Chapter 784: Curious Encounters at the Circus

The circus boasted a wide array of acts.

Lu Xin, who had come merely to cheer up his Sister, found himself thoroughly entertained.

He was amazed at how they concocted so many amusing and intriguing performances featuring such eclectic characters.

After the magician flawlessly finished his act, one breathtaking performance followed another.

Lu Xin and his companions saw a graceful dancer co-dancing with snakes. Clad in a white bikini adorned with tiny, sparkling gold motifs, she slithered into a black box, her limbs securely locked inside, leaving only her head exposed.

Then an assistant unlocked the box and hurriedly stepped back.

Suddenly, the sides of the box dropped to the ground, revealing an interior teeming with writhing serpents and insects.

Pointed heads, vivid and delicate scales, constantly swaying tails like shrill whistles, and necks that could flatten at a touch—all these serpentine creatures tangled together, rolling and twisting—while the graceful dancer lounged languidly amidst them.

Every snake and insect clung closely to her, slowly writhing and crawling about.

As mysterious music filled the air, the dancer began to swing her waist gently, uniting her hands as she reached upward like a serpent.

She softly whistled, prompting every snake to stretch out its body.

Their movements synchronized with hers—a slow, gentle sway that painted a scene both eerie and hauntingly beautiful…

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…

“Oh, that’s so scary…”

Staring at the unsettling creatures, Lu Xin and his Sister couldn’t help but shudder.

They even broke out in goosebumps.

Then, almost in unison, they marveled, “They really have a lot of nerve…”

They also witnessed the circus strongman—a towering figure over two meters tall clad in black plastic shorts—engaged in a tug-of-war against ten vibrantly dressed clowns. With one hand, he dragged all ten clowns across the stage.

They were equally astonished by a conjoined beauty with overlapping shoulders and two heads.

Her makeup was dazzling, and with a microphone in each hand, she commenced singing a truly enchanting melody.

The woman on the left hit high notes that could ostensibly shatter a cup.

Meanwhile, the woman on the right delivered low tones so deep that the ground itself seemed to resonate.

…

…

The schedule was jam-packed, and the circus performers poured their hearts into every act.

They saw an exhibition of bizarre beings—a giant with a single eye on his face—and a mysterious escape trick where a performer, locked in a box filled with balloons, reappeared behind the stage as the box burned to ashes.

All sorts of outlandish, dazzling performances left the audience wide-eyed.

Not only did his Sister revel in every moment, but Lu Xin was equally exhilarated.

Everyone around him—from the pensive Dr. An to the little girl ‘Sissi’ bundled in a thick down jacket, from the three men entangled in their own dramas to A Zhen, who rarely showed human emotions—crowded together to watch the show, their expressions gradually shifting as the performance continued.

Yet, just as the spectacle reached its peak, it abruptly came to an end.

By the time the commotion dispersed, it was well past ten; even the nomadic tribe had begun settling down for the night.

At that moment, a host in a green formal suit and matching hat sprang to his feet, grabbed a microphone, and announced the end of the performance while thanking the audience for their support. Simultaneously, two dwarfs started collecting money from the crowd.

An awkward scene soon unfolded as the members of the nomadic tribe shook their heads with a mix of resignation and amusement, then headed off to rest.

After making a circuit, the two dwarfs discovered that their hats were nearly empty—barely containing a few coins and even a stray button.

The crowd dispersed quickly, and the campfire’s glow began to fade.

Even the bright lamps seemed to dim, their power waning.

In the circus, the performers themselves appeared to be enveloped in a vague aura of desolation.

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“This…”

Noticing the sudden chill over the assembled crowd, Lu Xin felt a pang of guilt.

Seeing the two dwarfs standing with empty hats, he hesitated; a quick glance at Dr. An—who casually leaned against a pillar without objection—gave him the courage to reach into his pocket.

After a long search, he pulled out a ten-yuan bill.

He clutched it for a moment longer, and after further searching, realized he had neither smaller bills nor coins.

Despite his lingering hesitation as he eyed the forlorn expressions of the performers, he resolutely dropped the note into one of the dwarfs’ hats.

After all, how could one enjoy a show without showing gratitude?

It was only proper manners…

Although spending ten yuan was a rare indulgence for him…

…

…

“Thank you, thank you, sir. You’re such a kind soul…”

On stage, the host in the green suit held his microphone high, expressing his heartfelt thanks to Lu Xin.

Lu Xin felt a bit uneasy with all the gratitude, his cheeks warming with embarrassment.

So, with a slight wave from a distance, he wrapped his arm around his Sister and walked back to the camp with Dr. An and the others.

His Sister, beaming, clung to Lu Xin’s neck and chirped, “Brother, they say you’re a great man—a really great man!”

“I always have been,” Lu Xin replied proudly.

Seeing her smile, he took the opportunity to ask, “Now, can you tell me what’s in your backpack…?”

“No way.”

Before he could press further, his Sister immediately refused and even gripped his hand defensively.

With a resigned sigh, Lu Xin decided to revisit the matter later.

…

…

“Did you notice something odd about this circus?”

On the way back, Dr. An, with a faint, knowing smile, glanced at Lu Xin, who was murmuring to himself while holding onto thin air.

She edged closer and asked softly,

“I did.”

Lu Xin turned his attention to her, miming as if setting something down on the ground, and smiled.

There was no need for formal tests or debates over the oddities of the circus; as Ability Users, their gut instincts alone confirmed that something was amiss. After all, having reached what Dr. An referred to as the fringes of forbidden territory, any odd occurrences here weren’t entirely unexpected.

In fact, it would be more suspicious if nothing out of the ordinary happened.

“You’re far calmer than I expected…”

Dr. An, reading his composed demeanor, smiled softly and replied.

“Well…”

Lu Xin hesitated, then asked, “Should I be more nervous?”

Not missing a beat, he added, “Besides, didn’t you say that everything should be treated as a mission?”

“Don’t worry. I’m not saying you did anything wrong, nor will I deduct any money,” Dr. An reassured him with a laugh.

She continued, “I was merely gauging your level of vigilance in all this…”

“Alright…”

Only then did Lu Xin grasp her meaning.

This circus was filled with Ability Users, or at least many of them.

Their apparent hardships might even be an act, which explained why his ten yuan was unnecessary.

Perhaps even the nomadic tribe shared that sentiment, which is why they appeared so indifferent. Before confirming someone’s identity and intentions, limiting interaction is the best way to avoid mental pollution.

Dr. An was subtly reminding him that his actions were bordering on violating one of their core principles.

Lu Xin felt a tinge of embarrassment, but soon decided it wasn’t worth overthinking.

There are too many Ability Users in this world. Even if our own affairs are critical, there’s no need to be overly tense around every Ability User or to go to great lengths to observe or provoke them.

After all, Ability Users aren’t inherently enemies.

Besides, their performance had truly been impressive…

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…

They arrived at the first night’s rest on the fringes of the forbidden zone, and surprisingly, it was peaceful.

Whether it was the nomadic tribe they encountered or the circus performers who had, against all odds, set up their show in this barren mountain, a strange aura lingered. Yet, despite the eerie vibe, nothing untoward transpired until everyone set off the next morning.

Dr. An, however, seemed to harbor a hint of disappointment.

Several young men among the nomads kept stealing glances at her.

But they merely exchanged discreet looks, and nothing further occurred.

After a meal of compressed biscuits, canned beef, and salted meat soup with rehydrated vegetables, Lu Xin and his companions prepared to move toward the old site of the Red Moon Research Institute. Not only them—the nomadic tribe had also packed up their tents and livestock, seemingly ready to move on. Even the circus performers, who had been resting at the mountain’s far side, were preparing to leave.

“Kind sir…”

Just as Lu Xin and his companions pulled up their trousers and finalized their plans to enter the nearby dark forest, a hearty call rang out from not far behind.

Turning around, they saw the host—now out of his green suit—riding atop a large elephant.

He steadily approached them, and from a distance, he greeted Lu Xin with enthusiastic fervor.

“You’re incredibly generous. Everyone in our troupe is truly grateful to you.”

Smiling, he said, “After some discussion, we’ve prepared a gift for you.”

“A gift?”

Lu Xin was taken aback for a moment.

Honestly, he didn’t consider himself overly charitable. For their performance, earning just a few yuan seemed so little.

Was it really worth receiving a gift for that?

“Yes, a ticket.”

The host bent down and handed Lu Xin a ticket enclosed in a black ticket cover.

Although Lu Xin found the gesture somewhat peculiar, he accepted it after noticing that the host seemed exhausted and slouched.

Then the host laughed, “This ticket is for a grand show we’re putting on.”

“We hope you’ll come so we can thank you once more with our performance.”

“…”

“Well…”

Lu Xin hesitated and gave an awkward smile, “Your performance is excellent, but I might not have time to attend.”

“Don’t worry,” the host replied with a wave of his hand.

He added, “Our tickets don’t have a set date.”

“The best audience and the best performers will cross paths at just the right moment, won’t they?”