Several people looked around, trying to find the right moment to slip away. As long as they could blend into the crowd, they believed the authorities couldn't possibly search every single contestant just to find them.
However, they didn't know that their calculating glances were all noticed by Xu An.
Could Xu An let these people simply escape? The answer was definitely no.
"Sir, Zhang Hu, Liu Qing, Wang Wei... they're trying to run."
Before Zhang Hu, Liu Qing, Wang Wei, and the others could even take a step, they heard Xu An call out their names.
Everyone: "......" Damn it!
The man also glanced at Xu An with amusement, "Do you know them?"
"No," Xu An shook her head, "I've seen them at a training gym."
While Xu An and the man were talking, the few people in the audience had already been apprehended and taken aside for inspection.
"Sir, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now."
Seeing those individuals being escorted away, Xu An figured they were definitely going to be disqualified.
She decided to do a good deed.
With that, she turned to leave.
As her foot landed outside, before it even touched the ground, Xu An heard that distinct, stern voice speak again: "Have you ever considered joining the army?"
The man let the words linger in his mouth for a moment before finding what he considered a fitting adjective.
"Join the army?" Xu An mulled over the words, a hint of curiosity in her tone as she turned to face the man.
At this moment, only the two of them remained on the stage.
The spectators below had already been dispersed by the man's subordinates.
"I'm sorry, I'm not interested at the moment." Xu An's reply was neither servile nor overbearing, her face completely serene.
The man had been intently watching Xu An's expression. After a pause, he curved his lips into a slight smile, as if a thousand-year-old ice mountain were melting.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Xu An felt the man's smile made the previously stagnant air around them become vibrant.
It turned out there were indeed people who could crush the entire scene with their presence alone.
"That's a real pity. But if you're not joining the army, why are you participating in the Long March Army?"
"As far as I know, the Long March Army is comprised of externally hired mercenaries and doesn't seem to be under military jurisdiction."
The man understood, and continued to smile, "So, it's not the identity of a soldier that you're not interested in, but rather the control of the military?"
"You could say that."
The man hadn't expected Xu An's candor. He maintained a faint smile on his lips, "Then perhaps we'll have many more opportunities to meet."
Xu An shrugged, offering no reply. "Is there anything else, sir?"
"No."
As soon as the man finished speaking, Xu An turned and walked off the stage without looking back.
Zhou Haimei's match was scheduled to start a little later than hers, and she wasn't sure if she'd make it in time to see Zhou Haimei's fight.
...
"Sir, who was that woman? You personally invited her, and she's so ungrateful."
The man's smile reverted to its usual unapproachable demeanor when facing his subordinate.
"Mind your own business. How was the inspection?"
Upon hearing this, the subordinate immediately lowered his head, daring not to look directly at him, and reported tremblingly, "Sir, we found contraband in the back molars of those individuals. Two of them have already used it, and it matches the residue found in Zhou Xiong's mouth. We can confirm it's the same batch of drugs."
The man's expression turned grim, "Arrest Zhou Xiong and bring him in. Find out where he got that drug from and investigate along that lead!"
"Yes!"
After receiving the order, the subordinate turned and left, leaving the man standing alone. He gazed at the peaceful scene within the lighthouse before him, lost in thought.
The drugs in Zhou Xiong's possession were contraband circulating from the second level. They were originally intended for daredevil soldiers executing special missions.
However, people began selling them on the lighthouse for personal gain.
Initially, these drugs were used in small quantities in medications to improve alertness, but someone secretly refined them to profit from them.
As the man descended from the stage, a figure who had been hidden in the shadows emerged from a massive stone pillar.
"Why don't you suspect the Dark Alley?"
"His daughter doesn't have the guts." The man's tone was resolute.
The second-in-command of the lighthouse was referred to by the man with a mere "his."
From their conversation, it was clear the man knew the true identity of the "rat."
"What about the matter I asked you to investigate?" the man inquired.
The man who emerged from the stone pillar now revealed his full figure. If Xu An were present, she would surely recognize him.
Chu Yu.
"It's been moved."
"Keep a close eye on her. Qin Chuan has already become suspicious. This woman has some skills."
Chu Yu's face, hidden beneath his hood, was unreadable, but a low chuckle could be heard.
"The people on your lighthouse are really interesting. Even at this point, they still play these make-believe games."
The man remained noncommittal, "Now that you're also a resident of the lighthouse, if you don't want people to discover where you came from, it's best you learn to adapt to being a lighthouse resident."
With that, he glanced at the man's wide hood, "At least, we never cover our faces."
After speaking, the man strode away, leaving Chu Yu standing alone. He reached up to touch his face.
He muttered softly, "You don't cover your faces because you are flowers grown in a greenhouse."
As he muttered, Chu Yu slightly pulled open his hood, revealing a section of his pale, paper-like neck.
Chu Yu glanced around, habitually maintaining his vigilance. After confirming he wasn't being followed, Chu Yu pulled his hood back up, shoved his hands into his hoodie pockets, and then departed.
...
"Go, Sister Mei! You're amazing, Sister Mei!"
"Sister Mei, send him flying with one punch!"
...
By the time Xu An arrived at this venue, Zhou Haimei's match was nearing its end.
She saw a harmonious scene, with everyone, acquaintances and strangers alike, cheering for Zhou Haimei.
Zhou Haimei's match was the opposite of hers; it was an expected, overwhelming victory.
However, today, Zhou Haimei was preoccupied due to Xu An's situation. Instead of ending the match directly, she toyed with her opponent as if venting her frustration, allowing the opponent to gradually lose hope in their futile despair, leading them to become chaotic.
Zhou Haimei seemed to have spotted Xu An as well. Seeing her standing there unharmed, a stone that had been weighing on her heart finally fell.
Her expression towards her opponent softened.
Zhou Haimei lifted her face into a smile and said, "I'm done playing with you. My An'an is here!"