Departure

No one knew how long the concert, which was unlike any other, lasted. When a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds and shone on the now-empty long table, the people finally awoke from their daze.

If not for their negative emotions being swept away and hope rekindled in the hearts of those steeped in sorrow, they might have thought that everything that had just happened was a perfect dream.

"Lian, I can feel the hope rekindled in their hearts and their gratitude towards you," Inori said softly, walking behind Chu Lian and glancing back at the people who remained in place.

"I just did what I should do. How they treat me no longer matters," Chu Lian replied, her fingers still feeling the emotion of the performance as she spoke indifferently.

"Doing what should be done?" Inori paused at these words, whispering to herself. Her wine-red eyes grew brighter, as if she had made a decision. She quickened her pace, catching up with Chu Lian and grasping her hand, "Lian, I want to fly…"

"Huh? How can we fly now? Unless we unsheathe the Void Greatsword, it's not possible…" Chu Lian was startled by her request. Unsheathing the Void Greatsword would mean that the recently vanished Valkyrie would reappear.

The timing of this appearance would be too coincidental, making it difficult to clear her of suspicion. After all, she didn't have many ways to conceal her identity again, especially with Inori by her side. Such a noticeable combination would surely lead to exposure.

"I don't mean that kind of flying. I mean…" She looked up, pointing to a place higher than the Qingping Grand Hotel, "I want to stand at the top and look at the sky."

This was the first request Inori had ever made to her, and Chu Lian couldn't refuse it. So, Chu Lian nodded, "If it's there, let's go. I think the world beneath the ruins must be beautiful…"

Inori was visibly happy to get her approval, her eyes sparkling. She smiled and took Chu Lian's hand, leading her towards the tall building.

Meanwhile, someone had already uploaded the video of Chu Lian's performance to the internet, titled "Goddess of Dawn: The Exquisite Girl Bringing Hope." The uploader described it as follows: "A sudden calamity made my life seem very bleak."

"I lost my parents and my brother, leaving only my sister by my side. At that moment, she suddenly appeared before me. She and she were so dazzling, so radiant, their brilliance searing my heart. I was so jealous of them, I hated them until the first note sounded…"

His story was heartbreaking. Rarely did a family outing end in such disaster; not only did he lose his parents, but his young brother died too, leaving only him and his sister to depend on each other.

He was in despair, ready to record his final moments on his phone and then cowardly choose suicide. But then he saw two dazzling girls holding hands as they entered the scene.

Their clothes were spotless, and they bore no injuries, their vitality shining through, causing the boy, whose family had been shattered, to fall into a volatile state.

However, as they started the music, as they began to play, to harmonize, and then as Chu Lian performed alone with her instrument, facing hundreds or even thousands, revealing a compassion for the world, his emotions gradually calmed.

No longer cynical, no longer hopeless, no longer seeking death, but instead standing strong, using his shoulders to build a solid support for his last family member, his sister.

It's said that in the future, he became a total sis-con and took his now bro-con sister overseas to marry... Just kidding, take it seriously if you want.

Fortunately, while using his phone to record his last moments, he captured the entire scene from Chu Lian and Inori 's entrance to their exit. Although the resolution wasn't extremely high, the decent phone quality captured all the essential moments.

Initially, the video was like a pebble dropped into the ocean, lost among countless new videos. But when a member of "Heart of First Love" accidentally saw it and shared the link, it caused a sensation.

"Goddess Comforts Disaster Victims with Music."

"Gothic Lolita with a Heart of Gold Breaks Her Promise for the People."

"Return Performance: The First Public Duet of the Twin Lotus."

"The Most Heartwarming Post-Disaster Scene: A Performance Amidst the Ruins."

Shortly thereafter, the network sections of major news companies featured new content about Chu Lian's performance, highlighting how she used music to soothe the pain of those affected by the disaster.

Some questioned whether this was a publicity stunt by Chu Lian, but those doubts were drowned by praise upon seeing the girl. At a time when positive energy was desperately needed, only fools would disrupt it without understanding the context.

Not only online but also in reality, many news outlets reported on this event. Of course, many hadn't arrived in time to capture it live, so they relied on the boy's video for their reports. However, some media that were broadcasting the post-disaster situation were fortunate enough to capture parts of Chu Lian's performance, serving as excellent material.

Chu Lian's gesture of seeking peace of mind inadvertently brought the once-vanished girl back into public view.

Even during a disaster on a school trip, the young girl was undaunted and did what she could, using music to heal the battered hearts of the survivors. Her actions not only warmed those on the scene but also touched those watching the video, filling them with warmth.

Perhaps all she could do was this small gesture, but it paved the way for others' efforts, whether in compensation, restoring confidence in life, or alleviating sorrow and despair. Her actions at that moment truly entered the hearts of everyone who knew her.

She wasn't just a talented and gifted young girl but a responsible, compassionate one who proved it through her actions.

No reasonable person would dislike such a person, let alone someone as talented and beautiful as Chu Lian.

Naturally, while discussing Chu Lian, many also mentioned the pink-haired girl who accompanied her at the start and stood behind her.

No one questioned her identity, as their duet of "Euterpe" erased any doubts. No one else's voice could match theirs, and the feeling of the song was unmistakably theirs.

What people discussed was the extraordinary appearance of the girl, her flowing pink hair that clearly wasn't dyed, and her beauty that matched Chu Lian, who was becoming a prominent figure among young girls in China. Moreover, she possessed a unique aura as if she stood outside the world, observing with a serene gaze. Such a girl, who seemed to step out of a painting, naturally drew attention.

"No wonder Chu Lian called their duo 'Twin Lotus.' Only a peerlessly charming and beautiful Inori could stand alongside her. If the Red-Clothed Beauty were here, they'd be three stunning beauties. Could any place but China nurture such beauty?" This is a review by a renowned member of "Heart of First Love," gaining widespread agreement.

In this world, barring any unexpected events, it would be impossible to produce beauties like Ayase and Chu Lian. Unfortunately, countless unforeseen events constantly affect this place. They would never know that Inori is actually a cross-dimensional traveler from another world. Chu Lian arranged for her to have a foreign identity to help her adapt to this world.

If anyone tried to dig deeper into Inori's identity, Chu Lian could easily say she's Chinese. After all, in this world, China is so powerful that every citizen has a sense of pride, and they would likely embrace the emergence of such an outstanding girl. This isn't arrogance but the confidence of citizens from a great nation.

Well, she anticipated this outcome. But that's a story for another time, so let's leave it aside for now...

Back to Chu Lian and Inori, they ran all the way to the tall building, choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator to reach the top floor, the 67th floor.

Unlike Qingping Grand Hotel's four meters per floor, this building's floors were about 3.5 meters high. But its greater number of floors made it the tallest building, towering above Qingping Grand Hotel.

Standing at the edge, the two girls held hands, silently gazing at the ruins of the Qingping Grand Hotel in the distance.

"Lian, if we hadn't come here, would this have happened?" Inori was the first to break the silence, voicing the question Chu Lian had been asking herself. Hearing it now, she didn't know how to answer.

"A predestined calamity, perhaps. Even if we didn't come, they might have faced the same fate, arranged long ago. Didn't our arrival save many lives? Perhaps they were meant to perish in that disaster, but our presence altered their fate. We're not truly divine; we can't reverse cause and effect to prevent everything, which is why so many we couldn't save perished." Chu Lian murmured, gazing at the sky.

Perhaps this was the answer she had been seeking. Whether right or wrong, it was the best one at this moment.

"Is that so?" A gentle breeze stirred Inori's pink hair, mingling with Chu Lian's pure black hair as they stood there until sunset…

They arrived with 44 people: 40 students, 3 teachers, and Inori. When they headed to the next city, only 42 remained, with a teacher and Zhang Feng staying behind to handle subsequent matters.

Chu Lian was surprised. She hadn't expected that after such a catastrophe, so many would choose to continue. Were these youths more mature and aware than ordinary people? She wondered.

At night, Chu Lian sat gracefully by the edge of a window, cradling the spirit form of Tina, lost in thought. After a day of emotional turmoil, most students dozed off soon after boarding the plane.

Inori held Chu Lian's arm, Chu Chu held Inori arm, and Li Xiuer hugged Chu Chu's arm. Together, they all drifted into dreams.

"The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, what's there to find?" With this question in mind, Chu Lian succumbed to the drowsiness and slowly closed her eyes, falling asleep…