Chapter 123

Mervin’s brow furrowed slightly at the sound of Gentry’s voice. Yet, it was confusion that danced more prominently in his eyes.

He had never witnessed a true possession, but the brief flash of eerie aura, combined with Gentry’s current demeanor, seemed to suggest that a spirit had indeed taken hold.

Though Mervin was the esteemed master of the Breeze Monastery, expected to be a paragon of experience and wisdom, his lack of certainty in this instance left him only with doubt. It seemed right, yet not quite.

Uncertain, he decided to watch and wait.

In contrast to the reactions of Winnie and Mervin, the onlookers from the production crew, along with the Henderson clan, were utterly bamboozled by Gentry’s act.

Even Suzan, who had previously been skeptical of this internet–famous mystic, couldn’t help but show a hint of respect upon hearing him speak. It seemed Gentry did possess a certain flair, otherwise how could an ordinary person seem to transform so utterly in an instant?

In front of the live stream, Gentry’s fans began to flood the screen with donations and comments.

“Here we go, Gentry’s channeling the spirit!”

“Your devoted follower offers a prayer for miraculous weight loss and a night of fabulous wealth!”

“May the spirit bless my family with health and longevity!”

“I offer up my good–for–nothing husband in exchange for a life of safety and riches.”

“Anyone interested in a trouble–making kid? Please take him away for some schooling.”

“Dear spirit, I beg of you to guide my child’s studies, I’m at my wit’s end here!”

In just a moment, the live chat was inundated with blessings from the Spirit.

To the casual observer, this spectacle was curious, but for Gentry’s regular audience, such events were par for the course. Gentry often solved

followers‘ daily conundrums live on air, and they had witnessed several occasions where he appeared to channel spirits, solidifying their belief in his genuine abilities.

Baily had approached Gentry initially because of his substantial online following, never anticipating that Gentry’s “debut” would attract such a crowd of fans.

Meanwhile, Quincy, upon hearing the “the Spirit” inquire, was eager to explain his troubles in detail. But before he could get a word out, he was abruptly silenced by a graceful, yet dismissive gesture from the “spirit,” who peered at him with sly, almost foxy expression, “No. need to speak; the negative aura around you is so thick it’s clouding my vision. You’ve clearly 11:30 been ensnared by a malevolent presence.”

Quincy, though still harboring doubts, couldn’t help but respond with renewed reverence, “My lord, can you help me? Whatever offering you desire, the Henderson family will spare no effort to provide.”

“The Spirit” raised an eyebrow subtly before responding in a measured tone, “I do not accept just any offering.”

Pointing at Quincy, the spirit spoke in a sharp tone. “You and your family must have committed misdeeds to attract such a spirit. I have no interest in involving myself with your troubles.”

With a disdainful snort directed at Quincy and his kin, the spirit left behind a look of ineffable meaning and promptly feigned a faint.

The audience watched as Gentry’s body slowly began to topple backward, seemingly destined to hit the ground, only to regain consciousness in a split second and twist his body back to an upright position with practiced ease The viewers were used to this–the dramatic collapse followed by the timely recovery was signature Gentry.

As the comments continued to flood in, debating Gentry’s authenticity and comparing him to others like Winnie and Mervin, it was clear that Gentry’s performance had struck a chord. Some defended Winnie, while others praised Gentry’s convincing portrayal of a spiritual medium.

Winnie herself watched the entire performance from a distance. To her, Gentry’s act was flawless, as smooth as a rehearsed play, confident in front of the camera and the crowd. Yes, he played the part well. But next time, she hoped, there would be no need for pretense.

In her eyes, Gentry was more of a performer than a conduit of the spiritual realm. He was adept at reading subtle emotional cues and weaving together information to convince his subjects of his insights–all the while maintaining the guise of the mysterious spirit.

Winnie had heard it said that many fortune–tellers weren’t truly prognosticating the future but were experts in reading people. Love, family, career, health–these were the typical worries of the common folk. Guiding them with carefully chosen words, a clever observer could easily pinpoint the root of their troubles and offer vague yet seemingly insightful advice. If they hit the mark, they were seen as gifted; if not, the fault lay with the listener’s interpretation. Winnie had a hunch about why Gentry was raking in millions as a mystical influencer–it wasn’t just his flair for drama, but also his silver tongue.

And sure enough, as Winnie suspected, Gentry had played her cards exactly that way.

There weren’t as many supernatural mysteries in the world as one might think; oftentimes, it was all about playing to people’s doubts and fears. Gentry’s bread and butter was more about appeasing his fans and putting on a show with all the bells and whistles – it was his daily routine.

And on the off chance she came across a real pickle like today, she didn’t sweat it.

First, she’d summon the spirit to the stage, then tailor a reason to turn down the request based on the client’s own issues.

Ugly as sin, heart black as coal, a womanizer disrespectful to the folks, and so on…

After all, the spirit was capricious as they come–whether it’d lend a hand or not was ultimately up to itself.