She Outshines 324
Athena was not one to hesitate often.
But this time, she paused for three seconds before finally admitting, “Noah Anderson.”
Her mentor was a closely guarded secret, known only to her and no one else.
She could have lied, but that would mean she couldn’t handle the game.
A genius’s pride wouldn’t let her back down, even in something as trivial as this.
It seemed all the other bright minds in the room felt the same way.
As her words lingered, the others exchanged nces, silently questioning why they had never heard
of such an impressive person before.
The game pressed on.
In the eighth round, the Messenger spun the pointer and the wheel once more,nding on Athena
again.
By now, it was clear to everyone that the Messenger was specifically targeting her.
The question from the wheel was, “What does your mentor do?”
Athena replied coolly, “Noment.”
The wheel shot back, “Game over. Please ept your punishment.
“You need to take off three pieces of clothing and stand outside for ten minutes.”
Athena’s jaw dropped.
It wasn’t just the thought of standing outside in the freezing winter air for ten minutes; it was the idea
of stripping off threeyers.
?
She wasn’t wearing much to begin with—if she took off her ck robe, warm jacket, and thermal
top, she’d be left in nothing but her underwear. How embarrassing!
Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.
Just then, Matthew chimed in, “ording to the rules, someone else can take her punishment,
right?”
The wheel confirmed, “Yes.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Matthew said, “I’ll take her punishment.”
He stood up, calmly and confidently peeling off his ck robe, then his suit jacket, and finally his
white shirt.
Everyone watched, entranced.
Even though he wore a mask, his grace as he undressed was captivating, far more stylish than even
the best male models strutting down a runway.
As his shirt came off, he revealed a chiseled chest and an impressive eight–pack, causing gasps
and murmurs of astonishment to ripple through the crowd. Many watched with a mix of envy,
admiration, and desire, some even swallowing audibly.
One voice broke through the murmurs, “I’d love to unbuckle his belt…”
<
Matthew ignored the hungry looks and asked the Messenger, “So how does my turn work now?”
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The Messenger replied, “You’re volunteering to take someone else’s punishment. If you don’t make
it back in time, your turn will be skipped.”
Matthew shrugged. “Let’s start the timer now, okay?”
Then the Messenger nodded. “Sure.”
With that, Matthew stepped outside.
Now it was Athena’s turn.
Once again, the Messenger was chosen.
It was clear to all the participants that these twopeted in sorts, seemingly targeting one
another.
The wheel asked the familiar question, “Who is the smartest person you’ve ever met?”
The Messenger paused for a moment before answering, “My teacher.”
Everyone’s eyes flitted between him and Athena, intrigued by the coincidence.
They wondered, ‘Do they not know each other? Isn’t that a way ofmunication between them?‘
Athena met the Messenger’s gaze, a yful spark in her eyes.
The game continued.
After the round wrapped up, five minutes had flown by, and Matthew returned.
In front of the captivated crowd, he casually put his shirt back on, followed by his suit jacket, and
finally draped his ck robe over his shoulders. Everyone, including Athena, couldn’t help but stare,
completely enthralled.
She thought, ‘Is this the kind of springtime show I could enjoy for free?‘ She felt incredibly fortunate.
It was obvious to everyone that Matthew, with his IQ of 185, was a wealthy young man, and the way
he dressed and undressed showcased a sophistication that few could pull off, no matter how much
money they had.
Once fully dressed, he settled back into his seat and casually asked, “So, is it my turn now?”
As the Messenger opened their mouth to midnight.
speak, the room was suddenly filled with a loud “dong” as the clock struck
“It’s midnight,” the Messenger announced, disappointment flickering in their eyes.
“Tonight’s game is officially over. Please take this time to rest; I’ll be calcting the rankings for this
round. Each participant will earn a gold card forpleting a game, and the one with the most gold
cards will win the grand prize for the evening.”
With that, the Messenger rose and left the room, prompting the crowd to break apart.
Some people went in search of food and drinks, while others looked for someone to chat with.
A cluster of attendees squeezed their way over to Athena and Matthew, eager to exchange contact
information.
This time, Athena and Matthew didn’t say no.
Athena smiled, saying, “I’ve noted your phone number, and I’ll add you once I get my phone back.”
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Matthew chimed in, “Her IQ is higher than mine, and her memory is better too. Just tell her, and she
can pass the info along
to meter.”
Everyone hurriedly shared their phone numbers, iMessages, and email addresses with Athena.
She nodded politely, keeping quiet about whether she’d remember all of them.
After some effort, Zoe finally managed to squeeze in next to Athena and whispered, “If you can snag
first ce, you’ll get to make a request to the Messenger—any request you want.”
Athena felt a spark of curiosity. “Really? They can grant any request?”
Zoe nodded eagerly. “As long as it’s something a person can do, they can make it happen.”
Athena raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”
Zoe replied, “I heard about a winner who once asked for 200 million. The Messenger told him he
wasn’t worthy of that much but offered him 2 million in cash instead—and he actually delivered.
“There was another winner who wanted to get into a prestigious university, and the Messenger
made that happen too. “Then someone wanted the life of a powerful figure. The Messenger said
they had no grudge against that person and couldn’t help with murder, but they could arrange for
them to meet.
“They delivered on that too, and the police still haven’t found the kidnappers of that influential
person.”
Athena chuckled softly. “What do you want me to request?”
Zoe leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “You should tell the Messenger you want
to bring those luxury brands to Murray Group Mall…”
Sheunched into a long list of high–end brands from around the world.
Athena couldn’t help but think, surprised that Zoe was prioritizing business for the Murray family
instead of plotting her downfall. It seemed Zoe was being practical, putting the family’s interests
first.
The “Charming Beauty” medical chain, once a ten–figure earner annually, was now defunct.
Murray Group Mall had thrived in the past, using strong connections to get top–tier products from
the Vission Group after cutting ties with the Kennedy family, bing a leader in the industry, and
raking in profits.
However once Vission Group ended its coboration with the Kennedy family, all their products
were pulled from Murray Group Mall overnight, causing its status to drop dramatically, relegating it
to an ordinary mall with significantly diminished profits.
If Zoe’s request coulde to fruition tonight, it would restore Murray Group Mall to its former
glory.
Once Zoe finished sharing her idea, she leaned in with a conspiratorial tone. “After the party wraps
up, the Messenger might issue some bounties. If participants can help him out, he’ll also grant their
requests.
“I hope you’ll take on these bounties and assist the Messenger, so you can ask for something else
in return.”
Athena asked, “What other requests do you have in mind?”
Zoe gritted her teeth and said, “I want the Donovan family to go bankrupt and return to where they
came from.”
Athena sighed, knowing Zoe would always y second fiddle and never learn.
If Zoe kept this mindset, she was destined to drag the Murray family business down with her.