She Outshines 321
In the dim light, Athena watched the organizer, the Messenger.
Their average build was hidden beneath a flowing ck robe that concealed their hands and feet,
making it impossible to determine their gender. What struck her was the tall, authoritative presence
theymanded, exuding the calmness of a general ready to face any challenge.
From the top of the stairs, the Messenger scanned the gathered participants and spoke in a voice
that had been altered to be indistinct. “Wee, everyone, to tonight’s gathering. As tradition
dictates, please hand over your phones before we dive into our game. After that, pick a seat and
help yourselves to your favorite desserts and drinks.”
Athena shared a silent nce with Matthew before she handed her phone to a masked attendant.
The attendant ced their phones into clear stic bags, sealing them with tape, and reminded
them, “Remember the number on the seal. Just say it when you want your phone back.”
Athena noted that the seal bore a lengthy 14–digit number. The attendant gave them only a brief
look at it before swiftly taking the bags away.
It confirmed her thoughts: this gathering was solely for those sharp–minded.
She and Matthew exchanged another look before making their way to the round table.
As they walked, the “Baharia Lady” brushed past her, whispering, “Make sure youe in first and
fulfill my request. I’ll reward you handsomely.”
Athena was here under the name Daniel.
Both she and Matthew had pinned on the brooch Zoe had given them. It was clear that the “Persian
Lady,” or Zoe, recognized them as her allies immediately.
Athena merely nodded in response.
When she reached the table, she noticed that each seat was spaced 3 feet apart, and each had a
number on the back. The only exception was the seatbeled “O,” which had a 1.5–meter gap on
either side and was the closest to the stairs. It was obvious that this spot was saved for the
Messenger.
That wasn’t hard to guess.
The Messenger waited until everyone was seated before descending the stairs and taking the “O”
seat. Their voice now carried a yful tone as they said, “You’re all geniuses, and there are three
reasons to be here: to y games with smart people, to win rewards, and for mutual benefit. Since
your time is valuable, I won’t waste it any longer. Let’s get started.”
An attendant ced a box on the table.
The Messenger continued, “Inside this box are pure gold cards, each weighing 0.2 pounds.
“Each cardes with a question. You’ll draw in order, and if you answer correctly, you keep the
card. If you get it wrong, others can jump in, and the first correct answerer gets the card. Your
performance will count towards your overall score.”
Athena nodded slightly, impressed by how well the Messenger understood people.
Not every genius was wealthy, and this kind of reward would certainly entice many in the room Sure
enough, as soon as the Messenger finished speaking, some participants couldn’t contain their
excitement.
The Messenger said, “We’ll start with the participant in seat number 1 on my left.”
The attendant ced the box in front of the first participant.
They drew the first card and handed it over.
19
After reading it, the attendant announced, “This question needs to be answered in the dark, so I’ll
turn off the lights temporarily. Don’t worry, they’ll be back on shortly.”
With that, the candles at the center of the table flickered out instantly.
Everyone was engulfed in darkness.
Athena suspected that the chandelier above was rigged with an automatic lighting system—no one
had to light or extinguish candles manually.
The attendant announced, “Here’s your question: How many people walked through the vi’s
entrance earlier, and how many are seated at this round table? Exclude the Messenger, who’s in
seat ‘O. Seat 1, you have one minute to answer.”
The person in seat 1 took a moment to think, about 20 or 30 seconds, then finally answered, “There
were 68 people who entered the vi, and 42 of them are seated here.”
The attendant asked, “You still have time. Do you want to change your answer?“.
Seat 1 responded confidently, “No, I’ll stick with it.”
The attendant said, “I’m sorry, but that’s incorrect. Anyone else can answer now.”
The moment those words were spoken, several buzzers lit up, only milliseconds apart.
The fastest one came from seat 35—Athena’s seat.
Without a second thought, Athena answered, “There were 66 people who walked through the vi’s
door, and 41 seated at the table.”
The attendant confirmed, “That’s correct. This gold card is yours.”
The chandelier above flickered back to life.
A few attendants walked over, cing the gold card from seat 1 into a small box in front of Athena.
Then the attendant turned to the next person, “Seat 2, it’s your turn to draw a card.”
Seat 2 pulled a card and read the question aloud: “Do you believe in ghosts? What’s your reasoning
for either believing or not believing? It’s an open–ended question, and others can share their
opinions too. The most persuasive answer will be determined by a vote.”
Seat 2 didn’t hesitate and shook their head. “I don’t believe in ghosts. Ever since humanity’s been
around, there have been countless stories about ghosts, but there’s no solid evidence proving they
exist. Now, if I saw one myself or found some real proof, that would change my mind.”
Immediately, someone jumped in, “I do believe in ghosts, but not the creepy supernatural kind from
myths. I think they’re just projections of beings from higher dimensions appearing in our world.”
Another participant added, “Ghosts could be real, but maybe they’re just leftover information from
someone’s life, only showing up under rare circumstances.”
Then someone chimed in confidently, “I’ve seen a ghost myself, but you can’t catch them on
camera.”
The discussion turned into a full–blown debate, with these brilliant minds arguing back and forth for
nearly fifteen minutes.
Athena and Matthew stayed quiet, just listening to the exchange.
? 6 ? ? 93%1
When it came time to vote, the majority agreed that seat 2 had the most reasonable answer, earning
them a gold card.
Athena had voted for “don’t believe.”
Next up was seat 3, who drew a question that sparked even more interest: “Do you believe in
aliens? What’s your reasoning for believing or not believing? This is also an open–ended question,
and others are free to give their opinions. The most convincing answer will be chosen by vote.”
Seat 3 answered with certainty, “The universe is way too big for humans to be the only intelligent
life. I believe aliens exist.”
This question grabbed everyone’s attention even more than the ghost debate.
Several participants jumped into the conversation, and the discussionsted nearly twenty minutes.
They referenced everything from astronomy and physics discoveries to historical records and
archaeology, even diving into philosophical and theological arguments to back their views.
Athena remained quiet again.
But when it came time to vote, she cast hers for “believe.”
Most of the participants voted the same, and seat 3 won a gold card.
Although the debates for seats 2 and 3 took up a good amount of time, the following questions were
answered more quickly.
“Here’s 6 million dors in cash. How would you turn that into 20 million, and how long would it take
you?”
“You have three minutes to spot the discrepancies in these ounts and exin how to fix them.”
“You’ve earned 20 million through gambling. How would youunder that money?”
“You’re ying rock–paper–scissors with another person. There are five rounds, and each round
has three moves…”
These questions weren’t exactly tough for the average person, but while it might take someone
ordinary an hour to crack them, these people could solve them in just a few minutes.
That’s the hallmark of a genius—someone with a high IQ.
Finally, it was Matthew’s turn—seat 34.
Up until now, he had kept quiet, never jumping in to answer, and Athena understood he was doing it
on purpose. He was giving her the chance to take the lead because he knew how much she wanted
to shine in thispetition.
Matthew’s card read, “Analyze the professions of the participants in seats 5, 42, and 27.”
A buzz of whispers filled the room as everyone began to discuss.
Athena found the question fascinating.
The participants weren’t just in disguise; many of them were quiet and kept to themselves, barely
interacting with anyone else. Trying to figure out their professions would be a challenge worthy of a
seasoned detective.
Matthew lowered the card and nced at the man in seat 5, who sat diagonally across from him.
The middle–aged man in seat 5 wore a thick raincoat. His fingers were intertwined on the table, but
as soon as he caught Matthew’s gaze, he instinctively shoved his hands into his pockets and turned
his head slightly to hide his face.
93%
11
After a moment of observation, Matthew began, speaking deliberately, “You’ve been pretty lively
during this gathering, so I can tell this isn’t your first time here. Yet you didn’t have any alcohol; you
opted for coffee instead, which hints that your job likely prohibits drinking.
“Most people don’t choose to wear raincoats in everyday life, and they certainly don’t help to
conceal one’s figure or looks. So it seems like you chose it because it’sfortable or perhaps it’s
just a habit for you.
“Your hair is natural, no dye in sight. You’re not wearing any jewelry, but you do have a fake
mustache. That suggests you usually don’t have one, which could be either a job requirement or a
personal choice.
“You’re not wearing contacts, and your vision seems fine, which indicates you take good care of
your eyes.
“You picked desserts that are low in fat and calories, showing you’re health–conscious and mindful
of your diet.
“You also answered questions about human anatomy and surgical procedures, meaning you’re
probably an expert in that
area.
“Your hands are well–groomed, your nails neatly trimmed, and the way you used your knife and fork
to cut the bread was very precise—your fingers are quick and agile.
Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.
“That’s all I have to say. I believe you’re a doctor.”
Seat 5 turned to him, a bit reluctant but ultimately admitting, “You’re right.”
Next, Matthew focused on the man in seat 42, who was bundled up in a hooded puffer jacket.
“You’ve got noticeable dark circles under your eyes—you must be burning the midnight oil.
“You blink a lot, and your sses are heavily prescribed, indicating your eyes are overworked and
you probably suffer from dry eye syndrome.
“When your hands are on the table, your fingers tap lightly as if you’re typing on a keyboard.
“When you came in, you headed straight for seat 42 without a second thought.
“You have a knack for numbers. In the entrance test, you chose a math problem, and in the living
room, you went for a puzzle game.
“You’re sipping an energy drink.
“There’s a tablet hidden in your jacket, and you’ve got earbuds in your ears.
“I’d say you’re a programmer.”
Seat 42 looked taken aback for a moment, then broke into an enthusiastic grin. “Wow, you’re
observant! You must know your stuff. Want to go a few roundster?”
Finally, Matthew turned to the man in seat 27, who had a noticeable belly. He simply said, “You’re
involved in some shady business. I won’t borate.”
All eyes shifted to seat 27.
The man in seat 27 wore arge mask and remained silent.
The Messenger interjected, “I’d say seat 34 did an outstanding job. Here’s a gold card for you.”
Now it was Athena’s turn.
Then the Messenger announced, “Please watch a video.”
10:00
An attendant standing next to the Messenger turned argeputer screen towards the group and
pressed y.
The video opened with a door marked “174.”
A middle–aged man reached for the doorknob, pushed it open, and stepped into the room.
93%
Behind him followed four others: a young boy in a white shirt holding hands with a girl with a
ponytail, a thirty–something guy wearing sses, and a young woman with long hair in a striking red
dress.
Inside, the room had the typicalyout of a guest room.
To the left, a closet was stocked with towels and pajamas.
To the right was a bathroom featuring a washbasin, a toilet, and a shower stall.
The main room held two single beds, a sofa, a table, and a television, with a kettle and some cups
set on the table.
As soon as the woman in red stepped inside, she made a beeline for the bathroom, shutting the
door behind her, the sound of running water echoing in the silence.
The girl with the ponytail wandered over to the window, gazing out at the pouring rain, and
comined, “Great, no cell signal, and it’s just pouring. Five of us stuffed into one room? There’s no
way we’ll sleep well. If I’d known, I would’ve skipped this dump altogether.”
The boy in the white shirt tried to reassure her, “Hey, it’s just for one night. We’ll manage.”
The middle–aged man chuckled, “I’ll take the sofa tonight. You girls can share a bed, and the guys
can take the other one. It shouldn’t be too cramped.”
The girl with the ponytail muttered, “This ce is ancient and small, way up in the mountains. Who
knows if it’s even safe at night…”
The guy in sses added, “Don’t worry. If anything goes down, the three of us guys can protect you
twodies. You’ll be just fine.”
Grabbing the remote, the girl with the ponytail flicked on the TV. “Let’s just watch something to kill
time.”
The screen lit up.
She flipped through the channels, frowning, “What’s the deal? There are only three channels! It’s
either the news, some shopping shows, or online sses. And this one’s about calculus—how dull!”
The middle–aged man suggested, “Why don’t we watch the local news?”
The boy in the white shirt swiped the remote from her. “Let’s do a shopping show instead. I wanted
to buy some health supplements for my parents, and you guys can doze off while we watch.”
Everyone chuckled.
Just then, the girl in the red dress emerged from the bathroom, smiling. “The hot water downstairs
should be ready. I’m going to grab a bowl of instant noodles and bring some back for you all.”
She reached for the doorknob, opened the door, and disappeared from view.
The middle–aged man then walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
The boy in the white shirt and the girl in the ponytail settled on the sofa, leaning into each other,
sharing whispers and
secrets.
0 ? ?? 93%#
The guy in sses nced at the clock and said, “It’s only a little past eight. I’m going to see if they
have any ying cards downstairs. If they do, we can all y together.”
He opened the door and stepped outside.
The video ended there.
The Messenger then said, “Among these five people, one is a ghost, and one is a murderer. I’ll y
the video again, it’s done, you need to point out immediately who the ghost is and who the murderer
is.”
when
0