Chapter 156

The “Ghostly Guidance” had once again taken the internet by storm, climbing the trending charts with a supernatural speed that matched the show’s eerie theme.

Though the day was still young, a flock of early birds had already perched in the live stream. their curiosity piqued by a trio of previous trending topics that had made the show a household name. They swarmed in, not surprised by the buzz but eager to be part of the spectacle.

Behind the scenes, Bagot cast a worried glance at the flood of donations pouring into Winnie’s segment. Mae’s fans were out in full force, and he knew they had a potential crisis on their hands. If they didn’t handle this episode with care, the whole show could derail.

After much contemplation, Bagot approached Winnie with a mix of hope and desperation.

“Winnie, got any other ideas?”

At the end of the day, they were saving a human.

Mervin, too, had his doubts about Mae’s lack of honesty in past episodes, but as a spiritual practitioner, he couldn't just stand idly by in the face of death. Clueless about what to do next. he joined Bagot in looking expectantly at Winnie.

The other guests seemed to share their sentiments. Despite being the youngest among them, Winnie stood tall with an air of authority that towered over the rest.

Winnie caught their gazes but remained silent. She could help, sure, but she wasn’t about to offer her services unsolicited. After all, volunteering too eagerly could be taken for granted, and Winnie was nobody's fool.

Mae locked eyes with Winnie, whose piercing gaze sent a shiver down her spine. Pride be damned, Mae’s facade crumbled.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Mae managed to choke out her plea, “Winnie Master Bryant, | was wrong before. Can you please help me? | don’t want to die.”

Winnie had been waiting for just this moment, a sign of genuine humility. Seeing Mae finally confront her situation head-on, Winnie decided the lesson had been learned.

Turning her gaze away, Winnie spoke with a calm that betrayed none of her inner satisfaction. “The art of spiritual possession might sound terrifying, but there’s no need for panic. If the monks at Breeze Monastery haven't even heard of it, it means it’s rarely used. And the reason. it’s so obscure is that those who attempt possession seldom succeed.”

Winnie continued, “The ritual requires an exact match in both ages. Moreover, the medium used for the possession must remain with the host for at least a year. Even though the owner of that Ruby Bracelet marked you the moment you hid it, if we can find the person behind this and destroy their medium, the bracelet will be easily dealt with.”

“Awhole year?” Candace couldn't help but gasp, “Who would knowingly keep such a cursed 12:47 object for a year?”

Her incredulity made Winnie nearly chuckle.

Kane, who had been listening intently, began to piece things together and chimed in at the right moment.

“If the bracelet has bound itself to someone, as Winnie said, | bet it means that no matter how many times it’s thrown away, it will reappear intact just like it has been.”

Winnie raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that Kane had taken the initiative to analyze the situation, but she nodded in affirmation.

Candace looked again at the mysteriously returned bracelet, shuddering slightly before clutching Winnie's sleeve, unwilling to stray too far.

Having witnessed the bracelet’s eerie reappearance herself, Mae was done putting on airs. She humbly asked, “Master Bryant, what should | do now?”

Winnie gave her a look that suggested she wasn’t as smart as Kane, and with a slow wink, she said, “Just call the police.”

Everyone was stunned.

The live chat went alive.

“What? We were expecting some mystical intervention, and you're telling us to call the cops?”

“Did my internet just lag? | was sure | was on a supernatural channel, why did it suddenly turn into the legal channel?”

“Hold your skepticism. She knows what she’s doing.”

“That’s my sweetie. There’s a reason behind everything she says.”

“Heed Winnie’s advice, and she’s right.”

“Call the police. Winnie says to call the cops. Do it now.”

And then, the viewers witnessed another miraculous moment.

The Emerald Bay Police Department had tuned in.

The living embodiment of official presence was online and speaking up, sending the viewers into a frenzy.

Meanwhile, on camera, Winnie didn’t disappoint, explaining further without missing a beat.

“Spiritual possession requires the soul of someone who's been dead for less than a week. If we can confirm the ashes inside the Ruby Bracelet were burned recently, and then cross-reference the list of recently deceased women with Mae’s birthdate, we can narrow down the identity of the possessor. Then we focus our investigation on those close to the deceased, especially spouses or parents, those desperate enough to want the girl back to life. If any of them have been lurking around Mae, we've got our suspect. The rest will be up to the authorities.”

12:47 The chat went quiet once more, then erupted in awe.

“Straight-up brilliance.”

“A valedictorian and a ghostbuster, all in one, and she’s working with pure logic.”

“Emerald Bay PD is on the case.”

“We appreciate the clarity, but please, try not to disclose so much on live TV. The criminal might be watching.”

This reminder set the viewers on edge, all expressing their concerns.

Winnie couldn’t see the chat, but her gaze seemed to plerce through the camera lens, her eyes clear yet all-knowing.

She addressed the audience with a sly addition.

“No need to worry. I’m betting the person behind this is watching right now. And even if they are, they can’t escape.”

Amocking smile played at the corner of her lips as she concluded.

“The ashes of the possessor can’t stray too far from the host without breaking the spell. Unless, of course, you're willing to cut it off yourself, give up the possession, and endure the backlash of the broken ritual.”

That last sentence wasn’t so much for the viewers as it was a challenge to the perpetrator.

Not just the viewers, but even Bagot was impressed by Winnie’s wisdom.

Though she was young, she carried an air of confidence and boldness that seemed to shock everyone.

After a moment of stunned silence, the audience in front of the livestream erupted once again.

“You're such a badass, totally crushing on you.”

“Anyone who wants to mess with Winnie will have to deal with me first.”

“Yeah, I’m talking to you, the ringleader behind the screen. The cops are closing in, and your can’t hide.”

In the midst of this chaos, there was an almost thrilling sensation of participating in a virtual manhunt.

Just as Winnie had predicted, at that very moment, in a swanky apartment in Emerald Bay, a scruffy man clutched his iPad with a vice-like grip. His eyes were bloodshot, fixated on Winnie's figure on the live stream, filled with a venomous hatred.

After what seemed like an eternity, he shaklly reached for the whiskey glass on the table, downed the contents in one gulp, and hurled the glass against the wall with all his might. The glass shattered on impact, its fragments scattering across the floor, accompanied by the 12:47 Chapter 156 man’s sinister and crazed curses..

“Damn you, Winnie. You're going to pay.”