Chapter 160
"Take this opportunity to let her see your [Flow State] state, let her... truly become yours."
Lin Bao'er, wearing cute Pokémon-printed pajamas, was overwhelmed by her captain's Heart Tide. Trembling, she moved to the other side of the sofa, terrified.
How strange, why are all the teams I join so weird?
And these conversations! They're so absurd! The team leader just had a fight with his best friend, right? After <FlashDance>, they can still go shopping, eat out, and have fun together. Why make it so serious?
Lin Bao'er felt out of place with the team, but her desire to advance gave her the courage to quietly voice her request:
"So, they refused. What should our team do? There probably isn't anyone left who can challenge them, right?"
Chen Yining said indifferently:
"You're right, I'll go see Xiaozhu tomorrow, you all come with me."
Liang Xiaoxiao remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.
Ruan Wutong smiled and raised both hands in agreement.
Chen Yining glanced at Lin Bao'er and explained:
"Don't worry about advancing. Dream Weaver Rabbit announced the new rules yesterday, right? These two teams have now agreed to a PK. Our team is the strongest in the A1 area. If anyone wants to switch teams, we are the best choice."
"Furthermore, the closer we get to the deadline, the more desperate the teams in the C1B1 area will be to climb to the A1 area. There are only 12 teams here now, but if nothing unexpected happens, that number will at least double."
The girl paused, then said softly:
"I know a lot of people. If needed, I can easily make deals with some skilled players and have them enter into PK agreements with us behind the backs of their teams."
Lin Bao'er's expression stiffened, and she hesitated before saying:
"But doesn't the application for a stage competition require the consent of the entire team to be approved?"
Chen Yining countered with:
What do you think is the biggest difference between the rules for area C1 and area B1?
Lin Bao'er belatedly realized and murmured:
"The notification for the stage competition can now be actively hidden."
The girl suddenly realized something as she spoke:
"So, the rules for each area are actually changing? Does the change from B1 to A1 mean that the scope of a team's stage PK changes from a system of all members voting to a system of any one vote?"
Liang Xiaoxiao said softly:
"Actually, it's not just that. The officials in the C1 area won't tell us the exact locations of the other teams—the practice rooms and dormitories—so the challenges are either sent directly through the system, or we can only try our luck in the public areas, or simply gather information ourselves."
"But in the B1 area, these questions can be answered simply by asking the officials. As the levels rise, the Program Group is clearly encouraging contestants to engage in more off-stage scheming and interaction."
Liang Xiaoxiao lowered her eyes, glanced at the television, her gaze somewhat unfocused, and said softly:
"And these rules have one thing in common: they all need to be discovered by the players themselves; the authorities won't explicitly announce changes to the rules."
"So, since the captain said that, someone must have already done it."
Lin Bao'er remained silent and offered no comment.
A month ago, she would have thought the person who did this was incredibly stupid. Backstabbing teammates in the open is extremely unethical, let alone backstabbing three at once. Regardless of what bystanders think, the fans of those three teammates would be enough to cause a major uproar.
But... given the high-pressure environment of the competition and the official rules that deliberately encouraged conflict, her first reaction upon hearing this was not only absurd but also a sense of empathy and understanding.
After all, if Lin Bao'er hadn't met Chen Yining in the waiting area, she might still be in a third-rate team, being dragged down and unable to compete with others, and would be anxious about how to advance through other means.
In extreme circumstances, she wasn't even sure she would do such a thing.
"In that case, I have no objection."
After Lin Bao'er finished speaking, she also tacitly agreed to the decision to confront the choreographer the next day.
The following afternoon.
Area A1, private cinema.
Chu Yuanqing's tank top and the jacket she wore over it were draped over the chair, revealing her beautifully shaped bare shoulders. Her fair skin was tinged with pink, and fine beads of sweat rolled down her face, sliding down her collarbone and into the deep, dark valley below.
The girl lay slumped on the soft carpet, one hand covering her face. Her breathing was rapid, and her full breasts, held together by her sports bra, rose and fell with her movements. Tiny tears slowly welled up in her eyes, which were hidden by her hand, and her lips were still damp with saliva, making them look particularly dry.
Kiriwake Yayoi lay to the side, her eyes unfocused. She seemed to have developed a taste for the game, perhaps because she was stimulated by the contents of the contract. Today, she was unusually passionate and vigorous, extending the optimization process of [Cocoon of the Heart] from a fixed 15 minutes to half an hour.
This was less a fit of pique and more an attempt to mask the fear of loss.
This one feeling of love, however tender, I don't want anyone to take it away from me.
The exchange of breaths, pressed tightly against her lips, seemed to reinforce this belief, making her reluctant to break free from the intoxicating pleasure.
Little Sakura sat up, handed her coat to Chu Yuanqing, whose appearance was exceptionally alluring and tempting, and said apologetically:
"Xiao Qing, I'm sorry."
Chu Yuanqing felt it was really strange to be apologized to at this time, and being at a disadvantage in this regard made her feel both ashamed and embarrassed. Suppressing her emotions and keeping a straight face, she silently accepted the coat, choosing to avoid the topic altogether, and smiled slightly:
"Go train. I can tell you really don't want to lose."
This can be seen from the rate of transformation of the [Cocoon of the Heart].
Although the recent continuous Magic Replenishment has given Kiriwake Yayoi great potential, what she needs to realize that potential is a strong vision.
The resonance between Kiriwake Yayoi and the lantern increased far too quickly overnight.
The artificial lantern was already 70% integrated into her, and soon it would be able to etherealize into the [Cocoon of the Heart], allowing her body to undergo a slow life transformation, preparing for the [Lighting Up] and the forging of the Magic Armor. This was enough to show her desire for victory.
That wasn't what Chu Yuanqing cared about; she cared about something more important.
The question is, will the process of the artificial lantern integrating into the [Cocoon of the Heart] be discovered by the host? Will they be able to continue looking forward to their future Idol Career without any worries?
"Yayoi's magic level is increasing very slowly. To reach the [Light] level, she needs to go through at least seven or eight extremely high-quality stages. Therefore, she cannot [Lighting Up] in a short time, nor can she construct truly surreal Magic Armor. It will be a while before her worldview collapses."
"No, I was wrong. Magical Girl are subjective. If Yayoi herself doesn't see herself as Magical Girl, then [Lighting Up] and the creation of Magic Armor will remain dormant."
"So... unless it reaches the point where the magic overflows and the Flower Bloom, having an idol as a shell should be enough to fool everyone."
"But there's still one flaw."
That is, as the artificial lantern truly integrates, the [Cocoon of the Heart] that was originally unrecognizable will slowly emerge in the form of dreams or subconsciousness during this process, and its existence will be truly discovered by the host.
It's hard to say what the Little Idol's attitude will be at that time.
Chu Yuanqing was filled with mixed emotions. She realized that once they reached [Flower Bloom], the official <Flash Dance> team would probably reveal a part of the real world to the Little Idol, informing them of the world-ending crisis called [Calamity Beasts], and ultimately... using this to send them to the battlefield.
Therefore, I don't have much time left for myself.
Chu Yuanqing calculated the specific levels of the Magical Girl.
[Lamp] level magic power can [Lighting Up], allowing the lantern to reveal its true form and thus construct Magic Armor unique to oneself.
[Pool] level magic can [Flower Bloom], causing the [Cocoon of the Heart] to break open. With the vision accumulated throughout one's life as the anchor, and watered with all the magic power in one's body, a unique Destined Magic is woven in the form of a flower blooming in the soul.
After that, it's called "full bloom".
Simply put, the Soul Flower is nearing maturity, the Magic Armor has been upgraded to its limit, and she has reached the pinnacle of being Magical Girl in every aspect.
In other words, [Flower Bloom] is like adolescence, and [full bloom] is like maturity. To reach [full bloom], one needs to continuously nourish the Soul Flower with magic and desire.
It's worth mentioning that each Magical Girl has different potential. Some girls' Magic Power Limit permanently capped at the [Pool] level. By nurturing them with that level of magic power for some time, they can reach the [Full Bloom] level.
Conversely, some may have reached the [River] level in terms of magic power, yet still be unable to [fully unlock] it.
As for what comes after that, it's the [Great Full Bloom], and the final stage, the [Sange].
Both of these categories go beyond the conventional Magical Girl ranking system and sound quite unappealing, but let's leave that aside for now.
Chu Yuanqing thought to himself that he had to reach the "fully bloomed" level before the Little Idol "Flower Bloom," so that he would have a bargaining chip to compete with the official.
The key point is that, as Pure White Witch, she needs at least a sea-level of magic to reach full power. Considering that the Sea of Truth makes the soul like a sieve, leveling up by becoming Idol's Way is definitely not enough within the Great Xia.
A rough calculation suggests that at least the entire population of the Donghuang Federation would be needed as fertile ground for cultivating fans, in order to potentially gather enough power to maintain a level of [Sea]-level magic at all times.
In other words, she has to become a federal-level, or even world-class, icon.
"This is so difficult."
Chu Yuanqing was somewhat worried. Was she really unworthy of being such a powerful idol?
Compared to the Little Idol around her, her purity is far too low.
Kiriwake Yayoi walked out of the theater, she paused, blinked, and asked:
"Does Xiao Qing think it's difficult to beat Xie Qingxuan's team?"
Chu Yuanqing didn't explain, but simply went along with the question:
"Since they're confident enough to challenge us, they must have some trump cards up their sleeves."
"For example... Ji Shuzhu has also learned [Flow State]? Or perhaps their new teammates all know it."
Kiriwake Yayoi remained noncommittal, but she stated firmly:
"Those who disrespect the stage can never beat us."
Is this disrespectful to the stage?
Upon hearing this, Chu Yuanqing suddenly recalled Xie Qingxuan's fragile appearance as she drowned herself in the bathtub, and the high-intensity training this Golden Haired Doggy received for an average of 14 hours a day. For a moment, it was difficult for Chu Yuanqing to connect this assessment with the other person.
At least, that child values the stage, and this value doesn't just stem from an obsession; it also contains a passion that she herself is probably unaware of.
Therefore, if we're talking about disrespecting the stage, Chu Yuanqing feels that this assessment is more fitting.
That makes sense, since Yayoi and Kiyohyun weren't familiar with each other at all, their impression of the child was superficial, and they were easily misled by his assertive demeanor.
Well, Chu Yuanqing, who was completely unaware of Xie Qingxuan's terrible deeds, still thought of him as a simple, kind, and innocent good child.
Of course, if Chu Yuanqing knew, he probably wouldn't react much, and wouldn't even ask Xie Qingxuan to return the stolen Shan Guang.
For her, all of this was no different from playing house; from her perspective, it was like watching a naughty kid beat up all the other kindergarten children.
"Just give it your all."
This is Chu Yuanqing's reply.
Kiriwake Yayoi lowered her eyes and said:
"Xiao Qing, if we win this Stage Battle, who would you choose?"
Chu Yuanqing replied without hesitation:
"If it were me, I'd choose Qingxuan."
There's no particular reason; it's simply because Golden Haired Doggy are very well-behaved and cute.
Moreover, upon closer examination, from a benefit perspective, the other party is one of the best targets for Magic Replenishment. With the curse intensifying, adding this child to the team can significantly increase resilience.
Kiriwake Yayoi's eyes; she didn't like the answer.
Logically speaking, Ji Shuzhu, as a Genius Choreographer, is the best choice.
But now, Xiao Qing, just like she was before, has actively abandoned the optimal solution and chosen Xie Qingxuan. Does this prove... that in Xiao Qing's heart, Xie Qingxuan is more important than herself?
Volume 1: Chapter 156. The Private Magic Replenishment Room, Severe Punishment, The Final Battle Begins. (5K2)
Kiriwake Yayoi a pang of bitterness in her heart, her eyes glowing a deep pink. She had long known that the Stupid Dog held a significant place in Xiao Qing's heart; otherwise, why hadn't this kind of "misunderstanding" involving a forced kiss happened to her before?
Despite her jealousy, Little Sakura knew deep down that she had no right to interfere with the other person's actions. She simply pursed her lips, stopped talking, and decided to ignore the topic for the time being.
After all, there is no one-man rule in their team. The reason they were able to work together last time was simply because she, that Social Anxiety Cat, and Xiao Shu were all close to Chu Yuanqing and had a lot of personal relationships with him.
This time, the selection of teammates will be different; a democratic voting system will definitely be adopted.
However, even if that's the case, if Chu Yuanqing makes an opinion, Tang Liuli and Chu Wangshu will most likely follow suit. We'll have to analyze the specifics later.
Chu Yuanqing was unaware that she had hurt the girl's feelings. Her expression was serious, her exquisitely beautiful face quite solemn, as if she were pondering something important. She seemed somewhat absent-minded and continued casually:
"But to truly win, we definitely need to consider the team's overall performance."
"We can discuss it together then."
Does that mean it's not like I absolutely need her?
So... Xiao Qing didn't think that much about it at all?
Little Sakura blinked, and the gloom in her heart inexplicably dissipated. Her naturally drooping, innocent-looking eyes even turned up, revealing a hint of a smile.
Kiriwake Yayoi secretly observed her beloved's beautiful profile and his alluring, slightly swollen, pink lips, overflowing with floral fragrance. For a moment, she felt a little ashamed, realizing that she was being too petty. Even though she had already received so much, she still couldn't help but feel possessive and jealous.