The game's cutscene continued to play.
Tao Yao gently took Fei Ying's hand and pulled her closer.
Under the moonlight, their figures intertwined, their pink and red dresses fluttering gently in the breeze, like two blooming petals.
"Don't be nervous."
Tao Yao said softly, her voice as pleasant as a clear spring.
Fei Ying nodded somewhat awkwardly, allowing Tao Yao to lead her into the dance.
At first, she was a little nervous.
But under Tao Yao's patient guidance, she gradually relaxed.
The surrounding magical conch began to emit a melodious melody, as if sensing their dance.
The music grew from light to heavy, from slow to fast, perfectly matching their dance steps.
Tao Yao's dancing was elegant and agile, each movement full of rhythm.
She would spin and leap lightly, her pink long skirt drawing beautiful arcs in the air.
Fei Ying, on the other hand, was a little more clumsy, but under Tao Yao's guidance, she gradually found the rhythm, her red skirt swaying gently with her movements.
Their dance was like a flowing scroll painting.
Pink and deep red intertwined, shining with a soft glow under the moonlight.
Their figures approached and separated, yet always maintained a harmonious rhythm.
The conch music became more and more passionate, as if accompanying this impromptu dance.
The leaves rustled, the breeze blew gently, and the entire park seemed to become their stage.
As the conch music concluded.
At this moment, time seemed to stand still.
Tao Yao's and Fei Ying's dance, the conch's music, the soft moonlight, the rustling leaves – everything blended perfectly, creating a breathtaking scene.
The viewers in the live stream were captivated by this beautiful scene, and the bullet comments exploded:
"Oh my god, this is too beautiful!"
"It's over, brothers, I'm starting to like this 'bad woman,' what should I do?"
"Tao Yao is so charming, I'm falling for her!"
"This isn't a villain, this is clearly a goddess!"
"I feel like Tao Yao is different from other characters, she feels more down-to-earth."
"Other characters always have a distant goddess feel, Tao Yao is also a goddess, but she's the goddess who's pursuing me!"
"My mind is full of Tao Yao now, what should I do? Waiting online, it's urgent!"
"This isn't a boss, this is clearly my wife!"
As the animation ended, Sakura Fubuki fell into a brief silence.
She took a deep breath and continued to control the game to proceed with the dialogue.
Tao Yao gently released Fei Ying's hand, a gentle smile on her face. "Little darling, I will remember this day. It will be one of my most treasured memories."
Fei Ying asked curiously, "Do you like dancing very much?"
Tao Yao smiled slightly, a hint of slyness in her eyes. "Actually, compared to dancing, I prefer staying home and playing games. If I had the chance, I'd like to make my own games too."
This statement caused a stir in the live stream, and the bullet comments exploded again:
"Wait, isn't this the storyline from the previous version event?"
"Yeah, in that event, Tao Yao also seemed to like making games?"
"Could it be that Tao Yao in this world also has this idea?"
"Don't talk about it! Dead memories are attacking me! Damn Tao Yao, you made such a difficult game, causing me to miss out on rewards."
As the bullet comments continued to scroll.
With the end of the dialogue, Tao Yao waved goodbye gently:
"Little darling, we'll meet again next time."
Saying that, Tao Yao's figure gradually disappeared into the night of Conch Park, as if merging with the moonlight.
As Tao Yao's figure vanished into the night, a prompt box suddenly popped up on the game interface:
[Received a gift from Tao Yao: Demon Flower x10]
This sudden reward caught the viewers in the live stream off guard, and a series of question marks appeared in the bullet comments:
"???"
"What's going on?"
"What just happened?"
Demon Flowers were precious items used for gacha draws in the game, and ten Demon Flowers were equivalent to one ten-draw. This was just an incidental hidden storyline, and it rewarded a ten-draw, which was beyond everyone's expectations.
The bullet comments immediately erupted:
"I'm not misreading this, am I? There's a ten-draw here?"
"Is the official crazy, or is Tao Yao crazy, or am I crazy?"
"This generous? I can't believe my eyes!"
Some players began to regret their previous choices:
"Damn! I just finished the main story, skipped the dialogue because it was troublesome. And now you're telling me there's a ten-draw here?"
"I'm crying, my ten-draw!"
"Who would have thought such a small event could have such a big reward?"
Sakura Fubuki glanced at the bullet comments and was relieved to see that no one was mentioning her being Tao Yao's pet anymore.
She quietly sped up the pace of advancing the subsequent storyline, hoping to end the topic quickly.
However, some careful viewers noticed Sakura Fubuki's small actions:
"Streamer, don't pretend you don't know, change the live stream title quickly!"
"Wuwu, my Xue, is finally going to become a Snow Dog!"
"Streamer, didn't you say you were going to be Tao Yao's pet? Why are you pretending it didn't happen now?"
Faced with the audience's questioning, Sakura Fubuki forcibly defended herself: "Don't rush, the story isn't over yet. The outcome isn't decided, and it's not certain whether Tao Yao is a yandere."
The bullet comments immediately responded:
"Is the streamer planning to renege on the deal?"
"As expected!"
"Hahaha, it seems the streamer doesn't intend to fulfill her promise."
The atmosphere in the live stream became even more chaotic, with all sorts of bullet comments scrolling rapidly:
"Tao Yao is too cute, I'm going crazy for her!"
"Streamer, just give in, being Tao Yao's pet is so good!"
"All I want now is to draw cards, nothing else matters."
Sakura Fubuki continued to explain: "No, did I say something wrong? You can't be bought off by a ten-draw. This ten-draw is probably just a random gift from the developers, what does it have to do with Tao Yao?"
The audience responded one after another:
"Still playing hard to get, still playing hard to get!"
"Streamer, just accept your fate!"
"Such obvious favoritism, and you say it has nothing to do with Tao Yao?"
Just then, a bullet comment caught everyone's attention:
"Streamer, don't worry. Friends who skipped the story and missed this ten-draw, don't worry. Please check your mail! Tao Yao sent you a corresponding email."
Players who had missed the storyline and didn't get the ten-draw reward rushed to check their in-game mailboxes. To their surprise, Tao Yao had indeed sent an email:
[Dear Adventurer:
Long time no see, I miss you dearly. I apologize for leaving so hastily last time without a proper farewell. I know you have many questions, and I regret not being able to tell you in person.
Regarding the recent rift incident, it is indeed related to the Apostle Cult. But things are far more complicated than they appear. If we meet again, I will definitely explain it to you properly.
This is a small token of my appreciation, I hope you like it. May we meet again in the sea of flowers.
—Tao Yao]
Upon seeing the email, players excitedly returned to the live stream, and the bullet comments exploded again:
"Wow! There's really an email?"
"Even though I missed it, she still sent me a ten-draw, she really cares about me!"
"Streamer, hurry up and fulfill your promise, or I'm going to charge at you!"
"Tao Yao is simply an angel! So thoughtful, who can still call her a villain?"
The more arrogant Sakura Fubuki had been in blackening Tao Yao and the more traffic she had gained, the greater the backlash she received.
Many people who already had a good impression of Tao Yao spoke out:
"I knew Tao Yao couldn't be a bad person!"
"Streamer, what do you have to say now?"
"Such a gentle and considerate Tao Yao, how can she be a villain?"
Faced with overwhelming criticism and mockery, Sakura Fubuki felt ashamed.
She had intended to attract traffic by blackening Tao Yao, but she never expected things to turn out this way.
Now, she not only had to face the audience's doubts but also fulfill her previous promise to "become Tao Yao's pet."
Under immense pressure, Sakura Fubuki made a hasty decision.
She suddenly closed the live stream and chose to escape.
"The streamer ran away!"
"Hahaha, it seems she really couldn't take it anymore."
"Don't run, come and be Tao Yao's pet!"
Although the live stream was closed.
The audience's discussion did not stop.
Some people began to share the live stream on various social platforms, and more players were drawn into this topic, paying attention to the character Tao Yao.
After all, the rewards were tangible.
Regardless of how the storyline developed.
It was enough to draw players' attention to Tao Yao.
Tao Yao's actions sparked a heated discussion among players.
Discussions about her filled major game forums and social platforms for a time.
Player opinions quickly divided into two factions, arguing incessantly.
Players who supported Tao Yao said:
"Tao Yao is definitely a good person! Look how gentle she is to Fei Ying, and she even gave us a ten-draw. How can such a thoughtful character be a villain?"
"I think Tao Yao might be misunderstood. Perhaps she has some unavoidable hardships that caused her to be involved with the Apostle Cult."
"I don't care! Even if she's a villain, I like her!!"
"Tao Yao's personality is too likable, she feels like the close older sister from next door who often visits me. I just want to draw her card now!"
However, some players remained skeptical:
"Everyone, don't be fooled by the surface. Aren't all villains in games like this? They act good at first, then suddenly betray you."
"Tao Yao must have a purpose in approaching Fei Ying. It's hard for me to believe that there's such a perfect character in this world!"
"Giving a ten-draw is probably just to lull us. Just wait, there will definitely be a big twist later."
The debate intensified, but it was undeniable that Tao Yao's reputation was slowly but steadily improving.
More and more players became interested in this mysterious character, and some even created Tao Yao fan groups to discuss everything about her.
While players were eagerly discussing, the storyline within the game world was quietly progressing.
Moonlight, like gauze, shrouded the deep forest.
Tao Yao stood in a clearing, not far from where Black Rose was busy.
Black Rose carefully directed cult members to set up various devices.
Tao Yao stood nearby, her eyes flashing with an inscrutable light.
Just then, a cheerful voice rang in Tao Yao's mind:
[Master, your popularity has increased! Skyrocketed!]
The system, Xiao Xiao, said excitedly, its voice full of joy.
[So giving out rewards is so effective! Although it used up all the popularity points you stored, you've basically earned it all back, and even gained tens of thousands more. If this continues, you'll be able to exchange for a four-star character card soon!]
Hearing this news, the corners of Tao Yao's mouth curved upwards, revealing an expected smile.
Her gaze swept over Black Rose, who was busy not far away, and she said softly, "Of course. No player dislikes freebies. If there are any, it's because they haven't received enough."
System Xiao Xiao continued to speak excitedly.
[Master, the main storyline of version 1.2 isn't fully open yet, only the last part is left. As long as you perform well enough, your popularity will explode again!]
Hearing this, Tao Yao's smile deepened.
She slowly curved her lips, a hint of slyness flashing in her eyes.
"Don't worry, next is the final performance."
Tao Yao knew very well in her heart.
It wasn't easy to change her original trajectory.
Her original identity.
Predestined her to fall into a state of losing control.
And then be vanquished by the protagonist group.
The popularity points she currently possessed.
Were enough to change her fate of losing control.
In general, even if she just waited now, until her popularity points accumulated to 100,000.
And then exchanged for the corresponding character card.
She would be able to avoid losing control at this time.
And as long as she didn't lose control during this time.
She could naturally stay out of it and not participate in the storyline, thus escaping calamity.
But this wasn't what Tao Yao wanted.
Since she could do more and had the ability to make this world better.
Why shouldn't she do it?
With the thoughts in her heart, Tao Yao walked lightly towards Black Rose.
Black Rose also noticed Tao Yao and then smiled and said, "As you said, the exit for this rift is placed outside the city to minimize casualties."
Tao Yao nodded.
Then, she turned her gaze to the cult members who were setting up various devices.
The Apostle Cult's research on Disaster Beasts stemmed from their exploration of mysterious powers.
Disaster Beasts were not mere beasts but containers carrying certain primal energies. Each Disaster Beast could drop a corresponding core.
By dissecting captured Disaster Beasts and obtaining their cores.
The cult gradually mastered the technology to open rifts.
And through this technology, they could release the sprites that roamed in another dimension.
Black Rose followed Tao Yao's gaze and looked at the neatly arranged rift guides with satisfaction.
Then, she turned back to Tao Yao, her eyes flashing with excitement, and said, "The devices are almost set up, and the twin cities are in chaos. Next, we need to find the vessel and let the Fire Sprite descend upon her."