Chapter 311
"From now on, I will lead you into the world of Magical Girl."
Volume 1: Chapter 293. Magical Girl can't save humanity; Liang Xiaoxiao witnesses it firsthand. (5K)
The Primal Witch, or rather, the amazing work created by Dream Weaver, quickly became a global sensation.
Whether they are amusement seekers, staunch atheists, teenagers with delusions of grandeur who expect the supernatural to appear in reality, or ordinary people worried about future changes in the world, all have become the audience of [Magic Countermeasures Bureau] during this crucial moment in public opinion.
In addition, the unreasonable promotion by various platforms and the tireless promotion by other bloggers after receiving "commercial orders" quickly led to over 100 million clicks on related search terms, and for a time even the popularity of "Flash Dance" was overshadowed.
Do Magical Girl exist?
This issue, which was originally completely ignored and uncared for, has continued to ferment under the bombardment and guidance of public opinion.
The most peculiar thing is that it has even broken out of the circle of young people and affected young people who were completely unaware of Magical Girl, middle-aged office workers, aunties buying groceries, old men playing chess on the roadside... and gradually become a hot topic in the focus of the whole society.
In the interior of the Great Xia Dynasty, the account of [Magic Countermeasures Bureau] on Bilibili has already exceeded eight million followers in just one day, and the number is constantly increasing, expected to break ten million within a day.
This level of attention and the speed at which it gained followers is beyond what can be summarized as "V-circle Xiao Yan" in the virtual YouTuber world; it's like a prehistoric giant turning a pond into a vast ocean.
"I will be starting my first live stream tonight at 9 PM. Everyone is welcome to watch."
Astrid smiled in front of the camera; her silver-haired, red-eyed bunny girl anime image, coupled with her mysterious and seductive tone, and the absurd reality that followed, left a deep impression on everyone.
On this day, viewers whose attention was originally focused on the seventh issue of Flash Dance, or who were captivated by Qing Bao's beauty on the photo cover, had their attention diverted by Astrid.
However, at the same time, some people noticed something amiss with the theme of Chu Yuanqing's photo album.
In the past, no one would have thought that [Witch] were anything special, but given the current wave of Magical Girl culture, which is bombarding almost every aspect of life, this concept has become quite meaningful.
"Mom, isn't '[Witch]' just an abbreviation for 'Magical Girl'? Has Qing Bao been dragged into this as a promotional tool?"
"That's hilarious! Now that you mention it, Qing Bao's outfit seems more like Magical Girl than a medieval [Witch] style."
"Is it possible, I mean, just maybe, that Qing Bao herself is Magical Girl?"
As the Magical Girl phenomenon continued to spread, many fans, who were just following the gossip, suddenly realized they were being judged personally. Suddenly, many well-known detectives dug up old dirt and found a major flaw in the story.
That is, Chu Yuanqing's hair color and eye color.
"I'm starting to suspect that the white-haired, golden-eyed Qing Bao isn't a special effects-limited edition, because the official <Flash Dance> team has never added special effects for anyone else, right???"
"Not necessarily. Little Sakura's eyes have turned pink too, like she's wearing colored contact lenses. I remember there was a rumor that it was a change caused by [Flow State]?"
"If you watch the replay carefully, you'll see that Qing Bao's hair and eye color suddenly changed during the second Public Performance. Didn't the fans of the other contestants protest at that time? They said that <Flash Dance> favored Chu Yuanqing and didn't treat everyone equally."
"The official stance has remained silent, maintaining a tacit acceptance. Now it seems like there might be many secrets involved."
While the second Public Performance could be explained by special effects, the few frames where Charlotte's eyes suddenly faded to a noble, gilded color after she first saw Charlotte stage were flawless.
At the same time, the official explanation for <Flash Dance> is that there is no reason to specifically change the other party's eye color or add this special effect.
This detail was pointed out a long time ago, but no one really cared. However, the current craze for Magical Girl, coupled with a photo shoot trailer themed "[Witch]", has brought it back into the public eye.
"If [Flow State] can really cause changes in hair and eye color, then could it be that [Flash Dance] cultivates supernatural idols?"
"Chu Yuanqing's photo cover still features a white-haired, golden-eyed look. Is this an official hint at something?"
These questions grew increasingly numerous, and Flash Dance, which originally seemed unrelated to the current controversy, was unexpectedly drawn into the storm of public opinion.
It's important to understand that Flashdance has an extremely large fan base, which is the result of years of groundwork laid by various countries. As a result of associating with it, it has been able to ride on a massive wave of popularity.
This led to various forms of association between the terms Astrid, Magical Girl, and [Magic Countermeasures Bureau] and <Flash Dance>, which were then wildly promoted by various marketing accounts using sensationalism and exaggerated claims.
Meanwhile, Little Idol around the world also received the news and had varying reactions.
East Flow Island, Sapporo City, Hokkaido.
On a sweltering summer day, the blowing wind carries a scorching heat, as annoying as the incessant chirping of cicadas. The wind chimes in the cold drink shop sway gently, their crisp sound offering a welcome respite from the heat.
Liang Xiaoxiao stopped by the vending machine. Avoiding the strange drinks she had previously tried, she bought a bottle of chilled Pocari Sweat, took a sip after unscrewing the cap, and stared blankly at the distant Fengping Pavilion.
It was a building that looked somewhat like a blue castle. I heard it was a Western-style hotel built in the early Meiji period, with a history of nearly two hundred years. The surrounding scenery was also quite nice, right by the small lake in Nakajima Park.
This is where their team has been staying recently.
It must be said that the travel budget provided by <Flash Dance> was very generous, and the accompanying staff were also well-arranged. In addition, with the virtually invisible nano-cameras, these days have been no different from a vacation.
Although there is training, compared to the grueling schedule arranged by the unscrupulous company and the high-pressure environment of intense competition at the training base, these days of eating, drinking, and having fun at public expense are quite relaxing.
"Xiaoxiao, do you think Magical Girl really exist?"
Lin Bao'er wore a sun hat, a flowing long dress, and sandals that exposed her toes. She sat on a bench under the shade of trees, using a small portable fan to cool her face, her curly wavy hair swaying in the breeze.
The girl continued to complain while scrolling through her phone:
"After all, achieving [Flow State] to the level of the captain and Ji Shuzhu is just too exaggerated no matter how you look at it. That's totally in the realm of magic, isn't it?"
Liang Xiaoxiao glanced at the pure white hue within the [Cocoon of the Heart]. Her pupils seemed to be tinged with holy frost and snow, just like the icy temperature of the Pocari Sweat in her hand, dispelling the summer's gloom and heat, allowing her body and mind to return to their most suitable state.
This fire, originating from Chu Yuanqing, successfully generated a wondrous power in the soil of the soul, enough to create a tidal phenomenon of [Flow State].
The girl's thoughts gradually settled. She casually pressed the Pocari Sweat to Lin Bao'er's cheek, and upon hearing the other's panicked reaction of "It's so cold," she casually replied:
"Magical Girl, even if such a thing existed, it would definitely have nothing to do with us."
Liang Xiaoxiao changed the subject and asked:
Where is Xiaotong?
Lin Bao'er covered her face, thought for a moment, and replied:
"Xiaotong? It seems she went to the rhythm game section of the ROUND1 arcade over here to compete."
"I heard they're collaborating with <Shine Front>, and if you win offline, you can get a Sakurai Koharu character card."
"Looking at the time, it should have just started, right?"
Liang Xiaoxiao had heard of this name before. Sakurai Koharu was the most popular contestant in the Tokyo Region, which was equivalent to Chu Yuanqing in the Sea Capital region.
Of course, the other person is indeed very outstanding, but still far less adorable than Xiao Qing.
Liang Xiaoxiao wasn't interested in Sakurai Koharu's character card, and she also had doubts about Ruan Wutong's rhythm game skills, so she asked:
"In a competition, when is the earliest you can be eliminated?"
Lin Bao'er conservatively estimated:
"If you're eliminated in the first round, you'll be out in half an hour, right?"
Liang Xiaoxiao searched for the address on her phone and said:
"Let's go, I've booked a teppanyaki restaurant nearby. If we take the tram, we'll be there just in time for Xiaotong to finish her match."
Lin Bao'er got up and followed, then hesitated for a moment and asked:
"Shouldn't we tell the captain and the others? Although those two disappeared early this morning."
Liang Xiaoxiao felt that Bao'er was still too innocent; how could she not have figured out what was going on between Chen Yining and Ji Shuzhu after all these days?
Even someone as clueless as Ruan Wutong, with her low emotional intelligence, could instinctively avoid making a fool of herself. Today, after seeing that the two were gone, she didn't even ask what their plans were, and just went out to have fun by herself.
"Don't worry about them. The vlog was filmed a long time ago, and my assistant said there's enough footage for editing the show. We also finished a commercial performance at the Budokan yesterday, so now it's free time."
Liang Xiaoxiao found an excuse for the team leader and choreographer to have some alone time, then dragged Lin Bao'er onto the tram. She sat in the inner seat, looking out at the light on the asphalt road covered with flowers, her thoughts wandering.
Yesterday, related public opinion stirred up a storm.
During her commercial performance, she also gained insight into a brilliance she had never seen before, releasing an even greater tide of emotion and acquiring wondrous abilities.
Even the usually proud captain admitted afterwards that her performance was quite good.
Therefore, she had already thought about what Lin Bao'er said a thousand times over in her mind.
Can...
Even if Magical Girl really existed, so what?
Does becoming Magical Girl mean I'll shine brighter than anyone else?
This is a false proposition.
It should be said that even if such a thing exists, only those who possess extraordinary brilliance can become so-called Magical Girl.
Therefore, even though Chu Yuanqing's afterglow illuminated the lamp in her heart and allowed her to glimpse the true nature of the [Cocoon of the Heart], no secret joy or upward-striving hope arose in her heart.
It was all just luck. She was lucky enough to receive the favor of an angel, but there was no reason for her to gain more favor based on that favor.
The moon shines by reflecting the sun's light, and that is how it shines, but it would be ridiculous to think that it could illuminate the sun with that same shine.
Therefore, there is still no hope.
Or perhaps, during those few weeks of solitude and reflection, she finally understood what love, longing, liking, and admiration truly meant.
This stripped away the impurities from the reverie in my heart, transforming it into something purer.
The tram slowly moved forward along the tracks.
Liang Xiaoxiao's mood eased, and she looked around at Lin Bao'er beside her, wanting to find something to talk about.
Since joining Chen Yining's team, Lin Bao'er is the only one she can communicate normally with.
There's no way around it; Chen Yining and Ji Shuzhu are a classic childhood sweetheart-versus-enemy pair.
Initially, the choreographer kept using tricks to manipulate the other person, but after the Young Lady saw through her, the two began a strange battle of wits in their relationship.
Under these circumstances, outsiders cannot interfere at all.
As for Ruan Wutong, she is a straightforward but somewhat roguish girl, and communicating with her is quite awkward. Only Lin Bao'er is a normal person with a good personality.
During this time, the two shared a somewhat similar fate, and became quite good friends.
Thinking about this, Liang Xiaoxiao inexplicably drifted into a daze.
Thinking about it this way, Bao'er seems to be one of her few friends.
Ever since her parents sold her to a company for a signing fee, she has almost lost her right to socialize. On the contrary, the time she spent participating in <Flash Dance> felt like a dream.
Chu Yuanqing, Tang Liuli, and Xie Qingxuan were her first roommates.
Actually, we all get along quite well, but calling us friends is a bit of a stretch.
That tangible distance creates a sense of estrangement in the atmosphere; this is probably what constitutes a temporary relationship, like that of a meal buddy or a study buddy.
People come together because of their environment, but they can also easily part ways when their environment changes.
Thinking about it this way, I guess Bao'er will be like that in the future.
Although we added each other on WeChat, chatted about the past, talked about the future, and learned about each other's dreams, hobbies, personalities, some little habits, and even private family matters.
But given the nature of their work, it's perfectly normal for them to sometimes betray each other, drift apart, or tacitly stop contacting each other.
Liang Xiaoxiao felt lonely. She looked around and whispered:
"It seems like there are only the two of us on this bus."
Lin Bao'er was still using a small fan to blow air on her phone, scrolling through it with great enthusiasm. Upon hearing this, she raised her rosy cheeks, revealing a cute smile, and earnestly replied:
"Maybe it's too hot, and nobody wants to go out."
"If Xiaoxiao hadn't said we couldn't waste the time on this publicly funded trip, I probably would have stayed in the hotel all afternoon."
Liang Xiaoxiao suddenly felt like saying something sentimental, but then a series of faces flashed before her eyes, making her heart skip a beat. She shrank back, too afraid to give her heart away. She lowered her eyes, stared blankly for a moment, then tugged at the corners of her mouth and whispered:
"Hokkaido in summer is beautiful."
The words had faded.
Lin Bao'er noticed something keenly, and just as she was about to say something, the entire tram suddenly emitted a loud rumbling noise.
Liang Xiaoxiao felt a strong push against her back. She subconsciously grabbed Lin Bao'er's arm and pulled on the bracelet with her other hand. The phone that had fallen on her lap was knocked to the ground and slid forward.
The next second, the glass next to them shattered as if struck by a powerful earthquake.
If it weren't for the intense emotions that stirred up such a powerful Heart Tide response, like a strong wind scattering shards of glass, both of them would have suffered large cuts and scratches on their arms and faces.
However, this was just the beginning; the tremors seemed to pause for a moment before officially spreading.
Liang Xiaoxiao tried her best to hold onto Lin Bao'er, but she herself was thrown out.
Even though the little girl next to them reacted quickly, grabbing the other person's arm and holding onto the armrest of the seat with her other hand, the two of them still ended up rolling on the ground like gourds, covered in bruises and bloodstains.
Was there a car accident?
In a daze, a chaotic consciousness emerged.