Chapter 468
"Not only will they give you a complete set of all the albums, endorsed products, and derivative IP merchandise released since the formation of Pure White, but you'll also receive a lifetime of free tickets to Pure White concerts. That means you'll never have to fight for tickets again. If it could be resold, it would be worth more than a hundred million."
After all, unlike celebrities and singers who are essentially just actors, even disregarding their savior status, Magical Girl idols enjoy a very transcendent position. They don't need to pull strings or give face to anyone. Their high-tech ticketing system further eliminates scalpers and web crawlers from grabbing tickets, making it impossible for some high-ranking people to get tickets in advance even if they want to see the concert.
Under these circumstances, this top prize is, to exaggerate a bit, priceless.
Xu Ling nodded in agreement and said:
"That's not all. Look at this line below. This permission is written into the world database and edited in your personal citizen information. Using this, the favorability of city fairies related to Pure White will automatically increase by 50. You can take pictures with them when you meet them, and even stick them together!"
City fairies refer to electronic pets or cartoon characters modeled after Magical Girl from around the world, and distributed in various cities.
According to government hints and some rumors, these seemingly useless, cute cartoon figures are actually linked to the [Planetarium], serving as the city's most approachable guardians, possessing various privileges, and even the ability to use magic.
In other words, the city fairies' favorability towards you depends directly on how often you save people in times of crisis. This privilege-granted buff is simply too overpowered; it's something so precious that it shouldn't appear in a lottery event.
The girl became increasingly envious as she thought about it, and she complained:
"If anyone gets to draw this, I'll be so jealous I'll want to strangle them."
Pei Xiaotong feigned a cold laugh, sharing the same indignation as the enemy. She adopted the demeanor of a major villain and spoke in a tone that suggested she was incredibly lucky:
"Heh heh, with the Heaven-Reaching Fortune Gu, everyone has the right to kill it!"
Well, because Chu Yuanqing's traces were removed, her winning the designated photo book rights (the grand prize of the <Flash Dance> event) and obtaining the Witch publication number 0 were also buried in a non-existent Worldline.
This made the little girl speak without any sense of shame, showing no awareness that she was the luckiest person in the world.
Xu Ling glanced at the dazzling list of awards, suppressed her envy and longing, and shifted her gaze to the consolation prizes at the bottom, saying:
"The consolation prizes were great too: Pure White co-branded tissues, a co-branded mini speaker, and the most prestigious autographed photo. I didn't get any of those, so winning them was a bonus."
Pei Xiaotong muttered something under her breath as she started smoking, saying:
"Tickets may not be available, but you can get a chance to win by simply retweeting or completing tasks in the super topic circle. You can't lose out."
One minute later, the two started smoking at the same time.
Pei Xiaotong looked at the golden light on the special effects page with surprise, and amidst a rousing background music, she won the most prestigious autographed photo in the consolation prize, living up to her reputation as a lucky winner.
At the same time, Magic Energy Particles, imperceptible to ordinary people, intertwined and converged from the void onto the dining table. An invisible wind lingered, blowing through everyone's hair, and strands of visible light bloomed above Xu Ling's phone, condensing into a silver-haired, red-eyed girl dressed in a maid outfit.
It is Dream Weaver.
The Super AI smiled and nodded, gently touching Xu Ling's forehead with its fingertip, and softly congratulated her:
Congratulations, you've won the grand prize!
"Ms. Xu, please check the relevant information in the citizen system. We wish you a pleasant life."
As soon as the words were spoken, the super cool lottery effect slowly disappeared.
Xu Ling stared blankly at the spot where Dream Weaver had disappeared until she was noticed by the other diners in the restaurant and gradually surrounded by them. Only then did she suddenly realize what had happened. Without time to think, she ignored the dishes that hadn't all been served yet, grabbed her equally bewildered younger cousin, rushed to the front desk, dropped off the cash, and ran away.
Only after arriving at a sunny street where the spring rain had stopped and she confirmed that no one was following her did she lean against a shop window. She and Pei Xiaotong slid down to the ground in a daze, panting as she picked up her phone. She glanced again at the gleaming grand prize and was caught in a contradictory spiral of ecstasy and shock.
Wait, how did I get it? Am I the luckiest person in the game?
And that special effect... nobody said you'd get that effect for winning the grand prize. I don't have nanoparticles or magic on my phone, so how did the projection even form?
Pei Xiaotong looked at her cousin with an extremely unfamiliar gaze. For a moment, she felt as if the blood in her body was turning into sulfuric acid and the bones in her body were growing backward.
No, Ling Bao, how did you actually win?
The young girl, harboring rebellious intentions and a desire to kill, was so agitated that she couldn't help but recite poetry:
"Heaven creates all things to nourish the people, yet the people have not done a single good deed to repay Heaven..."
After hearing a few words, Xu Ling was immediately forced to calm down by the murderous aura. She quickly covered Pei Xiaotong's mouth, preventing her from uttering the line, "Suddenly a madman sharpens his knife in the night, the imperial star sways and Mars shines high," and reassured her:
"Stop reciting poetry! I'll give you all the merchandise except for the Little Sakura, and I'll even give you their debut album!"
Upon hearing this, Pei Xiaotong's eyes immediately cleared, revealing an innocence untouched by knowledge. She happily hugged Xu Ling's arm, her eyes curving into crescents, and said coquettishly:
"Yay! I knew my sister was the best to me."
Feeling a dreamlike sense of good fortune, Xu Ling stood up somewhat unsteadily. She patted the dust off her skirt, glanced back at the sunlit street scene, and said happily with a smile:
"Alright, I still don't know when the concert is, let's continue our trip for now. I have a feeling that good luck is coming soon."
As she spoke, a cute little cartoon character jumped out from the shop window. She had black hair and black eyes, wore a Lolita-style tutu, and had transparent, fairy-like wings on her back. She was strolling on a blooming rainbow, which startled the two girls.
"Wow, it's Yue Bao!"
"Why can we see Yue Bao's electronic fairies in Vienna? Is it some kind of official Easter egg?"
Xu Ling poked the virtual figure with sparkling eyes, then quickly clicked on the virtual notification window and gifted it a strawberry sundae. She watched as the tiny creature, no bigger than the palm of her hand, used a gust of wind to hold the ice cream and politely ate it in small bites with a spoon. She couldn't resist taking out her camera to take a picture.
Unfortunately, after taking the photos, before she could try to communicate with the little creature any further, the electronic fairy suddenly disappeared, as if it had gone off to play somewhere else.
Pei Xiaotong dazedly put down her phone and murmured:
"Ling Bao, your good luck came true way too quickly!"
Xu Ling Bao looked at the photos saved in the camera, feeling so happy she was almost dizzy; she also found it unbelievable.
"Yeah, we were absolutely blessed by Lady Luck today! I think we should buy a few more lottery tickets later; maybe we can even save on our plane tickets home."
Pei Xiaotong was silent for a moment, then complained:
"Don't buy lottery tickets. I'm more worried that your flight might cause a plane crash. Let's find a church and sit for a while today, and pray."
Xu Ling felt as if struck by lightning, and said guiltily:
"That makes sense, let's go now!"
In front of the shop window, as the two girls hurriedly walked towards the church, the electronic fairy controlled by the person in charge emerged from the glass again, was handed over to the AI for control, and happily continued eating its sundae before disappearing from the spot.
It's obvious that this grand prize, or rather the entire lucky draw, was organized by Little Moons to thank her Dad's fan.
Meanwhile, online discussions were still brewing. After the initial surprise, everyone was wondering why Pure White, who had claimed to be on vacation, would make a comeback ahead of schedule and even hold a world-class mega-concert.
In terms of fame, this idol band has already broken all records in the history of human civilization. To achieve any further breakthroughs, they can only wait for a further population explosion, directly expanding their reach through sheer numbers.
In terms of money, just considering the 16 concerts in half a year, with each show selling out instantly for millions of tickets, the revenue would easily exceed tens of billions, not to mention the profits from records, albums, appearances, and endorsements.
If we're talking about aspirations, whether it's the Sky Stage from six months ago or the global tour over the past six months, they're all unsurpassable and leave no regrets.
So after much deliberation, everyone finally came to a conclusion.
That's because Pure White really spoils its fans!
"Waaaaah, they must have delayed their holiday because they saw so many fans complaining about not being able to get tickets, and wanted to do something big to satisfy some fans' regrets???"
"Yes, and after the announcement of the vacation, the online public opinion was quite uneasy. Everyone said that Pure White had reached a peak that even they could not surpass, and perhaps they should retire at the height of their careers and stop being idols. This extended vacation was probably to appease the fans."
"So that's how it is. They're so kind, I'm going to cry!"
"Xuan Bao just went back to Paris to see her parents yesterday, and she still agreed? She really loves me!"
"Liuli and Little Sakura are the same, they just got home not long ago, right? I feel a little sorry for their workload. This time they're planning something so big, it'll definitely be even more tiring. Magical Girl can't be used like oxen and horses, can they?"
"When I heard they were going to have a concert, I was just happy, but I didn't think about worrying about their health at all. Damn it, I'm so awful???"
"Do you guys think it's possible that Pure White is actually retiring, but seeing that many fans couldn't get tickets and never saw a concert, they decided to end it in a bigger way to make up for everyone's regrets???"
"Shut up! Don't you dare ruin my Dao heart! Xuan Bao, Liuli, Yayoi, and Xiao Shu must have secretly made a pact to be my idols for life???"
"Waaaaah, no! No way! Pure White disbanding? At least wait until ten years after I die!"
Just as these fans, whose numbers are in the hundreds of millions, were continuing to speculate, an "insider" suddenly broke the news, saying that Pure White postponed the concert to celebrate the "newcomer" who was about to join the group.
This revelation immediately caused an even bigger sensation.
If it were a typical popular girl group that announced the temporary addition of a new member, their entertainment company would definitely be besieged and attacked by angry fans. But Pure White is special. Everyone's status is too transcendent. Everyone knows that no one can force a member into the group. Only if all four members agree can a member be added.
Therefore, without any guidance or clues, almost everyone's first reaction upon hearing this was to guess that it was the same person who, in that same Sky Stage, piloted the Shining Mech and saved the world.
That is, the Doomsday Diva, the General Captain of the Countermeasures Bureau, and the Saintess of the Holy United States.
--Charlotte.
Even die-hard fans of Pure White, or die-hard group fans, have absolutely no reason to dislike this person. They might even be charmed by him and start supporting him, losing their pure support for him. This shows that this is great news for both fans and casual observers.
The following day, Charlotte, Xie Qingxuan, Tang Liuli, Chu Wangshu, Kiriwake Yayoi reposted the exposé on their personal accounts, which was tantamount to admitting that the netizens' guesses were correct, adding fuel to the fire of the already raging situation.
Charlotte's fans and Pure White's fans were in a frenzy. All their worries about the latter's impending retirement vanished, and everyone looked forward to the Shining Stage they would create when the five of them took to the stage together.
"Yay! Half a year ago, when the Little Idol piloted the mecha and pulled Charlotte into the scene, I was overjoyed as a fan of both. Now, my dream has truly come true!!"
"Charlotte isn't going solo anymore? Does that mean the Doomsday Diva's solo concert will be her last? But if they go on stage together, I'll definitely get to see Charlotte dance, right? Not bad???!"
"Hilarious! Who is persecuting our Liuli? They even drew a comic saying that the child's lead singer was taken away and now she's huddled in her room crying under the covers."
"Liuli? What Liuli? Squeeze it. Cat? What cat? Squeeze it. What? Found a pitiful green-eyed cat, hehe, pick it up and pet it, kiss it, rub it against it, lick it, and stuff it in the blankets to warm the bed???"
"You're not allowed to go crazy over Liuli?!"
"If Charlotte joins, then it's definitely necessary to hold a concert to officially announce and celebrate, and the rumors of the group disbanding and retiring will be dispelled, right???"
"Fine, fine, please be my idols for life! I can't do anything???"
"You really are someone whose mind is always full of 'the big shots'!"
As the world eagerly awaited the event, time slowly passed.
A week later, in the center of the Crimson Extreme Realm, an ancient giant tree appeared, ethereal yet golden, with branches reaching straight to the sky. Its leaf veins were like threads that ensnared the sky, blending into it like air, intangible yet undeniably real.
Upon closer inspection, one can find that it closely resembles the Divine Sentient Body in the ideal state.
Dream Weaver overlooks this colossal object, recording all relevant data.
A week ago, Pure White asked the Stars for the remaining fragments after the city was forged, and retrieved the Emperor Alchemy from the Ideal State. Using [Heart Forging], he imitated the Divine Sentient Body, giving birth to this behemoth that will spread across the globe with its branches within 5 minutes.
There is no need to sell tickets or build additional venues.
This radiant giant tree, in conjunction with a planetarium, will capture the fleeting fragments of human thought that are constantly withering away. It will then pose questions to all those who yearn to see the Pure White concert, and with their consent, their thoughts will be linked to it, allowing them to watch the performance from a perspective equivalent to being there in person.
Xie Qingyu stood nearby watching the ceremony, and she looked up and said:
"Unfortunately, it withers after only one day of life, and once these remnants are used up, we can only wait until after the next grand ceremony to refine this level of shimmering crystal using World-Class Spell."
Ji Qianju curled her lips and replied:
"Even if they obtain this crystal again, they probably won't hold such a large-scale performance again, right? Among all the Magical Girl in the world, only they have this honor."
As soon as the words were spoken, the radiance of miracle began to surge. The dazzling golden light, like a surging sea, engulfed the horizon and spread towards the endless sky, illuminating day and night in an instant. Just in time for the announcement of the opening, it extended an invitation to tens or hundreds of billions of fans.
With each response of agreement, countless human thoughts, like fireflies, soared into the sky, traversing boundless space, and arrived at the sun-drenched, breezy open-air stage.
Charlotte stood at the very front, next to Chu Wangshu, with Tang Liuli to her right, and Xie Qingxuan and Kiriwake Yayoi on the far side. The five of them stood together on this not-so-luxurious open-air stage, facing the countless spectators who swarmed in like fireflies and waves of light, their eyes filled with different emotions.
The location chosen this time was both ordinary and special—it was in Saint Wolfgang.
On the night of Charlotte's birthday celebration, the group went on stage together, with Chu Yuanqing sitting below, fulfilling the promise they made by the campfire. The stage they were on now was the same venue from that performance, and compared to the venue for this year's tour, it was surprisingly simple.
Many fans were puzzled when they saw this.
However, when Charlotte's song began, all doubts and thoughts were dispelled, and a cradle large enough to accommodate all mankind was born. Pure black, emerald, cherry pink, gold, frost blue... the five colors of [Flow State] intertwined to form a dazzling Rainbow Light, mixed with the truth of [the Supreme Proof], cleansing the world.
This all-out performance, like a divine hymn to the mortal world, made the passage of time seem imperceptible. Until the hour ended, the thoughts of billions of people returned to their bodies, and they were still immersed in the beauty of a soothed soul and the vastness of the universe. It was only after a long time that they realized the performance was over.
This was the shortest concert Pure White and Charlotte had ever held since their debut, but the impact was no less than their past performances. After the audience gradually recovered and couldn't help but vent their emotions online, another storm of public opinion arose.
"That's amazing! I'd always thought that Pure White and Charlotte together would be a perfect combination, but I never expected it to actually work this well!"
"The performance format this time is so cool! It directly connects to your mind! You don't even need to go out or queue. You can get an experience comparable to being there in person, with your best energy and mindset. And the light spots formed from your thoughts can even actively collide! It's so liberating!"
"Getting a ticket is nothing, the key is that everyone gets to sit in the front row! It's so easy to squeeze in, everyone gets to see their Little Idol from the best seats, isn't that great?"
"I wish all future performances could be like this. It's a pity I heard that organizing one costs a huge amount of money and requires setting up rituals all over the world. This time it's just Pure White spoiling their fans, they didn't even charge for tickets???"
Undoubtedly, after this performance, even the most extreme Solo Fan and group fans were successfully converted. In an instant, countless people praised the performance and welcomed Charlotte's participation.
Meanwhile, in the Donghuang Federation, in the Sea Capital, in an apartment building.
Pei Xiaotong lay limply on the sofa, with a small speaker playing music next to her. She crossed her legs and played on her phone.
Xu Ling wiped away the dust and fingerprints on the album with an eyeglass cloth as if it were a sacred object, then put it in a dust bag with great satisfaction and placed it in the safe next to the TV. After doing all this, she relaxed and sprawled on the sofa, started a fan group, and happily went crazy with Pure White with her silly netizens.
The girl's fingertips danced as she copied and pasted a passage from the "Bible," then couldn't help but smile.
At this moment, a picture was posted in the group, which was a group photo of the five current members of Pure White.
Xu Ling suddenly paused for a moment.
Group photo, five people.
A sudden, inexplicable throbbing in the heart, a sense of something long suppressed, forcibly stripped away, crushed, forgotten, discarded, and utterly nonexistent, like wildly growing grass in spring, bursting forth from within, wrapping around the body, turning into thorns, choking the throat, making one feel suffocated.