-I glanced at the program, and Mingzhu is the last one. Has Mingzhu gone backstage? There haven't been any cameras panning across the audience. What is he going to perform? He's still just a mysterious figure in black frames.
-This princess has reappeared, genuinely concerned about whether the princess has returned.
- It seems not.
-What's wrong with him? He was late for the amusement park the other day too, he seems to have a lot on his plate.
-z means part-time, right? Are you very busy with work?
-So busy with work, yet still able to be a live streamer!?
...
- Next stop, Mingzhu.
-I'll scream first in a show of respect: kyaaaaaaaaaa
- Should I scream first or faint first?
- ...You guys are so dramatic, and the whole stage was dark, hahaha.
-What exactly is Mingzhu going to perform? It seems like his talent pool is quite limited now. The King's Family's performance was added at the last minute, so it can only be something he already knows. Besides singing, my mind is completely blank.
-Empty~empty~like~nothing~
-Just sing, even if you look like that and sing terribly, you'll still be my darling.
-???? You guys are kidding. Would Mingzhu allow anyone to hear and remember her terrible singing voice? She probably would have deleted her account long ago.
...The preceding part is strangely convincing.
...as if pearls should be this pure.
-This is amazing!!!
-Depend on!
-Ah ...
Oh my god...
-Shut up, everyone's listening.
-…………
The silver bottle suddenly shattered, and water gushed out.
A heavy, muffled strumming sound reverberated deep within my heart, then surged up wave after wave, instantly pulling the scene into a turbulent battlefield.
The two armies faced each other, the horses' hooves clattering in disarray, the sky overcast, the clouds swirling erratically, and the wind howling.
In an instant, a sword and a spear clashed with a clang, the sound piercing the stalemate. The silver-armored general spurred his horse into the air, while the red-clad fairy wielded her sword and trod through the clouds. With a thunderous roar and flashes of golden light, the heavens and earth changed color, and mountains and seas collapsed.
No one had ever heard such a piece of music before, and the director even forgot to switch between different camera angles according to the pre-designed plan.
A beam of light shone down from above the person on the stage, while the surroundings were pitch black. Yet the effect was just right, as if the thick, inky blackness around them was the battlefield itself.
Bei Sining sat cross-legged on the platform, the zither resting directly on his lap. The overhead light obscured his face, making his imposing presence even more striking; at that moment, he seemed almost like a god controlling the entire battle.
The main melody then enters, like a phoenix crying out, struggling to spread its wings and break through the clouds. The melodious and profound tune gradually calms the listener. However, a sudden change occurs: a ball of fire descends from the sky, engulfing the phoenix. It struggles painfully, falling to the ground with a dull thud, like the distant drumbeats of war…
Wen Zheng felt the vibrations beneath his feet, one thud after another. His heart pounded wildly. He lightly leaped over the barrier and ran so fast that he was just a blur.
"Hey young man!" The old man at the security checkpoint, brandishing a stun gun, shouted angrily, "Do you have a ticket?"
First floor, second floor, ceiling-lit lobby, storage area, corridor, corridor, corridor... corridor!
At the end was a huge soundproof door, a heavy, dark brown color.
The sound grew closer, and Wen Zheng rushed over, slamming heavily against the door.
"Thump!"
A tremendous roar surrounded him from all directions, and in the center of his vision, Bei Sining was pinned to the stage by a beam of light.
In an instant, as if sensing something, he raised his head and met Wen Zheng's gaze from afar.
Author's Note: Security Guard: That's him! He barged in without a ticket! Arrest him!
Chapter 61
The person he longed to see and the voice he longed to hear made Wen Zheng experience the joy of regaining what he had lost.
The music stopped abruptly, and in an instant, it began the next piece. This brief pause felt natural, and the audience listened intently.
Wen Zheng stood at the very back of the second floor, controlling his breathing to gradually become steady until the music ended.
He was overwhelmed with immense shock, but also filled with overwhelming relief.
He was lucky to have caught it; otherwise, he wouldn't have heard such music. Even if he had the chance to watch the replay, the feeling would still be different from being there in person.
As Bei Sining finished playing, the lights dimmed, and a wave of applause erupted from the audience. This time, there was no hint of mockery, but genuine admiration.
A few seconds later, the audience's applause quickly turned into whispers and murmurs. People kept talking to each other: What piece was that? And Mingzhu can actually play the piano!
That's incredible! How could someone like that leave no trace online?
Amidst the noise, Wen Zheng descended the stairs, found the table belonging to their royal family, and groped his way inside to sit down.
Deng Puyue was looking at her phone when she was startled by the sudden appearance of the person, then exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Zheng!"
Wen Zheng hummed in agreement, leaned back, stretched out his legs in complete relaxation, lowered his arms, and let out a heavy sigh.
"Where did you go? Did you hear that? Ning-ge is amazing!" Deng Puyue chattered on and on: "Director Liu is almost frantic with worry..."
Wen Zheng said, "It's a confidentiality clause, I can't talk about it. I heard it, it's very powerful, Bai Shuang is behind."
Deng Puyue exclaimed "Ah!" and lowered her eyes: "I know, he messaged me."
Bai Shuang has a back injury, so she shouldn't do anything too strenuous. Wen Zheng sprinted over after getting off the aircraft, while Bai Shuang, who was lagging behind, would probably be ten minutes behind.
Wen Zheng knew that Deng Puyue was unhappy, and there was no room for him to interfere in their affairs. Wen Zheng could only say, "If there's anything, come to me. If you're really unhappy, there are other men in the world besides him."
“…Hahaha.” Deng Puyue laughed and changed the subject: “There are still three programs left. We’ll go backstage to prepare when Bai Shuang arrives. Brother Ning will be back soon.”
A moment later, Bei Sining appeared gracefully on the side of the audience, receiving the attention of the crowd under the dim lights.
As the host stepped off the stage, new music began to play. Wen Zheng didn't hear what Bei Sining said.
"What?" Wen Zheng leaned close to his ear and asked loudly.
Bei Sining stopped talking and didn't look at him.
Wen Zheng hesitated for a moment, then leaned closer and said, "I'm back."
Although it was temporary, he came back.
The fluctuations in subspace, measured numerically, can be divided into several stages.
1-20 is the annihilation period, 20-50 is the dormant period, 50-80 is the awakening period, and 80-100 is the active period. Above 100, the higher the value, the greater the risk of being consumed by an explosion.
To put it simply, it's like a living black hole egg. If left unattended, this egg will continue to grow and expand. Once it hatches, the conflict and collision of time and matter will destroy the entire world.
One hundred years ago, subspace was first discovered in the Arctic. Many soldiers and countless pioneering researchers sacrificed their lives. After more than two years of verification and calculation, they came to an extremely dangerous conclusion.
The subspace is extremely active, and its collision with Earth's order has produced all sorts of bizarre phenomena—short-term electromagnetic disturbances, magnetic pole reversals, disordered storms, and the explosive forward or backward movement of time... It possesses a massive force field, and even in its egg-like state, it can completely transform the North Pole. If left unchecked, it will lead to the end of the world.
The most terrifying thing is that no one can predict when it will explode. Perhaps tomorrow, next month, or even the next second, Earth's civilization will cease to exist.
This discovery was shocking, and to prevent panic, countries signed confidentiality agreements. Meanwhile, through tireless research, humanity discovered antimatter that could reduce the energy of the subspace—if a warrior could enter the "egg of the black hole" and use some kind of antimatter emitter, they could slowly and effectively reduce the fluctuation value of the subspace, as well as its scale and energy, thereby ultimately achieving the goal of destroying it.
Not everyone can enter the subspace; some adapt well, while others are strongly repelled and ejected by the space.
Initially, there were quite a few people who were capable of entering. The first generation of warp warriors were selected from the armies of various countries. After a 20-year struggle, with more than 50,000 people sacrificing their lives, they barely managed to cut off a tip of the sword of Damocles that could fall at any moment.
During this period, researchers invented a monitoring system that used numerical values to delineate its activity phases, and were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief that subspace had stabilized.
As long as the number remains below 100, the end of the world will not come.
No matter how many people are sacrificed, it's just a cold, hard number. As long as the earth keeps turning, the happiness of ordinary people can continue.
However, the researchers were too complacent. Whether due to energy reduction or other reasons, the repulsive force of the subspace was becoming stronger and stronger, and it was no longer a state that most people could enter.
Moreover, it would occasionally fluctuate around the warning line, causing the monitoring station to be on tenterhooks. After lengthy discussions, the higher-ups finally signed a document selecting second-generation subspace warriors to form a long-term, special, and classified force to fight for the salvation of the world.
Second-generation soldiers are mostly children of first-generation soldiers. During this period, researchers discovered a pattern—spatial repulsion is related to genes, and genes can be inherited through bloodlines. Soldiers' blood relatives have a certain probability of inheriting this ability; this is due to a special type of gene expression.
A long research process began. They studied the modes of expression, hoping to artificially expand the size of the warriors, and also encouraged them to have children.
However, with continuous sacrifices, a decline in the soldiers' willingness to have children was inevitable. The number of second-generation soldiers decreased year by year from nearly 10,000, and by the time the third generation was established, the global number had dwindled to less than 2,000.
Social selection has begun.
By randomly checking all medical examination information, conducting newborn microchip tests, and scouring the world for any remaining capable individuals who had slipped through the net, they managed to recruit them through various means, but even then, they only managed to form a force of just over 2,500 people.
Fortunately, the subspace has shrunk to only one percent of its original size, and its peak value has dropped from around 80 to a dormant state of around 50 for many years.
Victory is in sight.
Subspace with a peak value below 80 is an inaccessible state. After discussion, the three generations of warriors were allowed to take long vacations in turns and gradually return to normal life.
Some went back to school, some devoted themselves to the arts, and some took ordinary jobs, started families, and thought the nightmare was over.
However, one day thirteen years later, the dormant warp suddenly expanded rapidly, and all warriors were recalled from all over the world. After a fierce and unknown battle, they achieved a great victory, but at the cost of all their lives.
The cost was too high; only about 500 children were left behind worldwide, and 200 of them lacked the means to care for them.
Of the 300 globally, 87 were from the Xia Kingdom. Now, after removing those like Bai Shuang who have retired due to injury or sacrifice, the number is exactly 57.
This is an enormous responsibility that cannot be escaped.
Wen Zheng has lived to this day with a somewhat complacent attitude, because no matter what he gains, he may lose it in an instant.
But just now on the Chinese ship, when he learned that the bright red countdown above his head had stopped, he was so relieved that his limbs went weak. Although it was only a temporary all-clear, he was still able to come back, catch up with Bei Sining playing the piano, and even sit and talk with him.
What was clearly an ordinary thing felt like a gift from heaven to him, who had just experienced great ups and downs. His impulsiveness was like a sprout desperately trying to drill a hole, constantly pushing against the soil.
I'm so happy.
Wen Zheng felt that he wouldn't refuse to go on stage and dance the Meow Meow Dance now.
I want to drink.
Bei Sining looks amazing in this outfit.