Chapter 21 Fortune Favors the Bold

Jean walked out of the bathroom and casually started washing her hands.

Once done, she turned into the hallway,

On the other side of the bathroom was a stairwell leading up to the second floor.

+8 Pearls

It was early evening now. The sun had already dipped behind the horizon, leaving a dim, gray haze in its wake. The lights int the art building hadn’t turned on yet, bcasting /blong shadows across the corridor. The stairwell behind her looked like it was shrouded bin /ba thick, heavy fog.

Jean suddenly stopped walking.

The bhallway /bbwas /bpletely silent.

And empty

The reason she’d stopped was because-

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a faint shadow on the wall near the stairwell.

4 person.

Jean’s fingers curled slightly, her face tightening as she pressed her lips into a straight line.

Someone was hiding near the stairs.

bCould /bit be the same person who gave her the iron token?

So someone really was watching her from the shadows…

Even though her bnerves /bwere on high alert, Jean showed bno /bsign of fear. She knew better bthan /bto bpanic/b. Not now.

She pretended not to notice anything and stood still, head lowered.

A few moments bpassed/b.

The shadow bby /bthe stairs disappeared.

But bJean /bdidn’t let her guard down. She counted to ten, bmaking /bsure bthe /bperson was truly gone-

Then bshe /bbwhipped /baround band /bheaded bstraight /bfor the stairwell.

Right to the spot where that person had been bhiding/b.

The lighting bwas /bbstill /bdim. Jean bmoved /bquietly, eyes scanning the bsteps /bband /bwalls as she crept up.

What she was doing was undeniably risky.

If the person doubled back and caught her there, she was screwed.

didn’t matter.

Jonune favors the bold.

She’d known that since her previous life. The bigger the risk, the greater the reward

And she was here to chase down answer.

Finally–

7:41 PM c

ne Favors the Bold

blooming mower embedded inside a six–pointed star

The number of Ko

Everything was warning to connect–the badge in the host’s room, the symbol now showing sphere in the art building.

happening around ber… could it all be tied to Abysmal Chor

What were they nning!

Cary and Drink a prendere on the ert building rted to them too?

Jean had found what she came for. There was no need to linger.

She slipped away from the wairwell and quietly returned to the hallway

Back to the rebensmi

Inside, everyone had reamed pruzio

Some nced on Jean briefly as she walked in, but no one said much.

Jean beaded for the couch and

cicing up her bag.

Reheart bere bad ont ever bens no etruse. Her real goal was to investigate

Now that she’d gomen what she wendet, dhene was no reason to stick around.

“alnght everyone take a brenic

Their instructor called a pause at the rebemull. Laney and her group set down their scripts and rxed.

Jean slung her backpack over one shoulder ready to slip out—

“Jean, did you really your eat all the stacks?” icant F shrill woune rang out across the room.

Jean paused.

“Never mind,” another priughed. She probably doesch gen no eat Mouthlike this normally. First time seeing real snacks.

“Toca! bumpkin Adipi

“Ob bey didn

abruptly, dragging Jean’s

he’s never seen fined but

eks purving in a post life”

the Ginger family’s youngest daughter might be going to our school“The conversation pivered Carrily into it. ‘Duda Domine sha

“I brand chat too, but no one seems to know whur dana uber’s us. None a simple wharp

“Stayter it is just a marmor. Sull. F’d kill ta ber her—the box, rich sliderteacher and a family name that opens doors.”

Lacey strolled over and shot them azy nce. It’s gettingne. Maybe cut the dayederamungi”

Centurion, we can’t even dream anymore?

Fran turn and looked back at them. Lay’s wont muniefiunrly

Case of that gi narrowed her eyes and snappert, “What are you looking and proof Cange family’s pipes Oh righ,

7:41 bPM /bc

Chapter 21 Fortune Favors the Bold

Lacey called after her. “bYou’re /bjust gonna leave? No rehearsalb?/b”

Jean gave the snack bag a little shake and bgrinned/b. “Unlike you, I only need to practice once before the big day.”

“You” Lacey froze, stunned into silence.

bWas /bJean…. mocking her?

Mocking her for always messing up the song”

Fine.

Lacey’s eyes darkened as she watched Jean walk away.

That voice of yours? Soon, it’s going to be mine.

Jean didn’t stick around. She made it home before it gotpletely dark.

After ba /brushed dinner, she rushed to her room and turned on theputer.

Right now, her top priority was leveling up in League of Legends.

Not ba /bsecond could be wasted.

bAs /bbsoon /bas she logged in, the forums exploded.

“Breaking news! Wingre just logged in–I saw his status light up!”

“He’s finally back! How does he stop after one match? What kind of monster has bthat /bkind of self–control?”

“When’s his next match? I need to spectatel”

“bThanks /bfor the heads–up. I’m going to watch Wingre’s ranked game.”

“Feels like it’s been a year since his bst /bmatch. You don’t know what I’ve been through waiting for this moment!”

Jean was already in the game lobby. Her four teammates began trickling in.

This time, the vibe waspletely different from yesterday.

“Holy crap. I got matched bwith /bWingre! Brb posting this on the forum.”

“Is that really the same Wingre from yesterday?b” /b

“This one’s in the bag. He’s bgonna /bcarry us.”

“I be your b*tch, boss. Say the word–I’ll follow byou /banywhereb./bb” /b