"Hmm... the answer to that question..." O paused deliberately, then answered smoothly, "It''s divided into axons and dendrites."


    As soon as she finished speaking, the scoreboard behind her ticked up by one.


    O looked calm, but only she knew how tight her heart had felt just moments ago. That question was a real curveball; she almost didn''t nail it. Thankfully, she did.


    She had underestimated Darcy before. In front of a nationwide, even global audience, O couldn''t afford to slip up. She was aiming for nothing less than andslide victory.


    Darcy, just wait. Soon, you won''t even get a chance to ask questions.


    Hiding her darker thoughts, she lifted her head and faced the camera with a pure, innocent smile. "Now it''s my turn to ask a question."


    She drew a topic from physiology and, after pretending to think for a moment, said, "Blood is a red, opaque, viscous liquid flowing through our blood vessels and heart. What functions does it serve?" Darcy furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. "It regtes body temperature and maintains osmotic pressure and acid-base bnce."


    As she finished, a big red X shed on therge screen behind her.


    "Sis, you missed a part. It also transports nutrients," O said with a lightugh.


    Since Darcy got it wrong, O got to ask the next question too.


    "The constant number of red blood cells in cirction, the LH surge at the end of the follicr phase during the menstrual cycle, and the maintenance of a rtively constant body temperature - which of these are examples of negative feedback regtion?"


    Her questions got trickier, making Darcy sweat bullets. The more flustered she got, the harder it was to think. Everything was a blur in her mind.


    She managed to blurt out just before the system marked her answer as a forfeit: "It''s the constant number of red blood cells in cirction."


    O''s smile was loaded with meaning.


    Darcy got it wrong again.


    So, it was still O''s turn to ask questions.


    The other three members of Darcy''s team were in the same boat. They hardly had a chance to ask their own questions.


    Sitting in the audience, FloraText content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    impassively withdrew her gaze. The


    J.n


    gap between the University of Maple Grove''sb and the medical organization was massive. Whether in terms of experience or resources, the disparity was ringly obvious.


    Comparing the two only highlighted how badly Darcy and her team were being crushed. Online viewers couldn''t stand it, unleashing a barrage of criticism in the livestream chat.


    They knew the team would lose, but


    did it have to be this humiliating?t was just embarrassing! So much for the nation''s top


    ben''t anything special a


    all!


    Fifteen minutester, thepetition ended, and Darcy''s team left the stage, utterly dejected.


    "Professor, we''re sorry we let you down."


    "Thepetition''s over, no point in dwelling on it," Dr. Ray said unusually gently. "Come on, sit down, have some water and something to eat, and get your strength back."


    The host was already calling the next set of contestants to the stage.


    From the University of Maple Grove, Flora and Shawn, along with two other guys, stepped up. For the medical organization, it was Selene and three other girls.


    Flora stood upzily, adjusting her mask with her thumb and index finger, and followed Shawn up to the stage.


    The medical organization''s team reached the stage first and instinctively nced at Shawn and Flora''s group. Then...


    The medical organization''s team


    saw Flora approaching with her


    mask on and their eyes widened in


    horror. They looked like they had seen a ghost, their bodies trembling violently!


    It was her!


    It really was her!