Arknights, but all characters are NPCs?

Lu Shang smiled and turned to look at the opera house behind him.

Well, I hope Arturo won’t be so scared that his hands tremble.

... ... ...

... ...

...

Invited, on stage, playing...

As Lu Shang said, Arturo didn't think there was anything wrong with the script.

Instead, she was quite interested in her current body.

After Lu Shang left, Arturo did not rush to go on stage. Instead, he moved around like a player who had just entered the game, touching here, looking there, jumping and dancing.

It was very strange, there was no sense of incongruity or discomfort as if occupying someone else's body, it was as if this body was really hers.

But why...?

Did she really sleep for several years? Or was this just a real dream?

Puzzled.

But Arturo didn't waste any time.

She picked up her cello, and as the host announced, Arturo walked onto the stage with elegant steps, tapping out crisp rhythms with her high heels.

Based on her previous experience of being invited to perform, what will be the audience’s reaction when she takes the stage?

Is it cheering? Jumping for joy? Or being overwhelmed with excitement?

But this time, none of these happened. Instead, it was contrary to the norm.

Dead silence.

There was no hustle and bustle, no noise, it was so quiet that there seemed to be no sound of breathing.

The audience sitting in the audience was dead silent, watching Arturo walk onto the stage.

Da da da.

But there was no stage fright, no fear, Arturo still walked straight to the center of the stage with a decent and gentle smile.

It was as if Arturo didn't feel fear, so no matter how weird the audience under the stage was, it didn't affect her at all.

Until she played the instrument in her hand without paying attention to the people around her.

Just as the song was about to end, Arturo suddenly stopped playing.

"Nothing..."

Arturo whispered softly.

She is a mirror, a mirror that can reflect people's hearts.

Under her performance, all the audience in the opera house will break free from the shackles of so-called "morality", "rules", "restraints", "following the crowd", "inability to control oneself", and face the most real desire in their hearts -

That's how it should be.

But nothing happened, her mirror reflected nothing.

Why...?

Until the stage lights went out, the lights in the entire opera house were turned on, illuminating the audience below, allowing Arturo to finally see the faces of every audience member clearly.

That was the face of someone who had heard her play before and had a nervous breakdown as a result.

That was the face of someone who had heard her play before, and which resulted in neurasthenia, memory impairment, and pathological empathy.

That was the face of the man who had heard her play before and ended up sending his own king to the gallows.

That was the face of someone who had heard her play before and then defected from the army.

There are good and bad things.

Arturo looked at the audience, all of whom could be called "victims," ​​and tilted his head, as if asking:

"so what?"

"Even if they are all victims, so what?"

"Judgement?"

"But her Originium skills cannot change the nature of others. She cannot make sad people laugh, nor can she make violent people become compassionate."

"She can only awaken the audience's truest self. In the end, it is still the audience themselves who make the choice, isn't it?"

Arturo still had a decent smile on her face, as if even such a grand occasion did not cause her emotions to fluctuate in the slightest.

until--

"I'm going to fuck your mother, the bastard next door—"

W's gentle greeting was not only heard by Lu Shang outside the opera house, but also by Arturo who was performing on the stage.

The frank words and the passionate tone of voice made even Arturo stunned.

Who is scolding? Is he scolding her?

So what emotion should she show now?

Angry? Fearful? Or...

Have no idea.

After a while, Arturo, whose smile had disappeared from his face, stood up.

Without caring about the audience's reaction, she picked up her cello, turned around and left.

... ... ...

... ...

...

"Miss Arturo? I see you don't seem to be in a good mood. What happened?"

Outside the Opera House.

After finishing a cup of milk tea, Lu Shang turned around and looked at Arturo, who was walking out of the opera house with a violin case and an expressionless face, and asked.

"Not feeling good? Me?"

Arturo didn't seem to understand the meaning of the words "bad mood".

After Lu Shang helped her open the car door and she got in, Arturo looked at her current expression through the reflection of the car window. She thought for a long time and just shook her head.

"It's okay. There are people who... well, speak their mind everywhere. Miss, haven't you seen a lot of them in the past few years?"

Lu Shang got in the driver's seat, reminded Arturo to fasten his seat belt, and then started the car. As he drove through the streets, he said, "So, Miss, are the audience satisfied with your performance this time?"

158. Water, Medicine, Dungeon, Chains, Arturo

This question is actually a bit strange.

What does it mean that the audience is satisfied? If they are not satisfied, should they ask for a refund?

But Arturo didn't care about that. She just looked out the window at the streets passing by and asked, "Where is this place?"

"Victoria." Lu Shang was acting as a driver conscientiously: "Miss, are you really confused after sleeping? Ah, is this the reason why you messed up your performance this time?"

No, Arturo actually wanted to ask the audience in the opera house.

Is this a dream? Is this the Inquisition? Or is this all just her imagination?

After all, there was weirdness everywhere, and it was hard for Arturo not to care.

No...the weirdest thing is probably the "butler" in front of me, right?

The audiences in the opera house were all familiar faces, but this butler...Arturo really had no impression of him at all.

"The audience...didn't react at all to my performance," Arturo whispered.

"No reaction?" Lu Shang pretended to be sympathetic: "Miss, your musical attainments are so perfect, but those listeners don't know how to appreciate it. I just think your piano sounds very nice."

"... ..., Meng... Brother, do you really think my performance is good?"

"Yes, if I was in the audience at that time, I would definitely be the first to applaud you, Miss."

"That's it..."

If this is used in a galgame, it would be the most classic option to increase favorability.

When the conquestable heroine is sad and depressed, shining on her like a ray of light will increase your favorability towards her rapidly.

So has Arturo’s favorability increased?

No.

Arturo even smiled and took her cello out of the case: "Since you like my cello so much, how about I play a song for you alone?"

I knew you, a bad woman, would do this.

Lu Shang glanced at Arturo in the rearview mirror with amusement.

The cello is actually a staff, which is used to perform Originium skills, and Arturo's Originium skills...

It’s really easy to guess what this bad woman is thinking.

Although Lu Shang really wanted to ask, "I am an LSP, and you want me to face my true inner thoughts? Are you serious?"

But when Lu Shang heard this, he still nodded and said, "Okay, I've always wanted to hear you play, Miss, but you always refused. Now that you finally said so, I'll naturally listen attentively."

This time...?

So, my dear butler brother, this is the first time you have heard me play?

Arturo nodded in understanding, then smiled and gently plucked the strings, saying, "Well... please listen carefully, brother."

As I said before, Arturo's musical attainments are indeed very high.

Although it feels a little bit missing if it is not performed in an opera house, it is still very good to listen to it as car music.

While Arturo was playing, he was actually observing Lu Shang's facial expressions.

But it's a pity.

Until the end of the song, Lu Shang just clapped his hands for Arturo as agreed: "It's really beautiful, Miss."

"Really? As expected, you can't see anything either."

Her mirror still didn't reflect anything.

Arturo was puzzled.

But Lu Shang was already holding the steering wheel with one hand and handing over a bottle of water with the other: "Thank you very much, Miss, for playing for me alone. Drink some water and take a rest first. We will be at the hotel soon."

"Thank you."

Arturo sighed softly, took the water bottle and unscrewed the cap.

When he brought it to his mouth and took a sip, he turned his head and looked out the car window.

Is there something wrong with her Originium skills... or is there something wrong with this land?

But this place is exactly the same as the Victoria she remembered, without any trace of...

"Ok?"

Arturo tilted his head in confusion: "Brother? This... doesn't seem to be the way back to the hotel?"

"Of course it's not the way back to the hotel. After all, there are too many people and it's hard to take action. Naturally, we have to go to a place with fewer people."

"Somewhere with fewer people? Then where are you taking me now, brother...eh...?"

Arturo seemed to sense something was wrong.

She wanted to turn around, but a severe dizziness came over her first.

How...what’s going on...?

Water problem...?