Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 29: Chapter 29

The jeers from the crowd made the faces of Zoe's group members instantly fall.
But just then, a girl found the courage to speak up for Zoe in a soft voice, "Guys, cut it out. Why talk about a classmate like that? And even if Zoe did ambush Mr. Shelton, she must have some skills to pull it off."
Her words hung in the air, leaving everyone stunned.
"Mandy, are you serious? Did you actually see Zoe use her own skills to ambush Mr. Shelton?"
"Shut up, Mandy. You're only in this honors class because of your family's influence! You and Zoe are the same—both playing the system. You two belong together."
Cheryl marched up to Mandy and gave her a rough push. "Listen here. If you keep sticking up for that wretch, you can forget about fitting in here."
Mandy's face turned bright red with fear. She dropped her head, tears threatening to spill, and didn't dare say another word.
Zoe saw it all, clear as day. She just blinked once, but stayed silent.
Soon, dozens of military choppers arrived and shuttled the students in the survival training into different spots deep in the vast, untouched forest. Everyone started from the same spot at first.
Zoe's group was a motley crew of the least fit students in her class. And three of them were the pampered type—girls who'd whine about aches just from a bit of walking. The one who'd just stuck up for Zoe was Manny Jones, her teammate.
As soon as Zoe's feet hit the ground, she noticed helicopters circling overhead and small drones buzzing around. Then she realized that while the instructor team wasn't physically there, every move the students made would be watched, recorded, and sent straight to Shawn.
Zoe felt a slight stir within her at the thought that Shawn would see everything she did.
Though the students had been divided into groups before venturing into the forest, they mostly stuck together, only splitting up if absolutely necessary. Amid the chatter, a voice rang out, "Alright, wilderness survival's officially on. What's our first move?"
Eunice stepped forward—with Philip gone, she had naturally taken charge.
She said, "First things first, we need food and water. When we got off the helicopter, I noticed the ground was pretty damp. That means there's a water source nearby. Where there's water, there's usually something to eat. Let's go check it out."
The group followed her lead, and sure enough, they stumbled upon a river not far ahead. The sight of the water lifted everyone's spirits, and Eunice's stock rose even higher. Of course, that opened the door for some comparisons.
"Only someone like Eunice, with her experience and talent, could find us water this fast," one student remarked. "She's not just a piano whiz but a real go-getter. Not like someone who is all about drama and deception."
"With Eunice here, we've got nothing to worry about in this survival challenge," another chimed in.
"Yeah," someone else added, turning to Zoe. "You're not a kid anymore. You're Eunice's sister. Why are you just standing there looking so clueless? It's like you're the one who's falling short."
Eunice could feel the pride bubbling up inside her as she listened to the chatter around her, but she kept her voice humble. "Come on, everyone, let's not make a fuss.
"Zoe grew up in a small town and this kind of survival stuff is all new to her. She's still getting her bearings."
She quickly changed the subject. "Alright, I'm sure everyone's feeling pretty hungry and thirsty by now. Let's get ready and head down to the river to catch some fish."
The crowd lit up with excitement.
"Isn't this just like camping?"
"And we get to enjoy fresh-caught fish. It's awesome having Eunice around."
"Alright, everyone, roll up your sleeves! Let's hit the river and catch some fish. We're having a feast of grilled fish tonight."
Seeing her idea take off so well, Eunice glanced at Zoe with a hint of smugness and asked, "Zoe, you in?"
Zoe just tuned her out.
Eunice's face fell for a second, and she muttered a curse under her breath before leading the group toward the river.
Somebody glanced at Zoe and scoffed, "Look at her. She's been standing by the river for ages, just watching everyone else catch fish. Is she too hungry to move or something?"
"Why even bother with her? She's just some cheater who only knows how to sneak around. She's a waste of food. When we catch fish later, she shouldn't get a bite." Cheryl, annoyed that everyone was looking at Zoe, picked up a rock and chucked it straight at her.
With a splash, the rock hit the water, sending droplets splashing near Zoe. She didn't flinch or dodge, and everyone assumed she just hadn't reacted in time.
Seeing her drenched and bewildered, the crowd roared with laughter, doubling over with amusement.
Zoe's eyes turned cold.
Meanwhile, Eunice had already caught a good haul—big and small fish, more than a dozen in total.
"What a harvest! Eunice is incredible. Even her fishing skills are way beyond us."
"These fish are huge! They'll definitely feed all of us."
Eunice tossed the fish she'd snagged onto the shore, leaving the guys to handle the rest.
In no time, they had a grill going and were pulling off one sizzling, mouthwatering fish after another. The scent of the grilled fish wafted through the air, making everyone's mouths water.
One of the guys, Mike, couldn't wait—he was the first to tear off a piece of fish and was about to take a bite.
The smell reached Zoe and she had to admit the fish smelled incredible. But just as Mike was about to pop the fish into his mouth, Zoe bent down, grabbed a small stone, and flicked it with a quick, precise motion.
The stone, though small, hit Mike's wrist with a thud. The sudden pain made his hand go limp, and the fish dropped to the ground.
Mike opened his mouth to curse, but before he could, Zoe said, "That fish is poisonous. If you eat it, you'll die."