Chapter 195
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Chapter 195: Shining Line, Vienna, the So-Called Reunion
Chu Yuanqing looked out the window at the flowing clouds and blue sky.
This steel monster, born from civilization, howled as it broke through thick clouds, with its turbofan engines pumping like a heart, roaring as it burned fuel, lifting its steel wings high and speeding fast into the sky.
The clouds moved, and with a slight feeling of weightlessness, the world outside the window became clearer, the clouds shining with golden light, the sky’s colors becoming brighter, as if washed with water.
Chu Yuanqing felt a bit nostalgic; in the old days, after the arrival of the [Calamity God] and the thirteen forbidden places, the world’s plates kept shifting, causing tsunamis, earthquakes, storms, and volcanic eruptions… and many other disasters destroyed much of civilization’s industrial system.
The sky had become a forbidden zone ruled by various [Calamity Gods]; even ordinary vehicles like passenger planes lost their ability to fly, and within a few years, not a single intact one could be found, much like the decay of civilization, falling in the twilight of the apocalypse.
And it was because she had experienced such times that Chu Yuanqing found it so easy to feel content.
Even in this peaceful new era, there were still famine, inequality, war, natural disasters, and a series of unhappy and unpleasant things, yet even so, the outcomes brought by any [Calamity God] were still a thousand times, ten thousand times kinder.
The God of Calamity does not destroy civilization itself, but an entire planet; humanity is just some dust brushed away while He cleans the world.
If it weren’t for that, my past self would never have had a chance to be born.
Chu Yuanqing cleared her thoughts. She sat on a handmade leather sofa and pulled the curtain of the window, feeling the strong gaze of someone and reluctantly glancing at Xie Qingxuan, who sat opposite her.
The girl’s delicate face showed no emotion; her light makeup made her skin look especially soft. With her graceful demeanor and naturally beautiful features, she created a royal atmosphere. However, her eyes stared steadily, filled with joy, like a golden retriever recognizing its owner; it was very cute.
Chu Yuanqing’s eyes sparkled as she watched this scene, wanting to touch Xie Qingxuan’s fluffy head. Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind. She tapped her fingertip to open an app called "Shining Line" and raised her phone to include Xie Qingxuan’s face in the app’s camera.
Immediately, fancy effects jumped out, revealing a cute animated character.
Chu Yuanqing poked the adorable animated character, and it transformed into a golden card marked with five sparkling stars. The animated character then changed into a beautiful illustration, seeming to be based on a photo of Xie Qingxuan from a fashion magazine, highlighting her uniqueness perfectly.
—Golden fur, aloof, proud (uncertain), domineering, strong, large chest.
Finally, the card was humorously named Stage Tyrant, and upon opening it, a series of luxurious stats appeared.
Chu Yuanqing thought for a moment, closed the QR code scanning window on the card draw screen, opened the main game, and tried to play the starting level with [Stage Tyrant].
Yes, the Dream Weaver Rabbit not only created a fun Pokémon-catching feature but also used super AI to turn this app into a fantastic music game where you can spend money, draw cards, and even battle online.
This thing just came out today and quickly became the number one trending topic, using high-tech features and the popularity of "Dazzling Stage" to shake up the gaming world, truly going viral online.
In simple terms, this game collected data from all the players in Sea City and Kyoto, creating high-quality idol cards that have their own voices and illustrations.
It’s worth mentioning that there are over three hundred cards in total, meaning it includes players who were eliminated in the past, giving a nostalgic feeling of shattered dreams for the three-dimensional world and fulfilling otaku dreams.
The most interesting part is that the game allows you to spend money on card draws, but also uses advanced facial recognition to give your game account a corresponding character when you scan a small idol.
Currently, the character cards of Grade A players are the most special. It is said that their names can change based on online information, and none of them are included in the card pool, so you can only catch them offline.
So, among the five small idols in the first class, only Chu Wang Shu can be drawn, and the chance is a pitiful 0.069%.
Of course, Chu Yuanqing has already obtained the character card of her lovely daughter. After downloading [Shining Line], the first card she scanned was Chu Wang Shu, followed by her golden retriever dog who was watching her closely.
After playing for ten minutes, Chu Yuanqing reluctantly put down her phone. She had never played mobile games before and felt that it was a great way to pass the time. With a serious expression on her face, she began to analyze:
"Qingxuan’s stats are so high; the speed of getting through levels is almost like sweeping through."
Once she finished speaking, except for her adorable daughter, who was too excited to sleep and had been reviewing German vocabulary all night, the other little stars looked at Chu Yuanqing with bright eyes, having found the keywords.
Even when recognized by a crowd of fans on the street, a certain child star, who had run out of social energy after signing for one person, suddenly felt revived in this moment.
The green-eyed cat perked up. She forgot her fear of facing a bunch of fans and leaned her cute face close to Chu Yuanqing, blinking her emerald eyes, and said:
"Little Qing, use my character card too!"
Kirimi Miyuki took off her sunglasses and put them in her bag. She couldn’t help but add:
"I also want to see Little Qing use mine; it feels strange to use my own."
Chu Yuanqing thought for a moment, then did not refuse. She glanced at her two teammates, and her game account received two unique five-star cards.
——Silent Sea Monster.
This is Little Liuli’s card name.
The combination of the green-eyed cat[Heart Flow]and her voice easily moves many people who listen to her songs online, and in the end, it brings a sense of peaceful calm, like breathing in fresh air in the forest, which is why she has this nickname.
Hmm, surprisingly serious? But it’s still just as silly as Stage Tyrant.
As for the card’s stats, other than singing, Xie Qingxuan’s are much lower, but the skills are different, making her an essential lead singer in the game, and the two together won’t weaken each other.
Chu Yuanqing continued to look down.
——Gifted by the Gods Sakura.
Kirimi Miyuki’s card frame is adorned with cherry blossoms, her artwork is equally stunning, her smile is very contagious, her eyes sparkle like pink diamonds, and she wears a stylish idol outfit that fits the theme of an idol rhythm game.
But… how is Miyuki’s nickname even sillier than the first two?
But it is also very cute.
To ensure fairness, Chu Yuanqing used two cards to pass the initial level once and then edited all the other teammates’ character cards into a team, marching into the later levels and defeating everything in their way until the end. During the results screen, there were four little idols in 2D striking poses on the spot, almost every time different, which was quite a surprise.
The only unchanging thing was the mascot of "Dazzling Stage" — Dream Weaver Rabbit, who always stayed nearby.
The green-eyed cat commented:
"That red-eyed rabbit really doesn’t do anything important. With so many unique performance scenes, and none showing signs of AI, it can’t be that it’s using its own power to do this, right?"
Kirimi Miyuki, an experienced player who had played more than one idol rhythm game, couldn’t help but give her sharp opinion:
"Dazzling Stage must have bought the rights to Idol Master, Shining Girl, All-People Producer, and a bunch of other game companies, taking all the code and data for reference!"
"It’s outrageous, I’ve never seen character cards switch to 3D models in the settings before, and the quality is so high. Can super AI really do whatever it wants?"
"No wonder Shining Line became popular so quickly. Although it’s a mash-up, it’s very generous with its resources; even the storyline is quite complete."
Xie Qingxuan commented:
"This is the first mobile game based on a real talent show, it has both freshness and excitement. Given the popularity of the program, it’s no surprise there is this kind of response."
"When I signed the contract, I saw that it mentioned needing permissions for this kind of use. It seems that the project for ‘Dazzling Stage’ was already prepared to launch a mobile game, which is quite normal; its scale covers many fields."
"Later, the program group will likely give some rewards to the contestants who enter the card pool, but I don’t know yet how that will be calculated."
The golden retriever said, quietly opened the capture button for ‘Shining Line’ on his phone, and successfully caught a Pure White Witch. A beautiful mix of colorful golden light filled the screen, and out jumped the otaku version of Honey Qing, with white hair and golden eyes.
—Donghong Amaterasu/Donghong the Peerless Empress.
Xie Qingxuan’s eyes sparkled. She ignored the two overly dramatic card names, tapped on the cute figure inside, and admired the newly created beautiful card. Her pink lips curved into a smile as she said happily:
"Little Qing, so cute."
Kirimi Miyuki had already obtained the Honey Qing character card after downloading the game. Not to be outdone, she switched the game to 3D mode, poked at the Pure White Witch’s skirt, and watched the graceful girl spin around, feeling very satisfied.
Even if it’s just for Honey Qing’s character card, this game must be firmly locked on the phone!
Tang Liuli was faster than Xie Qingxuan; she didn’t pull any cards and didn’t check on the other teammates, letting Chu Yuanqing and her character card stay in storage. When forming a team, she only chose two, as if trying to prove her pure love and seal away the demons in her heart.
Chu Yuanqing, as an old relic, was experiencing the Pandora’s box called mobile game for the first time, feeling very fresh. She looked at the other three little idols and suggested:
"Shall we connect and have a match using our own character cards?"
Hearing this, Tang Liuli became excited; in such a simple rhythm game, even with the worst character, she could clear it with one hand. What could the useless Sakura girl and the silly dog that only knew rock-paper-scissors compare to her?
The green-eyed cat had already planned the script. She would kick Little Sakura, punch Great Devil, then pretend to struggle as Honey Qing, using all her strength and then slip and lose, making a big show of her presence.
Ten minutes later, the invincible quiet sea demon "easily" defeated the useless Sakura girl.
Twenty minutes later, the noble cat arrived at a new battlefield, with a perfect understanding of the game mechanics, crushing the Stage Tyrant that had begun the "sit zen" mode with ease and laughter.
At this moment,
Tang Liuli felt incredibly refreshed. She had successfully overcome the nightmare in her heart. For a moment, it was like she was in another world, lost in joy and happiness, swelling up like a pufferfish, and confidently began her duel with Chu Yuanqing.
Five minutes later, the game was over.
Chu Yuanqing, like a butterfly dancing among flowers, skillfully let her fingers fall. Without any hesitation, she ended the victory screen, took a deep breath, and happily said,
"This game isn’t too hard after all."
The green-eyed cat seemed to have lost all its energy, with only a gray-white soul floating in its seat. It looked like it had been crushed by the great Donghong Amaterasu, appearing worn-out and limp like abstract slime, filled with a sense of lost dreams.
Little Sakura hesitated to speak, her eyes full of envy and joy.
To be honest, Liuli’s reflexes and understanding of the game were already amazing, but Honey Qing was even more skilled. It was her first time playing a rhythm game, yet she moved her fingers so fast that they seemed to create illusions, even achieving perfect accuracy with no mistakes.
Is this the power of a magical girl? Little Qing is truly impressive!
Xie Qingxuan’s attention was very subtle.
So… Little Qing’s fingers can move this fast? Should we let her use them on herself next time? Would that be more "efficient" than generating power on her own?
The golden retriever thought carefully and decided, based on the principle of learning through practice and a simple curiosity about the unknown, to go on a night adventure to Honey Qing today, to feel the truths inside with its own body.
Chu Yuanqing did not know that the serious little idol across from her was filled with some scary "conspiracies." She squeezed the gray-and-white green-eyed cat and started dividing into teams of black and white, playing several rounds of [Dazzling Stage] in pairs, only stopping an hour later.
On the other side, as an assistant, Chen Xiaoxiao, along with a few other staff members, sat in first class.
However, to avoid suspicion and to let the little idol feel more comfortable, they all sat far away from this side, only able to faintly hear the scattered conversations and laughter from over there.
At this moment, the worker sighed, reminisced for a while about lost youth, and then continued to busy herself with various tasks, coordinating matters after the plane landed.
Although it is said to be free activities, the safety of the contestants must still be ensured, and many safety risks need to be eliminated in advance.
From this perspective, the official announcement by [Dazzling Stage] about contestants leaving the base to perform in different parts of the world truly increased their workload substantially. For example, Tang Liuli encountered many fans at the airport; if she hadn’t brought security, things could have easily gone wrong.
The good news is that not many people know them in Austria, so once they land, they can be free like birds in the sky.
The bad news is that once Tang Liuli’s boarding news was revealed and spread online, the destination of Vienna was no longer a secret and required caution.
At the same time, she had to be careful about being followed by fans and paparazzi when returning home.
Chen Xiaoxiao felt increasingly overwhelmed, but then she thought, supporting Honey Qing and adding value was the greatest encouragement, right? This was a sacred job to ensure her little idol’s safety! How could she complain about it?
With a change in her mindset, the annoying work became lovable, and she happily and cheerfully continued to work hard.
The clouds outside the window changed, and the sunlight adjusted with the passing of time.
When the plane arrived in Sacred United Country, her lovely daughter had already woken up from her nap. Excited, she played a fun game of "Shining Line" with everyone for a while and then took on a serious attitude, continuing to study hard.
Meanwhile, the scenery outside grew more vibrant, and they could vaguely see the long, winding Alps, indicating they had reached the capital of Austria.
The plane landed slowly at the airport.
As the crowd disembarked the plane and breathed in the fresh air, they all felt quite pleasant. Since they had mostly napped during the journey, the ten-hour trip did not feel tiring.
The light of dusk fell around them, but it seemed like the journey was just beginning. The gradient of light on their bodies shone like the rising sun.
After Chu Yuanqing asked the staff about the location, she found her things by identifying the tags at the luggage check-in area. Her German was particularly fluent, which made her lovely daughter behind her a little envious.
This was thanks to Charlotte, whose hometown spoke German, so she had intentionally learned it for a while. Even after a long time and distance, when she heard the familiar language, she could still pick up the related skills.
Thinking carefully, a place like Vienna seemed very suitable for someone like her to be born.
Chen Xiaoxiao originally wanted to book a bus to carry the five contestants and several staff members to the hotel where they had reserved rooms.
But since it was their first time here, everyone wanted to see the city scenery along the way before returning to the hotel, so they decided to take the express train at the airport.
This train’s final destination was Vienna’s central train station, connecting the subway, suburban trains, trams, and buses, making travel quite convenient.
Twenty minutes later, the view of the city center appeared before their eyes.
The old town here is known as a UNESCO World Heritage site, with large classical European buildings mixed with modern styles. Sitting on the tram and patiently admiring the sights felt like traveling through a time tunnel, while the Danube River cut through the city’s reflection in the dusk and evening breeze.
Chu Yuanqing dragged her suitcase, walking on the busy pedestrian street, surrounded by the voices of small idols, some sighing, some excited, and some sleepy, with the smell of fireworks all around.
As Chu Yuanqing passed through this area, she arrived at a more commercial square, with a hotel not far away. However, her steps stopped under the strange gazes of others, and she looked up at the giant screen on the shopping mall, like Times Square, staring in amazement.
The screen showed a person she knew very well.
The girl’s exquisite face glowed with soft enthusiasm, her eyes like beautiful gemstones, with colors that seemed to dance like a kaleidoscope, reaching across time further than the Danube River, connecting with those swaying golden eyes.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still, yet it rushed in like a wild wave.
It was like a ship full of flowers that had run aground in the deep sea, resurfacing after many years, with regrets sealed away like heavy rain flowing against the current—so sad, yet so joyful.
After 17 years, the shadow of the past finally caught up with her, allowing her to see the singer of Final City, and also… the Charlotte of a new era.
Do you think this counts as a reunion?
