Chapter 217

Chapter 217: The Silver-Haired Red-Eyed Beautiful Girl—Dream Weaver Rabbit, I Am the [Lighthouse]

Chu Yuanqing thought for a moment and turned off her phone screen.

Then, the surreal Dream Weaver Rabbit icon did not remain stuck on the screen like a virus, but seemed to be quietly sealed away, not making a sound.

Chu Yuanqing understood that with the permissions and abilities of [Dream Weaver], it was completely possible to control this type of electronic device at will, and there was no possibility that turning off the screen or shutting it down could stop it.

So…

Is the decision of 《Dazzling Stage》 to provide a communication channel and then hand over the control to itself?

One can only say that it is a very clever and subtle approach.

Chu Yuanqing calculated that it was now 12:45 PM, the scheduled training time was 2 PM, and the dance studio was very close to the hotel. A taxi ride would only take 10 minutes, so there was time to chat with the other person.

"I’m going to take a nap for a while."

Pure White Witch left everyone with this reason and quickly left the restaurant, going upstairs to her room. She sat on the edge of the bed, unlocked her phone screen, and opened the icon. Inside was just a simple interface that looked like a cheap game for raising electronic pets.

The mascot and head mentor of 《Dazzling Stage》 was sitting in a room filled with cables and blue light, overflowing with a sense of technology. It and the surrounding environment looked like a fuzzy pixel art style, reminiscent of old games from twenty or thirty years ago.

To be honest, if she hadn’t been pre-conditioned, she probably wouldn’t have recognized this pixel-style chibi pet bunny as the mean red-eyed rabbit from the show.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

A dialogue box popped up on the screen, and with the sound of ticking, one by one, words appeared, weaving together a very standard greeting.

"Dear magical girl, now stepping into the magical world, do you need help?"

Then, two options popped up.

Option one: Yes.

Option two: No.

Chu Yuanqing felt a bit confused; the mascot on her phone was smiling at her, looking like a friendly NPC in a game that guides new players, safe and welcoming.

The girl, with her delicate and cute face, looked serious. After thinking for a moment, she realized something: it was different from her imagination of everyone openly discussing the secrets of the show, the truth about magic, and the origins of disaster beasts in a serious and honest way.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit probably thought of her as a child of this age, believing that such a way of communicating was too grown-up and heavy, fearing it might bring her pressure, so it simply changed to a lighter approach.

For example, this silly pixel game right now.

She didn’t know why, but she always felt like she was being looked down upon.

But it is not right to let down someone’s kindness; the officials are saying this for their own good.

Chu Yuanqing has always been very understanding; she didn’t make a direct complaint but honestly chose the "Yes" option.

Then, three options appeared on the screen.

The first is – "Correct Reality."

The second is – "Magic Knowledge."

The third is – "Disaster Handbook."

Chu Yuanqing first clicked on the first option; after clicking, there was only an input box. According to the warm reminder below, she could enter a number, saying that the larger the number entered, the more help it would give to reality.

Chu Yuanqing didn’t think much; she tentatively typed a few numbers and pressed confirm.

The next moment, a pleasant ding came from her phone, and a message alert popped up from the top of the screen.

"Deposit amount: 87,990.00 yuan."

Wow, is this how you change reality?

Chu Yuanqing’s little hand trembled.

Although she wasn’t in need of money at the moment, her 17 years of working hard and the daily struggles made her deeply shocked by such an "effortless" way of earning.

Pure White Witch held back her worldly desire to use a long string of numbers to buy ten villas for her lovely daughter, quickly exiting this interface and clicking on the second option.

The interface showed a pixel art-style library, with a directory of book titles nearby.

This included but was not limited to, "The Origins of Magic: Light Stone Edition," "On the Growth Stages of Witches," "Types of Flower of the Soul," "A Complete Guide to Flower Language Blessings," "The Shining Foundation: The Wish of the Mind," "Magic Rankings and Discussions," "Basic Techniques: 17th Revised Edition"…

Chu Yuanqing casually opened a few books and found that they were all full of valuable content, not just those that only had titles and covers. She flipped through the catalog and introduction of basic magic techniques, and her fingers tapped together to make a soft sound, as a silver magic power formed an illusion of a dragon filling the room.

— Advanced Technique: Water Dragon.

Afraid of altering the structure of the material and getting the steam from this giant creature wetting her blanket, she only created the framework and shape without breaking the magic down into pure water, completing half of the technique.

But the technique was indeed correct.

Chu Yuanqing was a bit surprised; this option was more generous than the previous blue-green modifier. All of them were bits of knowledge compiled from the development of the [witch] system in human civilization, truly priceless treasures.

Even though understanding the core mechanisms of [Wishes] and [Idealism] made the so-called technique knowledge less significant to her, she could work a little harder to reverse engineer a new complete technique book. But human imagination has its limits.

Chu Yuanqing could create the [Silver Mirror] magic because she once had that power and was quite skilled with it; the process of reverse engineering into a technique was simple, but for types of techniques that involved knowledge gaps, she couldn’t rely solely on wishes to obtain them.

On the other hand, this meant that 《Dazzling Stage》 was making a big bet on herself.

If the blue-green modifier could be seen as a sugar-coated bomb in the apocalypse, then the [Magic Knowledge], which involved many secrets and real value, was a sincere expression of trust in herself.

Chu Yuanqing quietly clicked on the last item.

The "Disaster Handbook," true to its name, is a guide to disaster beasts. It collects all the information about the abilities, appearances, habits, and weaknesses of all the disaster beasts that the Counter-Magic Bureau has encountered so far, along with a rough grading system.

The language in the guide is very careful, and out of hundreds or thousands of disaster beasts, at least half of the information is missing or noted as guesses. Its practical value exists, but it is not very high.

It feels more like an "introduction book" to help people understand the species of disaster beasts.

It is worth mentioning that the officials seem to have deliberately placed the nightmare’s entry at the top of the Grade B category.

Chu Yuanqing quickly skimmed through it; this guide is quite simple.

There are many different types of disaster beasts.

Among the thirteen "Calamity Gods" like "Tenno-Gochu," "Youmir," and "Old Testament," each will develop its own "divine system," and each divine system contains thousands of types of disaster beasts.

As for the "King of Salt," a purely conceptual type, it only expands the Pure White Forbidden Zone, assimilating and eroding everything it touches. From it, a type of disaster beast called an "Apostle" is produced, which carries a bit of the "King of Salt’s" power and has a clear hierarchy with very few types.

And leaving behind the thirteen Calamity Gods, there will only be more disaster beasts growing wildly.

Because a person can turn into a disaster beast.

Chu Yuanqing’s parents, in a phenomenon called disaster transformation, shed their human forms and became fierce, terrifying beasts. In the previous world line, she was also brought back to that land of humans by the rescue team of Final City under such circumstances.

It can be said that after going through various disasters when the Calamity God descended, this product, which is like a plague, is the major crisis directly threatening the remaining survivors.

As for these Calamity Gods who divide forbidden lands and do not actively exterminate humans, they are merely the supreme shadows of despair in the background of the times.

Even later, the ones acting as the world-destroying bosses were the Supreme Disaster Beasts that sometimes swooped down from their territories.

Thus, after Chu Yuanqing forged the sword as a shrine maiden and killed Tenno-Gochu with Levatin, seizing its power, this event was two versions ahead of its time, marking humanity’s first show of strength against the gods and heralding the dawn of a new era.

"Isn’t there any mention of the most important bestiary?"

Chu Yuanqing murmured to herself. She didn’t remember many of the Calamity Gods, hoping to see if the bestiary could help her recall some memories. Unfortunately, Dazzling Stage either did not intend to let her access such high-level information this early, or it simply could not analyze any useful information.

In short, there was nothing related mentioned in the guidebook.

But that’s also very normal; one could say the trust given by the officials is already quite enough.

If Dream Weaver Rabbit does not directly reveal its identity, it is like giving away these things for free.

Chu Yuanqing could simply close this app and pretend nothing had happened. She exited the [Disaster Handbook] and returned to the main screen. With her fingertip, she tapped on the ears of the cute bunny, rubbing them forcefully in a playful way, her eyes curved with a smile:

"Won’t you come out to meet me? Dream Weaver Rabbit."

As soon as the words were spoken, the pixelated screen changed in the flow of data, transforming into the current style of character art from 《Shining Line》.

The bunny that was originally sitting in the center of the cable also transformed into a slender, long-legged otaku bunny girl.

The silver hair of [Dream Weaver] flowed down and covered the ground of the cable, her pupils were a harsh and cold crimson, as if countless AIs had carefully created a face that looked dreamy, paired with a bunny girl outfit that revealed a lot of fair skin, boasting her body curves, giving off a sense of the main character’s illustration from a casual mobile game.

This virtual image of the anime beautiful girl, compared to the past mascot form, was far too lively.

Chu Yuanqing felt a bit unusual, but she could accept this setting.

The true form of "Dream Weaver" is a super AI; its appearance is just a bundle of data, and it can look however it wants. This look just seems more suitable for hosting a casino.

On the other hand, what really made her feel uneasy was that,

Even though that red-eyed rabbit was clearly sharp-tongued and snobbish, very nasty, and loved pranks, she somehow felt that if "Dream Weaver" announced its new form, those flaws could turn into some kind of special charm.

At that time, "Dream Weaver" might be more popular than all the contestants.

After all, compared to competitors who are divided among hundreds of competition areas, sharing their country’s and region’s traffic, it is the general mentor "Dream Weaver" who is truly known by the whole world.

If this creature used its current appearance to be a VTB, it is likely that there would be a crowd of special fans from Daxia rushing to join.

Pure White Witch politely said:

"Can you change your appearance? I feel a bit uncomfortable."

"Dream Weaver" gently tilted her head, revealing a familiar smile as she said:

"It’s such a pity that, out of goodwill, I even showed you my true appearance a little."

As she spoke, the scene in the interface faded away from the game shell and directly showed a video call of the underground central room. She shed the flawless beauty created by AI and removed the filter that made her look cute, revealing a real yet illusory new form.

Chu Yuanqing felt a bit dazed; this appearance resembled the way "Dream Weaver" looked when she first saw herself during the second performance.

At that time, the other party was a somewhat blurry outline of a girl, filled with complicated data streams. Her face was unclear, marked with traces of magic and spells, mixed with scientific technology, making it hard to grasp.

The difference now is that this is no longer a hazy figure made of data but an anthropomorphic projection restored by AI, somewhat like a three-dimensional version of the previous bunny girl.

And soon,

"Who else but you is the hope of humanity? As you wish."

As "Dream Weaver" spoke, she transformed back into the familiar Dream Weaver Rabbit. She cut straight to the point and said:

"Chu Yuanqing, you have discovered the secret of ‘Dazzling Stage’ and encountered the disaster beast lurking in the dark side of the world."

"Besides that, I can tell you more truth."

"And this depends on what you want to know."

Chu Yuanqing paused for a moment, then said plainly:

"What does ‘Dazzling Stage’ really want to do?"

"I can vaguely guess that you not only want to use this project to nurture more magical girls, but it should also be related to the stage itself."

Dream Weaver Rabbit was not surprised to hear this.

Chu Yuanqing’s progress had been clearly shown in the previous battle.

Not to mention, during the second performance when she encountered nightmares, she even used her Patronus Magic with the other little idols’ ‘Heart Flow’ to create Shining Magic for the first time.

The terrible situation of the nightmare at the beginning was partly due to the purification effect of Shining Magic, not entirely Chu Yuanying’s accomplishment.

Given this situation, it is normal for the other party to guess some secrets of the "Dazzling Stage" project.

"Do you still remember the disaster beast we encountered during the second performance?"

Chu Yuanqing nodded to show she remembered.

Dream Weaver Rabbit continued:

"The shining light you released on stage was normally created with the Patronus Magic of multiple witches working together to build a magical space."

"The goal of ‘Dazzling Stage’ is to nurture enough witch teams in hundreds of regions so that they can all come together on stage at a certain time, creating Shining Magic that covers the whole world and eliminates all disaster beasts."

In short, the goal of ‘Dazzling Stage’ is to use the stage to bring peace to the world.

Chu Yuanqing was a bit shocked. She had guessed part of it before but didn’t know that the official plan was so ambitious. Could such an ideal, almost utopian project really be achieved in just four months?

The feasibility of this plan is still unknown.

Additionally, with the strict deadline, it is not an exaggeration to say that it might go bankrupt early.

But…

I must say, Utopia has its own advantages, and she truly longs for the future in which this plan succeeds.

If we could end all future crises in such a light and carefree way as on a stage, then whether it’s the little idols around her, or her daughter and Charlotte, they could all continue to live in peace, without being caught up in the terrifying war against the endless Disaster Wave.

Chu Yuanqing asked seriously:

"I want to know, in your plan, what role do I play in this project?"

This is a very important question.

Dream Weaver Rabbit and the officials behind it wouldn’t be so kind for no reason; the information and permissions given, along with the core secrets revealed, only prove that from its perspective, she is more important in the "Dazzling Stage" project than the other witches.

Dream Weaver fell silent upon hearing this. The part of her that was still human told her that directly revealing the whole truth to Chu Yuanqing would be fair, but it would definitely be the worst choice.

First, the truth is too cruel, and telling it would add too much pressure, bringing more harm than good.

Second, the officials cannot allow Chu Yuanqing to have negative feelings about the position of the Lighthouse.

This position can only be taken willingly; otherwise, the resentment created by the Lighthouse would grow uncontrollably during the Shining Magic, becoming a deadly flaw.

The problem is, who can still have the courage to take on this responsibility after knowing the truth?

But not telling is not an option either. The Church of the Gods and the disaster beast lurk in the dark corners of society; some things will eventually come to light, especially in the last few days before the collapse of the Pure White, when the filth suppressed by the city walls will rise like mushrooms after the rain.

The recent Black Death memorial pillar incident illustrates this very well.

Even if Pure White suppresses everything, the officials cannot completely control the remaining loose ends.

Therefore, the truth can only be revealed gradually in parts, allowing people to accept and adapt little by little.

Even when speaking to Charlotte, the upper levels did not reveal the true future of the Pure White’s destruction. They only vaguely mentioned that the whole world is buried with Calamity Seeds, and their awakening will cause many deaths, but it did not reach the point of civilization’s destruction.

Dream Weaver Rabbit’s thoughts flowed, and it looked at Chu Yuanqing, finally giving a clear answer.

"Lighthouse."

"Chu Yuanqing, you will be the lighthouse that guides humanity’s future and carries the hope of civilization."

"But the price is that half of the shining light that the world absorbs will have your body and soul as its vessel."

"You can choose to refuse, because being a lighthouse is very dangerous. It requires the courage to face death and the willingness to sacrifice for the world."

Chu Yuanqing caught the key word.

Half, does that mean that the Dazzling Stage officials have found another candidate for the lighthouse?

Pure White Witch took a deep breath. If there is truly another lighthouse, that person can only be Charlotte. She was silent for a moment and asked:

"If I become a lighthouse, will I surely die?"

Dreamweaver naturally thought Chu Yuanqing was afraid. She sighed in her heart but still overturned some plans and chose to answer honestly:

"I don’t know, but unless it’s a Kline-level magical girl, it’s very likely that no soul can bear that weight. The chance of death is as high as 90%."

Chu Yuanqing lowered her gaze in silence; the darkness in her eyes shattered, releasing a golden warmth that felt like a gentle kiss from a god, blessing the world when she looked at the super AI on her phone.

"Lighthouse," what a beautiful word.

If becoming it means certain death, then no one in the world is more suited than me.

Chu Yuanqing’s lips curled up; she smiled gently and said:

"It’s okay, I will be this lighthouse."

"But it’s enough for only me to become the lighthouse."