As the pavilion gradually came into view, Brandon and Allan drew nearer from two different directions. Suddenly, three figures emerged, blocking Brandon's path and prompting him to pause. Edward Milton, accompanied by his closest mates Jamie Sanders and Liam Collins, stepped forward, while the others remained behind.
Brandon knew precisely their purpose for being there, yet he remained silent, choosing to listen.
"Remember our deal, Myles," Edward whispered menacingly, referring to their agreement regarding "extra help" during the examination.
"I have a good memory, just so you know," Brandon replied flatly. "If you'll excuse me, I have a coffee to buy."
Edward tightened his grip on Brandon's arm, issuing another threat. "If you dare to pull any tricks, be prepared for the consequences."
Brandon deftly twisted his arm, breaking free from Edward's grasp. He shot Edward a sidelong glance before departing without uttering another word.
"It makes no difference that you're a Myles!" Edward shouted after Brandon's retreating figure.
"What an idiot!" Edward complained to Jamie and Liam, who appeared curious and confused. Edward hadn't informed them about what he was doing with Brandon Myles.
"Take these," Edward said, producing two small paper-like square pads and handing them to his friends. They resembled the drafting paper provided by the teacher for examinations.
"These are my uncle's new inventions. Nobody has seen them before," Edward whispered, casting cautious glances around to ensure no one was nearby, "Especially not those clueless teachers."
"What are they for?" Jamie asked, examining the thin, blank pads.
"It's digital and transmits data," Edward sneered, lowering his voice even further. "I'll write answers on mine, and within five seconds, those answers will appear on yours."
Jamie and Liam gasped in astonishment.
"It's even more useful than reading the examination paper..."
"Shhh! You dolt!" Edward hushed Jamie's excited exclamation. "Do you want to broadcast our secret to the world?"
Jamie covered his mouth and shook his head.
"But... how are you getting the answers?" Liam inquired, puzzled by the new tool.
Edward shot Liam a displeased look. Did he imply that Edward Milton, the nephew of one of the best professors in this top university, couldn't produce correct answers on his own?
"I mean," Liam continued, his focus on the pad rather than noticing Edward's changing expression, "You aren't particularly skilled at examinations."
Jamie nudged Liam to halt him from saying more. Liam glanced up at Edward's face and comprehended the implication. He lowered his head in realization.
"Ed, we need to ensure that this cheating method is worth the risk. We can't just rely on an uncertain tool without gaining anything in return," Jamie attempted to clarify for Liam, but it only seemed to exacerbate the situation.
"What do you mean by 'uncertain tool'? It's my uncle's invention, didn't you hear me?" Edward's irritation grew with each passing moment. He regretted not asking his uncle for only one device, sparing himself from arguments with these two nitwits.
"We did, but..."
"That's enough for now. I'll only say this once - do you want this pad or not?" Edward interjected.
Jamie and Liam exchanged glances and nodded.
"Then keep your mouths shut until you're done with the exam!" Edward snapped before storming off in anger.
-
When Brandon swiftly overcame the roadblocks and reached the pavilion, he found no one awaiting him. He quickly sent a text, asking, "Where are you?"
Allan received the message and responded, "I'm sorry, I'm tied up with something and can't hand them to you personally, but I've hidden them behind the rock outside the pavilion."
Brandon scanned the area and noticed an oddly positioned rock, seemingly moved from its original place to block a gap between two rocks where the breakfast was stashed.
Brandon attempted to move the rock with two fingers, but soon realized it required more effort, so he switched to using three. With his superhuman strength, Brandon could discern that the rock was quite heavy. Curiously, he measured the distance between where the rock was and where it had been—it was nearly 20 meters.
The question lingered in his mind - How had Sienna managed to transport such a hefty, irregular rock over such a distance in such a short time?
Brandon speculated, "Perhaps she's light but possesses considerable strength," unable to stifle a chuckle as he imagined a graceful Sienna with muscular arms effortlessly hoisting the rock like balloons.
Another perplexing surprise awaited him as he unpacked the coffee and buns. "Didn't she ask me what to bring for today, and I told her the same as yesterday?" Brandon wondered, retrieving the texts to confirm his memory.
However, while he had requested an Americano coffee and a sandwich yesterday, today's offerings were a cappuccino and vegetable steamed buns.
There might have been a memory lapse, but could it have occurred for two items simultaneously? The more Brandon dwelled on this, the more perplexed he became. However, with the examination bell ringing at that moment, Brandon decided to set aside his confusion for later. He reasoned that questioning Sienna now wouldn't give her many benefits during the exams.
Meanwhile, Allan, reaching the pavilion, could have waited for his beloved girl to arrive. However, he caught sight of Edward Milton nearby.
Allan harbored a strong dislike for Edward Milton, considering him one of the most arrogant bullies he had ever encountered. Allan recalled an incident when Milton had coerced him into hacking a teacher's computer for crucial information, a deed Allan vehemently disapproved of. Since then, Milton had persistently harassed Allan online, using bots and causing endless trouble.
Fortunately, Allan had safeguarded his identity well, which prevented Milton from discovering his true identity in real life. Nevertheless, the sight of Milton made Allan feel nauseated, and he didn't want to appear so disgusted in front of his lovely girl.
-
The mid-term examination at City University held significant importance for every student aiming for a favorable transcript by the end of the term. This was especially true for those on the verge of graduation. A strong performance could earn them additional credits, sparing them from the need to undertake internships or unpaid social training to meet the necessary standards.
However, for exceptionally high-achieving students like Brandon Myles, Joe Sullivan, and Sienna Quinn, they had already surpassed the required credits for outstanding outcomes on their transcripts. Nevertheless, they still chose to take the examinations, either to further hone their skills or to accrue additional credits for various purposes, such as showcasing academic performance or pursuing opportunities with smaller companies.
Intermediate-level students like Edward Milton and his two friends found themselves in a precarious position, caught between the realms of excellence and mediocrity. They struggled to meet the high standards required for job opportunities with major companies, yet they were unwilling to lower themselves by accepting internships alongside students of lower academic standing.
Edward was slightly better off, as he was just one step away from reaching the top ten rank. Therefore, if he could perform exceptionally well on this examination and receive a little assistance from his professor uncle, he would greatly increase his chances of securing an interview with Walters.
Unfortunately for Edward, their conversation about the cheating pad was overheard by Brandon. Combined with Edward's suspicious behavior during the exam, Brandon was confident that Edward would be thwarted in his aspirations.
Arriving at the examination room last, Brandon reached his seat and pulled out his chair, only to find Edward's feet obstructing its movement. Brandon immediately realized that Edward was attempting to get his attention, and hoped that after a brief exchange of glances as confirmation, the real battle could commence.
Brandon welcomed this "invitation," following Edward's lead, and locked eyes with him. Edward maintained a falsely calm expression, visibly straining to gauge Brandon's reaction, almost to the point of bulging his own eyeballs!
With calm demeanor and no visible emotion, Brandon gave the chair a hefty tug, startling Edward immensely as pain shot through his bent feet, eliciting a scream that drew the attention of everyone in the room.
"What's happening here?" the teacher arrived, quelling the commotion.
Brandon adjusted the chair to its full length and seated himself calmly, stating, "Just a minor obstacle on the chair."
The teacher, puzzled, inquired, "Then what was that scream?"
Glancing around, the teacher's gaze settled on Edward, whose face had turned crimson as he attempted to conceal it by burying his head in his arms.
After what appeared to be a struggle, Edward forced a smile and replied, "I was just... a little excited, Sir."
The teacher's expression darkened. "So it was you, then?"
"It was... me," Edward admitted, tears threatening to spill from his eyes due to the pain.
"Be sure to remain quiet during the exam," the teacher instructed plainly, displeased but unable to assign further blame, considering Edward was the nephew of his colleague.
"I will," Edward replied softly as the teacher moved away to distribute the exam papers.
Brandon didn't bother to glance around and gauge Edward's expression. He knew that Edward must harbor intense animosity towards him at that moment. But in the meanwhile Edward couldn't afford to display any displeasure. He needed Brandon's unwitting assistance for the next two hours.
A self-satisfied grin spread across Brandon's face, as he recalled how he swiftly placed an almost invisible device on the back of Edward's desk during that brief commotion.
It was a device capable of recording all of Edward's cheating attempts over the next two hours.