Chapter 352
The driver's throat tightened. He subconsciously squeezed his cigarette pack, glanced at the girl in the rearview mirror who looked about the same age as his daughter, took a sip of tea from his thermos, and sighed:
"It seems the government was prepared for this."
"Little girl, isn't it strange? The task of protecting our country is being entrusted to such a young girl. My daughter told me that the talent show is for Magical Girl, but why aren't there any magical boys or Saint Seiya characters?"
Xu Ling was successfully stumped by this question.
Oh right, where's the magical boy?
As for Saint Seiya, all I can say is that this guy is a long-time anime fan.
The girl glanced at the bizarre news items on her phone and muttered:
"Who knows what kind of ridiculous reason it is? Maybe it's because we live in a children's cartoon?"
The driver smiled slightly and calmly stated that someone like him wouldn't even deserve a name in a children's cartoon, and then began to gossip about his daughter's misdeeds of stealing his TV to watch Flashdance.
Xu Ling, halfway through the conversation, casually asked:
"Uncle, you've watched quite a few with your daughter, do you have a particular favorite Little Idol?"
The driver got excited upon hearing this. He had no interest in idols, but these Little Idol could transform into Magical Girl who protect the city and humanity at any moment.
Choosing which Little Idol to support is just as captivating as gacha games, and can even spark debates about which hero is Combat Power, making it a favorite among passionate middle-aged people.
"I think all the kids are great. It's hard to say who I like the most, but if I had to say who impressed me the most, it would definitely be that most popular girl."
"Oh right, his name is Chu Yuanqing, right?"
Xu Ling was stunned upon hearing this. She had thought that the driver, being older, would prefer someone more mature and sophisticated, or perhaps Little Idol with obvious advantages like Xuan Bao. It turned out that he also liked Qing Bao.
Oh, Xiao Qing, you are such a sinful girl. You have slain 70-year-old aunties buying groceries, and young women in high school and college. Even the uncles driving taxis on the roadside could not escape your clutches.
The driver continued:
"That girl looked mature and lonely, but beneath her skin lay the weariness of an adult who had experienced the ways of the world."
"Although I only watch her occasionally, she always puts in a lot of effort when she's on camera, and on stage, she can give even someone like me who doesn't understand this kind of music a sense of spiritual cleansing and healing."
The man spoke, a puzzled expression on his face. He squeezed his cigarette case, seemingly finding it both amusing and strange, and gazed at the seemingly endless sea of cars and people, saying:
"It might sound strange, but I feel a bit similar to her. Watching her continue on stage, I sometimes even have the illusion that my youth has come back to life."
"If I had to put it in a way, it's like the protagonist of a completed shonen manga suddenly starting a new story. Don't you think that's cool? It's like the princess died, but the dragon-slaying hero is still burning brightly."
"In my eyes, Chu Yuanqing is just that kind of cool girl."
"If I were younger, maybe I would have been captivated by her even through a screen, and would have looked forward to seeing one of her concerts?"
Xu Ling listened intently, never imagining that others could see a different kind of charm in Chu Yuanqing.
This was truly a novel and wonderful experience.
Compared to her feelings, the driver's feelings were more special. He seemed to see another version of himself in Chu Yuanqing —a more persistent, braver, and passionate version of himself.
Xu Ling suddenly realized that Chu Yuanqing was a very complex person. As fans, they were like observing a gem through a kaleidoscope, with each natural facet telling a different story.
So, if one day this gem were to fall from the kaleidoscope into the bright and intense sunlight, wouldn't even more people fall in love with it?
Xu Ling suddenly felt expectant. In the past, she had harbored a selfish desire not to let Qing Bao become too popular. That mentality was like hiding a niche but beautiful song, like an evil dragon wanting to possess a princess.
But as she grew to like Chu Yuanqing more and more, all she hoped for was that he would become more and more famous and be known by more and more people.
In that case, sooner or later, she will be able to piece together a complete and dazzling gem with everyone who loves Qing Bao.
Xiao Qing, when that time comes, will you feel happy?
Saint Wolfgang, White Horse Hotel.
The Little Idol sat on the sofa, huddled together, still sleepy-eyed.
Although there was a great commotion in Great Xia, due to the time difference, it was still a pleasant morning in Austria, with the warm sunshine making one want to go back to sleep.
In this room, only the Forget-me-not was very energetic. It blinked its shiny black eyes, flapped its wings and flew around, and like hopscotch, jumped from Liuli's head to Xuan Bao's head, and then to Little Sakura's head.
In the end, it was Chu Wangshu who caught the increasingly mischievous Lantern Fairy.
The girl held the chubby bird in her hands, looked at the news with concern, and asked:
"The official team has directly exposed the secrets of <Flash Dance>. We, as contestants, are fine, but what about the other ordinary contestants who didn't become Magical Girl, and our families? Won't they be targeted by bad guys?"
Although Qing Bao and Charlotte both said that their Dad used to be very powerful and a hero who saved the world, that's all in the past. If he hadn't fallen on hard times, he wouldn't have ended up like that.
Therefore, she was very worried that her Dad might be harmed by those bad people because of her choice to participate in "Flashdance".
Chu Yuanqing guessed her daughter's thoughts and comforted her:
"Don't worry, the organizers will be responsible for the players; they should have taken appropriate protective measures before the announcement."
"Moreover, the situation is somewhat different from what you imagine."
"The unusual scale of the <Flashdance> project was destined from the beginning to attract the attention and be targeted by the believers. At most, the cards we're playing now will only force them to take desperate measures."
In fact, they wouldn't even resort to desperate measures.
Because the leaders of those sects must all know that [Pure White] is about to collapse.
In just a few months, could a Magical Girl talent show that selects the next generation possibly produce someone who slays a god?
The Cult of Disaster Gods is basically full of lunatics and scum; you can't apply normal thinking to their thought processes.
But even they have to protect the interests of the Disaster God. Rather than destroying a talent show that is destined to be short-lived and unable to cause any significant impact, it would be better to focus their Combat Power on how to destroy the forbidden zone's defenses and liberate the Disaster God.
Therefore, while assassinations and targeting will occur, they won't be too frequent. The ones who truly withstand the pressure are the [Witch] stationed in the forbidden area.
Charlotte smiled, her eyes crinkling, and said:
"Is Xiao Shu worried about your Dad? Don't worry, she's perfectly safe."
As they spoke, Little Sakura and Detective Cat, who knew the inside story, couldn't help but glance at Qing Bao, who was pretending to be unrelated to them, and revealed rather subtle expressions.
Chu Yuanqing felt a little guilty, so she quickly changed the subject:
"We're going to training camp tomorrow. Everyone should have tried building Magic Armor by now, right?"
Xie Qingxuan blinked her pure, beautiful eyes, and said earnestly:
"I've crafted the Magic Armor."
"But it seems that due to the environment, directly using the initial Magic Armor is a bit too revealing. If others see it, it will make Xiao Qing jealous, so it's being rewritten and should be finished tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, both Liuli Cat Cat and Little Sakura blushed innocently, feeling ashamed and indignant.
So why would someone suddenly impulsively construct Magic Armor set while doing that kind of thing?
This kind of scene would be incredibly meaningful in a Magical Girl anime, right? Turning it into a lingerie-style black wedding dress is definitely your own problem!
Chu Wangshu looked at Sister Xie with a bewildered expression, then at the two blushing juniors, and really wanted to ask directly what kind of Magic Armor would be so embarrassing that it couldn't be shown to anyone.
But at that moment,
The Pure White Witch coughed a few times, interrupting the inappropriate discussion for children, deciding to temporarily skip the topic of Magic Armor, and solemnly took out a piece of white paper.
It depicts intersecting blades and staffs, with a vertical eye in the center and a golden national emblem with wavy edges, exuding both majesty and mystery.
"As we've said before, tomorrow's training camp is, in a sense, like going to another world."
"And this piece of paper depicts the coat of arms of the Calembert Empire."
At this point, Chu Yuanqing looked at Xie Qingxuan, Kiriwake Yayoi, and Tang Liuli, a complicated expression on her face, and asked seriously:
"I'd like to ask, what impressions do you have of this pattern?"
Volume 1: Taking leave at the beginning of the month.
My brother was discharged from the military today. I went to pick him up at the airport and got back quite late, so I missed my perfect attendance bonus. I'm going to take a nap now. I'll be taking leave at the beginning of the month.
Volume 1: 327. Divine Sentient Body, the Name of Emperor, the Lord Does Not Care. (8K)
Xie Qingxuan was somewhat disappointed. Xiao Qing hadn't taken the opportunity to make any demands, even though she could have allowed the other party to add any XP during the process of reweaving the Magic Armor.
After all, if the outside has to be covered up, the inside can be much freer.
Whether it's the openwork lace design, the degree of skin exposure, the interplay of colors to cover the fruit, the hazy see-through patterns, the backless fishtail, or the voluminous Gauze Skirt, everything can be customized.
Unfortunately, given Chu Yuanqing's personality, it would be a miracle if he could even understand what the Golden Haired Doggy was thinking.
But in most cases, there's no need to try to figure it out, because Xie Qingxuan will ask directly. The reason I don't say anything now is simply because I have my Little Cotton-padded Jacket by my side, and I'd get a scolding if I did.
Xie Qingxuan answered honestly:
"I don't remember."
Tang Liuli seemed to be deep in thought. She shook her head and asked:
"Me too, Xiao Qing doesn't have any either?"
Chu Yuanqing glanced at the bewildered and innocent-looking Little Cotton-padded Jacket beside her, and she said frankly:
A little, but not much.
Tang Liuli was feeling down.
Utopia, Historical Echo, obsessions with dead civilizations—those who learned these keywords yesterday could more or less guess, based on fragmented memories, that the training camp was located in a Gap World.
In theory, Chu Yuanqing, who survived the first playthrough, raised Chu Wangshu alone, and spent 17 years in the new world, should be very familiar with this.
However, the other person's behavior clearly indicated a memory problem.
Therefore, the secret Chu Yuanqing is hiding may be more serious than she initially thought.
After much deliberation, Kiriwake Yayoi also gave the answer that she had no recollection of it.
Charlotte pinched the Little Cotton-padded Jacket's cheek to attract her attention, and then continued:
"Tell me more about the other information. Besides the Calembert Empire, what other well-known forces, wonders, common knowledge, strange tales, and legends are associated with this Historical Echo?"
Chu Wangshu covered her cheeks, which were being pinched, and tried to sit closer to the Liuli Cat Cat to escape her mother's clutches. She muttered under her breath:
"Doesn't this count as the instructors leaking the exam questions?"
Charlotte said matter-of-factly:
"That doesn't count. Even if Qing Bao doesn't say it today, Astrid will make her say it in public tomorrow, okay?"
"Xiao Shu, don't underestimate this training camp. It's not an illusion or a rehearsal. Except for the fact that it will all eventually vanish, everything in it is real."
The Doomsday Diva feigned a serious expression and mischievously threatened:
"Every action you take could trigger a butterfly effect that impacts the entire Gap World. If you're not careful, you might cause the Disaster Tide to erupt prematurely, eliminating everyone and wasting our one and only training opportunity!"
Chu Wangshu grew increasingly nervous as she listened. She was terrified; she had only just begun her Lighting Up, how could she be going to a perilous "other world" to pursue her education?
This is an unreasonable level of difficulty for a [Witch] trainee who hasn't learned any spells!
Chu Yuanqing glanced at Charlotte and sighed with amusement:
"Don't worry too much. Astrid will handle the language and identity issues. She has certain authority within the Ideal Kingdom. As long as you follow her instructions, there won't be any major problems."
"If nothing unexpected happens, you and the other Little Idol will be studying magic at the Saint Roland Academy during your months in the Ideal Country. Just Xiao Shu of it as studying abroad."
Chu Wangshu felt much relieved after hearing this, and then asked seriously:
"Although I don't really understand the magic in the ideal world, do we Magical Girl learn magic through the same process as normal humans? I originally thought it would be taught by seniors like Xiao Qing or Sister Xiaoyu."
Charlotte smiled and said:
"Xiao Shu is right. For Magical Girl, magic is a product of the mind. As long as they have a strong will, they can create miracles that humans cannot achieve."
"For the civilization of the ideal state, magic is a systematic science. Each spell is like a mathematical problem, with frameworks and requirements for the arrangement and combination of Energy Particle, their oscillation frequency, activity levels, and various other elements."
At this point, the Doomsday Diva adopted a teacher's tone and earnestly admonished him:
"But the problem is that even when it rains, [the Witch], seemingly a bug, is still constrained by the capacity and nature of her 'heart'."
"It's like Xiao Shu, you can imagine a tsunami out of thin air, but you can't unleash the corresponding magic. So-called obsessions, wishes, and idealistic nonsense all have their limits."
"Therefore, we need to expand the capacity of our 'hearts' through the investigation of things and the accumulation of knowledge bit by bit. Rather than having you learn physics and chemistry, which are not magical at all, it would be better to be more imaginative and directly copy the homework of magical civilizations."
Well, the most crucial point is that it saves a lot of manpower; otherwise, the Countermeasures Bureau simply couldn't find so many [Witch] to Old Leading New.
In fact, Astrid was previously responsible for teaching Magical Girl.
It can only be said that AIs that can branch out into countless sub-entities using computing power are indeed convenient, not to mention that the other party directly entered all the books in the entire Saint Roland library into the database, making them a true genius in both realms.