Chapter 489


    So it made sense that she was out cold.


    Maddox''s voice cut through the tension, "You said someone paid you toe here and y spook.


    Spill the beans on who it is, and we''ll get you to a hospital."


    The woman hesitated, "Mr. Maddox, you''re asking me to bite the hand that feeds. I''ve already cashed


    the check. If I rat them out and they''re watching this live, I''m toast!"


    "Fine, we''ll leave it," Maddox relented, then turned to his crew, "Keep a couple of guys on her. If


    anyone shows up to fetch her, nab them too."


    "Got it, Mr. Maddox," one of the crew affirmed.


    Seeing that Maddox and his team were about to leave, panic seized the woman, and she burst into


    tears. "Mr. Maddox, please don''t go. I got the gig online. The client paid me through an anonymous


    ount. I swear I don''t know who hired me. They just said to haunt around this forest. The pay was so


    good, I took the bait! I really don''t know anything else. Help me, Astar! Please!"


    When the woman called out to her, Astrid turned around and looked at her. "Don''t worry, you''re not


    gonna die."


    Maddox had seen Astrid''s hacking prowess before, and the mention of an online transaction had his


    eyes lighting up with an idea. "Astrid, can you do us a solid and trace who it was?"


    Astrid was already curious, so she nodded, "Sure, but what''s in it for me?"


    She eyed Maddox up and down, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. She then addressed


    the camera, "Our dear director Maddox always hides behind a mask. I remember the fans once


    petitioned en masse for you to show your face. How about this—if I find out who''s behind this, you drop


    the mask for the camera?"


    Maddox felt his whole body protest at the suggestion. "Isn''t that a bit much?"


    The online crowd went wild.


    [Only Astar knows us! I''ve seen so many shows produced by Mr. Maddox, always wondered what he


    looks like. Finally, a chance!]


    [Love you Astar! I''m dying to see Mr. Maddox''s face!]


    [Mr. Maddox looks so vulnerable, he wouldn''t dare refuse, would he? Especially with Mr. Lampard


    watching. If he says no, half the show''s funding will be pulled!]


    After much hesitation, Maddox gave in, "Alright, deal. If you can trace it, the maskes off."


    The live stream viewers erupted in excitement. Maddox''s face was one of the entertainment industry''s


    top unsolved mysteries.


    With the news out, the show''s poprity soared even higher.


    Word spread like wildfire, and soon the number of viewers spiked.


    Compared to thevish control room Astrid had built on the indst time, Maddox''s makeshift trailer


    looked rather shabby.


    As Astrid stepped into the trailer, the crew immediately cleared aputer for her. The tech


    enthusiasts'' eyes shone like they were in the presence of a deity.


    The crew ryed the ghostly woman''s personal information to Astrid. Starting with her social media


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ount, Astrid quickly hacked into it. The employer, probably watching the live stream, had already


    blocked the woman''s ount. Still, it was child''s y for Astrid to recover the data and pinpoint the


    sender''s location.


    It seemed like an easy victory, but as Astrid breached the firewall, something interesting happened—


    the other party attempted to hack back into Astrid''sputer.