Chapter 104 - 103: Robin Requests Collaboration! Responding with

"Blood, searing hot within my chest... Forges claws and fangs, razor-sharp and blessed. I shall don the mantle of starlight, Returning once more atop the Heavy Abyss~" On her first listen, Robin simply enjoyed the song, using professional audio equipment. She closed her eyes, fully immersing herself in the emotions it evoked. "It's completely different from any music I've encountered before..." "There's a unique sense of tragic grandeur and desolation." "This Xianzhou-inspired track...it's truly distinctive!" She listened again! This time, she opened her eyes, experiencing both the music and visuals together. "Is this person...a member of the Honkai Express team?" "If I remember correctly, their name is 'Dan Heng,' right?" Due to the immense popularity of Honkai: Star Rail, even Robin had heard about some aspects of the game. Her own brother frequently played it! However, the recent Robin hadn't had time for gaming, so she only knew that the game was highly acclaimed and its storyline closely mirrored real-life experiences. Soon enough, she witnessed the awe-inspiring scene of Dan Heng parting the sea. The stirring music paired with impactful visuals resonated deeply within her, evoking strong emotions! Despite not having experienced the game's narrative, the image of a young hero, breaking free from constraints and forging ahead against all odds alongside a dragon, vividly emerged before her eyes! "Isn't Feathered Spirit...a game developer?" "How can they create such distinctly styled songs?" "They must be a musician held back by their involvement in games!" It had been a long time since Robin felt this refreshing sensation through music. Most popular songs on the galaxy's charts were monotonously similar, making it rare to encounter tracks with unique styles like these. After watching "Water Dragon's Roar," Robin, who previously showed little interest in the game's creators, now found herself utterly intrigued by Feathered Spirit! She opened Feathered Spirit's personal page, searching for any other distinctively themed songs. Quickly, A song titled "Wildfire" caught her eye. Five minutes later... Robin's beak dropped open in surprise, forming an 'O' shape. "This song is incredibly bold and daring!" "I may not play games, but even I felt my adrenaline surge seeing this music paired with battle scenes!" Robin placed a hand on her chest to calm herself down. These two distinct songs showcased a clear departure from The Family's defined concept of "Synergy"! Both tracks carried a provocative nature, intensifying listeners' emotions at specific moments and elevating their feelings to the peak alongside the crescendo of the music—a clear deviation from the principle of Synergy. However, Robin believed that Synergy should not be interpreted so narrowly, especially when it came to music. After carefully listening to both songs multiple times, she conceived a daring idea: She wanted to collaborate with Feathered Spirit! "I've long been seeking new styles for breakthroughs in my upcoming album..." "I hope Feathered Spirit won't reject me." After sharing her idea with her manager, they rushed over anxiously. "Miss Robin, why would you consider collaborating with Feathered Spirit?" "She's involved in gaming, not music—it has nothing to do with our field!" Robin shook her head, gesturing for her manager to listen to both songs carefully. A complex expression crossed the manager's face as they replied, "Miss Robin, truthfully, I occasionally play this game and watch its streams myself. "Feathered Spirit's songs are indeed remarkable, evoking powerful emotions. However, her musical style greatly differs from yours. "The most critical issue is... Feathered Spirit is a wanted criminal by the Interastral Peace Corporation. Even just identifying her could claim a staggering bounty reward! "Involving ourselves with her wouldn't be favorable for our major investors who support us." She revealed her assertive side, "Firstly, I don't believe [The Family] needs to worry about [the company's] investors. Even if all their capital were withdrawn, we... still have our own resources." "Secondly, although I don't play games often, I recognize them as a form of artistic expression. This song with its distinctive style is precisely what I need right now." "Alright, Miss Robin..." Her agent knew there was no convincing her. Just like before—when at the peak of her fame, she chose to step out of the public eye and instead used her voice to promote Harmony, aiming to save lives on the planet, even getting wounded by a stray bullet in the process. Miss Robin has always been this way. Underneath her seemingly delicate exterior lies a stubborn heart. "You can try contacting Feathered Spirit, but he likely won't respond to private messages from players." "Not to mention, you're not even a player yourself." Unfazed, Robin replied, "Music knows no boundaries. Since Feathered Spirit can create such songs, I firmly believe that upon seeing my request, he will give it serious consideration." Inside Lin Yu's villa. Sparkle strolled around the courtyard and exclaimed, "This place is pretty impressive!" "Isn't it too spacious for just one person? Don't you feel overwhelmed by all this space?" "Do you know how expensive real estate is on Ruo Fu nowadays?! You're essentially wasting public resources!" Lin Yu gently pinched Sparkle's cheek. It felt soft and smooth, quite pleasant to touch. "How come you have such a repertoire of phrases ready at hand?" "Perfect, my courtyard has been lacking a radio. I think you can serve as a suitable substitute." Sparkle spun around quickly, moving behind Lin Yu and speaking with a meaningful tone, "So, what exactly are your intentions, luring a young maiden like me here? Tell me—" "What intentions could there be? Since you can transform into anyone's appearance, whenever I want someone's company, you can simply change into their form and stay with me." "Huh?" Sparkle was taken aback. Despite her young age and seemingly innocent appearance, I couldn't believe such shameless and vulgar words came from her mouth! "Hmph!" "I thought you were somehow different, but it turns out you're just like those ordinary people." "Indeed, I'm quite ordinary," Lin Yu replied nonchalantly. "As if I'd believe that nonsense!" "Well, since there doesn't seem to be any fun here, Miss Sparkle won't waste her time. Farewell!" ... Sparkle placed the mask back on her forehead. From her perspective, she expected to leave behind a misleading illusion at their location while she herself would run towards another exit. "Aiyo!" Just as she reached the exit, it felt like hitting an invisible wall, causing her to tumble to the ground. *** Sparkle rubbed her forehead, wincing in pain. "Can't just come and go as you please, can you?" Lin Yu stood firm, hands on his hips. It might have seemed arrogant outwardly, but inwardly, he was secretly thrilled! This Territory ability is truly fucking amazing! "At the snack street, you were the first to attack me, right?" "Well then, obediently serve as my personal assistant for half a year to atone for your actions." "If you perform well, I might consider releasing you afterward." "What?!" In disbelief, Sparkle rose to her feet, picking up her mask. Through the mask's eyeholes, she could only see empty air. Her once formidable abilities were completely suppressed! "I-I've really turned into a little girl?!" In disbelief, Sparkle stared at her own hands. Meanwhile, Lin Yu left a message for her, "Go arrange those potted plants over there. Without my permission, you are not allowed to go upstairs." "Darned jerk!" "Just who do you think you are?!" "How dare you treat me like a servant girl?!" "Now I'm really becoming a laughingstock..." "I won't do it!" "No way am I doing this!" "Let's see what else you can do to me!" Using Eyes of Observation, Lin Yu monitored Sparkle's thoughts. As expected, she showed no awareness of being a prisoner; instead, she ignored the potted plants entirely and ran off to swing in the garden nearby. "Quite defiant, aren't we?" "That's fine, let me first respond to Robin's private message." Lin Yu had set up the second-floor room as his personal workspace. The inbox was overflowing with messages, but naturally, he didn't have the time to read them one by one. Utilizing the system's capabilities, he filtered out the relatively important content. Naturally, Robin's message fell into that category. She composed a lengthy message, candidly expressing her interest in collaborating on music. However, she also expressed concerns about potential conflicts due to their distinctly different styles. Lin Yu promptly replied: "Miss Robin, you may have some misconceptions about the direction of my song compositions." "The songs 'Water Dragon's Lament' and 'Wildfire' were specifically created to enhance player immersion during narrative battles, hence their strong regional influences." "If I were composing for The Family's Penacony region, I would naturally incorporate its characteristic style as well." Five seconds later, a response arrived. ["Really? Can Lord Feathered Spirit create songs with a Penacony theme?"] "Of course, and I've nearly perfected one already. It's called 'Sleepless Night.'" [A wonderful title, eagerly awaiting the day Lord Feathered Spirit releases this masterpiece!] "If Miss Robin approves when the time comes, we can discuss further details." No problem! Thank you, Feathered Spirit.