[Oh my god! Is Cifera here to steal jewelry?!]
[I bet that's exactly what she's up to. Otherwise, why would she be here—sightseeing?]
[This is insane! This is the Starry Jewels Main Store, renowned for having the nation's most impregnable security. To date, there's never been a successful theft or robbery attempt.]
[Wasn't Cifera just staring at that Sky Exhibition Hall on the roof? Could she be planning to steal the Starry Light necklace?]
[What's the Starry Light?]
[Just a diamond necklace.]
["Just"? Upstairs brother, that's Starry's crown jewel! It's one of the world's ten legendary jewels—the Starry Light! The iconic slogan "Some beauties are destined to belong only to eternity" was coined for this piece!]
[Oh yeah! I remember! My mom used to joke every day that she'd sacrifice ten years of my dad's life just to wear that necklace once!]
[Only ten years? I must say, your mom is the epitome of a devoted wife!]
[Impressive! If Cifera actually manages to get her hands on the Starry Light, who could possibly compete with her for the show's overall championship?]
[Well, wishes are nice, but reality... it's just too difficult! The Starry Light is kept in the Sky Exhibition Hall on the top floor, which is rarely open to the public. The security measures are so tight that sneaking in is virtually impossible.]
[Wait, there might actually be a chance! I heard there's a charity auction exhibition in the Sky Exhibition Hall tonight, and the Starry Light is being put up for auction! The hall will be open then, giving Cifera a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to steal it!]
[Holy crap! It all lines up! Cifera came prepared—she probably scoped the place out in advance!]
[Aaaah! Can someone make it evening already with just a blink?!]
[Aren't you all jumping to conclusions? Maybe Cifera really is just here to look around. Starry Jewels employees watching the live stream, don't take this seriously!]
[Haha, I'm actually a Starry Jewels employee, but don't worry, I'll keep this a secret.]
[The office worker upstairs is slacking off and watching the live stream. He'd never dare admit it!]
Though the bullet comments were buzzing with excitement, everyone was merely speculating; no one could confirm that Cifera was actually planning to steal the Starry Light.
Even Starry employees watching the live stream treated it as mere entertainment. Deep down, they didn't believe anyone could actually steal any jewelry from them, let alone the Starry Light, which was protected by the highest security protocols.
Cifera understood this perfectly. That's why she wasn't worried about being kicked out by security before announcing her heist.
Stepping into the Starry Jewels Main Store, she was immediately enveloped by an atmosphere of opulence.
Blending in like any ordinary jewelry enthusiast, Cifera moved slowly with the crowd. Her gaze appeared to linger on the colorful jewels displayed in the glass cases, but in reality, she was discreetly cataloging the store's security layout, the angles of the surveillance cameras, and the strategic chokepoints connecting different areas.
Every observed detail helped her rapidly construct a three-dimensional spatial model in her mind.
While Cifera browsed the jewelry store,
Guo Tao, overseeing operations from the Production Team's control room, made an immediate decision.
Citing "technical issues," he temporarily blocked the live stream signals from contestant live streams within a one-kilometer radius of Starry Jewels headquarters. Simultaneously, the official live stream within that area would only broadcast footage of the Pursuit Team.
Like the live stream viewers, Guo Tao also believed that Cifera was highly likely to target Starry Jewels.
To simulate a realistic scenario, it was crucial to prevent personnel at Starry Jewels headquarters from monitoring Cifera's every move through the live streams.
While this decision carried some risk—it might provoke complaints from viewers—Guo Tao felt the gamble was worth it.
Conversely, if the live stream leaked Cifera's plans, leading to her failure and elimination, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
By 11:30 AM,
Cifera had thoroughly explored the Starry Jewels Main Store. She was now seated on a plush sofa within the store, leisurely enjoying a selection of desserts.
As Starry Jewels' flagship location, the store offered complimentary refreshments and desserts to all visitors, regardless of whether they purchased any jewelry.
At that moment, a vibrant young woman, brimming with Vital Energy, hurried over to Cifera, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of nervousness. She leaned in close and whispered, "Cifera?! It's really you! Oh my god!"
Cifera glanced almost imperceptibly at the Reporter ID hanging from the woman's chest and smiled faintly. "And you are?"
"I'm Chen Luo, a reporter for the City Express, and your biggest fan! Your Parkour this morning was absolutely amazing!" Chen Luo gushed, her eyes shining with genuine admiration.
Seeing the genuine adoration and excitement in Chen Luo's eyes, the corners of Cifera's lips curved into a playful smile. "Reporter Chen? It's a pleasure to meet you. I have a small favor to ask... I wonder if you might be willing to help?"
"Just say the word! If I can assist you, I absolutely will," Chen Luo replied without hesitation.
There was still some time before the press conference began, and the thought of helping her idol thrilled her.
"Then come sit beside me, and I'll explain everything slowly," Cifera said, gesturing for Chen Luo to sit beside her.
Without a second thought, Chen Luo eagerly sat down next to Cifera, her excitement bubbling over.
As she sat down, Chen Luo felt a gentle tap on the back of her neck.
Cifera's soft voice, tinged with the mischievous delight of a prank pulled off, whispered in her ear:
"Reporter Chen, you've just been knocked unconscious~"
"Huh?!" Chen Luo froze for a moment, then realization dawned on her face, replaced by an even more excited expression:
"Does this mean... I'm Nie Bing 2.0?!"
"Bingo! Your reward is the temporary role of 'victim'~"
Far from being frightened by the term "temporary victim," Chen Luo nearly jumped for joy. Fortunately, Cifera steadied her by the shoulder.
Lowering her voice, her cheeks flushed with excitement and her eyes shining like stars, Chen Luo whispered urgently:
"R-really...? Cifera! I... sniff I'm so honored!
"What do I need to do? Do I have to hold my breath to feign unconsciousness? Do I need to stay completely still like Officer Nie Bing? I promise I'll play my part perfectly!"
Cifera chuckled at her overenthusiastic reaction, her feline lips curving into an amused smile:
"Reporter Chen, relax. Just listen carefully to what I say. You're getting a bit too carried away."
Leaning close to Chen Luo's ear, she whispered rapidly in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"The press conference is about to start, and time is running out. I need to borrow your identity to get in."
"You just need to play along and act like you've been knocked out. Then stay quietly in the restroom stall until the press conference ends. Understand?"
"Wait, you're borrowing my identity... Does that mean you're going to—"
Chen Luo got so excited she couldn't control her voice. Fortunately, Cifera quickly covered her mouth. "Keep it down!"
"Sorry, I'm just too excited. You mean you're going to disguise to look like me at the press conference?"
"Mm-hmm."
"That's... that's incredible! I never thought you'd actually know disguise magic. I thought Lin Zhiyuan was just being wishful."
With Cifera's confirmation, Chen Luo's eyes lit up like stars again.
"I understand! I promise to complete the mission!"
Chen Luo nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with the unwavering devotion of someone willing to sacrifice herself for her idol. "Then... then I'll faint now? Oof... I... I suddenly feel a bit dizzy..."
As she spoke, she dramatically staggered, her body theatrically collapsing.
Cifera quickly steadied her, torn between amusement and exasperation. "Your acting skills are truly... something else..."
Truth be told, Cifera regretted her decision. If she had known Chen Luo would be this over-the-top, she would have waited until after Chen Luo was in the restroom to "knock her out."
By the time Cifera helped the wildly overacting Chen Luo into the restroom, the live stream's Bullet Comments had already exploded into chaos.