She Outshines Them All

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 glances, 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, landing 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, “No comment.”

The wheel shot back, “Game over. Please accept 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 three layers.

・

She wasn’t wearing much to begin with—if she took off her black robe, warm jacket, and thermal top, she’d be left in nothing but her underwear. How embarrassing!

Just then, Matthew chimed in, “According 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 black 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?”

9

93%

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. All content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Now it was Athena’s turn.

Once again, the Messenger was chosen.

It was clear to all the participants that these two competed 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 of communication between them?‘

Athena met the Messenger’s gaze, a playful 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 black 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 calculating the rankings for this round. Each participant will earn a gold card for completing 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.”

3

93%

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 me later.”

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 place, 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…”

She launched 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, becoming a leader in the industry, and raking in profits.

However once Vission Group ended its collaboration 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 could come 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 play second fiddle and never learn.

If Zoe kept this mindset, she was destined to drag the Murray family business down with her.