Will you join us for this starry rendezvous?
In the broadcast studio, Nie Junfeng immediately realized his Poison Milk persona was about to crumble.
Even the usually composed Nie Family Patriarch... ah, no... Inspector Nie couldn't help but excitedly slam his fist on the table:
"See! What did I tell you!"
He pointed at the screen, his voice filled with vindicated certainty:
"This is all Cifera's trickery!
"She's about to leave the Starry Headquarters Building, while the main force of the Pursuit Team rushes in—exactly as she planned.
"Her true target must be elsewhere! Police Officer Nie Bing and the others have been completely misled!"
[Patriarch's Poison Milk finally expires?! A historic moment—screenshot for posterity!]
[As a Cat Fan, I'm speechless. Patriarch Nie's Poison Milk aura shattered at the perfect moment!]
[Exactly! As long as Kitty Phantom Thief stops targeting the auction, I'll never mock Inspector Nie again.]
[I think you Cat Fans are being a bit too optimistic. Patriarch's Poison Milk has a delayed effect, so isn't it a bit early to pop the champagne?]
Just as the bullet comments had predicted, "Chen Luo" had been walking toward the exit, but halfway there, she suddenly turned and entered the restroom.
It was clear she had no intention of leaving; she simply needed to use the facilities.
Nie Junfeng felt a twinge of embarrassment, but his thick skin allowed him to maintain his composure as he continued smoothly:
"Although there was a slight misunderstanding earlier, I remain confident that Contestant Cifera will leave soon.
"After all, her disguise is remarkably effective. Even if the Pursuit Team were standing right next to her, they would struggle to recognize her.
"Therefore, she has no need to rush. She might even choose to deliberately stroll near the Pursuit Team members, savoring the thrill of outwitting her opponents."
[As expected of the Patriarch—his silver tongue could bend truth into fiction!]
[Enough with the chatter! Just answer this: does what the Patriarch says make sense?]
[Absolutely! Patriarch of the Nie Family, all us Cat Fans support you!]
[Have you forgotten? The Patriarch himself claimed to be a Cat Fan! He's willing to break his Poison Milk golden aura just to ensure Cifera's victory!]
After "Chen Luo" entered the restroom, the live stream temporarily shifted its focus to Liu Ruyan, who was on stage explaining the evening's charity auction procedures.
Just then, whoosh!
Without warning, all the lights in the press conference hall, including the large screen on stage, went completely dark.
Although the top-floor exhibition hall had transparent tempered glass walls, the press conference was being held in a dedicated conference hall.
In an instant, the hall plunged into pitch-black darkness.
Gasps and commotion erupted from the crowd!
But the darkness didn't last long. With a sudden hum, the large screen on the stage sprang to life.
Instead of auction-related content, the screen now displayed a deep, star-studded night sky.
Each twinkling star in the night sky seemed to cast its light upon the audience in the hall.
Beneath the starry expanse, lines of elegant, flowing script appeared one by one, as if written in moonlight:
"When the eighth chime echoes through the night sky,
"Eternal beauty shall break free from its contractual bonds.
"The cat's footsteps are lighter than moonlight,
"Will you join this starlit rendezvous?
"—Sincerely, Kitty Phantom Thief"
At the bottom, a simple sketch of a black cat winked playfully.
The entire press conference venue erupted into pandemonium!
Flashbulbs popped wildly as gasps of astonishment filled the air.
"This looks like a theft announcement?!"
The reporters at the scene immediately began to discuss it. The message was remarkably clear, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
"The eighth chime must refer to 8 p.m., exactly when tonight's auction begins."
"'Eternal Beauty' corresponds to Starry's advertising slogan: 'Some beauty is destined to belong only to eternity.'"
"And breaking free from the contractual bonds... does that mean taking it by means other than fulfilling the auction agreement?"
"Hiss! So the target of the theft is Starry's crown jewel—the Starry Light!"
"Cat's footsteps... Kitty Phantom Thief... She's not even trying to hide it! This is definitely Cifera's announcement!"
Listening to the reporters' chatter, Liu Ruyan, after her initial shock, couldn't help but feel a mix of disbelief and amused admiration.
She had known all along that Cifera planned to steal the Starry Light at tonight's auction, but she never imagined the thief would announce it so boldly, even theatrically, beforehand.
This was confidence bordering on arrogance!
The security at Starry Headquarters was already formidable. Even without advance warning, Cifera attempting to steal the Starry Light would have been no easy task.
But now that security personnel knew her plan, security measures would undoubtedly be heightened to their maximum.
And that wasn't all. Given the major incident at Starry's press conference, the Pursuit Team would certainly be alerted.
Experts from the Pursuit Team would likely join tonight's security operations, lying in wait for Cifera to walk right into their trap.
In such circumstances, if Cifera dared to show up, what else could it be but sheer arrogance?
Furthermore, Liu Ruyan hadn't initially been too concerned about any negative consequences Cifera might face after stealing the Starry Light.
After all, her charity auction wasn't connected to any reality show. Apart from those in the jewelry industry, few would recognize Cifera here.
Without public attention, there would be no preemptive media buzz or widespread discussion.
If Cifera had actually stolen the Starry Light at the auction, the vast majority of viewers would likely only focus on her skill, without delving into whether the charity auction had been compromised, or if the children's fund would suffer.
But now everything had changed. This audacious announcement had instantly captured the attention of the entire audience.
Now, even a cursory understanding would reveal the immense repercussions Cifera's theft would have on the charity gala.
Public opinion would rapidly turn against her. If Cifera proceeded with her plan, regardless of her success, her character would face severe scrutiny!
This would completely undermine Liu Ruyan's original intention of providing Cifera with a debut stage to showcase her talents.
Stunned by Cifera's audacity and rebellious spirit, Liu Ruyan marveled inwardly: What a fearless, headstrong girl!
Meanwhile, the live stream's Bullet Comments section had erupted into a frenzy the moment the announcement dropped:
[Ha ha ha! The Patriarch's Poison Milk curse finally worked! Cifera not only didn't leave, but she even issued a notice!]
[Nie Family Law: Whatever the Patriarch confidently asserts will inevitably backfire! (Tactical Lean Back)]
[Cifera even dared to send a notice! Did the Poison Milk directly recharge in reverse?!]
[LOL! The Patriarch just said the target was elsewhere, and Cifera immediately pulled a stunt live on air to slap him in the face!]
[Nie Bing: Dad, shut up already! (Running away with the Technical Booth.jpg)]
[Aaaaaah! The Cat Fans are in despair! Nie Junfeng, you jinx! We knew your words would only bring disaster!]
[Director, quick, switch to the studio! I want to see the Patriarch's "My whole life has been a lie" face!]
As if hearing the Bullet Comments' demands, the Director promptly cut to the studio, zooming in on Nie Junfeng's face.
However, instead of the embarrassment of being proven wrong, a cold, "I knew it" smirk spread across his features.
This reaction instantly stunned the live stream audience, who had been mercilessly mocking him just moments before.