Yet the silence in the room lasted barely a second.
In the next instant, flashes erupted and cameras clicked furiously.
The reporters, unable to contain themselves, frantically documented this unbelievable moment.
Cifera, like a cat shadow melting into the night, vanished under everyone's eyes: under the noses of the approaching Pursuit Team experts, right before the Starry Security Department Chief's desperate lunge, with a mere snap of her fingers and a manipulation of the lighting—a disappearance that was both magnificent, brazen, and utterly terrifying!
"It's... a magic trick!"
Someone in the crowd blurted out the words, and instantly everyone echoed them!
The phrase "magic trick" resounded through the press conference hall, accompanied by thunderous applause!
Of course! Vanishing a person is a classic magician's stunt!
And ever since Cifera first appeared on stage, the first ability she had showcased to everyone was magic!
She was a true genius magician, after all!
The reporters were practically beside themselves with glee. One explosive headline after another kept popping up—so many that they couldn't possibly cover them all!
The scene erupted into chaos, and the live stream's bullet comments exploded:
[Aaaaaaah! Cifera's amazing! (voice cracks)]
[Wait, is this really live? Is it special effects? Just like that, she vanished? Is that even possible?!]
[Everyone's saying it's trickery! Trickery! Trickery!]
[The Snap-to-Vanish trick! My favorite Magician Cifera finally made her grand entrance!]
[Lei Gang: Where did that giant cat in front of me go?! (Existential crisis.jpg)]
[Epic slap in the face! Big Pecs got served!]
[The Director gave Cifera a close-up right before she vanished. Did she silently mouth, "You're too late"?]
[The Pursuit Team arrived just in time to witness the vanishing act and get silently mocked. This cat knows how to mess with their heads!]
[Wait, weren't the Pursuit Team blocked downstairs? How did they get up here?]
On the stage:
"Where is she?! Where did she go?!"
Lei Gang roared, his eyes darting wildly across every corner of the stage. But aside from the tables, chairs, stage props, and equipment, Cifera was nowhere to be seen.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Lei Gang refused to accept this reality.
How could a living, breathing person vanish right before his eyes, within a heavily guarded perimeter, during a mere second of darkness?!
He had just confidently declared that no speck of dust could be taken from under his nose... and now he'd lost an entire person!
The humiliation of being publicly humiliated in front of so many witnesses stung Lei Gang deeply.
Despite his fury, Lei Gang knew this wasn't the time for mindless rage. To redeem his honor, he had to find her!
No matter what methods she used, she couldn't have left the press conference venue in such a short time.
With that thought, Lei Gang finally regained a shred of rationality from his shock. He shouted urgently:
"Seal off the venue! No one leaves until further notice!
"Cifera must still be inside! She couldn't have vanished into thin air in such a short time!"
"Search every inch! Ventilation ducts, behind curtains—every place someone could hide! Now!"
Just as Lei Gang was about to stand up, his fingers brushed against something small, cold, and hard.
He picked it up. It was a uniquely shaped... coin?
The design featured a snarling black cat's head, but with only one blue-black eye.
In an instant, Lei Gang recognized it. This was the very coin Cifera had been wearing around her neck just moments ago.
Seeing it, Lei Gang couldn't help but recall Cifera's sly, mischievous smile.
"This..." Lei Gang squeezed the one-eyed cat coin, a bewildered expression on his face.
What was this?
A deliberate provocation?
Or... simply something she'd dropped in her hurried escape?
To be honest, he didn't understand, but... it didn't matter!
"Minister Lei, could I take a look at that little thing you found?"
Lei Gang turned to see Liu Ruyan gazing at the one-eyed cat coin in his hand, her desire undisguised.
"Of course, no problem. That must be the Cifera Coin Cifera accidentally dropped."
Cifera's sudden disappearance earlier had left Liu Ruyan stunned, but it had also quickly ignited a trace of indescribable excitement and admiration within her.
Now, as she accepted the Cifera Coin belonging to Cifera, Liu Ruyan watched it glimmer under the stage lights, her lips curving into an involuntary smile and her eyes shimmering with complex emotions.
Little Cifera... you truly... are full of surprises!
She sighed inwardly, marveling at how Cifera's methods on the show consistently exceeded her wildest expectations.
Liu Ruyan realized that even without yesterday's events—Cifera saving her and rescuing the trafficked children—her former "hater" status would likely have crumbled under the weight of Cifera's talent, transforming her into a devoted Cat Fan.
After all, who could resist such an adorable and all-capable Kitty Phantom Thief?
[Eh, Big Pecs picked up the One-Eyed Cifera Coin Cifera wears on her chest?!]
[Aaaaah! Can I have it? I want it!]
[Ooh! Sister Liu took it! Look at that barely suppressed smile—she really likes it!]
[Waaah, I'm so jealous of Sister Liu getting to stan in person!]
[Haha, Sister Liu, you'd better put it away quick—Cifera's "wife" is approaching!]
[How strange... why do I smell a battlefield?]
Just then, Liu Shanhe and Nie Bingren, led by a well-dressed, portly middle-aged man, stepped onto the stage.
This man was Li Zhanting, President of Starry Jewels, responsible for the company's overall strategy and operations, and directly accountable to the board of directors, especially Liu Ruyan.
"Chairman Liu," Li Zhanting greeted with a nod and a smile.
"President Li," Liu Ruyan replied.
Turning to Lei Gang, Li Zhanting's gaze sharpened: "Minister Lei! What exactly is going on here?!"
His voice carried clear dissatisfaction and accusation.
Although Lei Gang hadn't reported the Pursuit Team's activities to him, Li Zhanting, as president, couldn't possibly remain unaware of such a major incident occurring right below the company headquarters.
Moreover, he was a devoted fan of Global Manhunt. Having watched foreign editions of the show for years, he had been closely following the China Region's opening matches these past two days.
Ever since Cifera's debut, he had become a die-hard Cat Fan, the top-ranked contributor in her live stream.
His moment of glory had come during the show's launch ceremony, when he fiercely defended Cifera, ultimately humiliating a brainless female Cat Hater.
The awkward part was...
Earlier, while watching the live stream from his office, he had heard his boss, Liu Ruyan, admit to once being a Cat Hater. Suddenly, he sensed that the situation was far more complex than it appeared.
Yesterday, when Li Zhanting saw that female Cat Hater's Internet Handle in the live stream—"Empress Ruyan"—he initially dismissed it as a mere coincidence.
But Liu Ruyan's candid confession today confirmed his worst fears: the female Cat Hater he had verbally abused online was indeed her.
Imagining Liu Ruyan discovering this terrifying truth... Li Zhanting broke into a cold sweat and immediately changed all his previous Internet Handles.
Of course, for a business magnate like Li Zhanting, such awkward emotions were expertly concealed. When he learned that Liu Shanhe and the others had been stopped downstairs, he knew Lei Gang was about to cause trouble. He immediately went downstairs himself to escort them up.
The Pursuit Team represented the nation's law enforcement authority. How could Li Zhanting possibly allow his company to engage in pointless conflict with them?
Seeing the President's personal intervention, Lei Gang's expression turned even more grim.
Unlike Liu Ruyan, the hands-off owner who rarely meddled in company affairs, Li Zhanting was the true power behind Starry. Lei Gang wouldn't dare offend him lightly and could only offer a respectful explanation: "President Li... someone came to disrupt the press conference. She... she temporarily escaped using trickery..."
Although his tone was respectful, the underlying message was clear: It's all her fault for being so cunning, not our security's incompetence.
He clearly knew Li Zhanting was asking about more than just this incident, yet he deliberately avoided the topic, betting that his superior wouldn't escalate the matter during the live broadcast.
Li Zhanting snorted coldly, clearly dissatisfied with Lei Gang's explanation and attitude. Yet he held back his anger, turning instead to Liu Shanhe and the other members of the Pursuit Team with an apologetic expression:
"Old Liu, experts of the Pursuit Team, my sincerest apologies! Our management oversight has wasted your valuable time.
"Minister Lei, from this moment forward, you must fully cooperate with the Pursuit Team's operations! Tonight's auction security falls under their absolute command! Do you understand?"
Lei Gang's face flushed crimson, then paled. Faced with a direct order from his superior, he could only grit his teeth and lower his head:
"Yes, President Li! I understand!"
Yet his clenched fists and the defiant glint deep in his eyes as he glanced at Nie Bing and the others betrayed his true feelings.
This security system was built entirely by my own hands! Why should I take orders from others?!
It's all Cifera's fault! If she hadn't caused this chaos, I wouldn't have suffered this humiliation!
Damn her! I'll catch you myself—you won't escape me!