She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 357

As dusk fell, the vehicles pulled to a stop in front of the grand Yavon Manor.

Once they entered the mountains, the temperature had dropped by more than ten degrees. Though there was no snow yet, everyone had put on their jackets. The near-winter landscape outside the windows was captivating.

Yavon Manor was a converted former military base, now featuring several large log cabins and a massive winery. Unfortunately, the winery was off-limits to the underage students, but the free dinner and unlimited juice and soda were more than enough to thrill them. After being cooped up in the bus for hours, they were ecstatic to finally have a chance to let loose.

The Ace Class students were a notable exception. Not a single one of them was interested in the food or festivities. They had spent the entire three-hour ride studying with Loyce. All they wanted now was a warm place to stay, a cup of hot milk, and a notebook to digest all the incredible new concepts they had learned.

Harvey, the supervising NCO, picked up a microphone. "Alright students, the seven-day, six-night winter camp officially begins tomorrow. You all know what you came here for. For your safety and to ensure you get the most out of this experience, please listen carefully to the instructions from Admiral Lucian Shapiro."

The two hundred students participating in the camp turned in unison to look at the tall, imposing figure of the man standing by the Jeep.

Lucian's voice was deep and resonant, carrying clearly to every student without the need for a microphone.

"First, there is no lodging prepared for you tonight."

"You've got to be kidding me. Are we supposed to sleep outdoors in this cold?"

"We'll all catch colds."

A wave of murmuring swept through the crowd. In previous years, when other officers had run the camp, it had involved simple physical tests and military drills. They had never been left without a place to stay.

"Quiet."

The sheer force of Lucian's presence silenced the students instantly.

"Why are you here?" he asked them all.

"Cyrilla, everyone here already knows the answer to that. You don't have to ask," a nearby student whispered, tugging on her sleeve in embarrassment.

"What? It's just that my family already has plenty of Lucian's signatures," Cyrilla said with a blink. She knew the answer perfectly well, but her petty need for attention was flaring up again. She wanted to feel the crowd's eyes on her, to ensure they would all suck up to her for the rest of the trip.

But this time, to her surprise, she wasn't met with envious looks, but with expressions of exasperation and mockery. She was momentarily flustered. All she wanted was to show off her closeness to Lucian so everyone else would have the good sense to flatter her. What was so wrong with that?

A student from the Ace Class stood up to answer her question directly.

"I'll answer that for you. Victory High's annual winter camp isn't just for fun. For top students like us, good grades aren't enough for the best universities. They look at a comprehensive evaluation score. Athletics or high-value outdoor activities like this are major bonus points for applications."

"This year, with Admiral Shapiro personally leading the camp, receiving his signature and commendation on your evaluation is a huge deal. As long as your grades are up to par, your evaluation score will be the most impressive among all high school applicants. Every university will immediately notice the Admiral's signature on your profile. It would give you a major edge in top-university admissions."

The student then looked at Cyrilla with scorn. "It's strange, aren't you supposed to be a top student? How have you never looked into the admission requirements for these universities? Did you really think we were all just here to waste time before our final exams?"