The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 124

Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Who? (Edited)
After the small rift that happened last night because of the public opinion manipulation stunt that the other entertainment company employed, the whole internet was thrown in a momentary buzz and solely targeted Hera.

Leo and the other male leads were baffled by the sudden targeting of Hera, especially since the issue appeared to stem from a simple disagreement within the show. Despite their investigations yielding no evidence on their end, Leo suspected that someone behind the scenes was manipulating events to target Hera.

This is also the reason why Leo had to use Hera’s fanbase to investigate and act, it is so he won’t alert whoever is behind it and he was sure that the others also did their own investigation but found nothing so they thought that Leo had a clue and wanted to join the group he had created for Hera.

He wasn’t certain whether this person was solely after Hera’s reputation or had other motives. Nevertheless, the issue was resolved by midnight, allowing them to sleep soundly afterward. Despite being a bit chaotic, last night was still manageable.

Hera, still unaware of the previous night’s events, groggily rose from sleep before the Show’s morning call. Half-asleep, she made her way to the bathroom, clutching her clothes in one hand and toiletries in the other. Unnoticed by Hera, Xavier emerged from his room simultaneously, his gaze following her as she headed downstairs to the bathroom with half-closed eyes.

Silently, Xavier trailed Hera to the bathroom, ensuring her safety along the way. The sight was reminiscent of a child being watched over by a caring mother. Viewers watched with amusement as Xavier subtly adjusted the placement of furniture, all the while keeping a close eye on Hera to prevent her from bumping into anything. Despite his limited visibility, he remained vigilant, determined to safeguard her from any potential hazards.

After ensuring Hera safely reached the bathroom, Xavier hurried back to his room to gather his own toiletries and a change of clothes. Once ready, he returned downstairs to wait for Hera to emerge from the bathroom.

He checked carefully to ensure no one else was awake at that hour, wanting to prevent any potential trouble for Hera while he was occupied gathering his things.

As Hera emerged from the bathroom, fully awake, she noticed Xavier leaning against the wall, his disheveled hair and sleepy eyes giving him a cute, endearing appearance. When he realized she had come out, he snapped back to reality, blinking a few times before nodding at her in acknowledgment.

Once he was certain Hera had safely returned to her room, Xavier hurriedly washed up and rushed back to his own room before she emerged. Then, they both headed outside to do some stretching, returning just 30 minutes before the crew sounded the alarm bells.

As everyone sleepily gathered in front of the cabin, Xavier and Hera were already there, looking rejuvenated and ready for the day ahead.

“Good morning, everyone. I know most of you are tired from yesterday’s work and the events,” he began, casting a meaningful smirk around before continuing, “But today, we’re going to switch things up a bit. By now, you should all be familiar with the village and its surroundings. So, my team and I have prepared a little game for you all. It seems some of you have been struggling to earn points,” he added with a hint of sarcasm, his gaze lingering momentarily on Alice, who quickly averted her eyes.

“So, this will be a chance for all of you to gather more ingredients that you can use throughout the day or even up to tomorrow, depending on your strategy,” he explained, his words fueling the anticipation in the group. “Today’s game will be a scavenger hunt with a twist—there will be Easter eggs hidden throughout the village, and our team will provide you with a list to search for. However, there’s a catch: if the items listed in your list belong to the villagers, you can’t simply take them without their permission. Doing so will invalidate your find,” he concluded, his expression smug as he observed the reactions of everyone in the group.

“So, as usual, you all have an hour to eat, prepare, and return here for the event,” he announced. “Participation is optional, but those who choose not to join won’t receive any points or supplies for today, aside from what they’ve already gathered in previous days. Meeting adjourned, and good luck to everyone.”

The tension in the air was palpable as everyone sensed the Director’s intention to make it hard for them. Exchanging glances filled with a mix of frustration and determination, they realized there was no outlet for their vexation. Each participant dispersed to prepare for the morning, silently gearing up for the upcoming challenge.

Hera and Xavier were actually sharing a mischievous smile as they walk back to the cabin after exchanging points for a loaf of bread, butter, and pancake ingredients with maple syrup. They then immediately went their way to make their breakfast ahead of everyone else this time.

After Zen washed up, he joined the two in the kitchen and pitched in wherever he could. Although they worked in silence, there was a seamless coordination among them as they prepared the food. Their breakfast was soon ready, eliciting envious looks from the others due to its appetizing and delicious appearance.

As Hera and the rest worked on their breakfast, they didn’t spare the others a glance. Any remaining sense of cordiality they had for the other participants had vanished, and now they treated them as if they were invisible.

But no one dared to voice their discontent; they could only purse their lips together. They acknowledged that they had gone too far in targeting Hera without fully understanding the situation. They recognized their own faults in the matter and accepted how Hera’s team treated them. However, Minerva, Alexi, and Alice remained indignant about the treatment they received, feeling the unfairness of Hera’s team enjoying flavorful meals while they were stuck with tasteless and unappetizing food.

This time, no one paid them any attention, and everyone went about their own business. Nobody even bothered to help the three with their meals anymore, wary of being dragged into another situation that could be detrimental to them. Even without seeing or knowing what was happening on the internet, they could sense the Director’s or the crew’s treatment and glances when they went out to exchange their points for ingredients.

They realized that things weren’t looking good for them, and they acknowledged their mistakes. However, there was no use crying over spilled milk at this point. All they could do was proceed with the rest of the recording responsibly, ensuring that they didn’t further exacerbate the situation. Perhaps they even had a chance to salvage their reputation to some extent.

Zen couldn’t contain his delight as he observed everyone giving the troublesome trio a wide berth. “Hera, Xavier, it seems the others have finally come to their senses. Or did they miraculously regain their sight after bumping their heads?” His sarcasm dripped from his words, delivered loud enough for all to hear.

Zen’s words reverberated, causing a ripple of unease among the participants. Some felt a pang of embarrassment as they realized how quickly they had judged Hera based on Alice’s words and that, they had rallied around Hera just these past three days. It dawned on them that they had been misled, and they now saw Hera in a different light. The fog of bias lifted, allowing them to perceive the situation with clarity and without prejudice.