The people in the audience gradually dispersed.
At this moment, Baruba turned back, lowering his eyes to hide the gloom within them. "David is probably still backstage. Shall we go find him now?"
Angel nodded and headed down from the stands with Baruba. Neither of them said anything along the way. He knew Baruba's personality well. Rather than comfort him and tear open his scars, making him embarrassed, it was better to pretend not to see and leave him a garden where he could lick his wounds alone.
Many times, tearing open a scar might indeed make the old scab fall away and allow new flesh to grow. But that all hinged on having a way to deal with the old scab. Without one, tearing open the scar would only add fresh wounds to old ones.
The competitors' backstage area was not connected to the audience seating. To get inside, they could only jump down into the arena passageway.
The moment they vaulted over, two staff members in Sky Tower uniforms stopped them.
"This is the competitors' area. Non-competitors are not allowed inside."
After thinking for a moment, Baruba took a crystalline card from his pocket. After examining it, the staff members exchanged glances. "Seventh-floor clearance."
Though they did not understand why a seventh-floor competitor had come to the fourth floor, Baruba clearly met the requirements for entry. They nodded, signaling that he could enter.
After letting Baruba through, they turned their gazes toward Angel.
"This gentleman may enter, but if you wish to go in as well, you must present a competitor identity card."
Angel naturally had an identity card too, but if he took it out, that embarrassing title would be exposed. He hesitated again and again. Just as the staff members had quietly decided to throw him