Franklin's formidable strength was incredibly hard to detect in this vast environment. After coming up empty in his search, Zi Mou immediately decided to report the situation.

The officials were greatly shocked by the intelligence. The fact that Franklin, an individual so brazen that he didn't even respect the Federation, had infiltrated the concert was alarming.

Wind Thunder was also helpless. An immediate capture of Franklin using mobile combat soldiers was not feasible here at the concert hall, packed with countless spectators. Franklin had seized this opportunity to unabashedly appear before Zi Mou. Was this another defiant slap on the Federation's face by Saudi following the Heart of the Butterfly incident?

Before the officials could react, an unimpressive middle-aged man had somehow made his way onto the stage. Moving to an upbeat rhythm, his clumsy dance moves were comical, resembling a beginner whose movements were still unrefined.

High-ranking officials, who knew the real reason behind this, couldn't find it amusing. This man was none other than Franklin, the top mercenary from Freedom Port of Maraca. Ordinary people might not recognize him, but the big wigs definitely knew his renown.

Seeing the approaching figure, murmurs filled the crowd... How did this man reach the elevated stage? Was this an intermission? They had heard that there would be an opportunity for lucky audience members to interact with Athena. But no, it wasn't time for that yet. He shouldn't have appeared at this time. Nobody could guess why this man had taken the stage.

Athena and her bandmates, the four pop idols, were oblivious of this development. The man did not interrupt the ongoing performance, but the whispers among the crowd made the performers raise their eyebrows in confusion.

Yes, Franklin was enjoying the situation. He prided himself on his kindness and didn't want to disrupt the climax of the concert for his petty affairs. Only when his clumsy steps brought him level with the performers, they finally noticed him.

Looking at the man with a friendly smile, the girls first showed hints of surprise, but then they swiftly broke into smiles, commencing a performance akin to dancing with the wolf.

"Get a lock on him—snipers in the seven o'clock position, be ready to shoot at moment's notice, infiltrators approach him slowly," Zi Mou calmly relayed the instructions.

The poised soldiers loaded their guns, each aiming at Franklin's head, expecting an order to fire any moment. But none came. As the song neared its end a minute later, their order remained to hold their ground.

A rare seriousness flitted across Zi Mou's elegant face. It wasn't that she didn't want to order the killing, but she was well aware that such aim wouldn't pose a threat to a mercenary of Franklin's caliber.

Three snipers targeting Franklin likely had the toughest time. Franklin's casual moves were part of a meticulous strategy to evade the sniper sights, reflecting his sharp survival instincts honed in bloody battles. Firing now may not only waste their powerful card but might also infuriate Franklin. This outcome was the last thing Zi Mou wanted. She had already ordered all armed personnel to close in on the center of the stage. There was still a chance they could subdue Franklin in a short time.

Franklin, ever aware of his surroundings, noticed the stealthy movements but seemed unbothered, perhaps even contemptuous.

As the song ended, Franklin approached Wonderful Sound Girl and made a gentleman's bow, "My beautiful Miss Wonderful Sound, I am Franklin, a mercenary from Maraca Freedom Port. May I borrow your microphone?"

Seeing this, the crowd below started hollering louder, while backstage, chaos ensued—nobody from the crew was aware of this arrangement.

Wonderful Sound Girl, startled, looked around... She did not comply with Franklin's request. It had nothing to do with being haughty. As a pop idol, how could she casually hand over her microphone in the middle of a performance. It was a matter of professional ethics.

Every girl values her image, more so a public figure, who prioritizes public feelings. Doing so would be unfair to her fans who love her songs. She shook her head silently, refusing Franklin.

This refusal infuriated Franklin! Back in Freedom Port, he used to listen to Wonderful Sound Girl's songs quite frequently, which is why he sought her out in person. Her handing her mic to him would have been highly ironic for the Federation.

If that happened, Franklin would have greeted the vast audience politely and stated his intentions. But now, all his plans were spoiled by this annoying woman. Franklin looked at Wonderful Sound Girl, his gaze reminiscent of an adult looking at a child who had done something wrong. He tried to hide his brutish side, maintained the obliging smile, and softly said, "Little girl, be nice, give the microphone to uncle."

Uncle? Wonderful Sound Girl was taken aback. Her professional ethics strongly indicated that she shouldn't hand over the mic to this mysterious man, whose conduct was a far cry from his gentlemanly pretense. That could change the course of the entire performance.

Realizing that this man had been rambling on the stage, the sober audience caught on to the oddity, though some were still baffled.

The tense silence was finally broken when Franklin swiftly snatched the microphone from near Wonderful Sound Girl's ear, "You refuse the offer, you accept the penalty, my beautiful girl. You are such a picky eater."

Franklin had not been gentle. Five distinct marks were left on Wonderful Sound Girl's face.

The crowd fell into stunned silence. Was he mad? How could he dare to hurt Wonderful Sound Girl in front of everyone? A collective spit from the fans could literally drown him.

Still reeling from the slap, Wonderful Sound Girl's face was burning with shame. At times, living was more painful than death, such as now.

Her tearful face evoked sympathetic pains in her fans. One of them shouted, "Asshole, get down here, if you dare, stop hiding up there."

"Damn, what's tough about hitting a woman, I challenge you to a one-on-one."

Franklin ignored these provocations from the crowd. He simply didn't care about their opinions. He looked provocatively in Zi Mou's direction.

The remaining three girls were completely baffled, not knowing what was going on. Meanwhile, Athena courageously ran to comfort Wonderful Sound Girl...

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