This was a woman’s Daring Clothes, and it was also the first time Zhang Xiaoman had purchased such an attire, so he didn’t yet know what it specifically looked like.
However, judging by the feel and the way it was stacked up, the overall design of the clothes shouldn’t be unattractive.
"This is a Starry Stone, which, once used, can teleport you to Rebirth Island, but you can’t use it for now, because I haven’t opened the return channel yet, so if you accidentally teleport there on your own, you won’t have a way to get back," Zhang Xiaoman explained the usage of the Starry Stone to Lin Sisi.
Last night, in order to facilitate others’ access to and from Rebirth Island, he had sent out the Mother Stone of the Starry Stones from the Original Realm; it is now set up beside the Final Gate.
With this arrangement, there’s no longer a concern that people would be teleported directly into the Original Realm after using the Teleportation.
After all, aside from himself, others simply cannot survive there, and only he and the items he carried would be unaffected by that place.
"Thank you, Brother Xiao Man. Can I wear this outfit tomorrow?" Lin Sisi asked.
Zhang Xiaoman paused for a moment, then said, "Of course, the Daring Clothes are meant for your use, especially during the Enlightenment Ceremony. It’s better to wear them if possible, as it shows the high... ahem, I mean, it shows the respect that the Star Alliance has for the new members joining."
Lin Sisi obediently nodded her head.
Zhang Xiaoman felt a sweat break out; he had almost slipped up there.
In fact, he had not originally intended to provide the Daring Clothes directly; the newcomer’s gift pack was temporarily set to include just a Starry Stone, because while his points were sufficient, there was too little Star Dust.
The reason he bought a set of clothes for Lin Sisi was because he would inevitably need this girl to help him draw the Enlightenment Array, and she was somewhat of a "front to his operation." Since she was the "front," it was necessary to give her a proper package first.
"Alright, it’s getting late now; let’s call it a day here. We’ll come back tomorrow to assist the other two newcomers with their Awakening."
Zhang Xiaoman decided it was time to leave; it was too dark here, and it always felt awkward using a mobile phone for lighting. He planned to quickly buy a small generator and lighting equipment after he got back.
The Enlightenment tonight, overall, went very smoothly. Although there was a small mishap during the Awakening process, in the end, it was safely passed without incident.
It was also through this attempt that Zhang Xiaoman learned something: Enlightenment is not as he had originally imagined; there is a possibility of failure.
If Lin Sisi had let go of her hand at that time, it would undoubtedly have interrupted the process of Enlightenment.
But if the process is interrupted, what kind of side effects might arise remains an unknown for now.
After driving Lin Sisi home, Zhang Xiaoman also guided her on some Dark Energy Sequences that needed to be communicated with priority, which are essential factors for constructing the Spirit Exploration Technique.
Once home, after observing through the Enlightenment Kaleidoscope for 6.53 seconds and exhausting his spiritual power, Zhang Xiaoman fell fast asleep.
At night, in Qionghua City, at Jiangnan Road.
This was a small alley nearby the Three Institutes, named Screw Alley, also known as No Light Alley.
The reason for the name No Light Alley comes from many legends about it.
Legend has it that, several hundred years ago, this place used to be an execution ground where death row inmates were regularly brought to be executed.
Over time, a great deal of resentment accumulated here. At night, it was rumored that one could often hear terrifying screams.
The reason it’s called No Light Alley is quite peculiar—that is, all lights fail to illuminate here.
No matter if it’s a flashlight or an oil lamp, once you enter this place, they won’t light up, making No Light Alley jump to fame as one of the most bizarre scenes in the country.
However, many people don’t believe in this story.
For this reason, there have been quite a few live streamers who have come here at night to test it out, and the result is without exception—they found nothing unusual.
But people always like to believe what they want to believe; although ghost stories are not realistic to them, they are more fun, so to this day, people often come here to explore and check-in.
Today, Li Xiang set his investigative sights on this place.
As a "trial employee" of that mysterious organization, Li Xiang always kept in mind the mission he had received— to find and provide five pieces of valuable information.
This was the task left to him by the powerful Transcendent he met in the small northern woods of the city. Li Xiang had already gathered four pieces, and this place was his hope for completing the last step.
Of course, he actually understood that this so-called No Light Alley wasn’t very reliable, because according to investigations from all sides, it was just an ordinary alley.
However, the reason he came here was because recently, there seemed to be some unusual occurrences taking place.
According to a post on a local supernatural forum, more than one person had noticed something abnormal here.
It’s said that at night, many stray cats and dogs gather here, behaving strangely, with some even snapping a couple of photos of these animals sitting together.
Li Xiang had seen those two photos himself.
In the first photo, all the animals sat quietly on the ground, looking up in a certain direction.
But when he viewed the second photo, he was shocked to find that the cats and dogs, which were originally looking up at the sky, had all simultaneously turned their gaze directly towards the person taking the photo.
The spectacle of their eyes twinkling in the night indeed gave Li Xiang, the observer, quite a scare.
This incident had been confirmed by many forum members, which strengthened his resolve to personally investigate and complete the task set by that expert.
"As long as I can prove the weirdness here is real, then my mission will be considered complete, and once Brother Man returns in a few days, I can apply to join that mysterious organization..."
Li Xiang comforted himself as he walked along.
In his left hand, he carried a flashlight, and in his right, he held a long steel rod, dressed very securely from head to toe.
Not only did he wear an outer coat, but he also added a layer of a bullet-proof vest inside. His legs were wrapped with shin guards, and even his arms were covered with thick books, resembling a fully-armed fortress.
Luckily it was nighttime, for if it were daytime, with this attire, he would most likely have passed out from heatstroke after just a few steps.
"I must be in the alley by now, but the flashlight still works very normally, it seems those previous rumors were indeed fake..."
Li Xiang observed his surroundings and found nothing unusual. The flashlight he was carrying was still working properly, and his heart, which had been hanging in the balance, finally relaxed a bit.
Suddenly, a beam of light shone from the corner ahead, and two shadows flashed across the wall—a scene just caught by Li Xiang’s eyes.
"There seems to be something happening up ahead..."