Why play in a band if you don't form one for life?

In desperation, she turned to superstition.

But there was someone faster than her.

On this day, she received a piece of information from Afterglow, a friend of Duohui and her friends.

"You may not believe it..." Sitting opposite Rui Yi in the family restaurant, Uehara Himari looked a little hesitant, "Let's go to - ask a question."

"What?" Rui Yi didn't understand.

"It's..." Feimali recalled with a shudder, "The kind from the ghost stories... the flying creatures that wander around the campus at night..."

"Oh," Rui Yi nodded, not surprised, "I see."

When they were in the first year of high school, Afterglow accidentally encountered a ghost story in Yugaoka at night. That experience left them with a bad memory. For a long time, they tried to avoid talking about that topic, but now that their friend is in danger, they have no choice but to take the risk.

"We did meet her." Feimali recalled, still seeming to shudder, "She said that she did know where Huihui... Duohui and the others went, but she couldn't tell."

"Can't say?" Rui Yi's sudden shout in the family restaurant attracted the attention of everyone around.

She realized her mistake and sat down again: "Sorry, I lost my composure."

"It's okay." Feimali continued, "She told us that she died in the place where Poppin'Party is now. If you tell us the detailed information of that place, we will be taken there immediately."

"We thought about it. After all, we still have our own family, especially Xiaoba. After Xiaoyazi got into trouble, she was the only one left at home...so we are very sorry." Feimali's eyes were red. Knowing that her friends were in danger, but she was unable to help, made her very uncomfortable.

"We thought about it and decided that no matter how dangerous this matter is, we cannot hide it from Ruiyi," she said. "As for what to do, Ruiyi will make the decision herself."

Rui Yi said calmly, "Thank you, Feimali-san."

No need to think about it at all.

At the beginning, I had already made the decision to form a band with Xiaohua.

After working hard for so many years and about to be reunited, Xiaohua disappeared.

After searching for so long, there were no valuable clues. Now, such an opportunity is in front of us - an opportunity to realize my dream.

So, that night, she appeared in this world.

"So, you came here on your own initiative..." Shizi tried to remain calm, but the excitement in her eyes revealed her.

CHU?'s reaction was more normal. She looked at Rui Yi with wide eyes and a little surprise. She couldn't imagine how much heavy emotion was buried under the mature appearance of the other party.

Rui Yi didn't care about the reactions of the two.

"Since I can meet Xiaohua by following everyone, then I feel relieved. But, CHU?," she lowered her head, "can I make a request? If the guitarist has not been determined yet... can it be left to Xiaohua?"

Before CHU? could respond, a loud "Huh?" echoed through the room.

It was sent from Shizi.

ps: LAYER is already quite heavy. As I was writing, I realized that the band and RAS were about to collapse, but Roselia and PPP were still so innocent...

Chapter 31 Rehabilitation Exercise

"Haa..." With his legs swinging in the air, Shizi sat at the head of Hongxia's bed and sighed for the fourth time since entering the room.

"...So, what you mean is that you don't want to follow the original plot this time?" Hongxia sorted out a lot of things that Shizi had said before and concluded, "You've grown up... little Shizi..." She was so moved that she shed tears.

Not long ago, Shizi came in muttering, "I'll invite a foreign Bodhisattva named Baba Enbo for you." She then placed an altar table next to Hongxia's bed and placed a South American-style stone statue on it. Then she sat on Hongxia's bed and sighed. Hongxia asked again and again, and then she knew what she was worried about.

“Sigh… I also know that LAYER works really hard, and it would be too much to stop her from forming a band with Huihui. But if this goes on, Huihui won’t be able to take care of two bands at the same time, and she’ll end up not being able to handle either side. Oh… I’m not the one who likes to watch any stomach-aching plot like “Let’s Fight”… Popipa should be kirakiradokidoki…” She covered her eyes and rolled around on the bed sheet, flattening the originally flat sheet into a mess.

Hong Xia wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, pulled her feet back from the end of the bed, made room for Shi Zi, and looked at her madly with kindness: "Ahaha... not necessarily. Look, if we act together with Poppin'Party in the future, there won't be any conflicts in schedule, right?"

“Yeah…” Shizi stopped, but then started rolling again, “But sooner or later we have to return to reality—by then, Huihui will have stayed in RAS for too long, and it will be even more difficult to break up if there is a conflict—”

"Ah, yes, as long as we don't return to reality, let's play house in this world for the rest of our lives..." Shizi looked like he was going to break down.

"Uh... didn't you say there was a new person named LOCK? How is she?"

"She..." Shizi lay flat on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, "I don't know who CHU will choose, and after all, I can't be 100% sure that the newcomer is LOCK. What if it's someone else, then Huihui will definitely join RAS, ah..."

"Ah, yes..." Shizi's eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had thought of something. Hongxia's heart trembled, and she quickly called her: "Stop!" Her brain was working rapidly, trying to divert Shizi's attention.

She raised her index finger: "Right, right! How long will it take before we pick up the next newcomer?"

"How long will it take... let me see..." Shizi's consciousness once again immersed itself in the map in her mind. She should be able to reach the location of the next newcomer tonight. This time, she didn't want to go too far.

"Well," Hong Xia pulled back the quilt, covered her wound, and slowly sat down on the bed, "Don't tell anyone else when you get there. I'll go with you to pick her up. If the other person isn't the one you thought, you still have time to do whatever you want later."

Shizi sat up with a somersault and quickly held her down: "You're not well yet, lie back down!"

"It's okay, it's okay. It's okay now." Hong Xia lifted up her pajamas and untied the bandage, revealing her fair skin without even a scar.

Shizi tried to poke that place, but Hongxia didn't show any pain, she just giggled: "It's so itchy...hahaha...don't scratch it..."

Shizi took his hand back and sat up straight: "When will it be good?"

"When I got up today." Hongxia tucked in her clothes, "because there didn't seem to be anything to do, I just lay down for a while and waited for someone to come. As a result, senior Youxi suddenly came over and said, 'A new person is coming,' and left. I just got up and put on my clothes, and she came back and said that I didn't need to show up. Not long after, a stranger came in and said hello, and then you came over and said that you had picked up the new person." Her tone was somewhat complaining.

"You guys don't need me, right?" Hong Xia suddenly said softly. She forced a smile on her face, but it seemed like she was mocking herself.

A dark cloud passed by, blocking the light and making the room dark.

Shizi's heart ached and she was about to speak when Hongxia suddenly covered her mouth and laughed: "Is it similar? Is it similar? I learned it from you, how about it?" She laughed so hard that tears came out of the corners of her eyes.

Shizi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She immediately put on a brown cat-ear wig and started tickling Hongxia's belly: "Guji guji guji guji..."

“Ahahahaha… I give in, I give in…”

At night, outside Hong Xia's room.

Shizi stood by the door, her egg-yellow pupils flashing in the darkness. She was not holding a jade slip, nor did she have a torch. She was wearing night clothes and had cushions under her feet. Even so, she stayed close to the wall, slowed down her pace, and turned her head every three steps, like a spy on a mission, afraid of being discovered.

A ray of light shone through the crack at the bottom of the door.

Shizi stretched out his hand and knocked lightly on the door.

Three long and two short.

The light flickered in the crack of the door, and footsteps were heard. The door opened, and the person who opened it did not pay attention, making a "creaking" sound that was very clear in the dark night.

"You're here..." Hong Xia looked at Shi Zi, who was dressed in black, outside the door and was slightly stunned. "What are you doing?"

"Stealth." Shizi lowered his voice, "If you are discovered, you will have to go back and start over!"

"Where did this setting come from..." Hong Xia narrowed her peepholes, walked out of the room, and closed the door casually, "Aren't you in a hurry? Classmate Ruiyi talked about the situation when you first met. The newcomers this time may not be able to be resurrected. What if you miss something because of delaying time? What will you do then?" She was still glowing and walking in front.

Shizi still lowered his voice: "I left enough time in advance. Look, the airship hasn't even started to slow down yet."

Hongxia paused. She nodded her chin, thought for a moment, and finally snapped her fingers. The stars went out and the corridor returned to darkness. "Give me a nightgown," she whispered.

Shizi smiled silently: "I understand."

Two more shadows appeared in the dark corridor. Relying on their memories from the day, they stuck close to the wall and moved step by step towards the exit.

"So nervous..." Although there was no danger, Hong Xia's heartbeat suddenly quickened. Should we organize some activities like this at night next time? While thinking about this, she lay on the ground and explored the next corner - "Yi!" She immediately jumped back like a cat and jumped into the arms of Shizi, who looked puzzled.

"What's wrong? What's the point of making a fuss?" Clear footsteps were heard from the other side. A short figure appeared at the corner. The starlight shining in from outside the airship outlined the profile of the person who came - it was CHU?.

"Good evening, both of you~" a voice came from the empty space behind Shizi. Shizi and Hongxia in her arms were startled and turned around. A girl with twin ponytails walked out from the shadows. When they got closer, they found it was PAREO.

"I have a feeling that you two are going to go out." It sounds like CHU? has been waiting here for a long time.

"This premonition...is it a cat..." Hong Xia complained silently.

CHU? ignored her and looked at Shizi: "A new person is coming?"

Shizi let go of Hongxia and nodded helplessly. She had already guessed what CHU was going to say next.

"I'll go with you." Sure enough, she said so.

Chapter 32 Rikka Asahi

When Shizi and Hongxia were hanging on the rope ladder and slowly descending to the ground, CHU? and PAREO had been waiting on the ground with their heads raised for a long time.

"So slow." CHU? said bluntly.

Shizi jumped from the rope ladder and landed on the ground: "Apocalypse, you may be handsome, but you can't carry three people. I don't want to jump with you again."

"I also want to avoid bungee jumping as much as possible... hey." Hong Xia jumped down from a step, her ponytail shaking in the air.

The two looked at Pareo. Pareo raised his hand and smiled: "As long as he is with Master Chu?, Pareo will not be afraid at all."

CHU?'s somewhat ashamed voice came from the armor: "Never mind, Shizi, where is the newcomer?"

This place is a rolling hilly area with a river nearby. The light spot is located near the river.

The four of them found their direction and began their night trek.

"To be honest, it's a bit hot..." Hong Xia used her right hand as a flashlight and her left hand to fan herself. It was not long after nightfall, and the heat from the day had not yet dissipated. They had not felt it in the sky before, but now that they were on the ground, they suddenly felt the heat.

"Master, remember to take a shower when you get back." Pareo wiped the sweat off her face. Fortunately, she didn't put on makeup, otherwise she didn't know how her face would look now.

"I'm sick!"

As they chatted, they were careful of obstacles on the road and moved forward as quickly as possible. Taking this opportunity, Shizi approached CHU? and asked a question she had wanted to ask for a long time: "Um, CHU?, what do you think of what LAYER said during the day?"

The name LAYER has been taken by CHU?.

"Huh?" Chu? didn't even turn her head in the armor, "Why do you care about this?" She was just splashed with slime by a slime and was in a bad mood. She kicked hard and kicked another smoking skull down the mountain.

"Well... just curious? You see, I can be considered the number one fan of RAS, so it doesn't matter if I give you some spoilers..." Shizi stretched out his right hand, and a huge metal mouth opened in front of him, instantly crushing the flesh and bones.

"Huh?" Hearing this, Chu?'s mood improved a lot. "Although I can understand LAYER's request, I will not give in on music. I have also watched Poppin'Party's performance video, and Duohui Garden looks very skilled, but I still have to see it with my own eyes to know for sure."

In front of them was a cliff formed by a landslide. CHU?'s foot armor spewed flames and flew towards the bottom of the cliff. Behind her, PAREO was shouting: "Wait for me, Master CHU?——" But CHU? was no longer in sight. Shizi estimated the height below, turned back and took Hongxia's hand, and suddenly smiled: "Come, take a slide!" Without waiting for Hongxia to react, she waved to PAREO, and under her feet, metal rose from the ground to form a slide. Shizi directly pulled Hongxia to lie down on the slide and slid down. The slide grew downwards, winding along the structure of the cliff, all the way to the darkness at the bottom of the cliff. Amid the screams that were getting farther and farther away, the figures of the two gradually shrank into a point of light. PAREO watched the three people flying away quickly, looked at the heavy ghosts that were gradually gathering behind him, gritted his teeth, and slid down the slide left by Shizi.

“Ah————————Oh.” Finally reached the bottom.

PAREO pressed his chest and felt his heart still working. When he jumped down with Master Chu? before, it wasn't so scary. Why is it so scary now when he is just sitting on a slide? It must be that his love for Master Chu? overcame everything! PAREO's eyes sparkled with fire.

Hong Xia's legs were still shaking. "To be honest, it wasn't as exciting as when I was with Xing Tian..." She squatted down and rubbed her legs, "But I hope you can give me some time to prepare myself mentally next time..."

"Very happy, isn't it?" Shizi's face was full of smiles, and her voice was so sweet that honey could flow out. Under the starlight, the golden wig shone brightly. CHU? and PAREO looked at her in amazement. It was the first time they had seen Shizi's skill.

"Xin-san...?" PAREO muttered to himself.

The river surface with stars was already in sight. Shizi returned to his original appearance, and the four of them continued on their journey.

"How did you develop this false voice technique?" CHU? couldn't help but wonder. Although she didn't know much about it, she felt that Shizi could be a voice actor with this skill.

Shizi thought for a long time but couldn't describe it: "Uh... I just felt it was okay, and then beep-beep--it was done?"

"Beep-beep--?" CHU? couldn't understand. But PAREO's eyes lit up. Shizi's words made her feel familiar. Could it be that Shizi also promoted paspale? She silently memorized it in her heart, waiting for an opportunity to try the secret code after returning.

"What a genius..." CHU sighed. Talent is really unreasonable. She thought about her inability to play musical instruments and felt a little depressed.

Hong Xia continued to introduce with a mother's pride: "And Xiao Shizi is also very good at music! In just a few months, his keyboard skills have risen from Lv6 to Lv9!"

Shizi didn't say anything and blushed a little.

"Lv9?" PAREO exclaimed, "I'm only Lv8..."

"This number is just a number, it doesn't mean anything." CHU said calmly, "Like before, Guitar Hero's skill level was so high, but he still couldn't perform well on the spot, right?"

"That's her personality problem..." Shizi instinctively wanted to refute.

"So what? No is still not possible." CHU?'s words were indeed merciless.

"Hmm..." Hong Xia immediately changed the subject when she saw that the situation was not good. "Little CHU? You are a producer, right? What is your level of [Music Production]?"

"10."

"10?" Hong Xia was also shocked. "Higher than senior Youxi..." She suddenly fell into depression: "Little CHU? His composing level is so high, little PAREO is so young but his keyboard skills are already level 8, and little Shizi is a genius in both the acting and music departments. I am the only ordinary person..."

Just as Shizi was about to say something, Hongxia had already cheered herself up: "Okay, then I must work hard too!"

"I've already tried hard enough..." Shizi muttered softly.

"Quiet." Chu suddenly raised his hand. Everyone stopped. There were no monsters around. The reason was clear from the traces of knife and axe hacking everywhere.

From a distance came the sound of a guitar.

The sound is slight, but wild and unrestrained.

"Found it..." CHU? muttered to himself in the armor.

Asahi Rikka came back to her senses from her guitar world. She put down her guitar, put on her glasses, and stared at the glittering river in front of her with melancholy.

Suddenly, my heart moved.

She turned around and saw four dark figures in the distance.