Chapter 211

Chapter 211: [Lighthouse], the Unknown Test, a Socially Anxious Cat That Can Do Backflips

Dream Weaver Rabbit’s worries are justified.

Whether it is Chu Yuanqing or Charlotte, they are just underage children.

To be the center of that stage and perfectly carry out the final plan for "Dazzling Stage" requires an unbreakable will, a beautiful nature like poetry, a pure love for humanity, for the world, for the stage, and even… the courage to face death and a spirit of sacrifice.

These conditions are too unreasonable, like trying to pick a saint from a talent show.

If not for the emergence of The Last Diva, the higher-ups would have had candidates for the center long ago, and the progress of "Dazzling Stage" would only be more urgent.

At present, "Dazzling Stage" has made this position separate from [witch], [fuel], and [Disaster Shell], and calls it — [Lighthouse].

The other contestants can make mistakes, can fail, and can have impure thoughts.

Because they have the [Disaster Shell] filter to catch them, but the one at the magical center, standing at the shining peak, responsible for deciding human fate, the [Lighthouse] cannot.

The reason is simple; it is the last part of the magic, and the "Disaster Shell" cannot work at that moment.

The "Lighthouse" will, in that instant, bear the heavy glow of the world with its fragile soul; it will face the lingering shadows and negativity, the slow pain of a collapsing soul near death, and it will stand alone before the world’s good and evil.

This is the inevitable cost.

Especially in the current limited time, the numbers and quality of "witches," "fuel," and "Disaster Shell" cannot reach the expected arrangement to fully filter out the distractions in the shine, which makes the burden of the "Lighthouse" heavier.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit has calculated the success probabilities of the "Dazzling Stage" project countless times.

If "Pure White" could give humanity a year and a half to develop step by step, allowing this talent show to breathe in the world of entertainment culture, it would be enough to nurture the required number of idols and reduce the burden on the "Lighthouse" to a minimum without such harsh demands.

Under that premise, the "Dazzling Stage" could even have the opportunity to hold a world-class magic event, raising the chance of success to 90%.

However, currently, the number of "witches," "fuel," and "Disaster Shell" is severely lacking. The rush made in four months is too hasty, making problems likely to arise.

The world’s acceptance of the "Dazzling Stage" does not reach expected numbers; even with extreme saturation of promotion, many people will still not be interested in this talent show format.

As for revealing the truth and calling for public attention?

That would only cause unnecessary panic and fill the audience with great negative emotions. Even if the spotlight shines on the "witch" stage, it would be clouded with countless impurities, meaning the plan would be a complete failure.

Therefore, this plan that decides the fate of all humanity must abandon the public’s right to know and can only move forward for the future of civilization through the form of idols and stages, like a child’s play.

Dream Weaver Rabbit glanced over billions of data in an instant and sighed softly:

"37.19%。"

This is the success rate that can only be reached when all operations are pushed to the limit without any unexpected events.

The worst impact of cutting the normal development time of the "Dazzling Stage" project in half is the terrifying demands for the "Lighthouse" to rise quickly.

No one can imagine how much pain the hurriedly launched world-class magic would cause the "Lighthouse" in such a rushed situation, and if she loses her strength during this process, this savior plan, with no time to be replayed, would have irreparable flaws or even fail completely.

That’s why the high-ranking officials of the Donghong Federation were so surprised when Chu Yuanqing appeared.

This is not only because she showed the potential of a top-level witch but also because she demonstrated the qualities needed to carry the Light of the Beacon with her Heart Flow.

After all, before this, Charlotte was the only choice for the Beacon, and it was assumed that the place she would stay was her hometown. This meant that Sacred United Country was the center of world-class magic, and even if there was a mistake in using magic, the area of protection was enough to cover the local area.

Charlotte might be willing to play a middle role, performing on the stage between the two major political powers, but such a significant event involving the fate of the country and the lives of billions of people could not be decided by her alone.

This matter is considered the biggest hidden conflict within Dazzling Stage. It should have fully erupted after Chu Yuanqing informed the pure White that there were only four months left, but due to Chu Yuanqing’s presence, a delicate balance was maintained.

With Chu Yuanqing’s appearance, the Donghong Federation also had its own choice for the Beacon.

This change allowed the two leading forces behind the Dazzling Stage project to continue working together in unity.

However, this is only a superficial appearance; while the dual Beacon can share risks and divide pressure, it also introduces some uncertainties into the final world-class magic.

Even if Chu Yuanqing is indeed very talented, compared to Charlotte, who has proven herself through time and many achievements, she still seems a bit inexperienced, inexperienced enough to be… hard to rely on.

Therefore, due to the swift changes in the situation, the Donghong Federation began to change the previous hands-off approach and decided to give her some challenges to help speed up her growth.

Dream Weaver Rabbit is both the head mentor of "Dazzling Stage" and a super AI that is not afraid of holding grudges. Naturally, it took on the task of being the "examiner." In its plans, having Chu Yuanqing and Charlotte meet was one part of that.

There is no strange reason for this; it’s simply because Chu Yuanqing has no competitors in the Sea City competition area. Meeting the best in her idol category and having a chat with this "beacon" will surely inspire her and have many positive effects.

Sure enough, as soon as Chu Yuanqing arrived in Austria, she didn’t even go to Sankt Wolfgang but already saw Charlotte’s stage from the plaza building. From the monitoring equipment, it was clear she was deeply moved and shocked by The Last Diva’s talent.

Dream Weaver was very pleased.

This feeling of pleasure reached its peak when it saw Chu Yuanqing the next day, who actively sought out competitors from the Vienna competition area to get Charlotte’s contact information.

As an AI, Dream Weaver felt a sense of satisfaction, aware that it had taught someone well.

You see, this is the most outstanding shining Gemstone. She not only accepts her shortcomings right away but also humbly asks better people for advice.

If such an idol doesn’t shine, what idol could possibly shine?

Dream Weaver Rabbit felt that, somehow, these "beacons" would be drawn to each other. After all, Charlotte casually accepted a friend request from a stranger. Isn’t that fate?

This treasure of the Donghong Federation might soon be able to absorb the strengths of the saintess, striving towards a higher stage and shining even brighter. The saintess will also realize for the first time that she has a rival on stage, leading them to learn from each other, push each other, and create a positive cycle!

However…

After reviewing the chat records between the two, Dream Weaver Rabbit began to feel something was off.

What is going on? As witches with the potential of[Kline]and a somewhat famous idol, why are your chat topics neither about magic nor idols?

Also, is your relationship developing a bit too quickly?

Dream Weaver Rabbit was somewhat confused; it tried to hold on to its humanity, which it had retained through magic, and sensed a hint of a romantic atmosphere in the chat record, catching the scent of love, making it hard to evaluate for the moment.

Although a same-sex relationship does not affect the progress of the "Dazzling Stage" plan.

In fact, as long as it doesn’t lead to staying in the same hotel and being caught by paparazzi digging through trash bins, both the fans and the outside audience would only think they are selling a couple, and it wouldn’t tarnish the idol’s reputation.

But what feels wrong, is indeed very wrong.

You should know that Charlotte has a very cheerful and warm personality, but inside she has a special filter. She often stubbornly asks to start the final stage without any teammates, which comes from similar feelings.

On the other hand, Chu Yuanqing did nothing, yet she caught the attention of this saintess. After becoming friends, her mood improved so much that her magical power increased threefold, bringing her closer to blooming.

Chu Yuanqing also acted the same way. After adding Charlotte as a friend, she never asked about her idol or the stage. Instead, they exchanged travel photos every day and chatted about random little things, making it hard not to wonder about her true intentions for being friends.

But at least that’s not a bad thing.

It at least shows that the two beacons are getting along well, and there won’t be any conflicts to worry the higher-ups.

Dream Weaver Rabbit calmly commented:

"If Chu Yuanqing and Charlotte’s relationship can be that strong, based on the idealistic theory of the witch, having them work together as beacons might have amazing results."

"But on the other hand, it could also lead to negative effects, so it’s best to let things be and not interfere."

Dream Weaver Rabbit set those details aside for now and began to finalize the specific test for Chu Yuanqing.

In fact, long before the performance event was set, it had imagined countless possibilities and plans for Chu Yuanqing’s travel route; now, it was simply choosing the methods that could be used in Vienna.

The so-called test naturally involves the truth of the world—the "disaster beast."

Although it initially took a cautious approach with Chu Yuanqing, just like with the other little idols, times have changed.

Chu Yuanqing has now reserved a spot at the "Lighthouse."

Whether it is to test her qualification for this role or to provide her with the most basic right to know, she must, just like Charlotte, truly face the world’s truth.

"The nightmare incident must have left a deep impression on Chu Yuanqing."

The Dream Weaver Rabbit still remembers Chu Yuanqing’s performance on that stage; that level of Shining Magic could even be compared to Xie Qing Yu’s Butterfly of the Underworld, and at that time, she even seemed to enter the "Light Up," showcasing a change in her eye and hair color.

This means that the other party today may not be inferior to that saintess in terms of "witch" progress, but due to limited understanding, she has not been able to build the Magic Armor.

So now, what it must do is to help Chu Yuanqing break through the final barrier, start to question the purpose of the "Dazzling Stage," the truth of the world, and her own uniqueness, and then guide her to know everything.

By following a step-by-step process and observing how the other person performs, you can confirm if she can take on the role of the Lighthouse.

As for Chu Yuanqing’s teammates…

It’s safe to say that these reserve witches will find out the truth sooner or later. For now, to avoid distractions, Dazzling Stage is deliberately hiding and concealing any signs of the supernatural.

However, testing the Lighthouse by letting a few reserve witches learn the truth early is not a cost worth worrying about.

Dream Weaver Rabbit is currently figuring out how to ensure the safety of the team while testing them at the same time.

You should know that, besides Chu Yuanqing, there is also Chu Wang Shu.

There is no need to mention the first; the latter is that person’s daughter, and until they understand her attitude, they even plan not to give Chu Wang Shu the Artificial Lantern, thus ensuring nothing goes wrong.

…

…

The next day, the morning light spilled over the street corner.

Chu Yuanqing’s delicate sleeping face was peaceful, her tired eyes showed a hint of maturity, as if she was lost in thought. Her soft, rounded features were evident as she slept on her side, and a lantern nearby trembled like an alarm clock, reminding her not to stay in bed too long.

The girl’s eyelashes fluttered as she pulled the little one out, sitting up in confusion and sleepiness. She stared blankly for a while before walking barefoot to the window, pulling aside the blackout curtains to feel the gentle breeze and look at the blue sky above.

The weather today was neither cold nor hot, still bright and sunny, with no clouds in sight. It seemed perfect for a trip; I think Little Shu would be very happy.

Chu Yuanqing slightly squinted her eyes, her eyelashes drooping, basking in the sunlight and soft breeze. Her mood was quite good, and out of curiosity, she opened the paper crane jar lying on the tea table, taking out one of the paper cranes inside.

Then, she heard Little Sakura’s voice beside her:

"My ears and heart like you, and they surely tell me to speak to you."

This was a little love phrase spoken in Japanese, her tone certain, her words light and gentle, very tender. The meaning was "My ears and my heart like you; they insist that I must tell you."

After that, there was the sound of fingertips brushing over piano strings.

A soothing and pure guitar melody floated out of the thousand origami cranes, just like Little Sakura’s serious words. This song, from the Japanese drama "First Love," is also called "First Love," which means the same. The original music has a sweet and innocent feeling but is slightly tinged with sadness.

Kirimi Miyuki played with more joy and energy, and the sound that came from her fingertips was as warm as the morning light.

Yes, even though it was very healing, just thinking that her real self couldn’t flirt like the one in the thousand cranes gave a strange feeling.

Chu Yuanqing did not feel this way; she simply thought Miyuki was very cute. After quietly listening to the guitar piece by the window, she went to the bathroom to freshen up, then headed to the hotel restaurant for breakfast with the little idols.

Unusually, today they encountered Chen Xiaoxiao in the restaurant.

This assistant sister sat at a nearby table, her dark circles were quite noticeable, giving her a beautiful look of being overwhelmed by her workload. She was sipping an iced Americano, trying to reduce the puffiness from staying up late, which made the group of friends, who had been having a lot of fun lately, feel a bit guilty.

Kirimi Miyuki handed over a steam eye mask from her bag, allowing the spaced-out Chen Xiaoxiao to feel the warmth of the Sakura school uniform, which deeply moved her.

Chu Yuanqing remembered all the small gifts Chen Xiaoxiao had given her, so she quietly expressed her concern by using a bit of magic to help the working girl feel better, asking:

"Have you been very busy lately? You should balance work and rest; there is always more work to do."

Chen Xiaoxiao felt very energetic, as if she had absorbed the energy of Honey Qing. She inexplicably felt a sense of comfort and embrace, as if she were listening to the sweetest sound in the world, with a slight feeling of shyness and awkwardness.

"Actually, it’s not so bad; the workload with you all is much lighter than before."

"I just hurried to finish editing yesterday and didn’t sleep well, but it won’t be like this again."

Little Sakura added half a sugar cube to her coffee. She heard that magical girls don’t gain weight, so she felt hopeful. Adding sugar felt more "luxurious" than before, and she happily stirred with a spoon and asked:

"What are you editing? Is it the video material we are using for the vlog?"

"That shouldn’t be too urgent."

Chen Xiaoxiao remarked:

"Normally, that’s true, but the video of Liuli and Little Qing at the roller skating rink has already been filmed and shared online back home."

Kirimi Miyuki was a bit surprised and understood why the other person was rushing to edit it.

Although the vlog was released quite late, in order to maintain a certain level of excitement and popularity, and also due to the rules of the program group, each team would release a travel highlight every few days to keep fans updated on their journey and to stay visible. It wouldn’t be a problem to call it a teaser for the vlog.

Recently, the video captured by their team that stood out the most was the backflip of the shy cat. When Chen Xiaoxiao, who works as an editor, cuts the video, she will definitely use this footage and might even use it as a selling point. As a result, the video traveled all the way from Vienna back to Daxia, giving away spoilers.

If Chen Xiaoxiao waits a bit longer to post the video, and those other videos become popular first, she would look foolish and useless as the official representative.

Hmm, that sounds pretty funny.

Tang Liuli’s eyes widened in shock. This is Vienna! How could her "dark history" be shared in just one day?!

The green-eyed cat felt a pang of anxiety. She had a bad feeling and immediately opened Weibo, only to find a bunch of "bad people" popping up in the comment section.

Tang Liuli was suddenly very angry.

Why is everyone talking about the backflip?! Why is no one praising her swan turn?

And what is this about a sex party? She was just on her honeymoon with Honey Qing! Those other bad women were just part of her fun!