Chapter 718 Always in Second ce


    The next day, thepetition officially began. Due to the spread of various rumors, many people were


    pessimistic about Marshall’s team, believing that they were bound to lose.


    Before thepetition started, the odds for betting on the oue had already soared to 1 to 30, with


    almost no one believing that Marshall’s team would win. In order to earn more money, some


    unscrupulous haters spread rumors about Catherine, even going as far as to say that she only became


    a researcher in theboratory through personal connections.


    Marshall led his team to the entrance of the sealedboratory. He personally ushered each of his


    students into theboratory. When he saw Catherine, who was walking at the back, he gently patted


    her shoulder. “Don’t worry. Just believe that you are the best,” he said earnestly.


    Faced with Marshall’s sincere advice, Catherine remained indifferent. Used to her temperament,


    Marshall didn’t mind. “Remember, you don’t need to worry too much. Just follow your heart, ” he said.


    “Okay,” Catherine responded.


    Her rare response brought a noticeable smile to Marshall’s face. For him, his team’s rankings were


    unimportant as long as his students did their best.


    Thepetition’s task was a specific experimental project, requiring the students to design a set of


    chips within three hours. The chips’ functionality had toply fully with thepetition’s regtions.


    The task was only revealed after the two teams entered the sealedboratory. Many people were


    dumbfounded when they saw it.


    Several professors from Styre University were also shocked. “Why is the task so difficult?” they


    eximed.


    Marshall furrowed his brow and unconsciously pushed the frame of his sses. “They’re giving us such


    a


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    difficult task in the first round?”


    The Johnville Team appeared quite confident upon seeing the announced task. Outsiders thought it


    was because they believed in their team’s strength, but the truth was that the difficulty was due to the


    Johnville Team’s mentor pulling strings behind the scenes. The Johnville Team looked down on Styre


    University but wouldn’t use any underhanded means to win. The strictness of the Bide Cup wouldn’t


    give them that opportunity. Their goal was simple-to make Styre Team’s defeat as embarrassing as


    possible.


    To prevent cheating, theboratories were surrounded by tempered ss, allowing everyone to see the


    experimenters inside clearly.


    The Johnville Team, as expected from a top-three-ranked team, had an incredibly strong ability to work


    together. Although the experimental project for thispetition was quite challenging, they had already


    started operating at a rapid pace, looking very confident.


    On the other hand, the researchers of the Styre Team were still discussing thepetition project. The


    apanying mentors standing outside theboratory were extremely anxious.


    “Marshall, what’s going on with your students? Why haven’t they started yet? ” one of the mentors


    asked urgently.


    Marshall had a serious expression on his face, and he seemed a bit nervous. This task wouldn’t have


    been too difficult if he had guided them. However, the mentors couldn’t interfere, and their students had


    to rely on themselves. Moreover, it seemed like this task was specifically targeted at the Styre Team,


    hitting their weak points.


    Facing the inquiries, Marshall remained silent, staring straight ahead.


    Paddy and his team were watching as well. Seeing that the Styre Team hadn’t started yet, he couldn’t


    help but make sarcastic remarks again.


    Fergus didn’t stop Paddy, so Paddy became even more arrogant, even going as far as to taunt


    Marshall directly. “Professor Hartley, you said Catherine is your favorite student, right? But why does


    she seem to know nothing, just sitting there daydreaming?” His words drew everyone’s attention to


    Catherine.


    Unlike her teammates, who were actively discussing, Catherine sat quietly on the side, resting her chin


    on her hand with a vacant look in her eyes, seemingly lost in thought.


    Instantly, discussions started spreading rapidly. The situation became so serious that several school


    leaders came to Marshall.


    “Marshall, what’s going on with that student of yours?” one of the school leaders asked.


    Marshall stared at Catherine with a fixed gaze, not knowing what she was nning to do.


    Seeing Marshall’sck of response, the professors didn’t know what was wrong with him. After


    discussing, they prepared to rece Catherine with a substitute. This suggestion had been made


    before, but at that time, Marshall strongly opposed it and used his position as a guarantee, firmly


    rmending Catherine to stay in theboratory.


    Now, Catherine tantly neglected thepetition, showing no regard for it. Even if she didn’t know


    how toplete the task, she should have joined their discussion, at the very least.


    The professors prepared to leave, but Marshall quickly stopped them. The leading professor looked at


    Marshall, looking somewhat agitated. “Marshall, what’s gotten into you? Why are you still protecting


    her?” His attitude seemed resolute, indicating that he was determined to rece Catherine.


    Marshall’s eyes turned bloodshot, and he red at them. “I am the mentor of this team. No one is


    allowed to go into thatb without mymand!”


    Faced with Marshall’s stubbornness, the professors felt somewhat helpless. They had no choice but to


    let him be, especially since Marshall said he would take responsibility if anything went wrong.


    The mentor from the Johnville Team, upon seeing themotion from the Styre Team, began to mock


    them.


    “Humph, look at them! It’s so funny! Losers always like toe up with various excuses to cover up


    their ipetence! And we, as winners, naturally don’t need toin about anything because we


    always stand on the stage of victory!”


    The merciless mockery left the members of the Styre Team with no dignity. However, they couldn’t


    even find a reason to refute the taunts. Deep down, they had subconsciously epted that they were


    going to lose.


    Ronin was present as well. Seeing the arrogant attitude of the Johnville Team, he exploded with rage.


    After all, he was now a member of Styre University. How could he allow these outsiders to disparage


    his team like this? As Catherine had said, there was no need to endure when one couldn’t endure


    anymore.


    Ronin stood up and pointed at the Johnville Team’s mentor, mocking loudly, “Oh, stage of victory, huh?


    But why are you always in second ce? How dare you act so high and mighty here. Who was the one


    who cried after losing thepetition? And now you think you always stand on the stage of victory? Do


    you think we all forgot you cried like a babyst time?”


    During the previous Bide Cup, the Johnville Team suffered a devastating defeat, losing three times in a


    row to the Altonian Team. The mentor of the Johnville Team had to take full responsibility and publicly


    apologize in front of the nation, shedding tears and expressing regret.


    The mentor’s shame was exposed on the spot, but he couldn’t find a better reason to argue back, so


    he could only sit down in frustration.


    Seeing him quiet down, Ronin didn’t want to cause any more disturbance, mainly to avoid affecting


    Catherine. He decided to argue with that mentor. He would teach that old man a lesson after the


    competition ended.