Chapter 97

A choreographer of this caliber would be considered a treasure even by her sister Xie Qingyu's girl group, [Death Butterfly], and would not dare to underestimate them.

Keep in mind, that was a wildly popular girl group that had already garnered billions of views on streaming platforms.

From this perspective, Ji Shuzhu's participation in "Flash Dance" has always been quite puzzling to outsiders. She has every right to have a world-class company create a girl group for her, so why would she risk never having the chance to perform on stage again by participating in this competition?

There are many different opinions about this, and no one can guess the reason. Only the die-hard fans of the "Ri Yi Yue Shu" CP firmly believe that she came for a certain Young Lady.

Chu Yuanqing was under a lot of pressure. She had witnessed Ji Shuzhu and Chen Yining's abilities during rehearsals. Unlike herself, who was only a mediocre performer, these two had extremely solid basic skills and Idol Power that was not much less than that of Little Sakura. They were truly A-Class performers.

What if I drag the team down and cause them to lose the stage competition...?

No, losing doesn't seem like such a big deal, does it?

Chu Yuanqing's expression faltered slightly.

If she is defeated and the enemy chooses to take her away, she can use refusal as a threat to force them to choose Xie Qingxuan. The result will be the same if they choose to take Xie Qingxuan away directly.

In other words, Qingxuan can still form his ideal 3A combination, and this result is even better than winning, because it can successfully eliminate himself as a dud.

Chu Yuanqing understood. She seemed to have caught some of the Green Eyed Cat's amazing wisdom and suddenly deduced a promising future path.

Yeah, if I lose this match, I can go to the waiting area and team up with any F-Class player, right?

In this situation, she could comfortably suffer a month of consecutive defeats, deliver a major failure in the second Public Performance, make a comeback and enter the list of 84 to be eliminated, and then retire gracefully and perfectly Withdraw from Competition.

And the best part is that if she can't assemble a five-person team within a month, given the current atmosphere of self-interest in the competition, the contestants will most likely vote to disqualify her from continuing to participate, thus solving the problem once and for all!

Chu Yuanqing felt as if a ray of light had appeared after a long period of darkness, and most of the gloom in her heart had been dispelled. She had long been fed up with the shameful life of having to dance such a sexy dance as "Dangerous Party," and the thought of possibly escaping this predicament as soon as possible almost moved her to tears.

Great! This competition format has nothing to do with the players' popularity. As long as they show their true abilities, this humiliating life will soon be over!

Chu Yuanqing's face was serious, but full of enthusiasm. She said earnestly:

"Qingxuan, I will train hard. When are you going to challenge them?"

Xie Qingxuan's dark eyes shimmered with tears, and her delicate, three-dimensional features revealed a slightly natural confusion.

She had been wondering if such a bold plan would be met with opposition, but when she saw Chu Yuanqing's nervousness, she began to think about how to negotiate and persuade him. In the blink of an eye, he had actively chosen to agree.

Xiao Qing, could it be... that you're forcing yourself for my sake?

Xie Qingxuan was stunned when she thought of this possibility.

Yes, thinking about it carefully, Xiao Qing used to train for about 8 hours a day.

But recently, in order to keep up with her training pace, she has spent almost all her time in the practice room except for eating, sleeping and showering, training for 15 hours a day.

If it weren't for the various cutting-edge technologies and nutritional supplements provided by Flash Dance in the A-Class practice room, three days and 45 hours of training would completely wear down a normal person, and it wouldn't be surprising if it even caused muscle dissolution.

Xie Qingxuan was able to adapt because she had undergone a lot of training since childhood. In other words, she forcibly forged this resilience in a bleak childhood. Coupled with the obsessive hatred in her heart, she was able to persist in this kind of training day after day.

But what about Xiao Qing? Before the competition, she was just an ordinary person, only 17 years old, not even an adult yet. She had never experienced such high-intensity training. She was able to keep up with her training pace entirely through willpower.

The same applies now; even when aware of the risks, people still choose to unconditionally agree.

Xie Qingxuan became increasingly confused the more she thought about it.

She remembered how the other person had been blow-drying her hair, fulfilling her wish to hear stories before bed, reminding her not to work too hard or push herself too much, and occasionally gently touching her hair, as if showing pity or comfort.

At this moment,

Chu Yuanqing's cool fingertips, the gentle gaze of an elder, the upturned curve of his lips, the softness of his waist against hers, the contradictory atmosphere of youthful innocence and world-weary maturity, his whispered stories as clear as snow and as distant as poetry, and the occasional lonely look into the distance when he was lost in thought...

These trivial and insignificant details, in a sudden moment of realization, came rushing in like a mountain and a sea, all of them crushing into my past consciousness that was only thinking about revenge and the stage, squeezing out a heavy bitterness and apology, and then a joy like fireworks exploded in my soul, all of which overwhelmed my whole body.

So this is what it feels like to ignore someone's concern.

So this is what it feels like to be cared for, valued, and respected.

Xie Qingxuan was momentarily at a loss. She was now even more certain of Chu Yuanqing's special place in her heart, but she didn't know how to face Chu Yuanqing. She could only awkwardly avert her gaze, like a child who had made a mistake, her eyes darting away, and say:

"Let's do it tomorrow. Chen Yining's group should also be interested in challenging us, so it shouldn't be too difficult to arrange a meeting."

"And... how about we take a break today?"

Chu Yuanqing blinked. This beautiful girl, who seemed aloof and cold to outsiders, was now listless. Even the white-gold hair tips that reflected the light in the lamplight seemed to have dimmed a little, like a Golden Haired Doggy that one wanted to pet.

--So cute.

The child is asking for a rest; they must be too tired lately.

Chu Yuanqing reached out and patted her head, comforting her:

"Great! Your health is much more important than the stage."

"Training should also be balanced with rest; a balance between exertion and relaxation makes it easier to achieve results."

Xie Qingxuan's platinum eyelashes trembled slightly. She lowered her head obediently, making it easier for Chu Yuanqing's hand to stroke her. Her usually indifferent expression revealed a charming and obedient look, showing the unique liveliness and cuteness of a young girl.

Finally, this woman, whom the fans regarded as Great Demon King, whom the Green Eyed Cat saw as a bad woman, and whom Little Sakura considered a formidable enemy, unconsciously rubbed against the other like a puppy, resting her head in the other's arms, showing no trace of dignity.

The girl spoke in a calm tone, her words sounding exactly like a coquettish plea:

"Xiao Qing, can you touch me? I like being touched by you; it makes me feel safe."

This uniquely natural super straight shot delivers a devastating blow to the heart.

Chu Yuanqing's maternal instincts were overflowing.

But in that instant, she had a strange hallucination of the image of the Green Eyed Cat stealing her first kiss, then smiling and touching her lips with her fingertips, and the words echoing in her ears.

"Xiao Qing, remember this trick, and don't let other bad women use it on you in the future."

But Qingxuan seems so innocent, sometimes a little clumsy, and very polite. How could she be considered a bad woman?

And it was just a pat on the head, didn't I used to pat her head every day?

Chu Yuanqing solemnly ruled out the risks, carefully touched the other person's hair, and looked at the person in his arms with fluttering eyelashes and an innocent face, showing no ill intentions whatsoever, and slowly felt relieved.

That's true, where would you find so much neodymium copper? Liuli is just a special case.

Qingxuan's blatant request for a close physical contact is what's known online as a "straight girl trap." She probably thinks it's normal for girls to do this, given how explosive their recent dance performances have been.

Chu Yuanqing felt more and more at ease as he thought about it, realizing that his own mind was too dirty. He couldn't assume that Green Eyed Cat- Green Eyed Cat around him were crawling around just because he saw one. This kind of habitual thinking was unacceptable.

So, this close hugging lasted for ten minutes before ending when Xie Qingxuan let go.

For a moment, the two were covered in each other's scent, creating a rather ambiguous atmosphere.

However, because they were both rather clueless in this regard, neither of them noticed anything amiss. After their routine training session, they peacefully fell asleep.

And in the dead of night,

Xie Qingxuan opened her eyes. Her nostrils were filled with the milky, cold fragrance of that person, like crushed plum blossoms. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she pursed her moist lips.

The girl's well-proportioned and slender legs rubbed together. She listened quietly to Chu Yuanqing's breathing not far away. Her eyelashes drooped, and she hugged herself tightly, feeling lost and confused. She seemed to be suffering slightly in the confusion of adolescence, and murmured softly:

"Xiao Qing smells so good."

After a long while, he finally fell into a deep sleep from exhaustion.

Underground base, central control room.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit's scarlet pupils reflected all the base's data from the past three days. Its gaze was fixed on a surveillance screen, as if it had seen something amusing. The curve of its lips almost split to its ears; it was so happy that it clapped its hands and laughed.

The surveillance footage showed a dozen or so B-Class players who had drawn the "[Burdens]" card plotting to remove the "[Burdens]" from their teams through match-fixing.

Their logic was clear. Before discussing the plan, they naturally complained about the competition format of "Flash Dance," expressed their obsession with becoming idols, and shed tears while showing just the right amount of guilt and inner conflict. Only then did they begin to weave the plan and assign tasks.

This is an essential "preliminary step".

The Dream Weaver Rabbit was overjoyed and clapped its hands in praise:

"Yes, that's it, that's how it should be fun."

"Ultimate egoism, unwavering idol of the kingly way."

"And then there are the abandoned [Burdens], who, amidst abandonment, neglect, and deception, gradually develop anger, humiliation, despair, and sorrow. In the end, what kind of flowers will these emotions nurture?"

Even if what is produced is a fake and ugly imitation, completely incomparable to the real thing, still... [Flow State] is still [Flow State], a miracle that can only blossom and bear fruit through inner purity.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit's scarlet eyes grew increasingly sinister as it smiled and looked towards the training room that was publicly announced as being able to cultivate and develop [Flow State].

The Cube Prison lies beneath, where those Calamity Species who have been reborn through self-eating are sealed within metal shells. They produce large amounts of dark, filthy, yet invisible mist, which is then vaporized and transported to the training room through special means.

"You guys won't let me down, right?"

"To all [Fuel] and [Calamity Shell] who will save the world."

The words had barely left his mouth.

In the surveillance footage, someone walked out of the training room looking tired and with a blank stare.

Liang Xiaoxiao was exhausted. The recent amount of mechanical training and her almost sleepless behavior of staying in this training room like a madman had caused her temples to throb with pain. Even walking out of here made her feel dizzy and lightheaded, but her face was filled with a hopeful smile.

Training to develop the "Flow State" state is effective.

She clearly hadn't slept much for the past three days, yet her reaction time, comprehension, and concentration would suddenly increase dramatically, as if time had stood still—a truly miraculous phenomenon.

In the training room, the Program Group lit expensive medicinal incense and played special music that stimulated brainwaves. The trainees lay in a capsule that helped them enter their subconscious, and each time they stepped out, they experienced a completely new world.

Even though this feeling will soon fade away like dust, the gradual, solidified growth still brings Liang Xiaoxiao, who has never tasted such progress before, a heartfelt surprise.

If...

If things continue like this, won't she eventually be able to escape her ordinary self?

If she masters the state of "Flow State," can she become a top-tier idol and stand proudly beside that person?

That night, Liang Xiaoxiao drifted off to sleep, but in the dark fog churning deep within her soul, she was dragged into a terrifying nightmare constructed from past memories, from which she could not revive no matter how much she struggled.

She hated her mother, wished she could beat her Dad to death, heard gossip from the neighbors, saw the mean teacher at school who looked at her with strange eyes and noticed the bruises on her face, and... the only dog that protected her, whose head was smashed by her Dad with a stool.

All of this was cruelly unearthed and transformed into a labyrinth that trapped me.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit looked at Liang Xiaoxiao's frowning sleeping face. There were many other contestants in the same predicament. It seemed unsurprised and murmured softly:

"Miracles and magic come at a price, don't they?"

"To transcend innate talent and pursue what one cannot obtain, the first hurdle to overcome is one's own heart."

"Even if the [Flow State] core is constructed using the magic of the Calamity Species as a guide, it is undoubtedly a fake. But even if it is a fake, it must withstand at least three Nightmare Corridors, otherwise the soul will not be able to resonate with the external magic."

"Now, let me see who is the [fuel] and who is the [Calamity Shell], and who can break through the calculated probability of the data and become... the true [Witch]."

The next day.

Liang Xiaoxiao broke free from the nightmare, her face deathly pale. She vaguely guessed that this was a side effect of developing [Flow State], but she still walked firmly into the gates of hell.

False nightmares are not scary.

What's terrible is that it means losing the chance to experience true warmth.

That's how people who lack love are; they can be so foolish as to go through fire and water for something illusory.

It was noon that day.

Kiriwake Yayoi defeated the vocal group with her [Flow State] technique. She glanced disdainfully at the Green Eyed Cat, who was so defiant she was about to refuse, and said softly:

Do you really think you can compare to Xie Qingxuan right now?

"Tang Liuli, you probably really dislike her, just like you dislike me now. Do you want to be defeated by everyone you dislike?"

"Put aside your pointless sulking and join my team. I'll teach you the true use of [Flow State], and then in the next round, let's defeat Xie Qingxuan together, snatch Xiao Qing into our team, and go to the stage for the second Public Performance!"

Volume 1: 104. Each person's realization, Golden Haired Doggy crawling into bed. (6K1)

The Green Eyed Cat's ruffled fur seemed to have been attacked by magic, forcing it to stop.

She ignored Lin Bao'er, whose eyes were clearly saying "You guys are really good at this," and began to think with her clever little head.

Indeed, even if she joined Xie Qingxuan's team, she could only be subservient to him, at most becoming a lurking figure who would disrupt their private time and occasionally eavesdrop on their bedtime stories, with absolutely no possibility of turning the tables.

Tang Liuli liked Chu Yuanqing; this was a feeling she had known beforehand.

Even though we're living and eating together now, I still can't confess my feelings.