Chapter 454

He quickly adjusted his bathrobe, holding his phone in one hand as he pointed it at the snake. Was it the same one that had followed Odalys before? He wasn't sure, but it seemed dangerous—possibly venomous. They couldn't afford to take any chances. If it struck, things could get complicated.

Before Odalys could say anything, the snake coiled, swung its head, and shot up to the ceiling, sticking to the wall like a shadow. Its tail whipped into a nearby lamp. Before anyone could react, the snake flew toward them.

"Ah, shit?"

"Goddamn!"

They all screamed in unison, terrified. The snake slithered around Francis's neck, then flew to Freya's collarbone, bounced onto Stellan, and burrowed into his towel. With a swift twist, it slithered out and landed on Selah's face, as if it owned the place.

The group was so startled they fell to the ground. Selah's vision blurred, and she nearly fainted from the shock. The snake, apparently satisfied with the chaos, darted toward the window and leapt out, disappearing into the night.

"What did it just sit on my face?" Selah was still frozen in disbelief, her hand instinctively touching her face as if to confirm it wasn't a nightmare.

Freya also touched her collarbone, still in shock. Stellan, on the other hand, covered his lower body, unsure whether to laugh or scream. The snake had crawled into his towel, only to slither out again. Even now, his legs were shaking from the horror.

"Is it really that messed up? Is this some kind of twisted game?" he muttered.

Odalys couldn't help but laugh. "It's just bored, really. It's seen you all before and figured it would come mess with you. It's not malicious."

They weren't sure if she was being serious, but the gleam in her eye suggested she found the situation hilarious.

"This isn't messing around. It's terrifying!" Selah still couldn't believe how close it had been.

Freya recalled their last encounter with the snake, when it had practically sat on her face. The memory sent a shiver down her spine.

"Why hasn't it left yet?" Francis, still feeling lingering fear, rubbed his neck.

The group collapsed onto the carpet, while Stellan closed the window.

"I came to Film Capital to find you. It probably sensed danger. Did anything happen while you were filming today? Snakes are sensitive creatures."

"They're not only sensitive, but they can also communicate. It means you no harm. We had an encounter with a giant python back in the mountain village, so it won't attack you."

"But if nothing's wrong, it wouldn't show up. The fact that it can enter your room suggests something has happened," Odalys said after a pause. She knew a great deal about things with spiritual sensitivity.

"Animals, as a rule, tend to avoid humans and don't like getting too close—it's a form of self-preservation. But if a snake actively enters your room, it could mean danger is looming."

Stellan and Francis had fight scenes, and though they both got minor injuries, there wasn't anything unexpected. Selah and Freya had a scene together that went smoothly. The others couldn't recall anything unusual.

"Really, nothing unusual. Everything went smoothly. Didn't the Major give us some luck? Things have been going well for us," Francis said.

Chapter 451

The group sat on the floor in a dazed heap, too rattled to get up. They seemed like old friends, unconcerned with appearances, collapsing wherever they felt most comfortable.

Only Stellan, ever the practical one, grabbed a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around himself to avoid further embarrassment from his insecure towel.

"Turn the lights on, will you! Freya, Selah, take off your face masks. Let me see your foreheads," Odalys said urgently. She sat up, all traces of sleepiness gone. The mood shifted from casual to tense instantly.

"Got it," Francis said, jumping to his feet. He switched on all the lights and ran his fingers through his freshly washed hair.

The two girls removed their face masks, and they huddled together in front of the camera. They muted their phones so Freya could hold it while they gathered around, their faces framed by the screen.

Odalys narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing their faces, then her brows furrowed.

"What's with the darkened foreheads? Did anything happen today?" she asked suspiciously.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence.

"No, nothing unusual," they all shook their heads.

But Francis hesitated. He pulled out his phone, his face serious. He held up a message.

"Does this count as something happening?" he asked quietly.

The message read: 'I need your organs. If you don’t agree, you’ll die!'

"It's from my ex-girlfriend's boyfriend," Francis explained. "They set me up before, tried to get my organs for her boyfriend. You helped me expose them, and the police arrested them. But now… I think this is from him. He's threatening me, telling me to comply. I didn't take it seriously at first, but after seeing the snake, I don't know anymore."

Stunned silence followed. It wasn't a prank—it was a real threat.

Odalys's face grew serious. "The general I sent to the afterlife… he passed his luck onto you four. Your destinies are now intertwined. If one of you faces danger, the rest will also be affected."

"So yes, this definitely counts," she said grimly. "You're all connected by fate now."

She checked her ring, but there was no immediate change. She was still uneasy.

"What do we do now?" Selah asked, her voice trembling. "Call the cops! But even if they find the message, they'll probably just think it's a prank."

Stellan glanced at the number and dialed it.

"The number you've dialed is no longer in service. Please check and try again."

They exchanged shocked looks. The number was no longer valid. Whoever sent the message had shut off their number. This wasn't just a threat—it was a serious warning.

"What now?" Stellan asked. "I'll have my bodyguards take care of it. No one's coming to Film Capital to kidnap Francis, not on my watch." He might be the heir to the Drake Group, but this was getting dangerously real.

"Do you still have the talisman I gave you?" Odalys asked.

Francis nodded. "It's in my phone case."

"You should wear it. Sometimes you can't bring your phone to set, or it might get lost. The talisman's safety is more important," Odalys reminded him sternly.

Francis opened his phone case and pulled out the talisman. His eyes widened in horror.

"The talisman… it's burned to ashes!" he gasped. "It was perfectly fine this morning before filming!"

Everyone froze, dread filling the room. Something was seriously wrong.