Chapter 488

Unfazed by the potential backlash, Odalys’s tone was calm yet piercing. "How could this be?" the woman muttered incoherently, her demeanor teetering on hysteria. She refused to accept the grim reality: someone she once trusted, even considered a benefactor, was revealed to be the person harming her child.

“Impossible! You’re lying! My brother-in-law would never harm me or my son! He gave us money! He paid my son’s medical expenses!” she yelled hysterically at the camera, her voice full of despair.

Odalys responded coldly, “That money was a curse. He used it to buy your son’s life, and you used it for his treatment. You don’t have to believe me, but if you don’t act soon, your son won’t survive three days from the night you accepted his so-called ‘gift.’ ”

She paused. “If you want to save your son, return the items he gave you immediately. Place them prominently in the center of his living room. Leave a clear sign that you’ve refused his ‘offering.’”

The woman let out a piercing scream, flung her phone to the ground, and disconnected the call. As her phone fell and she disappeared from the camera, Odalys fell silent, and the live broadcast room followed suit. Some viewers sympathized with the woman; others thought she deserved it. Odalys had tried to help, but the woman refused to believe her.

Suddenly, the livestream connected with the next viewer. A stern-faced old man, appearing to be about eighty, with sharp, piercing eyes, filled the screen. He wore casual sportswear, but an aura of dominance emanated from him.

“Hello, Ms. Stone,” the old man greeted her.

The chat froze momentarily. Viewers sensed this old man was rich and intimidating.

“Hi,” Odalys glanced at him, then sent a message on her phone.

The old man, his demeanor calm yet tinged with curiosity, watched her on the screen. “What do you want to ask?” Odalys smiled faintly. The old man frowned, clearly disliking her smile.

“I’ve heard you’re remarkably skilled at fortune-telling, a true seer. I thought I’d indulge in the trend and have you read my fortune. Tell me, will my business endeavors today be successful?” the old man said politely, sipping his coffee. A new model Rolex, worth $1.5 million, adorned his wrist. Even while drinking, his eyes glanced sideways, observing his surroundings.

“You can’t leave,” Odalys said simply.

The old man’s face darkened. He slammed his cup on the table, locking eyes with her in a silent standoff. After a long pause, he leaned back in his chair.

“It seems your fortune-telling isn’t as impressive as they claim. I just watched you earlier. You seemed so confident with the first viewer, but now you’ve hit a wall with me,” he sneered. “I’m afraid that’s where your act falls apart—today, in my case.”

Before he could finish, Odalys interrupted, her voice cool. “You’re quite bold. You know the authorities are currently cracking down on smuggling and drug operations, don’t you? You think testing the waters on my livestream is a good idea? Do you believe the police can’t catch you? Or do you think that because you’re already at the docks and your ship is ready to sail, you’ll be long gone before they arrive?”

The viewers gasped. The chat exploded with comments: “[What’s going on? Is this guy a drug dealer?] [She said he’s at the docks? I live near the docks. Should I check it out?] [Is this guy provoking the authorities live on stream? Police, are you watching this?]”

The stream’s fifty million viewers focused intently on the old man. The moment Odalys stopped speaking, the old man lowered his cup, eyeing her with suspicion. His calm facade cracked; his movements betrayed growing unease. Panicking, he tried to end the call, jabbing repeatedly at the screen, but the connection wouldn't disconnect.

“Cut the internet! Now!” he barked, calling someone offscreen. He tried to stand, but felt glued to his chair. “Boss, we can’t shut it off,” someone nearby replied.

He grabbed his phone, attempting to smash it, but it slipped from his hand. He reached for it again, his movements labored, sweat pouring down his face. He groaned in pain, reached for his waist, and was about to speak when he heard sirens in the distance.

“Oh no! Get the boat ready!” he panicked, shouting urgently. They heard approaching footsteps, people running, even gunshots. He struggled to get up, but felt paralyzed.

At that moment, he looked at Odalys, fear in his eyes. On the screen, she stood, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip.

“Didn’t you want to expose me? Too bad. I told you you wouldn’t get away. If you had left earlier, you might have actually escaped,” she said, resting her chin on her hand, watching his futile struggles.

The old man glared furiously. “Impossible! How could someone so young be this powerful? The true masters are all in Southeast Pathil! There’s no way anyone here in the country could be this skilled! You’re just acting!” he bellowed, unwilling to accept defeat.

Before he could say more, heavy footsteps echoed closer. With a loud bang, one of his henchmen was kicked through the door, collapsing at his feet. The rest of the crew, trying to escape, were driven back into the room by armed officers.

“Mr. Jacobson, fancy meeting you again. The last time you escaped was twenty years ago. I didn’t expect to run into you again after your plastic surgery,” Lee’s voice came from the other end of the video.

Seeing the armed police, the old man’s face drained of color as he slumped back in his chair. He felt a pang of regret. “Did you do something to me? Is that why I couldn’t get up earlier?” he glared at Odalys.

“Thanks,” Lee said, turning toward Odalys. The moment the old man connected, she discreetly sent a message to Lee, who immediately mobilized a nearby team to raid the location. A twenty-year manhunt ended without resistance, thanks to her intervention.

Odalys smiled but said nothing. Lee ended the video call. The chat erupted again: “[Wait, that’s Officer Hersey! He’s in charge of so many recent high-profile cases. I’ve seen him on the news!] [This is insane! I just witnessed a live drug bust!] [The police just confirmed it—this guy was a wanted drug dealer!]”