Chapter 579: True Star Actor?

"Heart 6??"

Heart 9's expression became increasingly vivid, as if something had just occurred to him. "That kid certainly seems like the type to do something like this... But how did he, a Tier 3, manage to deceive the entire Red Dust domain? Even the Floating Life Painting was fooled!"

"I don't know how, but it's definitely him! I'll stake my life on it!"

Jian Changsheng's tone was absolutely resolute.

Jian Changsheng knew Chen Ling too well. He could even imagine Chen Ling secretly laughing after having led the entire Red Dust domain by the nose. Most likely, Chen Ling had received his distress call... no, a casual message, and then returned to the Red Dust domain.

"Given that guy's vigilance, he probably sensed our predicament immediately, then subtly manipulated things and used a 'besiege Wei to rescue Zhao' strategy... I bet he's hiding somewhere right now, sneakily watching all of this!" Jian Changsheng instantly pieced together the sequence of events.

Spades, who had never met Chen Ling, stroked his chin and spoke with suspicion:

"Is this Heart 6 really as extraordinary as you say..."

"He's very extraordinary. You'll know once you meet him."

"But didn't the newspaper say he died a violent death?"

"Oh, you mean that... He's died in the newspapers at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, times. When you see news like that, just don't believe it." Jian Changsheng shrugged.

"I bet even if everyone else in the world died, he'd still be the last one standing."

Hearing Jian Changsheng's description, Spades' interest in Chen Ling grew even stronger.

"So where is he now?"

"...Good question."

Jian Changsheng rubbed his head in exasperation.

"That guy's whereabouts are always mysterious. Every time we meet, he's in a completely new identity. Who knows what role he's playing now, or what big thing he's quietly up to..."

In the warm morning sun, Chen Ling yawned lazily.

He was standing by the railing on the second floor, enjoying the gentle breeze, his eyes fixed on the direction of the casino. His red robes swayed softly in the wind.

"The weather is really nice..."

Chen Ling sighed contentedly, holding a fresh newspaper which he casually flipped through.

All police surveillance on this street had been withdrawn, and his identity was completely cleared. Even if he lounged by the railing all day, no one would notice him; the air was thick with a sense of freedom.

As expected, the main headlines in all the major newspapers today were about Red Dust City's massive victory over the Twilight Society, taking up two full pages. Half of that space was dedicated to condemning Heart 6 as insane, cunning, and vicious, concluding with his righteous demise at the hands of the Police Bureau Director.

"How long has it been since I was on the front page... I really miss it."

Chen Ling casually folded the newspaper. Just as he was about to go back for more sleep, a commotion erupted from the entrance of the theater downstairs.

He looked down in confusion, seeing a crowd gathered at the entrance, whispering to each other. Many more people on the street seemed to be looking around, and upon seeing the theater's sign, they began to approach.

Chen Ling's eyebrows lifted slightly. He turned and descended the stairs, finding the theater's main doors already pushed ajar, with numerous curious eyes peeking through the gap into the interior.

"Is this the place?"

"This is it, the Startled Swan Pavilion!"

"Where's Lin Yan? Is Mr. Lin Yan here?? When will he perform??"

"Can we book seats for your theater in advance? I have money! Quickly, book me a seat! The very front row! As close as possible to Mr. Lin Yan!"

"What's going on?! I was here first! Get in line!"

"I've been waiting by the door since six this morning! Yesterday, I heard Mr. Lin Yan sing outside the manor, and I couldn't sleep a wink all night. No matter what, I have to be in the front row today! I want to see Mr. Lin Yan's true face!"

"Do you think this performer, Lin Yan, is really as handsome as he looks in the photos? I feel like it's a bit fake..."

"We'll know once he comes out!"

It was still early morning, yet the entrance to the Startled Swan Pavilion was already packed with people. If Kong Baosheng hadn't locked the doors, these people would likely have already burst into the theater.

At that moment, Kong Baosheng, with his thin frame, was pressing against the door, urgently saying:

"Ladies and gentlemen! Everyone! Please listen to me for a moment!"

"Our master is still resting, and the theater's performance hasn't begun yet. Please be patient, everyone. As soon as our master wakes up and arranges the performance schedule, we will inform you all immediately about the show..."

After much persuasion and effort, Kong Baosheng finally managed to firmly close the main doors, then turned and tightly wrapped several layers of chains around them. Only after ensuring they couldn't be forced open did he let out an exhausted sigh.

The moment he turned around, he saw Chen Ling standing at the top of the stairs, looking at the scene with surprise.

"Master! You're finally awake!" Kong Baosheng exclaimed, delighted.

"Baosheng, what's going on outside?"

"Guests! They've all come to hear you sing!" Kong Baosheng's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Master, you've gone viral! Our theater is a sensation! Haven't you seen today's newspaper?"

"I did..."

Chen Ling paused, as if remembering something. He unfolded the newspaper again and, after flipping to the pages about the Twilight Society, a huge headline caught his eye:

*The Voice of Heaven: Lin Yan of Startled Swan Pavilion, Top Performer of the New Generation of Opera*

Beside the headline was a candid photo of Chen Ling on the stage at the Big Dipper Birthday Banquet. His red robes fluttered in the wind, and a few crystalline drops clung to his damp black hair, outlining a stunning profile.

This appeared to be an article written by a reporter who attended the banquet. Every line expressed high praise for Chen Ling's operatic voice, intentionally contrasting him with the veteran opera master Li Hanxiang, dismissing the latter as worthless. The reporter also interviewed several high-ranking officials, directors, and celebrities who had attended the banquet, all of whom gave absolutely glowing reviews and expressed a desire to hear him sing again if given the chance.

In short, in this article, Lin Yan, the performer in red, was hailed as the leading figure in Red Dust's opera scene, representing the new wave of operatic culture.

Of course, pure text has limited impact. The key was the reporter's perfectly captured photo; that single profile shot alone was enough to attract widespread attention. Coupled with the considerable number of people who had personally heard Chen Ling sing outside the manor yesterday, "Lin Yan, the performer from Startled Swan Pavilion" had become a trending topic in Red Dust entertainment.

Chen Ling stood dazed at the top of the stairs after reading the entire article, his eyes wide with astonishment...

He had anticipated gaining some public attention after singing at the birthday banquet, but he never expected it to cause such a massive stir. At that moment, Chen Ling finally understood why Red Dust City had so much entertainment news...

In this city where entertainment reigned supreme, any relevant hot topic could generate enormous traffic and wealth. A single opera performance, a single newspaper article, had unleashed a vast and fervent wave that was now sweeping towards the Startled Swan Pavilion!

Lin Yan, the performer of Startled Swan Pavilion, had become an overnight sensation, highly sought after.

Even with the theater doors tightly closed, the commotion outside only grew louder. More and more people, having read the newspaper, flocked to witness this incredibly mysterious theater. The surging crowd even blocked the street completely!

"We want to hear Mr. Lin sing!"

"Open for business! We have money! We just want to see Mr. Lin!"

"Lin Yan! Lin Yan! Lin Yan!"

Seeing this, Chen Ling rubbed his temples with a wry expression, feeling a sudden headache.

"Damn it... without even trying, I've really become a famous performer?"