?Chapter 966:


    Webster had pulled out all the stops, rallying the entire team and pushing Elena into a reckless wager, all because he was certain she’de up short. He’d summoned the leaders of every research department, and Ellis was among them.


    Ellis had walked in unaware that Webster was targeting Elena. But upon hearing Webster’s words, Ellis’s expression hardened. “What was that?” His voice sliced through the chatter.


    Webster, oblivious that Ellis was Elena’s older brother, only knew Ellis as the institute’s brightest up-ander. Hoping to earn favor, heunched into a tirade against Elena right in front of Ellis. “Ellis, you probably haven’t run into her yet. She’s a neer, rumored to be some kind of tech genius. Perhaps it’s just me, but I can’t see anything impressive…”


    Webster broke off briefly, letting a smirk curl across his face. “I brought everyone here because she tossed out the wildest im, saying she could build a program for automated recognition and counter-tracking. Anyone who’s worked on that knows how brutal it is. My team’s been at it for ages, and we’re still stuck. But she thinks she’s up for it after just a few days in theb. I don’t believe in dressing things up. I’ve got no patience for show-offs—or anyone who ws their way up with favors instead of talent. To me, if you’re out of your depth, pack it up, go home, and stick to homemaking.”


    Webster turned sharply toward Elena, each word flung with the precision of a p.


    However, Webster didn’t notice the shift in Ellis’s demeanor—his features now cold and rigid.


    Across the room, Elena spotted the tension in her brother’s jaw. A faint smirk tugged at her lips as she gave him a slight, reassuring nod. This wasn’t worth getting worked up over. She had it under control. Ellis picked up on the signal and clenched his fists, tamping down the urge to explode. For now, he’d let Webster talk.


    Elena settled into her seat with unbothered ease. “You got one thing right—the institute doesn’t have space for dead weight.”


    Webster faltered. Her calm unsettled him, and something uncertain flicked through his expression. Why wasn’t she rattled? Could she actually pull it off? No—impossible. He’d poured years into the problem and stille up empty. There was no way some neer could walk in and crack it.


    Elena let out a derisiveugh. “If my program fails, I’ll walk away from the institute. But if it works, you’re the one who leaves.”


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    Webster hesitated.


    Her expression turned razor-sharp. “What’s wrong? Backing down?”


    “I… Of course not!” His voice shot up as he snapped. “If you really make it, I’ll quit this very moment!”


    Elena’s smile widened. Foolish tomit so fast. “You all heard him. If I deliver, he steps down.”


    The others, like Webster, assumed she was bluffing. Veterans in weapons development, they understood the sheerplexity behind her im. No one truly believed she could pull it off.


    “This is pointless. Nobody can build something that advanced in three days.”


    “She’s treating this like some kind of school science demo.”


    “That kind of program, if it works, could shift global military power and turn Houis into a dominant force.”


    A few people rose from their seats, ready to leave.


    Elena remained unfazed, her silence sharper than any words. Without hesitation, she opened herptop. She sat at the desk, her fingers moving with a fluidity that left no room for pause, a blur across the keyboard.


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