Chapter 278
Maddox instantly felt better—scratch that, he was thrilled just from Phoebe patting his head. He didn’t even acknowledge the glares Jamar and Reece were throwing his way. Instead, he beamed. “Okay!” Only then did he reluctantly head over to his group.
Meanwhile, Sienna, who had seen the whole thing, was fuming. She silently cursed Phoebe for being so shameless. However, it didn’t matter; Maddox was in her group now, and she was determined to make the most of it.
The live-stream audience had plenty to say about the moment:
[Ahhh ‘Pheebs and Maddie! She’s so soft with him!] [I wanna be patted on the head by Pherbs too!] [The ship is sailing! They’re so freaking cute together!] [Okay, I wasn’t on board before, but now? I totally get it.] [Not gonna lie, I used to want Phoebe to stay single, but she and Maddie are kinda perfect together.] [Right! Her ex was handsome, but all cold and broody. Maddie actually protects her and makes her smile.] [Let’s be real. Maddie is just as handsome as her ex, if not hotter.] [Pheebs needs someone like Maddie. They just work.] [Maddie is the ultimate combo, protective and sharp when he needs to be, but also a total puppy when he’s being spoiled. The duality is insane. Hurry up and get married already! I need a wedding ASAP.] [Sucks that Maddie got stuck in another group this time.] [Eh, doesn’t matter. We all know Maddie’s gonna find a way to stick to Pheebs anyway.] [And Pherbs is totally gonna keep looking out for Maddic. It’s inevitable.] [Ugh. I can’t wait to see what happens next LMAO, Maddie’s face when he realized he was stuck with Sienna was priceless!] [This director is evil. These groups are brutal.] [For real. Maddie and the Jenkins family hate each other, and Pheebs got saddled with her ex and ex-brother? Maddie was dying inside while her ex and ex-brother were thriving. RIP.] [Damn, I juuu realized none of the people who wanted to be in Phrebs’ group actually made it.] [This lineup is straight-up cruel. They must be so frustrated.] [Pheeba might not be able to carry this episode on her own.] [We gotta find them ourselves, or will the production tram introduce them?]
Once the teams were set, Phoebe turned to the director. “So, since we pulled the mystery guest, do we production tram introduce them?”
Sebastian replied, “You have a mission card that’ll lead you to them. Just follow the instructions. If they agree to join, then your team is complete.”
Phoebe unfolded the mission card and skimmed it. There was a rough map along with a set of directions.
“Enter the city and walk straight down the main street for about three thousand feet. Take a left into the alley. Keep following the map, then turn left again.”
“At the seventh shop, invite the first person you see, except the owner. If they refuse, ask the next person. If there’s no one inside, wait for the first person to arrive.”
Phoebe read it out loud while the live-stream audience reacted in real time.
Jamar let out a low whistle. “So, we’re just picking a random person! This is literally all luck.” The comments rolled in. Everyone was dying to see who Phoebe’s team would end up with.
Maddox raised a hand. “Wait, once we enter the ancient city, do we still have to work for money and accommodation?”
Sebastian nodded. “Yep. Same deal. But this time, no modern performances. The city sticks to historical accuracy, so no modern dance, pop songs, or anything like that.”
Everyone groaned. “You’re making it even harder for us!”
Realistically, none of them had any legit ancient skills. Sienna, however, was practically glowing. She knew classical dance and could play the cello. If it came down to it, she had options.
Meanwhile, Sebastian just grinned to himself. Of course, I’m making it hard for you. That’s what makes good TV.
On the outside, he kept a smile and reassured them. “I believe you.” Then, he added, “It’s already noon, and we’re not that cruel. So, we’ll give each of you 30 dollars to start with. Once you’re inside the city, you can grab lunch before figuring out how to make money.”
Galuwa was a massive ancient city, and they were still outside its gates. Out here, there were cars and other modern conveniences, but once they stepped inside, all of that would be gone. He added, “Oh, and we’ll cover your entrance fee too. That’s fair, right!”
Since the city required maintenance every year, visitors had to pay an entry fee. Each person would get a token with the date engraved on it, costing 15 dollars. It was valid for three days, allowing them to go in and out without paying again.
The participants exchanged looks, unsure whether to laugh or complain. If they couldn’t use their own money and the production team wouldn’t pay, there was no way for them to get in. Sebastian sure had a way with words.
After that, everyone handed over their phones and switched to the ones given by the production team. Then they stopped by a clothing store just outside the city to pick out outfits. At least this time, the production team covered the cost.
“These outfits are on us,” Sebastian said. “But if you want to change clothes over the next week, you’ll have to earn the money to buy them inside the city.”
Jamar frowned. “Wait, we can’t wear the clothes we brought?” He had never been to Galuwa before, so he was pretty much clueless.
Sebastian smirked. “Nope. No modern clothes allowed inside. Whatever era you’re stepping into, you gotta dress the part, shoes included. The stuff you packed? You can wear it again when you leave.”
Jamar stared at him, dumbfounded. He had packed an entire suitcase for nothing. Then, glancing around, he realized something: besides him, Cain, Sienna, and Reece, no one else had brought that much luggage.
Suspicious, he asked, “Hold on… didn’t you guys pack for a whole week?”
Maddox grinned, deadly enjoying himself. “We only packed clothes for today and the last day. Pheels told the city, so there was no point bringing our own clothes; we’d have to wear ancient clothes in the city.”
“You can’t wear watches or anything modern either. And forget about using your phone to pay; it’s all cash here.” Then, he mocked, “Wait, don’t tell me you guys had no idea?”
Jamar stayed silent, but in his mind, he was thinking, “This guy is so damn annoying.” They hadn’t gotten Phoebe’s heads-up, and they’d never been here before. Of course, they didn’t know.
Trying to save face, Jamar forced a chuckle. “Yeah… I really didn’t.” Then he turned to Phoebe. “You’re impressive. You really know your stuff.”
He meant it as a genuine compliment, trying to smooth things over. But Phoebe just shot him a look and said, “I’ve been here before. And the production team told us a week ago this episode would be in Galuwa. You seriously didn’t check any of the info?”
In her past life, she had visited Galuwa with Percival. Even so, she had spent the past week studying maps, watching videos, and reading up on the city.
Jamar wasn’t expecting the question. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh… nope. Didn’t even think to.”
Maddox snickered. “Man, you’re lucky you ended up with Pheebs. Otherwise, you’d be completely screwed.” He didn’t stop there. “Unlike us, who actually listen to Pheebs. We checked out the city map and did our homework beforehand.”
Lexie laughed. “Yup. Pheebs even sent us all the info and videos she found.”
Jamar and his group had no one to blame but themselves. They had pissed off Phoebe, and now they were paying for it. Jarnar felt the sting but knew better than to argue. This time, he just shut up.