Chapter 107

Sophia wasn't panicking, not yet. Finnian was becoming aroused. His hand moved restlessly under the blanket, touching her leg. He clearly wanted to go further.

"Comfortable," Finnian murmured softly, leaning towards her and resting his head on her shoulder. He seemed to have fainted.

Sophia pressed down on his hand, trying to remove it from under her skirt, but he held her leg tightly, refusing to let go. She dared not move, fearing discovery.

"How could this be? Didn't I use the Love Spell to make him loyal to me, to be used by me?" Sophia whispered.

She worried about losing to Odalys. Her only recourse was her charm to turn the tide; she had to make Finnian abandon Odalys. That way, others would believe Finnian loved her. Charm was her best form of validation.

However, Finnian's incessant touching flustered her. It was acceptable on the plane, but reckless touching during the variety show would have unimaginable consequences.

After a two-hour flight, they arrived at 11:00 a.m.

"Alright! Groups A and B have been assigned cars. Pack your luggage and follow your car's navigation to your destination," Kenny announced.

He handed car keys to Sophia and Odalys. After receiving them, they loaded their luggage.

"Should we eat something before we leave?" Odalys asked, glancing at the sun and then back at the others.

Seeing this, Sophia, holding the car keys, said excitedly, "Let's buy some biscuits to eat in the car. We'll plan once we arrive. How does that sound?"

"Alright," Adas replied quickly. He wanted to avoid Odalys; arriving before Group A would garner them more attention.

Finnian agreed. "After all, we're unfamiliar with the place. It's better to go and familiarize ourselves first." He had a terrible headache; only following Sophia's decisions eased it.

"Then let's go. I'll drive," Francis quickly took the keys and said. After their discussion, they drove off.

Group A's cameramen and staff were about to have dinner, but upon seeing this, they could only follow, ensuring the live broadcast continued.

"Let's eat first," Stefan said, checking his phone. The airport food wasn't good, so they decided to make do.

"Group A is rushing over to familiarize themselves with the terrain, right? I think this place is up in the mountains," Selah said.

Odalys pulled out the document bag and opened it, surprised by the destination.

"It seems to be deep in the mountains. Even if the crew doesn't block our phone signal, we probably won't have one," Odalys said quietly.

Freya looked up from her food. "Is it that remote? Should we buy something before we go?" she asked quietly.

Kenny waved his hand. "The funding we gave you is $30 per person, for a week. Spend it all here, and you'll have nothing left. Figure it out; you can't use your own money."

Odalys was silent, eating without comment. Everyone finished quickly and returned to the car.

"I'll drive. You guys take a break," Stellan said, taking the navigation information from Odalys.

Freya and Selah readily agreed, taking the back seats. Odalys sat in the front passenger seat.

As they drove, Odalys's pupils constricted. "Drive slower later," she told Stellan.

"What's wrong?" Stellan asked, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.

"It's going to rain soon. I'm worried about mudslides or rocks on the road. The mountain road hasn't been maintained in years; it feels dangerous," Odalys said quietly.

Her words startled the two dozing passengers.

"Alright," Stellan quickly nodded.

The car's luggage was heavy; coupled with Odalys's warning, Stellan dared not drive fast. The village was three hours away.

Suddenly, dark clouds covered the sky. Lightning flashed; the sky seemed about to collapse.

"It's really going to rain!" Freya exclaimed, fearfully looking out the window at the hailstones.

"Pull over and stop in the tunnel ahead," Odalys said quietly. Stellan immediately accelerated, but the heavy rain obscured the road, causing him to panic.

"Don't worry, there's no car in front," Odalys reassured him quietly.

Fortunately, Stellan was an experienced driver. He quickly regained control and drove into the tunnel. The production team's car followed.

As the car stopped, a loud bang echoed from behind. A huge rock rolled down, smashing the roadside railing.

"Looks like the weather's bad. Hurry and inform the cars ahead to stop," Kenny said, frightened.

After Odalys exited the car, seeing Kenny's anxiety, she said, "I just messaged the group chat, warning Group A, but they haven't replied."

"Damn it! I'll call the filming team," Kenny said anxiously. He called, but it took a long time to connect.

"It's dangerous in this rain. Find a safe spot and stop. We'll continue after the rain," Kenny ordered.

The photographer's expression was grim. Holding his phone, he whispered, "After receiving Odalys's message, I informed Group A. Francis said he's raced overseas and enjoys it; this road isn't difficult for him."

"Where's Group A now? Did you catch up?" Kenny was anxious, surprised by Group A's desperate pursuit of popularity.

"They've disappeared," Selah said, hurriedly opening the livestream. Group A's car sped away, the production team unable to keep up.

Fortunately, Group A's car had a camera. The shaking camera showed Group A's faces.

"No need for drama. We're fine! Group B just lacks guts; Group A fears nothing," Atlas said with a cold smile, gesturing to the camera.

"That's right! What's there to fear? We're the strongest!" Finnian agreed, his hand subconsciously touching Sophia's thigh. He leaned forward, avoiding the camera.