Sixty-First Illustration: Exposing Secrets in a Livestream

“I don’t want to hear the word ‘sorry.’” The Flower Saint’s eyes flickered as she turned to her chief assistant and knight captain. That foolish face was truly displeasing, yet she regained her serene and sacred composure. Surrounded by blossoms, she lifted a gentle smile, her gaze fixed intently on him, as if she were gazing at a lover. “Jode, I truly regret not listening to you and forgetting about Senna back then. What should I do now?”

A faint blush spread across the assistant’s cheeks as he stammered, “Your Highness, I don’t know either.”

Moisture welled in the Flower Saint’s eyes. “I was too naive. Senna is so ruthless, threatening to sue my followers through the Child Protection Organization. They acted because of me. But now I can barely protect myself—my reputation, the image I’ve cultivated for years… all gone.”

Jode’s face was filled with tenderness and concern. Suddenly, he declared, “Your Highness, don’t be sad. I will protect you, no matter what!”

The Flower Saint lowered her gaze, two tears sliding down her cheeks. “Don’t do anything foolish. Compared to you, my reputation means nothing…”

Senna, I should never have spared you back then. And Sang Hongye, a native from the Wild Star Domain, dares to rebel—I won’t forget either of you.

The expert in anti-counterfeiting had no idea what a storm his livestream had stirred in the Flower Saint’s heart. Even if he did, he wouldn’t care. His starlight broadcast was known for its fearless exposure of powerful figures, earning him the industry title of the Incarnation of Truth, and even bishops had been scrutinized by his show, let alone a saint.

After a day’s brewing, the narrative shifted: the Flower Saint was now seen as the mastermind behind Sang Hongye’s ordeal, evolving into accusations that a seat-holding saint was oppressing her juniors, prompting questions about professional integrity.

The climax came that evening. Several senior students, who had pursued Sang Hongye in the Tree Realm, appeared on Starlight, each apologizing to Sang Hongye. Since they hadn’t caused actual harm, the Academy’s verdict was a single mark against their record. They voluntarily applied to intern in the Alien Insect War Zone, hoping to atone through merit. Sang Hongye forgave them, and they also clarified for the Academy that the senior who assigned them the task was indeed a certified knight follower of the Flower Saint, and that the White Jade Lingxiao Flower came from her side.

Someone launched a massive star-network petition: “We want to see the real you, not a packaged puppet.” The campaign to nominate the most inauthentic idols swept up many public figures.

The next day, the anti-counterfeiting expert started his livestream on schedule, and the audience flooded in.

The spherical livestream room was lined with honeycomb-shaped chairs of all sizes, perfectly accommodating any number of entrants. The expert sat at the center, but no matter the viewing angle, only his preferred front was visible.

There was no audience limit; the room kept filling. Though the Flower Saint herself did not attend, her chief assistant and knight captain entered in disguise. After him, a young dragon, swinging its chubby tail and munching meat, climbed to a high seat.

“Sang Sang, Senna is in seat eight, just sent a message. The treant on your left is actually the Flower Saint’s chief assistant and knight captain in disguise.”

Sang Sang, the young dragon, twisted the tiny horns atop her head. She didn’t look back, simply curled her tail to the front and asked mentally, “Senna still keeps in touch with the Flower Saint’s people?”

“Yes, and quite closely.”

Sang Sang pinched her tail, set it behind her, and continued chewing on meat. The expert’s image sphere, filtered by the main brain’s child safety feature, transformed into colorful bubbles, with all violent or graphic scenes replaced by chubby hatchling versions.

At the center, the expert glanced at the audience count, seated in an open box, two tentacles propping up his chin while others stretched lazily in the air. “Looks like some big names are interested in today’s topic. In just one day, the rebroadcast numbers have matched last month’s total for my previous show. This episode might compete for the year’s most popular livestream. I hope everyone keeps it up, so I can crown Starlight at year’s end.”

Audience cheers lifted the whole room, and the expert shook his tentacles in satisfaction.

“Last time, we confirmed the Flower Saint was targeting Sang Hongye. There’s no doubt, since last night the Divine Academy disciplined those who acted against Sang Hongye in the Tree Realm with a mark against their record. Though I exposed this issue, I must say—these kids have poor mental resilience. How could they betray their employer just because they appeared on my livestream?”

He enlarged last night’s apology news sphere. The frightened yet sincere attitudes of several youths made it hard to feel animosity. The expert poked their faces with a tentacle, his tone mocking. “Though they haven’t yet earned follower certification, they already bear the Flower Saint’s mark. As candidate knights, they should grit their teeth and never yield, even claiming it was their own disdain for Sang Hongye, borrowing the White Jade Lingxiao Flower from seniors to teach a native from a low-level civilization to stay put in the Wild Star Domain, lest the noble temple be tainted by provincial air. Everything would be their own initiative.”

“Then, judged by the student council as extreme bloodline supremacists, banished, never to be employed by any temple-affiliated unit, ultimately drifting through the outer ring, forming an adventurer team, sometimes moonlighting as star pirates, clinging to worthless loyalty as they roam the cosmos, struggling until they become wanted criminals on the Star Knight blacklist! What a happy ending, just as some would wish.”

Those who had previously disapproved of the students’ betrayal now felt relieved by the expert’s words, shifting their blame to the Flower Saint for meddling in the Divine Academy and corrupting minors. However, since the Academy had confirmed the matter, it would appeal to the tribunal, and the Flower Saint would not escape consequences.

“Enough digression. Let’s get to the main point: Why did the Flower Saint target Sang Hongye?”

The expert fashioned a large question mark with his tentacles.

“Factional strife? Wrong. No matter Sang Hongye’s potential, a seat-holding saint would not personally intervene unless they were brainless. Or is it Sang Hongye’s origin? Also wrong. Even the wildest bloodline supremacist, as a public figure, would feign pan-species harmony, unless they were brainless.”

The question mark tentacles wobbled, and many couldn’t help but laugh at the expert’s biting wit.

“Is the Flower Saint brainless? Perhaps, perhaps not. Only the recognition worm in her brain would know.” The little octopus turned sky blue, one tentacle tapping its chin, others enlarged several image spheres. “Those who follow gossip may recall that, years ago—specifically twenty-seven months ago—a rumor about the Flower Saint appeared in the gossip sector. The news of the former chief saint eloping with her guardian knight was a huge scandal, so her own rumor never spread and was quickly erased. Here’s the archive I kept.”

PS: Sisters, don’t forget to recommend and bookmark after reading~~~ I’ve received notice: this will be launched on the twentieth of this month. Three updates on launch day, then two updates daily. Explosive chapters depending on performance, so stay tuned!

Ps. For those who are following, are there any free appreciation tickets or Starlight coins left? The countdown for the 515 Red Packet Ranking is on. I’m rallying for votes, please add more and send appreciation tickets, let’s make a final push!