The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 177

Chapter 177

Their main mission? Dig up dirt in the entertainment world and sniff out whether any of the wanted fugitives had managed to blend in as one of the stars.

And for their side job, they went undercover as celebrity bodyguards on a variety show, making sure not a single star got hurt under their watch.

“I’ve got a question,” Vivian spoke up. “Is that seriously all we know about the fugitive? Just that they’re sly as a fox, act strange, know how to blend in, and are after money?

“Isn’t that way too vague?” she continued.

“Shouldn’t they at least give us some actual clues?” Vivian pressed.

“Like, is it a guy or a girl? What do they even look like?” she wondered.

“Any solid details? Are they missing an arm or a leg? How old are they?” Vivian asked, still unconvinced.

For once, Vivian was actually being clever.

She asked so many questions.

“Nope, that’s all they told us,” Flynn replied, frowning.

“Isn’t this just like looking for a needle in a haystack?” Eric said.

Still, hopeless or not, the whole team headed out to investigate.

Red Butterfly Isle–an isolated patch of land shrouded in mystery.

It sat about a hundred kilometers offshore from the mainland, completely surrounded by the open sea.

Rumor has it, over the years, countless adventurers tried their luck on this deserted isle… and not a single one ever returned.

The director behind this season of “Thriller: Unpopulated Isle“-plus his unlucky band of investors–had already tanked a whole string of blockbuster wannabes. Now they’re teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and running out of options.

This time, they’re tossing all their chips in. Desperate for a ratings miracle, they’ve thrown a pile of cash at every big–name celebrity they could bag, dragging them onto this nightmare island for one last, over–the–top spectacle.

If they nail it, they’ll shoot straight to the top. If they crash and burn, they’ll be heading straight for a prison cell.

During the day, Red Butterfly Isle was just like any other deserted place–salty sea breeze everywhere, cool and damp. leaving you feeling wide awake.

Nova wore a black mask and was dressed head–to–toe in black, so plain she was just another shadow on the island.

She waited quietly at the edge of the island, watching as celebrities arrived one after another, stepping off the luxury cruise ship.

“Alright, our mission is to chat up every single celeb here–off the record,” Eric whispered, keeping it casual but serious.

“Gotta find out if they’ve ever crossed paths with someone who acts super sly, weird as hell, a pro at blending in, and obsessed with cash,” he went on.

Eric leaned in, lowering his voice, ‘Hope this works better than just chasing shadows,‘ he thought.

Eric, Mavis and Vivian had all disguised themselves, switching up their appearances for the mission.

The three of them sported identical black masks–practically invisible in the crowd.

Nova only signed up for this show because she was totally sure she could slip past the camera crew without ever showing her

face.

She had no intention of letting the audience catch even a glimpse of her.

“Got it!”

“Yeah, understood.”

Vivian and Mavis both nodded.

Eric spotted Nova with her gaze lowered, looking like she was lost in her own world.

He could tell she had her own thoughts about all this, so he didn’t say a word.

By the time the celebs showed up, the crew had already lined up neat rows of tents for both the staff and the stars.

But Nova, Eric, Vivian, and Mavis rolled up their sleeves and handled their own setup.

They pitched a spacious tent right on the windy shore of the deserted island.

According to the director, “Thriller: Unpopulated Isle” is all about one thing: pure horror.

“We’re not even rolling during the day, so do whatever you want until night falls–then we start shooting.”

“When it’s dark, we’ll dive deep into Red Butterfly Isle and try to crack the secret of why every adventurer who’s ever landed here has ended up missing…”

So for now, everyone scattered to do their own thing.

After Nova and the others finished their sweep around the island, she headed back to camp–only to almost bump into a group of stunning guys and girls.

Right in the center of the crowd was a woman.

She looked about twenty–seven, turning heads in a body–hugging red dress and barefoot in woven grass sandals.

Every step she took oozed mature, magnetic charm–she must be a superstar.

And that woman was none other than Yoro Powell, the A–list actress who’d just returned to the country and recently paid a visit to Blake Manor to see Charles and Fiona Blake.

Her family the Powells have a close connection to the Blake family.

And… she was also-

Back when Nova was a kid, she’d been like a big sister to her.

Nova kept her eyes lowered, the black mask shielding her face as she dipped her head in a subtle greeting.

She was about to quietly walk past Yoro, keeping a low profile-

“Little Nova, is that really you?” Yoro called out, clearly surprised.

“What brings you here?” she asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

But Yoro had a sharp eye–be there a mask or not, she recognized Nova in a heartbeat.

Leaving her celebrity friends behind, Yoro made her way over to Nova.

“Nova, is that really you? What are you doing here…” Yoro blurted out, her tone full of surprise and allection.

“Wait, don’t tell me you’re actually one of the guest stars on the show?” Yoro’s eyes widened, unable to hide her delight.

Yoro gave off that effortlessly protective, big–sis energy–warm, approachable, the kind that just made people relax around

her.

Her presence was gentle and reassuring, making you feel instantly cared for.

But Nova kept her eyes lowered, her expression unchanged–even as Yoro recognized her on the spot.

“Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. Please step aside,” Nova replied, her tone cool and flat.

With a quick sidestep, she slipped past Yoro without missing a beat.

Yoro, surrounded by a mix of A–listers and rising stars–the ones who actually clicked with her–just stood there together, totally lost for words.

All of them kept staring blankly after Nova and her crew as they walked off, jaws practically on the floor.

“Hey, Yoro, who is that girl?” one of her friends asked, still staring at Nova’s retreating figure.

“She’s my little sister from the Blake family, just got back not long ago…” Yoro explained, sounding a bit uncertain.

“Damn, Yoro! With how wrapped up she was, you still recognized her? You really do have X–ray eyes!” another friend joked.

“But why did she just blow you off like that?” someone else wondered.

“I have no idea…” Yoro murmured, looking genuinely puzzled.

*****

“You know that celeb we just ran into?” Eric finally asked as the four of them settled back in their tent.

“Just met her once,” Nova said coolly.

“Hey, we just got a new update from HQ! Everyone, check your phones!” Vivian exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement as she stared at her screen.

Mavis and Eric were the first to whip out their phones, fingers flying as they tapped open the message.

Nova followed right after.

All four of them got a text–straight from Flynn the counselor:

[Heads up–Devil’s Isle just dropped a new update. We’ve got more details on the fugitive.

[Follow this tip and we’ll be able to hunt her down a whole lot faster and way more accurately.

[The fugitive’s a nineteen–year–old girl. Super dangerous, has a real taste for blood, and she’s an absolute expert with any kind of gun or explosives.

[She can command troops in the field or call artillery strikes from miles away–so we’re talking about a top–tier warrior and an ace–level commander!]

After reading Flynn the counselor’s latest update, Eric, Mavis, and Vivian all instinctively turned to look at Nova.

Vivian, still stunned, opened her mouth and asked, “Uh…”

“Seriously, Nova, how come the fugitive’s description is basically you…?” Vivian mumbled, her voice full of disbelief.