Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The backstage of the theater was more complicated than Bai Li had anticipated.

A classmate led her to a corridor, at the end of which stood a door. Several young women, dressed fashionably and wearing elaborate makeup, were waiting in a scattered line.

Bai Li had expected her competitors to be plain middle-aged women or even grandmothers, based on her past impressions of school cleaners. She never imagined that people around her age, or even younger, would be applying for the job.

Considering that the salary for cleaners at this theater was below average, this suggested... the job market in Tieliu City must be quite dire recently?

This was Bai Li’s first time looking for work, and she had more reasons to believe so, such as her husband's unemployment.

She needed to seize this opportunity. Bai Li felt a bit nervous.

Or rather, the surge of determination made her feel more invigorated.

Her classmate: “...?”

She noticed that Bai Li, under the scrutinizing gaze of others, seemed more spirited instead.

Something was off.

Was Bai Li Bomai really like this?

She remembered Bai Li from middle school—a girl who always walked with her head down, her bangs covering her eyes, and average grades. Despite being cute and petite, she had several unflattering nicknames. The boys who glanced at her during class would scare her away if they got too close—she ran quite fast.

It was said that Bai Li Bomai’s family was very strict with her, forbidding any contact with non-blood-related males. Yet, this conservative girl eloped right after graduation, barely getting her diploma.

Bai Li Bomai probably didn’t know that her classmates often talked about her at their gatherings, treating it as a joke.

Indeed, she was a joke-like figure. This person was now a housewife, choosing an easy life supported by a man, yet here she was, applying for a cleaning job. It was clear her family was facing significant financial trouble.

This was someone her classmate couldn’t even get back at by stepping on her foot. From Bai Li’s slight confusion upon seeing her, the classmate could tell Bai Li didn’t even remember her name, meaning she couldn’t even complain.

Such a person, not only didn’t bow her head upon seeing her but also proudly declared she was here to apply for a cleaning job, providing a perfect chance to vent her frustration.

But now, the classmate wasn't so sure.

Where did she get the confidence to walk in so confidently? Did she even realize she was applying to be a cleaner?

The classmate’s anger didn’t dissipate; instead, it almost caused her internal injury.

Fortunately, she soon convinced herself that the director of this new play, Hanhai Parrett, who had just berated her, wouldn’t let anyone off the hook just because they said, "Sorry, I’m here to apply for the cleaning job; I must have taken a wrong turn."

That woman was extremely arrogant and picky. Bai Li wouldn’t even need to say a word before Hanhai Parrett would unleash a torrent of insults.

Then Bai Li Bomai would revert to her original self. That’s how it should be.

The classmate felt relieved when another applicant came out, covering her face in tears.

Each applicant spent varying lengths of time in the room, but none looked good coming out, scaring many in the queue. The classmate prepared herself to persuade Bai Li if she backed out, but unexpectedly, Bai Li seemed eager to try.

When the door opened and someone called, "Next," the petite Bomai smiled at her chattering classmate before stepping inside.

The classmate cursed inwardly, leaning against the door to listen once it closed.

Sure enough, the familiar sharp female voice didn’t stop.

"Madam, is our production team not worth your visit to a salon for a less hideous hairstyle?"

Bai Li, criticized upon entering: “?”

She finally realized something was amiss.

No matter how inexperienced she was, Bai Li guessed that a simple cleaner’s interview didn’t require six people sitting behind a long table.

In the center sat a slender woman with colorful, long hair and vibrant ear wings, making Bai Li recognize her possible surnames despite not knowing her personally.

The bird-woman scrutinized Bai Li, her pale yellow eyebrows furrowed, seemingly about to say something. But before she could speak, the wolf-man beside her interrupted, saying to Bai Li, "Let’s try this scene. You’ve just killed your husband."

So this wasn’t a cleaner’s interview but an actor’s audition.

This was still an opportunity. An actor’s salary couldn’t possibly be just ten dollars.

Bai Li sensed a hint of malice from her classmate but didn’t mind it much, deciding to thank her later.

She would sincerely thank her, even though she still couldn’t recall her name.

The wolf-man gave her some instructions. After he finished, Bai Li, who was more experienced in killing husbands than most, lowered her head, staring at the ground as if there was a corpse there.

She recalled the night that changed her life, her lips curling into a passionate smile.

The Master was right; killing an ordinary person was indeed easy. She might not have stabbed exactly where the Master instructed, but Tan Bi, who was half a meter taller, lost his strength and could only clutch his bleeding wound after she pulled out the knife. He stumbled a few steps before collapsing.

At that moment, Tan Bi was still alive, and Bai Li stood next to him, watching him moan and gasp until his breath faded away.

After hearing no more breathing, Bai Li turned him over, confirming his heart had stopped, then discarded the bloodied knife and entered the ritual circle to pick up Xiao Yu, covered in blood.

Oh, she could skip the part about discarding the knife.

Bai Li skipped it, as if reliving that night, adjusting her expression in front of the mirror where the Master’s reflection had vanished—she could also skip picking up a mirror shard—and then happily ran out of the house.

She deliberately tripped in front of her neighbor’s door.

She screamed, "Help! My husband is a cultist!"

Several interviewers watching Bai Li open their mouths wide.

They only closed them when Bai Li stood up and smiled at them.

"The last line, did you improvise that or did you read it somewhere?" The man who had asked her to perform a segment asked with interest.

"It was my own idea, sir."

"Truly rare, you performed with a kind of wicked charm—"

"Too rough!" The long-faced bird woman interrupted the man, glaring at Bai Li, "The techniques your school teachers taught you, did you eat them and flush them down the toilet? What was with those obvious pauses in the middle? Did you not prepare before starting your performance? And you rethought things twice during the performance? And your lines! Your accent sounds like you have a mouthful of snot! Is this accent suitable for the stage? You..."

She berated Bai Li from all angles, then asked, "What's your name?"

"Bai Li Boméi," Bai Li answered without changing her expression.

As soon as she spoke, she suddenly felt a gaze upon her change.

Bai Li wasn't particularly sensitive to gazes, and she couldn't even describe how the "gaze changed." She could sense something was off because the changed gaze resembled someone.

It was very similar to the night before last when a rat person broke into Sacred Heart Hospital to kill her—the believer of the Silver Moon Maiden.

Following this gaze, Bai Li found it came from a middle-aged deer man sitting at the far right among the interviewers. He had pale, branched antlers growing from his head, one of which was broken, leaving only a small stub.

Apart from this obvious feature, he looked quite ordinary but had an elegant demeanor. He was the only one among the six interviewers wearing a suit.

After Bai Li looked at him, the uncomfortable gaze disappeared. The middle-aged deer man noticed Bai Li's gaze and smiled warmly at her.

If Bai Li were still as insecure as before, she might have thought the similarity in gazes was just her imagination.

But now, she knew it wasn't an illusion.

While Bai Li was registering her address and contact information as required, she could still feel the middle-aged deer man's gaze subtly lingering on her.

Pretending not to notice, she quietly asked the clerk helping her register.

"May I ask what kind of character the production team is looking for?"

"It's an important antagonist role," the clerk said casually while jotting down Huan Banxiang's phone number, "a female cultist."

"Oh," Bai Li's smile became a bit more genuine, "That's great."

***

"So," Lin, who had been listening to the story, felt a headache intensify, "you were eventually chosen."

"Yes," Bai Li said, "After I came out, I thanked my classmates and inquired again about the janitor position. Then I stayed at Emme Theatre. At four in the afternoon, a lady told me that I got the supporting role and that I need to attend rehearsals at Emme every day starting tomorrow."

"Are you still staying at Judge Huan Banxiang's house?"

"Yes, Lord, as you worried, my salary won't be paid until next week, so I don't have money to rent a place yet."

No, that's not what I'm worried about.

I'm worried that you're praying to me using a mirror in a judge's house, Lin thought, rubbing his forehead.

The fearless Bai Li was indeed too bold. If he were a cultist, he wouldn't dare to linger under a judge's nose.

He was just wandering around the courthouse as an evil deity, no big deal.

Bai Li continued her report: "I inquired about the identity of the middle-aged deer man. He is the investor of this production, Lecai Xikadir. He is reportedly the owner of a department store on the twelfth floor. When I have free time, I will visit this department store to verify this information.

"Lord, I've carefully considered this. I am just an unknown person, and Lecai Xikadir isn't part of my past social circle. If he knows my name, it's either because he heard it from the court, which seems unlikely, or he is a believer of the Silver Moon Maiden and knows that I killed his fellow believer."

Bai Li clasped her hands together devoutly and asked:

"Lord, should I kill him?"