Chapter Twenty-Five: Is the Night Market a Masquerade? The Second Disguise Appears
Hang City’s northern suburbs, 17 East Hundred Flowers Alley.
Lu Yu arrived at the location clad in a yellow coat and wearing a sinister smile-shaped mask.
Initially, he believed his outfit was mysterious enough, but to his surprise, others were also masked. Chicken, dog, and monkey masks were common, while so wore black balaclavas like bank robbers. There was even a two-tre-tall man in a geisha mask.
“What a girlish heart…” Lu Yu mused, observing the towering figure with a mix of amusent and disbelief.
The geisha-masked man stood behind soone in a fox mask, handing two invitations to the gatekeeper. After inspection, the gatekeeper nodded respectfully and said:
“Please, co in!”
One by one, other masked individuals entered in an orderly fashion. At one point, an ordinary person tried to sneak in but was effortlessly thrown out by the gatekeeper with a single hand.
Only then did they realise the gatekeeper was a formidable third-tier Awakened individual.
Watching each guest present their invitations, Lu Yu frowned and muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear:
“Seems like I’ll need to use so tricks.”
As he spoke, his shadow rippled, emanating intense shadow energy that ford a jet-black veil around him, as though he were draped in the night sky itself.
The interplay between the dark shadow cloak and his yellow coat didn’t diminish their hues. Instead, the combination exuded an eerie and desolate aura. Paired with his sinister smile mask, he looked like the embodint of death descending upon the mortal realm to claim souls.
This transformation was a result of Lu Yu’s insights gained from his exploration of the Shadow Realm. His skill [Shadow Servants] had evolved, allowing him to utilise shadow energy for more than just creating servants.
His current appearance mimicked a fragnt of the aura from a being deep within the Shadow Realm. Although only an infinitesimal imitation, it bore a striking resemblance.
And even that fragnt ca from an indescribable and terrifying existence!
The mont Lu Yu appeared, he beca the centre of attention. Despite their masks, the shock in the crowd’s eyes was unmistakable.
A youth in a monkey mask glanced at the black veil, his expression turning pale beneath the mask as he stumbled back and stamred:
“W-Who is that? Just looking at that black veil makes feel like I’m sinking into eternal silence!”
Nearby, soone in a pig mask cautiously added:
“Such terrifying energy… Even a glance feels suffocating!”
Other guests who had just entered also gathered at the entrance, whispering amongst themselves:
“Isn’t this just a regular night market exchange? Why is soone this terrifying here?”
“Such potent shadow energy, tinged with danger!”
“Damn, I overdid it!” Lu Yu thought, realising his mistake.
His initial plan was to appear mysterious, claim his invitation was lost, and sneak in. Now, as the centre of attention, he found himself overly conspicuous.
“Should have just summoned so Hellfire!”
Wait—summoning Hellfire would have revealed his other disguise! That identity was reserved for presenting himself as a mysterious powerhouse in future dealings with the military. It wasn’t ti to use it yet.
Unbeknownst to Lu Yu, his constructed identity of a mighty figure had already taken on the image of a forbidden existence from the depths of ti. If he had used it here, the entire gathering might have fainted from fright.
But what should he do now?
Lu Yu pondered, searching for a suitable excuse to enter. As he deliberated, the gatekeeper hurried over, bowing respectfully, and asked:
“Are you here to attend tonight’s market, esteed guest?”
“Of course. Why else would I be in the middle of nowhere? To watch your masquerade? Everyone here is wearing masks more diligently than I am!” Lu Yu ntally scoffed but kept his thoughts to himself. Instead, in a deliberately low voice, he replied:
“Just passing through.”
Claiming to attend without an invitation would have raised suspicion. Pretending to pass by offered a plausible alternative.
“I just happened to be passing through. If you doubt , I’ll convince you with physical persuasion.”
The gatekeeper’s joy was palpable. Though Lu Yu’s response was curt, such aloofness was expected of a powerhouse. Unlike ordinary Awakened individuals, the figure before him exuded an aura that suggested he might be at Morningstar-level strength—or close to it.
To the gatekeeper, any interaction with such a being was a trendous honour. Inviting such a guest to the night market would undoubtedly please his boss. A powerhouse’s presence would elevate the event’s prestige and draw more attendees in the future.
“Heaven must be smiling on today!” the gatekeeper thought, restraining his excitent.
Despite his elation, he maintained composure, understanding that soone of such stature likely held disdain for this small gathering. As the night market’s gatekeeper, he felt compelled to act calm and composed.
Summoning his courage, he asked:
“Esteed guest, since you’re here, why not attend our market? You might find sothing of interest, and our boss is known for his hospitality and love of making friends.”
The gatekeeper’s voice trembled slightly as he awaited Lu Yu’s response. The sinister smile mask alone emanated an oppressive aura that made him shiver involuntarily.
“So, this is what it ans to face a true powerhouse,” he marvelled, his respect for Lu Yu growing with each passing mont. He fervently hoped Lu Yu would grace the market with his presence.
Little did he know, Lu Yu had been fretting over how to obtain an invitation just monts ago. The gatekeeper’s suggestion was a serendipitous solution.
“Young man, your path has widened,” Lu Yu mused, amused by the turn of events.
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