Mature Fantasy Power Invasion

Chapter 56

*"Hoo."*

In the corridor bustling with staff, the USB drive gifted by Bai Yi bounced lightly in Yan Huan's palm.

His pants pocket, which had previously held his Bluetooth earpiece, was now flat—he had no idea where the earpiece had gone.

A piercingly loud sound echoed from the stage outside, causing him to pause for a moment.

*"Everyone, please welcome the famous dancer—Christina!!"*

Yan Huan glanced at a promotional poster in the hallway—Bai Yi’s name was listed right after Christina’s.

He needed to hurry.

'Meow-chan.'

Walking quickly in a certain direction backstage, Yan Huan kept a calm expression, only calling out those words in his mind.

*"Meow~"*

On his shoulder, the shadows opened into a pair of emerald-green eyes.

Looking closely, one would see a fluffy black cat wearing a yellow scarf.

It let out a soft meow, which meant, "All done."

Without turning his head, Yan Huan tossed the USB drive toward the cat.

*"Meow!"*

Meow-chan opened its tiny mouth and caught the USB drive.

Its tail swayed back and forth, gently patting Yan Huan’s shoulder.

At that moment, Yan Huan stopped beside a particular room, leaning against the wall as he glanced at the equipment inside.

A sign hung on the door:

["Media Room" — Unauthorized Personnel Prohibited]

Inside, a staff member holding a walkie-talkie spoke,

"BGM ready, over."

"Roger, roger. The next guest doesn’t need BGM, so you can take a break."

The staffer, holding a cup of coffee, glanced at the guest list beside him. Upon seeing Bai Yi’s name, he took a sip.

"Roger that."

Outside the door, the black cat on Yan Huan’s shoulder vanished completely. Hearing the voice from inside, Yan Huan gently knocked.

*Knock knock.*

"Who is it?"

Inside, the staff member quickly turned toward the door and saw a handsome boy holding a phone.

Glancing at the phone, Yan Huan called out,

"Media teacher, I’m the assistant for the next guest, Shi Yuan Nai Nai. We’d like to change the background music for the performance."

"Change the background music?"

The staff member frowned, set down his coffee, and said,

"Why didn’t you say so before rehearsals? Everything’s already scheduled. You can’t just change it now. Go tell your artist it’s not possible."

Yan Huan simply smiled, raised his phone, and said,

"We’ve already informed the executives at the Gold Lion Group. How about this—I’ll call them, and once you pick up, we can discuss it?"

The staffer was momentarily stunned, then reluctantly scratched the back of his head and walked toward the door.

Behind him, his half-finished coffee and house key still sat on the table.

He glanced at Yan Huan impatiently and said,

"Telling Gold Lion’s execs is useless unless they contact the performance director directly. I need official approval. Otherwise, I can’t take responsibility."

"Please just take the call first."

"Fine, fine. But let me say this—my answer won’t change either way."

The staff member emphasized his point as he stepped out of the room.

Just then, a phantom-like black cat appeared on the doorknob, its tail wrapping around the lower lock knob.

*Dong!!*

In the next second, the media room’s security door slammed shut!

"What the hell!!"

The staffer froze in shock, his face changing as he turned to open the door.

*Clack clack!!*

The door was already locked.

"What the hell is going on?!"

His expression darkened as he looked back at Yan Huan.

Just as he was about to speak, Yan Huan wore an innocent expression.

"Hey man, I never even went inside. What’s this got to do with me?"

The staff member, on the verge of exploding, paused in confusion.

Right—this guy never entered the media room, and the door slammed shut right after I stepped out.

And there’s no breeze in here, so how the hell did the door just shut and lock itself?

But there was no time to think about that now.

All the audio had to sync precisely with the rehearsal schedule. Luckily, the next guest’s act lasted seven and a half minutes and didn’t require background music.

He had to get that door open before Bai Yi’s segment ended to play her designated BGM.

Otherwise, it’d be a major stage mishap.

Cold sweat suddenly streamed down the staffer's face. He glared at Yan Huan and cursed coldly,

"This is all your damn fault! There’s surveillance in the hallway! If anything goes wrong, you and your artist are screwed!"

It really was Yan Huan’s fault, so he didn’t argue.

He simply smiled and replied,

"Okay."

That one word seemed to choke the staffer. He gasped for breath several times before managing to calm down.

Gritting his teeth, he ran off to find someone with a key to the media room.

Yan Huan watched him leave, his smile unwavering. Then he turned toward the now-locked media room.

"."

Inside the room, the phantom black cat, USB drive still in its mouth, swayed its tail as it approached the computer, struggling to align the drive with the port.

*Inserted.*

*Ding dong~*

*"Meow?"*

Meow-chan tilted its head and looked at the screen, which now showed the device had connected. It leapt onto the desk.

Its emerald eyes reflected the glow of the monitor. Using a paw, it nudged the mouse and opened the USB drive.

It dragged one of the files into place and positioned it properly.

Then it meowed softly, jumped down, and pulled the USB drive out with its mouth.

In the next moment, the phantom Meow-chan appeared once again on Yan Huan’s shoulder outside the media room, USB drive still in mouth.

*"Meow~"*

Yan Huan rubbed its chubby little head and smiled.

"Meow-chan, being able to appear within a fifteen-meter radius really comes in handy."

*"Meow~"*

Hearing the praise, Meow-chan proudly lifted its head, as if finally washing away the accusation of being "completely useless."

Yan Huan lowered his head slightly to check the time on his phone.

He might now be even better than the staff at tracking guests' stage timings.

Christina's dance was nearly over. That meant Bai Yi had only a few minutes before her turn.

With that thought, he walked toward the stage while opening Plane and sending Bai Yi a message.

"Bai Yi, do you have a Bluetooth earpiece connected to your phone? If not, there’s one on the table up front—it’s mine. You can borrow it."

As Yan Huan moved toward the stage, Meow-chan vanished again, reappearing in a backstage corridor separated from him by a wall.

Yan Huan leaned against the wall, while on the other side, Bai Yi clutched her chest.

The light from Yan Huan’s phone illuminated his handsome face as he sent the message.

On Bai Yi’s side, her phone lit up with the message, becoming the only light source in the dim corridor.

She looked at Yan Huan’s earpiece and, feeling exhausted, leaned against the nearby wall.

It was as if she and Yan Huan, though separated by a wall, were standing back to back.

Neither of them knew it.

Only the black cat, flitting between both sides, witnessed the scene and let out a gentle meow that Bai Yi couldn’t hear.

*"Meow~"*

In the darkness, its emerald eyes watched as Bai Yi tucked Yan Huan’s earpiece into her arms. Then, it turned, passed through the sealed wall, and returned to Yan Huan’s shoulder under the light.

(*) Note for line 89: "Plane" may refer to a messaging or scheduling app within the story universe.

"Now then, please welcome Linmen's most popular new-generation idol!"

"Miss Bai Yi!!"

A voice rang out from the stage, slicing through the air.

*Meow~*

"Miss Bai Yi, please come on stage now!"

The sound of a cat's meow mingled with the staff’s voice calling from behind the curtain.

Under the stage lights, Yan Huan closed his phone and smiled.

In the darkness backstage, Bai Yi lifted her head, her face pale as snow.

In the next moment, they both stepped away from the wall, walking in opposite directions.

One walked toward the spotlight shining on the stage.

The other made his way down the dimming corridor backstage.

*Buzz*

Their two worlds seemed to drift apart—like parallel lines that would never meet, divided by an impenetrable wall.

On the brilliant stage, the dazzling girl looked as if a blade were pressed against her throat.

The audience's gaze was like a black hole, swallowing everything—dark and consuming.

Meanwhile, backstage in the dim hustle, a handsome boy moved swiftly and silently.

In the darkness, his phone suddenly lit up.

His slender fingers brushed the screen before tapping on the icon labeled 'plane'.

Bai Yi.

He initiated a voice call.

*Beep~*

*Beep~*

The phone screen glowed in the dark like fire in a cave, like the sun—like a white hole.

It was a suffocating vortex, a sharp blade glowing in the gloom.

When the phone rang, it was like a doorbell sounding from another world.

*Ding ding~*

On stage, Bai Yi froze, sweat beading on her wide-eyed face.

Her hands trembled as she raised one to her ear.

'Why is he calling me now?'

She didn’t know.

But surely, anything was better than this unbearable moment?

As her fingers touched the Bluetooth earpiece and accepted the call,

the wall separating their worlds crumbled—they were finally connected.

"Yan... Yan Huan?"

The mic wasn’t on. Bai Yi, eyes vacant, didn’t even realize what she was doing—answering a call on stage.

But she felt so hopeless, like she would collapse if this continued.

So she clung to anything—no matter how unexpected, no matter how much it broke the rules—like a drowning person reaching for a lifeline.

She had no other choice.

"Shh, Bai Yi."

The boy’s voice on the other end was gentle and beautiful.

Beneath the noise-canceling earpiece, it felt like his was the only voice in the world.

"Don’t forget—you’re on stage right now."

"..."

Bai Yi blinked, stunned. But she didn’t speak again. Instead, as if finally waking up, she took the mic handed to her by the Host.

Seeing this, the Host breathed a sigh of relief, thinking everything was back on track.

But it was far too early to celebrate.

Yan Huan’s voice continued in her earpiece.

"Actually, Bai Yi, I didn’t give you the Bluetooth earpiece just to calm your nerves. I also prepared a surprise for you."

'A surprise?'

'What surprise?'

Backstage, Yan Huan looked out at the staff making frantic calls and scurrying past the media room, a faint smile on his lips.

Inside the now-empty media room, a black cat sat regally like a tiny deity.

It stared at the screen, raised a paw, and finally clicked the left mouse button.

*Buzz!*

The entire Main Venue suddenly fell silent—a burst of static echoed from the speakers.

Then, out of nowhere, a drumbeat exploded.

*Dong dong dong dong!*

On stage, the Host, just about to ask a question, froze mid-word.

Her eyes widened as she turned to Bai Yi, whose pupils contracted—her legs suddenly weak.

'Why...'

'Why is this different from the rehearsal, Older Sister?'

In the audience, Jiang Xiong looked at Zuo Jiangqin beside him in confusion.

Zuo Jiangqin stood with a stormy expression, ready to explode, but Jiang Xiong grabbed her hand in time.

The director, gripping a walkie-talkie, turned pale and shouted into it, calling the media room.

But the media room was already deserted, and only frantic voices echoed from behind the tightly sealed security door.

"Yan Huan, you... you’re insane."

Bai Yi recognized it—this was the prelude to her new song.

As the explosive drums thundered, the synth melody surged in like a storm.

Audience members who had been chatting or scrolling on their phones all looked toward the stage. In that instant, Bai Yi nearly fled in fear.

She bit her lip. Without turning on the mic, her lips trembled violently. Just as she was about to speak, Yan Huan’s calm voice returned through the earpiece.

"Mmhmm... I didn’t really want to do it this way—it feels like I forced you. But now that we’re here, Bai Yi, will you take this chance to seriously sing your new song for everyone? Or let this turn into a full-blown stage disaster?"

"Do you even realize the consequences of this? I—"

"I’ll take responsibility."

Bai Yi’s pupils contracted. Yan Huan’s voice was unwavering in her ear.

"I know exactly what I’m doing. And although it’s sudden, don’t misunderstand—

"This isn’t an impulsive act. I’m not some crazed fan pushing you onto the stage.

"It’s just that, Bai Yi, I know you truly want to sing.

"And your new song—it’s beautiful."

In just a few seconds, the intoxicating prelude had already reached its midpoint.

Listening to Yan Huan’s voice, Bai Yi’s grip on the microphone tightened.

"Don’t worry about forgetting the lyrics. Don’t worry about stage fright. I’ll stay on the call with you the whole time—even read the lyrics you wrote, out loud."

"So, Bai Yi, the decision is yours."

Hers alone.

Bai Yi’s fingers trembled slightly, then she flipped the mic switch on.

The Host beside her turned even paler, as if witnessing a car crash in slow motion.

"Everyone!"

Bai Yi clenched her teeth and closed her eyes.

Just before the main melody began, she pointed the mic toward the audience and declared,

"I’m Bai Yi, guest performer at the Linmen Game Expo today! I’ve brought a song I wrote myself—I hope you’ll enjoy it!"

The audience didn’t know the story behind the song. For many, it was their first time seeing Bai Yi.

But music is a universal language. The moment the rhythm and melody filled the air, it was as if they already knew the stunning girl on stage.

*Oh oh oh oh oh!!*

Backstage, hearing Bai Yi’s voice through the speakers, Yan Huan smiled slightly and whispered into his phone,

"Earlier, you said I didn’t need to see you as an idol—but I disagree.

"To write such a beautiful song, to sincerely confront the darkness within you, and now to bravely sing—

"Someone like you... how could I not admire you?"

On stage, Bai Yi’s eyes shimmered. In the audience, the faces that reached out to her seemed to melt into warmth and light.

Her mother’s distant gaze finally softened into something real.

Curiosity. Passion. Attention...

Along with Yan Huan’s voice in her ear, all of it became one immense force, filling her with warmth and courage.

(*) Line 101: Linmen is likely a fictional location or city in the story.

Truly, her mother was still watching her.

But he must also be watching her at this very moment!

So no matter what, this song had to be finished!

"Alright, Bai Yi, let's begin! One! Two! Three!"

The energetic and captivating prelude instantly grabbed everyone’s attention—just as it had captured Yan Huan’s earlier.

As the main verse approached, Bai Yi took a deep breath and began singing in sync with Yan Huan’s voice in her earpiece.

[Aren’t there some words that always bring people to tears when spoken?]

[Always feeling foolish, always feeling unable to express oneself?]

[Wanting to become your own idol, not wanting to be bound]

Since she hadn't fully prepared or warmed up her voice, her entry into the verse sounded a little rough.

Still, she gripped the mic tightly—like a sailor clinging to the mast during a storm—as the wind and rain howled around her.

"Crazy. Truly crazy."

Zuo Jiangqin looked livid, her hands gripping the nearby table and chair so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

But Jiang Xiong simply watched Bai Yi on stage. The stiffness that once made her seem like a puppet was now giving way to a radiant strength.

That vibrant energy... that sense of life in full bloom.

Backstage, several staff members holding walkie-talkies approached with grim expressions.

"Mrs. Zuo, Mr. Jiang, we just spoke with Bai Yi’s agent. She said she wasn’t informed of this change and asked us to confirm with you?"

The moment Zuo Jiangqin saw the Gold Lion Group logo on their uniforms, her face turned pale. She forced a stiff smile and began to explain,

"No, we also..."

But Jiang Xiong gently placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her back into the seat beside him.

Then, removing his glasses with his left hand, he looked at the staff and said,

"Apologies for the disruption. This was indeed a last-minute change that we authorized Bai Yi to make. If it’s a contractual breach, we’ll pay the penalty."

Zuo Jiangqin furrowed her brow, ready to explode.

But feeling Jiang Xiong’s steady hand on her shoulder, she swallowed her anger and kept quiet.

The staff frowned, about to respond, but as they looked at the increasingly lively crowd, they hesitated.

The music’s melody was dynamic and uplifting, perfectly matching the youthful theme of the game expo.

Stunning melodies, catchy electronic synths, and a driving rhythm—

Coupled with the vibrant voice of the dazzling girl on stage, the performance nearly set the venue ablaze.

Even the nearby cosplayers and attendees in other halls began drifting toward the stage, drawn by the music.

Countless phones and glowing support sticks were raised, quickly filling the crowd behind.

The staff opened their mouths to speak again, but after glancing at Jiang Xiong, they said,

"Let’s talk after it’s over. For now, let’s carry on."

"Alright. Thank you."

Jiang Xiong put his glasses back on and waved them off.

"What’s wrong with you? Pay, pay, pay—why should we pay? It’s clearly Yiyi’s own—"

"It’s already happened. What’s the point of dwelling on it?"

Jiang Xiong sighed and looked at Bai Yi on stage.

"If this song were truly terrible, or if her performance was genuinely poor, I’d probably be just as angry.

"But look around. Look at Yiyi on stage.

"Everyone loves her song. She’s so full of energy and determination—I’ve never seen anything like this at any event before.

"Jiangqin, be honest with yourself—is this the same Yiyi you always say never takes anything seriously?"

Zuo Jiangqin was momentarily stunned but still frowned.

"Still, she shouldn’t have done this without telling me, right?!"

"Didn’t Yiyi talk to you? Didn’t she say she wanted to sing?"

"I..."

Seeing Zuo Jiangqin at a loss, Jiang Xiong gave a wry smile, looked toward the stage, and chuckled softly.

"Even if the process lacked consideration, the result wasn’t all that bad, was it?

"Guidance is necessary, but punishment isn’t. Since she’s already come this far, we should support her. Do you understand, Jiangqin?"

Zuo Jiangqin still looked displeased, but she couldn’t refute him and could only look at the stage with a sour expression.

She gazed up at the girl under the spotlight, glowing as if lit from within.

That radiant girl gradually found her rhythm—shaking off the nervousness, the stumbles.

After all, this was the thing she loved most—the thing she’d poured the most effort into—the thing she most longed to be recognized for.

Composition, arrangement, lyrics...

It was all the result of her tireless days and nights. How could she not be familiar with it? How could it be unpolished?

So, with just a moment of adjustment, she fully entered a state of selfless immersion.

She just wanted to sing—because she had a knot in her heart.

She just wanted to sing—because she truly loved it.

Even without professional training, her natural talent pushed her to heights others couldn’t reach.

A slight tilt of her head—and her voice surged to an emotional peak.

A subtle movement of her lips—and a beautiful, melodious modulation flowed forth.

As the second chorus ended, the Main Venue was packed with people raising their hands and chanting along.

In the next instant, an electric guitar solo rang out, lifting the slightly mellow mood that followed the chorus.

It was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, like the darkness before dawn.

Bai Yi panted—for several minutes she had gone all out. She was so immersed, she could no longer hear the ticking of her pocket watch, nor Yan Huan’s voice.

Confused, she tilted her head toward the Bluetooth earpiece in her left ear, only to realize that at some point, Yan Huan had ended the call.

*Haha.*

That sense of security that had always been with her vanished, making her long to be near him again.

Gasping for breath, her eyes instinctively scanned the crowd below in search of Yan Huan.

But all she saw was a dense sea of people—how could she possibly spot that familiar face?

Yet in that moment, his voice still echoed in her mind.

His face still lingered in her thoughts.

Looking into the bright-eyed crowd and feeling a lightness in her chest,

Her expression shifted slightly. She placed a hand over her heart.

As the electric guitar solo blazed like lightning, she lowered her head and suddenly spoke.

"This song was written for a fan I’ve known for a very, very long time."

"Oh oh oh oh?!"

The crowd erupted—people always loved juicy reveals like this.

The entire game expo, stirred by Bai Yi’s performance, now felt like a full-blown concert.

"I used to be so jealous of him—jealous of his excellence, jealous of his good looks...

"I never imagined the very person I once hated and envied would be the one to guide me when I was lost."

Bai Yi brushed back her long hair, prompting gasps from the crowd—like a muse descending from above.

"He says he’s my fan, but really, wasn’t I his fan too?

"So, to thank him, to apologize to him—whatever the reason, this song is for him!

"Thank you so much! Thank you for everything you’ve done for me!!

"We’re almost at the end—this song, ‘Fan A,’ I hope you can hear it!!!"

Her graceful form held the mic, her voice soaring like a lark.

Though she never said his name, everyone could feel the emotion in her song.

The final chorus began. The final climax. The key rose just as the electric guitar faded.

Under the gaze of the trembling host beside her, Bai Yi began circling the stage and waving. Amid the roaring cheers, it felt like everyone had found something meaningful in the music.

[Fan A, is it that your emotions surge, yet you still fear it was all in vain in the end?]

In the audience, Yinggong Tong stared at Bai Yi, dazed, unsure of what she was thinking.

(*) Yinggong Tong is likely a character's name in a Chinese context.

Beside her, You’an Lina was already screaming wildly, grabbing strangers and yelling,

"She’s from our school!! Waaahhh!! She sings so well!!"

Aishili tried to pretend she didn’t know her, but You’an Lina grabbed her to wipe her tears.

So she wanted to die from embarrassment even more.

[Fan A, is it that your dreams are everlasting, only to find in the end they were all for nothing?]

At the edge of the venue, crouched on the ground, Yaqiao Mu took off his glasses and looked up, trying to glimpse the stage.

(*) Yaqiao Mu is also likely a character's name.

But tears blurred his vision—the only thing he could see was the haunting smile of Teacher Aijo Shijo in his mind.

(*) Aijo Shijo appears to be an authoritative or memorable teacher figure.

So he lowered his head and sobbed even harder.

*Sob sob.*

"Fan A, are you feeling lost and afraid that the future might dissolve into a blur?"

Spencer lay on a stretcher inside the venue, her eyes unfocused. She clutched a black bag tightly in her arms.

Around her, a group of security and medical staff in Gold Lion Group uniforms surrounded the stretcher, preparing to carry her out.

On the outskirts of the crowd, An Le, clearly worried about her, heard a beautiful singing voice coming from behind. She couldn’t help but turn her head in that direction.

She pressed her lips together, blushing as she stared at the chat history with Xiaohuan on her phone, unable to speak for a long time.

"Fan A, when you can’t meet others’ expectations, you can only become who you truly are."

On stage, Bai Yi had already returned to the center. The melody surged to its climax, completely igniting the energy of the entire expo.

As the music reached its peak, the surrounding instruments faded out—destined to vanish like fireworks after their brilliant display.

The entire venue fell into stunned silence, captivated by Bai Yi’s voice—so vibrant, so powerful.

In that absolute stillness, the dazzling girl’s bright, star-like eyes swept across the audience and finally locked onto a specific direction.

The microphone in her left hand spun slightly before she lowered it to her side. Then, with her right hand, she formed a finger gun and pointed it forward.

As the final note of the song faded, she raised her voice for everyone to hear.

"Thank you, Fan A!!"

Her heartfelt emotion followed the direction of her finger gun, traveling forward.

It passed the seated guests who had begun to applaud.

It passed over wildly waving support sticks and a sea of raised hands.

It surged through the loud cheers and the fiery atmosphere.

And at last, it reached the bright green pupils of the little kitty sitting at the glowing entrance.

A black cat with emerald eyes sat gracefully at the entryway, watching the breathtaking girl on stage as she caught her breath.

Then, the cat tilted its head slightly and let out an adorable sound.

"Meow~"

"Meow-chan."

The next moment, a cheerful voice called from the radiant entrance, prompting the phantom-like black cat to turn its head.

After a quick trot, it leapt lightly into the air.

Just like that, it carried the girl's heartfelt emotion and landed gently on the shoulder of a boy whose back was facing the stage.

The cat rubbed its head against his cheek, delivering the girl's emotions to him.

The boy seemed to hear her voice from the stage and tilted his handsome face slightly to look back.

On the distant stage, under the spotlight, the girl radiated youth and passion, bursting with enviable vitality.

Seeing this, the boy smiled faintly and murmured to himself,

"Fan A, huh."

In the next moment, the boy had already disappeared into the sunlit entrance of the venue.

*OHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!*

"Bai Yi!! Bai Yi!!"

And so, as the final notes faded, the venue erupted into thunderous cheers and applause.

[End of Chapter]

(*) Note for line 322: "Meow-chan" uses the Japanese honorific "-chan," often expressing affection or cuteness, typically used for children, pets, or close friends.