Chapter 42: The Singer’s Plea
Rising Sun Theater.
The singer stood alone on the stage, seemingly merging with it as she sang solo once more.
Inside the theater, there was complete silence. The group leader and others were resting in invisible shadows, with no one present to witness the solo performance.
“Ah~♫”
The singer didn’t seem to care that there was no one in the audience. Her ethereal and melodious voice echoed through the theater, adding a peculiar charm to the eerie venue.
Who was she singing for?
No one in particular, perhaps just for herself.
The stage felt very familiar to her. Even though she had forgotten her past, every time she stepped onto the stage, she felt an urge to sing, as if she was born for it.
Ever since the Audience Performer showed her a live broadcast video of a concert by the Songstress, she had wanted to perform on that massive stage.
Could she find something there?
As night approached, time continued to pass.
The singer stayed on the stage, her ethereal voice never ceasing. Her throat never went dry, and her energy showed no signs of waning.
Sunset eventually came, and the singer finally closed her lips.
“Ah…”
She started spacing out.
At this moment, the group leader emerged from the shadows, passing beneath the stage without noticing the singer.
The singer snapped back to reality and greeted the group leader.
“Group Leader, good evening.”
The group leader quickly turned and noticed her.
“Oh, it’s the singer? Sorry, I didn’t notice you before. Please forgive me for being rude.”
The singer shook her head.
“It’s fine.”
Observing her carefully, the group leader said with a slight change in expression, “Singer, you seem a bit off. Are you feeling uncomfortable?”
“Off?” The singer tilted her head, puzzled and unsure about what the group leader meant by ‘off.’
She wasn’t feeling uncomfortable.
The group leader nodded, saying something that made the singer pause.
“I’m starting to lose track of your presence.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. If you hadn’t called out, I might have ignored you altogether. A gentleman or fraudster might have dismissed your voice outright.”
Seeing the singer fall silent, the group leader continued, “It seems like you need help?”
At this, the singer seemed to recall something vague—a persistent obsession.
She sang to make more people hear her, to remember her existence. It was more than just enjoying singing.
But… could it be making people forget her?
Reflecting on her day’s singing, the singer realized that while she felt comforted, there was also a growing disconnect from reality, a diminishing sense of self.
Was it because of her love for singing?
Lost in thought, she asked the group leader, “Should I stop singing?”
This question sounded like a plea for help.
To which the group leader adjusted his top hat and nodded, “Does this align with what you want?”
The singer bowed her head.
“I am a singer. I should sing.”
“If so, seek the Audience Performer’s help. She might have the answer you seek,” the group leader replied.
“Audience Performer?”
“Yes.”
With that, the group leader left, returning to the shadows as if merely going through the motions.
The theater fell into silence again, except for the immobilized figure of the singer standing center-stage, like a statue.
Unbeknownst to the singer, the quiet was broken by two other voices echoing through the theater.
Lianhua and Night Star returned to the theater late at night.
Night Star mainly came here to watch another performance of Lianhua’s puppet show.
As for White Fish, she was sent back to the Night Watcher Base by Night Lan.
What about the ghost girl?
She was left behind to guard the place as a minor form of revenge against White Fish.
Yet, Night Star couldn’t shake the feeling White Fish didn’t quite enjoy it.
Without friends for years, suddenly having two brought a smile to her face, despite her pretending otherwise.
As White Fish left, Night Star even saw a hint of sadness in her eyes, seemingly wanting to chat more with Eypar and Lianhua.
Lianhua was also touched.
Night Star hadn’t expected them to get along so well, concluding they were great for friendship.
Back to the real world.
At that moment, Lianhua was ecstaticly sharing her thoughts with Night Star.
“Night Star, can I adapt your story with White Fish into a puppet show? I think it’s a fantastic story that will appeal to many.”
“Yeah, sure! Go for it.”
“If anything goes wrong in the details, I’d appreciate your input.”
“Sure, sure.” Night Star nodded gently.
In truth, coming to the theater tonight was mainly to help Lianhua adapt the puppet show. During the process, she needed Lianhua’s guidance as a “star player.”
If any part went wrong, the entire performance risked losing its soul, according to Lianhua.
d*mn, Night Star hadn’t expected Lianhua to be such a demanding “soul-eater.” But this “soul-eater” was oddly cute.
Suddenly, Night Star sensed something, glancing up at the stage nonchalantly, then noticed a nearly invisible figure.
“Huh? When did the singer get up here?”
Following the lead, Lianhua looked at the stage.
“Hey, I didn’t notice her earlier…”
“Hmm…”
Night Star pondered.
When she entered the theater, she didn’t see the singer right away either.
Considering the singer was a striking beauty, it was strange that Night Star had missed her.
Could it be that only cute girls like White Fish could catch her eye now?
Thinking so, Night Star walked down to the stage and greeted the singer.
“Singer, good evening!”
Dazed, the singer turned to Night Star, recalling the group leader’s words.
“Audience Performer, please, help me.”
“Huh? Is there something I can do for you?” Night Star tilted her head, puzzled.
Nearby, Lianhua found her shoulder grabbed by a large hand, turning to discover the group leader standing behind her.
“Group Leader?”
“Puppet Master, the singer needs help from the Audience Performer. This concerns whether she’ll be able to perform on stage in the future. Could you give them some peace?”
Lianhua glanced at the group leader, then at Night Star and the singer, nodding her head.
“Alright, understood.”
With that, the plan to adapt the puppet show would be postponed.
After all, there was no rush.
