Serena led Lydia straight into the competition zone, stopping at the registration desk.
She glanced at the dismal score on the giant screen, then looked over at her three sweat-drenched teammates.
Her expression remained totally unfazed, keeping her usual lazy, detached demeanor.
It was as if that massive deficit was nothing but a minor inconvenience.
Ignoring the strange looks from the crowd, the two quickly completed their late check-in, signed the forms, and verified their identities.
They didn't waste a single word.
Once the process was complete, Serena and Lydia followed the staff directly to their workstation.
Stopping in front of Caleb, she spoke. "You worked hard. I saw it."
"Good job."
Those simple words made the three boys want to break down and sob.
Caleb couldn't tell if the moisture in his eyes was sweat or tears. He scrubbed his face hard and forced a strained smile. "But... we're still so far behind."
"It's not that much."
A faint smirk touched Serena's red lips. "You guys did great. Your teamwork was flawless."
"I'll take it from here."
She patted his shoulder.
Caleb bit his lip, wiping away the endless stream of sweat.
Without a moment's hesitation, he stood up and surrendered the main control seat.
Serena sat down and glanced at Lydia. "Go sit."
Lydia sniffled, marching over to the empty chair with resolute determination.
The official who had issued the yellow card rushed over to intervene. "The match has already started! You can't just add people now—"
Before he could finish, Serena locked eyes with him.
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