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Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Internal Premiere

On the sixteenth day, Robin made a breakthrough with her rendition of "If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking." On stage, her voice, light and ethereal, carried the lyrics:

"Birds are born without shackles~"

"Then what fetters my fate?~"

"Blown away, the white petals~"

"Leave me trapped in the cage~"

This was a recreation, not a perfect replica of her previous life's performance, so some differences were inevitable. Robin had worked tirelessly to minimize these variations, refining the song until even she could no longer discern any remaining discrepancies. The result was the polished masterpiece she now presented.

The first audience to hear the song consisted of the concert organizers and staff. The vast venue, capable of holding over 100,000 people, now sat sparsely populated with only a few dozen listeners.

Initially, nearly everyone was puzzled by Robin's decision to close the concert with an English song. After all, this was the Dragon Nation, and the vast majority of the audience were Dragon Nation citizens. Who would even understand the lyrics?

However, as the music began and her voice filled the arena, the audience understood. Language didn't matter; a truly beautiful song could touch the heart and evoke emotion even if the listener didn't understand the words.

Her voice flowed like a clear mountain stream, its crystalline notes cascading over mossy rocks, mesmerizing the audience. It was as refreshing as a gentle breeze, lightly brushing their faces and bringing a sense of serenity and invigoration.

Even Shu Cat in the audience was wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. "I... I... Holy shit, this is just too damn good." He couldn't find the words to describe his overwhelming emotions, but as the saying goes, "If you're uncultured, 'holy shit' will cover everything."

"If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking" was inherently a sorrowful melody. In Robin's previous life, in the game Star Rail, it had been used in two poignant scenes: during her conversations with Firefly at the secret base, and as an insert song during Firefly's "death."

Speaking of the latter, Robin had watched clips of streamers playing through the game's storyline. She'd seen genuinely emotional streamers burst into tears the moment this song played during that particular scene.

Whether their reactions were genuine or staged for the sake of entertainment, the song had undeniably moved some viewers to tears.

Then, in the next update, it was revealed that Firefly hadn't actually died. She had simply been taken away by the "Sleepie" bus, a plot twist that left fans utterly baffled.

Returning to the present, even after Robin finished singing the entire song, the audience still felt a lingering sense of longing.

Tap-tap~

Hurrying off the stage, Robin asked, "So, what do you think of the song? Not bad, right?"

Notably, Robin was wearing the exact outfit she had been wearing when she first transmigrated—Robin's iconic costume: a white, backless dress adorned with purple accents, paired with silk white gloves and blue high heels.

Complemented by a purple necklace and star-shaped earrings, she radiated a dazzling, ethereal beauty, as if she were truly "shining."

As the concert officially began, Robin knew she needed to look her best when she took the stage. After much deliberation, she rejected the outfits recommended by Cheng Hui and Yu Lin, deciding to wear this particular ensemble.

After all, it was her first official concert and debut performance, so she naturally wanted to wear something with sentimental value. This outfit was undoubtedly the most fitting choice.

Nearly two months later, Robin retrieved the garment and wore it for the first time during the private premiere of "If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking."

Notably, although she hadn't worn this specific outfit during rehearsals, she had practiced in other stage costumes and high heels to acclimate herself to performing in such attire. After days of "battling" through rehearsals, she had gradually adjusted and grown comfortable.

"Fantastic! More than just fantastic! I can confidently say, this will be the perfect showstopper—absolutely flawless!" Chu Xingyu, the self-proclaimed "Shu Cat" who had barged in halfway through, was the first to give his verdict. He leaped to his feet, clapping wildly. "I'm already picturing the insane scene when you perform this live at the official concert!"

Soon, the others rose to their feet, showering her with unstinting praise.

Normally, excessive praise could lead to arrogance and complacency, potentially causing negative consequences. In such cases, the most appropriate response, the optimal score, would be 99 out of 100.

But that was precisely the problem. Almost no one could bring themselves to give a mere 99 in good conscience. With a perfect score of 100, withholding a full 120 felt like an act of heroic restraint!

"Phew—that's a relief," Robin sighed, a radiant smile spreading across her face as she heard everyone's glowing reviews. The wings behind her ears fluttered happily a few times. She had poured her heart and soul into this preparation, and while harsh criticism wouldn't have easily broken her spirit, it would have certainly stung.

After all, everyone hopes their hard work will be rewarded, right?

With only four days remaining until the official concert premiere, all preparations were complete. Now, all that was left was to wait for the appointed day to arrive.

"Everyone's worked so hard these past few weeks," Robin announced. "Let's all go out for dinner tonight—my treat! It's my way of thanking you all for your efforts." A chorus of excited cheers erupted around her.

In reality, the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations had initially covered most of the concert's expenses. However, upon learning this, Robin obtained the bill from Lü Heng and promptly reimbursed the entire amount.

For Robin, the concert had been a spur-of-the-moment idea. Given the Bureau's wholehearted support, how could she possibly let them foot the bill?

This decision ended up consuming half of Robin's first month's live stream earnings.

At first glance, this might not seem like much. But Robin's live stream income was in the tens of millions. Organizing a concert proved far more expensive than she had ever imagined.

Yet Robin felt no remorse whatsoever.

Had she really spent so much? Perhaps because the money had come so easily, she didn't fully grasp its value. Or maybe it was because she had never really needed much money to begin with.

As long as she had enough to eat, drink, and live comfortably, that was enough for her. She refused to let wealth corrupt her mind or become obsessed with money.

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