The prize drawing was rigged! Zheng Fan shouted inwardly, but his face remained expressionless. He had seen it perfectly clearly: Holy Light Fish, who was handling the lighting, was playing favorites. Zheng Fan had clearly been selected, but Holy Light Fish made a slight adjustment and shone the light on Killer beside him instead.
Who was Killer, anyway? This entire performance seemed to be a banquet laid as a trap for him, Zheng Fan thought.
More than half the audience was watching Killer, openly or otherwise. Zheng Fan, an outsider who had no business appearing on the seabed, received considerable attention by association. Killer himself, however, seemed unconcerned. His perception was keen enough to detect the invisible Calumon, so naturally he could also notice the eyes watching him. But he was confident enough to ignore these potential threats. He was also extremely wary, refusing any interaction with others. From what Zheng Fan could see, Killer showed no signs of being someone with personal power. Yet someone whose strength lay in influence would have difficulty remaining confident while surrounded by powerful individuals.
Killer left his seat and walked toward the center of the stage, step by step. The octopus leader of the Dream Circus and his performers gave him an enthusiastic welcome.
It was finally beginning. Zheng Fan sat up straight, remaining alert to his surroundings. He would soon witness the underwater world's powers and combat firsthand. That would determine how he proceeded from here.
"Before we present the awards, we have one final act. We invite our lucky audience member to guess today's best performance. A correct guess will earn him an extra surprise." After speaking, the octopus troupe leader presented Killer with a tray covered in red cloth.
A flower wreath lay on the tray. Killer was to give