Chapter 49: The Petty Person Triumphs

Inside the competition arena, everyone except Ke Lu continued to strive.

Some competed with integrity and fairness, while others attempted to cheat and exploit loopholes, relying on petty tricks to take shortcuts.

Among these was Chen Yu, the girl who had mocked Liaocheng No. 1 High School before the competition. As the daughter of the Vice President of the Provincial Spirit Array Association, her heart nearly leaped out of her throat when the test questions appeared on the screen.

Why?

Because she had practiced countless similar problems before the competition. Solving these now felt like second nature.

Flashes of her past efforts flickered through her mind.

Neither her theoretical scores nor her combat skills were truly exceptional. In Liaocheng No. 2 High School, she could barely crack the top ten, a far cry from the standards required for higher-level institutions.

Fortunately, she had inherited her father's Spirit Array Talent. In the second semester of Senior High Third Grade, when she began specializing in a Second Profession, she demonstrated remarkable aptitude.

She now pinned all her hopes on winning the Second Profession Competition and securing the full twenty bonus points. Only then would she stand even the slightest chance of meeting the entrance requirements for a top-tier university.

Why is fate so unfair? Chen Yu thought bitterly, Why must even this small chance be snatched away?

Qin Yu from Liaocheng No. 1 High School and Lu Ziming from Beijing Experimental High School—their grades were so much better than hers. Why were they still competing for the extra points?

The images of Qin Yu and Lu Ziming flashed through her mind, fueling her resentment.

Why? They're so talented and already so far ahead. Shouldn't they be helping me, letting me have this chance?

In her twisted logic, students with excellent grades should yield these opportunities to those who needed them more.

This self-deceiving notion became her justification for seeking shortcuts without guilt.

Conveniently, her father held a high-ranking position in the Spirit Array Association. Why shouldn't he pull some strings for her?

She was his only daughter, after all. Risking his career to help her cheat—wasn't that the least he could do?

Thus, Chen Yu threw tantrums, wept hysterically, and threatened her father with self-harm.

Her father, soft-hearted and utterly devoted to his daughter, spoiled her beyond reason.

Her mother, a strict teacher, slapped Chen Yu across the face the moment she voiced this plan.

It was also under her mother's persuasion that her father finally refused her request.

Chen Yu had resented her mother's strict upbringing since childhood, and this latest blow pushed her over the edge.

Fine. If you dare strike me and ruin my future, you don't deserve to be my mother, you vile woman.

A mother should obey her child's every whim. Anyone who defies me is evil.

Her mind had become twisted, rotten to its core.

The hatred in her heart nearly materialized into a tangible force. From that day forward, she began whispering poison in her father's ear, sowing discord between her parents.

When her parents finally divorced, she rejoiced. At last, no one could stop her.

To ensure the success of her plan, her father erased all traces of their father-daughter relationship.

Of course, they hadn't gone so far as to steal the exam papers.

However, before the competition began, her father, as Vice President, influenced the exam questions, guiding the teachers to focus on specific topics.

The Ultimate Challenge was no exception.

In fact, this very rule had been designed for her benefit.

Merely practicing similar problems wasn't enough for Chen Yu; she craved absolute certainty.

With this rule in place, she could conserve her energy and face opponents who had already endured the grueling quarterfinal and semifinal rounds in peak condition, greatly increasing her chances of victory.

She resented Liaocheng No. 1 High School for rejecting her, and she hated Qin Yu and Lu Ziming.

So, before the competition began, when she spotted Qin Yu alone, she couldn't resist taunting him, even though he didn't recognize her. She wanted to hurl all the pent-up hatred in her heart into his face.

But before she could utter a word, she was reprimanded by an ugly man, an ugly woman, and a stinky shorty who seemed to materialize out of nowhere.

Now, standing on the competition stage, a smug smile played on her lips. Although she hadn't obtained the original problems, her familiarity with the problem-solving strategies had already given her a decisive advantage.

Just wait, Qin Yu, Lu Ziming, and that nameless Liaocheng No. 1 High School student who dared to tell me to "get lost." Just wait until I shine brilliantly in this competition.

The more she thought this, the wider her smile grew, until she could barely contain it. She eagerly anticipated the day when countless people would hail her as a genius girl.

The mere thought of this already satisfied her vanity immensely.

Faster, faster!

In just five minutes, she had completed all the basic test questions. This speed filled her with overwhelming confidence.

No one can surpass my speed!

She eagerly pressed the buzzer, her voice brimming with barely concealed pride: "Examiner, I request to challenge the Ultimate Challenge!"

The minute hand silently rotated 180 degrees amidst the scratching of pens and the meticulous construction of Spirit Arrays by the contestants.

The half-hour exam period flashed by, feeling as fleeting as a blink of an eye to the contestants.

Chen Yu channeled her Spirit Power into her array at the very last moment.

The Spirit Array activated, confirming her successful challenge.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Chen Yu's heart surged with emotion.

As expected, I'll always be the ultimate victor!

Straightening her back, she strode out of the arena, her triumphant expression barely concealed. Even the click of her heels on the floor rang with confident lightness.

The spotlight seemed to drape her in the glory of a champion.

As Chen Yu walked through the corridor with her head held high, she overheard whispers from other contestants:

"This question was insane! Did you even manage to solve it?"

"Don't even mention it, it was brutal..."

"Does the exam writer have a grudge against us or something?"

"Feels like I wasted the whole month studying."

These dejected conversations only deepened the smile on her face.

She deliberately slowed her pace, savoring the contrast between her success and the others' failures.

"She must be a top student."

"Look at that confident expression—she probably aced it."

Chen Yu absorbed every word, her vanity swelling with satisfaction. She even cleared her throat ostentatiously to make her contestant badge more conspicuous.

Yes, that's right. Let your failures highlight my success.

Suddenly, a figure flashed before her—Qin Yu!

"Hey, where's that girl who was competing with you earlier?" She couldn't wait to see the shock on Qin Yu's face when he learned she had solved the Ultimate Challenge.

Even though he'd never even met her before.

"You're..." Qin Yu quickly recognized her as the girl who had mocked their group of four earlier. His face immediately darkened. "Mind your own business."

Qin Yu couldn't be bothered to acknowledge her; he had no desire to interact with such a person.

"Heh, I wonder if you geniuses from Liaocheng No. 1 High School managed to solve it?"

Qin Yu tried to walk away, but the girl clung to him like a stubborn plaster, making him feel trapped. "Look, we don't know each other, and I have no interest in knowing you. Move aside, got it?"

Refraining from outright cursing was already being polite on Qin Yu's part.

Besides, he had only completed the original exam questions before the competition ended, achieving a completion rate of just sixty-six percent. His mood was already foul.

Chen Yu persisted relentlessly:

"That Ultimate Challenge was pretty easy, though. Aren't Liaocheng No. 1 High School supposed to be full of talents? Looks like even your best can't compare to us from these smaller schools."

Qin Yu's heart jolted at her words. He stared at the girl, wondering if she really was that impressive.

Seeing his reaction, Chen Yu grew even more smug, her lips flapping open and shut as she spewed petty boasts.

Tch, what a waste of such good talent, Qin Yu thought gloomily. Being surpassed by someone like her feels a million times worse than losing to Ke Lu.

Ke Lu's strength had earned Qin Yu's genuine respect. But this girl before him, with her sharp features and cutting demeanor, was even more formidable. This left Qin Yu breathless with frustration.

Ke Lu, please come and utterly crush this madwoman's arrogance!

At that moment, Qin Yu desperately wished Ke Lu would appear and ruthlessly extinguish her arrogance.

But no matter how he scanned the room, Ke Lu remained absent.

What's going on? Qin Yu felt a growing sense of urgency.

Chen Yu, also scanning the surroundings and finding no sign of Ke Lu, smirked mockingly. "Could it be that some student from Liaocheng No. 1 High School couldn't solve the problems and is just stubbornly refusing to leave?"

"Impossible!" Qin Yu instinctively retorted. Ke Lu's abilities far surpassed his own. If he had finished, Ke Lu must have long since completed it as well.

Just then—

Qin Yu suddenly glanced at the distant display screen, his face paling instantly.

Chen Yu followed his gaze and nearly jumped out of her skin. "How is this even possible?!"

The screen clearly displayed the competition results. The top line stood out in stark relief:

Ke Lu

Completion Time: 1 minute 10 seconds

Original Problems + Ultimate Challenge