The correct answer is C. Simile.
Step-by-step explanation
A simile is the name of a rhetorical figure that consists of highlighting the similarity between one element and another, to attribute to the first characteristics of the second. According to this definition in the sentence "And closest contact with the human is like a lantern shining in the night" because it highlights the similarity between two events such as human contact and a lantern shining at night by using the word like. Therefore, the correct answer is C. Simile.