance over it. Collecting my thoughts, I walk toward the execution chamber.

.

.

.

.

The surveillance camera’s red dot flickers faintly, rotating in time with my unhurried footsteps.

Once my credentials are verified, the door to the execution chamber slides silently apart.

Lucien sits on the cold, hard chair with one leg half-bent, gazing up in my direction with keen interest.

Heavy iron shackles bind his ankles, hanging through the gaps in the seat.

Perhaps having waited too long and grown a bit bored, most of his body now leans against the seat. The collar of his prison uniform is slightly open, displaying a sense of relaxation that seems somewhat out of place.

Lucien: You’re finally here.

Lucien: I was just worried you might have changed your mind and didn't want to meet me.

MC: [coldly] It's my duty, of course I wouldn't hand it over to someone else.

Lucien: So, MC came to see me only because of work?

I ignore the familiarity in his tone and calmly proceed to draw the drug.

The vital-signs monitor clamped around his neck displays his real-time pulse. It’s now unexpectedly a few beats faster than when I first entered.*

Could this person even be nervous?

Seeing my silence, those dark eyes shift to the injection in my hand, a flicker of curious interest flashing through them.

Lucien: So the memory-erasing execution is carried out through injection? How does it avoid neural damage, then?

MC: The injection contains nanobots that will act according to the program... Never mind.

MC: No matter how much I explain, you’ll forget it all soon anyway.

MC: Stay still. Disinfecting now.

The person before me sighs, a hint of innocence surfacing in the depths of his eyes.

Lucien: This might be my last moment. Can’t MC at least take a bit of our past into account?

His lips are paler than the prison garb. I press my lips together and then still reach for the alcohol-soaked cotton ball with tweezers.

MC: [frowns] It’s only a memory purge. Why do you say it like it’s a death sentence?

Lucien: But a person's present is shaped by their past.

Lucien: To a certain extent, this is a psychological annihilation of one’s identity.

The alcohol spreads in a faint sheen across his neck. The pungent scent hits my nose, and I instinctively start to speak a little faster.

MC: The system has extracted the memory fragments most critical to you based on your past emotional fluctuations.

MC: After the execution, the prison will broadcast the approved segments daily. As for those that don't meet the standards, they'll be shown after modification.

MC: All in all, it won't affect your cognition... it's not as horrifying as you imagine.

I slowly press the needle tip against his neck. Lucien looks at me calmly; even the heart rate projected in the monitor hardly shows any changes.

I exhale softly, the hand pushing the syringe plunger trembling almost imperceptibly.

The next moment, Lucien’s hand suddenly covers the back of mine, his fingertips slipping unhurriedly between my fingers.

MC: ….!

The clear liquid is pushed into his neck bit by bit. Holding my breath, I can almost feel the warmth of his exhale brushing against my ear.

Lucien: [whispers] I’ve taught you.

Lucien: [x2] Hesitation is the emotion most likely to lead to failure.

Along with his words, the final drop of the drug disappears from the syringe.

The drug takes effect faster than expected. Almost immediately, a faint weariness clouds those eyes that reflect my face like still water.**

As if unable to bear the weight of his own head, Lucien’s neck tilts back against the chair, baring a fragile curve to the air.

I count down silently in my heart. Before I even reach five, his eyes slowly drift shut, and the hand entwined with mine falls away.

Amid the ticking of the instruments, I can faintly hear his breathing grow deeper. I slip free from Lucien’s palm, hovering momentarily before letting my hand gently stroke his hair.

Cold, soft... If the moonlight could be touched, it would probably feel like this.

I stoop a little, speaking in a quiet murmur.

MC: Thank you for your trouble, Mentor.

MC: But even if the experiment fails, I have a backup plan.

MC: This is the most precious lesson you’ve taught me.

✂———————–

[T/N]

While in prison, MC uses the regular “you” 你 (nǐ), but in the flashback, MC uses 您 (nín), the formal and respectful version of 你, to address Lucien. This is important as it carries nuance that becomes significant later~ 

*: With his heartbeat hardly changing when the execution does happen, I think his heartbeat got noticeably quicker simply because of her presence🥺. After all, she’s the only one who can make him ‘out of control’.

**: There’s no explicit mention of still in the original,  BUT the writer uses "倒映" to describe how his eyes reflect her. This word particularly refers to how things are reflected in a body of water (like the surface of a lake, a pool, etc)… so I try to keep that nuance by adding still water here even if it wasn’t explicitly mentioned~ (p.s. later down the line, the writer keeps using this word, and I've run out of ideas on how to tl it variably... well, just keep in mind that every time this date says reflected/mirrored, the writer is using the same word)

Next Part-> [Here]

[silveredcircuitry]

I take the characters and i turn them into a psychonauts characters.

this started out as a funny style exercise but now I have a whole crossover au. why is this happening to me.

Atlas and Portia both work for VCorp, a rising star of the tech industry. Most famous for the shockingly advanced digital assistant Vexter, they're now developing a large-scale immersive Virtual Reality system. But curiously, they claim the prototype of this system only works for psychics.

The Psychonauts have been interested in VCorp for a while, and have launched investigations into its secretive practices and use of Psitanium for research. However, these investigations have yielded few results. And now, the agents who've infiltrated the company are acting... odd.

Portia has tried to help the investigation at every turn, albeit under the radar for fear of losing her job. While she has her own theories on what VCorp is up to, she prefers to act on most of them in secret. Atlas used to help her, but the two had a falling-out, and now Atlas is one of the VR testing initiative's greatest participants.

Less well-polished drawing of Vexter's two main avatars, nicknamed "Interface" (left) and "Admin" (right). Interface has a peppy, upbeat persona, perfect for chatting with the average user. Admin is a bit more subdued and talks with more technical detail, working more directly with systems than users.

They are both exactly the same person program, however. Just Vexter with a different set of parameters. and they're both a fucking trainwreck

i have so so so many things i could say about this au. stay tuned for more brainworms, because I'm gonna be on the same channel for a WHILE