"Just a moment." Juniper scanned the area, a slight frown creasing her brow when she couldn''t spot Flint.


    "Wait for what?" the staff member snapped, anxious that any dy might upset the important guest Mr. Schwartz had asked him to look after. "If you don''t leave now, I''m calling security."


    "Two minutes." Today was a crucial match for the Neverfall Navigators, and she didn''t want to cause a scene that might jinx them. “Please, just wait," she said patiently.


    Two minutes? Ynda and Ferdinand lingered nearby, waiting to watch Juniper make a fool of herself. Whether she had two minutes or two days, the result would be the same.


    “Hattie, are we..... not going to get in?" one of the ssmates asked, his voice low with worry.


    "Don''t be ridiculous." Hattie shot him a re. "Do you think Juniper would have promised if she couldn''t get us in? Look, she''s handling it. Just be patient.”


    "Okay." The male student nodded obediently, not daring to say another word.


    "Right, that''s it. I''m calling security," the staff member said, done with her excuses, and pulled out his phone to call for backup.


    Juniper ignored him, her expression cool as she texted Flint. [Where are you?]


    Flint replied instantly. [Ms. Payne, you''ve arrived?]


    Juniper: [...]


    That ellipsis was terrifying. Flint immediately pulled up his pants and stumbled out of the restroom, frantically calling the event manager as he ran. "The VIP is here! Why isn''t anyone there to receive her?"


    The manager on the other end was bewildered. "We''ve been watching the entrance," he mumbled. "We haven''t seen any big shots."


    "What do you mean she''s not there?" Flint had reached a hallway overlooking the entrance and saw Juniper and her ssmates standing by the gate. A group of seven or eight security guards was slowly closing in on them, clearly intending to drive them away.


    "Check your WhatsApp." Flint was tearing his hair out. He quickly snapped a photo and sent it to the manager, stressing, "The VIPs are the first-year Computer Science students from Era University, especially that young woman in the middle. Open your eyes and treat her right. Don''t you dare upset her."


    He added a grave warning, “If she''s unhappy, she''ll give the boss a hard time. And if


    the boss is in a bad mood... you know what happens."


    The manager zoomed in on Juniper''s face, his heart pounding in his chest. What in


    the world was her rtionship with Mr. Schwartz?!


    "Mr. Flint, don''t worry! I''ll handle it right away!"


    After hanging up, the manager sprinted toward the entrance.


    Meanwhile, the security guards were already berating Juniper''s group.


    "Trying to get in without a ticket is no different from dining and dashing," one of them sneered. “So young and already causing trouble."


    "I hear you''re from Era University," another added disdainfully. "Is this the kind of student a top university produces? Such poor character."


    "Someone ising for us," Juniper said calmly, popping a piece of candy into her mouth. "I know you''re in a hurry, but you should really calm down."


    "This is your final warning. Leave now, or we will be forced to remove you."


    Ynda watched the drama unfold with a smug grin.


    Ferdinand went a step further, pulling out his phone, opening a group chat full of Era students, and starting a livestream. A spectacle this juicy had to be shared.


    The renowned perfect-score


    schr? The genius from the


    Computer Science department? If word of this got out, it would tarnish Era University''s reputation and she''d be in serious trouble.


    Sure enough, it didn''t take long. The Era University student forum exploded with posts, all spreading the same rumor: Juniper was leading herputer science


    ssmates t


    attempt too,


    freeload their way into the WKL event.