Chapter 440: then translation of chapter title

Of course there are also those who don't believe; facing such people, Zhigengniao simply revealed the true form of the fireworks, after applying some hallucinatory means, handed the button to them, and kindly advised: 'You must hold onto it well, wait until the opening of the Harmony Festival, and then—at the climax of the performance, press this button together with the people around you.'

The fireworks looked at him with a squinting smile: 'Maybe… something very interesting will happen?'

——

Silver Soul.

What a diligent girl...

Gintoki wiped the nonexistent tears from his face, 'Just to watch an explosion, she's working so hard. How many buttons is she carrying on her person? She hands one out to everyone she meets—doesn't she feel it's heavy herself?'

It's hard to imagine how Miss Fireworks produces so many buttons, as if she had the same dimensional pocket as a certain robotic cat, able to take as many as she wants.

"Gin-san, don't underestimate the determination of the Masked Fool to cause trouble." Shinpachi pushed up his glasses, "Maybe this Miss Fireworks is also a strong advocate of 'art is an explosion',

"That makes sense; the buttons that mutually guarantee destruction can likewise detonate the fireworks. Indeed… an explosion that can self-destruct is the true essence of art—too bad it's not made of clay."

"It would be strange if it were made of clay—don't let the Akatsuki organization just barge in, Alu!"

——

"At the same time…"

"Everything has returned to the starting point; you once stepped from here into the 【Golden Moment】, and now you will step from here into the true 【Pinokangni】."

Liuying placed her hand on her chest: 'I'm glad to journey with you again. By now I can finally reveal the whole truth to you. As you see… my other name is 【Starcore Hunter】 Sam.'

"You deceived me…" Xing was a little angry.

Liuying gently shook her head, her gaze downcast, the shadow from her lashes covering the surging emotion in her eyes but not the heavy guilt: 'Sorry, I had to do this.'

"I know you have many doubts… do you remember when we encountered 【Death】 in that strange dream? At that time I was gripped by the meme in my hand…… at the moment it was about to strike, I saw the reflection of 【another dreamscape】 in that terrifying pupil."

"According to the script's hint, I formed a hypothesis about that meme. So I had Silver Wolf send out invitations, guiding you all to the hotel in the dream…"

"I originally intended to summon 【Death】 before you, using a more direct method to reveal the truth and invite you in. But contrary to expectation, I cannot defy the script, and I didn't even have time to explain it to you."

"Just as you saw, I was pierced by 【Death】's wing blade. The heavy pressure of thick meme… it exploded in my mind, seeming like reality. But after the brief numbness faded, I found my body unharmed. I am indeed still alive, and as I thought—I have arrived at a place utterly different from 【Beautiful Dream】. It is a more primitive, more chaotic meme realm, its name is…… 【Banished Land】."

——

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid.

The living room was filled with the aroma of beer and fried chicken; Kobayashi and Takiguchi lay slumped on the sofa, their cheeks flushed from drink. Beside them, Fafnir sat cross-legged in front of the TV, the controller clicking under his fingers.

"Hic… Liuying-chan…" Kobayashi raised his beer can, his eyes hazy as he swayed, "Definitely… definitely perfect for a maid outfit! Stellar… Stellar Hunter—how on earth did they not give her a maid costume? It's really hard to watch… hic…"

"No no no…" Takiguchi pushed up his glasses slipping to his nose, "Obviously Sam's form is more suited to be a maid! Imagine…… lace apron tied at the mech joints, speaking in a cold mechanical tone 'Welcome home, master'… hahaha! It's simply… hic… perfect! Flawless perfection!"

Thor sighed: 'These two are completely drunk, already spouting nonsense…'

Kanna sat on the small chair beside them, her feet dangling in the air: 'Lord Thor, Kanna has a question.' Little Kanna placed her hand by her mouth, 'If Sam is Liuying herself, then after her death she came to the Banished Land…… wouldn't she just revive with a 'whoosh'?'

"Eh? Seems to be exactly that, so wouldn't Shajin also——"

"You're wondering if that blond kid can make it back, right?" Fafnir interjected without turning his head, his hands still moving; in the game, the hero he controlled was being pressed to the ground by a huge black dragon and rubbed furiously, 'This is like humans barging into a dragon's lair to seize treasure—some make it back, others never return.'

Thor showed a hint of worry: 'Then… Fafnir, do you think Shajin won't come back?'

"Without that stone, of course he can't return. A meme isn't a monster that humans can kill just by being fierce."

As they spoke, Fafnir's screen already displayed two huge 'Defeat' characters, accompanied by a soft 'tsk' from between his teeth, while Takiguchi quickly moved over.

"Mr. Fafnir, this stage isn't something you can clear just by being fierce~ Leave it to me!"

"Tsk…" the otherworldly evil dragon reluctantly put down the game controller, "... then let you give it a try?"

——

"Afterward, Liuying's attempts all failed, until that blade of Huangquan shattered the high wall in the dream, giving her a chance to awaken Xing."

"I completely understand!"

Liuying also knew it was hard for Xing to believe unconditionally, so she had Xing close her eyes. After a brief countdown, accompanied by a sharp whistling in her ears, thick and surging meme rushed into her chest, churning and rampaging. Countless voices through the meme symphony like distant thunder, among which one echo was especially clear.

That was Liuying's heartbeat, their hearts beating in the same rhythm—calm, even calmer……

"……"

"In memory, Liuying in a suit and Ren were driving a convertible, a Benz in the night."

Liuying gazed at the fleeting scenery beside the road: 'I never knew you still did things like this.'

"Hmm." Ren merely gave a faint reply.

"…Do you have a driver's license?" Liuying felt a twinge in her heart, as if the scenery rushing by were speeding up.

"Yes."

"This is truly… unexpected."

"Why, because this is the sinful city of Yepera?" Ren asked lightly.

"Hmm, no… nothing." After a moment's hesitation, Liuying spoke carefully: 'I just feel you haven't slept for twenty system hours… is that okay?'

"No problem, I won't die. I'm the same as you."

"……" Liuying instinctively grabbed the hem of her clothes, a little timid: 'I might not be able to… better drive slowly.'