Chapter 168: Under the Watchful Eyes of the Stars

Chapter 168: Under the Watchful Eyes of the Stars

It was past eight o'clock in the evening, in the western district, on Williams Street.

The crimson moonlight spilled in threads and strands, making the usually bustling street seem particularly different due to the arrival of a group of people.

"Do you really think you can catch me? You're underestimating the protection the stars grant me!"

A figure clad in a black robe stood in the center of the street, surrounded by a circle of Nightwatcher squad members. Further out, police officers had set up a cordon to prevent the curious from entering.

"So, you are indeed a follower of the stars!"

"Recently, Beckland has been in turmoil because of you star followers. Now, we finally have the chance to catch you rats hiding in the dark!"

"I heard there's a hefty bounty on your heads. I can't believe you, a follower of the stars, would dare to show yourself so brazenly!"

What should have been a bloody confrontation was oddly comical.

The Nightwatcher squad had the figure surrounded but didn't immediately move to apprehend him. Instead, they conversed loudly, as if afraid that others wouldn't know they had cornered a star follower tonight.

"Heh, you think you can catch me?"

"Your lack of reverence for the stars will be the reason for your failure tonight."

"I'm standing right here, outnumbered by you, yet I can leave at any moment."

"Because the stars will always protect me!"

The surrounded figure was not panicked but full of confidence, as if the Nightwatcher squad around him was nothing but trash.

The Nightwatchers continued to mock, and the figure confidently retorted.

Klein, a member of the Nightwatcher squad tonight, really wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

It was just too embarrassing.

Whether it was Leonard's slightly exaggerated acting and tone or the stiff cooperation of the Nightwatcher squad.

Everything was off.

It was like those face-slapping scenes in novels, where things that could be resolved directly instead involved endless verbal sparring.

It was nothing but embarrassment.

Klein was relieved that he wasn't the one performing tonight; otherwise, he would never have been able to carry on.

But Leonard was impressive, getting more and more into it with every mention of the stars, fully embodying the role of a star follower.

After a verbal battle that lasted for over ten minutes, many extraordinary figures emerged from the nearby shadows, breaking through the police cordon and entering the inner circle of Williams Street.

They had all disguised themselves to some extent, some wearing masks, others donning black robes, and some even painting their faces with messy makeup.

They had no respect for the Nightwatcher squad, their eyes fixed on Leonard, who was surrounded.

Whether it was the hefty bounty issued by Mr. A or the additional rewards that followed, it was worth the risk for them.

If they could snatch this star follower from the Nightwatchers, even just a corpse, they could exchange it for a fortune!

It could be used to ascend to a higher sequence of the extraordinary, or to live as a wealthy man for life.

"The Nightwatcher squad is on duty, unrelated people, leave quickly!"

Curt Diel, the captain of the western district Nightwatcher squad, stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the newly arrived strange extraordinaries.

"Star follower, we've been searching for so long, how could we leave just because you say so?"

"What's so special about the Nightwatcher squad? Followers of the night, you're just disgusting."

"Enough talk, let's grab him. Whoever gets the head gets the bounty."

Soon, a great melee erupted.

Leonard, who was specifically targeted, wasn't panicked at all when he heard those extraordinaries wanted his head.

Since he had come to act as bait for a dangerous mission, the church would naturally provide him with something to save his life.

"Stars, twinkle!"

He deliberately shouted towards the crowd, and then his body shone with brilliant starlight, disappearing from everyone's sight.

Some extraordinaries still hidden in the dark witnessed this scene and finally believed that the person who appeared tonight was indeed a star follower!

They could no longer contain their greed and began to act.

On the edge of the Queen district, at West Vilas Square.

Leonard, who had used the twinkling of the stars to escape the encirclement, appeared out of thin air here.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and he laughed loudly: "You think you can catch a follower protected by the stars? You're dreaming."

"I am a follower of the stars. At night, the stars grant me invincible power!"

"You're only fit to watch my retreating figure from afar!"

After mocking them, he strode towards an empty area.

After a while, seven or eight unfamiliar figures appeared around him.

They seemed to have an understanding, spontaneously forming a circle, trapping Leonard in the middle.

"What, you want to catch me too?"

Leonard looked at them with disdain. Far from panicking about being surrounded again, he actually breathed a sigh of relief.

This situation had already been anticipated in their plan.

The first time he appeared, even if it could draw out some extraordinaries lurking in the dark, they would likely be just small fry.

After all, in an unclear situation, not many would actually make a move but would choose to wait and watch, waiting for the key moment to act.

So, to lure out these real threats, they decided to set another trap.

Tonight, here, was the real encirclement!

Leonard wanted to continue mocking, but suddenly he felt the presence of powerful extraordinaries coming through the spirit world.

Big fish had taken the bait tonight!

And not just one!

He couldn't be sure if there were demigods of sequence 4, but there were definitely strong beings of sequence 5!

"I'm done playing with you."

Leonard chuckled softly, his mission accomplished. Now it was time for the Red Glove squad and church personnel to deal with these exposed extraordinaries.

He tightened his black robe, perfectly concealing his aura, then shouted: "Stars, twinkle!"

With a burst of dazzling starlight, his figure disappeared once again.

Also gone was the aura he had left behind.

This was a powerful seal given to him by the Church of the evereverNight Goddess.

There were three in total, one for spatial transfer to save his life, and one to simulate the light of the stars.

These two seals used together were the so-called twinkling of the stars.

The last seal was the black robe he wore.

It was a cloak that could change shape and hide one's aura, simply called the Night Cloak.

With these three seals, Leonard could face the dangers of tonight with composure.

…

Near the Brave Bar, deep in an alley, Leonard transformed his Night Cloak into a black trench coat, walking out of the alley with a look of disgust.

This last twinkling of the stars, to avoid the extraordinaries hiding in the dark, he had teleported a bit further.

Who knew that this teleportation would almost make him collide with a trash can? Fortunately, he dodged in time, otherwise, he would have been covered in stench.

As he was about to leave the alley, Leonard muttered, "Old man, there are no more powerful extraordinaries spying on me in the dark, right?"

"Weren't you acting very brave just now? Are you scared now?"

"Cough cough, I was just trying to make it more realistic."

"I think you enjoyed the performance."

"It was quite fun, after all, I just played with a group of extraordinaries much stronger than me."

Leonard thought about his performance tonight, and his lips couldn't help but curl up.

He felt the time was too short, the performance not satisfying enough.

If he had the chance next time, he would prepare more thoroughly, perhaps even prepare a script.

Like how to speak to appear especially arrogant and confident.

What actions to use to highlight his uniqueness.

How to provoke everyone when using the twinkling of the stars.

"Heh, pretending to be a star follower, if you really get involved with the stars, don't regret your actions tonight."

Leonard's smile twitched, and after hesitating for a moment, he said, "Old man, is it really that serious?"

"If you pretend to be a follower of the Storm Lord, causing trouble everywhere, and He discovers you, would He strike you down with lightning?"

Leonard whispered, "I… probably won't be discovered."

"Look up."

Leonard did as he was told, and the stars in the sky twinkled, as if they were eyes that could blink.

"…"

Leonard's face froze completely.

Everything was under the watchful eyes of the stars!

He shivered involuntarily, no longer feeling the joy and excitement from before.

If there really was a mysterious existence representing the stars, then all of his performances tonight were under Its watchful gaze.

"…"

Leonard fell silent for a long while, his mood heavy and oppressive.

He glanced at the bustling street and the lively shops and bars.

He suddenly felt very cold.

"Let's go have a drink first."

Leonard glanced at a nearby bar and walked in.

The Brave Bar, at this moment, he needed bravery to dispel the fear in his heart.

(End of the chapter)