The man was about 1.9 meters tall, his black close-fitting attire accentuating broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His boots, gleaming as if polished, kicked up dust as he entered Lu Mingming's line of sight.
His sharp blond hair, like a shining sun, and his deep ice-blue eyes fixed on Lu Mingming, his gaze flickering.
He appeared arrogant and unapproachable, his oppressive aura hinting at years of high-ranking positions.
Yet, this man, as cold-blooded as a machine, held two sleeping twins in his arms, creating a stark contrast.
The person who appeared was Orlan Nal, who had been quietly observing the competition.
Lu Mingming stood there, stunned. His eyes, more beautiful than Antarctic icebergs, reminded her of the little white tiger alone in its room.
Seeing another major news story about to unfold, the media raised their cameras to capture the moment.
Then, they strangely discovered that as soon as the cameras focused on the man's face, the light and shadows blurred, making it impossible to see his true features.
Even the cameras on the main screen couldn't capture his appearance.
Everyone exchanged hushed whispers, realizing that everyone saw a different face!
The experienced veterans wisely put down their cameras—people with such abilities were powerful figures, and it was best not to offend them lightly.
Orlan Nal walked unhurriedly to Lu Mingming's side and handed the two infants to a nearby staff member.
The faint, fresh scent of mint emanating from him constantly wafted to Lu Mingming's nostrils, disturbing her thoughts.
...It was as if she were being held tightly from behind by the man.
Lu Mingming stared at him blankly, her heart inexplicably skipping a beat.
When she came to her senses, she couldn't help but raise her hand and rub her face vigorously, forcing herself to regain her composure.
She looked at his profile with a serious expression. His eyes, which should have been amorous and soft like peach blossoms, held a cold pride, and the curve of his nose and brow lent him an air of resilience.
Lu Mingming could even see the small mole on his lips up close.
He was like an executive from the divine realm descended to earth, exquisitely handsome in every detail, yet contradictory and emotionless.
In the eyes of the Nine-Tailed Fox, the interloper appeared differently—possessing a remarkable appearance comparable to a star, very dashing and suave.
She stood there, rolling up her sleeves, unsure whether to feign shyness or to righteously condemn him and Lu Mingming as accomplices.
Finally, the Nine-Tailed Fox elegantly extended her hand and asked, "May I ask who you are...?"
Orlan Nal lowered his gaze to the Nine-Tailed Fox's hand, as if it were contaminated. He meticulously wiped his well-defined fingers with the silk cloth attached to his chest, then discarded the fine cloth into the trash bin.
"No need for these ostentatious gestures."
The man's actions registered, and the Nine-Tailed Fox's face flushed red from her neck to her ears, feeling greatly insulted.
The next second, the man's gaze, like the first beam of moonlight on a dark night, swept over the Nine-Tailed Fox's nerves, leaving only a chilling sensation.
"As I said, the Nine-Tailed Fox streamer drugged the cubs and kidnapped them, then framed others. She is the one who should leave the competition."
The reversal came too suddenly, and the onlookers were even more confused by this turn of events. Who was the real culprit?
Several media personnel raised their hands to ask questions, but they were subtly intimidated by the ferocity and coldness in Orlan Nal's eyes, and ultimately swallowed their words.
The Star Manager, who could sense Orlan Nal's extraordinary status, had been frowning since his silent arrival. He maintained the highest level of vigilance and preparedness, and even his gaze towards Lu Mingming was tinged with caution.
From the Alliance army to this exceptionally powerful man, did Lu Mingming realize how complex and dangerous her situation was!
Unwilling to see this rising new star accidentally drawn into a conflict, the Star Manager spoke up to ease the tense atmosphere: "No need for arguments, just present your evidence."
The Nine-Tailed Fox recovered her composure, mistaking the Star Manager's words as help. Her tone began to carry a sarcastic edge that made people uncomfortable.
"Heh, I thought Lu Mingming had a backup plan, but it turns out you're all colluding to spread rumors."
The Nine-Tailed Fox looked at Orlan Nal smugly. However, the man seemed to regard her as mere air.
She gnashed her teeth in anger, but clearly aware of the gap between them, she shifted her target to Lu Mingming and repeated, "I released my evidence long ago. Lu Mingming, you'd better prepare to withdraw from the competition!"
The entire venue instantly turned cold. Orlan Nal stopped what he was doing, his icy gaze like a sharpened blade, piercing directly at the Nine-Tailed Fox.
The streamers' gazes flickered back and forth between Lu Mingming and the other two, and for a moment, no one dared to break the awkward silence.
The Nine-Tailed Fox was fearless, as she had Xiao Jiu to cover her tracks for the kidnapping incident.
"Isn't that right? Lu Mingming flagrantly violated the rules and stole the cubs, and I suspect this man is her accomplice! Don't forget, Lu Mingming can't produce any surveillance footage."
These words caused the guests present to frown slightly, and the Star Manager sighed helplessly.
Despite her beauty, the Nine-Tailed Fox was truly foolish.
These words might have held some credibility before the man's appearance.
But if Lu Mingming had the backing of someone this powerful, why would she resort to such an unrewarding tactic?
Although Lu Mingming considered herself kind and friendly to others, it didn't mean she was a pushover who could be easily manipulated.
As Lu Mingming was about to retort, Orlan Nal, standing beside her, spoke first, "If I produce the surveillance footage, will you withdraw from the competition?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Lu Mingming's face as she looked in Orlan Nal's direction.
Orlan Nal's voice was terrifyingly cold, his handsome face etched with an unyielding hardness, instantly seizing control of the situation.
The Nine-Tailed Fox, who had been arrogant when facing Lu Mingming, was now utterly speechless. She let out a cold snort towards Lu Mingming, "Isn't she just someone pretending to be innocent to climb the social ladder? Shameless."
Before Lu Mingming could react, Orlan Nal retrieved a memory crystal ball from his spatial storage.
It contained some footage of him and the little girl, which could serve as evidence to help Lu Mingming refute the accusations.
As soon as the memory crystal ball was activated, it projected a real-time image of the same size onto the venue. Everyone recognized it as the cub the Nine-Tailed Fox had been holding on the first day she arrived.
..."You're stalling for time."
The man was certain.
"Mhm. You caught me. Go quickly and save your little streamer. If she hasn't been stomped underfoot by all the beastmen by now, and can still get up."
The little girl's voice, laced with amusement, echoed in the competition hall.
...There was no more genuine evidence than this.
Memory crystal balls could be sold for ten thousand pieces on the Star Network, commonly used by couples on dates. They were beautiful but essentially useless, as all projections had to be based on physical objects to be recorded, making them undeniably authentic.
The Nine-Tailed Fox's face turned green. She hadn't expected him to actually produce something to clarify the matter.
Even less did she expect that Xiao Jiu, who seemed the most obedient and easily controlled, was not as simple as she appeared!
The Star Manager's eyes grew cold, and the surrounding staff slowly surrounded the Nine-Tailed Fox, placing her under central surveillance.
"Streamer Number One, Nine-Tailed Fox, for violating rules and framing others, your streamer contract is revoked, and you are banned from the industry. Additionally, dispatch personnel to safely apprehend the little girl in Room 0318."
With the matter reaching this point, there was no room for turning back.
The Nine-Tailed Fox, met with the disgusted stares of the streamers and staff, collapsed onto the ground in utter despair.
Finally, the matter was concluded, and Lu Mingming felt a sudden sense of relief.
She stared fearlessly into the man's dangerous blue eyes and softly thanked him.
After a pause, Lu Mingming, hesitant, spoke again:
"I am Lu Mingming. If possible, could I know your name and contact information?"
"Orlan Nal."
For some reason, Lu Mingming seemed to detect a hint of nervousness in his indifferent voice.
"You can search for ALnr directly for my contact information. I have something to attend to, so I'll be going now."
Orlan Nal feigned a glance at his wrist-mounted optical computer, nodded in acknowledgment, and then left with long strides.
It was as if he had merely passed by to clarify the truth for Lu Mingming.
Lu Mingming blinked. This name...
Three seconds later, her muddled brain suddenly cleared.
Was he that influential figure?! Her fan?!
When Lu Mingming looked in the direction the man had left, the space was empty, not even a shadow to be seen.
Due to the Nine-Tailed Fox's violation, all the rankings were shifted forward by one position.
After the Nine-Tailed Fox left, the Star Manager stood on the central stage and began to re-announce the results.
The current result still had Lu Mingming in first place.
Cheng Shiqin, though extremely reluctant, came in second.
Another unknown streamer, a complete underdog, secured third place and was still crying tears of joy while hugging a friend.
After the competition's results were finalized, Hua Hua was escorted away by staff.
Lu Mingming left her contact information for Hua Hua. As the little one departed, she kept looking back at Lu Mingming with reluctance.
When the social interaction time arrived, a large crowd of media and streamers flooded the open space in front of Lu Mingming to congratulate her, one after another, trying to make a good impression.
There were also streamers who had previously misunderstood Lu Mingming, such as the Hamster streamer, who shamefully came to apologize.
Ten minutes later, Lu Mingming's face felt as stiff as tree bark from smiling. She finally couldn't stand it and made an excuse to escape.
Lu Mingming scooped up Xue Gao, who had been patiently waiting in the audience, and quickly strode back to her hotel room.
She had to rush to tell Tang Yuan the good news of her victory!