Chapter 56: Everyone''s Darkest Hour |
"Miss Shijo Ai! Could you say something to me using Yafei-chan''s voice? I wouldn''t even mind if you insulted me."
"Hello, of course I can."
Inside the Autograph Session Hall next to the main venue, a massive poster displayed a multitude of anime and manga characters.
At a glance, the lineup consisted entirely of loli characters or similar archetypes.
Situated amidst these animated figures was a high-definition portrait of the special guest, accompanied by her introduction:
Shijo Ai, a famous voice actress within Sakura Country''s industry.
Representative Works: "Paimon" and "The Complete Record of the Red Dragon Resistance".
In the center of the poster stood a cute young woman sporting a brown bob haircut and a red hairpin.
This was the famous voice actress herself, Shijo Ai.
He could no longer remember exactly when he had first become a fan of hers.
All he recalled was that it began with his infatuation for Moe-chan, the protagonist of the adult entertainment industry game "Encountering a Loli After 8:30 PM Work". The nearly flawless vocal performance in that game had utterly blown him away.
Only after asking around did he learn that this was the sole adult work Shijo Ai had ever voiced. It was recorded during her early days in the industry when she almost couldn''t afford food, and she had used a different stage name for the role.
From that moment on, Yabashi began following Shijo Ai''s career closely, devouring her various interviews and offline vlogs.
Over time, he transformed into an absolute die-hard fan.
Hailing from Sakura Country, Shijo Ai rarely hosted overseas autograph sessions.
This was her first time visiting Linmen, and it was quite possibly Yabashi Ki''s one and only chance to see her in person.
He took a deep breath. Even though his severe otaku social anxiety attribute caused his heart to race frantically, he tried his hardest to adjust his facial expression.
"Wait a minute, where is Jiao Tan''s new work that I just bought?!"
"Huh? Didn''t you just put it in your school bag?"
"Right? I even put it in right in front of you. How could it just mysteriously disappear?!"
Voices of surprise suddenly drifted over from the adjacent queue. Yabashi Ki glanced in that direction and spotted two boys frantically searching through their backpacks with expressions of utter disbelief.
''Did they lose something?''
Yabashi Ki wondered to himself.
"Sir, you''re up next!"
A split second later, the call of the staff member ahead jolted him out of his reverie.
Looking forward, he realized the space in front of him had completely cleared out. Everyone ahead of him had finished getting their autographs.
A short distance away, seated behind the signing table, Shijo Ai held a marker pen. She was looking right at Yabashi Ki with a beaming smile, gently beckoning him over.
"Thump... thump... thump..."
Yabashi Ki swallowed hard, his heart pounding against his ribs like a war drum.
His legs felt like they were no longer under his control. This was a chronic symptom of his social anxiety.
Earlier, when he had first become Yan Huan''s running mate, Yan Huan had managed to persuade him to muster the resolve to give a speech on stage.
Yet, the moment he stepped into a classroom of fewer than thirty students to campaign, panic had set in. His brain had completely shut down as if deprived of oxygen.
Exactly like what was happening to him right now.
He forced his stiff legs to carry him to the signing table and took a seat, while the rest of the queue was kept at bay behind a yellow line several meters back.
This setup guaranteed a one-on-one sense of privacy for the signing—a thoughtful design choice that was incredibly accommodating for fans with social anxiety.
"Hello there!"
"H-Hello, Miss Shijo."
The woman before him possessed a bright and amiable smile. Her voice was exceptionally melodic, carrying traces of the characters she had voiced in the past, though it was impossible to pinpoint exactly which one.
It held the crisp cadence of a young girl, yet it remained incredibly clear without sounding overly childish.
Simply hearing her utter that first greeting made Yabashi''s nerves skyrocket.
But Shijo Ai gracefully took the lead in the conversation.
"Are you a student at Linmen?"
"Y-Yes, Miss Shijo!"
Shijo Ai twirled the marker pen in her hand and giggled, covering her mouth lightly.
"There''s no need to be so nervous. After all, you paid good money to come see me. Just relax!"
"...Okay."
"So, which of my characters is your favorite? Would you like me to say a few words to you in her voice? Also, where would you like me to sign? We can take a group photo too if you''d like!"
At the mention of this, Yabashi Ki''s frantically racing heart finally seemed to settle down a fraction.
The image of an angelic loli character suddenly materialized in his mind''s eye, calling out to him with sweet affection.
"Landlord-kun, you have to be brave!"
It was Moe-chan, the female lead of "Encountering a Loli After 8:30 PM Work" voiced by Shijo Ai.
Bolstered by the mental support of his beloved character, Yabashi Ki took a deep breath and quickly handed his items over to the voice actress.
He then lowered his head, drew a deep breath from his core to gather his Dantian Qi, and mustered every ounce of courage he possessed to blurt out the feelings he had been bottling up inside.
"I absolutely adore your performance as Moe-chan! She has been my favorite character since I was in middle school! That was also the exact moment I started following your career, Miss Shijo!"
Shijo Ai glanced down at the poster Yabashi Ki had handed her. Given that the game belonged to the adult entertainment industry, even the cover art was quite scandalous.
Her lips parted slightly, and her smile stiffened for a fleeting second before instantly brightening into a radiant beam once more.
"Back then, I was completely useless. If Moe-chan hadn''t encouraged me, I never would have made it to where I am today."
Yabashi Ki kept his head bowed, knowing full well that if he made eye contact, the words would die in his throat.
"Whether it was pushing through my studies or running for the Student Council alongside an incredibly outstanding friend... Because of all that, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, Miss Shijo. Thank you so much for bringing Moe-chan to life. She kept me company through so many lonely nights!"
''Finally...''
''I actually said it!!''
"..."
Shijo Ai raised her eyes to glance at Yabashi Ki, then lowered her gaze back to the loli heroine striking a provocative pose on the poster.
A second later, she flashed a flawlessly practiced, professional business mode smile and uncapped her marker pen.
"Right, so, you''d like me to sign this, correct?"
"Yes, please..."
Shijo Ai smiled warmly as she lowered her head to sign her name. Yabashi Ki nervously lifted his gaze, stealing a glance at the radiantly smiling woman before him.
He swallowed hard again and made a hesitant, careful request.
"By the way, Miss Shijo, could you use Moe-chan''s voice to insult me a little? I really love her tsundere tone. Please, I''m begging you!!"
Shijo Ai had just finished her signature. At Yabashi Ki''s plea, her pen paused. She lifted her eyes, maintaining her perfect smile.
Beneath the fringe of her bob haircut, a prominent vein bulged slightly against her forehead.
But despite that, her incredibly professional smile didn''t falter in the slightest.
If anything, it grew even more blindingly radiant.
"Of course!"
"T-That''s fantastic. Thank you so much, Miss Shij—"
"You really are just a pathetic, good-for-nothing otaku, aren''t you? You''re so timid and cowardly in your daily life that you can barely even hold a normal conversation. That''s why your only refuge is relying on vulgar, repulsive games like this every single day just to vent your pathetic, meaningless desire..."
Zero-frame activation!!
Yabashi Ki stared blankly at Shijo Ai. She was still holding her flawless smile, and even her tone of voice had only shifted ever so slightly.
Her delicate red lips remained slightly parted, but the words spewing from them were pure venom, striking out like a poisonous snake. Yabashi Ki froze in his seat, feeling as though he had just been struck by a bolt of lightning.
"W-Wait a minute, Miss Shij—"
But Shijo Ai''s voice continued, light and rapid. It was as if she had fully locked into her business mode, completely unmoved by Yabashi Ki''s shock.
"You can''t accomplish a single thing in reality, so you''ve concocted this pathetic, nauseatingly fictional crutch. You cling to this virtual sustenance while losing yourself in perverse sexual fantasies inside your head. You genuinely fantasize about a girl who perfectly fits your every preference falling unconditionally in love with you? Are you kidding me?
"Ah, I almost forgot. The objects of your affection aren''t even normal girls, are they? You only like little lolis, right?
"You truly are a thorough pervert."
Yabashi Ki''s jaw dropped. The sheer force of Shijo Ai''s words blasted his mind completely blank, leaving him utterly bewildered and at a total loss.
Having delivered that tirade, Shijo Ai''s charming smile instantly bloomed across her face once again.
She neatly rolled up the autographed poster and presented it to Yabashi Ki, whose soul appeared to have left his body a few moments prior.
"There we go! Are you satisfied now?"
"Eh... Eh?"
Yabashi Ki visibly drained of all color, turning a stony gray. Having seemingly lost all capacity to process external stimuli, he mechanically reached out and accepted the poster.
Shijo Ai, meanwhile, had perfectly slipped back into her sweet, gentle persona. She completely dismissed him, happily waving to the next person in line.
"Next in line, please step right up!"
"Let''s all give a warm welcome to our famous dancer, Christina!!"
Inside the main venue, a sizable crowd had already gathered loosely behind the red ropes, while the chairs in the inner section were fully occupied by guests who had purchased VIP tickets.
Up on the stage, a Caucasian young woman dressed in an elegant elven costume stepped into view, beaming brightly.
The stage lights flared to life and energetic music pumped through the speakers, instantly drawing the gaze of the audience below.
Naturally, this included the members of the Student Council who had just returned from the doujinshi exhibition area.
"Hehe, I look so incredibly cute!"
Yurianna held the manga sketch Miyake Fufu had drawn for them, utterly unable to tear her eyes away from it. She admired her adorable caricature, sandwiched right between the handsome young man and beautiful young woman.
Miyake Fufu''s skills were the real deal. Even though it was merely a quick sketch, she had managed to flawlessly capture everyone''s defining traits.
Beside her, Sakuramiya Hitomi heard her giddy giggling. She couldn''t help but glance down at the separate drawing Miyake Fufu had given to her.
It was a piece based on the group photo she had taken with Yan Huan earlier.
However, there was a stark difference from the actual photograph. The polite, respectable distance they had maintained in reality had been heavily adjusted by Miyake Fufu, pulling them incredibly close together.
In the manga drawing, Sakuramiya Hitomi was tightly hugging Yan Huan''s arm and gazing at the viewer. Yan Huan, on the other hand, wasn''t looking forward at all; his eyes were entirely focused on the girl clinging to his side.
They looked exactly like a sweet, affectionate couple.
''This is... really nice.''
Sakuramiya Hitomi stole one last, secret glance at the sketch before carefully tucking it away safely inside her purse.
''But hasn''t the President been gone for way too long?''
Sakuramiya Hitomi glanced over at the dancer performing an otaku dance on the distant stage. Then, she checked Plane, noting the complete lack of messages, and knitted her brow in concern.
"Sakuramiya, are the President and Yabashi not back yet?"
Hearing Yurianna''s question, Sakuramiya Hitomi belatedly realized something.
''Right. Yabashi Ki hasn''t come back yet, either.''
''I was so preoccupied thinking about the President that I completely forgot about him...''
"Let me ask in the group chat."
Sakuramiya Hitomi offered a faint smile, picked up her mobile phone, and tagged Yan Huan and Yabashi Ki in their chat group.
"Are you guys not coming back yet?"
"President, Yabashi, we''re currently on the outer side of the venue, waiting near the pillar by the restrooms."
Surprisingly, Yabashi Ki didn''t reply. Usually, he was always the first one to respond to any message.
''How strange.''
''The President hasn''t replied either?''
''Are they off together somewhere?''
Sakuramiya Hitomi''s anxiety grew. Gripping her parasol, she was just about to turn to Yurianna and the others to say, "I''m going to go look for them," when she noticed the sight behind her. The area was already completely packed with people.
This was roughly the time when the main performances began in the main venue. The later it got, the more high-profile the guests would be.
As a result, massive crowds had perfectly timed their arrival to catch the performance. While getting in had been easy, squeezing their way back out was going to be an absolute nightmare.
"Um, excuse me..."
Sakuramiya Hitomi started to speak, hoping to ask the people nearby to let her through. But before she could finish, Yurianna lunged forward from behind, grabbing both her and Ashley in a desperate bear hug.
"Waaaaa! Sakuramiya! There are so many people! Let''s huddle close together! We absolutely cannot get separated in this crowd!!"
''Goodbye, Yurianna.''
''Your days in the Student Council are officially numbered.''
Sakuramiya Hitomi''s expression instantly darkened. However, gazing at the endlessly expanding sea of bodies ahead, even she had to admit that trying to push her way out to search for them was completely unrealistic.
''President!!''
''What on earth did you go off to do?''
''Weren''t you just going to see Bai Yi?''
''She''s about to go on stage! Why aren''t you back yet?!''
Sakuramiya Hitomi turned her attention back to the stage, just in time to see the dancer finish her routine. After a brief interaction with the host, the girl bowed and jogged off the stage.
Following that, the host glanced down at the cue card in his hand and smiled brightly.
"Oh my, the special guest coming up next is an absolute powerhouse.
"On the hit variety show ''Youth'', she was officially crowned as the ''Idol with the Most Youthful Vibe''. She is also a frequent and beloved face across numerous fashion magazines here in Linmen...
"What kind of breathtaking performance will such a vibrant young idol, who holds such a deep love for popular culture, bring us today?"
Finishing the buildup, the host lowered the cue card from his microphone and beamed at the tightly packed crowd below.
"So, without further ado, please welcome the most popular idol of Linmen''s new generation!
"Miss Bai Yi!!"
Caught in Yurianna''s suffocating embrace, Sakuramiya Hitomi froze. Abandoning her half-hearted struggles to break free, she instantly whipped her head toward the stage.
Her eyes locked intently onto the center of the stage, right where the dazzling spotlights converged.
A little earlier, in the backstage area.
Several makeup artists finished touching up Bai Yi''s face. They stepped back, admiring the breathtakingly stunning young girl before them with looks of immense satisfaction.
"Alright, you''re all set to go."
"Okay... Thank you." Bai Yi''s slightly pale complexion was entirely concealed beneath layers of full makeup. The heavy strokes of blush painted over her pale, bloodless face forcibly masked her deep, personal suffering.
Her gaze was unfocused and vacant. Beneath the hem of her gorgeous dress, her legs were already trembling uncontrollably.
"Buzzz..."
A harsh bout of tinnitus flared up, piercing viciously into her eardrums like a steel needle driving straight into the depths of her brain.
"Tick... Tock..."
Surrounded by the chaotic bustle of staff rushing around backstage, and with the painful ringing dulling her senses, the rhythmic clock sound echoing in her mind felt like pure salvation.
It dragged her consciousness downward, making her desperately want to curl up into a tight ball and retreat entirely into herself.
''You can do this... Bai Yi, you can do this...''
Her eyes trembled nervously. However, her mind couldn''t stop flashing back to the sight of Yan Huan''s completely blank reaction after listening to her song earlier.
''Was it really that terrible?''
''It wasn''t good at all, was it?''
''He was probably incredibly disappointed, but he just felt too awkward to say it to my face. That must be why he tried so hard to change the subject.''
Over the past few days, the deep-seated trauma within Bai Yi—stemming from running away from home only to be dragged back to her family—had not healed in the slightest.
Her mother was exactly the same as always. Endlessly hurling negations and brutal insults her way, constantly micromanaging her life...
Yet over the past few days, she had quietly swallowed every bit of her suffocating anger.
Whether it was enduring exhausting rehearsals or obediently acting methodically as told...
She...
She had managed to push through it all solely by relying on the warm admiration Yan Huan had shown her that night as her fuel.
She absolutely did not want to disappoint her one and only music fan.
That was why, even while slowly suffocating in that oppressive, prison-like home, she had stubbornly held her breath and finished writing her new song just to share it with him.
She just wanted to hear his genuine praise one more time. Armed with his acknowledgment...
Even if her mother constantly shot down her dreams... Even if the things she was being forced to do right now weren''t what she truly wanted at all...
''I''d surely be able to keep hanging on... right?''
But now...
She was already on the verge of total collapse.
"Tick... Tock..."
"Tick... Tock..."
Bai Yi stood there, panting heavily as she stared at the floor, right up until her agent, Ji Lin, walked over and asked with a look of confusion,
"Yiyi, have you put your phone and other belongings away? You need to get ready to head onto the stage."
"O-Okay."
Bai Yi quickly snapped out of her daze. She forced her stiff, heavy body to stand straight.
Only when she felt a slight weight tugging at the pockets of her dress did her muddled, confused mind finally register that she had completely forgotten to put her mobile phone and Bluetooth earbuds away.
By then, Ji Lin had already bustled away to handle something else, leaving one of the venue''s staff members standing in her place.
"Miss Bai Yi, it''s almost time for you to go on stage. The dancer ahead of you will be finishing up in five minutes. Head over to wait behind the curtain. The moment you hear the host introduce you, time your entrance and walk out."
"Okay."
Bai Yi stepped forward, pushed past the heavy velvet curtain separating the backstage from the front, and slipped into the dark passage leading directly to the stage.
Just ahead, the vibrant sounds of music and cheering from the stage were deafening. The tidal wave of the crowd''s conversation sound threatened to completely drown Bai Yi as she stood in that tight, cramped corridor.
She shuffled up to the edge of the steps, nervously awaiting the host''s roaring introduction.
"Ding-ding!"
But right at that very moment, the phone sitting in her pocket unexpectedly buzzed and chimed!
''I forgot to put it on silent!''
In a flustered haste, Bai Yi awkwardly fished the phone out of her dress pocket to silence it.
Since she had already absentmindedly carried it this far, she had no choice but to keep it hidden in her dress while performing.
But as she took a quick glance at the screen, she realized it was actually a brand new message from Yan Huan.
"Bai Yi, do you have a pair of Bluetooth earbuds connected to your phone? If you don''t, there''s a spare earpiece of mine resting on the table just ahead of you. You can borrow it for now."
Bai Yi blinked in surprise. She lifted her gaze to peer at the small prop table resting beside the steps. Astonishingly, a small case of Bluetooth earbuds was sitting right there.
Unbeknownst to her, just beneath that very table, a faint, illusory black cat tail silently retracted into the shadows, melting seamlessly into the surrounding darkness.
Her face etched with complete disbelief, Bai Yi quickly looked down at her screen and rapidly typed out a reply.
"I do have my own earbuds. But what do I need them for? I''m going on stage right this second."
"You seemed a little overly tense just now. If you wear an earbud, it can block out some of the overwhelming noise from the crowd below. It might help calm your nerves a bit."
''I''ve been on stage countless times. Getting stage fright now is...''
But as she stared at the small earphone case ahead, she raised a hand to rest against her frantically racing heart. She couldn''t help but purse her lips tightly.
She looked back at her phone and fired off another message.
"How in the world did you manage to put your earbuds here? This area is strictly ''No Entry for Unauthorized Personnel''."
"Don''t worry about that right now. The point is, just put in the earbud connected to your phone. Trust me, it''ll help ease your anxiety."
A second later, he sent an emoji of a cute little cartoon cat vigorously waving a flag that said ''You can do it!''.
Bai Yi bit her lower lip. Staring warmly at the encouraging emoji, her thumbs hovered over the keyboard as she tried to compose a reply.
In the end, though, she couldn''t find the right words to say.
Flashing a helpless, yet slightly genuine smile, she reached out and picked up Yan Huan''s earbuds.
She gave it a brief glance. It was nothing more than a cheap, generic brand pair of wireless earbuds that likely cost barely a fraction of a premium pair.
''Honestly, if I really need noise reduction to calm my nerves, using my own high-end pair would be far more effective, wouldn''t it?''
''However...''
''Thank you so much for the thoughtful gesture, President Yan.''
Bai Yi touched a hand gently to her chest. Ignoring the cheap pair, she instead pulled out one of her own tiny, flesh-colored, extremely discreet Bluetooth earbuds and securely plugged it into her left ear.
"Bluetooth connected."
Instantly, the oppressive, chaotic noise of the venue seemed to drop to half its previous volume.
Bai Yi kept her hand pressed firmly against her chest, finally letting out a long, shaky sigh of relief.
''Though, it would be even better if I could wear the right one as well...''
''Or better yet... if only my surroundings could just stay this peacefully quiet forever.''
Of course, that was nothing more than a foolish delusion. Bai Yi chuckled helplessly to herself and prepared to send Yan Huan a quick ''Thank you''.
But from the stage, the host''s booming voice rang out clearly,
"So, without further ado, please welcome the most popular idol of Linmen''s new generation!
"Miss Bai Yi!!"
The curtain behind her was yanked open as a staff member''s voice urged,
"Miss Bai Yi, you''re up! You can head out now!!"
"Understood."
Hearing her cue, Bai Yi quickly slipped her phone back into her pocket.
Taking a final, deep breath, she adjusted her posture to project absolute perfection and marched confidently up the steps.
"Hummm!!"
The blinding spotlights instantly swiveled and locked onto her. Having just stepped out of the gloomy darkness, Bai Yi had to squint slightly, taking a brief moment for her eyes to adjust to the intense glare.
When she fully opened them again, she was immediately met with the sight of a dense, packed ocean of fans filling the area completely offstage.
The smiling host stepped slightly to the side, ensuring he didn''t block the audience''s view of their star attraction.
"Haah..."
The hungry, expectant gazes of thousands of fans instantly swept over her—especially those in the incredibly close front row.
Jiang Xion, dressed in a sharp suit, had just taken his seat. Catching sight of Bai Yi up on the stage, he smiled warmly and waved a hand in support.
However, seated directly beside him was her heavily powdered mother.
Zuo Jiangqin.
Her fiercely critical, scrutinizing gaze landed squarely on Bai Yi. After subjecting her daughter to a ruthless, head-to-toe visual inspection, her brows began to furrow deeply.
Then, she clicked her tongue in blatant disapproval.
"Tsk."
Witnessing her mother''s hyper-critical reaction, the steady heartbeat Bai Yi had just managed to regain thanks to Yan Huan''s comfort instantly skyrocketed once more. Every frantic beat battered against her ribcage, bringing a wave of excruciating pain.
''Why...?''
''Why do you always look at me with such immense disappointment?''
''I''ve already done absolutely everything exactly the way you arranged it.''
''But the moment even a single, tiny detail doesn''t perfectly align with your exact wishes, you glare at me like that.''
''You did it right in front of Yan Huan, too... You made me feel so horribly humiliated.''
''And now, even here, you''re still just as dissatisfied...''
''Is it because of my dress?''
''Is it because I refused to change into a different outfit like you suggested? Is that why you''re looking at me with that disgusted expression?''
''But...''
''Am I not your own flesh and blood?''
''Why must you always treat me this way?''
''Just... why?''
Withering under her mother''s harsh gaze, Bai Yi felt nothing but pure, agonizing confusion.
Summoning every ounce of her willpower, she forcefully tore her eyes away from her mother''s deeply furrowed face, attempting to scan the rest of the audience.
But the very next second, as her gaze swept the packed venue, her mind fractured. To her horror, the entire dense crowd had morphed. Every single face staring back at her was an identical, scowling replica of "Zuo Jiangqin".
Bai Yi''s pupils shrank to pinpricks. Staring out at the nightmarish audience, a sharp, deafening shriek violently exploded inside her head.
"Riiiiiing!!!"
A mother wearing a suit... A mother dressed in cosplay... A mother wearing an idol dress...
Every single one of them was glaring at her with heavily furrowed brows. Thousands of pairs of critical, deeply disappointed eyes locked onto her, violently tearing down her existence as if trying to brutally crush her straight into the dirt.
"Ah..."
Her mind completely snapping to white, Bai Yi stood frozen to the spot on stage, utterly paralyzed and too terrified to move a single muscle.
"Miss Bai Yi, hello! Welcome to our annual Linmen Game Exhibition!"
From beside her, the host''s upbeat voice broke through. He extended a microphone toward her, clearly prompting her to speak.
Bai Yi''s eyes trembled wildly as she slowly turned to look at the host.
But instead of the cheerful host, the hallucination persisted. Standing right beside her was yet another scowling Zuo Jiangqin, viciously thrusting a deadly dagger directly toward her throat.
"Mom..."
Her delicate face was starkly pale as her lips parted, trembling as she absentmindedly muttered aloud.
This barely audible whisper wasn''t picked up by the microphone, but the host standing right beside her heard it clearly.
He possessed incredibly rich experience on stage. Knowing his own microphone was still hot and picking up audio, he wisely kept his mouth shut. He merely shot Bai Yi an intensely puzzled look.
But the more Bai Yi was gripped by the suffocating terror of her mother''s hyper-critical glares, the more blankly unhinged and horrified her facial expression became.
And the longer she stood there like a terrified deer in headlights, the more incredibly obvious it became to the host and the thousands of audience members that something was deeply, terribly wrong.
To make matters worse, the more obvious her mistakes became, the more terrifyingly ugly the genuine Zuo Jiangqin''s expression in the front row became.
As a direct consequence, in Bai Yi''s rapidly destabilizing vision, the thousands of hallucinatory "mothers" completely dropped their scowls. Instead, their faces twisted into horrifying, incredibly ferocious smiles.
They stared at her like gaping abyss black holes, collectively forcing her into a desperate, inescapable corner.
''No...''
''Don''t do this...''
''Please don''t do this to me...''
''Somebody, please save me... Anybody...''
"Tick... Tock..."
"Tick... Tock..."
At that exact moment, as if answering her desperate mental plea, the illusory pocket watch held close to her chest suddenly sprang to life, its gears grinding and spinning completely out of control.
The hour hand... It had begun to wildly spin backward.
"Ka-clack-clack-clack!"
As the hour hand blurred in its frantic rotation, the fabric of reality around her suddenly shattered. Everything began stuttering and glitching like a stuck tape, becoming aggressively intermittent. Even the hallucinated "Zuo Jiangqin" who was viciously thrusting the dagger toward her throat found her movements forcibly dragged down to a horribly sluggish crawl.
''Yes...''
''Just like that...''
''Don''t come any closer to me... Don''t constantly invalidate my entire existence anymore...''
''I''m begging you, Mom...''
''Please, I''m begging you...''
"Ring, ring, ring!!"
Right as Bai Yi''s consciousness was teetering on the edge of the abyss, a massive, deafening chime—resonating with the power of a large bell—violently exploded directly inside her left ear.
She flinched violently. It took her battered mind a full second to register that she was still wearing the Bluetooth earbud.
The sheer volume yanked Bai Yi partially out of her psychotic break, allowing her to process the digitized, robotic voice speaking clearly through the earpiece.
"Incoming Plane audio call. To answer, please tap the earbud."
"Incoming caller: Yan Huan."
"Do you wish to answer?"
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