The next morning, Shiro prepared a sumptuous breakfast for Tao Yao as usual.
After Tao Yao finished her meal, Shiro wrapped herself in a black cloak and put on a mask.
Then, she quietly left the house.
She walked through the bustling city, gradually slowing her pace.
The scene before her began to look dilapidated, and a nauseating stench filled the air.
This was Falling Star City, a slum forgotten behind the prosperity.
Shiro frowned and quickened her steps toward the orphanage.
Along the way, she had to carefully avoid the garbage and sewage on the ground.
Shabby shanties crowded both sides of the street, with ragged people huddling in dark corners.
The air was permeated with a sense of despair and helplessness.
Finally arriving at the orphanage, Shiro pushed open the creaky wooden door.
Dozens of pairs of eyes immediately turned to her.
Shiro sighed and took out a large bundle from under her cloak, filled with food and clean clothes.
The children cheered and gathered around her.
Shiro patiently distributed the items, while carefully checking each child's health condition.
Amid the busy activity, it was already noon.
Shiro wiped the sweat from her forehead and set out on her way home.
At that moment, a familiar figure caught her attention.
Wasn't that Hiyakura? What was she doing here?
Shiro felt a bit puzzled.
Then, she cautiously hid behind a rickety wooden post, carefully observing Hiyakura's every move.
She saw Hiyakura sneaking down the street, occasionally stopping to chat with passersby.
Shiro held her breath, trying not to make any noise.
She watched as Hiyakura approached a shabby middle-aged man, quietly asking, "Excuse me, have there been any strange occurrences recently? Especially related to the Apostle Church?"
The middle-aged man smiled wryly and shook his head:
"Strange occurrences? The strangest thing now is that the wages from those bastard employers in Moon City are getting lower and lower. Digging for a day of Star Source Stone, and I can't even afford a full meal. Miss, who has the energy to care about the Apostle Church?"
Hiyakura frowned slightly and asked others.
Most responses were quite similar:
"Apostle Church? Who cares about that! I can't even fill my stomach, how can I worry about such things?"
"If you ask me, it would be best if the Apostle Church could teach those bastards a lesson."
Shiro quietly followed behind Hiyakura, watching her weave through Falling Star City.
Before she realized it, the two reached a narrow alley.
Just as Shiro was about to continue her pursuit, she suddenly found that it was a dead end.
She quickly turned around, only to find Hiyakura already standing behind her, staring intently at her.
"Why are you following me?" Hiyakura asked kindly.
Shiro remained silent, wanting to escape but realizing the way back was blocked.
Hiyakura stepped forward, "Why are you covering your face? Are you hiding something?"
As she spoke, she reached out as if to pull off Shiro's veil.
Shiro quickly took a step back, simultaneously drawing out two sharp daggers from beneath her cloak.
Seeing this, Hiyakura immediately drew her large sword from her back.
The two clashed in an instant, swords flashing in a dance of steel, causing Shiro's veil to inadvertently slip off.
Hiyakura saw her face and was momentarily stunned.
"It's you? The maid next to Tao Yao?" Hiyakura said in shock, then immediately asked seriously, "Why are you secretly following me?"
Shiro coldly replied, "If you can investigate the Apostle Church, why can't I monitor you?"
Hiyakura seemed somewhat taken aback by this response.
She murmured, "I forgot, you and Tao Yao are both members of the Apostle Church..."
Observing Hiyakura's reaction, Shiro's mind raced.
Miss Tao Yao had been troubled lately.
Moreover, Black Rose had also been quite restless as of late.
It was obvious they wanted to stir up trouble.
Miss Tao Yao clearly cared very much about such matters.
Thinking of Miss Tao Yao's recent exhaustion and her ailments,
Shiro felt it necessary to relieve some of her burdens.
To proactively gather more information that might be useful to Miss Tao Yao.
Taking a deep breath, Shiro proactively said, "The Apostle Church operates very secretly, and investigating like you won't yield much information. If you want to understand better, come with me."
Hiyakura looked at Shiro with suspicion, seeming to doubt her words.
Noticing Hiyakura's expression, Shiro explained, "Don't look at me like that. The internal situation of the Church is very complex. Although we appear harmonious on the surface, we are always in a power struggle. I want to know what some people are plotting lately too."
Without hesitation, Shiro turned around, signaling for Hiyakura to follow her.
The two passed through the narrow alley to a dilapidated basement entrance.
Shiro skillfully pushed open the rusted iron door, which creaked loudly.
Hiyakura followed, frowning, carefully avoiding the rubble and sewage on the ground.
The basement was dimly lit, and the air was filled with the smell of mildew and dampness.
Shiro pulled out a small flashlight from her pocket, and the pale blue light dispelled the surrounding darkness.
"This is a secret contact point of the Apostle Church,"
Shiro explained in a low voice, "We can find some clues here."
Hiyakura looked around warily; the walls were covered in various strange symbols and markings.
Shiro approached a wall and carefully examined the traces on it.
She reached out to gently touch a special symbol, and suddenly the wall trembled slightly, revealing a hidden compartment that slowly opened.
Shiro took out a stack of yellowed papers from the compartment, quickly browsing through the contents.
Hiyakura leaned in to take a look, discovering that they were short messages and codes between the members of the Apostle Church.
"These are secret communications among the members of the Apostle Church,"
Shiro explained to the puzzled Hiyakura, "It takes some time to decode."
After a while, Shiro finally deciphered parts of the messages.
According to the spider thread traces, it could be summarized that Black Rose was planning an important operation, targeting both Falling Star City and Moonlight City.
Shiro's expression turned serious, "We need more information. Follow me."
She led Hiyakura out of the basement to a dilapidated tavern in Falling Star City.
Inside, the tavern was filled with swirling smoke, the smell of alcohol and sweat thick in the air.
Shiro skillfully navigated through the drunken patrons to the bar.
"Two glasses of 'Starlight,' and add some rose petals into them,"
Shiro said in a special tone.
The bartender gave her a meaningful glance, nodded, and turned to walk into the kitchen.
After a short while, he returned with two glasses of blue liquid, simultaneously handing Shiro a note.
Shiro and Hiyakura pretended to sip their drinks while quietly opening the note. It contained an address and a time.
"This is the next potential action point of Black Rose,"
Shiro whispered, "We need to go take a look."
The two left the tavern and followed the directions on the note to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Falling Star City.
As night fell, the area around the factory was silent.
Shiro and Hiyakura cautiously slipped into the factory, hiding behind a pile of abandoned machinery.
Before long, several figures dressed in black cloaks entered.
One of them removed their hood, revealing a cold face— it was Black Rose.
"How is the plan progressing?" Black Rose asked.
One of the subordinates replied, "As per your instructions, we have already laid the groundwork in both Falling Star City and Moonlight City. Just a little incitement, and the conflict between the two cities will erupt."
Black Rose nodded in satisfaction, "Good. We need to plunge these two cities into the quagmire of war. Only in chaos can our ideals be realized."
Shiro and Hiyakura held their breath, listening carefully to their conversation.
Black Rose continued:
"The next step is to create an 'accident' in Falling Star City. Let them think it's the work of Moonlight City. Through similar details, subtly heightening the contradictions between both sides, by then, a conflict between the two cities will be inevitable."
Upon hearing this, Shiro and Hiyakura exchanged glances, seeing the shock and worry in each other's eyes.
They quietly retreated from the factory, ensuring they had not been discovered.
Once back in a safe place, Hiyakura could not help but ask:
"What exactly does your Apostle Church want? Why incite a war?"
Shiro sighed deeply, "There are different factions within the Apostle Church. Black Rose represents the radicals who believe that only through war and chaos can this world be reshaped. But not everyone agrees with such methods."
Hiyakura frowned, "So what should we do? We cannot just sit by and watch."
Shiro thought for a moment before saying,
"Black Rose has a significant influence in both cities, and the Apostle Church's infiltration into both cities is severe. If you really want to prevent a conflict, I have a way to work together with you, but you cannot tell anyone in Manju Academy about my situation…"
As she said this,
Shiro couldn't help but ponder deeply.
If it were Miss Tao Yao,
She wouldn't want a war to break out between the two cities, right?
If so,
Then she had to find a way to thwart Black Rose's conspiracy as much as possible.
To allow Miss Tao Yao to rest assured and not worry anymore!
That was precisely why
She proposed the cooperation to Hiyakura.
To resolve the hidden conflicts between the two cities together.
...
In a normal rental house in Blue Star, Sakura Fubuki was, as usual, live streaming.
The room echoed with game sounds and her commentary, showing the currently most popular game, "Journey of the Fairies."
"Alright, this dungeon secret finally cleared!"
Sakura Fubuki sighed with relief, stretched her back, and spoke to her viewers in the chat, "To be honest, the content of this game is still way too little; it's just not enough to grind."
This naturally sparked responses in the chat.
"Don't rush, I heard the next version Abyss is coming out; you'll be in for a ride!"
"Haha, I heard the Abyss was very difficult during the internal testing; I can't wait to see how the streamer looks in a suffering mask."
"Wait, how can you slander the streamer? Don't you realize that the streamer is very skilled? With the streamer's skills, it's definitely appetizing!"
Looking at a series of various comments,
Sakura Fubuki felt a bit speechless.
But more than that, she felt a sense of amazement.
She never thought
She could reach this level of streaming through this game.
To say it, this was all thanks to the game character Tao Yao; although she was merely a virtual character, she might even have to express her gratitude towards her.
After all, if it weren't for that video discussing Tao Yao,
Giving her the first wave of popularity,
It probably wouldn't have been that easy, right?
Just then, the chat suddenly became exceptionally lively, messages scrolling quickly:
"Streamer! The PV for version 1.2 has been released!"
"Quick, go check the new PV!"
"I heard there's a new character coming!"
Sakura Fubuki blinked, surprised: "Already released? Is the speed that fast?"
She chuckled and shook her head, "Although this game, 'Journey of the Fairies,' has quite a few flaws, I must say, their art team is really strong. The character artwork is so exquisite you can't take your eyes off it, and the update speed is astonishingly fast, with an incredible output."
With curiosity, Sakura Fubuki opened the hot search and found a video link at the top of the list:
["Journey of the Fairies" Version 1.2 PV: "Fog of the Twin Cities: The Conspiracy of the Apostles"]
"This title is quite interesting,"
Sakura Fubuki murmured, "It seems this update content is quite rich."
She made some adjustments to ensure the streaming screen could clearly display the video content, then clicked the play button.
The video started playing, with a mysterious and melodious music slowly resonating.
In the scene, the outlines of the twin cities—Falling Star City and Moonlight City emerged from the morning mist.
Suddenly, a group of figures appeared in front of the city.
Their faces hidden in shadows, giving a sense of mystery.
Suddenly, the voice of the senior from Manju Academy, Laurel, echoed on screen:
"Recently, the activities of the Apostle Church have become increasingly frequent. They are likely plotting a more dangerous conspiracy. This time, we must uproot their influence in the Dawn Land!"
As Laurel's words fell, the scene swiftly transitioned.
The main character member, Jasmine, appeared on screen, holding a long sword, her gaze resolute:
"We can't let the twin cities fall into chaos. No matter the cost, we must stop the conspiracy of the Apostle Church!"
Next, Violet's figure flashed, moving gracefully.
She raised her weapon, facing a group of shadows.
The scene changed again, introducing several brand-new characters sequentially.
A brown-haired woman in a lush robe held an ancient magic book; a blue-haired girl carried a uniquely designed bow on her back; and a short-haired, dirty yet cute little girl.
The appearance of these new characters immediately piqued the audience's interest.
The PV continued at a steady pace,
Accompanied by simple sounds and dialogues.
Audiences watching the video PV saw the scenery of the twin cities.
Suddenly, the scene shifted, and Black Rose's voice rang out, filled with threat and ambition: "As Apostles, we must do whatever it takes, even sacrificing the lives of thousands! We will bring fairies back to the world!"
With this statement, the scene switched again.
In a courtyard bathed in moonlight, Tao Yao slowly walked towards Hiyakura.
She reached out and grabbed Hiyakura's wrist, pulling her closer.
Hiyakura was startled by this sudden action, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes.
At the same time, as if recalling something,
Accompanied by edited scenes,
Black Rose's voice echoed in Tao Yao's ear.
"Hiyakura is a great vessel!"
With this suggestive remark, the scene suddenly froze before gradually fading out.
Accompanied by a magical close-up,
It made Tao Yao's villainous boss feeling reach its peak.
The PV came to an end.
As the video finished playing, the chat room erupted:
"Wow! Something big is coming!"
"The Apostle Church is about to pull off a big deal!"
"Yay, I saw several new wives!"
"Tao Yao is going to act against Hiyakura? That wicked woman! Stay away from my wife!"
"After holding back for so long, the plot is finally getting intense!"
"Streamer, quickly share your thoughts!"
Sakura Fubuki looked at the rapidly scrolling comments in the chat room and smiled, shaking her head: "Dear viewers, I know you're all very excited. This PV is indeed well made, and the plot is very engaging. However, as a seasoned player and streamer, I need to remind everyone not to be fooled by appearances."
"What about the new characters? How strong do you think they are?"
Another viewer asked.
In response to this question, Sakura Fubuki thought for a moment and replied:
"I don't know! The internal testing has been long gone, and the developers are very good at keeping secrets—there's no useful insider…"
"But I can make a guess; that brown-haired woman holding a magic book looks like a mage-type character, likely a main DPS. Then, the blue-haired archer gives off a sense of agile damage, should be a single-target main DPS…"
"As for that dirty little girl, I guess she might be a mechanic or alchemist-type damage dealer, but there's a high probability she might just be a support."
The chat immediately buzzed with activity:
"Hearing you speak feels like listening to a great lecture! What you said is kind of the same as saying nothing."
"I'm most looking forward to that archer; she looks super cool!"
"That dirty little girl is so cute; I heard she's a five-star; no matter how strong she is, I want to spend money to pull for her!"
Sakura Fubuki replied with a smile:
"Don't rush; let's research them properly once the characters officially go live. It's still too early to say all this now."
Suddenly, a comment caught Sakura Fubuki's attention:
"Streamer, have you seen the video done by Hua Yu recently?"
Immediately, more relevant comments appeared:
"Yeah, she said in the video that Tao Yao is not a 'dark to light' character."
"I've seen it too; it seems like Hua Yu provides evidence that's quite reasonable?"
"I remember you said to that person while being argumentative that if you misjudged Tao Yao, you would be a dog for her. Is what you said back then still valid?"
Seeing these comments, Sakura Fubuki's expression became somewhat hesitant and puzzled.
She furrowed her brow and said: "Hua Yu? I do have a memory of that name. We had some discussions in the comments before. However, I've been too busy grinding the game lately and haven't really paid attention to other matters."
She paused for a moment, then continued:
"Since everyone is bringing up this video, I'll go take a look right now."
Sakura Fubuki opened the video website and quickly found the latest video released by Hua Yu.
The title of the video was very catchy.
"Dark to Light? Villain? No! Tao Yao may not be as simple as we think."
"This title is quite interesting," Sakura Fubuki smiled and said, "Let's see what earth-shattering secret she's uncovered."
She clicked the play button, and the video started.
The footage showed Hua Yu's first-person perspective in the game.
The video mainly showcased the children in the orphanage expressing their fondness for Tao Yao through some dialogues.
Each child seemed to adore Sister Tao Yao.
In addition, a detailed list of supplies was shown, along with pop-up content windows when interacting with certain items, all pointing to Tao Yao, proving that she personally provided the supplies and gifts to the children.
Sakura Fubuki watched the video carefully, occasionally furrowing her brow in thought.
The viewers in the live room also held their breath, waiting for her reaction.
After the video finished playing, Sakura Fubuki was silent for a moment and then said:
"I must say, this video is very detailed."
"I truly didn't expect there to be such hidden details on the map."
"If I had seen this video before today's version 1.2 PV release, I might indeed have questioned whether I misjudged Tao Yao."
The chat room immediately exploded:
"Streamer, are you saying you changed your mind?"
"A bad woman can still be a good woman?"
"Impossible, have we all misjudged her?"
Sakura Fubuki shook her head, a confident smile on her face:
"Don't get excited; let me finish. Although this video provides some interesting perspectives and angles, let's not forget the version 1.2 PV we just watched."
She paused for a moment, allowing the viewers' curiosity to peak, then continued:
"In the PV, we clearly see Tao Yao taking action against Hiyakura, and Hiyakura looks very panicked. Can this be something a good person would do? If Tao Yao were truly a good person, I'd eat my keyboard!"
The live room erupted again:
"Streamer is ruthless! I believe you!"
"I knew it, Tao Yao must be the villain!"
"Hua Yu's video is misleading! It can only be said that one's perspective is influenced by one's face."
Sakura Fubuki looked at the viewers' reactions and smiled:
"Everyone, calm down. Since she posted these videos, let's analyze them."
"First of all, Hua Yu's video indeed provides some interesting details, such as Tao Yao's care for the orphanage. However, such actions could easily be interpreted as part of a 'dark to light' character arc."
"Furthermore, I personally think that even villainous characters can have a tender side, which could also be a disguise; after all, such a character arc can make her turn more shocking."
She paused again, continuing:
"Also, I believe you've sensed that the game developers seem to be trying to create a deeply nuanced plot."
"From these perspectives, they aim to create complex, deep characters that lead players to engage in more discussions and controversies; this is not surprising."
"From the results, Tao Yao's ambiguous portrayal hits this target perfectly."
"So,"
Sakura Fubuki summarized, "I still stand by my view. Tao Yao is very likely a 'dark to light' character. Of course, if it turns out I'm wrong, I'm willing to keep my promise. But for now, I am quite confident in my judgment."
Having said that, Sakura Fubuki opened the comments section of Hua Yu's video and quickly typed out a comment:
"Don't these details further prove what I said about the 'dark to light' character? As I said before, if I misjudge Tao Yao, I'll hang the stream and be her dog in the future!"