First Arrival on Baker Street

Once she understood everything, Tangna, an avid character-creation player, plunged straight into an all-consuming battle.

"Pull the outer corners of the upper eyelids straight out. Hmm, now they look like both a fox's and a cat's. That's distinctive. Don't make the nose so high. No, it can't be flat either. A little softer. Candy! These controls are way too sensitive!"

Her hand slipped, and she nearly turned herself into Garfield.

"Forget it, that was my fault. I'll be gentler. My original lip shape is pretty good, so I won't waste points on it. I'll just use my original features as a template. The face shape needs smooth lines. Maybe I should bring the cheekbones out a little? I heard that helps you age better."

Candy: I'm about to fall asleep, folks...

After an unknown amount of time, a beautiful face with a distinctly Eastern charm came into being. But before Tangna could enjoy it for long, the accumulated energy cost on the right gave even the system, Candy, a fright.

[Nana, stop tweaking! If you keep going, how long will it take us to pay off our debt?]

Hearing the system say that, Tangna reluctantly deleted some of the details, leaving only a few of her favorite major features.

At first glance, she still looked a great deal like her original self, only her features were more refined.

"Isn't this just me with a heavy beauty filter on my Moments photos? Hahahaha!"

"Damn it, I spent so much time on that. I really loved that face!" It was practically the face of her dream lover.

[It's okay, Nana. The system can save the parameters you adjusted. When you level up, your appearance will move closer to them, so we have to work very, very hard on our missions!]

"That's good. Hehe, luckily I'm in the habit of saving my data as I go."

She had no particular preferences when it came to adjusting her body. A well-proportioned figure and limbs that weren't bulky would do. If she were too thin and frail, she might not be able to run while doing missions.

"There are only this few body sliders. Why does the energy cost multiply?"

With no other choice, Tangna made a few adjustments based on her original body again. Using her original body cost no energy; she only needed a little restorative energy to reshape it.

Fortunately, her original height and figure were already fairly good, so adjusting them to the given golden ratio of 9:6:9 didn't use much energy.

Once her complete form had been created, the energy cost displayed was still within a range they could both accept.

"Finally, it's done. I almost ended up playing with this tool like it was a game."

The main system successfully recorded the data, and only then did it begin to feel real to Tangna. As she watched her consciousness gradually sink into her new body, she couldn't help feeling a secret thrill of excitement and anticipation for the mission world ahead.

[Preparations complete. Nana, to help new mission takers, you can choose your first mission world. Most crossover worlds featuring British and American characters are built around films and TV shows, so they're a little different from worlds based on written works or comics. I suggest choosing a film or TV world.]

After Tangna's complete form was finished, Candy also gained a physical form of her own: a smooth, translucent lavender-colored ball that glowed softly as it floated beside Tangna.

"Wow, you're a pretty little ball. Of course I'm choosing a film or TV world. Aside from the classics, I haven't read much in the way of comics or novels in British and American crossovers. If I went in to do missions, I'd be completely clueless."

Tangna and Candy browsed through the mission catalog. Characters she had loved in the past appeared before her eyes, and there were even quite a few missions involving female characters.

She quickly made her choice. Shortly before the accident, Bilibili had just bought the rights to the BBC version of "Sherlock," and she had rewatched it on TV right away.

The more familiar she was with the plot, the more confident she would be in carrying out the mission.

[Transfer beginning. Since the host and system are entering the mission world as new characters, the initial loading time will be a little longer. This is a good opportunity to explain the details of completing missions.]

Candy brought up the mission regulations for Tangna to read. It turned out that acquiring energy wasn't what she had thought: she didn't have to fall in love with her target or have intimate contact with him.

This wasn't a romance system in the strict sense, and the heartthrob function only modified the host.

The host only needed to become the target's friend and stay by his side to steadily absorb energy.

Of course, the prerequisite was that the protagonist genuinely accepted her. He had to consider her his friend from the bottom of his heart. If she wanted more energy, an intimate relationship was the best choice. Becoming a target character's lover would yield several times as much energy as being his friend.

When dealing with straightforward characters who were easy to win over, such as Spider-Man and Superman Kent, a mission taker still had a choice. But with extreme thugs like the Metal-Mouthed Joker or Constantine, whether she could even get close to them was a major question.

"If missions can't be deleted, please put Joker last for me. Thank you."

Remembering his brutal methods in the movie made the back of Tangna's head go cold and numb. She hoped he wouldn't hit her with a burst of electricity the moment she went in.

[Don't worry. The characters are assigned star ratings for difficulty, and Joker is in the highest category. You don't have to worry about facing him early on.]

[Even if you do enter that mission world later, he might not be your target. Isn't Batman there too?]

Aside from the first mission, which she could choose herself, all subsequent missions could only be randomly assigned by the system. That was why Tangna had suddenly panicked.

[After entering a mission, the panel will only show attributes that can be adjusted. Other default information will no longer be displayed.]

[Beauty: 86% (Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This score is based only on the host's customized character creation. Facial features can only be refined, not changed.)

Agility: 60% (Within the range of an ordinary person, just barely passing. More exercise is needed if you want to use it to escape.)

Combat ability: 30% (Looks too weak to truss a chicken, but can carry a barrel of water.)

Intelligence: 52% (Don't be discouraged. Most people are just like you.)

Sanity: 98% (Commonly known as SAN, this indicates mental health. British and American crossover worlds are full of bizarre sights and extraordinary people, so please keep an eye on your mental state. Falling below 20% may lead to situations beyond your control.)

Friendliness aura bonus: 10% (Makes all things friendly. The highly enviable ability to attract cats and dogs is a system benefit that can increase the goodwill of those you interact with beyond its original level.)

Special abilities: None

Heartthrob aptitude: 1% (System benefit.)]

[Attention. You are now officially entering the first world. To ensure a good mission experience, your new identity is Mrs. Hudson's distant niece, Sitangna, English name Stunner, a young woman of mixed heritage from a city in southern China.]

[Age: 24. You attend Southern University and are currently an exchange student at the University of Cambridge in Britain. Your simulated life memories have been injected into your consciousness. Be brave and carry out your mission; you don't need to worry about giving yourself away.]

Further details about the character would depend on the mission taker's own background. As long as she remembered her identity and occupation in the mission world, there was little chance of anything going wrong.

"Oh my god, that English name really gets straight to the point. Stunner, a heartthrob! Hahahaha!"

Thinking of how, in a Chinese context, it would be like introducing herself as Su Daji, Sitangna blushed and spent quite a while composing herself.

"I'm ready. Let's go."

[All right, "Sherlock"-start.]

"Miss, wake up. We're on Baker Street."

Her consciousness returned, and Sitangna woke in a daze. The sky outside the car window was growing dark. She covered her mouth with her hand and yawned.

The driver really was very skilled. Although they had stopped and started through congested stretches, the ride as a whole had been smooth.

"See? I was right, wasn't I? You'd be here after a nap. Looks like you slept pretty well too."

She went to the trunk with sleepy eyes. The middle-aged driver had already taken her suitcases out for her.

"Thank you, sir. You're an excellent driver. The change is your tip. I hope you sleep well tonight."

Taxis in London were extremely expensive. An Uber might have been better, but unfortunately she had taken a cab because her suitcases were so enormous.

The forty-minute ride had cost her seventy-eight pounds. Even though her new identity came from a wealthy family, she couldn't help feeling the pinch. She gave the driver a hundred pounds and let him keep the change as a tip.

"You too. Sleep well tonight, you sweet, generous young lady."

Tipping wasn't mandatory in Britain. You could give a tip if you wanted, and if you didn't, nobody would say anything, unlike in America, where it was compulsory. Given the driver's excellent skills, she was happy to give him the tip.

After paying and saying goodbye to the driver, Sitangna gathered her two large suitcases and knocked on the familiar door in front of her.

The metal house number she had seen countless times on a screen glinted under the streetlights, and her heart pounded like a drum.

[221B]

"Coming! Coming! It must be our lovely Miss Nana!"

Mrs. Hudson had been keeping track of the time. The moment the doorbell rang, she put down her spatula and hurried to the door, looking so delighted that Watson, who was about to come downstairs for dinner, glanced over.

This young niece must have been very close to Mrs. Hudson.

In fact, this was only the third time the two had met in all these years.

"Good evening, dear Aunt Hudson."

As soon as Mrs. Hudson opened the door, a soft, gentle fragrance swept over her on the cool evening breeze, giving the scent on Sitangna a fresh, crisp edge.

The moment they came face to face, before Sitangna could react, the little old lady, smelling sweetly of apple pie, pulled her into a full embrace.

In her memories, Sitangna had still been very young when they last met. After so many years apart, the little girl had grown into a bright young woman.

Mrs. Hudson, once beautiful and graceful, had grown stooped, and her face showed her advancing years.

The little old lady gently stroked her hair, then held her face and studied it for a long moment before letting go. "Our Nana has grown up, and you've gotten thinner too. You're so pretty I almost didn't recognize you."

"Come in, quickly. Such big suitcases! I'll have Sherlock and the others take them upstairs for you. Let's eat first."

Mrs. Hudson took her hand, her eyes full of affection, and led her inside. With her other hand, she helped pull a suitcase, so they brought one in each.

Before she could call Sherlock, Watson, who had set out the plates, came over to help. It was Sitangna's first time seeing a character she had once loved so much in real life. Honestly, it felt a little like a dream.

"Watson, this is Sitangna, my little niece. Isn't she pretty? She's half Chinese and half British."

"Nana, this is John Watson, an excellent former army doctor. He only moved into my flat a little while ago," Mrs. Hudson said, introducing them to each other as they walked.

"Hello, Miss Sitangna."

"Hello, Dr. Watson."

Only when they reached the brightly lit living room did Watson get a clear look at the young woman. No wonder Mrs. Hudson, who was usually sharp-tongued, had said twice that she was beautiful.

Sitangna had beautiful long black hair, a lovely face, and delicate features. She even looked somewhat familiar. Watson thought for a while before it came to him. Right! Like Sherlock, she had sharp, catlike features.

But the thick bangs over her forehead softened the sharpness of her appearance and made her look quite a bit younger. Good Lord, she looked barely twenty.

They shook hands politely. Watson told Sitangna to sit down and rest, then tried to carry both suitcases upstairs. Well, it was a bit much for one person.

"Sherlock! Come down, Sherlock. I need your help with something."

"No. I don't have the strength."

"Come on, are you really going to make a lame man take two trips?"

When he refused to help, Watson had no choice but to pick up one suitcase and carry it up to the attic alone. Seeing this, Sitangna wanted to help.

"Don't move, Sitangna. He'll come down."

Watson spoke quietly to Sitangna, and sure enough, before long, the tall, handsome man with curly hair came down.

Sitangna hadn't wanted to trouble anyone in the first place. She was carrying her suitcase up the stairs with a great deal of effort when she ran into Sherlock coming down.

He said nothing. A large hand appeared before her and took the suitcase handle. His fingers were long and slender, and the edges of his nails were neat and clean. Clearly, their owner was a man who paid close attention to hygiene.

"Thank you, Mr. Sherlock."

Meeting her idol for the first time, Sitangna could hardly hide her excitement and affection, and even her voice trembled a little.

Sherlock heard the complex emotions in her words and was slightly surprised. As his gaze swept over her, it met her ardent stare.

The girl in front of him wore a long black trench coat and black suit trousers that draped beautifully. A belt with a palm-wide metal buckle cinched her slender waist.

Her well-proportioned figure made an ordinary outfit look expensive, and her refined features were unquestionably beautiful by both Eastern and Western standards.

As their eyes met, Sherlock noticed that her eyes were a clearer shade than the brown commonly seen in Asians. Her pupils were large, and the upturned corners of her eyes were very much like a cat's.

The outdoor, wild sort.

"I heard it. Your name is Stunner. How strange. You and your family clearly aren't close, yet they gave you a name that carries such high expectations."

An attempt to be loved by everyone.

"As expected of the great detective. You can tell things about someone with just one look."

The biggest adjustment Sitangna had made was to enlarge her original eyes considerably, but because of the structure of her face, they still curved into crescents when she smiled.

"You flatter me." Sherlock was quite pleased, though it didn't show on his face. He picked up his pace on the stairs.

On his way up to the attic, he blocked Watson, who was coming down, swiftly handed him the suitcase, and strode away.

"Oh, please!"

Watson was speechless. Watson was beside himself. Watson took the suitcase and silently shed tears.

Watching the Baker Street duo's lively interaction, Sitangna revealed an evil smile.

"I'm not gay." Watson went upstairs, and Sherlock came down again. As he passed Sitangna, he suddenly blurted it out.