His total was 24 points. This ced him first among all the students so far-an impressive score for an amateur.


    Watching the contestants'' performance improve and their uracy rise, Ynda''s fingers tightened, her heart pounding. Hadn''t Farrell said that very few students had any shooting experience, that most were just dabblers who would struggle to even hit the target?


    Although she had been in a shooting club since she was a child, she had never taken it seriously. The best she had ever scored was a 4. Even if she hit 4 points on all three shots, her total would only be 12. Compared to the others, she would already be near the bottom of the rankings. If anyone else scored higher, wouldn''t she be eliminated in the first round?


    She had already boasted that she would win first ce and give everyone a day off. If she got eliminated now, how could she ever show her face again? Maybe she could pretend to be sick and sit this one out?


    "Number 31, you''re up!"


    Just as Ynda was trying toe up with a n, the announcer''s voice rang out. All eyes turned to her. As a rifle was handed to her, she realized she had no way out. She had to steel herself and walk to the shooting line.


    Her first shot went wide: 2 points.


    "What?"


    The broadcasting students were stunned. Two points? Just a moment ago, a student with no experience had gotten a lucky 3. Ynda had been practicing for years-what was this?


    Farrell''s face darkened. He thought Ynda must just be nervous. It was fine. As long as she scored better on the next two shots, she still had a chance to advance.


    Second shot: 3 points.


    The students fell silent, their expressions saying it all. Farrell''s face grew even darker. Was she sure she had practiced?


    After two misses, Ynda was even more nervous for her third shot. But luck was on her side, and she managed to hit the 4-point ring.


    Her total was 9 points. This score ced her 18th among the contestants who had already shot. Even if she advanced, she was so far behind the top three that she had no hope ofpeting for the top spots.


    At this point, Ynda would rather have been eliminated. The second round would just be another opportunity for her to be publicly humiliated.


    As expected, Ynda scraped by, qualifying for the second round in 20th ce, four points behind the 19th-ce contestant. At this rate, she wouldn''t just fail to catch up to the top three; she would struggle to even surpass the person directly ahead of her.


    "It''s over."


    "Damn it, I had already nned my day off. I was all ready to go, and now this? Theputer science students were distraught, throwing fold


    their hands up in despair


    you she couldn''t be trusted, and now the whole school knows she was


    supposed to get first ce.


    And


    where is she now? Deadst at


    20th?"


    "Seriously, can''t she just forfeit? Unless she hits a perfect 10 on all her shots in the next rounds, there''s no way she can advance...”


    But it was obvious she couldn''t. Now, it wasn''t just her who was embarrassed, but


    the entire 22ndpany. Unbelievable!


    The second round began quickly. The first few contestants continued to perform well, with one even scoring a 9 on a single shot-more than Ynda''s total for three shots. It was mortifying.


    Ynda looked at the rising scores of the people ahead of her, then at her own meager “9,” and her heart hammered in her chest. No. She could do it if she continued, not only would she lose, but she would also be humiliated and ridiculed.


    After some thought, Ynda lowered her eyes and nced around. Seeing that no one was paying close attention to her, she squeezed her eyes shut and copsed to the ground, pretending to faint.


    All the students of the 22ndpany were baffled.