The crew members, seeing even Lu Yue—their "rival"—so "generously" voice her support, and observing the unwavering, unquestionable confidence in Aya's emerald eyes, exchanged nods and finally shed their hesitation.
"Alright!"
A slightly plump costume designer gritted his teeth.
"Miss Aya, please follow me! The studio is this way. Tell us what materials you need—we'll do everything we can to assist you!"
The crew's curiosity and anticipation had been piqued. They were eager to see what surprises this elegant woman, who claimed to be a seamstress, would bring.
[Go, Sister Aya! Slap that Little Grandchild in the face!]
[The Starry crew is giving it their all too! If this works out, it'll be huge news!]
[Look at the Pursuit Team—Old Liu and the others are probably on high alert again.]
Pursuit Team Temporary Command Center
The projection screen clearly displayed the commotion backstage at the fashion show and Aya being escorted to the studio.
Though Liu Shanhe had previously cautioned against excessive paranoia, seeing Aya go to such lengths—insisting on crafting a gown on-site just to secure the Starry Light—even Wang Lei, the errand boy, couldn't help but feel her suspicion skyrocketing.
Lin Zhiyuan turned to look at Nie Bing, gently tapping the Technical Booth as he asked:
"Nie Bing, is the allure of the Starry Light truly so irresistible to women?"
Though unspoken, the true meaning behind Lin Zhiyuan's question was clear: Was it normal for Aya to go to such lengths just to wear the Starry Light?
Nie Bing didn't even glance at Lin Zhiyuan, her gaze remaining fixed on the surveillance footage. Yet she replied:
"At least for me, the allure isn't particularly strong. But considering the universal desire for beauty among women, Aya's reaction is understandable.
"Furthermore, analyzing from another perspective: if she's genuinely a tailor who's deeply passionate about her craft, wanting to wear a self-made gown paired with top-tier jewelry like the Starry Light would be perfectly reasonable."
"Just like a computer expert, she wants her self-developed system to be paired with the best hardware and personally operate it."
The last part was about you, wasn't it? Lin Zhiyuan mentally scoffed. But upon further reflection, he had to admit Nie Bing's reasoning held some merit.
However, as long as Aya had access to Starry Light, her suspicion couldn't be dismissed so easily.
With that thought, Lin Zhiyuan turned to Liu Shanhe and proposed, "Old Liu, should we investigate Aya's identity? At least confirm if she's actually a seamstress?"
"We can try, but don't delve too deep," Liu Shanhe replied, his gaze fixed on Aya's image on the screen. "You all know Cifera's hacking skill is practically a cheat code. If she's determined to create a fake identity, it wouldn't be difficult for her to make us find exactly what she wants us to see."
Liu Shanhe's calm words ruthlessly exposed the Pursuit Team's vulnerability: Cifera's hacking skill was too OP. If she wanted to fabricate something, any online information could be fake.
This was a devastating blow to modern criminal investigations, which heavily relied on network technology.
Hearing Liu Shanhe's words, the atmosphere in the room grew tense once more. Nie Bing's fingers tightened unconsciously around the mouse.
If only my hacking skills were stronger—at least on par with Cifera's—the Pursuit Team wouldn't be so passive right now.
Lin Zhiyuan frowned deeply, while Wang Lei sighed in despair:
"Agh, how are we supposed to investigate this? Even their identities could be fake! Is this... an impossible case?"
Liu Shanhe wasn't surprised by the drop in morale. He had intentionally created this sense of hopelessness. One of his reasons for participating in the program was to impart his years of experience to the younger generation.
He turned slowly, his weathered gaze sweeping across the room. His face, etched with the marks of time, showed no sign of being overwhelmed by technological superiority. Instead, it radiated a calm as steady as a mountain.
Instead of immediately countering Wang Lei's pessimistic remark, he tapped the table lightly. The quiet sound instantly drew everyone's attention.
"Do you all feel like the opponent's tactics are so sophisticated that we're like blindfolded and bound, our efforts rendered useless?"
Lin Zhiyuan and Nie Bing nodded instinctively, while even Wang Lei stopped sighing and turned to listen to the seasoned veteran.
"I used to feel this way often when I was younger," Liu Shanhe said, his gaze seeming to travel through time to the scenes of those difficult old cases.
"Especially when our opponents were cunning and technologically advanced, and the clues we had were abundant yet as elusive as illusions, it was easy to feel powerless."
He paused, his sharp gaze focusing on the three of them. "But what is the essence of criminal investigation? It's peeling back the layers of deception, yes.
"But even more fundamental is identifying the target!
"No matter how well our opponents disguise themselves, mislead us, or create technical smokescreens, as long as their core objective remains unchanged, we will never truly lose our way!"
He pointed to the projection screen, where a prominent image still displayed the vault door where the Charity Auction's jewelry was being stored.
The image showed the tight security measures in place.
Lei Gang, Feng Chiyu, and Zhang Hong led a tight defense line composed of Starry Security personnel and Pursuers, effectively sealing off the only passage leading to the Starry Light.
Liu Shanhe had already issued strict orders: even if he himself were to arrive, the main doors were not to be opened.
The doors could only be opened when all members of the Expert Team and Lei Gang were present simultaneously.
This measure was designed to prevent Cifera from impersonating core team members, issuing false commands, and seizing an opportunity to approach the Starry Light.
"Look there!" Liu Shanhe's voice cut through the air like a sharp blade.
"What is Cifera's objective? She's already told us—the Starry Light!
"Whether she's disguised as the model Lu Yue or this suddenly-appearing seamstress Aya;
"No matter how many smoke screens she creates or tricks she pulls;
"Her ultimate goal remains the same: to approach it, touch it, and ultimately take it!
"Every action she takes will inevitably revolve around this core objective!"
Liu Shanhe's words struck like a hammer, instantly dispelling the oppressive gloom that had settled over the room.
A glimmer of understanding flashed in Lin Zhiyuan's eyes. Nie Bing's grip on the mouse loosened slightly, and Wang Lei straightened his posture.
"Can't trust the eyes of the network?"
Liu Shanhe's gaze swept across the three of them, his eyes burning with intensity.
"Then we'll rely on our own eyes! On the eyes of every Pursuer and security personnel on site!
"On the eyes of every guest here, who could become our extended senses!"
His voice suddenly rose, filled with undeniable authority:
"Since her core target is the Starry Light, we'll fix every pair of 'human eyes,' every ounce of our attention, on that point—using the unchanging to counter all changes!
"Technological inferiority is no reason to retreat! A formidable opponent is no excuse to surrender!
"The essence of criminal investigation is a battle between people—a clash of wills and intellect!
"Cifera can create a fog of misinformation, but she can't erase physical reality!
"She can assume a thousand disguises, but she can't make the Starry Light vanish into thin air under our watchful eyes!
"As long as we guard this point—using the unchanging to counter all changes—maintaining peak vigilance and razor-sharp observation!
"Tonight, we might still have a chance to catch Cifera, this cunning cat!
"Do you understand now?"
"Understood!"
The trio responded in unison, their spirits soaring in the makeshift command center!
[Ahhh! It's heating up again! Old Liu is amazing!]
[Locked on with the naked eye! Physics is the real MVP!]
[Trickery? Hacking? Disguises and voice changes? Holographic projections? No matter what you try to steal the Starry Light, you can't escape the righteous gaze of our Pursuit Team!]
[Operation "Waiting for the Cat by the Tree" is a go! Pursuit Team, rise up!]
[It's still going to be tough, but I feel like we have a chance! Old Liu is truly our anchor in this storm!]
[Ha! You Pursuit Fans are getting all fired up again? Little Grandchild was enough to give you a hard time, and now you want to mess with Cifera?]
[Damn Cat Fans! Watch us Pursuit Team, led by Old Liu, first take down Night Shadow, then slaughter the Cat!]
[Alright, alright, full of energy! We Cat Fans will be waiting~]
[Cifera might not even show up tonight, so you Cat Fans and Pursuit Fans should stop talking about her for now. This is Sister Aya's night to shine!]
[Exactly! She's stealing the show! She's not even a contestant, yet she's getting so much screen time. The Production Team is practically live-streaming her entire dressmaking process!]
[Enough talk! I want to see how she'll use her needle and thread to pull off a miraculous comeback against the Starry Light!]