Chapter 76
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This chapter is edited by Geofem. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 76: Charlotte, Please Come and Save Me!
Chu Yuanqing had a good reason for resisting.
Theoretically, two thousand viewers wouldn’t be a huge concern, even if the live broadcast audience has previously witnessed candidates dance in low skirts. The fact that they were watching live, however, was crucial!
Furthermore, it was challenging to regulate the magical girl’s extrasensory sense since it was so sensitive to gazes.
Chu Yuanqing could virtually visualize the whole of her body on stage, including her thighs, waist, back, chest, arms, and face. Being scrutinized by two thousand people, feeling as if each area was being slowly and violently investigated, leaving her tingling and humiliated as if she had been rubbed all over.
Terrifying!
It’s really too terrifying!
Just thinking a little bit about the embarrassment of being seen naked by her daughter had been overshadowed by this terrifying event.
Chu Yuanqing didn’t have time to be upset before accusing the cruel Red-Eyed Rabbit. She felt like a prisoner awaiting sentencing, nervously gazing at the enormous screen and feeling time pass slowly.
With two thousand audience members in the performance stage now, it was a settled fact. The only hope left was the Carry Center. As long as they couldn’t get the Carry Center, blending in the background wouldn’t be too bad.
Therefore, the rules for the Carry Center competition that Dream Weaver Rabbit was about to announce would largely determine their fate.
In her opinion, the rules should be based solely on popularity votes.
Because in that case, with her online persona crumbling and herself surrounded by haters in the live broadcast room, she would undoubtedly end up at the bottom of the six, successfully avoiding the terrifying Carry Center demon!
At this moment,
The players loud chatter gradually subsided.
Dream Weaver Rabbit looked around, smiling, and said:
“This time’s Carry Center battle will take on a more innovative form.”
“The program group will randomly select dance clips provided by fans for 168 players present and let you shoot a one-minute short video based on them, to be submitted before midnight tonight.”
“We will send the short videos to the official account of “Dazzling Stage” on the TikTok app, and the final winner of the “Carry Center” will be determined by the number of likes within 12 hours.”
As the words fell silent, the live broadcast room suddenly erupted in excitement.
“So the questionnaire we filled out when getting the tickets was for this? Well done, ‘Dazzling Stage’!”
In an instant, multiple bullet comments were directed toward Chu Yuanqing, producing a horrifying scene. Some fans even briefly became fearsome critics, generating a negative atmosphere.
Chu Yuanqing flinched and felt a cold, as if something unpleasant was watching her. However, she rapidly recognized the “truth” of the situation.
I get it now; that little troublemaker must be cursing me out.
Awesome, almost forgot about all my haters!
Alright, does this mean I’ve already lost?
Chu Yuanqing, who was still unsure of herself, became engrossed in unrealistic fantasies at that point. Her brows relaxed, her attitude softened, and her cherry lips curled up, showing a clear and adorable grin and causing a stir among the bullet comments.
At the same time,
Dream Weaver Rabbit added additional rules, saying, “Although only Grade A players are eligible to compete for the Carry Center, other players can also be ranked according to the number of likes on their videos.”
“No need to say more; this ranking will determine the specific positions on the performance stage.”
“It is worth mentioning that the program group has already contacted the TikTok platform. To give likes to the official account of ‘Dazzling Stage,’ some identity verification and answering questions are required to prevent unexpected situations.”
“At the same time, in the theme song segment, players who win the Carry Center votes will be ranked according to the number of votes, which will be converted into initial likes of one million, five hundred thousand, and one hundred thousand respectively.”
Chu Yuanqing blinked, feeling a bit discouraged as the smile on her lips faded.
Oh no, I forgot about the exclusive ticket! Starting with fifty thousand likes is not a good way to begin!
Dream Weaver Rabbit opened his arms, revealing a joyful smile, and softly said:
“Of course, there is another key rule for this round, which is player voting.”
With that, the big screen behind him suddenly changed, showing one Grade A player after another on the evaluation stage in straight-on shots, all lined up together, giving a sense of unity and partnership.
Dream Weaver Rabbit looked around, scanning the faces of the six Grade A players, his smile turning sinister, his tone full of persuasion.
“Now, all players present, including the six Grade A players, have the ability to vote. Please vote for your favorite candidate at the Carry Center within the next 10 minutes.”
“The top three with the most votes will each receive a different amount of funding for video streaming. I don’t need to explain how vital this is for the Carry Center competition, which is just 12 hours long.
Dream Weaver Rabbit clapped his hands, not giving everyone time to think.
“So now the countdown has officially begun. Players who voted can join the stage to pick songs and dances via the screen in front of them, after which they can freely access the practice area for training and filming.”
As his voice trailed off.
The ten-minute countdown appeared on the dome.
The high-tech “Dazzling Stage” appeared again, creating virtual screens in front of everyone.
Chu Yuanqing looked serious and started thinking.
This vote was important for the other candidates, deciding the fate of some, and it needed to be treated seriously even though she didn’t want to be the Carry Center.
She began by eliminating the options for herself. Two of the five other Grade A candidates were her roommates; one had a deep relationship with her outside the arena, the charming and attractive Little Sakura, and the other two were talented but less familiar.
Little Liuli grudgingly participated in the selection since she had little interest in idols and even had social anxiety. She would never want to be the Carry Center; therefore, Chu Yuanqing passed on her.
Then came Qingxuan, a young girl who seemed to be committed to becoming an idol and had a secret resolve in her heart.
Compared to Miyuki’s ardent determination, almost like committing her soul to the stage, Qingxuan appeared far behind, unable to compete on the same level.
Therefore, regardless of their relationships, Chu Yuanqing would choose the latter.
Let’s not talk about Chen Yining and Ji Shuzhu. Since we don’t know them very well, we can only compare them directly on the secondary rating stage.
The conclusion is Kirimi Miyuki’s complete victory.
Chu Yuanqing appeared relaxed. After 10 seconds of deliberation, she voted for Kirimi Miyuki in front of the live broadcast audience.
There is no reason to hesitate. According to the voting standards, Miyuki, who shines the brightest on stage and has the greatest desire and aspirations, is the most qualified candidate for the Carry Center.
But from the audience’s perspective, the scenario in the live broadcast room was very different. Like sharks sniffing blood, a big number of CP fans gathered and started commenting aggressively.
“I’m so sad; Honey Qing’s favorite is really Little Sakura!”
This vote effectively silenced the remaining CP supporters since the outcome of the votes had a significant influence on the future. The outcome was a brief turmoil as “Meet You in the Mist” and “Homophone of Shengqing” tightly controlled the majority of the bullet comments.
But the atmosphere quickly changed when Chu Yuanqing’s regular fans and the toxic Wei Wei fanatics showed there.
“I’m crying. As a toxic Wei Wei fan, it’s really upsetting. Why didn’t Qing Qing vote for herself? What if she was only one vote away from being first?”
“Honey Qing always lacked confidence. In interviews, she said things that made her believe she might be eliminated soon, so she voted for Little Sakura.”
“It’s true, on stage, Honey Qing saved many people and impressed many, but she couldn’t save herself from her own low self-esteem.”
Chu Yuanqing’s fans’s imaginations made them like her more.
Why, even after creating an amazing performance, did she still not have the confidence to believe she did well?
Why, knowing how important the vote was, did she almost thoughtlessly vote for another contestant?
Her vote symbolized the relief of giving up dreams for others, as well as showing the deep self-doubt in their hearts.
Fans couldn’t speak through the screen, so they could only watch helplessly as the participants doubted themselves and moved further from the center of the stage.
The pain felt like being cut with a knife; the more they thought about it, the worse it felt.
Pain! So much pain!
The end result was that the fans unity suddenly increased.
“What if Honey Qing feels inferior? What if she does not believe in herself? What are we voting for? Even if we miss one vote and fall out of the top three, can’t we still push Honey Qing to the main carry position?”
“You vote for me, I vote for you, then Honey Qing will be in the Carry Center tomorrow!”
At the same time,
Chu Yuanqing wrinkled her nose, feeling that something was not right.
Due to a sense of panic brought on by “Little Black’s” recurrent epileptic convulsions, she abandoned the voting interface and entered the dance selection interface, abruptly stiffening with wide eyes.
The screen displayed dozens of short dancing videos, evidently selected directly from TikTok, with styles that were lively and eye-catching at first sight.
Chu Yuanqing’s lashes drooped, softly sliding downward. The more she swiped, the more terrified and embarrassed she grew, nearly revealing whirling effects in her eyes.
Why is the internet like this now?
Are there any very serious dance videos on TikTok?
Oh no, what if we randomly select one that’s not quite right?
Chu Yuanqing’s fingers trembled as she paused on the screen, frightened to hit the draw button, fearful that the next instant would be black, as if she had fallen into an abyss.
On the other side,
Tang Liuli made a decision. She glanced at the girl next to her, who was in a good mood, and asked softly:
“Little Shu, who are you going to vote for?”
Chu Wang Shu looked apologetic, her young face serious as she smiled and said:
“Although I like the TV show Liuli stars in, my favorite is Qing Qing, so I’m voting for her!”
Tang Liuli nodded in agreement. She wasn’t interested in idols; all she wanted was for Chu Yuanqing to reach the world’s greatest stage and realize her hopes and ambitions.
She replied, “You’re right; I’m going to vote for Qing Qing too.”
After a brief, thoughtless vote exchange, Chu Yuanqing and the other individual began dancing, which generated conversation in the streaming room.
“Oh, Honey Moon voting for Honey Qing is fine, but what’s wrong with you, Little Liuli?”
“It’s hard to imagine Liuli not voting for Honey Qing. I can picture Liuli wrapped in a blanket, dropping little pearls.”
Without giving it any thought, Ji Shuzhu just cast her vote for her childhood friend.
Although she couldn’t satisfy herself with the other person’s brilliance, she couldn’t ignore Chen Yining’s years of hard work due to their agreement.
If she could, she also wanted to see Chen Yining shine and walk hand in hand with the other person to a world-class stage.
Unfortunately, there’s no “if.”
The effects of hypermnesia had deeply affected her personality, twisting her into a distorted state after years of torment.
Ji Shuzhu’s great drive to shine outweighed the moral values established by education. Under this premise, she had been denying herself for Chen Yining for a decade, working tirelessly in the field of choreography.
However, the outcome of enduring for ten years was that Chen Yining still couldn’t find her “Heart Flow” on stage.
Ji Shuzhu was dissatisfied. Despite her awareness of the other party’s pain and effort, her disappointment weakened her inner shields. As a result, her need for happiness and brilliance became out of control.
Therefore, even before participating in the “Dazzling Stage,” she had already planned to leave alone and say goodbye.
Some things just won’t bear fruit, no matter how hard you try.
Only children believe that giving leads to a reward.
Sweat won’t betray you, but dreams might.
Chen Yining and she agreed on the same terms. While it would be wonderful and beautiful if it were realized, it would be equally understandable if it did not. Regrets that go unresolved are numerous in our world, so what damage would one more cause?
Meanwhile,
This agreement cannot fully explain Ji Shuzhu’s sentiments for Chen Yining. Failure to meet the agreement does not destroy the friendship or prevent their connection from progressing beyond friendship. It’s not a significant issue.
Unfortunately, Miss doesn’t see it that way. Her mind is full of agreements and the stage, and her pride won’t let her give up.
This clash of ideas will eventually explode at some point.
On the other hand,
Chen Yining, Xie Qingxuan, and Kirimi Miyuki all confidently voted for themselves without hesitation, embodying the spirit of “Dazzling Stage” and being self-centered towards the stage.
The other contestants on stage are also making their choices.
Some feel that the voting process has nothing to do with their own interests, so they choose to abstain and start practicing their dance routines.
Some see this as a chance to manipulate the votes to their advantage, carefully choosing who to vote for in order to achieve something for themselves. Some even vote for the Grade A that they believe is the least popular in the hopes of shining brighter on stage.
Of course, there are those with pure intentions, like Chu Yuanqing, who follow the rules and vote for the Grade A they believe is most suitable for Carry Center.
Ten minutes passed quickly.
The countdown on the dome reached zero.
Dream Weaver Rabbit clapped its hands with a smile full of anticipation and mischief, as if it had already seen an interesting scene in advance, eagerly saying,
“Time is up, so now, let’s announce the results.”
The screen flickered and, in front of everyone, revealed the answers directly, making it clear at a glance how many votes each of the six contestants received.
Chu Yuanqing led the pack, having stunned the crowd with her performance on stage, collecting an astonishing 67 votes, over half of the total votes, most likely owing to the lasting impression of her stage presence.
Closely followed came the young woman from Yunlan Entertainment, whose 39-vote total caused quite a stir and well above the audience’s expectations during the live broadcast.
Tang Liuli, who showed little interest in the Carry Center, unexpectedly took third place with a very tight 16 votes, once again surprising everyone.
As soon as the results were announced, the live broadcast room erupted in excitement.
“I don’t mind Honey Qing being in first place, but it’s strange that Great Devil and Little Sakura didn’t make it to the top three.”
“Isn’t it obvious? The other contestants are intentionally not voting for Xie Qingxuan and Kirimi Miyuki out of spite.”
“It’s amusing; do they genuinely believe that by behaving in this manner, they will attract more attention during the performance? Do these repulsive games have to be played?”
“It’s hard to say, but haven’t you forgotten about the rules of ‘Dazzling Stage’ before? Xie Qingxuan and Kirimi Miyuki didn’t share the A-level practice room with any of the contestants, so the current results are just a reflection of their past actions.”
This comment immediately cleared up the confusion for many viewers.
Tang Liuli’s victory may be a result of malicious voting.
Chen Yining’s second-place win over Great Devil and Little Sakura is not without reason. Compared to the other two, who are either lacking in emotional intelligence or too pure, she understands social nuances well. By using the Grade A privileges with Ji Shuzhu, she helped many contestants.
Those helped contestants, if half of them reciprocate at this moment out of gratitude, Chen Yining’s votes are sure to increase.
What’s more remarkable is that all the Top A contestants with a similar attitude to Chen Yining were demoted, so her votes won’t be divided, giving her a big advantage.
Although the logic was clear, the conflict in the live studio did not calm down; instead, it intensified, showing a rising trend.
After all, not everyone agrees with the ways of the world, and the elements of contestants intentionally manipulating votes still exist, not calming down the Grade A fans.
But after this battle, everyone understands the malicious intent behind “Dazzling Stage.”
The test of the Carry Center battle began the moment it was revealed that Grade A contestants could share privileges, testing not only their stage performance but also other aspects in the voting process.
Kirimi Miyuki lost.
Yet in her eyes, she didn’t lose due to the ways of the world but because her charm on stage was not enough to make up for this flaw.
Chu Yuanqing’s ability to win first place in a malicious voting atmosphere is the best positive example.
Therefore, she didn’t feel lost or regretful.
Kirimi Miyuki’s lips curved slightly, her eyes flaming with anticipation of the next stage.
Xie Qingxuan felt the same way, she thought that those who fail should be handled like failures, the setbacks on stage mirroring the disappointments in life, merely a natural outcome.
Next time, next time we will surely win back.
The young girl lowered her gaze slightly, playing with the second personality fragments in her mind, increasingly looking forward to the moment of completing the Dream Puzzle for the first time.
Well, the losers group showed no ripples.
The winners group here, on the other hand, was like a raging storm.
Tang Liuli was fine, just feeling troublesome and experiencing social anxiety.
Chu Yuanqing’s eyes were dazed as she looked at the screen, her own avatar wearing a golden crown, with “WIN” written in large letters, her heart pounding, fingertips trembling, accidentally slipping on the extraction interface.
Then, a passionate and exhilarating melody, mixed with “bloom, bloom, bloom” BGM, played at a lower volume, accompanied by the video of hot women twisting their waists, thrusting their hips, and touching their buttocks, successfully delivering a blow to the fragile soul at that moment.
Chu Yuanqing’s normally serene demeanor abruptly changed into a charming rigidity, with her pupils automatically dilating and a touch of despair.
In the end, after thinking and pondering for a long time, the words gathered in the heart transformed into just one sentence.
Waaah, Charlotte, come and rescue me!!!
Nullparadox
Does hypermnesia really affect someone on the emotional/mental scale? This sounds too serious to be simply associated with perfect memory regarding certain events…