Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) novel Chapter 1341

Jared glanced over at Andrew, letting out a bitter laugh. "Well, look at that. You actually managed to beat me this time. Guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while."

Andrew just rolled his eyes. If this were a competition for speed alone, he would have crushed Jared from the very first round. However, rushing ahead for the sake of being first was pointless. Only someone as desperate for attention as Jared would care about such empty gestures.

It was like those students who smugly handed in their tests first, thinking they were the smartest, when in reality, the real champions were the ones who ended up with the highest scores.

The competition continued into the third and fourth rounds, steadily thinning the herd.

By the end of the fourth round, fewer than 40 contestants remained, which meant ten contestants had been eliminated.

The tension in the crowd grew palpable. Someone exclaimed, "My palms are sweating! I just hope that cute girl I'm rooting for can hang in there!"

"I don't expect much, but if our hospital's contestant can just make it to the seventh or eighth round, I'll be happy. God, please let them survive a little longer!"

One commented, "Hey, that guy who challenged the rules earlier is still in the game.

I have to admit, that's a bit surprising."

Another clicked his tongue. "It's only the fourth round. We're not even halfway through. If he drops out now, he'll just prove himself to be a total joke."

Eyes from every corner of the stadium were fixed on the stage, each supporter silently cheering for their chosen contestant. A few had started to notice Andrew's steady progress and could not help but mutter in surprise. After all, they had expected him to be one of the first to fall.

Meanwhile, Mosby, standing confidently near the center, cast a glance over at Thomas. "Dr. Bozzelli, here's hoping you and I both make it through all ten rounds and share a laugh at the end."