Chapter 210

Chapter 210: The Truth, the Plan to Save the World

Inside, the ambiguous atmosphere swayed like gentle waves.

Chu Yuanqing’s youthful yet serious face turned a charming coral pink at Little Sakura’s straightforward remark. Her clear eyes sparkled with enticing charm, and her soft lips moved as if wanting to refuse, but she didn’t know how to say no.

Could it be that she just talked with Charlotte, so now she feels embarrassed to kiss other girls?

How could she even say something like that! Miyuki would definitely cry!

Chu Yuanqing knew very well that she owed a lot to the shrine maiden.

And even aside from the tangled relationships of the past, she did not have the luxury to be picky about it now.

Time is running out, and after April, things will fall apart. Besides… who can guarantee that after three performances, she can still be in the same group with these deeply connected "old friends"?

If she doesn’t confront Dream Weaver Rabbit, the chances to reasonably regain power with the little idols might only be limited to the next 43 days.

So, looking at it rationally, she should cherish every day, fully regain her power, and not worry too much about worldly morals.

On the other hand, Little Sakura’s words forced her to face a question.

That is, the new system of witches has flaws.

All of the witches’ lanterns are made from the unknown mineral called Light Stone.

The Dazzling Stage project has allowed countless talented idols around the world to wear products modeled after Light Stone, using them as their future lanterns.

Although based on Xie Qing Yu’s performance and her lantern’s response, the official Artificial Lantern seems fine.

However, taking Little Sakura as an example, her Cocoon of the Heart, after achieving 100% resonance with the Artificial Lantern, still has shortcomings in the instincts of the Pure White Witch, despite optimization.

This is especially clear in the process of magic restoration.

Since the future Miyuki, Qingxuan, and even Liuli will use the power of witches to fight against the Disaster Wave, why would someone capable of improving the flaws in the system through magic restoration refuse Little Sakura?

Chu Yuanqing’s thoughts were tangled; the more she reflected seriously, the more she felt trapped, and she even began to doubt her own understanding, feeling a sense of shame rise within her.

Since Miyuki does not see it as a sacrifice, what is there for me to hesitate about?

Everything is for the future of humanity! It is for lasting peace! It is to prevent tragedies from happening!

The Pure White Witch’s expression was serious, and her gaze became firm, as if carrying the mission to save the world. She looked into the misty pink eyes, giving this action a noble meaning, like a robin carrying a flower crown, fulfilling Little Sakura’s expectations with pure clarity.

The girl smelled a familiar floral scent. It felt as if she were tasting a drink she could never get tired of. As her mind burned with excitement and her thoughts bubbled, she instinctively learned from the green-eyed cat.

Little Sakura was a smart and serious child. She began to add ice cubes and mint leaves to the juice, also mixing in some soda to balance the sweetness. With the bubbles adding excitement and enhancing the taste, she carefully stirred with a straw, like a bartender creating the best flavor.

However, the original taste of the juice was already wonderful, so even without any mixing, it satisfied her taste buds immensely.

This made her, with her second cup of juice, not add any extra ingredients but quietly, gently, and seriously learn from the main character in "The Lonely Gourmet," respecting the true flavor of the ingredients—sometimes savoring slowly, sometimes devouring quickly, showing her love for food with enjoyment or urgency.

Yes, a true gourmet should possess such professional quality!

Kirimi Miyuki understood that her sincere and serious feelings for her idol should also be perfectly reflected in her current assignment. Only then could she express her purest, hottest, and most genuine feelings for Little Qing.

So… how can we cross the wall of each other’s hearts and reach the shore of mutual understanding?

— With courage, with sincerity, with effort!

Little Sakura, in a daze, understood profound truths. Her "Heart Flow" burst forth like flowing fire, and the roaring waves of her emotions surrounded the entire room, wrapping the two of them in a cocoon.

At this moment, the "Perfect Interpretation Method" created by the idol and the stage no longer stuck to original thinking. Instead, it extended into a greater realm, developing a brand new way during the surge of "Heart Flow."

"…"

The Pure White Witch’s eyes widened in confusion. Her devoted and steadfast beliefs were strongly shaken as the mist in her eyes swelled, almost dragging her into the roaring tide, causing her to lose her senses.

Chu Yuanqing looked at those fluttering lashes and those captivating pink eyes, feeling that something was off. The magic coming from Miyuki seemed to mix with subjective will, creating a strange reaction in her body that she had never experienced before during the sacred ritual.

In simple terms, the other person’s magic became "more delicious," leading to emotions similar to hunger quickly blooming inside her, making the feeling of healing happiness expand rapidly, even softening her nerve endings.

Chu Yuanqing used to be able to handle Little Sakura in 15 minutes, but now she felt like she was the one being handled.

If we say that the golden retriever made a breakthrough in the regular couple’s relationship.

Then Little Sakura evolved in the field of magical girls; her magic seemed to come alive with her wishes, going beyond the feeling of soaking in a hot spring, even enhancing the effects of magical recovery, like a brilliant invention.

Chu Yuanqing was greatly shocked; she began to think seriously about some important matters to prevent anything inappropriate from happening.

She believed this change was likely due to the other person successfully awakening a blessing, which increased their talent as a witch, plus some strange wish that made the definition of "Perfect Interpretation Method" extend from idols to magical girls.

As a result, the refinement in controlling magic began to approach perfection.

This is a good thing because it means Miyuki will use magic more efficiently in the future, unlike a certain silly person who exhausts all their magic by using a powerful move.

Well, it would be even better if she didn’t use such things on herself.

Time passed, and half an hour went by in the blink of an eye, not to mention the omitted parts.

The Pure White Witch held a sense of mission to save the world and optimized the other’s "Cocoon of the Heart."

In the midst of it all, to defend her last dignity, she gritted her teeth and learned the other person’s magical skills. As she practiced, she slowly evolved to a more terrifying level, giving a fierce "lesson" in return. Finally, she didn’t lose her pride in her unconsciousness and successfully defeated Little Sakura.

Splash, splash.

The bathroom light poured in, illuminating the pattern of the glass flowers.

Chu Yuanqing removed her clothes, stepping barefoot into the steamy curtain of water. She tilted her head towards the shower, gently pressed the switch with her delicate hand, turning the temperature to cold. The heat in her golden eyes faded, leaving behind a clear calmness, finally suppressing all the strange feelings.

Although a certain innocent widow had been pursued many times, she never truly succumbed to it and had never released the lock in her heart, always trying her best to restrain herself and follow the rules.

As for the reasons, they involve the shame from the differences between men and women, a delicate moral boundary, and also personality issues.

Chu Yuanqing did not like indulgence; she preferred the lightness of poetry and the evening breeze, something so gentle it could softly touch her cheek. Excessive desires are like fireworks; they illuminate the night sky for a moment before fading away.

Therefore, before making any real decisions or confirming a relationship, she did not want to feel anything similar in this way.

However, due to the reality of the situation and the outrageous effects of restoring magic, she could only settle for the next best thing, using the restraint of her desires as a punishment and a warning for herself.

Chu Yuanqing chided herself for her lack of self-control. She took ten minutes to wash up, change her clothes, and sit back down by the bed. She picked up the paper crane jar from the shelf, her brow furrowed in a cool and solemn manner, feeling the steady flow of energy within it and whispered softly,

"Why is there more magic inside?"

Chu Yuanqing pondered for a moment, then snapped her fingers. Silver magic like moonlight poured down, swirling and playing around the room, weaving today’s lesson into music notes. The paper crane jar on her lap shimmered with a glowing light, like a small whirlpool of magic, drawing some energy in.

"Is the effect given by Miyuki’s ‘Tempering of the Heart’ to store magic? It’s kind of like a piggy bank."

Chu Yuanqing thought for a bit, pouring the magic from the Flower of the Soul into the paper crane jar. She was very curious about how much magic it could hold.

After about 90 seconds, exactly one jar of magic flowed in.

The paper crane jar was completely full, and the thousand paper cranes inside shone brightly like stars linked in the night sky. In an instant, they burst into rainbow light, along with the glass jar, transforming into a streak of light that followed the path of magic into the depths of her soul, shrinking down to a tiny size and resting in the heart of a blooming flower.

"So it’s not just a decoration; it can be carried around?"

Chu Yuanqing was a bit surprised. She originally thought that Miyuki’s ‘Tempering of the Heart’ would only make this gift a little special, but it turned out to be quite impressive.

The girl waved her little hand and brought the paper crane jar back to her thigh. She murmured:

"Hmm, taking it out is not a problem, and among these thousand paper cranes, there are indeed blessings. When I place them into my soul, I can feel Miyuki’s feelings when she folded them. It feels really warm, as if… the pain of a broken soul lessens a little?"

Chu Yuanqing calculated again and confidently said:

"It seems to lower about 0.1%."

Then, she decided not to sleep for a while and studied this amazing paper crane jar, discovering a bunch of wonderful little functions.

First, it has the effect of soothing pain and slightly speeding up soul recovery. It even provides a bit of a shield against curses, capable of blocking about 0.1%, but it consumes a lot of magic power. If used, the paper cranes in the jar would break in just a few minutes.

Without thinking, Chu Yuanqing turned off this passive effect.

Second, it can serve as a small bank for storing magic power. After placing some in, it can generate an additional 10% of magic power each day, functioning like an interest-earning item in a game. Plus, it can be accessed anytime, though it can only hold one lamp’s worth of magic power, setting a limit.

Finally, she can unwrap one paper crane each day (which can restore), randomly granting one special wish, but the wishes that can be granted are very unique.

It’s like taking apart a paper crane, being able to hear Little Sakura play guitar, listen to Little Sakura tell bedtime stories, and let Little Sakura encourage and praise you…

Chu Yuanqing’s comment on this is that, even though it’s not very useful, it’s still quite cute.

Well, it seems that Miyuki also doesn’t know that the gift could lead to such an embarrassing situation for herself.

Overall, it’s clear that this gift was created unconsciously, and the effects inside align perfectly with the giver’s kind wishes.

That is—hoping for Chu Yuanqing to heal quickly, stay healthy, and have everything go well.

Chu Yuanqing found it a bit funny, yet it touched her. She carefully placed the paper crane jar back on the center of the flowers and thought to herself:

"Speaking of which, the principle of ‘Tempering of the Heart’ is actually quite similar to that of a magical girl, right? Both lean towards the idealistic type, so this gift can be so magical, probably because it combines the effects of magic and blessings."

"If that’s the case, then Miyuki might be able to create even more powerful equipment than before."

Chu Yuanqing felt a sense of relief and comfort. While she was unwilling for her past comrades to bear the burden, if it truly could not be helped, it would be a good thing for all humanity if they could have greater potential than in the previous timeline.

The girl sighed in her heart. She snuggled under the blankets and lay down, saying goodnight to the small lantern on her chest and the paper crane jar on the table. She closed her eyes, turned off her thoughts, and slowly drifted into dreamland.

At the same time, the evening breeze of the Danube blew towards Saint Stephen’s Basilica.

In a magnificent base hidden underground, a mascot was looking down on the world from the lowest level.

Dream Weaver Rabbit sat at the core. Around it, many information windows popped up, as if waves of data flowed all around, monitored and integrated by powerful computing power, resulting in the relevant outcomes.

"The growth rate of the reserve witches has generally increased by 48%. It seems better than expected."

All this data comes from the magic formulas buried in the Light Stone—Artificial Lantern.

Dream Weaver Rabbit looked ahead, its crimson eyes hiding deep emotions.

Virtual projections appeared one after another, like a movie being rewound, showing not data, but photos of little idols outside—some were group photos at famous landmarks, some with fans on the street, and some were simply daily life photos perfect for Weibo.

All of these brimmed with a cheerful atmosphere.

It is clear that due to the competition rules, even the most determined teams will go on trips to complete tasks, gaining relief and many positive feelings that they couldn’t find in the underground base.

As the saying goes, all work and no play. The strict early policies of "Dazzling Stage" are meant to quickly eliminate unsuitable contestants and bring out their full potential.

The current competition system aims to help them relax and feel different emotions; otherwise, if it were just about gaining experience points from commercial performances, the officials could find a better and faster way.

The super AI whispered softly:

"Everyone, please enjoy this journey, see the beauty of the world, feel the wonders of nature, and experience relaxation under the sun and blue sky."

"This may be humanity’s last summer."

All along, the entire "Dazzling Stage" project has seemed too dreamy.

Who could imagine that at a time when human civilization is in danger, almost all countries are promoting an idol project?

Idols are merely products derived from entertainment culture, often not reaching the artistic level recognized by the public, yet ironically becoming the biggest factor in deciding the planet’s fate.

But this is reality.

The idol saves the world, the stage ends the apocalypse.

The leaders of all humanity seem to firmly believe that this is the path worth everything.

Only a few people, those who understand the hidden meaning of "Dazzling Stage," know that it is not just a casual project; its true essence lies in using the idol’s image to conduct a grand ritual that affects the whole world.

Once this ritual is completed, even if the Shining Magic that bursts forth cannot eliminate all sources of Disaster, it can partially replace the effect of "pure white," anchoring one locked Disaster after another around the world, thereby giving humanity many more years.

However, to achieve the desired outcome, the ritual, or the shining purity, must be ensured.

Dream Weaver Rabbit has always had a burning expectation for the shine of the little idols, and this is where it comes from.

The so-called shine represents the most beautiful part of human emotion, which can be simply called the light of humanity.

The "witch" on stage only attracts vessels with the same qualities; the more intense and pure her shine is, the purer the shine she absorbs from the audience, making this large-scale magic around the world even more powerful.

This is also why the truth was not told to the little idol for a long time.

If the truth were revealed, the fear and hesitation that might arise could easily take root in the subconscious, affecting the stage presence and making the gathered brilliance less pure, which in turn would influence the entire plan.

Of course, the "Dazzling Stage" project has a solution for this.

That is [Fuel] and [Disaster Shell].

A [witch] is a special container; they can absorb brilliance, radiate it, and become the support for creating magic.

[Fuel] cannot become a container, but it can assist the [witch], amplify brilliance, and serve as a signal tower for every ritual.

A [Disaster Shell] is a reverse container; it uses disaster aura to build the [Cocoon of the Heart]. It cannot absorb the audience’s brilliance, but it can remove the unclean parts, ensuring the purity of magic to the greatest extent and acting as a filter in the ritual.

These three elements, through their roles extended from the idol audition, together create the final blueprint of the "Dazzling Stage", forging a path where the stage saves the world.

The eye color of Dream Weaver Rabbit is obscure, and in this plan, the biggest challenge is not the number of [witches], [Disaster Shells], or [Fuel], nor is it the increasingly tight schedule.

But…

On the stage that bets on the last summer of humanity, who can hold the center of a great magic and carry the brilliance of all mankind?

For now, only two people can share this role.

Charlotte from the Sacred United Country and Chu Yuanqing from the Donghong Federation.

Around the "Dream Weaver," light swirled, and she showed human emotions, sighing alone:

"The fate of all humanity, the future of all civilization."

"Can you bear this weight?"