The Trending Topic Herself: The Villainess is the Superstar!-Chapter 155: Photo Game (3,000 Words)

Brian Bennett was stunned: "Maya, do you mean you want to go a few more rounds?"

The insect feast is not something ordinary people can accept, even thinking about it gave him chills. Yet, such a daunting dish, Maya actually said she wanted more rounds...

Her expression didn’t seem fake, she was serious...

How can someone be so brave?

Maya stood up, took a napkin from the table and wiped her mouth, casually reviewing: "The taste is okay, but the barbecue seasoning is too strong and actually masks the freshness of the ingredients. I think these skewers have room for improvement. There’s a food show called ’Food Battle’, you know it, right? Chef Zhao’s cooking on that show is amazing, I remember..."

"Ah... is that so? I didn’t expect Maya to know so much about food." Brian hurriedly stopped her.

In variety shows, it’s almost a consensus among all guests not to mention other unrelated shows.

Brian didn’t expect Maya to say it so casually, and yet she didn’t seem mischievous at all, as if she was seriously suggesting.

Maya nodded, she slowly walked to everyone and found a spot to stand.

Julian didn’t know when he came to her side, his voice excited: "Maya, you’re really so brave! You’re always so courageous, the insect feast makes me scared just looking at it, can’t believe you ate it all! And before, when we encountered the venomous snake in the wild, it looked so dangerous... I really admire you!"

If Maya didn’t clearly remember she just had a meal and did nothing else, listening to Julian’s words alone, she would’ve thought she’d done some extraordinary heroic deeds!

"I have a small heart, there’s quite a lot I’m afraid of."

She spoke, as if correcting Julian’s inappropriate words.

She’s not brave, nor kind-hearted, these are qualities a villain would never possess...

Maya really can’t understand Julian’s aesthetic, if he really chose a goddess to worship, it should be Kiki. Setting aside personality and skills, her protagonist aura is enough to captivate many. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

And herself... other than being able to eat, maybe there’s no other skill?

Julian moved closer with interest, curiously asked: "Then Maya, what are you afraid of?"

"I’m afraid of not having snacks, and afraid of not having enough to eat."

She thought she picked a very lame reason.

Unexpectedly, the light in Julian’s eyes grew even brighter: "Maya, you seem to really love eating, you’re humorous and different from others..."

Maya retracted her gaze with a complex expression.

Even this he could praise?

Maya couldn’t pull together a more absurd reason, so she simply turned her head.

"After the warm-up of the first two rounds of games, I’m sure everyone is especially looking forward to our third game! The name of our next game is ’Pose for the Perfect Shot!’ Can anyone guess what kind of game this is?"

Brian’s voice rang out, he suddenly raised his head, glancing at all the guests.

Ian Brooks cooperated: "Isn’t it obvious? It’s definitely related to taking pictures! Could it be giving specific materials or atmosphere for guests to pose, and whoever takes the most perfect shot becomes the champion of this round?"

Brian laughed: "That’s quite an idea." He suddenly raised his voice: "Director, did you hear that? This new game is already planned!"

The audience below burst into laughter hearing this.

Ian noticed another issue: "So what I guessed isn’t correct, is it?"

Brian didn’t answer, instead, he tilted his head to look at Maya: "Since the start of the game, Maya hasn’t said much, so now I’ll ask, Maya, what do you think the setup of this game would be like?"

"I don’t know." Maya slightly bent and tapped her leg, speaking nonchalantly.

"Doesn’t the name give you any idea at all?"

"No."

She always answered so straightforwardly and swiftly.

After speaking, she pressed her temples a few more times, looking tired as if she wasn’t interested in the variety show at all.

Brian held the microphone, stunned. Since Maya joined the show, she always exhibited a lazy demeanor, not caring about anything, seemingly going through the motions. She never thought about gaining popularity, nor had any interest in entertaining the audience’s preferences.

Rumors outside may be partly true, but this collaboration with Maya indeed allowed Brian to recognize Maya anew.

Maya... truly is the most peculiar artist he’s encountered. This peculiarity isn’t an oddity in a derogatory sense, but rather because her unique style sets her apart, making her a star whom none in the entertainment industry could replicate.

Julian Caldwell suddenly lightly tugged on her sleeve beside her.

"Maya Monroe, say a few more words." He spoke while covering his mouth, barely noticeable to others.

No one’s path to stardom is smooth sailing, even the currently booming top boy band FREE has faced their share of ridicule and doubt... no, it’s more accurate to say doubts never truly disappear, they just lessen compared to when they debuted.

Julian Caldwell has been criticized before, and not just once; he remembers what attracts negativity almost by heart, just to avoid such situations. On stage, one must be extremely cautious; even a slight misstep can lead to being misconstrued, regardless of intent.

And someone like Maya Monroe, who is unwilling to compromise for entertainment effects, is bound to be accused of being pretentious.

Julian Caldwell’s gaze fixed on Maya Monroe’s profile, suddenly noticing her looking back.

Maya’s eyes are strikingly beautiful; most times they have an elusive, dreamy feel, but at this moment they were clear, starkly contrasting the nonchalant tone of her speech.

Julian was instantly confused by Maya; if she knew it would attract criticism, why behave this way?

What celebrity wouldn’t care about their reputation? Well, except for those who thrive off controversy.

After getting to know her over time, Julian just couldn’t believe Maya was taking the controversial path.

Maya turned her head again, carelessly rubbing her eyes.

She certainly understood Julian’s point, but why would a villainous supporting actress care about others’ opinions? As a character opposing the lead, being disliked is only natural.

Maya wasn’t planning any remedial actions; she stayed where she was, casually running her fingers through her hair.

"I remember Maya used to talk a lot, but when facing Brian, her words seemed fewer." Alisa Shelby remarked, a hint of amusement on her face.

"So what?"

Maya turned to look at her.

Alisa’s smile remained unchanged: "My point is, countless viewers rush over just to see you, and appearing lazy like this can genuinely disappoint fans; they didn’t travel all this way to see you doze off on stage."

After saying that, she covered her mouth and coughed lightly: "I apologize, I shouldn’t have said so much. I just enjoy putting myself in others’ shoes; in any case, I would never dismiss my fans..."

Maya sneered: "Know you shouldn’t speak yet continuously ramble?"

"Just expressing my own thoughts; if... you really don’t want to hear, I’ll speak less in the future."

"You’re saying I’m dozing off?"

Alisa’s expression tightened; she knew Maya would use this chance to evade, but everyone on stage saw Maya looking tired and spiritless; even if she wasn’t dozing, she was visibly weary.

"Quite nosy!" Maya took two steps forward, slightly lowering her head to meet Alisa’s gaze, suddenly smiling with a hint of mischief: "How do you know my fans don’t like it?"

Her tone was teasing, but only Alisa, locked in the gaze, knew how cold Maya’s eyes really were.

Alisa clenched her palms unconsciously, her expression tense.

"My fans like me dozing off; got a problem?" After saying that, Maya’s smile quickly faded, glancing at the audience below, before crossing her arms and standing idly again.

The audience suddenly erupted in excited cheers.

Humans have a curiosity for the unusual; if Maya acted like everyone else within the conventional mold, she likely wouldn’t have gained millions of fans so quickly. Maya’s various antics satisfied the audience’s craving for novelty, and her allure made winning fans seem like an effortless task.

Brian Bennett had hosted many episodes but was surprised by the audience’s current reaction; he quickly understood. Just by feelings alone, Maya left behind a charming impression.

Bella Sanford moved close with the microphone: "The game’s name includes photography, so it must be related to taking photos... but considering past patterns, it’s probably not that simple!"

"You’re the most insightful, Bella!" Brian returned to his senses and smiled: "Countless innovations and reflections are the ultimate secrets allowing ’Joy Without Limits’ to capture the audience’s attention."

"This game does involve photography, but indeed, it’s not that simple... please refer to the big screen for the detailed rules!"

The big screen rolled with text again, accompanied by dynamic imagery and entertaining commentary.

"As everyone can see, the ’Photo Op Champ’ game requires guests to navigate through layers of obstacles to reach an elevated platform, posing for a photo within the set time; there are no pose restrictions. This set time is basically three minutes; within this period, guests must navigate obstacles and complete the photo task, exceeding the time leads to task failure."

"Finally, a specialized panel of judges will score, with two game rounds; the highest score will directly contribute to the results. The aggregate scores of all members determine the final score, with the highest scoring team being the ’Photo Op Champ’ game winner!"

"Additionally, punishment mechanisms are in place for this round."

Upon mention of punishment, James Wallace shuddered: "What’s the punishment?"