Chapter 419
At this moment, just as Charlotte experienced a dream of the future from a first-person perspective, [Illusion] also used the information conveyed by Chu Yuanqing to weave a dream from a first-person perspective for her.
The process was both slow and fast. She felt as if she had personally experienced the despair of killing the audience, destroying the entire Sea Capital, Great Xia, and even her Dad, and then watching the other person willingly endure the pain of killing the disaster group for her sake, fighting to the very last moment.
In the end, [Nothingness] devoured everything about her father. She recalled her fragmented life, looked at her mother who couldn't make it in time, and died with the swarm in the cold depths of space.
But back in reality, thoughts travel at the speed of light. The bitterness that is hard to swallow in dreams is digested and dissolved when you are awake, turning into cruel trials, from which you lose your gentleness and become as cold as iron.
Thank you, Mom.
Chu Wangshu whispered softly, her voice growing louder and louder until it reached beyond the part of her consciousness that was curled up deep inside, echoing within the isolation layer woven by the disaster swarm, and unleashing a tsunami that swept away all control.
The chaotic genes belonging to the disaster swarm constantly flooded into his soul, bringing information about the destruction of many planets. A massive amount of thought attempted to assimilate Chu Wangshu's self and baptize him into a part of the disaster swarm.
But as the sunflower said, she is the last Child of Man, the child of the stars who symbolizes the end and the new life, and the Supreme Lord who has obtained the power of Savior and calamity, who can contain all power and ascend to the top of all worlds.
Because of the miracle created by her Dad, she possesses a unique quality that is unique in countless parallel worlds, forging a one-of-a-kind true self.
This is the only harmonious beauty in the heavens. Not only is it recognized by the Sea of Truth and therefore unaffected by corrective forces, but it also naturally possesses the power to repel noise. It can transform useless information into quantum particles and disperse them into the void, thereby preventing the beauty from being tainted.
In his previous life, Chu Wangshu had never needed this power until the disaster swarm invaded, which fully awakened his potential.
Looking back now, the reason why [The Gift of the Stars] was able to give her the power to connect to the endless universe and maintain infinite energy must also be attributed to this special power.
It can be said that without this special characteristic, in that dream of the future, she would have long been stripped of Chu Wangshu's personality, completely reduced to a vessel for the disaster group, and would have had no chance to perish together with it.
At present, apart from the sunflower, the remaining twelve Disaster God have not yet returned to their positions. Chu Wangshu, whose will has undergone a transformation, is using his innate talent to forcibly withstand the massive information surge and strive to create a stalemate.
The scene that appeared to the outside world was a giant cocoon with twelve interwoven Light Band, sometimes collapsing and sometimes expanding, in an extremely unstable state, which made even the Shine Magic responsible for suppressing its overflowing light and heat much easier.
Little Sakura and Xie Qingxuan each clung to the Green Eyed Cat's arm, the three of them hovering in mid-air, gazing at the scene with bewilderment, clearly still oblivious to what was happening.
Charlotte landed hastily, and Xiao Yu, whose revenge melody had been dispelled, Dorothea, who sensed the disappearance of the Fairy Tale Land, and Iris, whose enemy had vanished, also rushed over.
On the other side, Chu Yuanqing and the Relief Witch also rushed from the lounge to the Public Performance venue, gathering together on the stage with its bizarre lighting effects under the confused gazes of many contestants and audience members.
Xu Ling, with her sharp eyes, spotted the alluring white-haired, golden-eyed Witch. She excitedly grabbed Pei Xiaotong beside her and started talking, completely unaware that if things had continued as normal, she and her cousin would have already become particles embracing each other.
There was a lot of discussion in the audience:
"What happened? Why are so many Magical Girl here all at once? Nine of them!"
"Was there an accident? These girls are covered in blood; it looks horribly injured."
"Why is Qing Bao here too? Wasn't she still injured and unable to participate in this Public Performance? Is she some kind of surprise guest on the show?"
But let alone the fans who were completely unaware from beginning to end, even the Super AI, Dream Weaver Rabbit, which should have been in control of the whole situation, didn't understand what happened in those ten seconds. The Little Idol waiting to go on stage backstage were still immersed in the sadness of being overshadowed and not knowing how to perform.
The Pure White Witch's gaze swept over the audience, and also temporarily over her three teammates, Charlotte, and the group of Magical Girl who had rushed over.
Chu Yuanqing had no time to explain anything, nor to hug or say goodbye. She walked into the waterfall of light constructed by the Shine Magic, stopped in front of the thick cocoon of disaster, and looked at her daughter's face through the barrier. Her eyes softened, and she revealed a gentle smile.
As I breathe, memories of Xiao Shu flow through me like water. In the 17 years before she was consumed by nihilism, she experienced life like an ordinary person, stumbling and struggling in society and encountering indifference.
But it wasn't hardship or bitterness; she still loved this world, loved this world where hard work could bring sustenance and the ability to feed her children.
No one dictates that Savior is special. The reason she has persisted in practicing, striving, struggling, and fighting to this day is simply to stand in a world where the planet is not dead, humanity is not extinct, and those she cherishes are still alive.
So, this is fine.
At this moment, my heart is filled with warm and happy images.
This no-longer-young Savior, feeling the Lingering Fire burning in her chest, glanced at the cherry blossom tree in her soul, grasped the blessing of the Titan's Authority, and whispered:
"Xiao Shu, I was afraid. I was afraid that after I died, even if the disaster group was wiped out, the current era would still be corrected by the Sea of Truth. I was afraid that you would disappear from this world."
"But don't be afraid now. You're always more outstanding than Dad imagines, and you'll definitely become a stronger and more capable person than Dad in the future."
The gilded light in Chu Yuanqing's eyes shattered, her irises filled with dark cracks, and the slender hand resting on the barrier slowly peeled away, like snow melting in spring. The smile on her lips remained timeless and gentle.
"Therefore, I've decided to pave the way for you, to entrust the future of this world to you, using this power of [nothingness]."
As soon as the words were spoken, the pure black that overwhelmed the calamity and shimmered instantly covered the entire cocoon. Accompanied by the collapse of flesh and blood, the breaking of limbs, and the continuous shouts of those behind, the power of [nothingness] covered the Sea Capital, spread throughout the Great Xia, and finally... submerged the entire world.
Volume 1: Chapter 393. A World Without Chu Yuanqing.
The world froze.
The Shine Magic and the cocoon of calamity on the Public Performance stage evaporated on the spot. The sunflower that parasitized Chu Wangshu's soul in the form of Lantern Fairy was also dissolved and refined by [nothingness], breaking free from the control of the calamity horde and turning into ownerless power.
And so, without a sound, Chu Wangshu replaced Sunflower and became the true thirteenth Disaster God -- [Child of Man], and with the power of [Void], severed the connection with the calamity horde.
At this point, her will regained its freedom. The twelve Disaster God sequences that had been sacrificed to replenish some of their powers were also swallowed up by the [Child of Man]. Within the infinite potential of this body, they merged and continued to evolve, eventually becoming Chu Wangshu's possessions.
"Now you are free."
Chu Yuanqing was in an independent dimension, surrounded by endless tides shimmering with a faint white light. A dark shadow stood behind him, like a lonely island interwoven with billions of universes.
The Savior's left arm, right leg, and nearly half of his waist had all turned into black dust. The skin at the seams did not bleed, but only showed cracked textures like those of a porcelain doll.
The cherry blossom tree, a gift from the Witch, materialized from her soul and took root in the tides, allowing her to lean against it and lie down. The Matsuzaki Cherry blossoms fell softly, their petals shining with a dazzling light.
Cracks spread across Chu Yuanqing's exquisite face, making her appear fragile and lonely. Her single, gilded eye peered through the void, surveying the people frozen around the stage.
Xiao Shu, Charlotte, Liuli, Yayoi, Xiao Xuan...
The Titan's Authority granted her an opportunity to control her own existence.
Chu Yuanqing did not choose to amplify, but instead chose to weaken. In doing so, she returned to the state in the future dream where she was almost completely swallowed by [Void]. Based on that experience, she reproduced the miracle of using [Void].
The cherry blossom tree that Yayoi gave her ensured that she wouldn't be immediately devoured afterward.
The girl's vision was blurred; her thick eyelashes drooped, half her face was obscured by white hair, and black mud had fallen into her empty eye sockets. Her remaining bright golden eyes, as if covered in dust, gradually dimmed, and she whispered softly as if in a dream:
I really want to... hug you all again.
Splash, splash.
As the tides rise and fall, no wind is willing to convey this wish. The ancient and tall cherry blossom tree slowly withers, and the people under the tree fall asleep peacefully. A ray of white light peels away from it, piercing through the void and merging into Chu Wangshu's soul.
Suddenly, the darkness vanished.
The world is vibrant with color once again.
Chu Wangshu stood bewildered in the center of the stage, looking at her equally stunned teammates. The cheers from the audience at the end of the performance were still ringing out. Her thoughts seemed to have gone blank, and she was momentarily confused.
"Xiao Shu, are you alright?"
Ignoring the audience below, Charlotte hugged her adorable Little Cotton-padded Jacket tightly, deftly turned off her headset, pinched the child's cheek, and leaned closer with concern, asking:
"Does your soul still contain the sunflower? That Lantern Fairy is a wicked creature disguised as the Disaster God! You mustn't be fooled by it."
The Doomsday Diva, dressed in a gorgeous and dazzling gown, had a captivating and adorable face full of maternal care. Her gradient blue eyes, like jewels, were brimming with worry, and she was anxiously watching her Little Cotton-padded Jacket's gradually recovering face and those clear eyes. Her little hands were fiddling around, checking if anything was wrong.
Chu Wangshu snapped out of her daze, glancing at the audience below with shame and indignation. She couldn't bear to push away her concerned mother. Her memory had already reconnected with reality, and she realized that she had been deceived by the sunflower and saved by Charlotte's Shine Magic.
"Mom, I'm really fine. Let's go offstage first; the other contestants still have performances to do."
Like the three Magical Girl, Dorothea, Xie Qingyu, and Iris, the three Little Idol Xie Qingxuan, Tang Liuli, and Kiriwake Yayoi are all in a state of confusion and bewilderment.
In the former's memory, as soon as everyone finished performing, Chu Wangshu was enveloped by a dense aura of disaster, excluding the three of them. Then Charlotte's Shine Magic followed closely behind, and several Magical Girl appeared on the stage.
In the latter's memory, the enemies who were being entangled and attacked were all committing suicide and disappearing, turning into streaks of light that surged into the sky. When they returned, this was the scene they saw.
This whole process took less than 30 seconds, not even enough for the audience to fully express the intense emotions they had just felt after watching that outstanding performance.
At this moment, the Super AI had reconnected to the Public Performance venue, observed the city's transformation from being on the verge of collapse and destruction to its current peaceful and tranquil state, and felt an extraordinary sense of success.
Astrid had no time for sentimentality. While coordinating casualties, blocking information, guiding public opinion, lifting the highest alert, and arranging various miscellaneous tasks, she also dismissed the Magical Girl who had gathered on the stage, allowing the Public Performance to continue temporarily.
Thus, the "surprise" segment that the audience was eagerly anticipating came to nothing, but the wonderful performance of the next group of Little Idol quickly diverted everyone's attention, allowing them to temporarily bury the surprise in their hearts.
Meanwhile, in the backstage lounge, Charlotte's mother, extremely worried, was still conducting a physical examination on her precious daughter. Only after questioning her thoroughly and confirming that her Little Cotton-padded Jacket wasn't dressed as a sunflower did she finally feel relieved.
Xie Qingxuan had already removed her Magic Armor. She sat blankly on the sofa, her calm and aloof eyes devoid of any emotion. Stars twinkled in her dark pupils, as if she were thinking about something. She remained silent, appearing indifferent.
Tang Liuli curled up in the single sofa like a sleeping cat, the hem of her skirt folded up behind her buttocks, too lazy to straighten it. Strands of hair fell across her forehead, her thick eyelashes drooped, obscuring the emerald green of her eyes. A beauty mark at the corner of her eye was hidden among her dark hair, exuding a gloomy yet alluring atmosphere.
The girl wanted to take a nap. Everything today was extremely strange. Despite not having performed on stage many times, her Soul Flower and magic seemed to have been drained all at once, leaving her terribly listless.
But I just couldn't fall asleep. Those uneasy, inexplicable, illogical thoughts lingered in my mind, like searching for the end of a yarn, stirring up my heart and intertwining with sleepiness, making me restless.
After checking on Chu Wangshu and confirming that her teammates were alright, Kiriwake Yayoi began her usual post-mortem analysis, pulling out the replay video to see where she hadn't performed well. However, her concentration was poor; she watched it several times, but her thoughts kept wandering, and she couldn't focus.
The girl's cherry-pink eyes held a hint of loneliness. Suppressing her irritability, she pulled out the sheet music from her tablet and stared blankly at the notes, feeling no joy or sense of accomplishment whatsoever after completing the performance.
Chu Wangshu sat obediently on the sofa, her thoughts wandering, but listening to Charlotte mutter that she would take her to headquarters later to use the [planetary instrument] to test again, she still felt particularly warm inside.
The girl suddenly remembered something, a smile played on her lips, her eyes brightened, and she looked at the other person, changing the subject by asking:
"Mom, how was my performance on stage this time?"
But as soon as the question left my mouth, it was as if a switch had been flipped in my mind, my heart suddenly clenched with pain, and a kind of fear of being separated from the world for a long time surged into my mind, making my smile freeze and tears fall suddenly, like pearls from a broken string, scattering in a pattering sound.
"How strange, why are you crying?"
Chu Wangshu paused for a moment, then wiped away her tears in confusion.
Why? She had no reason to be sad.
Although I was very unhappy to be deceived by Sunflower, feeling betrayed by a good friend, we hadn't known each other for more than a few days. After realizing that the other person was a bad person from the beginning, all I felt was regret, anger, and guilt for troubling everyone.
Under the worried gazes of everyone, the little girl wiped away her tears and said she was alright. Trying to compose herself, she continued to smile brightly, explaining:
"Maybe... maybe it's because I know I'm about to debut that I'm so excited. Thinking about it, once I successfully debut, I can call myself an idol. It feels like a dream."
As Chu Wangshu spoke, she seemed somewhat dazed. She had grown up in an orphanage since childhood, receiving government relief funds. In junior high school, due to her excellent grades, she was given a large scholarship by a private school, which also waived her tuition fees, allowing her to live without worrying about making a living.
However, a few months ago, after being admitted to Haidu Art University without taking the entrance exam, she had to consider the cost of university. Just then, she came across a talent show called "Flash Dance" recruiting trainees. With a little hope and the intention of getting a summer job, she went to participate in the audition.
As she journeyed along, she not only learned the truth about the world and became Magical Girl about to debut, but also, in an incredibly magical way, reunited with her biological mother who was the same age as her.
If we disregard the unexpected incident of being deceived by the sunflower, her journey so far has been remarkably smooth and fortunate.
So... is that why I'm crying?
The Third Performance mark a turning point. Whether it's her identity as Magical Girl or her official debut as an idol, everything will gradually unfold from this point onward, drawing a line between her past life and opening up a brand new life trajectory for her, allowing her to embrace a unique future.
Chu Wangshu tried to convince herself of this, and her tears gradually stopped.
Charlotte gently comforted her Little Cotton-padded Jacket, her smile always warm and inviting, like a jewel steeped in fragrance, or a rainbow falling into the eyes after the rain, bringing joy and surprise to the world.
There was nothing unusual, no doubt, no confusion, and no extraneous emotions; everything was just as usual, so peaceful and hopeful.
On the other side, Xie Qingxuan also came to his senses. Little Sakura put down the sheet music, pulled the drowsy Liuli Cat Cat along, and started to talk about the name of the debut group, following the topic brought up by Chu Wangshu. They forgot about the strangeness before and gradually started to laugh.
Charlotte stayed for a while, and then, together with Dorothea, Xie Qingyu, Iris, Ji Qianju, and others, toured the entire Sea Capital to ensure that no trace of the disaster remained and to catch any survivors. Only then did the Dream Weaver Rabbit gradually arrange for the people in the shelter to return to the city.
As time passed, one group of Little Idol after another took to the stage to perform. Compared to regular Public Performance, almost half of the idol groups here had members who had mastered the "Flow State," making the atmosphere at the scene excellent.
In the middle of the event, Dream Weaver Rabbit also announced the debut members, all of whom will become Magical Girl, making the voting competition even more tense and exciting. After all the commotion, the competition finally came to a close in the evening.
Chu Wangshu's team lived up to expectations. Amid cheers from fans and bathed in a shower of golden ribbons, they achieved first place, securing their debut and having this glorious moment captured by the camera.
Thus, the Third Performance came to a successful conclusion.
What's even more encouraging is that the massive attack by the Supreme Calamity Beast, Apostles, and Bishops not only failed to complete the Calamity Swarm's plot, but they were all wiped out in this operation. Even the main battlefield, Sea Capital, suffered minimal damage.
Compared to the frenzied gambling by the disaster-stricken groups, the collapse of some streets in Sea Capital, the fewer than three-digit number of casualties, and the economic losses caused by the half-day work stoppage are simply insignificant.
Both Astrid and the High Council felt that this victory was too fantastical.
The Countermeasures Bureau had no idea that the disaster horde would be so frenzied, and they were even perfectly drawn into the enemy's rhythm. In this situation, it was already a miracle that they were able to win, and even the most important Magical Girl did not suffer any casualties. It sounded like a fairy tale.
But the fact remains that, after suppressing the urge to pop the champagne, the Countermeasures Bureau did not relax its control over the overall situation, suspecting that the disaster group might have other tricks up its sleeve.
At the initial meeting, everyone wanted the four Captain-Class Witch to stay in the Sea Capital for a while longer, but after discussion, they realized that this would only be a waste of resources, so they simply transferred everyone back to their original positions.
Meanwhile, some people, as if waking from a dream, summarized the current situation and proposed in parliament:
"Now that most of the disaster swarm's forces have been eliminated, can we slow down the severely accelerated pace of <Flash Dance> and increase the success rate of our plan?"
"Indeed, two months is too short a time. Perhaps our previous proposal was too pessimistic."
When Chu Yuanqing's traces were swallowed by [nothingness], the higher-ups couldn't help but begin to have wonderful fantasies about the limits of [pure white].
Many therefore believe that given the current weakened state of the disaster-stricken community, there is no need to worry about the world entering war prematurely, and that Flash Dance can proceed at a normal pace.
Astrid paused for a moment, a fleeting glint of light flashing in her crimson eyes, before retorting:
"Don't forget, we still don't know how long [Pure White] can hold out. The fast pace of <Flash Dance> is a good thing, but if it slows down and something unexpected happens, we will have no room for error."
This topic was temporarily set aside.
The head of the Countermeasures Bureau of the Donghuang Federation proposed:
"It would be best to have two [Beacons] of world-class Shine Magic. I think it's necessary to select a suitable candidate from among the Magical Girl of the New Era."
The discussions in the Supreme Council continued.