Following the car, they entered the massive concert venue through a special staff entrance. The meticulously decorated hall was empty, with a star-studded stage shining in the center.
Even without the main lights on, you could tell how gorgeous the stage setup was.
Like a stadium, the audience seats were arranged on high platforms all around, while the lavishly decorated stage took up the entire floor space.
The most unique feature was a series of machines that looked like floating platforms, giving off a very sci-fi vibe.
According to Astra Yao, once the music started, the resonance from the Harmonic Core would allow all the performers on stage to fly through the air.
It was quite the shock for the old hunter.
But Astra Yao looked dissatisfied. With her hands on her hips, she declared imposingly:
"The technology isn't mature enough yet. Someday, I'm going to hold a concert in the Star Ring where the entire venue flies in the sky!"
Seeing Astra Yao's grand ambition, Andrew couldn't help but smile slightly and say:
"Well, when that happens, remember to save a ticket for your good friend, okay?"
"Hehe, of course!"
Astra Yao went to start her rehearsal preparations, while Andrew, as her bodyguard, found himself completely free after inspecting the security of the entire venue.
The venue's security was extremely tight; at least, to Andrew's eyes, there were no problems.
During his patrol, Andrew accidentally bumped into a blond man who looked to be middle-aged, probably in his forties.
After being bumped, the man had spun around, ready to aggressively say something, but he froze in fright when he saw Andrew's build and gear.
He immediately snapped his mouth shut, and even his legs started to tremble.
His timid appearance was like a mouse seeing a cat, and his guilt-ridden demeanor was so intense that Andrew even suspected he might be a thief who had snuck in.
But seeing that most of the other staff knew him, Andrew just assumed the guy was simply timid, mumbled an apology, and prepared to continue his patrol.
But the man scurried away faster than a rat; by the time Andrew said 'sorry,' he had already vanished.
But after he blended back into the crowd, Andrew immediately felt a resentful gaze on him.
Relying on his sharp hunter's reflexes, Andrew instantly looked in the direction the gaze was coming from.
The source of the stare was none other than the man from before—the one with impeccably styled blond hair, wearing a suit in the middle of this bustling backstage area.
The man, not expecting Andrew to be so sharp, panicked and scurried away again.
This resentment came out of nowhere. Could he really be that petty?
Holding a grudge over a simple bump.
What is he, some kind of protagonist whose entire family gets murdered?
But at his age, if he were a protagonist, it wouldn't be 'don't bully the poor youth' anymore, it'd be 'don't bully the poor middle-aged man,' right?
Isn't he afraid he'll skip the next stage and go straight to 'respect for the dead'?
Looking at the man in the distance, Andrew tilted his head slightly and asked Astra Yao:
"Who's that guy?"
Astra Yao glanced quizzically at the person Andrew was pointing at, then leaned in and whispered:
"He's the director of my department at DGA Entertainment. His name is Hank."
Astra Yao tapped her cheek, recalling, and said:
"But ever since I joined DGA Entertainment, he's been trying to get me to participate in some obviously shady activities. I keep refusing, but he won't stop pestering me.
"A scumbag like that exists? How has Evelyn put up with him until now?"
Hearing this, Andrew was a bit surprised. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to find an opportunity to stuff the guy in a sack, knock him out, and let him taste a hunter's iron fist.
First, I should ask him what color sack he prefers.
But then Andrew was stopped by Astra Yao, who had figured out what he was planning.
"Actually… Eve didn't put up with it."
Astra Yao chuckled softly and said:
"After Eve came on board, it only took her two days to dig up dirt on his private bribery and selling of company resources. Now, he doesn't even dare to breathe too loudly in front of her."
Got it. So he's just a stray dog.
The brainless kind, at that.
His attitude towards me probably has something to do with that.
After all, he doesn't dare to mess with Evelyn or Astra Yao, so he can only bare his fangs at a new face like me, who he doesn't recognize.
For people like him, Andrew chose to simply ignore them.
Since Astra Yao said Evelyn had already handled it, there was no need for him to waste any extra effort.
Even looking at someone like that for a second longer is a complete waste of time.
The prop masters were setting up the mechanisms and paths needed for each song, the lighting technicians were debugging the lighting system, the musicians were sound-checking, and Astra Yao, the star of the show, moved through the middle of them all.
Unlike everyone else, Andrew had nothing scheduled—or rather, his job was simply to keep an eye on Astra Yao.
Standing perfectly still, Andrew felt like he had become an unmovable reef in a surging tide.
Countless staff members flowed around him like a tide, while Andrew, standing rooted to the spot, kept his eyes fixed on Astra Yao, who leaped through the current like a sprite.
Discussing lighting layouts with the technicians, going over musical scores with the musicians, arranging segments with the director, and playfully messing around with props from the prop master.
Everywhere she went, she was met with genuine smiles.
Watching her every move, Andrew had to admit there was a good reason she had become such a big star.
However, unlike the universally welcomed Miss Astra Yao...
...the silent, uncommunicative Andrew, with his already towering frame, the dangerous-looking tower shield and lance on his back, and the oppressive aura from the wolf mask of his Vicious Claw Wyvern Armor...
...was someone no one dared to speak to. In fact, everyone subconsciously gave him a wide berth.
This created a vacuum around him, even in the less-than-spacious backstage area.
The colossal Andrew had become a giant obstacle.
Seeing the trio of young backup singers, whose eyes started to well up with tears the moment he turned his face towards them, Andrew looked helplessly at Astra Yao, who was sticking her tongue out a bit sheepishly.
With two light hops, she easily crossed the space everyone else had subconsciously cleared around him, landing right in front of Andrew.
Astra Yao smiled a little embarrassedly and said:
"Sorry, Andrew. They're really good girls; they don't mean any harm."
Knowing that his physique probably caused a bit too much psychological stress for these girls who couldn't even truss a chicken, Andrew nodded in understanding.
Seeing how peaceful Andrew was when interacting with Astra Yao, the girls, who had been quite scared, exchanged glances.
The youngest of them whispered:
"He doesn't seem as scary as everyone said he was!"
But another one immediately retorted:
"I think that's mainly because he's talking to Astra Yao! If it were you, he might have gobbled you up in one bite, you little pipsqueak!"
____
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