A Matter of Life and Death

Chen Shuo couldn't help but take a few more glances at that staff member.

The more he looked, the more suspicious it seemed!

Because the staff member appeared to notice Chen Shuo staring at him and quickly walked towards the back of the stage. He was in such a hurry that he didn't even continue adjusting the equipment in his hands.

This certainly wasn't how a staff member should behave!

Just as Chen Shuo was about to follow him, his arm was grabbed by someone.

It was the wedding officiant.

Dressed in a suit and waistcoat, the officiant looked somewhat effeminate.

Even his speech was delicate: "Mr. Chen~ Our bride today has specifically requested that you and bridesmaid Miss Su bring up the diamond ring in the upcoming segment."

"Here's the diamond ring. When I call your name on stage later, you and Miss Su should bring the ring up together, okay?"

The officiant didn't give Chen Shuo a chance to react, handing him a ring box.

Then, he returned to the stage to prepare for the most exciting part of the wedding ceremony.

Chen Shuo had attended relatives' weddings before and knew that the most ceremonial part of a wedding was when the bride and groom exchanged rings.

Su Xiyan's cousin, Sheng Xueyao, had entrusted such an important task to him.

He absolutely couldn't let her down!

This crucial moment couldn't be messed up.

But... what about that strange staff member?

Both matters were urgent! What should he do?

Chen Shuo held the ring box, caught in a dilemma.

At that moment, all the lights in the hotel suddenly dimmed.

Only spotlights illuminated the top of the red carpet in the banquet hall—the entrance.

All the guests sat in their seats, their eyes focused on the lit entrance—the place where the bride would soon appear.

She would enter through the door, slowly walking to the center of the stage where the groom waited.

Chen Shuo recalled the rehearsal, worriedly glanced backstage, then used the cover of darkness to walk to the side of the stage steps.

On both sides of the stage stood five groomsmen and bridesmaids, just like during the rehearsal. They held a white veil, moving slowly.

The bride, Sheng Xueyao, wore an exquisite and luxurious wedding gown. She entered through the slowly opening doors, the focus of lights and all eyes.

As she walked to the center of the veil, the groomsmen and bridesmaids released it together. The white veil floated down, landing perfectly on Sheng Xueyao's head, not a bit off center!

Next, the bridesmaids and groomsmen exited the stage. It was time for the groom to express his love to the bride and thank her family.

According to the rehearsal, this segment would last about three minutes.

After three minutes, it would be time to exchange rings.

In other words, Chen Shuo only had three minutes to investigate the suspicious staff member from earlier.

Su Xiyan was still immersed in her cousin's joyful wedding, her dark eyes sparkling with aspiration.

Chen Shuo suddenly pulled her to the side: "Come with me!"

Before Su Xiyan could react, Chen Shuo had dragged her backstage.

Everyone's attention was focused on the bride and groom; no one noticed Chen Shuo and Su Xiyan's actions.

Su Xiyan had never seen Chen Shuo so nervous before. His palm, holding her hand, was drenched in sweat.

Backstage, many staff members were bustling about their work.

Such a grand and glamorous wedding relied on the efforts of so many behind-the-scenes workers.

Chen Shuo scanned the area but didn't see the strange staff member from earlier.

"Chen Shuo?" Su Xiyan shook her head at him: "I don't see any suspicious persons at the moment. Let's split up and look around."

Chen Shuo noticed a decorated prop nearby that seemed to have been moved.

An ornament that should have been in the wedding venue was placed under a truss stand backstage.

For a wedding of Sheng Xueyao's caliber, the venue decorations were meticulously planned.

In the high-ceilinged hotel banquet hall, several tall trusses had been erected for decorative purposes. The trusses held various sound and lighting equipment. Some trusses were responsible for decorating the venue.

They were adorned with all kinds of fresh flowers, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere!

Chen Shuo saw a standing ornament placed next to a truss stand.

In such a busy area, weren't they worried about the ornament being knocked over?

Moreover, it looked like someone had hastily placed it there.

Chen Shuo went over and moved the ornament aside, confirming his suspicions!!

The tall truss, with its main frame made of steel, was extremely heavy! To erect such a truss, the stands were crucial! They had to be firmly secured, otherwise, if the several-meter-high truss fell, it could instantly crush a person into a pulp!

Yet the bolts responsible for securing the bottom of this truss stand were all missing except one!

The rest were gone, leaving only empty holes, like the maw of a beast about to devour human life.

Chen Shuo looked up. The already heavy truss was also hanging lights, decorative flowers, and sound equipment. Could a single bolt hold all this??

Moreover, even this bolt had been loosened halfway.

The entire truss looked stable, but even a slight external force would cause it to collapse!!

Chen Shuo calculated the height of the truss and where it would fall if it toppled over.

Looking from the edge of the stage towards the front, Chen Shuo broke out in a cold sweat!

If the tall truss fell, its crossbeam would crash directly onto the first five tables in the front row!!

These five tables seated not only important relatives and elders of the bride and groom's families,

but also various bigwigs from Yu Hua City!

These people frequently appeared on the front pages of local news. Any one of them was a person of high status and authority!

If the truss fell, the people at these tables would likely not survive!

Who knows why someone behind the scenes would do such a thing? It was too vicious!

At this moment, on the wedding stage, the officiant's voice rang out: "Now, we come to the most exciting moment!"

"Let's invite our bride and groom to come to the front of the stage and exchange rings."

The guests below were still unaware that they were now on the brink of mortal danger!

All eyes were on the bride and groom on stage, completely oblivious to the impending danger!

It was time to exchange rings. What should he do?

In this perfect wedding, with so many eyes watching, what would happen if he shouted out now, saying the truss was about to fall, there was danger, everyone should evacuate?

Chen Shuo's hand, clutching the ring box, was now soaked with cold sweat.