At the Pursuit Team's base, the Expert Team had returned to the second floor.
On the projector screen at the conference table, a live broadcast of Starry Jewels' press conference for their charity auction exhibition was playing.
Though the Expert Team hadn't been following jewelry news recently, Starry Jewels was so renowned that they quickly found a live stream link to the press conference.
The screen showed the dazzlingly lit press conference venue in Starry Jewels' top-floor exhibition hall.
As the camera focused, an elegant and dazzling figure slowly ascended the main stage: Liu Ruyan, meticulously dressed for the occasion.
Though past forty, her meticulously crafted makeup and attire bestowed upon her a timeless radiance.
She wore a perfectly tailored dark green velvet gown, its deep hue accentuating her snow-white skin and exuding an understated yet luxurious aura.
The dress clung to her well-maintained curves, accentuating the unique allure of a mature woman.
A tasteful cutout at the shoulders and neckline revealed her graceful collarbones, adorned with a simple yet exquisite diamond brooch that added to her regal bearing.
Her hair was styled in an elegant updo, revealing a smooth forehead and slender neck. Her makeup was exquisite but restrained, drawing attention to her full, red lips.
She exuded an aura of profound confidence and captivating charisma, tempered by years of experience and a sense of absolute control.
She strode gracefully to the podium, her steps measured and composed. Though she rarely attended such events, she showed no trace of nervousness under the glare of cameras and the scrutiny of countless eyes. Her confident voice rang out:
"Welcome to the press conference for the Starry Jewels Charity Auction Exhibition.
"I am Liu Ruyan, the major shareholder of Starry Jewels and the initiator of this charity auction exhibition."
As her words faded, the hall erupted in thunderous and sustained applause.
As China's largest and internationally renowned jewelry company, Starry Jewels naturally spared no expense on the press conference's scale and grandeur.
Though attendance was restricted to media personnel, the venue was packed with representatives from national and local outlets, as well as foreign journalists who had flown in specifically for the event.
Her legendary status as the "Widow of China's Jewelry King," combined with yesterday's kidnapping incident and her breathtaking debut appearance—marked by poised confidence—left every journalist present convinced: today's headlines belonged to her alone.
Lin Zhiyuan and the others watching the live stream immediately recognized the radiant, glamorous woman on stage—the very kidnap victim Cifera had risked exposing her mole status to rescue.
"Tsk," Zhang Hong clicked his tongue, voicing the unspoken thoughts of the entire Expert Team. "This Liu Ruyan and Cifera really have a knack for finding each other! Yesterday, Cifera saved her. Now, at her own company's charity auction, I bet Cifera's already got her eye on something."
His assessment wasn't far off.
Cifera had deliberately left clues urging them to monitor Starry Jewels' charity auction press conference, making her trail obvious.
Her intentions were practically screaming from the rooftops: her next target was almost certainly the jewelry on display at the exhibition!
It was as if Cifera had taken out a megaphone and shouted, "I'm going to steal this! Come watch!"
However, these were merely the Expert Team's conjectures, not confirmed facts.
Rushing to disrupt a company's legitimate business operations based solely on Cifera's ambiguous message would be inappropriate.
Therefore, they decided to first observe what unfolded at the press conference and then react and deploy their resources accordingly.
Meanwhile, the live stream's chat room was buzzing with speculation:
[Holy shit! Is that the Aunt who was kidnapped yesterday?! I can't even recognize her! Battle-worn version vs. haute couture edition! The contrast is insane!]
[I looked it up—she's already in her forties, but look at that poise! That aura! Sister Liu, kill me! This is what dignified elegance looks like! This is what it means to be a beauty who defies age!]
[Yesterday, she faced her kidnappers head-on, preferring death to surrender. Today, she's dazzling the entire room, completely in control! Sister Liu's mental fortitude and presence are on another level! Massive respect!]
[Brother Zhang may lack finesse, but he knows how to cut to the chase! Cifera's target locked: the Starry Jewels Charity Auction! No escape now!]
[Cifera: "Oho~ Madam Liu, I saved your life. Shouldn't you repay me with... by letting me steal your jewels?"]
[To the commenter above: I wouldn't mind her repaying me that way either. What's wrong with a mature, beautiful, and wealthy widow? (dog face emoji)]
[Little Bingbing: NO! Absolutely not! Cifera is MINE!]
[Seeing Cifera plotting to steal jewelry (and flirt with new targets), Little Bingbing decides to eliminate Cifera today! (Dragging her home to kneel on the keyboard!)]
[All I can say is Cifera is definitely doing this on purpose. Saving someone yesterday, then playing the villain by stealing their jewels today? She's playing 4D chess!]
[In truth, nothing is certain yet. Cifera is full of tricks; perhaps all this is just a ploy to mislead the Pursuit Team.]
At the press conference:
Liu Ruyan continued speaking:
"As you all know, many of Starry's previously non-sale items will be auctioned off at this charity auction, including our crown jewel—the Starry Light.
"You're probably all wondering why Starry would make such a decision. As our crown jewel, shouldn't it remain a symbol of our brand, preserved in the Cloudtop Exhibition Hall closest to the celestial sphere?
"Why sell it off, especially for a charity auction where we won't profit a single penny?
"This is precisely the question I intend to address first at today's press conference."
Under the dazzling lights, Liu Ruyan's calm gaze swept across the assembled journalists, a faint smile playing on her lips:
"To be honest, until yesterday afternoon, I never even considered such an idea."
This statement was nothing short of astonishing. What could have transpired in less than a day to bring about such a radical change in Liu Ruyan's perspective?
The journalists in the audience leaned forward attentively, notebooks in hand, their keen instincts sensing a major news break lurking beneath the surface.
The sharpest minds among the reporters had already guessed that this announcement might be related to Liu Ruyan's kidnapping the previous day.
As the reporters furiously scribbled notes, Liu Ruyan continued:
"Regarding the daily operations of Starry Jewels, I have always trusted my team and rarely intervened directly."
At this point, Liu Ruyan paused slightly, a flicker of self-mockery and candor in her eyes.
"Some may ask: as the company's largest shareholder and the heir to the legacy left by my husband, why haven't I dedicated myself to managing it wholeheartedly?
"Until yesterday afternoon, my answer would have been straightforward: because I believed there was little left in my life worth striving for."
Her words landed like a stone thrown into a still lake, causing a ripple of mild commotion among the reporters.
Liu Ruyan remained unfazed, her voice carrying the weathered calm of someone who had weathered countless storms, yet still retained a raw, unyielding candor.
"Wealth? I've long been beyond material needs; I couldn't spend my fortune in several lifetimes.
"Status? The crown of 'Jewelry King's Widow' is both dazzlingly bright and crushingly heavy. The pursuit of fame and fortune in the social arena is to me nothing but fleeting clouds.
"Since losing my husband, this world has held nothing but a vast emptiness for me, for I no longer have any family."
Liu Ruyan laid bare her innermost feelings without hesitation. The desolate resignation of "life without purpose" formed a stark contrast to her radiant, dazzling appearance.
Her voice gradually deepened, as if she were recalling some painful memories:
"Yes, in this world, I have no family left.
"I was abducted as a child and lost contact with my family, wandering through foreign lands and enduring all kinds of hardships.
"My husband's appearance was like a ray of light that brought me back to my homeland, gave me a home, and allowed me to experience the warmth and stability I had lost many years before. He was the most important person in my life, but..."
Liu Ruyan's voice caught in her throat, but she quickly regained her remarkable composure:
"He's gone too. I have no blood relatives left.
"Vast wealth cannot fill the emptiness in my heart. That's why I used to feel that life was 'meaningless'."
As she finished speaking, Liu Ruyan exhaled slowly, as if relieved of a great burden. Then, her eyes suddenly lit up, as if stars had ignited within them:
"But! Just yesterday, because of one person, everything changed!"
At that moment, Liu Ruyan's voice became unprecedentedly firm and full of power.
"This person has given me a reason to live—a reason to live a meaningful life!"
Liu Ruyan took a shallow breath and clearly uttered a name:
"She is—Cifera, a contestant in Global Manhunt: The Final Heist."