Chapter 309


    The clock hadn’t struck the hour, so the grand entrance of the skyscraper remained closed


    momentarily.


    The team’s coach huddled the students together for a final briefing, his expression more grave than


    ever. This internationalpetition wasn’t just about personal prowess but about national honor on the


    global stage. As he reiterated the significance of the event, a palpable surge of determination swept


    through the group.


    Mirabe nced toward the Olympic emblem at the top of the building, her lips curling into a


    subconscious smile. If one looked closely, they’d see the spark ofbativeness igniting in her eyes.


    She had tackled more cases of puzzling ailments than anyone else, and now it was time to reap the


    rewards of her hard work.


    At 9 a.m. sharp, Eastern Time, over a hundred young schrs from around the globe filed into the


    examination hall in an orderly fashion. There were ten exam rooms in total and Mirabe was assigned


    to Room 10 alongside Vincent and three others. Their cement in the same room seemed odd at first.


    Settling into her seat, Mirabe twirled her pen thoughtfully. ording to the usual protocol, they


    shouldn’t have all been in the same room. But soon enough, she overheard two international students


    conversing nearby, and the mystery unraveled. The assignments were based on the previous year’s


    national rankings. Those who were at the bottom, or didn’t make the cut at all, were lumped together in


    thest two rooms.


    In other words, the countries represented in Rooms 9 and 10 hadn’t made the leaderboardst time. If


    none had ranked before, then it hardly mattered if students from the same nation were grouped


    together. After all, they weren’t expected to rank this time either.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Propping her chin on her hand, Mirabe thought, ‘Is this a slight?‘ The mes ofpetition zed


    even fiercer within her.


    Before long, a proctor entered with the exam papers, his demeanor icy, as if none of the students were


    worth his notice.


    Mirabe scanned the questions upon receiving her paper. As expected, the international level was at


    least twice as challenging as the domesticpetition. She exhaled and began to write. She thrived on


    complex problems, much like diagnosing a difficult case – too easy, and it was hardly worth her time.


    The exam spanned three grueling hours and was worth a total of two hundred points, with a high cutoff


    of one hundred sixty for advancement. Last year, nearly three hundredpetitors whittled down to


    fewer than eighty finalists.


    As the final bell sounded, the proctor sternly instructed everyone to drop their pens and exit. Not a


    second more was to be spared.


    Exiting the exam room, Mirabe checked the signs and made a quick stop at the restroom


    11:04


    Ch 19


    before descending the stairs.


    The team awaited her, and she was thest to arrive. She approached with a measured pace. noting


    the crestfallen expressions around her. Even Vincent wore a shadow of gloom. She touched her nose,


    wondering. ‘Did they botch it?‘


    “Mirabe,” the coach’s voice was raspy, his spirits clearly dampened. “Do you think… do you feel you


    stand a chance of making the finals?” He had already inquired about the others‘ performance. Although


    the results were not yet in, besides perhaps Vincent, the rest seemed to have little hope.


    So, he didn’t ask Mirabe for a score prediction but rather if she believed she had a shot at the final


    round.