Vortex Music

"If you don't have any family, [Black Demon Hound]'s first ability will act directly on you," Camille continued anxiously. She felt that coming into contact with Black Demon Hound at this stage was a terrifying prospect.

"Mm. That shouldn't be much of a concern. The college will probably put a hood over its head," Xia Xiu said, rubbing his chin.

Camille gave Xia Xiu a serious look, then sighed and reached out to tap the authorization field.

After all, Camille was only Xia Xiu's club leader and friend. That relationship meant she could only offer advice as a friend. Anything more forceful would overstep the bounds of friendship and only sour their relationship.

"Thanks," Xia Xiu said with a smile. He was thanking Camille not only for her authorization, but also for her concern.

"Just be careful," Camille said worriedly.

"Haha, don't worry," Xia Xiu replied with a smile.

After Xia Xiu accepted the [Black Demon Hound] mission, the club members spent the remaining time discussing what equipment they should add to the dimensional interlayer in the future.

At Camille's suggestion, the club members decided to set aside a portion of their grade points to establish a communal club fund.

The club leader would manage the fund. Every transaction involving it had to be disclosed to the members, who would have the right to use the fund, question the purpose of its expenditures, and so on.

The meeting lasted over an hour.

"Let's wrap up today's meeting here. I'll get my certification as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can take on some missions yourselves..." Camille adjusted her glasses as she announced the end of the meeting.

"Of course, I think you'd all be better off taking on normal missions," Camille added, glancing at the grinning Xia Xiu.

"I've already given everyone permission to enter the dimensional interlayer. You can now come and go freely without a token," Camille continued, addressing the members present.

"Ah! Finally, it's over." Ushas stretched.

"That concludes the meeting. You can all head back now."

With Camille's announcement, the club members went their separate ways.

Camille and Ushas headed toward Three Portlands Commercial Street. After saying goodbye to everyone, the ghost Lifenel flew toward the Deer College dormitories, leaving only the Traveling Frog Muji and Xia Xiu.

"Want to grab a drink?" Xia Xiu asked with a smile, looking at Muji, who stood awkwardly before him.

"Ribbit... Sorry for the trouble." Muji paused, then nodded.

He happened to have something he needed to tell Xia Xiu.

Three Portlands · Prometheus Plaza-Block 44

An open-air restaurant.

"Hey, buddy, here's your extra-large energy drink with ice, and here's your frog friend's." Quinn, a green Velociraptor wearing a loose tie-dyed shirt, bell-bottoms, and several flowers tied to his head, carried over two fizzy energy drinks with ice and set them before Xia Xiu and Muji.

"Thanks. What kind of music is today's band playing?" Xia Xiu asked Quinn.

"Oh, they're a rhythm band made up of lizardfolk. No lead singer. They focus on how their instruments work together. If you like their performance, leave them a tip. Making a living in a band isn't easy these days," Quinn explained.

"If they're good, I certainly won't be stingy with my money," Xia Xiu said with a smile.

"Hey, buddy, I like that generous attitude of yours." Quinn grinned, exposing a mouthful of sharp teeth.

The Traveling Frog Muji watched Xia Xiu chatting happily with Quinn with a strange expression. Unless he was mistaken, there was a ninety-nine percent chance that the Velociraptor before him belonged to [Vortex Music].

And now a brat from the Heaven lineage, which had driven [Vortex Music] into hiding from the Terra Main Plane, was laughing and chatting with one of its members. Was the world really this insane!?

After exchanging a few more words with Xia Xiu, Quinn left, happily swishing his tail.

"Does it seem strange to you?" Xia Xiu picked up his fizzy energy drink and took a long pull through the straw, then addressed the dumbstruck Muji leisurely.

Just then, a band of four lizardfolk began to play. Rhythmic music reached the ears of everyone present. It seemed to carry a kind of magic; whenever the notes and beats pulsed fiercely, Muji could feel his senses pulsing along with them.

"They're all part of [Vortex Music]. You..." Muji looked in bewilderment at the blond boy lounging in his seat, listening to the music and sipping his drink.

"[Vortex Music] is a small anomalous organization brought together by the ideals of Terra's musical giant, [Cat King]-no distinctions of race or status, just a love of music. The music its members perform always carries some memetic effect. The most common is [Sensory Resonance], just like this band's."

As the music reached its first crescendo, Xia Xiu narrowed his eyes, savoring some of the pleasure brought by [Sensory Resonance], and continued casually:

"You see, this sensory pleasure is like a memetic drug, but without the aftereffects. That's why [Vortex Music] spread to every nation alongside the technological boom of Terra's Middle Ages. Its fans were everywhere among the public."

"Did Heaven stop them back then? No. Seeking pleasure is in the nature of highly intelligent species!"

"Unfortunately, they went too far. At the Stock Music Festival, they were reckless enough to play highly contaminating meme music. In a vast plaza packed with a hundred and fifty thousand people, the entire audience underwent demonic-fall mutations. The subsequent investigation found that a band worshipping an evil god was responsible. There were 134 bands performing at that festival."

Xia Xiu lazily took another sip of his energy drink through the straw.

"A loss-of-control rate of one in 134, yet the consequences were that devastating.

The Sanctum's Resolution Assembly adopted a blanket policy at the time. Innocent or not, they were all expelled from the Terra Main Plane. Anyone who dared get involved with [Vortex Music] would be cut down."

"That decision was far too heavy-handed. The other supernatural powers cursed Heaven for ages over it. Some still do."

Hearing the clear note of complaint in Xia Xiu's voice, Muji ventured, "So you're unhappy with the Sanctum's decision back then?"

"No, you've misunderstood. I support the decision they made." Xia Xiu shook his head.

"But it would be a shame to wipe all of this out. Better to keep it somewhere supernatural like Three Portlands. Leaving it in the mundane world is too dangerous. Oh, right, Quinn-that Velociraptor-doesn't know I'm from Heaven yet. Don't tell him. I don't want to end up eating roast raptor."

Xia Xiu finished the last of his energy drink and set the cup on the table. The music stopped at that same moment.

"The reason I've told you all this is just to make one thing clear: I'm not quite like those old stick-in-the-muds. I know how to be flexible..." Xia Xiu said meaningfully to the Traveling Frog Muji.

"...Ribbit!?" Muji's expression changed as he looked at the blond boy before him, and the next thing Xia Xiu said filled his face with alarm.

"Oh, feel free to give your elders the recording of what I just said. It's fine. I won't charge you any royalties."

(End of chapter)

If you encounter ads asking things like "Are you a real person?", simply ignore and close them. Do not scan any QR codes or send text messages!