Toyokawa Shoko doesn't want to become a witch

Page 129

The drumbeats gradually quickened to an extreme, so fast that the human ear could only hear a series of high-frequency sounds, and could not distinguish each drumbeat individually.

Thump th ...

Sudden.

The high-frequency drumbeats converge in one place.

Boom!

A loud bang followed.

The dim lighting illuminated the surroundings; it was an underground bar, decorated in a medieval Nordic style.

Standing at the entrance, you can see a whole row of oak barrels lined up against the wall, each labeled with the name of a different type of beer. In the middle of the not-so-large hall, there are several round wooden tables covered with cheap resin, and the chairs are also made of oak barrels.

Next to the oak barrels is the bar, behind which are shelves filled with a wide variety of base spirits and liqueurs.

Deep inside the bar, in a corner illuminated by a few spotlights, a drummer sat behind a drum kit that looked like a pile of junk, wiping the sweat from his brow.

You can't see her face clearly from the bar entrance; you have to keep going inside.

The person sitting behind the drum set started a new round of playing. If you looked closer, you could see her clothes soaked with sweat, her short purple hair sticking to her cheeks, and her big eyes intently staring at the sheet music.

The double strikes on the drumhead resembled the roar of a wild beast. The limbs took turns controlling the rhythm and speed, and all the muscles in the body participated in the performance. The movements were swift and the stamina was enduring. Sweat splattered everywhere, and beads of sweat slid down the cheeks, dripped from the chin, and fell onto the drumhead, where they were shattered by the impact of the vibrating drumhead.

As she performed, the entire drum set vibrated and wobbled as if it were about to explode.

The musical score had long been played, so the drummer abandoned the score and began his improvisational performance in a deserted bar.

Sweat accentuated her proud figure, but she had no time to admire it.

The drummer, already in a certain state, closed his eyes, his drumsticks flying between the cymbals and the drumhead, his right foot rapidly pressing the bass drum pedal, so fast that in the dim light, only a blur could be seen. His limbs controlled the drum and cymbals, his head bobbing up and down, his purple hair seemingly veiled by the light.

She strikes out the basic rhythm with both hands, then adds a new pattern, then another, then a third, a fourth... She keeps creating and layering, with various patterns appearing frequently—her performance has reached a state of ecstasy. Sweat flies everywhere, and her bloodied hands are scraped and regenerated by the drumsticks. Sweat and blood splatter on the drum skin, forming strange wave shapes under vibration.

Her overly enthusiastic and passionate playing caused her foot drum to slip, then the sheet music fell off the music stand, and the hi-hat wobbled precariously.

at this time--

One hand held the cymbals.

"Slow down, click."

Xiangzi said calmly.

Miaomeng raised her eyes and glanced at Xiangzi, then lowered her head again, slowing down and reducing the force of the cymbals, letting them rest for a moment before gradually calming down...

"accelerate."

Xiangzi raised his hand and slowly lifted it upwards.

Miaomeng nodded, gradually increasing the pace: left, right, left, right... and continuing to accelerate, left... right... left...

"Faster."

Xiangzi continued to raise her hand, her calm tone containing the energy of a volcano, like a coach facing a match point. She continued to raise her hand, urging Miaomeng to increase her speed.

The BPM rose from 220 to 330, then continued to climb, reaching 400. Individual drumbeats became indistinguishable to the ear; they overlapped, transforming into a continuous barrage of fire. 410, 420, and so on, until 430...

"Keep going, keep going, you can keep going."

Xiangzi was not satisfied yet.

Miao Meng's speed increased, and the force of each drumbeat intensified, creating a rolling melody that echoed in the small, deserted bar.

435......440......443......

The speed continued to climb, accelerating, and finally reached—an astonishing 450 BPM.

"Right, that is it!"

Xiangzi clapped his hands, as if announcing the end.

Miao Meng first struck the snare drum, then the tom-tom, followed by the bass drum and hi-hat. Each strike was like a loud cannon shot. She pushed the entire instrument to its limit. The person, the instrument, the drumsticks, the expression, the sweat and blood soaking through, and her fierce eyes all seemed to be about to burst.

Xiangzi clenched his fist at the moment when all the instruments reached an amazing resonance.

Miaomeng struck the bass cymbal one last time, and the booming sound rang out for the final time.

Cymbal—!

"I'll go to you!"

Miaomeng turned and threw the drumsticks at Xiangzi, but Xiangzi dodged them by tilting his head.

She lay panting on the drum, speaking breathlessly.

"You... you really know how to boss people around..."

“Isn’t this achievable? 220 BPM, I just went over 400, no, 450.” Xiangzi crossed his arms. “Why didn’t I use this energy when I was practicing?”

"Tell me first who the hell told you I was here." Miao Meng raised her eyes fiercely, then looked away again. "No, besides that old woman, who else would know I was here? It must be her..."

"I'm still here."

Behind the bar, a woman with dark blue hair tied in pigtails looked up, a cigarette dangling from her mouth.

"So what if I told you?"

Miao Meng raised a standard international friendly gesture (with a mosaic over her face) to the bartender behind the bar, then rubbed her shoulders and turned her head away.

"You want me to push harder... I..." She scratched her head awkwardly, "I used to play jazz, I've never played metal..."

Although the sheet music on the music stand was the one Xiangzi gave her, the part Miaomeng just improvised was also jazz.

"..." Xiangzi grabbed his hair and leaned against the table. "Forget it, there's no rush for this kind of thing."

"Hey, I said."

Miaomeng leaned against the drum stand, resting her chin on the back of her hand.

"Are you really planning to go that far? Signing a betting agreement with Honeycomb and repaying such a huge loan. If it doesn't work out, you're finished for life—in a human sense."

“And you.” Xiangzi glanced at her.

"Oh right, me too."

A Lost Tale: The Spirit of Youth: Chapter 152 Marketing

"Oh right, me too."

Miao Meng nodded seriously, stood up from behind the drum set, and stretched.

"Ah~! It's more comfortable to play by myself. Even if I want to team up, others have to follow my rhythm."

Xiangzi looked at her as if she were an idiot.

"Don't look at me like that, I'll change." Miao Meng waved her hand, swayed as she walked off the small stage, and lifted her foot toward the bar. Before her toes touched the ground, she suddenly turned her head and asked, "Don't stand here, since you're already here, find a place to sit for a while."

"..."

Xiangzi shook his head, followed her to the bar, and found a seat.

"What would you like to drink?" The bartender walked up to her and handed her a menu.

"I don't drink..."

Just as Xiangzi was about to decline, Miaomeng crossed her legs and said without any politeness.

“Old woman, have something to quench your thirst—lemonade will do, she says.”

"Gin and tonic and lemonade, sure." The bartender nodded, then rolled his eyes at Miaomeng. "I'm only twenty-seven."

"I'm almost 30, but I'm not old yet."

"Do I need to remind you? You're almost thirty." The bartender sighed softly. "Miss Yutenji Wakana, who just turned 22."

"...What?!" Meow Dream seemed to have been struck on the head by lightning, frozen in place. "So it was already—?!"

"Yesterday was Children's Day, it's a pity you couldn't come, otherwise I would have given you a baby meal."

The bartender shrugged with a cold smile and turned to pick out base spirits from the shelf.

“Kingley, Sapphire, Botanist, Monkey King, Henry, Beefeater?” she asked. “If you’re just quenching your thirst, I’ll just pick one.”

"Whatever you want." Miaomeng rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't mind adding a baby package now."

"You two really get along well." Xiangzi sat quietly to the side, watching the two of them chatter away, feeling a little out of place.

"Is it good? I don't think so."

Miaomeng and the bartender turned their heads at the same time, said in unison, and then fell silent in unison.

““…””

"Pfft." Xiangzi covered his mouth and chuckled softly.

"She was the one who got me sent to juvenile detention in the first place." Miao Meng pointed her thumb at the bartender with a hostile tone. "How could they have a good relationship?"

"You should thank me for not letting you go back to jail a second time."

"Tsk."

"Let's not dwell on the past all the time, it'll make us age faster." The bartender placed two glasses on the bar. "Here, your Gin and Tonic."

Miao Meng picked up the glass containing the cocktail, sucked on the straw, and slurped it down into her mouth. In just a few seconds, the glass was empty.

Xiangzi took the glass but didn't drink it.

"You gamble too much, to be honest." Miao Meng put down her cup and licked her lips.

“I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t sure,” Xiangzi said. “Honeycomb was originally my family’s business. It was only separated after my bastard father died. Now that I’m back in front of them, they should at least give me some face.”

"Having face alone is useless."

“I also have Chu Hua, she’s an insider.”

“Taking on the band side is quite stressful for her.”

“Neither of us will be under a lot of pressure. Since I dared to sign the performance-based agreement, I will definitely ensure that this deal goes through.” Xiangzi picked up a lemonade, took a sip, and moistened his lips.

She took out her phone and placed it on the bar.

Press play, and a drum sound comes from the phone.

That was the sound of Miaomeng practicing. The phone's ISO was set low, and the entire screen could only show the drum kit under the spotlight.

"how do you feel."

"Didn't you say you wouldn't record videos for me? Why are you recording yourself now?"

During rehearsals, Miao dreamed of recording some behind-the-scenes videos, but Xiangzi refused, saying that "this would destroy Ave Mujica's worldview."

"Just edit out the parts that show your face," Xiangzi said.

The video only vaguely captured Miaomeng's profile. As for Xiangzi's instruction, she had her back to the camera the entire time and never showed her face.

"Worldviews are meant to be shattered, but not as shattered as yours."

Xiangzi extended his index finger.

"First, we generate buzz. Once the buzz is high, the PR company releases information to guide viewers to 'open the box' and further generate buzz, starting with low and increasing the buzz," Xiangzi said.

"Oh~ I think I understand what you mean." Miao Meng raised the corners of her mouth.

"Hailin is a mercenary musician who has been active all over the country for a long time and has a certain reputation in the circle, but it is too little to be limited to the circle, so her revelation is the first."

"You're an internet celebrity with a large following, so you're placed second."

"Muto is placed third because she is Mori Nami's biological daughter."

"Chu Hua has the most traffic and is the lead singer, so he's ranked fourth."

"Then why are you the finale?" Miaomeng asked curiously.

“I’m a ‘dead man’.” Xiangzi tapped his fingers rhythmically on the wooden table. “Before they release my information, the PR firm will let the ‘Toyokawa family tragedy’ circulate on various platforms for a while. Then, I’ll be resurrected as someone who should have died, with a whole bunch of ‘behind-the-scenes stories’…”

The bright golden eyes slowly turned towards Miaomeng.

"This is a plan that has already been agreed upon with Honeycomb."

“No wonder they were willing to sign with you…” Miao Meng frowned. “What terrifying marketing.”

“Ability is certainly important, but if you don’t consider that, you’ll just rot in the alley,” Xiangzi said calmly. “I won’t rot in the alley anymore.”

Miao Meng blinked and glanced at an empty bottle on the wine rack.