Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 218 Scandal Unleashed

Zelena, brimming with confidence, had meticulously prepared two sets of strategies for the finals. She had prepared one strategy to defeat Violeta and another to neutralise Hattie. As the live broadcast commenced, the four captains took the stage for the draw.

Zelena feigned politeness, gesturing to Violeta, "Vio, you first."

Violeta, not one for formalities, stepped forward and selected a number ball.

The live comments flooded in.

"She sounds a bit fake."

"What's the deal between Zelena and Violeta? Why does she call her Vio?"

"Maybe they're close off-camera? There's nothing wrong with calling someone intimate."

Violeta drew number 1, Evelyn drew number 3, and Hattie drew number 4, leaving Zelena with number 2.

The matchups were set.

The host announced, "Alright! 'The Mighty Dragons' vs. 'Eternal Warriors', 'Spring Blossom' vs. 'Flame Vanguard"! Let's give them some time to prepare."

Descending the stage, Violeta exchanged a meaningful glance with Zelena.

Zelena was inwardly gloating.

"Think you'll win?" Violeta asked.

"Vio, I'm not the one who'll lose," Zelena replied.

"We shall see."

Meanwhile, Evelyn and Hattie exited the stage together, their tension palpable.

Hattie sneered, "A piece of trash is still trash, even if it manages to crawl out of the garbage. Don't think you're anything special just because you've had a bit of luck." Evelyn's eyes hardened, a smirk playing on her lips. "Being ordinary isn't the issue. The issue is thinking you're a goddess when you're merely a mortal."

She paused, then added, "Hattie, do you honestly think you're worthy to be my enemy?"

"You!"

Evelyn turned and left.

Online viewers buzzed with speculation.

"What was that about? Hattie and Evelyn looked ready to fight."

As the four captains exited, music filled the stage, signalling the start of the 20-minute preparation period.

Zelena backed into the lounge and immediately messaged Six.

She instructed Six to leak Violeta's scandalous past and buy trending topics to stir up drama on the livestream.

Alerted to the plan, Violeta readily agreed in the live broadcast room.

"Sure, just wait and see."

She then took out her laptop and, with a flurry of keystrokes, exposed all the incriminating evidence she had gathered. Meanwhile, Kaylee, acting on Violeta's instructions, took Shirley's incriminating voice recording to the event organisers.

The scandal quickly gained traction on Facebook.

Fueled by Zelena's money funnelled into the black market for promotion, it skyrocketed to the top of the trending list.

Meanwhile, the assistant director noticed the explosive trend on Facebook and received an anonymous recording from Kaylee. The sheer volume of attention the scandal was receiving alarmed him. Without this concrete evidence, the organisers might have been able to sweep the issue under the rug.

However, the evidence was now undeniable. The organisers could no longer feign ignorance.

Oblivious to the brewing storm, Zelena happily applied makeup in the dressing room, anticipating her moment in the spotlight and Violeta's imminent downfall. She didn't know that the table had turned! The assistant hurriedly took the phone, dialled the photographer under the stage, and swiftly found the director.

"Director, we have a major issue with the live broadcast!"

The director was busy switching camera angles and replied, "What's the fuss? This is a good thing."

He glanced at the rapidly increasing viewership, feeling satisfied.

"One of the team captains has been exposed online," the assistant blurted out. "The scandal is all over Facebook, and the live comments are going crazy!"

The director was stunned at the news. "What!?"

He scrutinised the barrage of comments, which were filled with accusations of bullying and references to a hearing impairment.

With the competition in its final stage, this could spell disaster!

"What exactly happened?" he demanded.

"Quick, put up the banned word list and get the live comments under control!"

The staff scrambled to implement the word filters, which instantly reduced the comment volume by half.

However, this only intensified the buzz on Facebook.

Seeing the situation somewhat contained, the director turned to the assistant for an explanation.

"What's going on?"

The assistant handed over his phone, revealing a recording of Shirley's own voice.

The director listened with a frown and then checked the current situation on Facebook.

"This is bad! Zelena has really caused a mess. D*mn it! Why did this have to happen now?" The assistant asked anxiously, "Director, what should we do?"