Chapter 453 - 447: Rainstorm

The production team had actually placed tracking devices on each guest’s clothing; the flare guns were just a backup.

Because this shoot was in a remote location, the director, fearing another accident, made a last-minute decision to cancel the livestream.

When the show’s official account made the announcement, it immediately sent netizens into a frenzy.

But no matter how much they howled on Weibo, the moment the guests got out of their vehicles, all the livestream channels went dark.

Netizens: "!!!"

’That was a ruthless move!’

Meanwhile, the guests had already followed the beekeeping team into the mountain forest.

It had rained a few days prior, so the path was slick and the ground was soft. Even though no one was carrying anything heavy besides their own luggage, everyone was clamoring for a rest after three hours of walking.

Gazing at her ruined high heels, Nina Sinclair’s eyes reddened, and she plopped down on a rock.

"I can’t go on. Why don’t we all just rest for a while?"

The other guests were naturally tired as well; only Chloe Sinclair and a few of the beekeepers seemed completely unaffected.

Chloe Sinclair looked at the others, who were so tired they looked like they could melt into the ground. She didn’t speak up directly, but instead turned to a beekeeper. "Can we rest?"

The beekeeper nodded and said something in a thick local dialect.

No one could understand him, but they could guess from his expression that he had agreed.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Now that they finally had some free time, the guests took the opportunity to learn about the daily lives of the migratory beekeepers.

They couldn’t help but express their admiration after learning the beekeepers were constantly on the move, all year round.

The break passed quickly. Seeing that everyone’s energy had returned, Chloe Sinclair suggested they get moving again.

Nina Sinclair frowned. "Chloe, let’s just rest a little longer. I twisted my ankle earlier, and it doesn’t feel right."

Hearing this, Chloe Sinclair glanced at Nina Sinclair’s ankle before looking away.

"If we don’t get going, it’s going to rain."

Just then, withered yellow leaves spiraled down from nearly bare branches. Above, the sky was a sheet of grey-blue, with dark clouds scudding by rapidly.

RUMBLE—

Not long after Chloe Sinclair spoke, a low rumble echoed from the sky.

A bright flash of lightning split the sky.

"Ah!"

The two senior actresses, Jessica Ford and Yara Garrison, were so startled they leaped to their feet.

Gabriel Sinclair took two long strides to stand behind his sister.

Nina Sinclair gritted her teeth. ’I can’t believe this damned weather is working against me.’

As she thought this, another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.

This time, she didn’t dare dwell on it. She shot up from the rock, swallowed hard, and said, "Let’s, let’s go."

Chloe Sinclair remained still, staring at Nina Sinclair’s ankle. "Doesn’t hurt anymore?" she asked lazily.

A flicker of confusion crossed Nina Sinclair’s face. She clearly hadn’t processed what Chloe meant.

’But Chloe’s gaze... it seems to be on my ankle...’

Blinking, Nina Sinclair finally understood the implication behind Chloe’s question. For a moment, she stammered, unsure of what to say.

Chloe Sinclair let out a soft laugh, then turned and walked away.

Although the other guests disliked Nina Sinclair, they couldn’t be as blatant about it as Chloe Sinclair.

And so, without giving Nina Sinclair so much as a glance, they all fell in line behind the rest of the group.

The second after the group found a cave, the heavens opened up and rain began to pour.

If they hadn’t found shelter just in time, all of their clothes would have been soaked through.

"This rain probably won’t stop until tonight. We’ll rest here for the night and set off again tomorrow."

After translating the beekeeper’s words, Chloe Sinclair spread out the bedding the production team had provided and prepared to rest.

Nina Sinclair’s eyes lit up. She quickly said, "You two, I brought a tent. We can sleep in it together later."

Suddenly put on the spot, Jessica Ford and Yara Garrison instinctively glanced over.

Nina Sinclair had a huge backpack on. No wonder she’d had such a difficult time walking—she was actually carrying a tent.

To make the climb easier, everyone else had packed as lightly as possible, bringing only the bare necessities.

After all, they had to follow the bees every day, and there was no telling how long they’d stay in any one spot.

The beekeepers the production team had hired had been traversing these mountains for twenty years, so there was never any worry about the guests lacking a place to rest.

But no one else had brought a tent. When Nina Sinclair, the only one who did, suddenly put Jessica Ford and Yara Garrison on the spot, the two of them shook their heads almost without a second thought.

Nina Sinclair hadn’t expected them to refuse and was stunned for a moment.

But their refusal had been so swift, giving her no time to even think.

Now, she stood there alone, feeling a bit awkward.

"We’re so unlucky, running into such a heavy downpour right after we started up the mountain."

Nina Sinclair quickly changed the subject. Staring at the downpour outside the cave, she couldn’t help but rub her arms.

’All the clothes she’d brought were beautiful, meant to be shown off to the audience, but now she realized there would be no opportunity.’

The hem of her white skirt was now caked with mud, giving off a faint, earthy smell.

When she caught a whiff of the scent, she nearly gagged.

Chloe Sinclair glanced over and frowned.

Her gaze swept around the area. Then, holding an umbrella, she walked a perimeter around their location before returning.

Hailey Beckett was a little confused. "What are you looking for?" she asked.

Chloe Sinclair’s expression was grave. "I’m checking the surrounding cliffs for signs of rockfalls."

"Rockfalls?"

Chloe Sinclair nodded. "Yes. The rain is too heavy. There’s a cliff face above the cave and a small earthen slope in front of it. I’m afraid it could be washed out."

They were in a region that hadn’t been over-developed by humans.

Since she was unfamiliar with the terrain, Chloe Sinclair was paying extra attention given the weather.

"I don’t see any signs of that yet, but if the rain keeps up tonight, we’ll probably have to take shifts and keep watch."

Hailey Beckett agreed, a flicker of worry in her eyes.

In the mountain forest, the rain fell in a straight, vertical sheet. Large, heavy drops landed everywhere, quickly seeping into the earth.

The raindrops made a loud PATTERING sound as they hit the leaves and grass.

Everyone had to raise their voices to be heard.

When the two of them returned to the cave, their clothes were already damp.

Fortunately, there was firewood in the cave, left behind by the beekeepers a few months prior. By the time Chloe Sinclair returned, the others had already started a fire.

The other guests had saved a spot for the two of them.

Feeling a chill, Chloe Sinclair didn’t hesitate. After changing in the makeshift changing area, she sat down by the fire to warm herself.

She shared her thoughts with the group.

Hearing this, one of the beekeepers nodded repeatedly. This time, he spoke in heavily accented Mandarin. "Right. A group before us, they ran into a storm just like this one. A landslide hit the path. Nobody made it out. By the time the rescue teams found them and dug them up, the bodies were already decomposed."

The guests shuddered.

"We’ll—we’ll keep watch."

In the end, the group was divided into eight teams.