Chapter 1: Surprise
As one day was drawing to a close, dusk settled in.
After lounging around the Fish Playing House all day, Night Lan decided it was time to head to the Night Watcher Base.
By the way, the Rising Sun Theater Group’s outdoor performance had recently wrapped up flawlessly.
At the start, when Night Star and the others went to the stage in the gaming entertainment area, before Kong Yu Bai could even begin her enchanting singing, a bunch of so-called gaming newbies crowded around.
They were all like, “We want to know how to get those rare game skills!”
This left Night Star completely baffled.
Later, she learned that a forum journalist had twisted the truth and posted false information online.
That’s what attracted the players, thinking the Rising Sun Theater Group was going to spill all their secrets on those elusive skills.
But Night Star had no clue about any skill acquisition methods. She was just a gaming newbie herself, without any special skills to her name.
However, the viewers mistook the group’s reluctance to share for secrecy, and things got a little tense.
Right when it seemed like things were about to blow up, Kong Yu Bai’s melodious voice cut through the chaos, bringing with it a magical calm that turned the angry mob into attentive listeners.
Once the song wrapped up, Kong Yu Bai gently explained the misunderstanding, clearing the air.
Compared to that forum journalist, these gamers were way more inclined to trust the lovely girl with the incredible voice, so they dropped the issue and became an audience captivated by the performance.
The rest of the show went smoothly, as many of these gaming fans appeared to be thoroughly engaged, likely due to the performances sparking their interests.
Before long, the audience grew to huge numbers, and the outdoor show ended on a high note with thunderous applause from all the gamers.
Oh, and just as a side note, after the performance, Night Star and the other theater members tried to hunt down that low-tier Star Eclipses who dared to initialize the account, but they came up empty-handed.
Night Star was a bit bummed about that, but after some comforting words from the group leader, she perked up again.
The group leader had said, “Audience Performer, don’t pay any mind to that rude presence. He’s not worth your anger, and who knows, he might have already met a fitting end and vanished! Just focus on having fun!”
Night Star thought that made a lot of sense, so she shoved that incident to the back of her mind.
She would never guess that the group leader and the others had already dealt with that bottom-tier Star Eclipses in a swift and brutal cleanup operation.
Not even a trace left behind.
Back to the present.
Night Lan was now on her way to the Night Watcher Base.
The time was just about right, and there was no issue heading to the base.
She hadn’t mentioned it to Xiao Jin and the others, nor had she informed Bai Yu and the gang. Just thought it’d be a little surprise!
A while later, Night Lan sneaked her way to the Night Watcher Base.
Upon arriving, she gazed at the building with a delightful, cute expression.
“Ah~ It feels nostalgic. This tiny place really suits me!”
Compared to the massive headquarters, the Night Watcher Base in Yun Chang City was indeed on the smaller side.
Still, it felt like home—after all, it was the start of her dream.
Night Lan then tiptoed into the Night Watcher Base. Aside from the staff on duty, no one had any idea she was back.
She pondered for a moment before deciding to surprise her boss Xiao Jin first.
It was better to hold off on visiting Bai Yu and the little Lolis—if she popped in now, she might end up stuck there forever, glued to them.
Moments later, Night Lan stealthily approached the reception room door.
“Hmm~ I wonder if the boss is inside?”
Not quite sure, she activated her little skill, Existence Interference, to sense the air inside. It seemed there were four familiar presences present.
Confirmation in hand, Night Lan pushed the door open without a second thought.
“I’m back! Surprise! Bet you didn’t see this coming!”
With her vibrant voice filling the room, everyone inside turned to look at her, surprise flickering in their eyes—well, everyone except for Mo Tu, who already knew.
Wang Chao sprang to his feet in shock.
“What the heck, you just came back without saying a word? If you’d let us know sooner, we could’ve sent Bai Yuan to pick you up!”
Bai Yuan shot him a sidelong glance.
“And why didn’t you go yourself?”
Of course, his implication was that he wasn’t keen on picking up Night Lan but rather directed at a certain lazy, slacker Night Watcher.
“Lazy, didn’t want to move.” Wang Chao replied with ridiculous bravado, sounding nothing like a proud Sunlight Night Watcher.
In fact, Bai Yuan seemed more sunlit than he did.
Night Lan then chimed in with a smile, “I wanted to surprise you guys!”
“That truly is a surprise!”
Then she moved closer to Wang Chao, whispering in his ear.
“Hey, Wang Chao, I really appreciate you finding me a bodyguard in the capital. She’s a great big sister, but seriously, don’t you plan on going back to see her?”
Hearing this, Wang Chao coughed intentionally to cover his embarrassment.
“Uh, yeah… I’ll get around to it sometime. Sooner or later, I can’t avoid it.”
“Good~ Just don’t keep her waiting too long, okay?”
Night Lan patted Wang Chao’s shoulder like a grown-up, completely shedding the demeanor of a little junior.
Even though she couldn’t stand lovey-dovey folks, she did hope for the odd couple to finally get together.
Just then, Xiao Jin finally offered his welcome, “Welcome back! I’m glad you brought us a surprise, but do you need to rest? You must have had a tough time in the capital.”
“Nah, not a bit tired. No need for any rest, I’ll head over to Bai Yu in a bit.”
Night Lan wasn’t planning to stick around for long—she was just here to say hi.
Bai Yuan smiled and said, “Well, you should get going then! I bet you didn’t tell them you were back, right? They’d be thrilled to see you!”
Night Lan beamed back at him.
“It’s a surprise after all! I’m off now; you guys chat away!”
With that, she turned and slipped out.
As soon as she left the reception room, Wang Chao let out a relaxed sigh.
“Phew, for real, having that girl back in Yun Chang City is a whole lot more reassuring. Thank goodness her trip to the capital didn’t involve any weird business.”
Bai Yuan shot him an amused glance and replied, “Wang Chao, you’re really concerned about Night Lan, huh? Your level of concern is almost like that of a protective father!”
“Ha~ I just think she’s special. As the warrior of Yun Chang City, I don’t easily get attached to anyone.”
Wang Chao chuckled, not elaborating any further.
What to say?
When the audience first clashed with the Rising Sun Theater Group in Yun Chang City, she had a unique aura about her when she was injured, plus that steadfast promise she gave him—hard to forget.
In a way, how she toughened through that pain was truly impressive.
So, what’s the deal with Night Lan and her?
Who knows?
Wang Chao usually preferred not to think too much, but he could trust his instincts when it came to strong people.
He wouldn’t pry too much into it; he’d just act according to his heart.
Including caring about this extraordinary mascot, Night Lan.
As for everything else? He’d just let it slide!
Volume 9: The International Journey
