Chapter 58: My Audience
Yun Chang City.
As dawn broke, two little lolis woke up from their slumber, looking a bit on the tired side.
“Ugh… I feel so worn out…”
Night Star Lan was groggily clinging to Night Lan’s neck, effectively turning herself into a little hanging accessory.
Yet Night Lan was equally drained herself; under the weight of Night Star’s clinginess, she simply fell back down.
“Uu~”
Night Star knew the reason for their hangover.
If everything went according to plan, her star had drained her dry once again.
But then she spotted Little Lian, who was surprisingly intact, lying nearby, and a satisfied smile crept onto her face.
It turned out that Little Lian, who had once been in two pieces, had been repaired.
The remnants of Lianhua’s aura reassured Night Star immensely.
“Hehe~ Totally worth it.”
Night Star snuggled against Night Lan’s smooth little belly, happily rubbing against it, shutting her eyes again to continue her beauty sleep.
When she finally woke up naturally, she’d return Little Lian to Lianhua.
Of course, this sleep could last an indeterminate amount of time.
Maybe until noon, maybe the afternoon, or even the evening.
“Huff…”
Thus, our adorable little duo successfully drifted back into La La Land.
……
In the adjacent room.
Freshly awake, Mo Tu was wrestling with the plethora of information buzzing in his mind, a miraculous remnant from someone else.
“Ah, looks like it went quite smoothly. Not bad, they really worked hard.”
After the Supernova Star Eclipses settled in Doll City, the citizens of Shanghe City emerged unscathed from the aftereffects, and the historical symptoms of puppetification had disappeared entirely.
Those once troubled by the aftereffects of the star eclipses should be free now.
Of course, he himself had played a significant role in that.
The one downside was that his identity had been exposed.
“Ah, looks like I can’t just be a simple neighbor anymore; that takes away a big chunk of the fun.”
As for the wish he had been granted in the past, it was more of a consolation prize at best.
It didn’t hold much value for him.
If he had a wish to fulfill, it would probably be to bring more fun into people’s lives.
Could that quirky wish be fulfilled by the little star as well?
He dismissed that thought.
Speaking of which…
From this whole incident, Mo Tu had begun to piece together a rough understanding of the bigger picture regarding that star.
It was like stepping into a parallel universe and altering significant events, and when the process was complete, that immense force would cut out the history of the original world and splice in the parallel world’s history, generating a new phenomenon.
Future events would also rapidly correct themselves due to the anomalous history, affecting people’s memories, the state of affairs, recorded information, etc.
“That should be it, right?”
Mo Tu muttered to himself, unsure.
Among the information he had gathered, those two little lolis were much more complex than they appeared.
The star named the Wish Machine probably had even more outrageous capabilities.
Such a conservative operation as altering part of history to fulfill someone’s wish was rather tame.
If it could grant wishes outright, with no preconditions, that would truly be the Wish Machine.
Mo Tu fell into contemplation, a thoughtful expression on his face as he processed the information about the Wish Machine in his mind.
Also… the memories of this incident.
“I still can’t wrap my head around how stars like this come to be. What exactly is hidden in this land?”
After a prolonged period of thought, Mo Tu shook his head and decided to put it aside for now.
Thinking so much early in the morning was quite the torture for his brain.
“Fine, I’ll head back to the base. Those two are probably still sleeping, they must be exhausted.”
With that, Mo Tu whipped up a simple breakfast, finished it off, and set out.
Life rituals absolutely cannot be overlooked.
That’s part of the fun!
……
Meanwhile…
In the dimly lit Rising Sun Theater.
In a shadowy corner behind the curtains sat a cute girl who seemed to emanate a vibrant energy.
To put it in the Night Watchers’ words, that meant the star eclipse aura was becoming active.
“Ah…”
On her chair, the dreamy-eyed Puppet Master slowly began to wake up, as if some consciousness inside her was stirring.
The fragmented consciousness of the Supernova Star Eclipse had recently undergone a transfer and repaired her human identity.
That was what had just happened to her.
Presently, the Puppet Master was half Star Eclipse Lianhua!
“Night Star… Night Star… Night Star!”
Lianhua slowly whispered the name of the most important person, her voice growing louder, brimming with excitement.
The soft, sticky sound echoed through the theater, filled with joy and anticipation, like someone eager to see a long-lost friend or soulmate.
“Oh, oh~”
Lianhua’s voice inevitably caught the attention of a few presences nearby.
A flamboyant gentleman emerged from the shadows, wearing a polite smile, as he gazed attentively at Lianhua and gently remarked, “Shouting in a resting place is rather impolite, and welcome back, Ms. Puppet Master.”
“Uh…”
Lianhua tilted her head, memories flooding her mind that revealed this big brother’s identity.
“You’re the Gentleman, right?”
“Indeed I am. I’ve been eagerly anticipating your return to the puppet shows; it will surely be a spectacular performance.”
At that moment, another figure stepped out from the darkness.
“Oh? Is that our beloved Puppet Master? Congratulations, it seems you’ve regained your performative abilities! How about a comeback performance? Your show would undoubtedly attract a large, devoted audience.”
The masked Fraudster approached Lianhua, seemingly drawn out by her condition as well.
The mysterious group leader shared the same sentiment.
“Hehehe.”
With a pleased smile, the group leader appeared genuinely happy for his fellow theater member’s recovery.
He approached Lianhua and gently ruffled her hair.
“Puppet Master, I’m so glad to see you back. The Rising Sun Theater welcomes your return.”
“Mm, thank you, Group Leader.”
Spotting the familiar group leader brought an inexplicable sense of comfort to Lianhua.
After all, he was the benefactor who introduced her to the theater, a figure who felt more like a father than her actual one.
“No need for thanks. I’m just glad you’re back.”
The group leader hardly reacted, but the Gentleman appeared quite elated.
“The Puppet Master’s politeness makes me very happy. I’m glad to have a colleague like you.”
“Oh, you flatter me…”
Lianhua felt a bit shy and fidgeted. Suddenly, another thought struck her as her memories connected with her past.
“Night Star… the Audience Performer, where is she?”
From her original memories, she vaguely recalled that Night Star had also joined the Tragic Shadow Theater, going by the codename Audience Performer.
To this, the group leader responded, “Are you looking for the Audience Performer? You’ll have to wait for her to come around, but you should definitely show her your performance. She’s undoubtedly the best audience; you will love it.”
“Mm, she is my first audience! I will absolutely give her the best puppet show ever~”
“That’s good to hear. I trust you’ll make her smile joyfully.”
The group leader did not inquire further.
He seemed to know everything, yet nothing at all, perhaps just indifferent to such peculiarities.
For him, as long as performances could go on, that was the best outcome.
The purpose of the Rising Sun Theater was to provide the audience with the most wonderful performances!
Now that the Puppet Master had regained her performing abilities, their repertoire had become even richer.
Lianhua had no idea what the group leader was contemplating; she just wanted to find Night Star as soon as possible.
“Um, Group Leader, can I go out?”
“Are you going to perform? If so, please be cautious of those who like to cause trouble.”
Lianhua shook her head.
“No, I want to find the Audience Performer.”
“Oh? Seems you’re eager to perform for her. It’s apparent you really like her.”
“Mm, I have a fantastic puppet show I want to perform for her.”
Lianhua’s tone was filled with anticipation, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and her mind entirely occupied with thoughts of Night Star.
I can’t wait to see her!
The group leader recognized Lianhua’s intense desire to perform, placing a hand on her head and gently patting it.
“Then go ahead. Enchant her with your performance!”
“Mm, I will do my best!”
With that, Lianhua turned and dashed out.
The group leader, Gentleman, and Fraudster quietly watched her leave before retreating back into the shadows.
The theater once again fell into an eerie quiet.
……
Somewhere else…
A wandering ghost girl suddenly paused, her droopy hair that lacked vitality perked up with excitement, and then she swiftly spun around, floating off toward a certain city.
“Night Star! Here I come! This time, the great ghost girl must cling to you tightly! You’ll wake up every day to see me lounging at your bedside, brace yourself for a lifetime of being wrapped around by Eypar! Woohoo~”
Naturally, whether she could find her was up to fate.
But Eypar was determined to track her down; a little time didn’t bother her.
Once she finds Night Star, she plans to pull off a super awesome prank to celebrate her reunion with the silver-haired loli.
As long as it’s in the realm of not making Night Star angry.
Hee hee~
……
In Yun Chang City.
Lianhua nervously walked down the street, attuning herself to Night Star’s presence.
Her puppet stayed close to Night Star.
Little Lian carried her scent, allowing Lianhua to pinpoint her location even from a distance.
If she could track down Little Lian, she could easily find Night Star too.
I wonder if Night Star will be happy to see her?
She certainly hoped so.
“Hehe~”
With that thought, a cute smile spread across Lianhua’s face, her steps light and cheerful, attracting a crowd of onlookers who paused to take in her adorable aura.
This girl was just too exquisite.
So much so that many believed her to be a princess straight out of a fairy tale, like a flawlessly crafted puppet.
Among those who lingered, a smiling black-haired man stood watching as well.
“Oh, is that so?”
Mo Tu observed the familiar girl and, confirming her state, withdrew his gaze.
“Just as I suspected, seems like a perfect ending.”
With that, Mo Tu turned and left.
Not long after, he quietly strolled back to the Night Watcher Base.
On his way to someone’s office, he “coincidentally” bumped into Xiao Jin coming the other way.
“What a coincidence! I was just about to look for you.”
Xiao Jin raised an eyebrow and said, “I was just about to find you too. You’ve thought about how to explain yourself, right?”
“Something like that.”
The two then settled into a meeting room.
“Why not go to your office?”
“I prefer it here. Is that an issue?”
“None at all.”
Xiao Jin immediately began brewing tea, without rushing into discussing events.
Mo Tu paid it no mind either.
The two men sat quietly on the sofa, the sound of pouring tea echoing crisply in the otherwise quiet room.
“Care for some tea?”
“No thanks, I’m not a fan of bitter drinks. Sweet suits me better.”
“That just means you don’t know how to appreciate tea.”
“That’s a matter of preference.”
After a brief exchange, the actual topic of discussion began to unfold.
Xiao Jin sipped his tea before saying, “Not long ago, Yao Can, the leader of the Night Watchers in Shanghe City, contacted me, stating that he had a memory pop up in his mind related to a certain little tyke from our Yun Chang City. Do you have any clues?”
“What else could there be? I also had that memory surface; clearly, it was the result of Night Lan’s star.”
Mo Tu maintained a calm expression, occasionally bearing a gentle smile, as if he had completely accepted that memory.
Xiao Jin fell silent for a moment.
Keep in mind, when Yao Can contacted him, he was pretty frenetic and nearly wanted to rush to Yun Chang City to interrogate that lucky charm.
If Xiao Jin hadn’t stopped him, Yao Can might have already been on his way.
“According to his memory, that little tyke seems to have done something remarkable. You’ve also made quite a risky decision, haven’t you?”
“Something like that, everything was pretty much expected.”
“Care to elaborate?”
“Sure.”
Mo Tu then calmly recounted the sequence of events, clarifying many details to the point of having a near-complete account of the story.
He actually knew more than the story’s protagonist, Night Star and Night Lan.
Of course, he withheld some details, like Night Star and Night Lan being one soul in two bodies.
If that little one wanted to keep that secret under wraps, he would oblige.
“Unless something unexpected happens, anomalies in those who were eroded by the Doll City should now have disappeared. Even retired Night Watchers will return to normal; it’s a relatively acceptable remedy.”
At this, Xiao Jin leaned back, reclining in the chair.
“That is indeed a good solution, but your decision was still too risky; I’d prefer you to take it easier.”
“Come on, I was careful! My decision was based on an abundance of information, following what those idiots would do would truly be problematic.”
“But there was that notably risky decision in the end, entrusting everything to that little one at the last moment; I find it hard to imagine how you could have made such a bold decision. If I didn’t know you couldn’t time travel, I’d suspect past you was present you traveling back in time.”
Xiao Jin took another sip of tea, still processing Mo Tu’s revelations.
“Never mind, if it all ended well, just remember to tell that little one not to use her star carelessly. Who knows what wish she might make in that timeline, and the fact that she’s friends with the instigator of the star eclipses—what a mess that is!”
“I’ll make sure to tell her.”
“And also, ask her about the whereabouts of the Star Eclipse in Doll City. I hope there’s not a dangerous hidden bomb lurking among the populace.”
“Rest assured, she’s not going to explode again; you can treat it like the last Puppet Master has vanished.”
“I hope that’s the case.”
With that, Xiao Jin stood up to leave.
Yet just then, the meeting room door swung open abruptly, and a shocked man marched in.
“Whoa! I woke up and found a memory in my head. I dreamt I was back in the Doll City event reliving the whole thing—it was super intense!”
As soon as he finished, Wang Chao caught sight of Xiao Jin and Mo Tu staring at him with strange expressions.
“Huh…?” Realizing the situation, Wang Chao drew in a sharp breath, as if he had come to a startling realization.
“No way? Is this like that time with Bai Yuan?”
Xiao Jin approached him, giving his shoulder a pat.
“Exactly as you think, and from now on, no shouting like that, it tarnishes the image of the Sunlight Night Watchers.”
“Uh, wait…?”
Xiao Jin then exited the meeting room, leaving Wang Chao in a whirlwind of confusion.
Mo Tu also stood up, imitating Xiao Jin’s motion and giving Wang Chao’s shoulder a reassuring pat, with a slight smile.
“Xiao Jin is right—the shouting tarnishes the image of Sunlight Night Watchers; it’s best to keep it together.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll get lost now.”
Frustrated, Wang Chao slipped away, taking the first step to flee.
In his mind, Mo Tu was the cool-headed one who faced four Sunlight Night Watchers without batting an eye; he was the more absurd one.
And his star was eerily enigmatic; who knows what traps he might’ve set.
“Looks like everyone’s gone.”
Once everyone cleared out, Mo Tu also decided to leave.
Now, he should just continue being a good neighbor to Night Star and Night Lan.
It’s only half the fun missing; he could still find some joy.
…..
In the little house.
As Night Star and Night Lan were in deep sleep, a soft knocking echoed at the door, slowly rousing them from their dreams.
“Ugh…”
“Who is it…?”
“Not enough sleep yet…”
“Must be a salesperson…?”
“Let’s just keep sleeping, let’s pretend we’re not home.”
In their sleepy haze, Night Star and Night Lan exchanged sleepy questions and answers, unwilling to leave their warm, cozy blankets.
Just as they were about to drift off to sleep once again, a familiar voice floated from just outside the door.
Though it was quiet, it still reached their ears.
“Is Night Star home? It’s me, Lianhua.”
“Meow?”
Upon hearing that name, Night Star’s eyes shot open, and she quickly left the cozy embrace of Night Lan.
“That voice… is it Lianhua?”
It really was Lianhua.
After all, she had just called out earlier.
Realizing, Night Star immediately wriggled out of the blanket, dropped down from the bed, and hurried to the door.
Outside, Lianhua felt the subtle noises inside and stood nervously at attention, filled with anticipation.
The door creaked open just enough to reveal a pair of rosy red eyes, seemingly trying to confirm something.
“Is that you, Lianhua?”
Seeing the familiar face eased Night Star’s heart, and she slowly opened the door, her expression brightening.
“Yep, it’s me! So, Night Star, do you want to see my puppet show?”
“Uh-huh, I want to see!”
As soon as Night Star nodded, Lianhua rushed forward and hugged her.
“Eh?”
The sweet scent of loli wafted into Night Star’s senses, and the warm, soft touch sent her mind into a whirl.
All she heard was Lianhua’s voice, whispering softly in her ear,
“Thank you, my audience.”
—
Volume Three: The Extraordinary Songstress
