Book 5: Chapter 151: A Real Education on the Dangers of Gambling

Book 5: Chapter 151: A Real Education on the Dangers of Gambling

“What’s going on? Why is there no footage of the match?”

“What’s the director of the program doing! They should be fired!”

“Where’s my Princess Estelle? I came here to see her...!”

“Refund our money!”

The audience erupted into chaos as angry spectators hurled objects toward the production studio. Some freaks even took advantage of the confusion to sneak onto the arena with shovels, axes, and hoes, aiming for the Immaculate Tree Domain.

The broadcast of the match had been switched off midway, depriving the audience of what could have been the most thrilling part of the battle.

Yet, the officials remained tight-lipped, offering only a vague explanation on the black screen that read: “Technical difficulties, staff members are resolving the issue, please wait patiently.”

Heh, how convenient. While the other matches proceeded smoothly on live broadcast, this one remained shrouded in darkness from start to finish. Not even a single advertisement graced the screen during the blackout.

The viewers felt insulted.

Beep!

Suddenly, the black screen began to flicker, and gradually, a picture emerged, much to the anticipation of the crowd. With bated breath, they watched as the image grew clearer and clearer before their eyes.

Unfortunately, it was not what the audience expected. Instead of a thrilling battle scene, they were greeted with the result of the match.

For the countless excited viewers, it was akin to watching an adult movie and catching a glimpse of steamy passion, suggestive scenes, tantalizing imagery, only for the screen to suddenly go dark and skip to the part where the actors were fully clothed again.

And for some, if not most, viewers, what followed was even more frustrating.

Summary of the match:

Winner: Team Little Sparkly Blonde Princess

Loser: Team Princess EstelleReêad latest novels at noov/e/l/bin(.)com

Total Match Time: 45 minutes and 37 seconds

Winner’s MVP: Lilith

Loser’s SVP: Myre

Expert’s comment: What an exciting match, it’s truly exciting. The last time I witnessed such an exciting match was... well, last time. It was truly an exciting match, akin to watching an exciting match.

The audience fell silent momentarily, absorbing the information on the screen before erupting into outrage.

“Foul play! This must be foul play!”

“Something fishy’s going on! Princess Estelle will never lose! Who’s this Blonde Princess? We’ve never even heard of her!”

“No footage and just a summary? Unacceptable!”

“Fake match! It’s definitely a fake match!”

“I’ll lend you a hand, so you don’t end up on the streets. After all these years as your supervisor, it’s difficult for me to see you in such a situation,” he said.

“Supervisor...” Dowd was moved to tears, taken aback by the unexpected warmth and support from his usually harsh supervisor.

“Okay, okay, it’s about to cut into the host room’s screen. Go wipe your tears, I’ll arrange for someone to touch up your makeup now.”

“That means ......” Dowd’s excitement bubbled over as he continued, “I can keep hosting?”

“Of course, the staff will bring you a script in a few minutes. Make sure you read it loud and clear.”

“Does reading it mean I get to keep my job?”

“Well... I can’t guarantee that, considering the severity of the mistake you made. Even if the organization forgives you, the public won’t be as forgiving.”

The supervisor’s tone softened as he continued, “But as long as you read the script and continue doing a good job, I assure you that you’ll be able to put food on your table, live in free shelter, and possibly even have a job arranged for you.”

“R-Really...?” Dowd could not believe his ears. He had not expected such kindness from his supervisor.

Though he had hit rock bottom, the prospects of food, shelter, and job promised by his supervisor gave him hope to start anew.

“Hey, when have I ever lied to you?” His supervisor chuckled lightly before adding, “Just do your best. I have other matters to attend to and won’t be reachable for some time.”

“Alright, I’ll give it my all!” Dowd felt a surge of determination.

Before long, a makeup artist swiftly touched him up, and a staff member discreetly handed him a script.

“Just read it as it’s written, right?” Dowd adjusted his bow tie, cleared his throat, and took a sip of water to ensure he was in his best condition.

Confident in his professionalism, he effortlessly read through the short script. His years of experience allowed him to read the entire script without even processing the content in his head.

This was professionalism.

As the scene transitioned to the host room, Dowd flashed a confident smile, his mind clear as he delivered the script in a calm, steady voice.

“The following is my personal statement regarding the recent live broadcast incident:

At 16:33 PM, I violated the organization’s rules by placing bets on a gambling platform with the intention of making quick money. Frustrated by Princess Estelle’s initial disadvantage in the game, I lost control of my emotions and deliberately damaged the organization’s broadcasting equipment, resulting in the live broadcast failure.

I take full responsibility for this incident and hereby declare that the organization bears... no... involvement... in... this... matter.”

As Dowd continued reading, his pace slowed, and he realized something was amiss. His eyes darted back and forth, as the words began to sink in.

“T-This... T-T-This...” Realization finally hit him like a ton of bricks, and he could not contain his frustration. “That damn baldie deceived me!”

The silence on the other end of the headset was deafening.

“You think you can just frame me like this? The script is still here! I’ll make sure you...” While ranting, Dowd suddenly froze as he saw Fenice leaning over, ripping up an extremely familiar-looking piece of paper.

“What are you doing?” Dowd asked blankly.

“Oh, this?” Fenice spat out a flame to destroy the evidence after tearing it, then pointed to her ear.