Witch’s Night: Chapter 9 People Can Be Down-to-Earth, But Not…Down-to-Earth
Simply put, Yan City treated Luo Yan as “a person possessing dangerous power,” and all their measures stemmed from this understanding.
Lannister, however, regarded Luo Yan as the dangerous power itself, constantly trying its best to avoid contact, lest the “bomb” explode uncontrollably within the city.
In this accidental encounter… even Norian was constantly breaking out in a cold sweat.
He was afraid.
But he wasn’t afraid of his own death; he was afraid of the consequences that Luo Yan’s contact with Lannister might bring.
This caution wasn’t a problem, because Norian was responsible for the entire city.
But for Luo Yan herself… it was a little uncomfortable.
“Actually, there’s no need to worry too much. I know my own situation.” Luo Yan smiled gently, her gaze distant.
“I was far more dangerous in Yan City… At that time, I was on the verge of losing control. If it weren’t for Nine and One saving me with their lives, I’m afraid I would have had no choice but to go to the depths of the Endless Wasteland.”
The destination for every demonically infected person, every God’s Chosen, was the depths of the Endless Wasteland.
From beginning to end, the only thing that could seal the out-of-control body of a demonically infected person was One’s Ice Coffin; there was nothing else.
If it could be replicated, the other Misters of Dawn wouldn’t have met such tragic ends, one after another.
Norian was silent for a moment. His views wouldn’t be so easily changed by Luo Yan’s few words.
For Lannister, he wasn’t willing to take the slightest risk. This was the city he loved, the work of his life.
So he could only remain silent, even though Luo Yan’s words made sense.
“Of course, since I am a guest, I will abide by Lannister’s rules,” Luo Yan naturally saw Norian’s attitude. “I’ll return to the apartment shortly. I’ll trouble Magistrate Norian to send someone to take me back.”
“It’s best that you can understand our difficulties.” Norian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then his expression became slightly serious again. “As for the person who illegally entered the restricted zone and secretly spied on you, Lannister will do its utmost to find them.”
“Thank you.”
Luo Yan nodded.
After the serious matters were discussed, Norian finally couldn’t help but ask the question he had been curious about since Luo Yan revealed her identity,
“By the way… aren’t you a girl? Why are you now…”
“It’s a Life Hack.”
Luo Yan said seriously, her expression solemn, not at all like she was joking.
But just like everyone who heard Luo Yan say this for the first time, Norian’s expression was one of “Are you kidding me?”
“It’s just the application of a mental ability.” Luo Yan slightly loosened the influence on Norian’s perception, and the familiar silver-haired girl reappeared in his vision. “Look, it’s very convenient to use.”
Norian inconspicuously looked away, avoiding eye contact with Luo Yan, and said,
“However, Miss Luo Yan, since you don’t intend to hide your identity, why did you appear at the banquet in this appearance?”
If Luo Yan hadn’t told Norian her name, he would never have imagined that this handsome black-haired young man and the mysterious girl he picked up from the forest outside the city were actually the same person.
If she really wanted to hide her identity, she just needed to not reveal her name.
“It was my request.” Hua Qingling, who had been quiet all this time, spoke up. “With Miss Luo Yan’s appearance, it would be easy to cause a sensation at the banquet… So, I asked her to change her appearance.”
“It doesn’t really matter.”
Luo Yan shrugged. Anyway, she had Life Hacks, and at most, she could just increase the distortion a little.
Indeed, Hua Qingling wasn’t eye-catching, but that didn’t mean Luo Yan was the same. In terms of appearance, Hua Qingling was far inferior to Luo Yan.
Regarding Luo Yan’s appearance, back in Yan City, Hua Qingling’s sister, Hua Qiling, and Anna had both given the assessment that “even Miss Chris pales in comparison.”
In fact, this was still the result of Luo Yan deliberately suppressing her abilities. Back in Ghost Town, when she hadn’t suppressed her abilities, it had directly resulted in all those who looked at her suffering mental damage.
For such a stunningly beautiful girl with no background to appear at a high-profile banquet, it was hard to imagine the consequences.
Needless to say, there would definitely be no shortage of noble young men trying to strike up conversations, and there might even be some nobles with dirty minds who would have malicious intentions. Norian didn’t doubt their lack of morals.
Therefore, Norian was quite frightened after hearing this and secretly marveled at Hua Qingling’s thoughtfulness, raising his opinion of her even higher.
This young lady was very sensible!
…However, it would be even better if she were a little more sensible and hadn’t brought Luo Yan out of the restricted zone.
Of course, this was impossible. Norian knew after a little thought that Luo Yan’s decision to leave the apartment must have something to do with the discovery of being monitored.
Since things had come to this, he could only leave it at that.
“Granny Zoya has already set off to investigate this matter at your residence. So, Miss Luo Yan, please rest here for a while, and Granny Zoya will take you back when she returns.”
Norian quickly made arrangements. He agreed with Luo Yan’s words, but he absolutely couldn’t relax his caution.
If possible, Norian didn’t want Luo Yan to leave the area under Lannister’s control, not even an inch.
He really regretted not strongly rejecting the Saint at that time… although the result might not have been any different.
Norian had lamented this in his heart more than once, but now this feeling was even stronger.
“Mm, I’ll stay here obediently.”
Luo Yan nodded, looking quite docile.
Just then, the grand banquet was about to begin, and all the nobles had arrived.
Among them were some excessively young faces filled with excitement and nervousness. They were basically the outstanding young talents personally invited by Granny Zoya, subtly forming two separate circles with the nobles.
Count Spencer gave a speech on stage, melodious music drifting through the hall, played live by a classical orchestra from Noah.
The long and tedious opening speech was coming to an end, and it was time for Norian to appear.
Even though Norian hated this cumbersome etiquette, this was, after all, the nobles’ home ground, and since he didn’t intend to fall out with them, he could only comply.
“Ladies, I must take my leave. May you two… oh, no, Miss Hua Qingling, may you have a pleasant time at this banquet.”
Then Norian looked at Luo Yan, giving her a meaningful glance,
“—As for Miss Luo Yan, I can only say that I hope when you visit Lannister again in the future… it will be as an ordinary guest.”
“…Perhaps.”
After this brief conversation ended, Norian hurriedly left the bar counter.
At the same time, many enthusiastic gazes were still lingering on Hua Qingling… Luo Yan, rather unkindly, increased the distortion. Even if someone consciously looked at her, their gaze would shift away.
But this situation didn’t last long. Soon, these restless Lannister nobles were attracted by another figure who suddenly appeared.
“It’s Miss Chris! Miss Chris has really come…”
“It’s rare for Magistrate Norian to attend, and there’s also Miss Chris’s appearance… This banquet is worth it!”
“Wuwuwu, Miss Chris… take me away… I want to be your dog…”
There seemed to be some strange words mixed in.
However, Luo Yan now understood why Chris had been dressed like that when she saw her outside the venue earlier.
Compared to Hua Qingling, who might only have aroused Magistrate Norian’s slight interest, Miss Chris’s status was obviously more important.
“Miss Chris seems to be really popular.”
Luo Yan craned her neck, but still couldn’t see Chris among the moving heads.
“Not seems, Miss Chris is a top star in the Free Federation, and she’s very rich.” Hua Qingling said with emotion,
“The place where she treated me to a meal wasn’t particularly delicious, but the prices were so expensive that I wanted to dig a hole and escape. But she ordered everything without batting an eye, without even asking what I wanted to eat. I was so scared I thought it was a scam.”
Sis, I know you have no image anymore, but please pay attention to your language as a lady…
As soon as there were no outsiders present, Hua Qingling immediately let loose, making Luo Yan even more certain that this person was indeed Hua Qiling’s older sister.
Luo Yan touched her chin. She suddenly thought of Chris’s inexplicable hostility towards her earlier, and Hua Qingling’s descriptions,
“Why… the more I listen, the more I feel like you two are having an affair. Even if it was for buying clothes, there was no need to treat you to a meal, right?”
“What are you thinking? She just admired my work, I could tell.” Hua Qingling said proudly, hands on her hips. “When I put on the sample for her to see, her eyes were glued to it.
“Besides, that was the first time I met Miss Chris; we had no interaction before that.”
“Really?” Luo Yan asked suspiciously. “Could you have remembered wrong?”
“Heh, Miss Luo Yan, I can see you don’t understand at all,” Hua Qingling tsked. “If Miss Chris were just a popular idol, that would be one thing, but she has another identity.
“The second daughter of the Lequista family, one of the candidates for the next head of the family… Although it’s highly likely she’s just a backup, it’s enough to show her noble status, even Norian has to take her seriously.”
Seeing that Luo Yan still looked puzzled, Hua Qingling continued to explain,
“The Lequista family is one of the ten families that founded Noah with the Saint, and also one of the only three Noah families that have survived to this day.
“Her ancestors built the city with the Saint. What qualifications do I have to know her? We wouldn’t even use the same toilet!”
“Sister Qingling, I know you’re trying to illustrate the difference in status, but please change your analogy… Let me keep my last bit of impression of you.”
Forget about a knowledgeable older sister or something, she was at least a prodigy with the potential to reach “Destruction” level, why did she talk like this in private?
But it was also understandable. Compared to being a young lady from a prominent family, Hua Qingling had been traveling outside all these years, and the people she interacted with were mostly adventurers and the like.
Being down-to-earth didn’t seem so incomprehensible anymore…
“You’ve already seen everything about me, so whatever.” Hua Qingling waved her hand, looking like she had given up.
“I only know Miss Chris because I make good clothes. She even offered to hire me full-time to make clothes for her, and the salary she offered almost made me kneel.”
“You didn’t agree?”
Luo Yan blinked. After Hua Qingling’s persona collapsed, she also learned about this older sister’s extreme lack of money.
“No, I left Yan City… because I have more important things to do,” Hua Qingling’s expression suddenly became a little serious. “For the future of Yan City, I must keep moving forward… But thinking about all that salary gone, it still hurts.”
…Originally, in Luo Yan’s mind, Hua Qingling was a strong person traveling everywhere. Now she had gradually become the image of a poor worker wandering around looking for jobs.
Of course, this was just Hua Qingling’s way of recounting these experiences in a more lighthearted manner. She was indeed imitating the Saint who established the title system, traveling around and growing.
Not just in combat, Hua Qingling was using her own eyes to observe everything in the New Era of humanity, the achievements of the major mega-cities, thinking about where Yan City’s future should lie.
Looking at Hua Qingling’s tearful expression, an almost imperceptible smile appeared on the corner of Luo Yan’s mouth.
“Sister Qingling, since you’re here to attend this banquet, you shouldn’t stay here with me all the time.” Luo Yan said softly. “This is a precious opportunity; the entire upper class of Lannister is gathered here.”
Hua Qingling shouldered a lot; she shouldn’t stop moving forward for her sake.
“But you…”
Hua Qingling hesitated.
“Do you think I’m a child who can’t leave her parents, Sister Qingling?” Luo Yan raised her glass and smiled. “Or is it that, like Magistrate Norian, you think I’m dangerous and can’t leave your sight?”
“Of course not. Although Magistrate Norian’s words are not unreasonable, I’m more inclined to believe what happened in Yan City.”
Hua Qingling shook her head and stood up. “Since Miss Luo Yan doesn’t mind, I’ll leave for a while.”
If she wanted to see the higher-level landscape of Lannister, if she wanted to know how Lannister had developed to its present state… more detailed than any written materials, the answers were hidden within certain individuals at this banquet.
For example, Magistrate Norian.
Hua Qingling’s words earlier weren’t just polite; she greatly admired the “Norian Reform.”
“Remember not to say anything like digging holes in toilets or kneeling again…”
Luo Yan kindly reminded.
“…I won’t!”
……
Meanwhile, in an inconspicuous corner of Lannister.
Dozens of silent figures were crammed into a small, exquisitely decorated suite.
Most of them were dressed as commoners: porters, cooks, all kinds of professions.
But what was even more chilling was that some of them… were wearing Lannister official uniforms.
These people of different identities gathered together, but their eyes all flickered with a similar light.
Because they were…
The Church of the End Gods.
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