Chapter 112

Sophia raised her hand and knocked on the wooden door. The knock echoed faintly; the interior remained strangely silent. She stood awkwardly, rubbing her hands. To the camera, she whispered, "They definitely didn't hear us. Let's knock again."

A seductive smile played on Sophia's lips. She knocked again. After a while, footsteps approached from within. When the door opened, a man in thick pajamas stood there, grumbling, "What?"

Seeing the nearly fifty-year-old man, Sophia's smile deepened.

"Sir, we're recording a show," she said softly. "We were in a car accident and haven't found anything to eat yet. Could you please give us some food? We'll return it tomorrow."

Her melodious voice caught the man's attention. He looked at her smooth skin and exposed shoulders, his Adam's apple bobbing. His gaze lingered on her V-neck with undisguised intent. He rubbed his hands, staring at her. "Come in," he said, turning to enter his home.

Sophia hesitated. Just as she was about to call for her crew, the man spun around fiercely. "If you want food, come in yourself," he snapped. "They're not allowed."

A sense of foreboding washed over her. Having already knocked, refusing entry seemed suspicious. Hesitating only a moment, she gritted her teeth and entered. Her team was outside; if anything happened, she could call for help.

"Don't worry," she murmured, "I'll just go in for a while. I'll return the food tomorrow."

As she approached, she felt his gaze grow increasingly vulgar. Before she could speak, he strode past her, slamming the door shut.

"Why did you close the door?" Sophia exclaimed, shocked. The room was dimly lit, simply furnished; the man was clearly poor. Regret washed over her. She wanted to flee, but he touched her exposed shoulder.

"Wait, I'll get you something to eat," he said, his large palm sliding down her shoulder. He brushed against her chest, causing her to flinch. He glanced down at her clothing before walking to the dining table. He handed her several bags of spaghetti and a few black bananas.

"Is that enough?" he asked.

Sophia stared, speechless.

"This banana was picked yesterday," he said. "It's very sweet."

He thrust the food into her hands, then added a loaf of bread. Seeing her hands were full, his gaze snagged on her chest again. He swallowed hard, then leaned closer. "How long are you staying? Are you the only woman in your group?"

"A week," Sophia replied instinctively.

His eyes lit up. He rummaged through his belongings, adding potatoes and packing everything into a bag for her.

"The back of the mountain is dangerous," he said, casually putting his arm around her shoulder as they walked. "If you run out of food, come find me. I'll hunt for you."

Sophia awkwardly avoided him, but his hand still brushed her chest. She felt disgusted and angry, her body trembling. She knew he was taking advantage of her.

"I'm leaving then," she said, biting her lip and hurrying out the door. She ran, fearing he would chase her. Normally, she would have slapped him, but not now. She needed to appear successful in obtaining food for the group. Suppressing her nausea, she ran.

"This gentleman gave us spaghetti, bread, potatoes, and bananas he picked in the forest—all natural!" Sophia announced to the camera, displaying the contents of the bag. She winked mischievously. "Seems the villagers are friendly. But from tomorrow, we'll have to find our own food. I promised to repay him tomorrow; I won't take advantage of him."

Atlas took the food with a look of disgust. He wouldn't normally eat this, but no one dared to complain, especially about the black-spotted bananas.

"Let's see if this wild banana is good," Sophia said, peeling and biting into one. Sweetness spread in her mouth. She nodded enthusiastically. "It's delicious! Different from anything I've had before." She forced a smile, following Atlas, but her eyes were on Finnian, searching for a chance to speak privately.

A viewer commented: "[Am I the only one who thinks her shoulders are a little red? Was she groped?]". Others questioned the closed door and the length of her stay. Some suspected she disliked the food but hid it, even suggesting she feared poisoning.

Netizens scrutinized the video, enlarging screenshots to see the redness on her shoulder. The internet exploded. Sophia's fans were furious but powerless against the onslaught of negative comments. They couldn't afford to remove the trending topics.

Meanwhile, Group B ventured into the forest. The air was fresh, birds and animals calling faintly.

"I think there are mushrooms," Odalys said quietly. "After the rain, they're plentiful."

"Odalys, do you know how to tell edible from poisonous mushrooms?" Freya asked, curious. "I heard some are poisonous."

"I heard you shouldn't eat brightly colored ones," Selah added.