The lively concert fell silent as the soft, elegant sound of a harp filled the air.
"Huh? Isn't this the idol girl group? Why's it so quiet?"
"Never heard of them before, but that girl in the center is so cute!"
"Shh—listen! The accompaniment is by V.T."
"Wait, really? The legendary V.T.? Where? Is V.T. a guy or a girl?"
"Backstage. V.T. never shows their face..."
Venti's harp playing was as enchanting as ever. In the now quiet venue, the gentle notes lingered in everyone's ears.
Though hidden from view, every time Venti performed, Lu Chen felt inexplicably at ease—as if he were back in Mondstadt, lazily shooting pigeons on the bridge in front of his house, content and carefree.
As the prelude ended, an angelic voice echoed like a gift from the heavens.
The moment the singing began, the audience collectively held their breath, all eyes drawn to the lone spotlight on stage—and the angelic girl standing within it.
"The dandelion seeds drift away with the wind, to an unknown far-off place..."
"The north wind slumbers softly in the forest, and life begins to grow..."
"Oh wind that guides me forward—"
Behind Barbara, a chorus of delicate voices joined in. Lu Chen couldn't help but think of that hymn to the Anemo Archon he'd once heard by the sea.
Judging by the audience's rapt expressions, Lu Chen could already tell—Barbara had made it.
But she had more surprises in store. After the ethereal opening ballad, the music suddenly shifted. The tempo picked up.
Venti actually ditched the harp—for an electric guitar!
All the spotlight fell on Barbara. At some point, she had changed into a sparkling idol outfit, her skirt fluttering with every movement.
"Everyone! Good evening!"
The girls who had just seemed like serene angels had now transformed into energetic, radiant school idols.
They danced to the upbeat rhythm. Lu Chen recognized it—this was the group routine Barbara and her team had rehearsed countless times.
"I say..."
"Hey, hey, hey, START DASH!"
"Hey, hey, hey, START DASH!!!"
The crowd erupted. The shift from tranquil to explosive had completely ignited the audience. Who could resist the charm of vibrant idol girls bouncing around onstage—especially when Barbara was this adorable?
"She's blown up, totally blown up!" Tony was glued to his phone, furiously refreshing the trending charts.
"V.T.'s new album drops tonight too. Don't let the hype die down!"
Lu Chen overheard his conversation with Starlight's Director Zhao and pulled out his own phone.
Opening Weibo, sure enough, the top trending topics were all about the Starlight Carnival.
#StarlightCarnival
#LengGeFinale
#FengGeOnFrontPage
#V.T
#V.TSecondAlbumRevealed
#NewGirlGroup
#WhoIsTheSchoolIdolCenter
He clicked into the comments—most were talking about Barbara's school idol debut.
"Ahhhh! She's so cute! What's her name?"
"Heard she's Starlight's new school idol?"
"An idol with that kind of vocal talent?!"
"I've got a feeling—this girl's gonna be huge. If you follow her now, you're officially an OG fan!"
"Who wants to sneak backstage with me to find V.T.? I heard she's even prettier in person!"
"Bro, careful—security's tight..."
Seeing the two Starlight execs grinning ear to ear, Lu Chen couldn't help but smile too.
The mission was finally a success. And Barbara's dream—to become an idol—had come true.
Maybe someday she'd return to Mondstadt and resume her duties as a prayer priest, but she'd never forget this stage, this dazzling, star-lit carnival. It was the moment she shone brightest.
[Challenge Mission: To Save the World—Become an Idol!]
[Help Barbara debut as a school idol by performing at the highly anticipated Starlight Carnival.]
[Mission Complete. Reward: 4800 Primogems, 4.8 million yuan in real-world currency.]
Lu Chen was so thrilled he snatched the last piece of fried tofu from Miko's hand.
The system had just finished updating too.
[Real-World Teyvat System—Version Update Complete.]
[To fix bugs and resolve hidden issues, additional permissions will now be granted. The Gate of Teyvat may be temporarily opened.]
[Spend 5000 Primogems for 24 hours of gate access. Spend 10,000 for 48 hours. And so on...]
[The first mission will not cost Primogems.]
[You may bring three companions. Archon quest progress increases with the number of companions.]
[...]
[World Quest]
[Investigate the Abyss Order's Conspiracy]
[Within 48 hours, eliminate the Archon remnants controlled by the Abyss Order and address the resulting danger to ensure proper gate function.]
[Completion Reward: 10,000 Primogems, 10 million yuan in real-world currency.]
[Thank you for using the Real-World Teyvat System. We will always be your steadfast support.]
Back at the RV, Lu Chen shared the news. Everyone looked shocked.
Ei's eyes sparkled. Xiao also turned directly toward him—clearly, both were eager.
"If we can return to the other side, even briefly..." Her amethyst eyes locked onto Lu Chen's. "I need to return to Inazuma immediately. There's a lot that needs to be dealt with."
Yae Miko twirled her fingers, speaking slowly, "Ei, didn't you already leave a strong-willed, powerful puppet general to guard Inazuma?"
"And that's exactly the problem..." Lu Chen said with a sigh.
That "Three-God Debate" had drastically shifted Ei's view of "eternity."
Her desire for eternity hadn't changed—but with Lu Chen's return, his companionship, and the clash of philosophies with the other gods, she no longer pursued stasis. She would now seek different ways to evade Celestia's gaze.
"If that single-minded Raiden Shogun is left guarding Inazuma..." Lu Chen curled his lips. "The Vision Hunt Decree might never end."
Ei's first priority upon returning would be to abolish the decree and begin sweeping reforms. But all of that required time.
And time was something they didn't have...
"This world quest gives me only 48 hours. One hour's already gone. And I can only bring three people..."
Lu Chen looked around.
"Lu Chen." Ei's violet eyes stared straight at him.
"I know." Lu Chen nodded. Ei was definitely going.
"You two aren't ditching me!" Miko folded her arms.
"Fine." Lu Chen had no choice.
He looked at the others.
Barbara had just returned from performing, draped in a coat over her idol outfit.
Qiqi's eyes were dull—she clearly had no interest in returning.
And Xiao, burdened with karmic debt...
Venti had been dragged off to a celebration party by Tony and the others. There was word of good wine, so Lu Chen didn't bother him. That left only the people here—but they all seemed to have reasons not to go.
Lu Chen pulled out his phone. "Guess we'll have to call for backup..."
He was about to dial the old man when Xiao suddenly pressed his hand down, refusing to let go.
"Xiao?" Lu Chen looked at him in surprise.
The boy's face, golden eyes, radiated absolute determination.
"Lu Chen."
"Please—take me with you."