Xing: I Don't Want to Be an Idol!

"What the hell did you say?!" After hearing the news that Jackal had created Smoke Gun and Grip Driver, Tesla remotely controlled Little Te Tesla to ride on Xing's head and fire at him face to face. The deafening roar made Xing's eardrums hurt even though they were thousands of miles apart.

"That bastard stole my technology and then showed it off to me?! If I weren't short of money, and if you weren't the only volunteer, I wouldn't be in this situation..." Tesla's voice suddenly trailed off. "Well, it's not that I'm pressuring you, but I really need the funds right now. I know that when I made new equipment for them last time, I almost spent all your savings, but the enhanced form of Build is in the critical stage of development... I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, Doctor. I'm already very grateful that you could take the time out of your busy schedule to upgrade our equipment. I'll find a way to fund it." Xing didn't mind too much; after all, he was originally a veteran of Anti-Entropy, and she couldn't neglect the affairs of headquarters.

"Well, to be honest, I think with your looks, you could make a lot of money as an idol. Don't you really want to consider it?" Lobster Doctor changed the subject and suggested to him.

"Get lost!" Xing, his face dark, slapped Little Te on the head, forcibly ending the call.

Using the Jizo-Mitama to control the self-destruction of the underwater base, and after retrieving the Prototype Pulse Greatsword and Drill Crusher, he entered the castle and, led by a waiter, arrived at a luxurious room to meet Rita.

"Greetings, my master. I didn't expect you to return so soon. It seems the operation went very smoothly. May I ask if you found anything?" After the waiter left, Rita bowed slightly to him and inquired about his results.

I was planning to go and offer some assistance, but luckily I came back rather quickly...

"Yes, Schicksal needs to upgrade its security measures." Sachi told her about the World Serpent's near-invasion of their base. Rita looked embarrassed after hearing this; she had previously confidently assured them that no one could possibly intrude, but she'd been proven wrong in the blink of an eye. It seemed they needed to thoroughly investigate whether there was a mole within the organization...

"Where's Mom?" Xing looked around the room but didn't see Theresa. Then she focused her gaze on a door in the room.

"Lady Theresa is explaining the situation to the host here. Now that you've resolved it, we can begin the assessment to see if she's qualified to become an idol," Rita explained. She was incredibly excited to attend her solo concert as her manager; just thinking about it was thrilling!

"Oh, okay, then I'll trouble you to clean up the mess. I'm going to take a nap." The exhausted boy lay down on the sofa and fell asleep immediately; he was truly tired this time.

Rita stared at the boy napping on the sofa with shining eyes. If only he could also be open-minded and step onto the stage with his mother, then...

Pfft! Two streams of blood spurted from the girl's nose. Rita, her face flushed, quickly stopped the bleeding. In order to see that wonderful future, she had to give Hsing a good talking-to!

The boy, who was taking a nap, suddenly shivered violently.

——Imen (Love Gate!)——

"It's such a pity. You have that potential, but unfortunately you're no longer a child. It's such a shame." The veiled, black-haired woman looked at Theresa with regret. "If you had met me a few decades earlier, you would have been the perfect candidate. What a pity..."

Her voice was incredibly soft, captivating like an opera, yet possessing a noble quality, as if she were a fairy descended to earth.

"Oh, really not okay?" Theresa's eyes welled up with tears as she tried to get away with it by acting cute.

"It's a pity that your mind is no longer as pure as a child's. You can't become the best idol like this." The black-haired woman lovingly patted her head and wiped away her tears.

"By the way, Ms. Theresa, I heard you have a child. Could you bring him over so I can see him?" The black-haired woman asked, recalling the news she had seen in the Schicksal newspaper.

Her expression froze. It wasn't that she was unwilling, but as a mother, she knew very well how bad her son's singing was. And who was this person in front of her? If she heard this, she would strangle Little Xing to death.

"Um, Little Xing is tone-deaf, so he won't embarrass himself by performing." Theresa lowered her head shyly. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time. I should take him to continue his vacation. By the way, I'll ask His Lord Bishop to strengthen the defenses here." With that, she turned to leave.

"Please wait a moment." The black-haired woman called out to her. "Singing, dancing, tuning... these can all be learned slowly, but there is one thing that is essential, and that is—true passion. Please let me meet him."

"Well... okay." For some reason, Theresa suddenly felt a sense of anticipation.

—Sukikado (Love Gate!)—

In the endless deep sea, the boy's body seemed to be tightly gripped by an invisible hand. No matter how he swam upwards, it was all in vain, and he could only be pulled into the abyss little by little.

Help! I can't breathe! Someone please help me...

Despair spread through his heart, and he once again felt death so close at hand.

"Little Xing! What's wrong?! Don't scare me!" Theresa's cries woke him from his dream. Xing suddenly opened his eyes. The extremely realistic dream made his body wet with cold sweat. His blue pupils contracted, filled with terror.

He was breathing heavily, as if he had seen something terrifying.

Seeing this, Theresa gently helped him up from the sofa, hugged him, and softly stroked his cheek. "Don't be afraid, I'm here. No one will hurt you, don't be afraid..."

With Theresa's reassurance, Xing's emotions gradually stabilized. He let out a long sigh and helplessly pushed away his overly frightened Silly Mom. "Okay, okay, I'm not a child anymore. Can you please stop using such childish methods?"

"At least let me enjoy a lap pillow one more time..." Xing thought to himself. That was the most peaceful night he had ever slept.

"You're only 11 years old, you're still a child." Theresa stroked his head tenderly. "Did you have a nightmare just now? It's understandable, after all, you've been fighting some terrible enemies. If this continues, your mental health might suffer. Take a rest."

I can't rest. There are still many hardships to face in the future, and I can't stop.

"Hmm, although I shouldn't interrupt your conversation, I sensed something special about you." The black-haired woman, who had witnessed the whole thing, crouched down to be at their level, her dark eyes fixed on Xing as if she had discovered something interesting.

"She is..." Xing looked at Theresa with a puzzled expression.

"She is the owner of Golden Ocean Park, the biggest investor in Schicksal, Miss Ende," Theresa explained, looking Little Xing at her child. If Xiaoxing were chosen by her, he could reduce the number of times he had to go out to fight, which would be a kind of protection for him, right?

Later, when Theresa watched Sachi perform passionately on stage, she silently shed tears. "I was so stupid..."

"No, I'm asking when she started being here." Xing was implying whether this woman named Ende had seen his intimate interaction with Theresa earlier.

It's a little embarrassing...

"Could I take a little of your time, child? I sense the presence of several old friends in you." The masked woman named Ende gazed calmly at Xing, her elegant voice like a song, stirring the imagination.

Honkai Vision, Activate

Fortunately, after scanning her several times, I confirmed that she really was just an ordinary human being. Strange, Theresa said that she signed a contract with Otto in the last century, but although she was wearing a veil, she looked like she was only about twenty years old. Could it be that she maintained herself with money?

"Can I go with her?" For some reason, Sachi felt a little nervous and grabbed Theresa's small hand.

"Of course." Ende gave him a bright smile.

Rita, who wasn't called, sat peacefully on the sofa to the side, an aura of resentment emanating from her.

"Come on in, Miss Rita," Ende said, turning to her and extending an invitation.

"It is an honor, Ende." The maid rose and gave a graceful bow, then quickly followed.

"(No!) x2" The mother and son cried out in their hearts.

——Love Gate——

For Xing, who used to spend money like water, having money really does mean you can do whatever you want. If you can't, it just means you're not rich enough.

After following Ende through a long corridor, the four of them arrived at the deepest part of the castle, where a luxurious and bright classical theater appeared before their eyes. Xing, who was seeing such a scene for the first time, was so surprised that his mouth dropped open. Although he did not understand art, he could feel the artistic sense that could not be described by money.

He recalled the obviously expensive decorations he had seen along the way, and a strange thought popped into his head, "If I were to collapse this place, I wouldn't be able to afford to pay for it even if I sold myself."

No, I could actually afford to lose money if I sold you.

Ende gestured for the three to sit down in the audience, then turned and walked backstage. After a while, the curtain on the stage was slowly drawn back, and several spotlights shone on the stage. Ende, dressed in her performance costume, stood in the center of the stage, bowed slightly to the audience, and then began her performance.

The elegant female voice, accompanied by exquisite music, echoed in the theater. Fortunately, he felt a wonderful power soothing his heart. He no longer felt anxious or uneasy. All kinds of negative emotions dissipated under Ende's beautiful singing. He felt very warm, as if he had returned to Theresa's embrace.

His soul was soared higher and higher by the stirring music, reaching the heavens. When the music ended, he was still immersed in the aftertaste and could not extricate himself until Rita woke him up and he returned to normal.

"Wow, so strong..." Xing Shen glanced at Ende, who was standing on the stage bowing to take her bow, and immediately felt immense respect for her. He recognized her strength in her eyes!

Well, speaking of which, she seems to be an incredibly wealthy woman. Does this mean I got to see a performance for free that money can't buy? Xing pondered this question seriously, chin in hand.

"Well then, it's your turn next." Ende smiled broadly at the young boy in the audience, who was stunned by her singing. "Now, it's your turn~"

Confused, Xing looked left and right in the face of her gaze, then pointed uncertainly at herself. "Me?"

Ende nodded. "Yes, it's you."

"I'm tone-deaf, so I'd better not spoil your mood..." Xing had a clear understanding of himself. Although he didn't know why this rich woman wanted him to sing on stage, he decided not to embarrass himself.

Hmm, could it be because of the [Charm Domain] buff that she's taken a liking to me? That's unlikely, isn't a woman this age supposed to like younger men?

If Ende knew what he was thinking right now, he would probably pull out his two guns and shoot him dead.

"It's alright, I don't mind." Ende shook his head and said seriously, "You seem to have a special aura that makes people want to get close to you, which is a very precious quality. Moreover, I see a clear soul in your eyes, as well as something buried deep within your soul."

"I don't know what your past is like, but at this moment, pour them all into your singing, let those long-buried emotions awaken. I look forward to seeing what kind of touch that pure soul can bring."

Xing tilted her head, looking at Ende strangely. "(My soul isn't that pure, but this guy's eyes seem to have some kind of magic. Just looking at them makes me feel like I'm being sucked in. Besides, it's too weird to suddenly make me sing. I guess I'll pass.)"

"Don't be shy, Little Xing!" Theresa encouraged.

"Come on, my master," Rita whispered encouragingly from the seat behind him.

Even if you say that, I still don't want to go up...

Just as he was about to refuse, Ende seemed to see through his thoughts, chuckled softly, snapped his fingers, and said calmly, "Ten million US dollars."

"?"

"If you're willing to come up and sing a song, I'll give you ten million US dollars," Ende said seriously, looking him into the eyes. It didn't seem like he was just saying it casually.

Fortunately, the scene suddenly seemed familiar.

"Fifty million."

"I am Schicksal Knight, and I will not be swayed by money..." Before Xing could finish speaking, Theresa grabbed him and tried to push him up, "You idiot, go sing!"

"One hundred million."

"This..."

Seeing Xing hesitate, Ende remained calm and composed, saying, "One billion US dollars."

"I'm here!" Xing pushed Theresa aside, pushed off with her feet, and jumped onto the stage.

There was nothing I could do; she gave me just too much...

Author's Note—

Think about it carefully: what islands does Golden Ocean Park have? Is something missing?

And then there's the name Ende...