Chapter 1229: Chapter 833: Social Death Scene_2 Chapter 1229: Chapter 833: Social Death Scene_2 “I’m lucky that Soul Projection live-streamed the whole process, otherwise, I might have been too late,”
“Miss Duanmu?”

“Ohhhhhhh!!”

Seeing Duanmu Ai appear, Li Shi’s eyes lit up with excitement, but just as she got up, intending to run towards Duanmu Ai, suddenly, a series of earth-shattering roars erupted. The projection, which had been blown away by the door, had now come back to its senses.

“No one can stop me! No one!!”

“Ah, yes, yes.”

Facing the frenzied roar of the projection, Duanmu Ai’s attitude was like that towards a wailing bunny; with a snap of her fingers, a blonde, blue-eyed girl and a yellow Giant Dragon appeared behind her.

“Go, kill it.”

With Duanmu Ai’s command, Alice and Yellow Dragon charged forward, entangling in battle with the projection. It was then that Duanmu Ai, with a leisurely pace, approached Kujikawa Rise.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… I’m okay…”

Taking hold of Duanmu Ai’s offered hand, Li Shi stood up and then turned her head, looking complexly towards the battlefield.

The projection, once so arrogant and domineering, was now devoid of its earlier prestige, being thrashed by Alice and Yellow Dragon–fleeing in terror. After all, both were the highest Level Electronic Demons; other Electronic Demons wouldn’t even dare to breathe in front of them, so what chance did a mere Soul Projection have against these two?

“She…….”

Perhaps it was the sight of the projection being beaten so pitifully that even Li Shi looked at Duanmu Ai somewhat sympathetically.

“Is she really…?”

“You should know very well yourself,”
There wasn’t much Duanmu Ai could say about that. Everyone has secrets in their heart–of course, not to this exaggerated extent–but even so, it wasn’t something outsiders should interfere with. Whatever Li Shi decided to do was her own affair, not one for Duanmu Ai to decide.

“…….”

Hearing Duanmu Ai’s response, Li Shi fell silent for a moment before looking forward again, murmuring to herself.

“The truth is, I know… she’s right, I’m afraid… All this time, I’ve appeared on stage as Little Li Shi, and that recent performance has boosted my popularity a lot, with more people recognizing me. But are they really seeing me? Or is it Little Li Shi? The latter is just an image crafted by the requests of my agent and company–is that truly me?”

As she spoke, Li Shi placed her hand over her chest.

“I’m scared that if this continues, the real me might disappear, leaving behind only Little Li Shi. In time, whether it’s my agent, the company’s people, my fans, or even my family, perhaps they will all see me only as Little Li Shi. Then, who would know the real me?”

Duanmu Ai said nothing. This was not something for her to judge, and she knew Li Shi didn’t actually need her to. She just wanted someone to talk to.

“The showbiz world is like this–everyone talks behind a mask; none knows who truly means what they say, or maybe even they don’t know what the real self is like. But then again, is there such a thing as a true self?”

At this point, Li Shi paused before looking towards Duanmu Ai.

“Sometimes, I envy Miss Duanmu. You don’t have to play someone else, you do what you want, without caring about others’ thoughts and feelings. I want to do the same, but sadly I don’t have the courage. People love the cheerful and lively Little Li Shi on the stage, not the real me in life… I wasn’t like this before…”

Li Shi bowed her head, exhaled deeply, and then fell silent, as if contemplating something. After a while, it seemed she had come to a decision and looked up at Duanmu Ai.

“Miss Duanmu, could you please stop them?”

“Of course.”

With a snap of her fingers from Duanmu Ai, Alice and Yellow Dragon, who had been pinning the Soul Projection to the ground, stepped aside and then vanished into thin air. The Soul Projection, now battered from the beating, lay pitifully on the ground, seemingly so severely dealt with that its Strength dissipated, reverting to its previous appearance in a swimsuit.

Li Shi walked over to her Soul Projection, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.

“Stand up.”

“………..”

Hearing Li Shi’s words, her other self silently stood up, and like Yukiko’s Soul Projection before, remained silent, gazing at her other self.

“I’m sorry, it must have been hard for you all this time. Being a part of me, yet continuously denied by myself. The truth is, I’m afraid. On one hand, I fear everyone knowing the real me, on the other hand, I also fear that the real me will vanish–not like Little Li Shi on stage, but the once gloomy, reticent person, as insignificant as an insect–that me.”

Li Shi looked at her Soul Projection and spoke softly.

“I kept wondering, which one is the real me, but finding out this way isn’t right, is it? There’s no such thing as the true self. You, I, and even Little Li Shi on stage… we are all parts of me… all of it, is me.”