[Master! What are you talking about?! How can you think of dying?!]
Xiao Xiao shouted in panic, her voice sharp from excitement.
She quickly circled around Tao Yao, as if this would prevent her thoughts of dying.
[You can't do this! We still have so much to accomplish... You haven't completed the mission bestowed by the Goddess, how can you...]
Xiao Xiao's voice was filled with anxiety and panic; she couldn't accept Tao Yao's decision.
[Master, please think twice! There must be another way, let's think about it...]
Tao Yao looked at the frantic Xiao Xiao, a gentle smile appearing on her face.
She reached out a hand and gently stroked Xiao Xiao's head, soothing her:
"Don't worry, Xiao Xiao. I'm not really going to die."
Xiao Xiao stopped her frantic movements and looked at Tao Yao in confusion.
[Then... what you just said...]
"I meant that only the Tao Yao in the players' eyes has 'died,'" Tao Yao explained, "and afterward, I will appear in a new identity."
Hearing this explanation, Xiao Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
[So it's just a fake death... you scared me.]
Xiao Xiao's voice still carried a hint of lingering fear.
However, Xiao Xiao soon furrowed her brows again, revealing a look of confusion.
[But Master, do you have any intentions in doing this? I don't really understand...]
Xiao Xiao's tone was filled with deep confusion and misunderstanding.
[What's the direct connection between faking your death in front of the players and increasing popularity? Can this actually help us?]
Upon hearing Xiao Xiao's question, a profound light flickered in Tao Yao's eyes.
She slowly began to explain:
"Xiao Xiao, do you remember the original storyline?"
[Of course, according to the original storyline, you would lose control, and Hiyakura would have to use the power of the fairy seed inside her to deal with you.]
[And because she used that power, she gradually aligned with the fairies and eventually became a true fairy. This was Black Rose's plan.]
"That's right."
Tao Yao nodded and continued: "However, the current situation is different. Now, I won't easily lose control, which means Hiyakura has no reason to use that power."
"However, once Hiyakura encounters an insurmountable dilemma and has to use the power of the fairy seed, the more she uses that power, the more likely she is to lose control."
"And my thought process is quite simple."
The sparkle of wisdom shone in Tao Yao's eyes as she spoke slowly:
"That is, to suppress her loss of control by using my human 'death' to help Hiyakura grow."
"And then arrange a plot that is favorable to me in the subsequent storyline."
"Let the players recognize the truth and explode in popularity!"
After listening to Tao Yao's explanation, Xiao Xiao suddenly became enlightened.
[So it can work like this? How did I not think of that...]
[Master, you are so smart!]
Just as Tao Yao was contemplating the details of the plan.
Outside of the world.
Some players were exploring the map and discovering some interesting details.
Among them was a female player named "Hua Yu."
She was a player who loved "Fairy Journey."
As soon as this game launched, she felt a deep affection for it.
However, compared to other players.
She did not have a particularly favorite character.
Rather, she enjoyed the scenery of the Fairy Journey.
Because of this, compared to others, she noticed some details in the game more readily.
On this day.
After completing the main storyline, Hua Yu did not rush to log out of the game.
She wandered around and arrived at the western part of the bustling city of Qingyang.
Compared to the prosperity of the city center.
The west side was like a residential area for common folk.
Ordinary and filled with a sense of life.
Unknowingly, Hua Yu arrived in the area of an orphanage.
In the orphanage, she immediately noticed many details.
Many items inside the orphanage, from the soft bedding on the beds to the exquisite paintings on the walls, even the toys in the children's hands, could interact with her.
And by interacting with them.
She could see related messages.
These items were all gifts that Tao Yao bought for the children of the orphanage.
Driven by curiosity, Hua Yu controlled the character Hiyakura to get closer to the children who were playing not far away.
However, unexpectedly, she triggered a corresponding dialogue.
"I remember you! You are Sister Tao Yao's friend! You played games with us before."
A small child recognized the character Hiyakura controlled by Hua Yu with an excited expression. She looked around and then asked in confusion, "By the way... why hasn't Sister Tao Yao come with you?"
It was at this moment.
A dialogue choice popped up in the character box:
[Do you all like Tao Yao?]
Without hesitation, Hua Yu clicked.
The dialogue continued to develop.
"Of course!"
This question elicited a huge reaction from the children.
A little girl with pigtails excitedly replied, "Sister Tao Yao is like an angel! She suddenly appeared in our lives and brought us joy and hope."
"Yeah, yeah!"
A nearby boy chimed in, "Sister Tao Yao always brings us delicious candies and fun toys. And the stories she tells are amazing!"
Another girl who looked slightly older added:
"Sister Tao Yao not only treats us well but also teaches us a lot. She said that although we are struggling right now, as long as we study hard, we will surely get better in the future!"
Listening to the children's words, Hua Yu felt both surprised and touched.
She did not expect that Tao Yao, who was portrayed as a "villain" in the game, was secretly doing such good deeds.
Just then.
The director of the orphanage, an elderly woman, walked over.
"It seems you are very interested in Miss Tao Yao," the director said with a smile.
"Yes, I didn't expect her to do so much... Director, can you tell me more about Tao Yao?"
A flicker of nostalgia and gratitude passed through the director's eyes:
"Tao Yao is a wonderful girl, and the children all adore her. To be honest, I'm not clear about her origins, nor do I know what she usually does."
"But without her funding, our orphanage may not have survived."
As she spoke, the director sighed and continued:
"You might find it hard to imagine, right? On the surface, Qingyang City is prosperous and lively. But the children in the west side live in poor conditions. Tao Yao has given these children hope and warmth."
After concluding this conversation.
Hua Yu suddenly recalled the current main storyline in the game.
Wasn't Tao Yao the villain?
She hadn't paid much attention during her playthrough of the main storyline.
Only some vague impressions remained.
But now, she suddenly became interested in Tao Yao.
Then.
Without any hesitation.
Hua Yu began to log out of the game and quickly replayed the main storyline.
At the same time, she also started watching related videos about Tao Yao.
Hua Yu browsed through various video titles, constantly coming across negative evaluations related to Tao Yao:
"The Villain Boss Tao Yao, what conspiracy does she have?"
"Tao Yao's true face exposed! She is the source of disaster."
"Plot Analysis: Why does Tao Yao have to enter the round version?"
These titles were filled with accusations and speculations against Tao Yao.
It seemed that everyone had deemed her to be an unforgivable villain.
Furrowing her brows, Hua Yu continued scrolling until a video caught her attention.
"Fairy Journey storyline major revision? Suspected cleaning up the villain character? No! Firmly oppose the whitewashing behavior!"
This was a video released by Sakura Fubuki.
Hua Yu clicked on the video and quickly skimmed through the content.
In the video, Sakura Fubuki vehemently criticized the game's potential attempt to whitewash Tao Yao, believing this was a betrayal of the original storyline.
After watching, Hua Yu flipped to the comments section.
The comments section was filled with various voices in agreement:
"Sure enough, the streamer hit the nail on the head; Tao Yao is really going to be whitewashed!"
"No way they are really trying to sell the character? This operation is too disgusting!"
"Support the streamer! Firmly oppose whitewashing behavior!"
"Tao Yao is a villain; she really doesn't deserve to enter the pool, right?"
However, amidst the chorus of agreement, Hua Yu noticed a different comment:
"Tao Yao isn't as bad as you all say, is she? She also has a gentle side in the storyline."
This comment immediately attracted a barrage of rebuttals:
"That's just a façade! Don't you understand this kind of character setup?"
"Tao Yao is not bad? Have you played the latest storyline? Tao Yao is no longer acting; she actively held a ceremony, opened a rift, and released the disaster beast Abyss Dragon."
"From the initial PV to the current storyline development, it is clear that Tao Yao is trying to stir things up!"
Hua Yu continued to scroll down and suddenly saw Sakura Fubuki's latest video release. The title boldly read:
"Major storyline changes in Fairy Journey 1.1 version? Tao Yao might really be ready to enter the pool!"
Curious, Hua Yu clicked on this video.
Sakura Fubuki's voice resonated through the video:
"Hello everyone, I am Sakura Fubuki."
"Fairy Journey has been updated to version 1.1. I believe many players have already noticed that the main storyline has deviated significantly from the beta test; the current storyline development is completely based on the public test version."
The scene switched to some storyline clips in the game, and Sakura Fubuki continued to say:
"Among them, the most obvious change is that Tao Yao's role has significantly increased, and the overall amount of storyline content has also expanded greatly. Additionally, one of the two events in version 1.1 is centered around Tao Yao."
The video displayed some storyline scenes of Tao Yao in the new version, including her warm interactions with the orphanage children and her complex emotions when facing crises.
"From the aforementioned signs, I can almost determine that Tao Yao is likely to enter the pool in the future."
"Just as I mentioned in my previous video, the planners want to sell this character, so they are intentionally trying to whitewash Tao Yao."
Sakura Fubuki's tone was laced with clear dissatisfaction:
"Although I really dislike this operation, if she truly gets whitewashed, there's nothing I can do about it."
"However, no matter how much Tao Yao gets whitewashed, it is very difficult to change the fact that she is a villain."
The scene transitioned to show Qingyang City being attacked by a beast tide, and Sakura Fubuki's voice became more serious:
"After all, in terms of storyline, Qingyang City has experienced a disaster. It is currently confirmed that it is the work of the Apostle Church. And as the fairy apostle of the Apostle Church, Tao Yao is definitely involved in this beast disaster."
The video showcased scenes of the three main families teaming up to combat the beast tide, and Sakura Fubuki continued:
"Furthermore, from the development of the storyline, the three main families have clearly contacted Senior Laurel, indicating that they are taking this incident very seriously and are prepared to investigate the Apostle Church thoroughly."
"If the game's pacing isn't intentionally dragged out, I believe in the next version, we will see the results of this event."
At the end of the video, Sakura Fubuki looked directly at the camera and spoke firmly:
"In conclusion, we must remain clear-headed. Do not let the superficial whitewashing blind your eyes. In the end, Tao Yao is still a villain, and that fact will not change."
After watching the video, Hua Yu furrowed her brows.
She recalled the details she saw in the orphanage and the children's and director's evaluations of Tao Yao.
These seemed to starkly contrast with Sakura Fubuki's statements.
After some contemplation, Hua Yu decided to express her opinion in the comments section:
"Why does everyone say Tao Yao is a villain?"
"I don't understand how you all think; based on her portrayal in the storyline, she seems to be just as surprised about what happened in Qingyang City, right?"
"And at the end of the storyline, she promised to give an explanation."
"As of now, there is no direct evidence indicating she is the culprit, right?"
Soon, her comment drew a massive number of replies:
"Do you not understand 'fan to villain'? This is a typical villain routine!"
"Did you not comprehend the storyline? Tao Yao is obviously playing innocent!"
"How naive; this kind of character is the easiest to fool."
Even Sakura Fubuki herself personally responded: "Actually, you might have been deceived; this kind of whitewashing operation is very common. Tao Yao is a villain; at least at this stage, she has caused harm, and that is beyond doubt."
Seeing these replies, Hua Yu felt her dissatisfaction growing stronger. She replied again:
"I see it clearly now. You are just hating for the sake of traffic and haven't seriously looked at the storyline and details at all."
Sakura Fubuki seemed angered by this comment, responding immediately:
"I really am not! If I'm wrong about this, I'm willing to be Tao Yao's dog in the future, and change the stream title to 'The Stream of Tao Yao's Dog,' alright?"
Seeing this, Hua Yu couldn't help but sigh.
She realized that no matter what she said, these people seemed already to have preconceptions that declared Tao Yao an unforgivable villain.
People will only blindly believe what they want to believe.
Even if they sensed something was off.
They would not admit it and face their mistakes.
After all, that would be too much of a clown's act.
How could an ordinary person possibly think of themselves as a clown so easily?
But how should she explain the details she personally witnessed in the game, and Tao Yao's care for the children of the orphanage?
Hua Yu decided that she would continue to follow the game's storyline development.
She believed that one day, the truth would come to light.
And until then, she would maintain her judgments and not go with the wave.
Just as she was about to close the video page, she suddenly noticed a new comment:
"Actually, I also feel Tao Yao isn't that bad... but I'm afraid to say it, afraid of being scolded."
Though this comment was quickly drowned out by other voices.
It still gave Hua Yu a sense of comfort.
It seemed not everyone blindly believed Tao Yao was a villain.
Perhaps, as the story progressed, more people would see other sides of Tao Yao.
With this thought, Hua Yu closed the video page and prepared to return to the game.
She decided to be more attentive in observing every detail, missing no possible clues.
Because she believed that in this intricately designed game world, every character had its own meaning and complex inner world.
And she had a vague premonition.
Tao Yao might be one of the most perplexing characters worthy of deeper exploration.