When the GF9 Test Subject Became His Obsession novel Chapter 158

Indigo, Jeremy, and Kelly were the three strongest after Serena, all scoring above eighty in physics. Everyone else hovered in the seventies, close enough not to matter much.

To keep things fair, the rest of the teams were decided by drawing lots.

Indigo drew Celeste. Jeremy paired with Peyton. Kelly ended up with Mandy from Class 8, ranked sixth overall. The remaining students formed the last two groups.

Kelly and Mandy were the only all-female pair on the floor.

While First High was still debating strategy, Experimental High didn’t even bother discussing lineup. Their three national competition players simply stepped forward to claim the first three seats.

The message couldn’t have been clearer: We don’t fear your so-called “horse race” strategy. Against absolute strength, clever tricks are worthless.

For First High, the options were grim. Match strong against strong and weak against weak, and the first three rounds might split evenly—but the last two would be certain losses. Against Maine, their “League of Legends,” defeat was inevitable.

Sacrifice one weak group to blunt a strong group, and they might squeeze out at least one guaranteed win, leaving the others to fight hard for the rest. But the risk was enormous either way.

Even Taylor Mo found himself at a loss. Use the horse-racing strategy, and morale might collapse. Abandon it, and they’d face inevitable defeat.

This was the trap Maine had set for them.

Then, out of nowhere, Maine glanced toward the substitutes’ bench. After murmuring something to his teammates, he stepped down from the stage.

The gym erupted in gasps.

"What’s going on? Their strongest player is sitting out?"

"No way—did he mistake Serena for First High’s hidden ace?"

The spotlight shifted, cutting through the shadows to land directly on Serena.

At last, she lifted her head, her pale face expressionless as she met Maine’s approach.

"You’re the one who got a perfect score on the national test?" he asked. "I took that same exam. Even I missed one question—not because I couldn’t solve it, but through carelessness. For you to earn full marks means you’re worthy of being my opponent."

The entire gym inhaled sharply.

Even Quinton looked ready to throttle him.

An international medalist treating a cheater as his equal—what the hell was he doing?

People talked about racing strategies, but this idiot had just benched himself against their weakest “horse.” He’d essentially taken himself out of the game.

Suddenly, Serena looked less like a burden and more like the perfect smokescreen. Experimental High’s own players exchanged uneasy glances. Was it too late to explain to their ace what he’d just done?

Serena only nodded. "You’ve got good eyes."

The students of Building A, who had just been warming up to her, collectively recoiled. How can a cheater say that with a straight face?

Had they just been insulted? Maine’s attitude might as well have been, You’re all trash—not worthy of me.

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