CHAPTER 1043: CHAPTER 1040: "PLEASE DON’T LET ME WAKE UP.

"The sixth place among the top hundred Dream Patrol streamers! With thirty-six million fans, this ultra-popular entertainer known for her sweet appearance is the Dream Patrol streamer who specializes in entertainment videos with over a hundred million plays, including ’Demon Miss Arrives at the Louyue Era (updated to p32)’ and ’Online Construction of the Steam Era Demon Mansion’ - ’Please call me Demon Miss’!"

"Please welcome Demon Miss to the stage to accept her award!"

On the fantastical stage, the host wearing a red and white bunny costume raised the microphone high. The excitement in the venue reached its peak.

This is the award ceremony for Dream Patrol streamers in the 830th year of the Old Era.

To motivate Dream Patrol streamers, every year the world conducts an assessment of over a hundred million streamers worldwide, based on fan count, popularity, contribution, and topic interest, to select the top hundred Dream Patrol streamers. People can watch the ceremony simply by wearing a Dream Patrol helmet, and as many as millions are watching.

Although three years have passed since the death of the first Dream Patrol family, the Dream Patrol games remain at four, with the fifth game yet to launch.

As the bunny-dressed host announced the name "Demon Miss," the audience’s enthusiasm reached its climax. They waved glow sticks passionately, openly expressing their affection:

"Demon Miss - Demon Miss!"

"I will always love your smile - Demon Miss’s streams have healed me!"

"Demon Miss becoming one of the top hundred Dream Patrol streamers is well-deserved! Keep going forward! Become the greatest entertainment Dream Patrol streamer!!"

With pink hair and bright purple eyes, her smile heals hearts.

Demon Miss’s image is deeply ingrained in people’s minds.

Her hair adorned with tiny crimson devil horns, wearing a pink and white poofy dress, the young girl stepped onto the stage with musical steps, appearing utterly dreamlike. Upon first glance, words like "sweet," "beautiful," "healing" flood people’s minds.

"Demon Miss is here—!" the girl shouted joyfully, winking with a smile. Her entire body was surrounded by pink special effects, as if little devil wings unfurled behind her.

People are very familiar with this gesture. Every night at eight o’clock sharp, when Demon Miss starts streaming, she greets this way. And at around three or four in the morning, when she finishes her stream, she would smile and bid farewell to the camera in the same manner.

Her most captivating trait is her unique vitality. While other Dream Patrol streamers occasionally show negative emotions, she never does. She consistently wears a smile that heals hearts, even when faced with unpleasant situations, she maintains a smile.

The bunny-dressed host recited her award speech: "Demon Miss’s story can be described as legendary. Three years ago, she was just a budding new streamer, having streamed for half a year ’The Cat and Her’ with average popularity. However, she became suddenly famous after appearing during the first Dream Patrol family’s stream. During the duration of The First Tower, she blocked a sword intended for the first Dream Patrol family, earning recognition from everyone online."

"Afterwards, Demon Miss did not disappoint her fans. Over these three years, her entertainment videos gained immense popularity, and her daily streams were filled with energy, earning her the title ’The Ever-Smiling Demon Miss’ across the entire internet! With a fan count of thirty-six million, she achieved the sixth place across the entire internet, truly well-deserved!"

On the fantastical stage, Demon Miss smiled as she accepted the golden trophy, gently rubbing it against her cheek, as if cherishing this moment.

Looking at the vast sky-like audience, seeing the love and smiles on their faces, gazing at the posters and banners of Demon Miss...

God.

Su Luoluo at that moment felt a nearly eternal happiness.

The spotlight shone on her, her fan count skyrocketing, leaping as if on a rocket. At this moment, the whole internet was watching her, because she was ranked sixth among Dream Patrol streamers.

God.

Her cheek pressed tightly against the cold gold trophy.

If this were a dream... if I wake up and am still that baggage Su Luoluo squeezed into a barren little house, enduring beatings from my gambler father every day...

Please let me remain asleep.

"Demon Miss - Demon Miss - Demon Miss—"

A tidal wave of cheering.

Such intense love, such profound love...

Su Luoluo raised her trophy high, small devil wings’ special effects unfurling behind her:

"I will continue to work hard, dedicated to bringing everyone more entertainment live streams and videos. Demon Miss has descended to the human world for three and a half years, and she will continue to inspect the human realm—please support me!"

...

After stepping offstage, Su Luoluo received greetings from many Dream Patrol streamers. Three years ago, these streamers were beyond her reach, but now, none compare to her.

A young man stood up, dressed simply in a white shirt. Yet even in such simple attire, he met numerous eyes filled with admiration.

"Collaborate often in the future." Yi Zhongyu’s voice was concise and capable, his brows like a blade.

Su Luoluo smiled, blinked: "Okay."

It was undoubted that Yi Zhongyu was in the top three. Their collaboration boosted Su Luoluo’s popularity, offering little benefit to Yi Zhongyu. Yet throughout these three years, he always proposed to collaborate, exhausting every effort to help boost her popularity, as if desperately making up for something.

Su Luoluo lowered her eyelids.

...Perhaps, Yi Zhongyu was helping her, through her image, to remember someone he could no longer see.

Holding the golden trophy, she turned to walk back, hearing some discordant voices as she turned the backstage corner:

"Demon Miss actually ranks sixth? That’s nice, chatting with male fans to gain such high popularity."

"She’s neither a strong figure like Yi Zhongyu nor a technical streamer like Norse. She’s only popular because her character looks good and her voice is sweet. I’ve watched her videos; the editing skills are just average, and it’s mainly the program effects that are good; that’s what the audience likes."

"I’m already sick of her fans, each one living like they’re in a dream, seeing her as a real demon. As if there’s a real demon in the world."

"Heh heh... mainly riding the Old God’s wave, I’d say. Since the Old God’s death, she suddenly became popular; maybe people see her as an Old God’s friend, so they take care of her this way."

"A pig on a wind wave..."

Listening to these voices, Su Luoluo’s brows and eyes were shrouded in shadow, her pink hair tugging at cloud-shaped hairpins, loose bangs hanging messily on her forehead. She halted, her head slightly bowed.

Teeth lightly clenched, quickly released. The sadness leaking from her pupils was swiftly buried.

...You cannot be angry. If you show that ugly expression, it will be captured, made into clips and posted online. You’ll be criticized for "image marketing" again.

...Su Luoluo. Smile, smile. Even if your initial smile was just to soothe everyone, now you have so many fans, you must always smile.

Slightly raised eyebrows, lips pursed, the curve lifting—

Good, good.

Demon Miss’s smile appeared once more.

Now that the Old God has passed, the army of the Human Self-Rescue Alliance has never disbanded, and wars from the Steam Age continue to break out everywhere. Knights versus Heretics, nations fighting over relics... it makes one feel sorrowful.

That’s why she needs to bring happiness.

"Log off." She murmured to herself.

She exited the Dream Patrol Space, removed the Dream Patrol Helmet.

"Little... Cloud... fluff." She sat on the bed, softly chanting.

She had longed countless times.

Maybe little Cloud Fluff didn’t die.

Perhaps one day, he would push open the door and tell her he was home.

But on that rainy night three years ago, up in the sky, a pristine Holy Sword pierced through the forehead of the Old God, his pupils already dilated, even the Deity pronounced his death. Later, a group of madmen came and took away his body, amid the chaos like crows flying, drums beating.

People went crazy for months. Some gathered, shouted through loudspeakers overnight, hoping to call back the Old God’s soul. Some built tall posts online, writing eulogies for the Old God every day. The people of the Human Self-Rescue Alliance acted more insane, ambushing and attacking the nearby Holy Alliance Army without a care for lives, as if wanting to unleash all their anger and sorrow.

The entire world seemed gray. Even the Dream Patrol Family collectively mourned for a long time.

The reason this mourning lasted so long is because the Deity did nothing to stop it. No control of the narrative, no issuing oracles, no sending the Holy Alliance Army to intervene, nothing at all. As if the Deity too was in deep mourning, letting people remember the Old God.

Even though the Old God only appeared briefly for seven days, his speeches and actions awakened too many numb people. During that rain of special medicine, Starfire had ignited, and people were unwilling to return to a numb era. Yet three years passed, and the Old God had never appeared, his death settled.

"Little Cloud Fluff." Su Luoluo softly called once more. Even though she knew there would be no response.

Outside, the harsh sound of construction rang out; outside was filled with pipes coiling like pythons and densely packed buildings. People adorned with mechanical arms walked the streets, occasionally, some clergy rushed by.

"The water bill exceeded again last month? Why is water so expensive now..."

"No new games have appeared, the main plots of ’Louyue Nation’ and ’Girl’s Dream Plan’ are stuck, in these three years, the Black Mist only reduced by 10%, resources are increasingly scarce... It’s said, the Union Government is planning to implement a resource control plan."

"Damn... The people from the Steam Age are so troublesome, fighting every day."

"Selling mechanical arms—selling mechanical arms—selling cybernetic beauty lenses—selling electronic wooden fish—"

Su Luoluo shut the window, sealing off these noises.

She went downstairs, heading to the hospital.

She lived at the Human Self-Rescue Alliance’s base, which had developed quite well. There were just thirteen light rail lines, covering an area comparable to three large cities. It was divided into the Central District, Inner District, Outer District, and Suburban District.

On Vice Alliance Hierarch Yamada Machiichi’s suggestion, the base was named [Dawn City]. Although many players said the name was ominous, they still used this name.

The very center of Dawn City housed an Old God Church, founded under Bishop Li’s leadership, the plaza had a large statue of the Old God. Bishop Li also set up a relief fund, establishing hope schools, hospitals, and orphanages.

Su Luoluo arrived at the hospital ward’s entrance, and with her strength as a Second Rank Talisman Family member, she climbed to the window of the ward, looking through the glass at the woman on the bed.

"Mom." Su Luoluo said.

The woman lay unconscious, not responding to her.

Mom’s condition worsened, cancer was a disease uncurable. Three years had passed, mom could only lie on the bed struggling to breathe, even contracting other diseases, becoming contagious. No matter how much money Su Luoluo had now, it couldn’t bring her back.

After Su Luoluo finished her daily live stream, she would sit on the windowsill, accompanying her mom through the glass until dawn.

Today should be the last time.

The Deity had written her mom’s death conclusion, on this day, January 1st of the year 830... dying of illness.

Su Luoluo sat like this, nibbling an apple in her hand. Until the white snow covered her shoulders, until the familiar visage at the far end of her vision gradually turned into a layer of white snow.

Until she lost her last relative in the world.

In the desolation around her, she was finally alone.

After handling the aftermath, Su Luoluo walked stiffly down the street with weary steps, the all-encompassing snow leaving her bewildered. She obviously had much to do, like editing new videos, preparing for the evening’s live stream... But, now she didn’t want to do anything.

If she rested for just one day, those trolls would jump out, saying she’s arrogant and acting like a diva.

Today is the First Month’s First Day, a holiday akin to New Year. Many people hung new lights, set off fireworks. The aroma of food wafted out, cheerful laughter could be heard everywhere.

In the snow, Su Luoluo stamped solitary footprints.

She heard noise coming from the Old God Church. She joined in the excitement and walked over.

The Old God Church was distributing Dream Patrol Helmets, turns out the fifth game had appeared, people could claim helmets.

Bishop Li, ever kind-hearted, personally purchased over ten thousand Dream Patrol Helmets, distributing them for free. Similar welfare, like free rice, noodles, hot porridge, bread, had occurred many times these three years.

"After three years, the fifth game has appeared? How sudden." Su Luoluo muttered, "Then I definitely have to go back and stream, otherwise I’ll definitely be attacked by trolls..."

She was about to turn around when something tugged at her heart. Her gaze fixed on two young men with black hair and blue eyes, one tall and one short.

She faintly felt... they seemed very familiar.

...

"What’s your name?" The priest asked.

"I am Strawberry, and he’s Banana." Noel said with a laugh.

"Please be serious! This is a formal registration! Dream Patrol Helmets are very precious!" The priest’s face turned black.

"We really are named like this. You can’t discriminate against us because our names are odd, can you?" Noel sighed.

"..." The priest could only lower his head to register.

"No... Strawberry." Su Ming’an reluctantly called this alias, "But Banana as a name..."

They indeed needed aliases, but no one said they had to choose such outrageous ones. Noel being called Strawberry was one thing, but Banana as a name seemed a bit...

"Then what do you want to be called?" Noel tilted his head, "Orange? Peach? Ginseng?"