Chapter 38

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This chapter is edited by gravityjammy. Thank you for your contribution!

Chapter 38: No Sugar! No Sugar!

This is a lie.

The contestants quickly spotted the loopholes in the words.

No matter how unique ‘Dazzling Stage’ may seem, at its core, it remains a talent show variety program.

Especially when it comes to the sensitive voting process—relying solely on luck is simply impossible.

The final theme song selected will inevitably be closely tied to the contestant it suits best.

In other words, this is a closed stage for the trainees, where the only way to gauge their own and others’ popularity is through this process.

By knowing oneself and one’s opponents, one can win a hundred battles without risk.

Only by identifying the biggest threat can one take timely countermeasures.

It was in the midst of the contestants brainstorming when Dream Weaver Rabbit smiled, raised a hand, snapped its fingers, and said:

“How about we invite our audience to witness this together?”

The virtual reality system quickly received the command and extracted the data stream from the ‘Dazzling Stage’ official website’s live room. Thousands of bullet comments floated like fish in the three-dimensional virtual classroom, creating a dazzling display of flowing lights.

The top players in Grade A were positioned at a high vantage point, with the broadest view, as if overlooking a vast mountain range. They could see countless bullet comments and even interact with them, making their experience highly immersive.

Grade B players, on the other hand, could only watch from below, feeling as if they were being pulled into a surreal world. It was like wandering through a dense morning mist in the mountains, leaving them somewhat disoriented.

[Hehehe, I’m coming to the ‘Dazzling Stage’!]

[The program team knows exactly how to create effects. Beyond the virtual reality performance and the intense pressure on the players, nothing else compares.]

[Is this what it feels like to dance openly in front of the main character? So cool!]

[Dream Weaver Rabbit’s lines are so dramatic, they ignite a fiery passion!]

[What kind of hot-blooded idol show is this?]

[The line ‘the stage is a battlefield, victory or defeat determines the future’ is just… so cool!]

These bullet comments appeared to be intelligently sorted and categorized, instantly retrieved and calculated through big data, rushing toward the players in an organized fashion. What started as a simple light show quickly transformed into a grand public execution scene.

[Maid outfit! Maid outfit! Maid outfit!]

[Fans have turned hostile. Honey Qing should stay away from Sakura Girl! Don’t fall for her tricks!]

[You’d better faint from happiness!]

Chu Yuanqing briefly lifted her head, her eyes widening as a wave of panic hit her. It felt like a heart attack, and she wished she could just evaporate on the spot.

The girl’s face flushed with embarrassment as she struggled to maintain a serious expression.

Ugh, that annoying red-eyed rabbit is trying to disturb my peace with bullet comments again!

Sigh, what’s with the maid outfit? What does “maid outfit” even mean again?

The word triggered a vague memory, like something was trying to correct cause and effect in her mind.

Chu Yuanqing, still confused, suddenly remembered the time she had worn a maid outfit in an awkward situation. She clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and almost stomped her foot in frustration. She was so embarrassed that even her ears turned red.

Oh no, who granted me this superpower?

How tricky! It could have been easily fixed with a simple adjustment in cause and effect, but instead, it created such a detailed past—so complete that even she herself didn’t remember—bringing forth all this embarrassing history for no reason!

No wonder, when she was wearing underwear, her movements were oddly skilled, effortlessly unbuttoning or buttoning up like solving a Rubik’s Cube.

Are all magical girls this magical?

At the same time, surrounded by the bullet comments floating around Chu Yuanqing, her gaze locked in place, the audience could immediately spot the subtle expressions on her face and the quick flush of her earlobes. Their excitement was uncontrollable:

[So cute, so cute, so cute, she’s blushing!]

[I’m a student, give me one!]

[Can’t stand it, so spicy! Can’t you see my dear Honey Qing feeling shy? All you lesbian girls, behave yourselves and stay away from my Honey Qing!]

Modern internet lesbian literature has given a small shock to the savior of the old times.

Chu Yuanqing couldn’t handle it at all. Her mind went blank from the crude comments, and she chose to act like an ostrich—closing her eyes and pretending to be dead.

Similar things happened to many other contestants during this time.

The difference between them and Chu Yuanqing was that they were all well-versed in navigating the internet, unlike a middle-aged office worker out of touch with the times. They had strong filtering abilities.

Everyone knew that engaging with the internet was the best way to gather information about their popularity outside, so naturally, they couldn’t afford to ignore it.

As a result, almost everyone was interacting with the bullet comments in their own way now.

From the perspective of the Grade A contestants, the number of bullet comments outside their own area decreased in a staggered manner. However, Chu Yuanqing was surrounded by a large number of bullet comments in the C-level area, making her seem out of place compared to the other Grade C contestants.

In the Grade B area, the standout contestants were Tang Liuli, followed by Chu Wang Shu.

Tang Liuli had once been a shining child star in Daxia.

Even after retiring for many years, Tang Liuli’s hidden fan base was still much larger than that of most new singers.

On the other hand, this young actress, who had gained some fame in the movie and TV industry, reappeared on Dazzling Stage after years of retirement as an idol trainee, sparking great curiosity.

In this situation, her story was distorted and spread by online accounts and self-media for the sake of popularity, only increasing her visibility.

The comments pouring in now included heartfelt blessings and support from loyal fans, as well as gossip and idle chatter from onlookers.

Tang Liuli’s green eyes were dark, filled with overwhelming feelings of inferiority and fear, as if a wave were crashing over her. She opened her mouth to read the comments but couldn’t speak, standing silently like a statue on the verge of shattering.

Until…

[Liuli, were you staring at Chu Yuanqing’s profile all along?]

[Oh yeah, I remember she blushed. Super cute.]

[Little Liuli grew up to be very pretty, but unfortunately she became a lesbian, and it’s so joyful.]

[Stop talking, it’s a secret crush.]

[Isn’t it sweet? Isn’t it sweet? Isn’t it sweet?]

Tang Liuli instantly lost her composure.

Darn it, what peeking? What secret crush?

Not me! I didn’t! That wasn’t me!!!

Tang Liuli couldn’t suppress her frustration any longer. She anxiously wanted to speak up in disagreement, but the many eyes following the bullet comments made her feel uncomfortable. Her lips trembled, struggling to form words, and after a long pause, only a small sentence escaped quietly:

“No ‘sugar’ allowed!”

Unsurprisingly, this sparked a wave of rebellion from the audience. They seized on this point and fiercely vented their criticisms. Bullet comments multiplied rapidly, soon turning the surrounding area into a chaotic, joyful ocean.