Chapter 33: Coach, I Wanna Learn to Draw!
Night Star Lan had been sprawled out in the theater for quite some time.
After a while, she finally decided to have Night Lan leave the theater.
She was different from Night Star after all.
If she had disappeared for so long, others might start to worry.
Though no one at the Night Watcher Headquarters seemed to care much about her, Ji Yun and Night Feather would probably get very concerned if they found out she was missing.
Night Lan didn’t want anyone else worrying over her.
So she got up and left, not lingering beside Night Star anymore. She made her way to the backstage area.
Lianhua was still on stage rehearsing puppetry, completely immersed.
Night Lan watched silently from behind. It felt like she was looking back at the performances of seniors.
Suddenly, Lianhua caught something out of the corner of her eye and turned—only then did she notice Night Lan had come out from behind the scenes.
“Night Lan, you feeling better?”
“Mm… I guess.”
Night Lan looked away with a hint of uncertainty.
Bouncing back quickly wasn’t as simple as that.
She wasn’t the type to shrug off pain and move on fast.
Lianhua knew Night Lan needed more time and suggested, “Want to do something to relax? I can do anything with you.”
“Mm, thank you. But I should head back to the Night Watcher Headquarters now. Just let Night Star stay here.”
“Alright, be careful on the way back!”
Lianhua and the puppets around her waved goodbye. Night Lan returned their wave and turned to leave.
Just as she was about to exit the theater, a voice nearby called out.
“Audience Performer.”
“Huh?”
She turned and saw the Group Leader, who seemed to materialize from nowhere.
“Um, is there something you need, Group Leader?”
Night Lan thought back to yesterday’s incident when she cried on the Group Leader’s shoulder, blushing slightly in embarrassment.
But since this Group Leader was a Star Eclipse and not human…
No need to feel awkward over it.
The Group Leader inquired, “Did you return to the time period where I was born?”
Night Lan bowed her head apologetically.
“I’m sorry; I made a choice on my own. If I did anything wrong, please discipline me.”
“No, I’m not blaming you,” said the Group Leader calmly. “But you seem bothered by it. ”
This difference between the current Group Leader and the past Group Leader struck Night Lan.
Like the contrast between the human and the celestial.
It feels like a different person altogether. This is the difference between a human and a Star Eclipse.
Perhaps the current Group Leader had inherited the memories and obsessions of the first Group Leader.
Would they know the original members of their Theater Group?
Night Lan didn’t dare find out.
The Group Leader asked, “Are you worried about the first generation?”
“Huh? Yes…”
Night Lan nodded. Her expression was somber.
“You’re just being human. Anyone would feel this way. Their performances are unforgettable; becoming their audience alone brings joy.”
“But they’re all dead…”
“This reality is harsh; things like this happen even to the luckiest. Similar fates could be repeating in other places right now. They’re unlucky, but such misfortune affects us all eventually.”
“I can’t accept this…”
“Do you want to change it?”
“A little.”
“Can you?”
“I don’t know.”
Night Lan wasn’t sure.
She couldn’t think of a perfect solution, let alone what the Wish Machine could achieve.
Seeing her hesitation, the Group Leader added softly, “Perhaps you can change things, but everything will be dramatically different. Their deaths are unchangeable. Even if they were to live again, they’d only d*e sooner. I might not exist at all. Would you still want to change things anyway?”
“Mmm…”
Her head spun with confusion.
“Because I don’t want to use my power to defy those principles, I want the Rising Sun Theater Group to endure. I’ll bring joy through performance to even more audiences. At least, I won’t stop until our journey has an end.”
If the Group Leader were human and could save the doomed members, he might try.
But as a celestial, he lacked human empathy.
“The transformation into a Star Eclipse isn’t a resurrection.”
With the creation of Star Eclipse, the differences were evident.
Silent, Night Lan’s grief swelled.
What’s the point if the stars themselves are flawed?
Would the Wish Machine grant her wish?
Ambiguous desires never come true.
That’s why she felt sorrow for the first generation members and couldn’t put it aside.
“Don’t tomorrow will always come regardless?”
“Live in the moment, focus on the future.”
“I want to commemorate the first generation members in my own way.”
“If you want to, go ahead. I’ll support you.”
Night Lan nodded and walked out of the theater.
Back at the Night Watcher Headquarters, Night Lan pondered her next steps.
Originally, she planned to return to Yun Chang City today.
But knowing the Group Leader’s story changed her mind momentarily.
Now, her priority was how to honor the first generation.
As she thought, a sudden idea came to her.
At that same moment.
Night Star also stepped from the back, seeming prepared to venture out.
Lianhua and Book Yao, seeing her, were puzzled.
“Going out, Audience Performer?”
“Yeah, I’m heading to Qi Yuan City. Don’t worry.”
Without further ado, Night Star dashed out of the theater, clearly eager.
In the Night Watcher Base in Qi Yuan City.
Mo Qianmeng wrote “Mo Rabbit” on paper as she practiced calligraphy, as though she held the keys to something.
This was a trump card to confront Mo Tu someday.
Whether he powered off or blocked her, it wouldn’t matter then.
Happy at the prospect, Mo Qianmeng’s phone rang.
She picked it up, recognizing the caller was the Audience Performer from the Rising Sun Theater Group.
They had exchanged contact details beforehand.
A little secret shared by none of the other Night Watchers.
“Audience Performer, is there anything I can help you with?”
“Coach! I wanna learn how to draw!”
