Chapter 738
The finals were split into two rounds.
First up was the theory exam. The board came up with all the questions themselves and, just to keep things fair, they only sent them to the exam room five minutes before everything started. The questions were so tough, they made the earlier rounds look like child’s play. One of the board members had even joked, “Anyone who gets a perfect score can have my job.”
The second round? Surgery. Each contestant had to operate on a rabbit that was seriously ill.
Once everyone had taken their places on stage, the judges walked up and settled in. Suddenly, every spotlight and camera zeroed in on them.
Lydia sat down and immediately glanced at Letty, giving her a subtle nod of encouragement. Letty flashed a quick smile back. They didn’t say a word, but both of them knew exactly what the other was thinking.
Lydia had told Letty she had two guarantees for winning this competition. Charlotte’s injured hands were one of them. The other? Letty couldn’t figure it out. But Lydia looked so calm and confident, it was obvious she thought the trophy was hers.
After she looked at Letty, Lydia’s eyes slid over and locked with Charlotte’s. Charlotte’s gaze was icy and unreadable. For a split second, panic flickered across Lydia’s face. How was Charlotte even here with her hands in that condition?
Charlotte stared back at Lydia, her calm eyes hiding something darker underneath. After a few seconds, she looked away, cold and dismissive. As soon as Charlotte stopped looking at her, Lydia let out a breath. It didn’t really matter if Charlotte knew she and Letty were teacher and student.
Lydia caught sight of the bandages wrapped around Charlotte’s hands and couldn’t help smirking. Charlotte was just a student, with no connections and no power. Honestly, Lydia figured she’d quit before the competition was even over, too embarrassed to stay.
“Three minutes to the final round. Contestants, please get ready…”
The host’s voice faded and the whole place went quiet. Everyone stared at the five contestants on stage.
As soon as the test papers landed on their desks, the other four contestants grabbed their pens and dove right in. Charlotte just looked down at the questions, something complicated flickering across her face.
This was supposed to be hard? After all these years, the board’s standards hadn’t improved at all.
People in the audience started whispering.
“Her hands are messed up. Is she just going to sit there and do nothing?”
“This is an international competition. If she can’t compete, she shouldĝust drop out, a girl from Eldoria said. “She’s just sitting there like a statue. It’s embarrassing Thank goodness Letty’s here, otherwise…
***
Back at The Cabinda University, the entire leadership team and every med student, no matter their year, packed into the activity center
watch the finals together. Thonet
university’s med students were
torch, but Letty was the on
one who’d made it to this
international stage.
This wasn’t just Letty’s battle. It was about the honor of the whole school and even the reputation of Eldoria.
“I heard Charlotte got perfect scores in both earlier rounds,” a freshman whispered.
“Olivia, wasn’t Charlotte from some tiny village? How is she so good?” another asked.
Olivia, glued to the big screen, went pale. She squeezed her fists together, muttering, “Yeah, she grew up in the countryside.”
Sure, maybe she’d learned a thing
or
two from the village doctor, but how
could she possibly do better than Letty and get perfect scores in bath rounds, Content belangs
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“I really thought Charlotte was going to be the underdog who surprised everyone.
Who knew she’d mess up her hands right before the finals?”
Olivia pressed her lips together, staring at Charlotte’s bandaged hands, her eyes shining with barely hidden satisfaction.