Chapter 307: A Dreamlike Performance
As the final notes of the opening act faded into the rafters, the performers filed off the stage in a synchronized tide. Only Kamisato Ayaka remained. She stood perfectly poised in the center of the spotlight, the pristine fabric of her attire catching the brilliant overhead beams. A murmur of confusion rippled through the packed auditorium. Why was the host lingering?
Ayaka raised a microphone, her serene smile projecting effortlessly to the farthest rows. "Everyone," she began, her voice clear and carrying a natural elegance. "Today's competition is proudly hosted by the Kamisato Clan, with exclusive technical support provided by the Jade Chamber. To ensure the absolute perfection of this event, the Jade Chamber has invested heavily in integrating advanced holographic projection technology into this very stage."
She paused, letting the weight of that revelation settle over the whispering crowd. "Next, please enjoy today's dreamlike and wonderful performances."
With a flawless, graceful bow that spoke of years of aristocratic etiquette, Ayaka turned and withdrew into the shadows of the backstage wings.
'Dreamlike.' The word echoed in the minds of thousands of spectators. Anticipation hung heavy in the air. What kind of visual spectacle could possibly warrant such a bold description?
"I have to admit, my curiosity is piqued." Vermouth sat comfortably in the middle rows, the wide brim of a dark hat pulled low to cast her striking features in shadow. She tilted her head just enough to glance at the man seated beside her, a playful, dangerous glint in her eyes. "Aren't you curious, Bourbon?"
The Boss of the Black Organization had received intel that the Jade Chamber intended to officially launch their highly coveted Akasha Terminals during this very event. Knowing that the Jade Chamber was deploying their most advanced technology here, the Boss had dispatched Vermouth to the front lines. Her mission was twofold: confirm the exact depth of the relationship between the Kamisato Clan and the elusive Teyvat Organization, and gauge the true upper limits of the Jade Chamber's technological prowess.
That was why she was currently enduring the stifling crowd of an idol competition.
Her recent investigations had yielded startling results. Vermouth was now absolutely certain that the Kamisato siblings, along with the enigmatic Chief Priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine, were deeply entrenched members of the Teyvat Organization.
She had also uncovered the quiet, dirty war the Takahashi Family had attempted to wage against the Kamisato Clan. Naturally, she was fully aware of the bizarre accidents that followed. The Head of the Takahashi Family had been struck by a freak bolt of lightning out of a clear sky, and their ancestral residence had been reduced to rubble by a localized earthquake—all conveniently happening right before these finals commenced.
When Vermouth first read the intelligence reports, she had scoffed, half-believing someone had slipped a fantasy thriller into her files. If she didn't firmly believe that gods were a myth, the Takahashi Family's sudden string of catastrophic luck would have looked exactly like divine retribution.
Since gods didn't exist, the destruction had to be man-made.
Even without a shred of concrete evidence, Vermouth's razor-sharp instincts pointed directly at the Teyvat Organization. To orchestrate such precise devastation meant they likely possessed weaponry capable of artificially triggering earthquakes, or at least inflicting structural damage on a seismic scale. The sheer logistical nightmare of deploying such a weapon unnoticed made them terrifyingly formidable.
It was a sobering realization. Unless backed into an absolute corner, the Black Organization simply could not afford an all-out war with the Teyvat Organization. Not yet.
Beside her, Bourbon's brow furrowed for a fraction of a second. A flicker of calculation crossed his sharp eyes before he smoothed his expression back into a mask of casual indifference. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his knuckles, a perfectly practiced, charming smile playing on his lips as he gazed at the empty stage.
"There is no need to waste energy on curiosity," Bourbon replied, his tone smooth and unbothered. "The performance is about to start regardless. We will soon see for ourselves if this spectacle lives up to the Demoiselle's grand claims, won't we?"
Beneath his calm exterior, Bourbon's mind was racing. If not for this highly publicized collaboration, he never would have suspected that a prestigious, deeply rooted Osaka family like the Kamisato Clan had ties to the Teyvat Organization. The fact that their current family head was an active member only cemented how terrifyingly vast Teyvat's network had become.
Yet, it also signaled something far more arrogant. The Teyvat Organization was making zero effort to hide its key players from the Black Organization's prying eyes. Were they truly so confident in their absolute superiority? Did they genuinely believe the Black Organization was utterly incapable of inflicting a single casualty upon their ranks?
Vermouth cast a sidelong glance at him, her painted lips curving into a dry smirk. "You can be terribly boring sometimes, Bourbon."
Truthfully, she had originally tried to coax Cointreau into accompanying her to Osaka, but the other executive had flatly refused, citing zero interest in idol theatrics. As for Gin or Glenlivet—the Wanderer—she hadn't even bothered asking. Being trapped in a concert hall with either of those two would have instantly ruined her mood. That left Bourbon as the default runner-up.
He might not provide the entertaining banter she craved, but sitting through a crowded auditorium alone was a dreadful prospect. He was better than nothing.
A soft, ethereal melody suddenly drifted through the massive speakers, cutting through the low hum of the crowd. The ambient house lights dimmed to black, while the main stage gradually illuminated in a wash of soft, shifting colors. A pin-drop silence fell over the venue. Thousands of people collectively held their breath, leaning forward in their seats.
What followed was a visual masterpiece that utterly shattered expectations.
Every single act that graced the stage served as a flawless execution of the word 'dreamlike.' Contestants leaped and spun with gravity-defying grace, their movements perfectly synchronized to the swelling orchestral tracks. Others stepped forward to deliver stunning vocal performances, their voices ringing with raw, emotional power.
But it was the stage itself that stole the breath from their lungs. As the tempo of the music shifted, the very reality around the performers warped and transformed.
Driven by the Jade Chamber's bleeding-edge holographic projection technology, the boundary between the stage and the audience dissolved.
One moment, the entire auditorium was submerged in a vibrant, endless sea of glowing flora. Massive, translucent petals bloomed and withered in perfect time with the dancers' sweeping leaps. A second later, the floral illusion shattered into motes of light, instantly replacing the ceiling with a stunning expanse of a starlit galaxy. The projected constellations pulsed and swirled, the starlight cascading downward to dance alongside the singers on stage.
It was an endless feast for the senses. The audience sat paralyzed, utterly captivated by the impossible magic unfolding before their eyes. They surrendered themselves to the immersive atmosphere, swept away by the flawless marriage of human artistry and terrifyingly advanced technology.
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