Chapter 204: Greetings

Chen Zhi always felt that when he was watching Gannaer, he was also being watched by others in return.

It was just that this feeling was fleeting, merely a slight touch on his spirituality.

He felt he had grown stronger; the gaze fixed upon him seemed very weak, not as powerful as he had imagined.

However, he dared not let his guard down. In any case, players would just disconnect and return if they died, so it was better to let the players go see for themselves, saving himself from being discovered.

Therefore, he browsed the forum with peace of mind.

The players soon discovered Anna appearing on Store Street. She had undergone some disguise; her hair color had changed significantly, and she was in a district where Xiahui People were concentrated, the kind where even if people from the Wealth Church and War Church met her, they wouldn't recognize her.

This was not only thanks to the players' makeup and head-swapping techniques, but also thanks to the safety of the Xiahui People community.

Whether it was people from the War Church or the Wealth Church, they would not have high vigilance on Store Street, let alone the Sun Church and Wisdom Church, which were already relatively lax.

"I thought you wouldn't eat so much." Ai Ai looked at the female star in front of her and frowned.

The reason players ate so much was because the bodies in the game were not their own; if they really ate until they were too fat to accept, they could just take a 24-hour CD.

But as an NPC, and an NPC who was primarily an actress, she actually ate so much.

Mata Hogan shoved another plate of Beijing-Style Shredded Pork Rice Bowl into her mouth and then said, "Didn't I tell you? I am an Awakened. I thought you were on good terms with that little girl named Luolita and would know my identity."

I certainly know your identity, Ai Ai muttered in her heart; she really didn't know why such a personality had been calculated for an NPC.

As an actress, Mata was certainly not qualified enough. In a situation where domestic actresses worked 996 without rest and filmed every day, this actress had actually stayed in Tana City for nearly a month, with no intention of returning to the Royal Capital to perform.

But even so, no one in the Royal Capital would forget this actress.

For example, this reporter who suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Hello, please allow me to introduce myself, Price Spurt, I am a reporter from the Kingdom Metropolitan Daily."

"Hello, I hope the next time I see you, it will be after you have an appointment." Mata said calmly, "I still have some things to do; if you have questions, please be quick."

"It's mainly because you haven't performed in any plays for a month. Your audience is very eager to see you on stage soon, so I came here mainly to interview you about why you came to Tana City."

"There is a reason for my stay here." Mata looked at Ai Ai, "I am waiting for this female painter to finish the painting for me. I have seen her paintings; those works are very artistic."

"In other words, you have been lingering in Tana City just to wait for this female painter's work?" The reporter named Price pushed up his glasses, "But I heard you were here for a lover in the War Church."

"Haha, you newspapers and magazines always like to speculate. Which one do you think is my lover?" Mata didn't feel embarrassed at all, "I am a famous actress, that's true, but not to the point of staying here just for a man. I don't like tragic dramas."

"But the Princess Laika you performed was a very devoted woman." Price stopped his pen and asked with some fanaticism.

"You said it yourself, that was me performing; I am a qualified actress." Mata didn't like the other party's sudden arrival, but if she didn't answer, he would pester her even more, "I might challenge more distinctive roles next."

"What type of roles are you going to challenge?" Price's eyes sparkled, as if he had caught onto some key point.

"You can go take a look at the bookstore on this street; there are many good novels there, and I hope to get them adapted." Mata said with a smile, "I still have things to do, sorry, I can't accompany you."

"Then would you like to reveal which novel it is?" Price chased after her.

"Secret." Mata pulled Ai Ai out the door, "You can ignore him now."

Watching Price standing there looking somewhat confused, Ai Ai whispered, "You used your ability?"

"Actors are born with the ability to charm." Mata smiled slightly, "I want to build a large theater here. Although I won't be able to stay here to perform often in the future, this place should be able to cultivate many young people who hope to become actors."

"In Tana City? We already have a theater." The Edmond Theater was currently the most popular theater in the entire city.

"What if I renovate the Emond Theater? There is already a church of the Sun God Cult here; we also need a theater that represents the Beauty God." Mata spoke as if she were discussing with a good friend, "Your artistic talent makes me feel a respect for beauty. Are you not willing to become a believer of the Beauty God?"

"I didn't intend to be an actress." Ai Ai pinched her chin and said, "Unless I can awaken as an Illusionist."

"How do you know about Illusionists?" Mata frowned, "But no one likes to be an Illusionist. After all, their role is not very significant. Wanting to grow into an Illusionist who can confuse an entire army is almost an impossible thing."

Chen Ai didn't know why the other party had such thoughts, "I don't intend to confuse an entire army; I just think that Illusionists can do more interesting artistic creations."

In the real world, the forms of artistic creation are diverse.

But in the Federal, art itself is a luxury.

The poor are not qualified to engage in art, and the rich's pursuit of art is merely listening to music; some people's pursuit of art is religious art, and no one pays attention to art itself.

The houses built by players look good, but everyone only knows they look good; it is architecture, but no one would think in the direction of art.

Even in the Royal Capital, the pursuit of art is not rich. Ordinary people are not qualified to pursue it, and the rich only follow trends, sometimes even chasing art that has no meaning.

The holding of salons allows these rich people to exchange information about art, but the Federal is ultimately not the birthplace of art. In most cases, these are clumsy paintings, and even sketching is not popularized.

Music and plays are mainly based on religious art, which is also the reason why Mata can get a lot of attention just by performing a random tragic drama.

"Artistic creation..." Mata suddenly felt that she didn't understand this young person in front of her. Her purpose for awakening was actually for creation.

Heaven knows, her own purpose for awakening was not to become an actress, but to become anyone she wanted to be and to blend in perfectly.

In many countries, actors exist in the form of spies, but most of the time, actors are not free.

Actors like Mata, who possess freedom, are quite rare, which is also determined by her status in the Beauty God Church.

As a staunch follower, she is already at the Bishop level within the Beauty God Church, which is why she can be so free.

"Yes, don't you think this is a very interesting thing? I can create any scene and let the people who come in feel joy from the bottom of their hearts." Chen Ai reminded the other party, "And I can also use it to escape and to blend into the environment. If you have an Illusionist as a prop master, then they can perfectly restore the scene."

Actually, Chen Ai heard it.

Mata might have come for the painting at first.

It might also have been for the novel things in Tana City from the beginning.

But she definitely didn't come for her.

Later, she didn't leave because she had a new mission.

She had long heard from Yezi that the Beauty God Church seemed to intend to acquire or, in other words, provide financing for the Emond Theater.

She could guess the reason too.

Because the Emond Theater was currently the only theater that would stage plays of the Sun God Cult.

If it were financed by the Beauty God Church, then this theater would never perform plays related to the Sun God Cult again.

As for herself, Chen Ai could also imagine.

She was there because she was painting murals for the Sun God Cult.

If she could also join the camp of the Beauty God Church, then the believers of the Beauty God would be very happy.

After all, it is a good thing that no one painted murals for that bunch of straight men.

This can greatly affect the spread of the Sun God Cult.

I originally thought that a divine war was a very high-end affair; I didn't expect it to be like children playing house.

It even makes one think this is not something a member of the clergy could come up with.

"Wait." Before Chen Ai could agree, Mata seemed to sense a different aura.

"I sense the presence of a witch." An actor's intuition is very high; Mata quickly noticed that inside the house rented by those Xiahui People, there was someone carrying a witch's aura.

This is also the reason for an actor's powerful observation skills; to become a good actor, one must first learn to observe.

Although Anna has been by Chen Zhi's side and influenced by quite a bit of Calamity Aura, she does not have much of a witch's aura.

Yet, precisely because of Chen Zhi's influence, the Calamity Aura on her is actually very strong.

"A witch?" Chen Ai turned her head and saw Anna, who was in the middle of renting a shop.

Anna is an NPC that almost every player knows, because as long as you die once, you will see Anna once.

I didn't expect her to come out, and she even wants to rent a shop!

She is renting a shop provided by Andrew, and at this moment, the person Andrew arranged is showing her the place.

Because of the existence of players, there are almost no houses in Store Street that haven't been rented out; even if players don't rent them, other Tana City people will come to rent them.

There are not many choices left for Anna, but Anna herself is not doing business to be particularly successful, so she chose a street-front shop opposite Evans's yard; although it is relatively hidden and not even close to the main road of Store Street, it has the advantage of being hidden.

Anna looked left and right and was very satisfied with this shop; the main thing was that it was close to Evans, which made her feel like she had some sense of security.

Evans, on the other hand, felt that being so close to this witch was not a good thing.

It's just that he didn't dare to say anything, after all, this was the arrangement of the God of Calamity.

Chen Ai, at the intersection, explained, "You don't need to worry; we will ensure that the tenants of Store Street are all honest tenants. Think about it, the Awakened of the War Church patrol here every day."

"But aren't you afraid of witches?" She originally thought these Xiahui People would feel very afraid of those witches after encountering them a few times.

She didn't expect Chen Ai's expression to be as if she wasn't worried at all.

"Why wouldn't we be afraid? Is it not a good thing to discover a witch?" Chen Ai said with a smile, "If it is a good witch, we are of course willing for her to grow smoothly, but if it is a bad witch, we can also send them to the gallows."

This is not something one or two Xiahui People are doing.

It is something all players are doing.

After all, catching a witch and offering what she possesses to the Lord of Calamity can earn quite a few Calamity Talismans.

I don't know if it's because the Lord of Calamity doesn't charge for making Calamity Talismans, but this way, the players' ability to protect themselves is very high.

The shop Anna opened was also opened specifically to sell Charms.

This kind of shop should have been done more secretly anyway, to maintain a bit of mystery.

"You really think so?" Mata said, "Then why don't you report her? I see her... she seems to be opening a shop."

"As long as they are merchants from Gannaer, they all want to open shops. There is already a construction plan for the wharf area, and it is expected that more shops will appear there; after all, the land there is relatively cheaper, and the rental costs are also low." Although Store Street is good, there are indeed not many locations left.

By comparison, the wharf is a piece of land particularly suitable for development; those nobles don't think about this matter, which doesn't mean the players won't think about it.

When it comes to making money, players are more diligent than nobles.

"You really are..." Mata looked at Anna, "Do you know that witch?"

"You can tell?" An actor's observation skills are indeed extraordinary; this witch could actually tell Anna's identity.

"I see you all seem very familiar with her; if that's the case, then she should be a good person, it's just that she carries a lot of ominous aura on her, and it's very likely she has already been targeted by some gods." This is just what Mata could sense, "Shall we go over and take a look?"

She saw Evans on the side at a glance, and after seeing Anna, she felt the relationship between the two might also be unusual.

Does Evans also know this woman's identity?

The curious Mata couldn't help but lean over and said to Evans, "Long time no see, Mr. Evans, I didn't expect you to be able to return from the Royal Capital alive."

"Didn't you already know?" Evans said with a dark face, "You know my brother?"

"I can't say I know him, I heard he also came to Tana City; what, is he here to drag you back?" Mata said playfully.

At this moment, Chen Ai seemed to have finally smelled something interesting.

So Evans had been caught by his family before.

The players didn't know about this at all.

(End of this chapter)