Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Hall of Stars

In Ye Night City, there was only one supreme authority.

That was the Ye Night Student Self-Government Committee.

Don’t be deceived by the Snow Burial Society’s iron-fisted rule over the city, their martial prowess, and their air of unrivaled dominance—when it came to establishing the true order of Ye Night City, it was still the Student Self-Government Committee that held sway.

After all, the highest power is always the power to make the rules.

Even if this power seemed to be playing an enormous joke on everyone now, they still had to follow it, however reluctantly.

It was as if, with Zhou Yi standing there and declaring that only those carrying a wooden box could enter, then truly, only those carrying a wooden box could enter.

The dark-clad youth grinned as he watched his donation box fill up once more with those delicate, finely crafted red wooden cases—there was a bittersweet sense of seeing prodigal sons return home. Just then, someone furtively slipped a box inside and walked forward as if nothing had happened.

“You! Stop right there!” Zhou Yi erupted in fury.

The person Zhou Yi pointed at showed no sign of panic and turned back calmly. “May I ask, senior, what is the matter?”

Zhou Yi reached in and pulled out the wooden box the other had deposited. It was indeed a red wooden case, elegant and smooth, seemingly genuine.

“Did you really think we wouldn’t have safeguards against counterfeits?” Zhou Yi sneered, tapping the box with his finger before tossing it back. “Out!”

The offender’s face flushed bright red. “You—”

“What about you?” Zhou Yi had no patience for argument. He snapped his fingers, and instantly two figures in white appeared, one on each side, seizing the impostor by the shoulders and escorting him out.

“Snow Burial Society…” someone murmured in awe.

Many had thought this was merely a solo venture by the Student Self-Government Committee, but seeing the Snow Burial Society involved made it clear: things were far more formal and serious than imagined.

Or perhaps, more significant.

With the troublemakers dealt with, Zhou Yi resumed his welcoming smile just as a beautiful blonde girl in white approached.

“Liuyu, Liuyu,” Zhou Yi’s tone changed instantly.

“I trust you haven’t forgotten your secret box,” Zhou Yi greeted her warmly. “I remember handing it to you myself—so even if you don’t have it with you, you may enter regardless.”

Under the scornful gazes of those around, Liuyu calmly withdrew the red wooden case from her sleeve. “I have it.”

“That’s excellent!” Zhou Yi took the box without missing a beat and dropped it into the donation container. “Please, come in, Liuyu.”

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Lanliu likewise handed over his reserved red wooden box and entered the grand restaurant without trouble.

Inside, black-clad Student Self-Government Committee members guided them one by one into an underground passage beneath the restaurant.

Emerging from the passage, even Lanliu couldn’t help but frown.

“So it’s here,” he whispered.

He was not unfamiliar with the place.

It was a circular hall, now filled with black-clad attendants leading them to seats arranged around a central platform.

Lanliu looked up and saw the ceiling studded with thousands of stars, crafted from diamond fragments and gems embedded into a slab of pure black marble.

The hall could accommodate a thousand people; Lanliu knew that sometimes it hosted major musical performances.

But more often, the hall lived up to its name—Ye Night Hall of Stars Auction House.

Yes, this was the Hall of Stars, the most important auction venue in Ye Night’s East Market, where the world’s finest treasures were bid upon. Lanliu had been fortunate enough to witness the atmosphere here a few times, but the items auctioned were far beyond his reach.

“What exactly is Karotes planning?” Lanliu murmured to himself.

He wasn’t surprised that the Student Self-Government Committee could rent this costly hall—from a certain perspective, the entire city belonged to Ye Night Academy, and thus, to the committee. Renting the Hall of Stars was a matter of a single word.

But the question remained—what did Karotes intend?

Once heralded as the most outstanding student of Ye Night Academy in a century, Karotes had indeed shaken the institution for a time, but all had proceeded within the proper framework.

Yet now, things seemed to be veering off course.

The committee had carefully selected several hundred candidates from this year’s Third Trial examinees, gathering them in the Hall of Stars—what for?

Lanliu harbored a wild suspicion, yet dared not trust his own judgment.

“Greetings, everyone. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I believe many of you will soon become my new classmates, so allow me to hold this early welcome gathering, as the current chairman of the Student Self-Government Committee.”

Just then, a voice sounded unexpectedly in Lanliu’s ear.

He turned to see a man in black with red hair standing on the central auction platform, smiling at the guests.

Lanliu’s mind seemed to explode in that instant, and all around, people drew sharp breaths, filling the hall with the sound of gasping.

“I did consider having little Zhou stand in for me, but he absolutely refused,” Karotes sighed from the stage. “I never realized how stubborn he could be. It seems the pressure here is truly immense.”

He gazed forward, continuing, “Yes, you’ve already transferred that pressure to me.”

“You may wonder why I am here, why the Student Self-Government Committee has organized such an unusual meeting. Let me first dispel a misconception—this is absolutely not a matchmaking event.”

“And let me add a small advertisement: if you have the opportunity to enter the Academy, please do consider joining the Student Self-Government Committee. It is indisputably the strongest society within the Academy; from any perspective, it is your eternal home.”

Karotes was utterly composed, his effortless confidence inspiring a measure of trust.

Everyone knew how extraordinary his presence here was.

As the saying goes: all sense of shame has been abandoned.

“Of course, this is not the main reason I am here today.”

“This is the Hall of Stars, the Ye Night Hall of Stars Auction House. Since we are here, we must do something befitting the place.”

Karotes smiled slightly.

“So.”

“On behalf of the Student Self-Government Committee, I am here to auction off the actual questions from this year’s Ye Night Third Trial.”