Star Railway: The Last of the Grammer Riders

Chapter 155 The Moment of Hot Sands: The Sullivan Grand Audition

After reading about Mikhail's life, everyone's consciousness returned to Liumeng Reef.

Looking at Mikhail sleeping peacefully, everyone was deeply moved.

But time waits for no one.

The group took the hat and pocket watch that Mikhail had left them, which represented the beginning of Mikhail's pioneering work, and headed towards the Pinocchio Grand Theatre, the end of Mikhail's pioneering work.

Yes, the situation is the same as in the dream.

The Pinocchio Theatre is closed and the Harmony Ceremony has been postponed.

Currently, only relevant staff members are allowed to enter the Grand Theater.

For example, dream builders, or artists from the Iris family.

But they weren't family members; they were visitors, guests.

So this is what stumped them.

However, we can deduce this from the few words spoken by the guarding hounds.

Visitors can only enter the Grand Theatre as performers now.

There is only one way: become the top performer in the preliminary rounds of the SULDA Grand Event and win the title of Grand Event Superstar.

And coincidentally, March 7th had a few tickets in his possession.

She originally planned to go to the audition to try and win first place and shake hands with the robin.

But now it seems that this ticket has just solved their urgent problem.

However, Gongsun Ming decided to leave the team temporarily and go find other people first.

Finally, the group of seven arrived at the Hot Sands audition site.

Surprisingly, there were quite a lot of people here.

It seems they're all here to compete.

However, since a group requires two people, Himeko ultimately decided to give the opportunity to the younger people.

"Ladies and gentlemen, make way! Make way!" A voice, clearly somewhat old but full of energy, came from the crowded throng.

"Now approaching us is Mr. Edien, one of Pinocchio's top ten richest men and the creator of the Sulta business empire!" The announcement came on at just the right moment.

"Ahem, let me introduce myself. I am Edien Leda, the factory manager of the Suleda Factory. And you four new friends, please introduce yourselves to the audience across the galaxy!" Edien said. "Let's begin with this elegant red-haired lady."

"Hello, I'm Himeko, a nameless passenger from the Starry Sky Train. It's a pleasure to meet you. However, I'm not the main character today, but rather a guardian." Himeko introduced herself and took a step back, clarifying that she was not a participant to avoid any future disagreements.

"Hello, my name is Bronya Zaychek. This is Seele, my sister." Bronya took Seele's hand, while Seele, being somewhat introverted, stayed behind Bronya.

"H-Hello everyone," Seele said, mustering her courage to speak into the camera.

"It's my turn! It's my turn! Hello everyone! I'm March 7th, a girl who loves taking photos and adventure!" March 7th said confidently and cheerfully.

"Hello everyone, I'm Hello everyone!" Xing said with a dismissive look.

"Be serious! This is a live broadcast! A live broadcast to the entire world!" March 7th advised.

"Oh! Hello everyone, I'm Galaxy Batman!" Xing became interested when he heard that it was a live broadcast to the whole world and repeated his name.

"Uh... never mind, I shouldn't have had any hope that you would be serious..." March 7th muttered helplessly as she looked at the silly Xing.

Watching Xing's silly antics, both the fans after the live stream and the audience at the scene were thoroughly entertained.

They all handed their impression votes to the Star Group.

Next up are Kiana and Raiden Mei.

"Hello everyone. My name is Kiana, and this is Mei," Kiana said, looking at the camera.

"Yes, hello," Mei said.

"Oh, it's all sorts of beautiful girl groups! There's a group of girly older sister and introverted little sister, a group of adventurous girls and chuunibyou girls who love abstract concepts! There's also a passionate girl and a cool older sister!" the broadcast announced. "Let's see if they can overcome all obstacles and who will ultimately become the star of the event! A bottle of Sulex~ Happy and joyful~ Sulex~ Thank you Sulex Co., Ltd. for your generous support of the program! Let's wait and see!"

Many challengers stepped through that door.

Then we arrived at a beautiful place, where everything looked as if it had been created using Sulfa.

"Welcome to the 20th Annual 33rd Hot Sand Festival, sponsored by Sulta Ltd.! The challengers will now face three challenges! Many players are now at the starting line of the first challenge: 'Dream Battle.' Here, challengers can freely choose any path. Will you be the 'Action Master' who relies on sheer strength? Or the 'Acting Master' who moves the judges with drama?" The announcement rang out again.

However, this time everyone saw the person who was speaking.

He was a strange man wearing a mask.

However, the group ignored them and began choosing a track.

Ultimately, Kiana's team and Bronya's team chose the "Action" style.

The two stars chose "acting talent".

After all, for March 7th, the performances are more interesting.

Of course, Hoshino also agreed.

She believes that performing better showcases her skills.

The action-oriented characters' task is to perform the script and defeat the "villains" along the way.

They fought their way through all the challenges until they reached the top.

The acting talent's task is to portray himself in three films created by "The Watchmaker," depicting the amusing events that took place during Pinocchio's pioneering era.

As the three Valkyries and Herrschers, and Seele, fighting is a very simple matter.

Kiana, in particular, possesses incredible strength, allowing her to traverse obstacles at lightning speed using sheer power.

Bronya is different. Since she was a child, her physical strength has not been very good. As a big boss, she did not exercise much. Although her physical strength is still far beyond that of ordinary people, it is not enough for this situation.

So she kept using her "Heavy Bunny 0019" to provide ranged support and attrition. Meanwhile, Seele was replaced by Black Seele, who charged directly into the monster horde and hacked away.

Hmm, this slashing style has some of the essence of Peng Hao's style. The attacks seem haphazard, but basically every move is aimed at killing.

The judges were forced to let them advance directly so they wouldn't have to mess with these 'staff' anymore.

Otherwise, the repair costs would be a huge sum of money, and it would be borne by the individual.

Let's see what this "acting pro" is actually doing.

Oh, so you were working on abstract concepts.
That is indeed "abstract art".

Just how abstract is it?

The performer first expressed his dissatisfaction with a censored dialogue.

Then, the judges praised her repeatedly, saying it captured the essence of the art! They then asked her partner to show an excited expression.

Of course, this was easy for her; it was just a desert, and she had been to ice and snow cities before!
It's so cold there! And yet I'm happily exploring!

Yes, to explore and develop.

These two are Xing and March 7th.

The star itself is an abstract concept, and it encountered judges whose minds are also abstract.

They turned what was originally the only serious event on March 7th into an abstract contestant.

He was still standing there, shouting like an idiot... "Yay! It's a desert! It's a thrilling adventure! I love this kind of thrilling adventure! If I get falsely accused of being a criminal, that'll be even more exciting!"

Upon hearing this, the judges repeatedly expressed their approval and proceeded to the next scene.

The next scene shows the two finding a job repairing a railway, but after working day and night and becoming physically exhausted, they finally collapse deep in the desert... Suddenly! A refreshing rain falls from the sky, nourishing them and awakening their fighting spirit.

Then the dialogue should be full of surprises and the thrill of being reborn!
"Ah! It's raining! It has given me, a delicate flower, a new lease on life after I withered from the desert! Hahahahahahaha! Pinocchio is truly a land of gold and opportunity! Hahahahahahahaha!" Xing's expression was one of pure bliss, as if the rain was real, making the nearly withered flower burst with vitality.

"Very good! Very good!" the judges exclaimed repeatedly. "Next up is the partner's heartbreaking reply, as they see no hope."

“Ah…this rain came just in time…but it also extinguished my burning passion…Can we really…succeed?” March 7th said.

"Fantastic! Your delivery of lines is superb, and it's full of emotion! Next up is an even more challenging physical performance! Please keep going!" The judge exclaimed in amazement and made way for the two of them.

"I never realized that abstract art could be so fun!" After experiencing the beauty of abstract art, March 7th was immediately filled with a playful spirit.

"See? I told you abstract art is really fun!" Xing said with a smug look on his face.

"You two actually managed to pass the first level perfectly! But what follows is a 'physical' performance. The difficulty will be far more exaggerated than before! I hope you are both prepared!" the judge said seriously.

"Bring it on!" Xing said proudly, hands on his hips.

"Okay, continuing from where we left off! A heavy rain saved you from collapsing in the desert. This rain extinguished the anger in your heart, and you looked at your companion who had lost all fighting spirit, wanting to comfort her... At this moment... what should you do to 'make her laugh'?"

After thinking for a moment, Xing decided to lie flat on the ground and start rolling around in the sand.

This move not only stunned March 7th, but also put the judges under tight control.

"This...this...this...this is absolutely fantastic! This is the perfect answer! This action not only makes her friend laugh, but it also reminds her of the hardships and perseverance she's faced along the way! It makes her give up the idea of ​​giving up!" the judge exclaimed excitedly. "Seeing this rekindle hope in her friend's heart, and then..."

"I will definitely stay with you until the end!" March 7 said seriously as he helped Xing up and patted the dust off his clothes.

"Oh~ This gesture not only expresses unwavering faith in your partner but also demonstrates your support and willingness to share joys and sorrows!" the judge remarked, observing the interaction between March 7th and Xing. "The final paragraph! After that heavy rain, you sensed a business opportunity and decided to enter the umbrella industry. Unfortunately, just as business was starting to pick up, competitors began dumping large quantities of low-priced goods, squeezing out the market. Now you're forced to sell your high-priced stockpiled goods at a loss… This is tantamount to drinking poison to quench your thirst, dragging you to the brink of bankruptcy. At this point… what decision would you, with your indomitable spirit, make?"

Xing only thought for a moment before slamming his hand on the table and standing up.

"A true man never backs down in the face of difficulty! I, *train profanity*, will never retreat! Dream chasers may be knocked down, but they will never be defeated! Let's pull off another big heist in March!"

"Those words, those actions! Fantastic! It's just a pity your friend doesn't agree. Seeing you so heavily in debt, and thinking about the hardships you've faced in the past, she feels powerless about her future here, and then..." the judge exclaimed.

"Sigh... Xing... I'm afraid I can't continue working with you... I really can't see any hope here..." March 7th looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle and said with a melancholy expression.

After giving Xing a final hug, he turned and left without looking back.

"Excellent! Fantastic! This last part is simply divine! It perfectly portrays the companion's hopelessness about the future! That final hug is not only a farewell to the protagonist, but also a goodbye to her own past suffering and the unknown future!" the judges exclaimed.

"This truly impresses me. Ugh...it reminds me of myself...I used to be like that too...I came all this way with my friends, but in the end, they lost hope and left me, and I ended up just a lowly judge..." the judge said, wiping away tears. "Go...the final hurdle is also the hardest part. Only by using the most perfect acting to impress your opponent can you pass!"

Xing and March 7 looked at each other firmly, nodded, and then strode towards the last judge with great momentum.

Watching these steps, the rather strict judge's eyes gradually became serious.

"Welcome to the final stage. The events you just experienced are actually from the movie 'The Pursuit of Dreams.' Two like-minded individuals arrive in the penniless Pinocchio with dreams in their hearts. They yearn for success but repeatedly suffer setbacks. In the end, one refuses to give up, accumulating massive debts; the other abandons his career and leaves. Years later, they meet again in the bustling Pinocchio, but hesitate to recognize each other because…"

“Although I haven’t seen this movie, I have my own opinion on the ending.” Xing pulled out a pair of glasses from somewhere and put them on.

"Oh? Then I'll wait and see!" The judges decided to listen and watch, since Xing hadn't seen it but had his own ideas about the ending.

"Years later... I met her again in bustling Pinocchio... but now I was destitute, while she... lived an ordinary life. Perhaps it was fate that made us recognize each other, but... it wasn't just because of the disparity in our current status... but also because of our previous parting ways. Our relationship had become that of strangers who knew each other. She took pity on me and put a few banknotes in my bowl; perhaps it was her last thought... or perhaps her last act of pity," Xing said.

"The ending was quite good, but... it still didn't quite satisfy me," the strict judge nodded and said.

"Sigh... Star, let's use the clock trick on her for our sake!" March 7 said to Star when she saw there was no chance.

Of course, even if we don't mention the stars on March 7th, we'll still do it.

So even as March 7th was being discussed, Xing was already using the clock trick!
Instantly, the judges' mood turned melancholic.

"Although the story didn't quite meet my expectations... but... but... the emotions within it were just too intense! It brought tears to my eyes! And you conveyed such emotion in every single word... it's simply... simply... simply... something I didn't want to act!" the judge said. "You can leave now... let me have some peace and quiet..."

"This is the clockwork trick? It's absolutely terrifying!" March 7 exclaimed in shock. "But Hoshi, what you said at the end was really good. Where did you learn that?"

“Of course!” Xing said in his usual dismissive manner.

"Good, good, you learned it all by yourself, you're really great!" March 7 praised Xing, though her tone didn't sound like a compliment.

"What, March? You want to try my bat?" Star replied with his usual smug look.

"You're still hung up on that guy, aren't you?!" March 7th scolded, blushing.

(End of this chapter)