Chapter 412

"If they succeed, they can certainly kill us and plunge humanity into despair. But what if they fail, or even wipe us all out? Then until [Pure White] collapses, the world will be calm and peaceful, without a single crisis."

"From a hopeless ending of being on the verge of death to a beautiful ending that leads directly to a peaceful future, all you need to pay is this little thing. It's that simple, isn't it?"

Chu Wangshu's expression was blank. Even though she understood the pros and cons and knew the seriousness of the matter, her first reaction was still to refuse. Her chest was filled with heartache, fear, unease, and many other subtle emotions.

This stems from both the grief of losing the Lantern Fairy and a strange, irrational, almost intuitive feeling, as if a voice deep within is telling you not to use [Great Full Bloom].

But why?

She had no reason to doubt the sunflower.

This is her Lantern Fairy; there are no lies in her words. The only price for using [Great Full Bloom] will be the disappearance of sunflowers.

Besides, she had no other choice. Reality left her no room for sentimentality. Even if the price was her own death, she should agree without hesitation.

In any case, it seemed that I had no reason to refuse.

But as if possessed, she pursed her lips and said:

"You said the Fairy Tale Witch wouldn't be in trouble for another 13 minutes. I want to ask Dad. It should only take less than 5 minutes to decide, so it shouldn't be too late."

As long as Chu Yuanqing nods, all the unease in my heart will surely disappear.

Sunflower tilted its head and stared at the little girl's stubborn face for a while, then shook its head and said:

"Xiao Shu, you can't communicate with your Dad."

"That Relief Witch won't let you in, and even if you wanted to make a call, there's no signal inside the venue."

"As for finding the Dream Weaver Rabbit, what's currently left at the Public Performance venue is just a closed-loop intelligent program. It possesses intelligence and Super AI permissions, but it doesn't have the power to transcend spells and reach the dressing room, so it can't help you."

The words had faded.

Before Chu Wangshu's eyes, the scene of returning to reality, going to find her Dad, and being repeatedly rejected actually appeared. It was as if... the possibilities of the future were being presented in a way that was unbelievably real.

But why? She didn't understand.

The Relief Witch, also known as Senior Ji, is clearly a very kind and gentle person. She shouldn't refuse such a request, right? This is just too strange.

Sunflower explained:

"Xiao Shu, the Relief Witch's Ji Qianju, was in charge of suppressing the forbidden zone a while ago. It belongs to the Disaster God who dominates and controls love -- [Amor]."

"You should remember this clip from the promotional video, right? She was seriously injured at the time, and even her lantern was almost corrupted. It was your Dad who saved her."

"This shouldn't have been a problem."

"But your Dad was too weak. Her ultimate realm was constantly declining, so she had to expend all her energy on suppressing the forbidden zone. After suppressing [Amor], she left in a hurry."

"So, she didn't notice that [Amor] left something on the Relief Witch, just as... she's not aware of the outside world right now."

The sunflower said quietly:

"[Amor]'s 'spy' was small, unable to subvert or control the spirit of the Relief Witch, but it could amplify certain emotions and manipulate behavior at crucial moments."

Lantern Fairy this point, Chu Wangshu understood just how bad things had become.

There are currently four Captain-Class Witch outside, fighting against all the remaining forces of the disaster horde. The only Relief Witch left inside to protect Chu Yuanqing has been tampered with by the Disaster God beforehand.

[Amor] would not allow Ji Qianju to betray her beliefs, but by reinforcing those beliefs, she could make Ji Qianju's actions of protecting Chu Yuanqing become extreme and obsessive, even regarding the act of making a phone call as a "risk".

If she wants to communicate with her Dad, she must cross the spell left by her older sister Xiaoyu and her mother within 13 minutes, and then cross the golden temple that Relief Witch, which is equivalent to facing the obstacles that enemies would face.

In other words, having a direct conversation with Dad is no longer a realistic possibility.

Of course, Chu Wangshu could also take a gamble, betting that her Dad was watching the broadcast the whole time and then directly asked the other party a question on the spot using a microphone.

On the one hand, she couldn't get a clear answer from her Dad, and asking was pointless.

Secondly, announcing it to the public would be tantamount to revealing her trump card directly. If there are other examples in the venue, like the Relief Witch," who have been tainted by the "Disaster God" methods, her only method would lose its advantage of information asymmetry.

Chu Wangshu dared not gamble.

What if, after the other party finds out, they have a way to directly prevent her from achieving a [Great Full Bloom]? Then, after she finishes speaking, she might be nipped in the bud before she even makes a decision, her hesitation fading away.

You must understand that every choice she makes now could very well determine the future of humanity, and has even reached the extreme point where a single thought can lead to life or death. This enormous burden and the responsibility that oppresses her soul weighs so heavily that she dares not take any risks.

As if sensing the girl's hesitation, the sunflower nuzzled her soft cheek, raised its golden eyes, and earnestly comforted her:

"Don't be sad, don't forget, I have memories of the future, which means I spent a lot of time by Xiao Shu's side, experienced a lot of happiness, and lived a very fulfilling life."

"This is the best decision. Hesitation will only cause Xiao Shu to lose more. Besides... as long as Xiao Shu becomes more and more powerful, she will be able to revive me sooner or later!"

"Besides, I don't want anything to happen to Dad parents."

The Lantern Fairy, like a docile cat, nuzzled the Little Cotton-padded Jacket's face, seemingly savoring the last moments of happiness in her owner's arms. Wagging its tail, concealing all malice and anticipation, it whispered:

"So, Xiao Shu, shall we use [Great Full Bloom] on the disaster group?"

Book 1: 386. The Supreme Lord, a Hour of Despair.

The sunflowers' whispers linger.

With that, the outcome was settled.

The Lantern Fairy in the girl's arms transformed into countless golden petals. She looked up at the consciousness space, which resembled the deepest part of the universe, where endless cracks spread, grew, shattered, and split apart. Dazzling white light overflowed from it, refracting into the azure sky, which was mixed with golden radiance.

At this moment, every crack is like the most important thing deep in one's heart, reflecting an incredibly clear image in the instant before it shatters. Each frame is like a fleeting moment before death, presenting all the joys from childhood to adulthood.

Without exception, the Dad is present in every single one of them: his clumsy attempt to braid his own hair; his back as he cooks in the kitchen, wearing an apron; the warm, slightly bumpy feeling of him carrying me on his shoulders as we walk through a temple fair, gazing at the distant lights; the hard work of him secretly flipping through his math book after finishing his work, trying to understand my homework, and helping to correct and sign it...

Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them, and the children do the same.

Over the past 17 years, she has lost count of how much her Dad has sacrificed for her.

Therefore, no matter what, she did not want that dream to overlap with reality.

Chu Wangshu couldn't understand what the sunflower was saying—the Child of the Stars, the Supreme Lord. To her, all of that was meaningless. Only the love that filled her heart was real, so real that she was willing to give everything to protect it.

Whether it's "Great Full Bloom" or "Sange," it doesn't matter.

She would gladly accept anything to change that outcome.

As my thoughts settled, at the top of the endless universe, the sun shone brightly, illuminating the golden Lantern Gem. Like a falling meteor, it traced a dazzling trajectory and landed in the palm of my hand. The vows I once made surrounded me, and the blessings of Flower Language entwined around me.

The traces of the sunflowers have faded.

Instead, a pure, passionate, and mysterious torrent of the soul has emerged.

Those twelve sets of gene sequences, symbolizing supreme power, were accepted by the will that craved power, and merged into the depths in the form of [Great Full Bloom], achieving perfect unity.

The next second, consciousness returned to reality, and time began to flow again.

In my ears, that clear and ethereal voice is still singing "Yesterday Once More".

Those were such happy times, and not so long ago.

I wondered where they'd gone.

The applause from the audience below the stage had not yet subsided. The cheers, like waves, were mixed with the fans' enthusiastic praise, creating a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere, as if we were still in a peaceful entertainment era.

Xie Qingxuan glanced at Liuli, who was still in a daze, and tugged at her sleeve. Just as he was about to remind her that it was time to leave, he suddenly sensed an unusual fluctuation of magical power and turned to look at Chu Wangshu was dressed in Magic Armor.

The girl's eyes were empty, and the smile on her lips was frozen in that moment. In the blink of an eye, the reconstructed Magic Armor continued to change, accompanied by a pillar of light that connected heaven and earth and almost shattered the dome. A hurricane followed, swirling and raging, nearly blowing away all three people around her.

Kiriwake Yayoi was closest to Chu Wangshu, but even she didn't have time to react before her Idol Domain, which possessed rule-level strength, was directly crushed. The Shadow Slash Shadow hidden in the leg ring was drawn instinctively, cutting through the first storm.

However, the immense power that followed its expansion still managed to deflect the prototype of the Ama-no-Habakiri sword.

The girl's instinctive senses detected the intense aura of the swarm. She instinctively gripped the sword hilt, her body conjuring up a Witch -like Magic Armor. The surging [Heart Forging] gave it the potential to evolve into a genuine artifact at any moment, and her body was already thrown off the stage.

Xie Qingxuan's slender and graceful figure, having shed her youthful and lively stage outfit, donned a solemn, somber, yet elegant black wedding dress. Her commanding power on the battlefield swelled with the burning of [Titan's Authority].

But this subconscious stress response, like Little Sakura's Idol Domain, was pushed aside by some irresistible authority, as domineering as Moses parting the sea.

Xie Qingxuan only had time to defend herself before being pushed back a hundred meters. She stepped into the void and looked down at Xiao Shu in the center of the stage. Her cold face showed a blank expression and her eyes revealed anxiety.

Why... is so much Disaster God aura suddenly emanating from Xiao Shu?

Tang Liuli was still in a daze. The focus in her pupils was unfocused, and the emerald green color reflected the wisdom that penetrated the world. The radiance belonging to Soul Manipulation was flowing wildly.

Half of the girl's delicate and lovely face was covered by a stark white bone mask. With the power to distort reality, she passively withstood the aftershocks of Chu Wangshu's [Great Full Bloom], and stood under the stage as if sleepwalking, staring blankly ahead.

At this moment, the person in the center is engulfed by a giant, dazzling pillar of light. Twelve sets of ribbons engraved with Flower Language blessings, displaying different colors, resemble the tail flames of shooting stars, wrapping around and enveloping the entire stage like silken cocoons.

This lavish scene was initially seen by the audience as a kind of entertaining bonus, and did not cause panic or dissatisfaction. Instead, most of them rushed to take out their phones to film and discuss, making the atmosphere even more lively.

But...

Whether it was the clone left behind by Astrid, or Xie Qingxuan, Kiriwake Yayoi, and Tang Liuli, who were teammates, they all clearly knew that this was not an Easter egg, but a complete and inexplicable accident.

Kiriwake Yayoi and Xie Qingxuan exchanged a glance, tacitly ignoring the dazed Green Eyed Cat, and together they constructed a spell, trying to break through the flowing light that enveloped the entire stage and pull out Xiao Shu inside.

The spell, which could only be attempted briefly, was like rain falling on the earth, failing to create any ripples, leaving both Magical Girl frowning and speechless, caught in a dilemma.

Although the situation is unknown, the presence of multiple Disaster God makes it obvious that it's a conspiracy by the Calamity Group against Chu Wangshu. We must immediately disrupt the enemy's rhythm and regain the initiative.

The cherry blossom pink in the Witch's eyes grew even more vibrant. Ignoring the stares of the fans below, the Slash Shadow in her hand rang out with a clanging sound, its cry growing increasingly agitated with her changing state of mind.

After six months of training in the Ideal Kingdom, she was able to simultaneously reproduce replicas of Ama-no-Habakiri, Futsu-no-Mitama, and Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, and unleash the full power of the Mythical Weapon when necessary.

But those powerful moves that require exhausting magic and have destructive power comparable to nuclear weapons are simply not suitable for use here. Even if there were no audience members around, Chu Wangshu would still be in the center of the stage.

The cross-shaped star in Xie Qingxuan's pupils flickered uncertainly as she attempted to manipulate the power of these flowing lights using the [Titan's Authority].

However, by following the trajectory of their existence, one can see that they are all closely connected with Chu Wangshu.

In other words, to move them, one must directly challenge Chu Wangshu's existence.

Xie Qingxuan tried for a moment, but sensed the risk of a backlash from the blessing. Her heart sank, and she decisively disconnected the operation, giving up immediately. She removed her In-ear Monitor and said to Kiriwake Yayoi:

"Xiao Shu's influence is unbelievably immense."

"Even in my prime, it would have been difficult for me to directly distort her existence."

From the perspective of power, this is less a human being and more an entire planet, or even multiple planets. In my memory, even the original [Solar Era] did not give me this feeling.

Kiriwake Yayoi heavy-hearted.

This further explains why the disaster group has a reason to target Chu Wangshu. As the daughter of Xiao Qing and Charlotte, what is so special about her?

"Astrid, connect Xiao Qing to the other end of the line immediately."

Regardless of Chu Yuanqing's condition, she was the one who knew her daughter best, and compared to them, she was more qualified to make a decision at this time.

But after he finished speaking, there was no reply.

The ghostly, ever-present, omnipotent Super AI suddenly vanished without a trace, as if its signal had been lost. Even the cartoon rabbit that served as a mascot in the distance evaporated abruptly in a blurry, unsteady twitch.

Kiriwake Yayoi entered an ice cellar. Her heart pounded. She glanced at the 30,000 audience members below the stage who had not yet been carried away by their seats, and took a deep breath.

The worst has happened; the Public Performance... has gone terribly wrong.

At the same time.

In the dressing room, on the broadcast screen, the four Little Idol left the stage amidst the audience's reluctant encore calls. The judges, with their smiling comments, watched the video broadcast as the formal voting began.

Like a wind-up doll, the Pure White Witch's carefully cultivated emotions quickly cooled. Her tired eyelids drooped, and in her golden eyes, the irises' colors shifted between light and dark, like ice melting in summer.

Beside the window, several potted green plants swayed gently, and a breeze carried the fragrance of osmanthus. It was as if one could still hear the noise from the stage, but it was separated by a thick wall, like a conversation with someone in a dream, hazy and elusive.

"Senior, are you sleepy?"

Ji Qianju looked at her with concern and said softly:

"If you're sleepy, take a nap. It's only 1 p. m., and the Public Performance won't end for a while."

Chu Yuanqing did not respond. Her weary and weakened spirit made it difficult for her to even clearly hear the whispers of Relief Witch. All that swirled in her ears were trivial sounds: the television, the central air conditioning, the breeze by the window, the ticking of the second hand on the clock...

The world is so narrow, yet so clear.

The peaceful and tranquil atmosphere, along with the drowsiness that enveloped her like a light veil, slowly slid her into a dreamlike state, where many past memories surfaced, the majority of which were of her daughter's adorable childhood appearance.

The Pure White Witch's lips were slightly upturned.

In a daze, a familiar song rang in my ears:

But they're back again, just like a long-lost friend.

"I loved all the songs so well..."