Then a thought crossed his mind. <i>’I don’t think I’d appreciate being called stinky either.’</i> With a wry smile, he nced at Hera.


    Hera sensed that Zen had realized his mistake, but in her petty moment, she decided to leave them behind and briskly walked towards the cabin. The feeling of being covered in a thickyer of sweat and dirt made her skin itch. Whether Zen had called her "stinky" or not, she was determined to retreat to the cabin to wash up. As a small punishment, she would let him believe she was upset with him.


    She walked back, sniggering, while Zen, flustered, started to run after her. However, Xavier proved much faster; with his long legs, he had already caught up to Hera. Sensing Xavier walking closely behind her, Hera felt insecure about her smell, so she quickened her pace. But as she increased her speed, Xavier matched it step for step.


    In the end, Hera went back to the cabin half sprinting and Xavier was still closely walking with her. When she came back to her room, she was already panting and her face was flushed, she did not know if her face was flushed due to brisk walking or was from embarrassment because Xavier was close to her during that time even when she was supposed to be smelling really bad.


    [Iam_Superman: Does anyone else see Hera’s expression like that of an angry rabbit kicking its hind leg in frustration?! It’s cute though. FYI, I have a rabbit that does that...]


    [HeraismySister: I feel bad for sister Hera, but I find her expression cute too. @Iam_Superman, now that you mentioned it, I’m starting to imagine it too, and OMG, the cuteness is killing me.


    [AuntieNextDoor: +1]


    [NorthernDuke: Doesn’t she look more like a cute hamster that’s always eating? ?(????)]


    [Xoxo: Ah! It’s true, @NorthernDuke! Hera seems to love eating, so when youpare her to a hamster, it just fits perfectly.]


    [FatherOfCaduceus: @NorthernDuke I beg to differ. I think she’s more like a cuddly white Samoyed dog. Loyal and friendly.]


    [EntertainmentKing: @NorthernDuke and @FatherOfCaduceus, it’s obvious that you guys don’t know her well. She’s like a white fox, cunning but sometimes silly.]


    [GoldenLight: @NorthernDuke, @FatherOfCaduceus, and @EntertainmentKing, quit pretending like you know her. She’s obviously more like a temperamental white cat—feisty yet cuddly at the same time.]


    [Dave_Carson: @NorthernDuke, @FatherOfCaduceus, @EntertainmentKing, and @GoldenLight, wasn’t the topic about her expression of frustration? Why did it suddenly turn into an episode of Animal?]


    [NorthernDuke: ...]


    [FatherOfCaduceus: ...]


    [GoldenLight: ...]


    [EntertainmentKing: @Dave_Carson Shut up, no one will think that you’re mute if you don’t talk.]


    [Dave_Carson: @EntertainmentKing I’m not talking but typing though. (????-)?]


    [EntertainmentKing: (　-_-)︻デ═一 @Dave_Carson]


    After being reminded about Hera’s frustration, four of the VIPs in Hera’s livestream immediately contacted the Director of ’The Quest’. When the Director first saw their shing gold username and thevish gifts they sent to the livestream, he first thought that they were just second-generation heirs who did not know much of the world and were just wasting their parents’ hard-earned money without second thoughts and was just trying to impress Hera with money. But now that he is seeing his phone screen lighting up.


    He felt like his whole body was submerged in an ice bath because the caller IDs that were shing in his phone were the well-known industry behemoths in their country. The four of them even called simultaneously. Their simultaneous calls sent a shiver down his spine, a premonition stirring within him that these men were reaching out for the same purpose.


    Hera’s livestream stood out uniquely among other participants, boasting VIPs who openly supported her. Unlike the others who might have their own benefactors, those rtionships often remained ndestine due to their questionable morality. Therefore, none of the financial backers for the other participants would openly dere their interest in their respective "sugar babies" as Hera’s VIPs did.


    But Hera was different, since day one of the show, the VIPs were already showing clear interest in her and he himself have seen all theirments, that’s why he thought that they are just hot-blooded young men who were looking for fresh flowers to pick.


    Now, realizing his misjudgment, the Director found himself in a predicament. What initially appeared as mere coincidence now seemed to harbor deeper implications. With Hera’s recent consecutive tasks under scrutiny, he found himself without a clear exnation to offer.


    As the calls persisted, their names shing on his screen like contestants in a race, as ifpeting to see whose call would be answered first. The Director grew more flustered and hesitant. Cursing his luck, he eventually gave in, randomly selecting a call to answer, his mind racing with uncertainty about how to handle the impending conversation.


    Sure enough, they grilled him for assigning Hera the most challenging tasks in the vige. His suspicions were confirmed; those VIPs were indeed the country’s behemoths and were concerned about her wellbeing.


    Hera was not aware of the male lead’s banter online but even if she knew, she wouldn’t care because she was already busy cleaning herself up in the bathroom.