### Chapter 28: Co-Performance
The aura of Star Eclipse manifested on Night Sakura Mirror.
Five Holy Knights reacted swiftly, bolting out of the theater with the suppressed Group Leader in tow.
Jian Ji’an held tightly onto his condensed light g*n, his body already tense like a string about to snap.
“Didn’t expect that you’d get possessed by a demon so quickly. Looks like you’re favored by the dark side; in that case, I really have to hunt you down.”
Inside the theater.
The theater troupe members gawked as the lifeless Makeup Artist slowly stood up, none daring to help her.
This phenomenon was well beyond anything they could comprehend.
A dead person coming back to life?
Or was she truly possessed by the demon the Holy Knights mentioned?
What in the world was happening?!
“Makeup Artist!”
One troupe member, unable to suppress their shock at the ominous figure, called out, seemingly seeking reassurance.
But the figure didn’t respond; she slowly walked out of the theater, not even glancing back.
Now, she… was Star Eclipse.
Outside the theater, she stared at the five solemn Holy Knights, her silence almost deafening.
Seeing this, Jian Ji’an wasted no time and flung his light g*n forward.
Zing! Zing!
Two light guns raced toward the Makeup Artist like reapers sent to collect their due, on the brink of hitting her, when—boom!—they shattered just a few centimeters away, as if hitting an invisible mirror.
Bang!
Jian Ji’an didn’t stop at the failure of his attack; he waved his arm, quickly summoning more light guns that shimmered dazzlingly in the night.
“Divine Punishment! Piercing Sentence!”
Nearby, Night Star Lan witnessed this and felt she couldn’t stand idly by.
This guy’s fighting power could rival the last Sunlight Night Watcher in the future.
Who knew if the Makeup Artist’s kind of Star Eclipse could withstand such a powerful attack?
She had just transformed, clearly not at full strength, barely clinging to a state of vulnerability.
She remembered the Night Watcher’s knowledge.
Under normal circumstances, Star Holders who hadn’t awakened their stars before turning into Star Eclipses would emerge in a weakened state, making it prime for hunting. No matter how strong their innate abilities, they wouldn’t pack too much punch.
Except for those extraordinary stars.
Lianhua hadn’t awakened her star either before becoming a Star Eclipse, and her power was simply insane afterward; that was incomparable.
A casual glance confirmed Night Sakura Mirror’s Star Eclipse level was far below the supernova tier. What had merely barely defended against Jian Ji’an’s probing might falter against his full force attack—could she even hold out?
Night Star Lan absolutely couldn’t turn a blind eye!
In this case, she had long forgotten her earlier vow of not interfering.
“Stop!”
Night Star Lan tried to use Lianhua’s power to halt Jian Ji’an, but nothing happened.
In the next moment, the whole world fell silent.
“Eh?”
Night Star Lan froze, eyes wide, feeling as though she had detached from reality.
The scene still played out before her, but she felt utterly powerless.
“What… is going on?”
Panicking, she rushed forward—already freed from existence interference.
But no one noticed her; even if she screamed, no one would hear.
Unable to touch, interfere, or change anything.
This was Night Star Lan’s current state.
She felt like a ghost caught in the folds of space, only able to witness and observe.
This had been her original wish.
What she had previously done wouldn’t alter the development of events, but now, any interference would change the very nature of things.
Wishes could not be altered in their fulfillment.
That was the rule of the Wish Machine, and the only rule that had to be obeyed.
Night Star Lan’s original wish was to witness, not to change; not even the host who made the wish could violate this rule.
So from here on out, she could only bear witness.
Realizing this, her mind felt like it had been hit by a hammer, quickly becoming a blank slate. Now, she could only stand there in a daze, helplessly watching everything unfold.
Whether the next scene was a tragedy or a comedy, she couldn’t participate.
“Ugh… so this is it?”
The scene shifted.
Hundreds of light guns had condensed in the air, gleaming fantastically, an absolute spectacle.
Yet in this magnificent and beautiful sight, a lethal threat loomed!
Jian Ji’an pointed one hand at the Makeup Artist, eyes filled with cold indifference.
“Accept your judgment, demon.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the suspended light guns plummeted, shooting toward the Makeup Artist at breakneck speed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!…
Many light guns disintegrated before even touching the Makeup Artist, as if something had blocked them, or they were rendered impotent under some force.
“Try this move.”
Seeing that the tiny light guns weren’t working, Jian Ji’an gathered the remaining guns, forming a giant light spear, and launched it forward.
Every force has its limits, and Star Eclipses were no exception.
Even with rules backing them, they would shatter under attacks that exceeded their capacity.
As the light spear closed in, the protective barrier shielding the Makeup Artist shattered instantly.
Boom!
A massive sound erupted, the shockwave sending her flying.
“Phew…”
Jian Ji’an exhaled deeply, preparing for the final judgment.
At that moment, the troupe members also stepped out of the theater, standing in a daze as they took in the chaotic scene.
They had heard of the Holy Knights possessing God’s power, but had never seen it firsthand.
It hadn’t been quite so staggering until now, but seeing this fantastical scene, no one could stay calm.
Would the Makeup Artist be hunted down by these Holy Knights?
Or was she no longer human, but a demon?
The troupe members’ minds were in turmoil; they felt utterly weak.
Their thoughts struggled.
Just as Jian Ji’an was gathering the light guns for another final strike, the next scene made him pause.
The Thousand Faces Boy firmly stepped forward.
“The Makeup Artist is definitely not a demon; she is who she is! No one can define her identity. The troupe stands together—since the Holy Knights have already harmed her once, I absolutely won’t allow her to be harmed a second time.”
He moved to the side of the Makeup Artist without a hint of fear.
“A stage play cannot be upheld by one person; it should be a co-performance! If only one person supports the show while there are multiple actors, it’s a dereliction of duty by the rest! Right now, an important drama is unfolding, and I won’t leave the Makeup Artist behind.”
Hearing this, the other troupe members behind him seemed to wake up from a trance, tossing aside their confusion.
The Dance Fairy was the second to join the Makeup Artist’s side.
“Exactly! People keep saying demon this and demon that, but I haven’t seen the Makeup Artist harm us after becoming a so-called demon! In fact, she stepped out to keep the danger away from us, so such a heart-wrenching act was likely done out of concern for our safety. Even if we’re not sure, what if she really is just trying to protect us?”
In just a few breaths, all the troupe members stood in front of the Makeup Artist, forming a human wall just like before.
