Chapter 20: Burning

The live stream’s scrolling comments were flooded with requests for songs in the Western Continent language, as if a massive, coordinated effort were underway to control the narrative. Consequently, the screenshot Jiang Qin had taken was, unsurprisingly, of a comment demanding a Western Continent song.

Many people were currently gloating behind their optical computers, including the owner of the Nalan Bar. He had been concerned ever since his bar lost a third of its customers the previous day. As another struggling establishment on Tai Street, he refused to let the Moonlight Bar rise to success, and he certainly wouldn’t tolerate that guy You Wei showing off in front of him. Before he could even make a move, however, the only pacifier at Moonlight was hit with a scandal. When else was there a better time to kick someone while they were down?

Without a moment’s hesitation, he spent 500,000 star coins to hire online trolls to join the fray. In his eyes, this female had no merits other than her beauty and a pleasant singing voice, and she was utterly foolish to boot. To think she would make such a bold claim to prove her strength! Even if she had a stockpile of songs, could she really match the specific demands of the netizens? If they threw something difficult at her that she couldn’t sing, the popularity she had gained from her previous PK battles would turn on her in an instant.

The comments in the stream clamoring for Western Continent songs were part of his scheme. Furthermore, he had already devised the next difficult theme to propose—something from an obscure, niche repertoire. He was certain this little female would crash and burn. As a B-rank male, he hadn’t established a foothold on Tai Street just because his bar’s inhibitors were good; if he hadn’t had the brains for it, he would have gone out of business long ago. When his customers started to drift away, his gut told him he couldn’t let this go. It would be best if this little female left the Moonlight Bar, or better yet, left Azure Planet entirely. Otherwise, this change would threaten the entire Tai Street.

***

Jiang Qin paid no mind to the machinations of those with ill intentions; she wouldn’t have been this bold if she didn’t have the confidence to back it up. She quickly selected a familiar song from her system. This time, she didn't choose the guitar; instead, she sat down at the piano.

Boss You Wei was truly incredible; he had custom-ordered three of every instrument for her. One was kept at the bar, and two were sent to her apartment—one for daily practice and one compact enough to take with her in a space ring, just in case she felt inspired while out and about. At least, that was You Wei’s reasoning. He had discovered a secret: the effectiveness of Jiang Qin’s singing varied not only based on the size of the audience but also on the specific song performed. For instance, the song "As You Wish" provided a slightly higher purification value than others. He didn’t understand why, but he knew Jiang Qin was his golden ticket to success. He would never be stingy when it came to investing in her.

Jiang Qin was genuinely satisfied. The craftsmanship of the instruments was superb; You Wei had invested not only money but also significant personal favors to acquire them.

*Ding, ding, ding—*

As the crisp piano notes rang out, Jiang Qin closed her eyes to cultivate the right mood.

"Passion is sweet,
Love makes weak,
You said you cherished freedom so..."

Her red lips parted, and a fluent English song emerged. Although most people couldn’t understand the Western Continent language, that didn’t stop them from finding the melody beautiful. Compared to the chaotic, low-quality Western Continent songs currently in the library, this was like the music of the heavens!

[Hiss... hehe, I actually understand the Western Continent language. All I can say is, those of you who don’t understand the lyrics are missing out on a lot...]

[I never expected the little female to be capable of composing a song like this. It’s making my heart race and my face flush.]

[Is this what you call illiterate? She can compose, sing, and speak fluent Western Continent language?]

[I don’t understand it; for a moment, I couldn’t tell who was actually illiterate.]

[Don’t understand it, but it sounds great +1.]

[+1, I’m in love!]

"My skin's still burning from your touch..."

The voice, ethereal yet tinged with a delicate, tingling sensation, felt like a hook scratching at the hearts of those who couldn't understand the words. It stirred a strange, inexpressible desire, as if the song were unlocking something within them that needed to be released. Those who did understand, however, were already blushing and lost in wild thoughts.

You Wei’s family still spoke the Western Continent language. While he wasn't fluent, he understood enough. He never expected to hear such lyrics the moment he entered the stream, and he was instantly embarrassed. The song was beautiful, giving the listener a feeling of glimpsing heaven, but the lyrics...

In his eyes, Jiang Qin was just a poor, defenseless child! How could she describe such things in such detail? Good heavens, what kind of life had she led? At that moment, anger welled up in You Wei’s heart. Recalling the documents he had seen when helping her register for citizenship, he felt a deep sense of pity. He was over fifty, had no partner, and would likely never have his own offspring. He couldn’t fathom how a child could grow up in such a miserable state. Where was her family? Even on a barren planet, a family that produced a C-rank female shouldn't be that destitute. Yet, Jiang Qin hadn't even attended school. It was hard to imagine the hardships she must have endured to learn composition, singing, and a foreign language. It was even harder to imagine the chaotic environment she must have lived in to write a song like this.

Jiang Qin: (T_T) Actually, I just spent some reputation points.

You Wei didn't know she had a "cheat code" for life. In his mind, he had already painted a picture: a pathetic little girl crouching silently in a corner, enduring hunger, while her mother likely engaged in intimacy with a partner right in front of her, perhaps even describing the sensations or teaching the young female about such things. The thought made You Wei’s world collapse. He had never dared to ask about Jiang Qin’s family because he feared reopening old wounds. After all, if she had a loving family, the newly-adult Jiang Qin wouldn't need to be out looking for work. But he hadn't expected things to be even worse than he imagined.

Perhaps he needed to investigate her family. Abusing a child was a crime! But he hesitated, fearing he might upset her. No one wanted their shameful past to be exposed. After a long thought, You Wei decided against calling his contact. Watching the girl immersed in her music, perhaps this current life was all she wanted. He would just have to take better care of this poor child.