Chapter 134
Chu Yuanqing and the three others returned to the practice room to continue practicing the dance and memorizing the lyrics.
Although this time <Pandora> was in Chao Nation, since Kiriwake Yayoi's previous song Reunion World was also in Chao Nation, the group already had some experience singing songs in this language and learned quickly.
Chu Yuanqing is fluent in all languages. He may not be able to write them, but he can definitely understand them. He only needs to correct his pronunciation and singing style. Therefore, he focuses most of his energy on dance.
During this time, the lantern jingled and shone brightly within the soft flesh. It seemed that after the broadcast of the third episode, it began to gather the positive emotions of the masses, continuously absorbing a large amount of magic crystals and constantly expanding the source of magic.
Night fell.
Chu Yuanqing returned to the detached dormitory first. She took off her yoga clothes, which were soaked with sweat, and felt the comfort of her soft flesh no longer being restrained by the sports bra. After washing herself slightly with the shower, she wrapped her body in a bath towel and went to the spacious bathtub.
The bathhouse is large enough to comfortably accommodate seven or eight people without feeling crowded.
Chu Yuanqing tested the temperature of the hot water with her toes, and after finding it comfortable, she slowly immersed herself in it, soaking her long legs, waist, hips, and chest in the hot water, letting her whole body feel warm.
The girl's eyes narrowed slightly, the clear gold filling her pupils. Her jet-black hair, as black as ink, turned pure white like snowflakes in the wisps of mist. Her eyelashes matched her hair color, and when she blinked, it was as if she were shaking off frost. Her cherry-pink lips were even more alluring.
Chu Yuanqing let out a long sigh of relief. The lantern that had fallen into the hillside returned to its original state. She felt the languor and comfort emanating from her body, leaning against the edge of the wide bathtub, looking at the open-air night scene constructed by the Virtual Reality System.
The moon is bright and the stars are few; a night breeze is blowing.
The rising steam, like that of a hot spring, swirled and danced in the silvery light, sounding like the breath of a mountain spirit.
This is the biggest difference between the detached dormitory and the previous three-person and two-person rooms. The hot spring area, with a total area of up to 100 square meters, is enough to make it comfortable for four people to take a bath without feeling crowded.
However, since the bedrooms are all equipped with private bathrooms, the practice rooms also have several bathrooms with bathtubs.
Chu Yuanqing thought that Yayoi, who was always hardworking and resilient, Little Cotton-padded Jacket, who didn't pursue enjoyment, and a certain socially anxious cat, were probably not very interested in taking a bath here.
The girl soaked in the hot water, lost in thought for a while. Her delicate face flushed an alluring coral pink, her eyes squinted lazily, and a hazy sleepiness crept in the warmth.
Not long after, the lantern trembled violently once more, causing a tickle in the delicate flesh and restoring some clarity to the mind.
Chu Yuanqing reached out and grabbed the lantern. She thought for a moment, then whispered:
"The magic power is increasing so fast."
If the Program Group didn't come up with anything new, this situation can only mean that the third episode has officially aired, leading to increased exposure and a surge in the public's desire for good fortune.
In just half a day, the lantern's capacity has become incredibly close to the magic unit of a [lamp].
The cup is full, the lamp is lit.
Chu Yuanqing knew that she was very close to [Lighting Up].
However, because she was already made into a unique Magical Girl construct when she first awakened.
The ritual of liberating the lantern and constructing the corresponding Magic Armor is in a semi-fast-forward phase, showing the external effect that the strength of the Magic Armor is increasing in sync, gradually getting rid of the predicament of being useless in the past.
As for the cutscenes where other Magical Girl unleash their true lantern forms and begin their transformation, for Chu Yuanqing, whose situation was unique, these were all forcibly fast-forwarded.
Because... her lantern was broken from the very beginning.
The Lantern Pendant on Chu Yuanqing's chest was always a product of piecing together fragments, and the frosted glass-like cracks on its surface were real wounds.
That's why her lantern was even weaker than the weakest Magical Girl's, initially unable to grant the Magic Armor the slightest power.
Upon realizing this, the lantern, which was a manifestation of the soul and possessed a trace of animalistic spirit, became listless with some guilt. Even the trembling caused by the influx of magic crystals looked exceptionally stiff and lifeless.
Chu Yuanqing felt a little embarrassed. She rubbed her fingertips together, her spirits seemingly low, as if blaming herself for being useless. She comforted herself and said:
"It'll be alright, honey."
"Alright, stop being so emo. You have plenty of fans who are constantly feeding you. These ugly cracks will disappear sooner or later, and then you'll be the most beautiful lantern."
Chu Yuanqing quietly severed the mental link, her small face earnest and her tone resolute as she coaxed the incredibly gullible lantern. She thought for a moment, then asked:
"By the way, the Magic Armor should have its normal effects now, right? What exactly are its functions?"
He answered with a flourish of his hand and a gesture of delight.
Well, it's hard to explain how a lantern could move so animatedly, but it was indeed hopping around drawing something, and it looked quite cute.
Chu Yuanqing seemed to be deep in thought:
"Is the multi-dimensional amplification of magic power, physical fitness, strength, speed, reflexes, and even other aspects just anti-gravity magic fixed to the Magic Armor?"
"Roughly speaking, it's already at the army level."
Even a girl who is completely defenseless has a chance to slaughter a well-trained tactical unit if she is empowered by Magic Armor.
The reason is simple: Magical Girl have a different Life Form than humans. Their true form is a lantern, and even if their heart and brain are damaged, they can be revived by infusing magic. They can be considered to have semi-immortal characteristics and are extremely forgiving of mistakes.
Of course, this is on the premise that the unit is not equipped with weapons of mass destruction and does not know the lantern's weakness. Otherwise, to deal with the Magical Girl has just completed the "Lighting Up" ritual, all that is needed is to send a sniper to ambush her and destroy the lantern to kill her.
Chu Yuanqing didn't have a deep feeling about this. Her original blessing [immortality] was much more overpowered than that of Magical Girl, to the point that she could withstand even the concept of instant death.
The girl cupped the water in her hands and murmured to herself:
"After the Lighting Up, the flowers will Flower Bloom."
"Only by planting the flower of the heart within the lantern can magic originating from the soul and the heart be born, thus bearing a pool of magical units."
"But for me, can the steps of planting the flower in my heart and giving birth to magic really proceed normally? Or have they actually been skipped?"
Chu Yuanqing couldn't understand it. She clearly sensed that the Magical Girl of the New Era seemed to be much stronger than the Magical Girl of the old era in terms of strength, system completeness, and even in all other aspects.
It is precisely because it is so much stronger, seemingly forming a complete system of its own, that it is difficult to speculate or judge using past experience.
However, the [Lighting Up] is just around the corner.
Chu Yuanqing has now obtained Magic Armor with 70% output, and it will reach the normal value of 100% tomorrow. This is another step closer to his goal, and the rest of his doubts will naturally be resolved at that time.
"Perhaps, after a while, we'll have the chance to confront Flashdance."
Chu Yuanqing muttered to herself. She had been observing this underground base recently. The [Calamity Species] that she had wiped out in the past few days had piled up again in the underground area of the development room, just like the new ones.
Let's assume that [Flow State] is related to Magical Girl.
The fact that the [Flow State] development lab is piled high with [Calamity Species] suggests that, in the eyes of the authorities, it represents a resource that can be utilized in this area.
Regardless, before she understood the specific logic and risks involved, she remained highly vigilant about using anything related to the [Calamity Beasts].
"Splash, splash."
Chu Yuanqing got up and moved to a different spot. She had gotten a little hot from soaking in the bath. She loosened the towel wrapped around her full curves a little, revealing more of her fair and delicate skin. Water droplets rolled down, revealing a soft, pale pink scene. As her body submerged again, the towel filled with hot water.
Taking a bath is very comfortable.
For a moment, she even felt a little regretful that she hadn't brought the rubber duck that Little Liuli had given her. Otherwise, watching that silly little yellow duck slowly drift away with the current like a boat would have been quite an interesting sight.
Chu Yuanqing felt a pang of emotion.
Upon closer examination, Yayoi's training philosophy is indeed quite different from Kiyohyun's.
The latter's training philosophy is all about practice, specifically the kind of practice that demands high concentration and meticulous attention to detail, requiring at least 12 hours of training a day.
It's safe to say that even with the advanced technology of "Flash Dance" to repair the body, it's not normal for anyone to be able to maintain this level of training intensity for an extended period.
Kiriwake Yayoi, on the other hand, is completely different. She doesn't pursue the precision of the dance itself, but rather the passion and love for presenting the stage. In the other person's eyes, as long as you can do this, you can be considered excellent.
As for forced training, it is forbidden for this team because it can lead to mental numbness, and even fatigue and aversion.
Therefore, their daily training time has stabilized at 6-8 hours.
This means there's plenty of time to recuperate both mentally and physically each day, whereas Xie Qingxuan simply doesn't have the leisure to take a long bath and daydream.
As she was lost in thought, a rustling noise arose from the distance.
Chu Yuanqing only had time to let the lantern cover his eye and hair color, and didn't even have time to pull up the bath towel he had just untied at his chest, when he heard the sound of water splashing and leaping, and saw a small wooden tub swaying gently in the distant bath.
The girl's fair toes touched the water's surface, creating ripples. Her pure black eyes blinked, and she muttered that the temperature was just right before happily wading into the pool. Her dark blue hair became wet, and she looked like a soaking wet little animal.
Chu Yuanqing was completely bewildered, his pupils dilating in shock.
Even though the room was filled with steam, and the person opposite her didn't notice her immediately, they could see everything clearly through her Supernatural Senses.
This is... her Little Cotton-padded Jacket, whom she has raised for 17 years!
Although Xiao Shu wrapped herself in a bath towel with great modesty, her budding maturity and the loss of her youthful slender figure became particularly noticeable as the towel slowly soaked and clung to her body.
Chu Wangshu tilted her head back with enjoyment, completely unaware that she was soaking in the same pool as her Dad. She hummed the melody of "Pandora" as if she were memorizing the rhythm.
Chu Yuanqing's face was serious. She covered her chest, grabbed the bath towel, and planned to slowly get up and leave the scene quietly without causing a splash.
That's terrifying, absolutely terrifying.
My daughter is this age, how could she possibly shower with him?
Chu Yuanqing felt that this was really inappropriate for a father. As she thought about it, she moved slowly and sat up, trying to get out of this predicament.
But at the crucial moment, Tang Liuli, who arrived late from a distance, spotted a familiar figure through the thick fog.
At this moment,
With her unparalleled wisdom, the Green Eyed Cat recognized Chu Yuanqing without hesitation. She blinked and crept over, then, as if launching a sneak attack, hugged Chu Yuanqing's slender waist from behind, causing him to freeze instantly.
The girl's eyes were upturned at the corners, and her beauty mark was tinged with light pink. Her lips slyly approached Chu Yuanqing's ear, and she whispered:
"Xiao Qing, shall we shower together?"
Volume 1: 134. The female protagonist commits the crime, Little Sakura witnesses it firsthand. (5K1)
Inside the bathtub, a large amount of hot steam rose.
The pure white mist mixed into the holographic image is like a light veil obscuring the five senses. Only humans who have mastered the concept of "Flow State" and amplified their five senses with their Heart Tide can easily see through the illusion and recognize the figures nearby without relying on sound.
In other words, this bathhouse, when multiple people are in a group, creates different information cocoons due to the presence of "Flow State".
Chu Wangshu was completely unaware, holding the small wooden bucket in her arms. Her moderate bust was squeezed into a youthful curve. Inside the bucket was a tablet covered with a waterproof shell, which was playing past online courses from Haidu Art University. The teacher inside was explaining questions to the blackboard.
"So this is a problem of finding the average, which we should be able to solve easily: subtract the total displacement in the third hour from the total displacement in the eighth hour... Essentially, it's about dividing the change in the function value by the change in the independent variable."
The little girl looked serious. She tightened her bun and turned up the volume, getting into study mode.
To reduce her guilt about wasting time taking a bath, the usually self-disciplined Chu Wangshu wisely chose to study while taking a bath.
But because she was so engrossed in the moment, she didn't realize that the cat that had gone into the bathhouse with her seemed to have vanished into thin air, and there had been no word from it since.
On the other side,
On Chu Yuanqing's delicate face, the alluring coral pink became even more vibrant. Her eyelashes, damp with moisture, fluttered, creating a pitiful atmosphere. In her clear, gem-like eyes, the usual solemn seriousness was tinged with shyness and annoyance.
At this moment, she was pondering a very crucial question.
So how can we quietly escape this predicament?
The Green Eyed Cat's soft chest pressed against my back, its hot breath brushing against my pink earlobes.
This pretty girl, who has the potential to become the nation's daughter, is hugging her waist in a coquettish manner. Her delicate chin rests on her collarbone, which is filled with hot water, and her slender hands are clinging to the damp bath towel.
Chu Yuanqing could vaguely sense the shape of Tang Liuli's hand through her abdomen. Her senses were always very sensitive, especially after soaking in hot water for a long time and her body was somewhat weak.
The warmth of this cat's paws was so intense that it felt scalding as it traveled down to its abdomen, as if it were about to penetrate and spread throughout its limbs, making one's soul dizzy.
But...
Chu Yuanqing has recently not only experienced the fruitful results of being approached by the Golden Haired Doggy with his effeminate manner, but has also been relentlessly seduced by this pretty, naturally kind, and slightly aloof young woman in other ways. Her direct advances have made him quite resistant to her.
The girl maintained her composure, remaining unmoved, and calmly replied:
"Stop fooling around, Liuli, I'm already done washing."
Upon hearing this, Tang Liuli flinched and instinctively tried to let go.
The lingering influence of Chu Yuanqing's past actions in forcing her to do her homework still lingered. That aura, a thousand times more terrifying than that of other bad women, was enough to make one's legs go weak just by recalling it. Even in the current alluring atmosphere, it still possessed a terrifying deterrent power.
But in the next instant, a flash of inspiration struck her little mind, and she immediately understood.
No, if I let go now, wouldn't I completely become a child in Qing Mom's eyes?
Although well-behaved children may be praised with a pat on the head, they will never receive the kind of kisses from adults.
Thinking of this, Tang Liuli hugged even tighter, like a clingy little animal, so that the towel rubbed against her, and the softness hidden under the fabric pressed out a resilient curve on her slender back.
The girl's nose brushed against Chu Yuanqing's collarbone. She blinked and said pitifully:
"Can't you soak in the tub with me for a while?"
Chu Yuanqing felt a pang of sympathy, but remembering the example of the Golden Haired Doggy, she hardened her heart. She pried Tang Liuli's small hand away, glanced nervously in her daughter's direction, and whispered:
"Next time, okay?"
The Green Eyed Cat pursed her lips, her heart wavering, but she immediately decided to transform into a super paper tiger.
Even at the risk of being punished with extra homework afterward, she was determined to make her relationship with Chu Yuanqing undergo a dramatic transformation in the bathhouse!
At this moment, the empathy talent that was activated, coincidentally, delivered Chu Yuanqing's emotions like timely rain.