Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 228: Chapter 228

Without hesitation, Zoe stood tall and proud, charging straight toward the obstacles now moving at ten times their original speed. She accelerated dramatically, making her previous run seem slow. Her speed increased at least twentyfold.
She moved so swiftly that she became a blur, leaving only a gust-of-wind-like streak in her wake. Reaching the wildly pendulum gauntlet, Zoe blazed through its entire length in a mere three seconds.
The massive clock shook violently as Zoe sprinted up, leaped with slam-dunk-worthy athleticism, grabbed the end of the clock hand, flipped over it, and launched herself into the next open space.
If Zoe cleared the first three stages in under a minute,then what came next wasn't just impressive. Despite Simon increasing the speed and difficulty tenfold for the next seven challenges, Zoe pushed herself even harder, completing them all in just one minute and eight seconds.
She completed the notoriously difficult course in an astounding two minutes and eight seconds, a feat almost impossible to achieve.
A stunned silence fell over the place; Joyce, the Jelonsburg big shots, the White brothers, Eunice, Philip, Gerald, everyone stared, mouths agape, collectively gasping in shock.
The silence stretched, an immeasurable eternity for those present, before the crowd finally erupted in a frenzy of screams.
"Two minutes and eight seconds! The latest record was Philip's three minutes and five seconds, and Zoe just smashed it with ten times the resistance."
"Oh my god..."
"Is Zoe even human? She's like a superhero."
A wave of shock, disbelief, and excitement washed over everyone, leaving them speechless and energized. At that moment, everyone was stunned. Not just Eunice, Gerald, and the White brothers, but even the Jelonsburg elites.
If anyone doubted Zoe's chemistry or business acumen, her recent display of physical ability should dispel all doubts; that kind of athleticism simply can't be faked.
Simon tried every trick to ensnare Zoe, but she handled each one effortlessly. At this point, "skilled" didn't even begin to cover it.
Joyce was the first to react, applauding and announcing to everyone, "A once-in-a-generation genius. Zoe's a true prodigy—her strength is incredible."
She added, "Zoe, I'm seriously impressed. I never imagined you'd be so gifted, not only in chemistry but also with such strength, speed, and physical prowess. Our verdict is that Zoe wins the first round if no one else can meet her record and standards."
Concerned that Simon might try to take advantage of Zoe again, Joyce preemptively interrupted him before he could speak.
And now, with Zoe setting such an unbelievable precedent, no one could possibly match her standard or break her record. It wasn't just risky; it was downright suicidal.
Joyce's announcement made it clear that none of the remaining contestants could possibly match Zoe's talent. Even at a normal pace, Eunice barely completed all the challenges, finishing with a time of three minutes and thirty-eight seconds.
Compared to Zoe, the gap was like the difference between heaven and earth. In the end, Zoe effortlessly claimed first place in the first match.
The outcome was almost enough to make Simon choke, but with Joyce's words already public, he could only click his tongue in annoyance.
All he could do now was hope his two older brothers would rise to the occasion in the next two rounds and regain the lead from Zoe.
He refused to believe it; there's no way Zoe was some kind of all-around genius. That was simply impossible.
The energetic crowd swiftly headed to the venue for round two of the competition.
Following the dramatic first match, the internet exploded with rumors, including claims that "Zoe stole the White family heiress's fiancé," "The three White brothers are personally confronting Zoe for Sophia," and "That Zoe is unbelievably strong."
Despite the surrounding buzz and controversy, the second event, the business debate, was about to begin, challenging everyone's business acumen.
Naturally, the main judge was Samuel, the eldest of the White brothers; unlike his two younger siblings, Samuel was sharp, methodical, and always had a plan.
Confident in his abilities and experience, he felt certain of victory, viewing this business debate as significantly less challenging than the youth entrepreneurship competition Zoe and the others had previously entered. In business debates, persuasive communication skills matter more than practical experience.
How one used their eloquence to run a business presentation, impressed major capitalists and financiers, gained their venture capital, and made them believe in their character and the potential success of the product—that was the key.
This was a debate where success depended entirely on one's ability to talk their way to greatness.
Samuel had already found out through his research that Zoe was a girl with no charm for words, always wearing a cold, emotionless expression. She was neither happy nor angry, and her speaking skills were probably nothing to brag about.
He was now resolved to teach the girl who had bullied Sophia a lesson she wouldn't soon forget.
To save time, Samuel would face ten opponents simultaneously, and when he asserted himself as the White family's eldest son, engaging them in a fierce verbal battle, the entire hall was astonished.
In the arena, Zoe watched as one group after another of contestants were left stammering, unable to get a single word out after being bombarded by Samuel, eventually forced to back down in defeat.
As students were eliminated one by one in the second round, the crowd's expressions became increasingly complex. Finally, when it was Philip and Eunice's turn, they narrowly withstood the pressure, scraping out a win against Samuel at the last possible second.
Besides Gerald, a few other students, who particularly those with a talent for business and persuasive communication, also advanced past the second round.
When it was Zoe's turn, Eunice, who had already realized Samuel's terrifying skill, immediately wore a smug, gloating expression as she looked at Zoe.
She said, "Zoe, it's your turn. Good luck, I guess. But honestly, you've always been so cold and quiet. So if you lose, it's not a surprise."
"If you lose, I'll be sure to comfort you," Eunice said, with a hint of sincerity that didn't quite convince the crowd. Honestly, it seemed like the White family orchestrated these rounds specifically to undermine Zoe, given her typically quiet and introverted nature.
She only ever acted cute around Shawn, and it was so over-the-top that it made everyone cringe; it was clear Zoe wasn't suited for conversation, much less debate.
Given the circumstances, everyone present believed Zoe was destined to lose the second round.
"She's toast. This is her Achilles' heel."
"There's no doubt the White brothers orchestrated this to deliberately humiliate her."
"How can someone who rarely speaks expect to win a business debate?"
The crowd's snickers and murmurs of doubt drifted right into Samuel's ears. Hearing it, he shot Zoe a cold, mocking glare.
With barely concealed contempt, he sneered, "Simon was always useless, the weakest of us three. But you're facing me now; you don't stand a chance. Your loss is inevitable."