Misdirection

"It's the Dark Star Society!"

The Ghost Butler took one look at the white invitation, then immediately pulled out pen and paper and wrote to Qin Ran.

The Dark Star Society?

Qin Ran frowned.

He wasn't surprised that someone had come looking for him.

In fact, after that newspaper appeared, he would not have been surprised if any number of people or organizations came knocking.

What surprised him was the timing.

They had slipped an invitation into the paper the moment it was published.

And Nikelei was one of the paper's editors.

After a moment's thought, Qin Ran gained a clearer sense of the Dark Star Society's reach.

He had already guessed they were powerful when he learned they could occupy Alcatraz Island while every other faction was barred from setting foot there.

But seeing their influence firsthand still shocked him.

Their reach seemed to extend everywhere.

Even a newspaper founded by Nikelei was not beyond it.

Out of caution, Qin Ran did not pick up the invitation right away. Instead, he looked at Friedel.

Nikelei had once described the Dark Star Society as "an organization that's neither particularly good nor particularly bad. It has its own rules, and it follows them."

But that did not mean Qin Ran would lower his guard.

Especially when he knew their mastery of the mystical arts was far beyond his own.

"Don't worry!"

"The Dark Star Society isn't the Night Demon Society. They wouldn't tamper with an invitation!"

The Ghost Butler instantly understood what Qin Ran meant and wrote his reply.

Even with the Ghost Butler's assurance, Qin Ran carefully checked the invitation before opening it.

It was written in unusual symbols:

2567

We have prepared a luncheon at Saint's Garden and hope you will join us.

Dark Star Society

er997.9.25

"Saint's Garden?!"