Some "Stars" glided along elegant, arcing trajectories, like comets trailing shimmering tails of light.
Others weaved through intricate geometric patterns, crisscrossing like cosmic dancers in a grand ballet.
Still others maintained steady speeds, converging toward the center along predetermined "star paths."
Each "Star" glowed with slightly varying hues and intensities, perfectly complementing the inherent qualities of the gemstone it represented—
Rubies burned with the fiery brilliance of suns, Sapphires glowed with the deep, nebulous hues of distant galaxies, and Diamonds radiated pure, crystalline light, refracting into rainbows of starlight...
The rhythm of their movements—their speed, trajectories, and flickering radiance—harmonized flawlessly with the music, orchestrating an extraordinary feast for both the eyes and ears.
Finally, as if drawn by an invisible gravitational force emanating from the Heart of the Universe, all the "Stars" converged from every direction, their orbits guiding them precisely toward the central focal point of the stage.
There, awaiting them, was the most dazzling and colossal "Star" of all—the "Starry Light"!
The other jewels, like celestial bodies orbiting a central star, swirled around Starry Light, dancing and coalescing into an incomparably magnificent and harmonious "Star Map" formation!
Starry Light occupied the absolute center of this Star Sea, radiating a sovereign, world-conquering brilliance. It seemed to be the "Heart of the Universe"—the very essence of this artificial cosmos!
In that moment, the perfect fusion of technology and art made the symbolic meaning of the Starry Jewels brand manifest visibly before the eyes of every spectator.
The entire audience, including seasoned celebrities and wealthy tycoons, held their breath, completely immersed in this surreal spectacle, their faces etched with awe and enchantment.
The live stream's Bullet Comments erupted with exclamation after exclamation:
[This is breathtaking! Is this really free to watch?!]
[The entire venue has transformed into a cosmic Sea of Stars, with Starry Light as its radiant center!]
[Starry Jewels is the GOAT! This concept! This execution! Absolutely invincible!]
[Now I understand why President Li insisted on not canceling this jewelry showcase. With such a stunning performance, the auction prices for tonight's jewels are sure to skyrocket!]
The audience could fully immerse themselves in the performance, but the Pursuit Team and Security Personnel couldn't afford such luxury.
After Liu Shanhe's reminder, everyone's hearts were now pounding at their highest.
They knew this was Cifera's most likely moment to strike!
All personnel widened their eyes, fixating on the continuously rotating "Sea of Stars" of jewels, especially the central "Starry Light," daring not to relax for even a second.
Even the battle-hardened Liu Shanhe found his palms sweating slightly.
Yet everything continued to unfold flawlessly according to Starry's programmed sequence.
Mechanical arms slowly rose from beneath the stage, preparing to recapture the simulated "stars" and safely return them to their respective bulletproof display cases.
The music softened, as if the cosmos was gradually settling into equilibrium.
Everyone understood: the opening show was nearing its conclusion, but the anticipated "heist spectacle" had yet to materialize.
Lu Yue sat among the models, watching as the Starry Light on the main stage was about to be locked into its display case. Her heart churned with mixed emotions.
Just as I thought... there's no suitable opportunity to strike at all.
With the Pursuit Team anticipating her every move and setting up an impenetrable defense, stealing the Starry Light—let alone any other jewels—would be virtually impossible.
His own inadequate preparation, the sudden intrusion of "Aya" stealing the spotlight, and the comprehensive upgrade of security measures... it was absolutely futile.
Big Sister Cifera had no intention of forcing her way in after all; he had indeed been tricked by her.
Though frustrated, Lu Yue also felt a sliver of relief and comfort—
At least Big Sister Cifera wasn't omnipotent!
Like him, she too was unable to breach the Pursuit Team's airtight defenses tonight. This meant the gap between them wasn't insurmountable after all.
In the broadcast studio, Nie Junfeng wore a smug "I told you so" smile, while host Qiu Qiu pursed her lips, barely concealing her disappointment, though a flicker of hope remained in her eyes.
Among the live audience and live stream viewers, the majority who had been eagerly anticipating Cifera's appearance were beginning to lose hope.
The dimly lit environment and the fully exposed Starry Light created ideal conditions, yet Cifera still hadn't made her move. Perhaps Nie Junfeng was right—she wasn't coming after all.
Perhaps only Liu Ruyan, seated on the dais, remained absolutely certain Cifera would appear, bound by their agreement.
[Cat Fans, tremble! Your idol doesn't dare show her face!]
[Remember! This show is called Global Manhunt: The Final Heist! Get it? The Pursuit Team is the real deal!]
[It's time for you Cat Fans to face reality. No matter how skilled a "criminal" is, they can't possibly win against the pursuit forces backed by the nation and its people!]
Just as the Pursuit Fans in the live stream were crushing the Cat Fans with their taunts,
a sudden shift occurred in the venue!
Snap!
All the stage lights went out in an instant!
The music abruptly cut off!
The shimmering galaxy vanished, plunging the entire venue into an abyss-like darkness once more.
Through his night-vision goggles, Liu Shanhe could see that almost simultaneously, the intricate automated tracks and mechanical arms on the main stage had also frozen in place—just moments before the arms were about to seize the Starry Jewels!
"Move!"
Liu Shanhe's suppressed roar crackled through the communication channel!
Without a doubt, someone had intervened!
This eerily familiar situation strongly suggested Cifera's involvement!
The highly focused Pursuers and Security Personnel were about to charge onto the main stage the instant they heard Liu Shanhe's command.
But the very next second—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of soft, ethereal beams of light descended from the sky, striking each piece of jewelry with pinpoint accuracy.
Instantly, the jewels, previously shrouded in darkness, seemed to absorb a mysterious energy from the beams. They began to radiate light from within, each glowing with a radiance perfectly suited to its unique characteristics.
This wasn't the reflected glow from the display trays; these jewels were truly "self-illuminating."
As the light beams vanished as swiftly as they had appeared, an astonishing spectacle unfolded before everyone's eyes—
The brilliantly glowing jewels, as if freed from gravity or drawn by an unseen force, began to float upward at a steady, measured pace.
Rising higher and higher, they seemed to come alive, transforming into living "Stars" that had broken free from their earthly bonds, soaring toward the depths of the "Cosmos"!
And "Starry Light," positioned at the very center of this celestial procession, undoubtedly shone as the most dazzling and captivating star among them all!
The audience froze for a moment, then erupted into even more fervent, almost frenzied cheers and gasps of awe!
"Oh my god! This effect! It's incredible!"
"Has Starry's stage technology really advanced this far?"
"How did they do that?! Holographic projection? Magnetic levitation? It's mind-blowing!"
"Nice one, Starry! I've seen their jewelry shows before, but I've never seen this part. It must be specially prepared for Starry Light."
Clearly, the audience believed this was a meticulously planned, beyond-imagination grand finale designed by Starry for the Charity Auction!
Only the Pursuit Team and Starry's personnel knew—this wasn't part of the plan at all!
"Stop them! But be careful! No brute force! Prevent them from falling!" Liu Shanhe barked anxiously into his walkie-talkie, caught in a dilemma—he couldn't risk damaging the jewels with aggressive tactics.
The Pursuers reached out futilely, but the jewels had already floated to a height beyond their grasp.
Through night vision goggles, they frantically scanned the scene, but found no visible supports, wires, or propulsion devices.
The jewels seemed to be flying under their own power!
Everyone understood—this was undoubtedly Cifera's doing!
She had finally arrived!
But—
How did she do it?
Where was she?
What was her objective?
Was she planning to steal all the auction's jewelry in one fell swoop?!