90. The Blooming of Lilies

This Saturday was a momentous day for the ordinary citizens of Night Pivot City, for at precisely one o’clock in the afternoon, the long-awaited finals of the Grand Arena Tournament were set to begin.

Rumor had it that not only had the producers hired the city’s most beloved host, Flavii Petal, but they had also invited several distinguished judges from across the entertainment world. Moreover, the special championship prize for this season would be revealed during the final match.

After a round of advertisements, the screen suddenly displayed a desert studio, hastily constructed for the occasion.

“Who is he~ who is he?~ who is he~? Who is he?~ He is Petal! Petal~ Oh, he's our favorite Petal~!”

With cheerful jazz music, accented by a lively drumbeat, a man wearing a floral mask appeared on camera, humming along with the tune. His attire—a Hawaiian shirt and flower-patterned trousers—paired with bronzed, muscular abs, created an image of a joyous yet courteous flower boy.

“Hey! Gentlemen, ladies, androgynes, cyborgs, irradiated folk, and all those viewers whose names defy description, greetings! I am your gold-star host, Flavii Petal!”

Flavii strode out of the studio with a tango step; behind him stretched an endless desert. He picked up his script and, matching the tempo of the background music, delivered his lines at a rapid-fire pace:

“Welcome to the finals of the forty-seventh Grand Arena Tournament! Our event will begin in thirty minutes—are you ready to witness the annual spectacle?!”

The floral-headed host deliberately leaned his ear to the camera, paused for three seconds, then continued:

“Wow! Even through the screen, I can feel the audience’s enthusiasm burning like white phosphorus! As usual, this program is brought to you by Radiant Bird Corporation! Thanks to Xu Group for their sponsorship! Thanks to Decker’s Wellness Catering Company for their generous support! Thanks to Horizon Entertainment for their sponsorship! Thanks to Levitt Tango Tobacco Company for their sponsorship! ...”

He rattled off dozens of company names in a rap-like breathless stream, then drew a deep breath and stepped back two paces:

“Next, let us welcome our special guests for this season’s Grand Arena Tournament! Please give a warm round of applause—”

With Flavii’s flamboyant shout and the blaring trumpet in the background, a half-dragon girl in a maid’s tasseled gown appeared before the crowd.

“Let’s welcome the lead dancer of the popular idol group, Draconic Maid Brigade—Diana Tess!”

The green-skinned girl was strikingly tall, her golden hair as smooth as a lion’s mane, and a tail covered in scales draped behind her. Her head was not quite human nor entirely reptilian—a curious blend of both. While unusual, many in Night Pivot City had a taste for such novelty.

“Hello, everyone~ I’m Diana. I’m delighted to represent our girl group as a special guest for this competition~” The half-dragon girl smiled shyly, briefly flicking out her slender tongue, perfectly embodying the spirit of youthful maidenhood.

If she were not a half-lizard but a normal human, or merely had a pair of fox ears like White Fox, even a homebody like Chen Entropy, who never chased idols, might have considered courting her.

After a round of cheers, another figure approached from the desert nearby.

This time, it was a large computer screen mounted on walking machinery. On the screen, a three-dimensional anime girl in a pink dress smiled and waved at the camera.

Before the host could introduce her, the 3D girl on screen spoke with easy familiarity, “Hello, everyone! I’m the virtual streamer ‘Has Ameng Chanted Today?’ from BTube~ Please give me lots of support~”

With that, she blew a kiss to the camera. Her adorable, lively voice and enthusiastic gesture sent many viewers’ hearts racing, sparking heated discussion across social media. Curious spectators flocked to ask who she was, while Ameng’s fans seized the chance to promote her.

Flavii nodded in satisfaction, clearly pleased with this virtual idol’s performance.

The purpose of inviting special guests was to boost ratings and spark conversation. Compared to those celebrities who took hefty appearance fees only to phone in their performance, these uninhibited virtual idols were a far better choice.

Originally, the organizers had planned to invite Jin Yu Chuang as a guest, but due to events a few months prior, Ameng the virtual idol had taken his place. Judging by the current response, the decision was wise.

“Our guests have all arrived! Seeing you two dressed so beautifully, even my own spirits soar!” Flavii held the microphone out to the two guests. “Before the competition begins, I’d like to ask you both a question.”

“Please do.”

“Go ahead~”

The two idols responded in unison.

“I’m sure you’ve both seen the list of contestants for this season,” Flavii asked, “Which team are you most optimistic about? And by ‘optimistic,’ I don’t just mean strength—I mean the team that makes your heart race, that you find the most charming.”

Typically, to squeeze every drop of value from the special guests and make the show more enticing, hosts would ask them explosive, personal questions. A less skilled host might bluntly ask about their ideal partner, but such questions rarely elicit honest answers. Idols almost always dodge with vague replies.

Firstly, few idols would risk revealing their preferences to a live audience, lest overzealous fans become obsessed. Secondly, idols are forbidden from dating, as romance would cause their popularity to plummet.

But Flavii excelled at this artful misdirection, framing the question as merely about the competition, giving both guests room to maneuver.

Faced with this, Diana the half-dragon maid replied first: “I’m rooting for the ‘Tyrannosaur Cavalry’—their battle in the preliminaries, riding dinosaurs, was so cool…”

She paused, then added, “And the ‘Gun Devil’ team is quite impressive too. Especially their leader, with a pistol growing from his head—such a unique look~”

“Oh! Thank you, Miss Diana!” The floral host turned the microphone to Ameng. “What do you think, Miss Ameng?”

Ameng seemed to lag for a moment. After a pause, she spoke, her voice dreamy: “Hehehe~ I like White Fox. White fur, beast ears—she’s amazing!”

“Oh, oh, oh, oh!” Flavii shrieked with delight at the juicy revelation. “So Miss Ameng prefers women? As the father of a lesbian daughter, I completely understand your feelings~”

“I’m sure Ameng’s fans present can relate! Yuri is the most beautiful blossom in the world!”

Meanwhile, the topic “Ameng likes beast-eared girls with white fur” shot to the top of social media trends, sparking fierce debate.

“Boohoo... Ameng likes girls—my youth is over!”

“Don’t lose hope, brothers! Tomorrow I’ll dye my hair white and learn how to dress as a girl!”

“Ameng, I really like you... For you, I’ll cut off my beef tendon and become your favorite woman!”

“......”

Watching the rising numbers on the data board, Flavii smiled knowingly and wrapped up the topic at just the right moment:

“After these commercials, our contestants will take the stage!”

“Don’t forget to wait for us~” Ameng waved at the camera.

“Please don’t go anywhere.” The half-dragon maid smiled shyly at the lens.