Possessed No More: The True Star Returns to Claim Her Throne-Chapter 94: Climbing a Tree

Riley Perry was already on her feet, stretching her limbs inside the helicopter cabin with a completely calm expression. ’Telling you the truth would scare you to death. I used to fly around on a sword, and today, I even have a parachute.’

"I’m really excited right now."

With that, she grabbed the cabin door and peered outside. Victoria Koenig, meanwhile, sat in his seat, frantically trying to psych himself up. ’I can’t possibly be outdone by a girl, can I?’

Finally, the helicopter began to slow down. A crew member announced, "You can jump now."

Riley Perry turned to Victoria Koenig. "You first, or me?"

Victoria Koenig took a deep breath, then slapped his own stiff face. "M-Me. I’ll go. I’ll jump first. Just make sure you come find me, okay? I’m afraid my legs will turn to jelly and I won’t be able to move."

Riley Perry comforted him, "Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Just jump. I’ll find you as fast as I can."

With trembling legs, Victoria Koenig finally leaped from the helicopter as if he were a martyr heading to his execution, screaming all the way down.

Riley Perry just smiled and jumped after him.

The filming location the production team had chosen was an area of mountains by the sea, rich with water and dense vegetation. Seeing Victoria Koenig descending toward a patch of green trees, Riley Perry quickly steered her parachute in his direction.

Sure enough, Victoria Koenig’s parachute was caught on the branch of a large tree—one so thick it would take two people to wrap their arms around it. He was left dangling and swaying in mid-air. The moment he saw Riley Perry land, he immediately started shouting weakly, "Ria, help me! I-I’m stuck! How do I get down?"

"Ria, hurry up and save me!"

Riley Perry replied with a sigh, "I’m coming to help you now. Stop shouting."

After unbuckling her parachute, Riley Perry scanned her surroundings. A few drones flew over.

[How is she supposed to save him? That tree looks so tall. She should just ask the production team for help.]

[Asking for help counts as withdrawing. Are they going to get eliminated before the show even starts?]

Onscreen, Riley Perry had already walked to the base of the tree. She wrapped her arms around the massive trunk, kicked off with her legs, and started climbing. With just a few nimble movements, she was already making her way up. Her agility was so impressive that viewers in the livestream chat exclaimed: [Is she a monkey? She has to be, right?]

[This Z-lister actually has some skills. She even knows how to climb trees?]

[My Vick is saved! Thank you, Riley Perry.]

[I know Riley Perry from that livestream where she exposed a scammer. I could tell she had some skills then, but watching her now, it’s clear she’s got more than just a few tricks up her sleeve!]

[Same, I know her from the scammer exposé stream too. This is my first time watching a variety show live, and I never realized she was this beautiful.]

[What do you mean? What scammer exposé stream?]

[To the person above, here’s the link. You’re welcome.]

Riley Perry steadied herself against the trunk and climbed over to the branch where Victoria Koenig’s parachute was snagged. "Don’t move. I’m going to see if I can pull you free."

’Pull me? What kind of move is that? Can’t she just cut the cords? But if she just cut them, I’d fall! We’re several meters up in a tree! If I really fell from here, I’d end up half-crippled!’

Then, Victoria Koenig and everyone in the livestream watched with their own eyes as Riley Perry stood on a branch as thick as a thigh, holding onto the trunk with one hand for balance while grabbing the tangled parachute fabric with the other.

Victoria Koenig’s official weight online was 137 pounds. They were still up in the tree, where it was already hard enough to keep one’s balance, and now Riley Perry was going to lift him with one hand? Victoria Koenig’s eyes flew wide with terror.

"Ria, be careful! Can’t we think of another way? AHHH—Ria, whatever you do, don’t let go!"

Riley Perry: ...

Just like that, Riley Perry grabbed the parachute fabric and lifted him free, setting Victoria Koenig down on the branch. ’A grown man like him should have no problem climbing down a tree,’ she thought. But instead, Victoria Koenig just hugged the branch and froze.

"Ria, my legs are jelly. How about... you just lower me to the ground with the ropes?" He really was afraid of heights; this wasn’t just him playing a character.

Riley Perry: ... ’Is this kid for real? He’s a bit of a wimp, isn’t he?’

Three minutes later, Riley Perry had used the parachute cords to lower Victoria Koenig from the tree. Then, she leaped down herself, landing steadily on the ground.

[Light as a feather! And she’s so beautiful too! I don’t care, I’m officially a fan!]

[Thank you, miss, for saving our boy from dire straits... ah, no, from a tree!]

[The internet really has a short memory. This woman has a whole mountain of scandals, and people are still becoming her fans!]

Now that he had his feet on solid ground, Victoria Koenig’s sanity seemed to return. His confidence restored, he yelled out loud, "Holy crap, Ria, you’ve totally done this before!"

Riley Perry quickly pointed to their surroundings. Only then did Victoria Koenig notice the drones. "I was a mischievous kid," she explained. "I was always climbing trees to get at bird nests. I just got used to jumping."

Victoria Koenig followed her finger and his heart skipped a beat. ’Don’t tell me the livestream has been running this whole time?’

He quickly changed the subject. "Ria, what do we do next?"

"Let’s wait for the director to contact us."

As if on cue, the watch on his wrist chimed. Victoria Koenig quickly tapped the screen to reveal a message from the production team: *Attention all contestants. Your luggage will be delivered within the next five minutes. You may select which items you wish to take. You will only have one chance.*

*The production team has hidden today’s redemption cards on this mountain. Finding a card will allow you to exchange it for the corresponding supplies. We wish all contestants a pleasant journey.*

After reading the message, Victoria Koenig said excitedly, "Thank goodness! I packed a ton of food in my luggage—instant noodles, self-heating meals... If we’re careful, it’ll be enough for both of us to last until the end of the show."

The next second, Victoria Koenig’s phone rang. For some reason, he had a bad feeling about it. He answered the call, and Director Warren’s roar came through the speaker: "Contestants are forbidden from bringing any food!"

Victoria Koenig was stunned. "...Director, be honest with me. Are you targeting me on purpose?"

Director Warren: "I’m not targeting you on purpose. I’m targeting all of you!"

The call ended, and Victoria Koenig collapsed onto the ground in a heap.

Riley Perry burst out laughing. Once she was done, she started folding her parachute.

"Ria, what are you doing that for?"

"I’m folding it up for the staff to collect. It’s still perfectly usable."

「Stellaris Studio」

Justin Locke calmly gave an order: "Immediately clip the video of Riley Perry climbing the tree to rescue him. Post it online to drive traffic and help the show generate some early buzz."

And so, all the studio’s employees sprang into action. Video editors started editing, PR reps contacted major influencers, and team members began posting in their paid commenter networks. Everyone was busy with their own tasks, working in an orderly fashion.

「Stardust CEO’s Office」

Watching her artist’s outstanding performance, Joanna excitedly grabbed Thomas Lynch’s hand. "Look, look! I told you my Riley Perry was going to be a star! It just proves I was right to spot her talent back then and move heaven and earth to sign her. In the few hours since filming started, can we agree her performance has been the best? No objections, right?"

Thomas Lynch glanced at the woman squeezed onto the chair with him, then at the two laptops and four phones on the desk, all streaming the variety show *Go on an adventure together*. He conceded with a sigh, "Yes, you have a keen eye for talent. But you’re also the one who’s spoiled her rotten. Miles Ford is an A-lister, and she just disses him whenever she feels like it. But hey, you just keep on spoiling her."