A Masterful Performance Must Make a Grand Entrance

Sixth Outpost of the Patrol Department.

Sentry Chief Liu was sleeping soundly when urgent knocking woke him from his haze.

Bang! Bang!

The burly man, retired from the Black Armor Army, jolted awake.

He immediately sat up in bed and shouted, "What is it?"

An anxious male voice came from outside the door. "Sentry Chief, a flock of birds has flown over the outpost. Please come out and take a look."

Sentry Chief Liu was a little bewildered.

What the hell?

He had thought headquarters had issued another emergency order, or that some sudden Anomaly had appeared within their jurisdiction. He had not expected it to be a flock of birds.

Sentry Chief Liu seemed to have a bit of morning grumpiness. "Zhang Ting, have you never seen birds before? Just wait for them to fly away!"

The man outside urged him again. "Sentry Chief, these birds are really different. You'll understand once you come out and see them."

Sentry Chief Liu replied irritably, "Got it. I'm coming."

He casually picked up his pocket watch and glanced at it. Seeing that the hour hand pointed to three in the morning, he muttered a curse. "Disturbing my sweet dreams."

Still, duty compelled Sentry Chief Liu to quickly put on his uniform and open the door.

A straight-backed Patrol Officer—Zhang Ting—immediately said, "Sentry Chief, the flock is above the training ground."

Sentry Chief Liu's heart stirred.

A few evenings ago, he had been taking a walk in the training ground when he picked up a lantern that had drifted over on the wind. That had led to the discovery of a major conspiracy by the Heretical God Believers.

Later, the Black Armor Army had mobilized in force and raided the Textile Factory like thunder, killing several Heretical God Believers. He himself had also received a Rank C commendation.

Now it was the training ground again. Could this be another good deed by the Mysterious Person?

Very likely! Sentry Chief Liu's tone turned excited. "Let's go take a look."

The two strode out of the dormitory building.

While they were still some distance from the training ground, Sentry Chief Liu heard the dense flapping of wings.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

He looked up and was instantly stunned.

Though the night was dark as ink, as a warrior with exceptional physical abilities, Sentry Chief Liu could still roughly make out the sight in the sky.

A huge flock of birds, no fewer than a hundred by his estimate, had formed a ring with their heads and tails connected, endlessly circling through the night sky.

The burly man had lived for decades, yet this was the first time he had seen such a strange sight. He was completely dumbfounded.

Zhang Ting stole a glance at his superior's face and could not help grumbling inwardly, Heh! You were just saying I'd never seen birds before. Aren't you just the same? Sentry Chief Liu came back to his senses and started jogging, even urging his subordinate instead. "Hurry up and keep up."

The sentry chief had a strong feeling that this was most likely the Mysterious Person's handiwork.

At the same time, he felt immense admiration.

As expected of the Mysterious Person—he always came up with things beyond ordinary people's imagination! At this moment.

Several Patrol Officers had already gathered at the training ground. All of them were looking up at the rare sight, their faces full of shock.

As soon as Sentry Chief Liu entered, his subordinates hurriedly gathered around him.

"Greetings, Sentry Chief!"

"Sentry Chief, how should we deal with these birds?"

Sentry Chief Liu said in a low voice, "No one is to act rashly, and do not frighten the flock. We'll just wait here."

If the birds were truly being secretly controlled by the Mysterious Person, then they surely bore the task of delivering a message.

The group all voiced their assent.

After hesitating for a moment, Sentry Chief Liu strode to the very center of the training ground.

This spot happened to align exactly with the center of the ring.

He guessed that the flock had most likely come for him. After all, he could be considered an acquaintance of the Mysterious Person, and working with an acquaintance would save a great deal of trouble.

Sure enough.

One bird suddenly broke away from the ring, flapped its wings, and traced an arc through the air as it dropped a small object toward the sentry chief.

Sentry Chief Liu quickly stepped several paces to the left and caught it precisely.

It was a small roll of paper.

When he unfolded it, he saw a crude drawing: an extremely twisted, snake-like Vine coiled around a gloomy, terrifying two-story building.

There were also many crooked human figures around it, seemingly struggling in agony.

Sentry Chief Liu felt as if he had expected this. "It really is the Mysterious Person."

He carefully studied the drawing and muttered in confusion, "Is the Mysterious Person telling us that there's a major problem with this building? But why didn't he make the location clear?"

Sentry Chief Liu suddenly noticed faint small writing showing through the back of the paper. He hurriedly turned it over and saw several lines of exceedingly strange words:

"Hungry vines whisper. Endless earth is shrouded by shadow, while dreadful unknowable things peer into the world.

"An ancient existence wandering beyond the mist of time is about to return from the dark chaos.

"Follow the Night Owl, and it shall guide your way."

Though there were only a few words, terms such as "unknowable," "ancient," and "chaos" made Sentry Chief Liu's heart skip a beat.

He vaguely felt that these words contained extremely important information.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The flock suddenly scattered and swiftly disappeared into the night sky.

Only three birds remained behind.

They circled once before landing on the ground together, cawing several times.

Sentry Chief Liu naturally understood that these were the birds responsible for leading the way.

He carefully put away the drawing and instructed his subordinates, "Guard these birds. Bring them some food as well, and do not harm them under any circumstances. I must go to Headquarters immediately."

The Patrol Officers answered in unison, "Understood!"

Since the Textile Factory incident, Profound Pavilion had sent two Lord Mystic Adepts to temporarily station themselves at the Patrol Department. Sentry Chief Liu planned to personally report to them.

And, while he was at it, make an impression in front of the big shots.

Shanyi Neighborhood.

"...and it shall guide your way."

Cheng Han recited the three lines he had written in an almost chanting tone.

He turned to Black Cat and grinned smugly. "Sheriff, isn't my improvised poem wonderfully eloquent?"

This so-called "improvisation" was, plainly put, just made-up nonsense.

"Meow~"

Black Cat swished its tail and responded enthusiastically.

It did not really understand what "wonderfully eloquent" meant, but its master could make delicious roasted Rabbit, so it felt that whatever its master said had to be right.

Mm, grilled meat was justice! Cheng Han continued eagerly, "If you want to pull off a masterful act of playing god... uh, it should be called a performance, the opening has to be grand and leave a deep impression.

"When those people at the outpost see a huge flock of birds circling in the sky, they'll naturally be thoroughly intimidated. They'll also regard the contents of the drawing more highly.

"I deliberately used lofty terms like 'mist of time' and 'dark chaos' in the verse, so they'll think there's some great secret hidden within it.

"Next, they'll rack their brains and interpret it as deeply as possible, until they increasingly feel that these few lines are something extraordinary."

Cheng Han chuckled. "That's why bluffing people is a very skillful art."

At the end, he sighed regretfully. "It's just a pity I can't produce BGM. Otherwise, I'd definitely add some stirring background music to the opening.

"Just like watching a movie—a song brimming with grandeur can elevate the plot by a whole level and make the audience as excited as if they'd been pumped full of adrenaline."

"Meow~"

Black Cat was a qualified listener.

Although it completely failed to understand what its master said afterward, it still listened with great effort.