Chapter 582: Opera House Opening

"It really is that theater across the street." Square 10 nodded slightly.

"To ensure the safety of our base, we previously conducted background checks on all the surrounding shops. That theater used to do a brisk business, but after the owner fell critically ill, it gradually declined. Now, only a sick old woman and a child live there, and it has been closed for a long time."

"The theater is reopening. Does that mean the old woman's illness has been cured?"

"That's not important."

Heart 9 took the invitation from Jian Changsheng, glanced at it casually, and tossed it aside. "None of us here are interested in watching plays, and besides, this isn't the time for leisure or amusement..."

"True. We've been delayed by the [Floating Life Painting] for too long. Months have passed, and we still haven't found the location of the Red Dust base." Square 10's brows furrowed tightly.

"Although time is tight, we must still act with caution," said Club J, who had been standing in the corner. "We've only just cleared ourselves of suspicion; it's not wise to launch an operation immediately. It's best to make contact with the outside world as naturally as possible first to understand the situation. After all, we've been confined here for too long, and we have no idea what has been happening out there."

"...That's true. Heart Q is still unconscious, and we need to go out and find a reliable doctor."

Jian Changsheng pondered for a moment, then picked up the invitation Heart 9 had tossed aside and spoke tentatively:

"If we're going to make contact with the outside world... how about the theater?"

Everyone's gaze returned to the invitation, lost in thought.

"...The theater has high foot traffic and a mix of all sorts of people. It would indeed be a good place to gather intelligence."

"Most importantly, the theater sent us the invitation themselves. We're just attending as invited guests. Even if there are plainclothes officers mixed in with the casino staff, it won't arouse suspicion..."

After careful consideration by the group, the value of this invitation gradually increased. As it stands, it is indeed the best stepping stone for them to move forward.

"Then it's settled. Square 10 will continue to guard the base, and the three of us will go check out this Jinghong Theater before deciding on our next move." Club J quickly finalized the strategy.

"Right!"

……

Evening.

Three figures finally stepped out of the casino gates after several months.

Wearing a black leather jacket, Jian Changsheng stood by the roadside, watching the pedestrians and vehicles passing by. A long-lost sense of daily life washed over him... He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as if relieved of a heavy burden.

He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to imitate those brilliant ancients and lament the hardships of his months of imprisonment and the joy of regaining his freedom, but after holding it in for ten seconds, he just said:

"Damn, I'm finally back!"

"..." Club J couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Jian Changsheng felt a bit awkward, coughed twice, and changed the subject. "By the way, did you notice anything unusual when we came out just now?"

"No." Heart 9 stretched. "Nobody paid us any attention, and I didn't sense any other kind of surveillance. It seems there are no more plainclothes officers among the casino staff."

"That's good."

Jian Changsheng glanced at the invitation in his hand and walked straight toward the other side of the road. The three of them had only walked a few dozen meters when they saw a massive crowd of people squeezed along the roadside, all craning their necks to look in one direction. The line even extended to the entrance of the casino.

"Whoa." Jian Changsheng couldn't help but speak up. "What are they doing? The line is longer than my life line."

"Isn't the theater right in front? They must be lining up to watch the play."

"So many people???"

"You've been in the Red Dust Domain for so long, and you still find this strange?" Heart 9 shrugged. "People here are crazy about celebrity worship... I guess the theater hired some famous actor for its opening today."

"But we have an invitation, so it seems we don't need to wait in line. Let's go over and take a look."

The three continued forward. Along the way, they were surrounded by enthusiastic Red Dust residents waiting in line. Seventy percent of them were women, chattering away as if describing something, their eyes filled with excitement. To the surprise of the three, there were quite a few old men and women sitting in the line on small stools, wearing slippers, waving palm-leaf fans, and grinning with wide, toothy smiles—it was quite a lively scene.

"Damn, just what kind of star is this?" Jian Changsheng rubbed his eyes, speaking in disbelief. "The demographic is way too broad! Even old folks are chasing stars??"

"We'll know once we go inside."

As they spoke, the three arrived at the theater entrance.

Compared to the endless line outside, the entrance to the theater looked exceptionally dilapidated, making it hard to believe such a place could attract so many people. The only thing with any style on the entire facade was the plaque that read "Jinghong Theater."

At this moment, at the theater entrance, a formally dressed youth was sweating profusely while trying to maintain order.

"Don't push from the back! One at a time!"

"I'm sorry, our seats for today are full. Let me give you a new number, how about you come back tomorrow?"

"Grandma, please move your stool, people behind can't get through..."

"Oh, you two are from the rouge shop next door, right? Please, come in, come in. Your seats are in the third row..."

“……”

The youth saw the three of them approaching together and asked:

"Are you three..."

"Oh, we're from the casino. This is our invitation."

As Jian Changsheng handed over the invitation, Kong Baosheng glanced at it and respectfully gestured for them to enter. "Alright, the three of you, your seats are in the first row."

"The first row?"

Jian Changsheng was stunned. Then, led by Kong Baosheng, they entered the theater, passed through an old hall covered in red carpet, and arrived in front of the stage.

The theater's decor was quite unique. The area above the stage was actually hollow, and a gentle breeze blew into the first floor from the gaps on both sides of the roof, making it very comfortable... In front of the stage, over a dozen rows of seats had been set up. A rough glance suggested it could seat eighty or ninety people. The spacing between them was just right—neither wasting space nor making people feel crowded.

And the seats for Jian Changsheng and his group were not only in the first row but also right in the center. After they sat down, the audience members who had finally managed to grab seats in the back after waiting all day looked at them with eyes full of envy.

Feeling the burning gazes on the back of his head, Jian Changsheng's expression was a bit strange.

"What's going on... aren't we here to watch the play for free? Why are our seats so far forward?"

Heart 9 crossed his legs and said casually, "Who cares? We're not really here to watch the play anyway... It's all the same where we sit."

"That's true."

Although Jian Changsheng felt something was off, he tried his best to ignore the burning gazes behind him. After all, they were here to gather information, so he still needed to keep his eyes and ears open.

Just then, Jian Changsheng's gaze fell on the theater entrance, where a burly figure was walking unhurriedly toward the youth.

Seeing this figure, Kong Baosheng was suddenly stunned:

"Director Wang? Why are you here??"