Wade did not respond. He merely adjusted his sitting posture slightly and narrowed his eyes as he looked ahead.
The lights in the banquet hall gradually dimmed.
The spotlight on the stage came on, and Mark Paul stepped onto the stage with a microphone in hand and a courteous smile on his face.
"Ladies, gentlemen, distinguished guests."
Paul's voice carried clearly throughout the hall. "Welcome to Stonefield Manor. Thank you all for attending tonight's special exhibition."
He paused, leaving a few seconds for the restrained applause to rise and fade.
"Before we officially begin, allow me to first present tonight's stars—"
Knowing what everyone wanted to see, Paul did not waste words. He turned slightly and made a direct inviting gesture.
Behind the stage, the heavy curtains slowly parted.
The Golems emerged one after another—
Pale, handsome Vampires; tall, burly Werewolves; handsome young men; vibrant young women; imposing middle-aged men; and even children in their teens.
A faint smile curled at Wade's lips.
Ilari—the Alchemist rumored to have joined the Scourers—seemed not to have improved much in Golem-making technology, but he had clearly devoted considerable effort to refining their appearances.
The Golems' movements looked somewhat stiff, like models walking a runway with identical strides. In Wade's eyes, they lacked a certain vitality and sense of realism.
Yet their flawless skin, beautiful faces, fluid movements, ageless bodies—those were already enough to make the people present suddenly breathe faster.
Under Paul's direction, the Golems walked a circuit around the stage before demonstrating all kinds of movements—
Running, jumping, springing to their feet, spinning 360 degrees, dancing, fighting...
Gasps and applause rang out one after another. Everyone's attention was fixed on the Golems as shifting colored lights poured down from above the stage. Meanwhile, the lights in the audience seats dimmed further, until