Shadowbreaker introduced the five members of the Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain band. Although they were Orcs, Undead, Blood Elves, and Trolls, led by a Tauren, the Alliance members present didn't find it strange once they heard they were part of the Darkmoon Faire. After all, everyone was used to seeing Silas Darkmoon followed by that menacing Ogre bodyguard; compared to that, these races were nothing.
In the in-game farm, hundreds of portions of cooked food, drinks, and fruits were laid out on long tables flanking the area. A bonfire was lit, and the atmosphere instantly shifted from the earlier romanticism to a fiery intensity.
Outside the net cafe, hundreds of spectators had gathered to see the spectacle. Most had come from Stormwind, while others had traveled from Lakeshire and Darkshire. This kept Dughan's guard detail incredibly busy. The Darkmoon Faire alone was enough to handle every two months, but this joint event with the net cafe was on a completely different scale. He had no choice but to request reinforcements from the Stormwind Defense Forces. This time, Marcus Jonathan directly ordered the troops from Northshire and Westfall Brigade to march to Goldshire.
Pirelli and Raymond, though wearing glasses themselves, had no time to watch the performance. Countless citizens outside were clamoring to buy the legendary Cola and Coffee, leaving the two completely overwhelmed.
On the largest screen, Shadowbreaker began the introduction: "Please welcome our first performer—the handsome Paladin from the magical kingdom of Dalaran, son of the legendary hero Turalyon—Arator!!!"
"Whooo!" Tess, standing in the crowd, shrieked with excitement. "So he had a mission too!"
Chen, standing beside her, teased, "What's this? Caught feelings for the handsome young man?"
Tess gave Chen's round belly a playful pinch. "Don't talk nonsense! My Boss is still the handsomest!"
The moment Arator stepped out, countless young women screamed. He had shed the soft armor he usually wore and was dressed in a "Golden Thread Shirt" custom-made by Dalaran's top tailor, Karanduna. But he hadn't fastened a single button! As a half-elf with pointed ears, striking looks, fiery blonde hair, and a semi-naked torso, he instantly turned the female audience into starstruck fans.
Vrummm... Bergrist let out a long, dragging opening chord on his guitar. Then came Thunder's drums—two long, four short:
Bang... Bang... Bang-bang-bang-bang!
The entire band began to play in unison. Arator started dancing on stage to the rhythm, waving his hands upward to invite everyone, inside and outside the game, to move with him.
"Every time the tide comes in..." "Do you get sad too..."
To be honest, this form of performance completely exceeded the expectations of the audience. The most exciting musical performance some of them had ever seen was likely The Wizard of Oz at the Karazhan Opera House, with its metallic men, lions, and scarecrows fighting to eerie music. But since Karazhan became a forbidden tower, those performances had become a thing of the past. Stormwind was left with nothing but hymns and laudatory plays that even the nobility had grown tired of.
The cheerful, passionate song, combined with the unique and creative lyrics, quickly conquered everyone present.
"Do-do-do-do you want to dance?" "Do-do-do-do you want to dance?"
The song was simple, and through its repetitive rhythm, everyone inside and outside the game began to hop and sway.
If Arator had been nervous when he first stepped up, he was now completely uninhibited. Before the show, Wayne had taught him various ways to rouse and infect the audience—waving, small jumps, and extending the microphone to the crowd for a sing-along once they became familiar with the chorus.
Arator was fascinated by where Wayne had learned these things, as these behaviors violated almost every rule of traditional opera. In an opera, you cannot vocalize to disturb the performer, you cannot clap at will, and even a cough must be muffled. Leaving for the restroom is discouraged; if you leave, you must wait for the intermission to return to your seat.
But here, in the world of Rock and Roll, there were no rules. Whether you were the singer on stage or the audience below, you sang if you wanted to sing, danced if you wanted to dance, laughed, cried, or shouted along with the melody. It was as if everyone had forgotten who they were; they had all become a part of the music.
Li Li said excitedly to Tess and Chen, "I used to wonder what Wayne meant by 'Rock and Roll.' They're just two verbs; why connect them to music? Now I get it! You rock and you roll!"
Watching from the side of the stage while coordinating the other singers, Wayne was also thrilled. The success of the very first song meant that this rock party was destined to leave a heavy mark on the history of Azeroth. This had already far exceeded what the Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftains could have achieved on their own.
Next, his true purpose would begin to move forward. Through this party, he wanted to grandly re-introduce his net cafe to everyone and tell his current members that the games in the cafe were filled with infinite possibilities and imagination.
It wasn't just about war and slaughter, nor was it just about conspiracies and strategies. Here, those who craved battle could challenge magical monsters never encountered in the real world. This matched the spirit of rock—filling those who desired color in an ordinary life with passion.
But equally, those who were tired of the pressure, competition, and exhaustion of reality could find a paradise here. They could sail through a world completely foreign to them, or they could plant trees, drink tea, and become neighbors or even friends with villagers who felt as real as anyone else.
This was the true allure of gaming. Regardless of a person's personality, life experience, or current situation, they could fill the missing piece in their heart through a game. Whether filling it with passion or peace, the goal was to better set out toward real life once again.
Arator's first song was a massive success. He waved his hands excitedly, telling the cheering audience that he would return to the stage after a short break. But before that, he invited the guests in Stardew Valley to taste the various delicacies prepared by the organizers, while the spectators outside took a moment to rest before the next performance began.
With that, the players in the farm began moving toward the long tables to help themselves to the food.