Chapter 43

Odalys was deeply moved. They had known each other only two days, yet last night, during a casual conversation, Odalys had mentioned that today was her 20th birthday. To her surprise, they remembered. Using their food hunt as an excuse, they had gathered wild fruits and made her a floral crown as a gift. The gift's value lay not in its price, but in the thoughtfulness behind it.

Ever since Odalys had been brought back to the Bennett family, she had been ostracized and had never experienced such genuine kindness. This group of people, whom she had just met, showed her more care than her family ever had. Her heart was a jumble of emotions.

"Thank you," Odalys said softly. As she ate, curiosity overcame her. "How did you remember it was my birthday?"

"You mentioned turning twenty yesterday," Freya replied, her smile warm and bright.

Not far away, Sophia heard singing. She quickly approached, only to see Odalys surrounded by Freya, Stellan, and Selah, who were serenading her. They had even made her a flower crown.

"Odalys, you little bitch. Are you trying to worm your way into the entertainment industry by cozying up to Freya and Stellan?" Sophia snapped bitterly.

Sophia had previously tried to get close to Stellan but failed to even meet him, let alone connect. Worse, Freya had openly opposed Sophia, even suppressing her opportunities. Odalys must be using them to target me deliberately, Sophia thought.

Sophia had been scheming to approach and win them over, and seeing them with Odalys shattered her composure. Jealousy consumed her.

Watching them enjoy their meal, Sophia clenched her teeth and was about to approach when a sharp pain shot through her stomach. A loud, uncontrollable fart escaped her.

Sophia froze in shock as intense pain churned her insides. It felt as though something was about to burst. Panic set in as her face turned pale. "Hiss! Ah!" she gasped, clutching her stomach and stumbling back toward the camp.

The cameraman, following her, stopped dead at the sound. A pungent odor filled the air, making him gag. Stunned, he hesitated before lifting his camera and following Sophia's staggering figure.

When he saw Sophia diving into the bushes, he moved the camera closer. However, upon realizing what was happening, he froze. In the bushes, Sophia's face darkened, and she shouted furiously, "I'm having stomach cramps!"

The cameraman jumped, his hands trembling so much that he nearly dropped the camera. Quickly, he turned the lens away and hurried toward Group A, who were visibly distressed.

Finmar was hunched over, vomiting. Atlas's legs shook so badly he almost collapsed.

"What's going on? Did we eat something bad?" Lucian asked through gritted teeth.

His lips had turned purplish, and his face was alarmingly pale. He turned away to retch, expelling a foul-smelling substance. Propping himself against a tree, he stumbled toward an empty spot. Chaos erupted within Group A.

(Livestream chat comments follow, cleaned up for readability but retaining informal tone)

Livestream Chat:

[What's happening? Did they all get food poisoning?] [Wait, did Sophia just fart on camera?! Why did she run into the bushes?!] [This livestream definitely has a distinct aroma. Is Group A collectively suffering from diarrhea in the wild?] [Lucian's lips are turning purple. This doesn't look good. They're vomiting and having stomach cramps. Could it be something they ate?] [Oh my god, are those mushrooms they were eating? Were they the ones they picked last night?] [I've heard that after seawater floods an area, the fish and shrimp that die can become toxic. I'm not sure if that's true, though.]

The livestream audience was captivated, unwilling to miss a second of the chaos as Group A continued to create increasingly outrageous incidents.

A cameraman, realizing the seriousness of the situation, immediately called the director. Upon hearing the news, the production team scrambled to the scene.

Meanwhile, Group B had finished eating and were lounging under a tree, chatting leisurely.

"By the way, why did you mention turning twenty yesterday? Does it have a special meaning?" Freya asked Odalys curiously.

Fiddling with the flower crown, Odalys explained, "I've learned much from my mentor, and when it comes to magic, I can fully practice it only after turning twenty. So before today, I wasn't allowed to do star readings or divination. But now that I'm twenty, I can." Her words stunned Selah. Selah stared at Odalys in disbelief.

No wonder Odalys brought that up earlier, Selah thought. Though unsure if it was true, she sensed Odalys's good intentions.

"Then what about your prediction yesterday about strong winds? Does that count?" Freya asked nervously.

Placing the flower crown on her head, Odalys stood up. "That doesn't count. Let's go," she said.

The others were taken aback. "Go where? Shouldn't we rest?" someone asked.

"Something's probably happened with Group A," Odalys replied.

As if on cue, Kenny's phone rang. After answering, he looked at Odalys with surprise and unease. "You're right. There's trouble over there."

Without hesitation, Kenny headed toward Group A, and Group B quickly followed.

They arrived to a grim scene. Group A members were pale and weak, with Lucian's lips an alarming shade of purple. He sat on the ground, trembling with exhaustion.

"They've been poisoned," Odalys muttered.

A crew member approached the remnants of Group A's meal and gasped. "Why would you eat this? You can't eat fish or shrimp that died after the floodwaters receded! And these mushrooms are poisonous!"

Sophia's expression darkened. She glared at Odalys, gritting her teeth. "Odalys, are you happy now? We're all poisoned because of you!"

Odalys hadn't expected Sophia to blame her. Raising an eyebrow, she laughed coldly, staring Sophia down. "What's that? Did I force you to eat it? Did I pick the dead fish and poisonous mushrooms for you?"

"Ms. Bennett, you're impressive. Always quick to throw mud. You make a mess, and I'm supposed to clean it up? Seems like you've gotten plenty of practice twisting the truth," Odalys said sarcastically.

Sophia's face darkened further under the judgmental gazes. Her lips trembled as she glanced at the cameramen, realizing the livestream was still running. She hastily turned away, furious.

This is infuriating. In the past, Odalys wouldn't have dared say a word if I smeared her. But now, she's actually standing up to me! Does marrying Percival make her feel so untouchable? Is that why she has the nerve to challenge me? Sophia thought bitterly.

"For now, take some medication to induce vomiting," Kenny instructed. "The seawater flooded last night, and the weather is unpredictable. For everyone's safety, we'll head back tomorrow morning."

"This variety show is temporarily suspended. Saving lives is the priority. I've already arranged for a boat to take us back." Kenny was sweating profusely. Despite the skyrocketing viewership, he knew he couldn't gamble with anyone's life.

After taking the emetics, Sophia and the rest of Group A spent the next while vomiting uncontrollably, the sound of retching filling the air.