Sato pulled Nari, weaving through the automatically parting crowd, his goal clear.
“Where are we going?” Nari asked.
“The photography area!
The officially designated photography area!” Sato’s voice cracked slightly with excitement.
“There’s an official moonlit backdrop set up there, exactly like the scene in the game!
We absolutely have to go there and take some costume photos, otherwise, it won’t be worth the tens of thousands of yuan I spent!” Nari was dragged along by him, feeling like a soulless puppet.
Soon, they arrived at the so-called “moonlit backdrop.” The backdrop was actually a bit crude.
A giant “full moon” made of plastic board, with frayed edges, hung on the background panel, flanked by several obviously fake cherry blossom trees, and the ground was sprinkled with shiny powder, masquerading as moonlight.
Before Nari appeared, this was a place where Cosers awkwardly smiled and passersby checked in.
But the moment he stood before this backdrop, everything changed.
That cheap plastic moon seemed to truly transform into a cold moon hanging high in the sky.
Those fake cherry blossom trees also seemed to be imbued with the clear, cold moonlight.
Nari felt a bit flustered.
He was still holding that heavy prop sword, feeling like a security guard about to perform on stage with an oversized glow stick.
“Sis…
oh no, Suno, strike a pose!” Sato was hopping with impatience nearby, frantically mouthing instructions.
Strike a pose?
Nari’s mind was blank.
As a university Counselor, besides adjusting his glasses during class, his most handsome pose was writing on the blackboard.
He instinctively recalled the game CG that Sato had forced him to watch yesterday.
It seems…
this is how you hold a sword?
As he thought this, his body moved accordingly.
He held the long sword horizontally in front of him with one hand, the blade slightly tilted, his other hand resting lightly on the end of the hilt, his body turned slightly, and his flowing silver hair covered half of his face.
This was a classic move in the game known as “A Glimpse Under the Moon.” When he performed it, however, it was no longer an imitation.
“God-Tier COS Succubus Aura, effect enhanced.” “Passive effect: Scene Completion.
Your presence will automatically complete all logic of the surrounding environment, making it rationalized.” At that moment, the entire world fell silent.
If before it was silence amidst the clamor, now, it was the void of the universe returning to its origin.
Everyone felt their hearts squeezed by an invisible hand.
Standing there was not a Coser, not just anyone.
It was Jing Liu.
It was that powerful, broken, beautiful, and lonely Sword Master; she just stood there, behind her a cold moon that was about to shatter.
She wasn’t posing; she was just tired, resting for a moment in between battles.
“Click—” A shutter sound, like a stone dropped into a silent lake.
Instantly, it stirred up a thousand waves!
“Holy crap!!” “Shoot!
Shoot like your life depends on it!!” “Oh my god!
Is this something I can watch for free?!” All the photographers went crazy!
Like sharks smelling blood, they rushed over from all directions, carrying their “long guns and short cannons”!
“Get out of the way!
You’re blocking my composition!” roared an “old master” with a professional-grade DSLR.
“What the hell do you know!
This angle is the killer shot!
Your crappy lens isn’t worthy of photographing a goddess!” a young influencer blogger refused to budge.
The two almost got into a real-life fight with tripods on the spot, vying for the prime spot closest to Nari.
The conflict quickly spread, and the entire photography area became a chaotic mess.
“Everyone, stop!” A thunderous shout quelled the scene.
An elderly man with white hair, carrying a huge camera bag, and appearing highly respected, parted the crowd.
He was Old Asahi, a recognized doyen in the photography circle.
Everyone thought Old Asahi was going to scold them for their lack of manners.
Unexpectedly, Old Asahi walked to a spot three meters from Nari, stopped, and then…
bowed deeply.
“Everyone!
We are photographers!
We are the recorders of art!
Not fishwives in a market!” Old Asahi said with deep anguish.
“Faced with such a perfect work, all you can think of is scrambling?
Pushing and shoving?
Are you worthy of the cameras in your hands?
Are you worthy of this…
this teacher’s effort?!” “Teacher?” Nari paused at the address.
Who is this person?
My student?
No, I haven’t taught a student this old.
The photographers were red-faced from the scolding.
“Old Asahi, then what do you suggest?
There are only so many good spots!” “What to do?” Old Asahi put his camera bag on the ground and shouted with full vigor, “Line up!
Everyone, line up!
Starting with me, one by one!
Anyone who dares to cut in line will be out of the circle forever!” The photographers, who had just been at daggers drawn, looked at each other, then hung their heads in shame and obediently formed a long line behind Old Asahi.
The scene instantly transformed from a “zombie siege” to “banking transactions.” Sato, hiding behind a fake cherry blossom tree, was completely stunned.
He pinched his philtrum, feeling like he might pass out from happiness at any moment.
Old Asahi, who was first in line, carefully raised his camera, faced Nari, and spoke respectfully.
“Teacher Jing Liu, please, could you hold that pose again?
Just ten seconds, no, five seconds is fine!” Nari was even more bewildered.
Teacher Jing Liu?
Is he calling me?
What new slang is this?
Although he didn’t understand the situation, seeing the old man’s earnest expression, he still nodded and repeated the unconscious pose he had just struck.
Old Asahi was overjoyed, pressing the shutter so fast sparks seemed to fly.
After taking the photos, he bowed deeply again and voluntarily moved to the end of the line.
“Next!” “Teacher!
Over here!
Look over here!” “Teacher, you must be tired!
Would you like to rest and have some water?
I have iced water!” “Teacher, which studio made this set of equipment for you?
It’s simply a work of art!” Nari just stood there, like an emotionless posing machine, being “worshipped” one by one by a group of fanatical “believers.” He had only one thought in his mind: Are comic conventions this orderly now?
The service is quite thoughtful.
And amidst this bizarre yet harmonious atmosphere, hundreds of thousands of “divine images” and videos, enough to crash the entire internet server, were born.
At the end of the line, the blogger who had posted on Weibo first was trembling as he scrolled through the photos on his camera.
His companion leaned over, took one look, and gasped.
“Crazy…
If this gets out, it’s absolutely going to be crazy…” The blogger licked his parched lips and looked up at his companion.
“More than just crazy.” “This is going to change everything.”