Chapter 91: The Challenge

The surrounding students couldn’t help but become deeply skeptical and disillusioned upon hearing this detailed family analysis.

It seemed, indeed, to be... precisely as the student had pointed out: a classic, toxic drama of a real and a fake young master playing out right in front of them.

If that was the genuine reality of the situation... then Leo Vance was truly a terrifying, manipulative, and cunning hypocrite.

"No... that’s not true!" Siana Vance bit her lip hard, her voice trembling. "I genuinely, truly treated Julian like my own younger brother!"

Hearing that, Sean stepped forward and spoke up loudly, cutting through the murmurs: "Then, Miss Vance, please explain this to everyone: why has Julian been forced to live such a miserable, degraded life within your Vance family household?"

"Me... we..."

Siana Vance choked on her words, completely speechless.

She had no idea how to explain herself. After all, they had indeed utterly neglected and marginalized Julian over the years. Otherwise, Leo wouldn’t be living in a spacious, sunlit luxury suite while Julian was relegated to wearing old clothes and sleeping inside a cramped, dreary service storage room.

Leo received a generous monthly allowance of 50,000 doller, while Julian had been restricted to a meager 50 doller a month...

"Principal Smith," the Head of Academic Affairs chimed in right on cue, eager to steer the focus back, "Julian Vance cheated on his exams—that fact is beyond any reasonable doubt. I urge you to deal with him strictly in accordance with official university rules and expel him immediately in order to uphold our institution’s academic reputation!"

Just as he finished speaking, the Head of Academic Affairs suddenly felt a strange, bone-chilling shiver and an intensely suffocating murderous intent wash over him.

It’s freezing...??

The academic director couldn’t help but nervously rub his bare arms. He constantly felt as though he was being targeted by some terrifying, ruthless apex predator hidden in the shadows.

Standing nearby, Secretary Evelyn silently lit an invisible candle in her mind for the Head of Academic Affairs.

Oh no... oh dear.

This arrogant academic director was in absolute, catastrophic trouble. Regardless of whether Young Master Julian had actually cheated or not, anyone who dared to publicly target and humiliate Young Master Julian like this would undoubtedly face a horrifying outcome.

"Tsk." Julian shook his head with a light, mocking smile, his face radiating utter disdain.

"What on earth are you laughing at?!" the Head of Academic Affairs snapped angrily, his brows furrowed deeply.

Julian replied calmly, "I’m just a little curious... exactly how did someone with your intellect become the Head of Academic Affairs? You casually accused a student of academic fraud without presenting a shred of concrete evidence."

The academic director retorted furiously, "Do I even need evidence?! If you didn’t cheat, how on earth could your major-wide exam scores have improved so astronomically overnight?!"

Julian raised an eyebrow and countered smoothly, "If I were to tell you... my exam scores are simply the direct result of my intensive hard work over these past few days?"

In reality, he had only been actively studying for six days at most. Scoring first place after six days of effort was completely normal for him. After all, he possessed an overpowered system cheat code, and that unhinged system had practically forced him to study under the constant, humiliating threat of the "farting punishment."

"Hehehe." The academic director sneered with absolute scorn, "If your miraculous grades are truly based on your own solid, genuine ability, then I will immediately resign from my position as Head of Academic Affairs and voluntarily walk out of Capital University forever!"

Julian raised an eyebrow, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "Very well. If I genuinely cheated, I will pack my bags, drop out of Capital University, and leave the city forever."

"Fine! It’s a deal! Don’t you dare go back on your word!" the academic director sneered, his eyes gleaming with malicious triumph. He was 100% certain he was going to win this bet.

-------

Principal Smith frowned deeply, turning to Victoria Sterling. "President Sterling, regarding this reckless bet..."

Victoria Sterling replied calmly, a faint, indulgent smile curving her lips, "Let them gamble."

Her Julian would never lose.

Upon hearing those words, Secretary Evelyn immediately understood that Victoria possessed absolute, unwavering faith in Julian’s victory.

She couldn’t help but complain silently in her mind: President Sterling, you are being far too blindly confident in Young Master Julian! Even if he’s brilliant, jumping straight from the absolute bottom of the department to first place in six days defies human logic... how could Young Master Julian possibly win this impossible test?

However... based on her personal understanding of Julian Vance, he certainly didn’t seem like the reckless type of person who would foolishly walk into a trap if he knew he was guilty.

Just how on earth did he pull off those scores? Secretary Evelyn stared at Julian, completely baffled.

"Julian Vance, exactly how do you propose to prove to everyone here that you didn’t cheat?" the Head of Academic Affairs pressed aggressively.

Julian replied evenly, "I am well aware that even if you pulled up the exam hall’s security camera footage, your biased minds would still blindly assume that I somehow obtained the test questions in advance through illicit channels."

"Therefore, my proposal is simple: I am willing to retake a brand-new, comprehensive exam right here, right now."

Principal Smith nodded approvingly. He noticed that Julian spoke with absolute, unwavering confidence, which strongly suggested that Julian was completely innocent. If no cheating had occurred, handling the situation would become infinitely easier.

"Very well. Bring over a set of spare, unreleased backup exam papers," the Head of Academic Affairs ordered a staff member.

"Let’s not use the official backup exam papers," Julian interrupted casually. "If we used them, you’d probably just accuse me afterward of having memorized those specific questions beforehand."

The Head of Academic Affairs frowned impatiently. "Then what on earth do you expect us to do?"

"It’s very simple," Julian stated clearly. "I’ll let the faculty give me completely new, spontaneous questions to answer right here on the spot, under everyone’s direct observation."

Deputy Director Abraham frowned, stepping forward. "But wouldn’t that waste all the students’ precious time?"

"No waste at all!" a student immediately yelled out from the middle rows.