The noise thundered through the arena, echoing off the stone walls until it was almost deafening.
And in the middle of it all stood Wuxie—calm, smiling, utterly unbothered by the storm he had just unleashed.
The principals rose from their seats, their composure broken for a heartbeat.
Even the crowd noticed.
Principal Feng's calm face tightened ever so slightly, his eyes lingering on Wuxie with something between curiosity and caution, as though he were seeing a piece on the board move too early in the game. Madam Zhao's lips thinned into a hard line, her jeweled fingers curling against her armrest. Principal Jian's gaze sharpened, like stone meeting steel, a silent warning radiating from his stillness. And Principal Kiera—she let out the faintest laugh, her shoulders shaking as she covered her mouth with elegant fingers, disbelief sparkling in her eyes.
Wuxie, for his part, seemed to notice none of it.
