Chapter 76
Today is the last day of rehearsals. Even if the Program Group agrees, it's too late to change the center Center position now.
What to do?
Chu Yuanqing's dancing is terrible, his singing is bad, and even his inner self is just a boring, dull, serious man who likes to daydream and is completely out of touch with the times.
All that remains is this passable physical body, and a few lingering echoes from the world's number one idol, traced back from memory and replicated through the "Flow State" state.
Only...
That performance on stage was a true accident.
Without the illusion of the Sea of Truth that pulled her consciousness into the distant past, with her current level of [Flow State] and the gradually blurring and indistinct outlines of the past, she simply could not imitate or replicate Charlotte's essence.
If one simply relies on Yayoi's recommended Deductive Method, changes their mindset, and sees themselves as Charlotte, the world's number one idol, can they truly match the stage presence of the other two sub -Center position?
Never mind!
In any case, she will do her utmost to fulfill her obligations in order to protect these children's dreams.
Chu Yuanqing made up his mind and temporarily ignored the risks of using Deductive Method.
Just like many, many years ago, she still cares more about other people's happiness than her own.
The girl lowered her eyes apologetically, the pendant on her chest gleaming with a pure, holy white light. As if bestowing a blessing, she gently embraced Luo Chan, a comforting smile on her face. Looking around, she said earnestly:
"I'm sorry to have disappointed you these past few days. I'm not as good as you, but I'll try my best."
"On tomorrow's stage, I will try my best to show you a different Chu Yuanqing, a [Chu Yuanqing] on the Second Evaluation stage."
So... at least until then, don't be sad or unhappy, okay?
Chu Yuanqing's eyes were clear and bright. In the colorful night, she shone with the most brilliant light of humanity. The tolerance engraved in her bones filled the entire carriage like a tide. Even the usual sarcastic smile on the lips of the Super AI Dream Weaver Rabbit froze.
The words had barely left his mouth.
All 55 contestants in the car felt their hearts flutter and couldn't help but keep their eyes fixed on each other.
That's strange.
Just looking at the smile on the girl's lips and the guilt in her eyes, a strange yet familiar shame welled up from the depths of his soul. A strong sense of guilt surged up and overwhelmed his delusional self.
It's like...
A long, long time ago, everyone owed her a thank you.
Ji Shuzhu's brows relaxed. She covered the fabric in front of her chest, feeling the emptiness suddenly filled with light, which continued to transform into an intense feeling of happiness. Her clear eyes were filled with mist, and she felt so comfortable that she was intoxicated. She couldn't help but bite her lips.
Tang Liuli activated her talent for sneaking food, and her self, which had just been "tainted" by the Great Demon King, instantly returned to its original purity. She was intoxicated by this feeling mixed with maternal love, yet also radiant with a touch of divinity. She secretly began to cross her legs, keeping it a secret from her best friend.
Xie Qingxuan silently activated [Flow State], black energy swirling in her eyes, gradually covering her pupils and forming a chaotic spiral. She didn't want to steal Chu Yuanqing's brilliance; she simply wanted to see him more clearly.
Then, what came into view was a boundless sea of darkness, in which only a faint but ever-burning lamp emitted a warmth enough to protect the entire world.
What's terrifying is that this scene only lasts for a moment before shattering in the field of vision, causing the [Flow State] state to dissipate passively, resulting in a twitching phantom pain in both consciousness and eyes.
Even the related memories fade with time, leaving only vague impressions.
Xie Qingxuan took a deep, rapid breath, her clothes soaked with cold sweat. She was still shaken. Not only had she been forced to exit [Flow State], but she had also been forced to exit [Meditation State]. Even the fragments of Chu Yuanqing's personality in her Sea of Consciousness were showing signs of self-disintegration.
Let alone steal Chu Yuanqing's brilliance, she didn't even have the right to see that brilliance clearly.
That must be a state beyond [Flow State], or some special state that is more powerful than [Meditation State].
While the A-Class passengers were displaying their unique abilities, the entire carriage seemed to undergo a grand baptism, washing away all mental fatigue and negative emotions.
Some girls couldn't help but cry out, and she stammered:
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"I know I shouldn't blame you, and I know you work very hard in rehearsals every day and have done your best. It's clearly me who's useless, but I just can't help blaming you. I'm so terrible and awful."
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
Tears fell, scalding hot, and shattered on the pure white hem of her dress, just like her once crystal-clear and pure heart.
Lin Bao'er, the top-ranked B-Class contestant, remained silent for a moment, looked around, and said seriously:
"The main stage is not Chu Yuanqing's stage; it's a stage that all 56 of us will create together."
"Ask yourselves honestly, if Chu Yuanqing truly displayed the same level of skill as he did on the Second Evaluation stage, would you really be happier than you are now?"
The answer is obvious.
Such stage presence could easily overshadow not only the contestants on the main stage, but even the two side stages, potentially robbing all the 167 trainees of their brilliance and turning them into mere stepping stones for Chu Yuanqing.
In other words, the situation will only get worse.
This is a truth that everyone understands.
It's always easier to blame others than to improve oneself, and it's also easier to vent negative emotions. Coupled with jealousy, resentment, and dislike, Chu Yuanqing became a target of everyone's resentment.
But what no one expected was that...
This "target," who had endured seven days of criticism and strange looks from everyone, displayed such a... unashamed and composed attitude after being publicly humiliated and picked on in the car.
Was Chu Yuanqing really wrong?
When criticism and blame become a habit, perhaps only such a shock can make people rethink this issue.
The result of the reflection was mostly silence, a few voices, and scattered cries.
Zhou Wenqi, who ranked first in the C-Class sequence, pursed her lips and answered:
"Bao'er is right. We are a group dance performance. The main Center position is important, but isn't our cooperation and tacit understanding even more important?"
"Tomorrow may indeed be the last stage for many of us, but that cannot be an excuse to blame our incompetence on others."
"Perhaps this sounds naive, but in my heart, idols and the stage are still pure and beautiful things."
"So... if I go on stage with a mindset of blame and complaint, I won't feel truly happy no matter what the final result is."
"In fact, precisely because this might be the last time, we should enjoy it to the fullest, shouldn't we?"
Zhou Wenqi's words echoed in the carriage, causing the contestants to pause in surprise.
Yes.
When exactly did they forget their pure longing and joy for the stage?
It's so strange. Given their current performance, their chances of making the Debut Spot are already slim. Why are they so concerned about the hype and attention, discarding their original aspirations and filling them with the petty scheming they used to despise?
In the very beginning, all they wanted was to step onto a big stage, be surrounded by a large audience, and sing and dance to their heart's content.
Shouldn't idols be something this simple?
People have started to speak out:
"Wenqi is right, let's all enjoy the stage together tomorrow!"
"Whether you dance well or not is another matter, the most important thing is to have fun so it doesn't feel like a loss!"
"Thinking about it this way, I suddenly feel nervous and excited. Is it possible that we'll run into our fans tomorrow?"
"They definitely will! Everyone will get one!"
"But Chu Yuanqing definitely has the most fans, but she's so cute and kind to an unfair degree, I can't be jealous anymore."
In just a few words, the atmosphere in the carriage changed completely. The original dull and gloomy atmosphere vanished, replaced by lively and relaxed laughter.
Luo Chan, who was in Chu Yuanqing's arms, was now unharmed.
The girl stood up and bowed deeply. She whispered an apology, then pursed her lips and said thank you earnestly before sitting back down in her seat, feeling ashamed.
Judging from his words and actions, it seems that he has completely overcome the aftereffects of having his brilliance stolen by the warmth of the sun and has regained his normal emotions.
Chu Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down. She felt the completely changed atmosphere in the carriage and was moved by the children's gentleness. Meanwhile, she continued to struggle with how to perform exceptionally well in tomorrow's Public Performance.
On the other side,
The Dream Weaver Rabbit's expression was complex. Its scarlet eyes reflected that exquisite face, as delicate as a water lily and as compassionate as a deity. It added another entry to the database and excitedly whispered to itself:
"What terrifying personal charisma, what noble and sacred character! She clearly hasn't even figured out the true use of her [Flow State] state yet, but she can so easily make up for the damage caused by that dark and demonic nature."
"Chu Yuanqing, you truly deserve to be called a treasure of the Donghuang Federation."
"With such purity, even as Calamity Shell and fuel, there's a chance it will never degenerate."
Volume 1: Chapter 87. The Public Performance Begins, Charlotte's Radiance. (6K votes requested)
The next day.
On a bright sunny day, cicadas chirped noisily from the banyan trees along the street, while a huge flow of people poured out of the subway entrance, allowing the bustling atmosphere of the world to circulate back and forth in the oven-like temperature.
This location, adjacent to the Great Xia Art Palace and the Expo Axis, is the venue for Sea Capital's first Public Performance of "Flash Dance." Numerous media outlets, paparazzi, fan site administrators, and spontaneously gathered fans have surrounded the area, making it impossible to move. Security teams have been needed to maintain order and clear a path for vehicles to pass.
It's 7:00 AM now. According to the official website, the Public Performance of the theme song will officially begin at 10:00 AM.
Although only two thousand lucky people were drawn to receive tickets to the Public Performance, for many fans, just seeing their idol even once was enough to make the trip worthwhile.
These girls couldn't figure out the specific schedule for "Flash Dance," so they basically started early in the morning carrying light sticks of their idols, taking turns holding them above their heads and observing every passing vehicle, hoping to catch a glimpse of the contestants' private car.
Fans are sometimes like this: easily satisfied yet foolish. They can be so stupid as to become addicted to the idol persona created by advertorials and marketing, craving that clearly cheap but unattainable love. They support idols by ranking them, voting for them, picking them up and dropping them off at the airport, participating in fan events, and buying all the endorsed products related to them.
Ultimately, through the fabricated lies and self-indulgent sacrifices, a hollow dream is gradually sketched out, and one only wakes up when the idol's reputation collapses. Afterwards, one either withdraws in disappointment and stops following celebrities, or gets used to it, feels disheartened for a while, and then goes to find the next sweeter lie.
Idols are commodities.
Aside from those who are excessively naive, most fans in the industry are well aware of this.
In an era of peace that has become somewhat dull, where people are growing increasingly distant from one another, and where there is a tendency towards entertainment to the death, people would rather place their emotions on idols and celebrities who are likely to collapse at any moment and are far away, than entrust them to a real individual in reality.
Under these circumstances, the wave of rectification in the Entertainment Industry sparked by the first day of the "Flash Dance" live stream is indeed a good thing that benefits the country and its people.
Most importantly, as a Talent Show with a national background, all contestants who pass the auditions undergo background checks, which is equivalent to pre-screening and verifying their purity, making it much more reassuring to watch.
This resulted in an extremely high fan conversion rate, and the number of people attracted to the contestants' first Public Performance was enormous. As time went by, even the nearby subway entrance became packed with people.
If a drone were used to take aerial photos at this moment, one could imagine a scene of bustling crowds, resembling a grand, dark tide.
Three specially modified buses, entirely black with a metallic feel and decorated with Q-version Dream Weaver Rabbit and the <Flash Dance> logo, were slowly approaching from afar, like waves.
This driving speed was partly due to the large number of fans around, which raised concerns about potential accidents, and partly to accommodate the fans waiting in the bright sunshine, thus creating a pilgrimage-like scene.
Amidst the clamor and cheers of the crowd, the shouts of the fans were like a tidal wave, and the light boards they held up were particularly eye-catching even in the Great Xia.
Meanwhile, inside the car.
Chu Yuanqing's head was resting against the window, and he was dozing off.
The girl's soft, black hair cascaded around her fair earlobes and down to her delicate neck. Her face was pressed softly against the glass, and her slightly dazed profile was exceptionally adorable. Her drooping eyelashes were tinged with gold, and when they trembled slightly, they shattered the flowing light, creating a timeless and beautiful scene.
Although the glass is bulletproof, privacy mode is not activated.
Therefore, this extremely precious scene was captured by a large number of fans who are like Leeuwenhoek, and preserved in their memory using high-powered cameras.
Some people did not forget to shout praises of the gifts bestowed by the Qing God.
Some people worry that this is someone who hasn't gone crazy offline, but is completely insane inside.
Even the die-hard fans holding up light sticks spotted Chu Yuanqing dozing off and excitedly shouted:
"Yay! We finally see Qing Bao alive!"
"Qing Bao, look over here! Mommy missed you so much!"
"Qingqing! Although I can't see you on stage and can't cheer you on right away, I want to say that it's okay even if you don't perform well. Don't put too much pressure on yourself!"
"Qing Bao, don't work too hard. It will break Mommy's heart if you tire yourself out!"
Perhaps due to the offline nature of the event, the fans' shouts were relatively restrained, lacking the frenzied and eccentric literary frenzy seen online.
However, there are also instances where Qingmen! and then goes on a rampage on the spot.
"Praise be to the mighty Lord, the Qing God bestows blessings and hope upon all beings!"
"Supreme, benevolent, and virtuous Qing God, I have already foreseen your invincible presence on the stage. Please continue to radiate your sun-like charm upon all beings!"
"God loves the world, and she will not deprive all beings of their brilliance, but will choose to share this glory with her teammates, my Qingmen!"
Even with elements of joking and memes, these shouts, delivered offline, were still incredibly powerful.
The security personnel on one side looked serious, their gazes towards those people as if they were watching some dangerous cult members. They immediately reached for their stun guns, becoming extremely vigilant.
Chu Yuanqing was so intimidated by the frenzied atmosphere that her sense of crisis started to go off. She opened her eyes in a daze and saw a large number of light boards with her name and the names of the other contestants on them. She fell silent.
--How terrifying!!!
The girl's sleepy eyes widened in shock, and the bewildered expression on her face stiffened noticeably. It was the first time she had realized so clearly that she had a large number of fans outside the country, and perhaps even a certain level of popularity and buzz in China.