Bring Your A Game, Mr

Chapter 717

One look was all it took for Elise to know what went wrong with Abby's art work.

What the girl embroidered was a piece where a sea dragon emerged from the sea. However, the

dragon had soulless eyes that did nothing to make it look majestic at all. This was supposed to be a

trial that would put Abby's embroidery skills to test, but it was because of this minor detail that her work

didn't turn out as perfect as it should.

After a brief moment of thinking, Elise whispered to Abby while the organizer was still in a heated

debate with Ekaterina.

As if there was hope again, Abby brightened after she listened to what Elise had to say. After solemnly

nodding her head, she walked back to her assigned spot with confidence and picked up the needle

again.

No more than 20 minutes had passed when Abby headed in the judge and Ekaterina's direction, her

embroidery tightly held against her chest.

"I am afraid you have misunderstood, Ms. Miiyagi. The reason why the organizers have not given out

the awards after so long is not because we Cittadelians can't afford to lose. There is a legitimate

reason for it." Abby's attitude was neither inferior nor haughty.

"What is it, then?" Ekaterina asked with a voice full of suspicion.

"You will know it when you see it."

As Abby finished speaking, she held the embroidery in front of her and faced it in the direction of the

judge and Ekaterina. She then looked up at the sun in the sky and bit by bit, adjusted the angle.

A miracle seemed to happen right before their eyes in that instant.

The lifeless eyes of the dragon seemed to come alive under the sunlight. Looking carefully, the judge

and Ekaterina even thought that the dragon's eyes were blinking. However, as they got closer, they

realized that it was just a trick on the eyes caused by the refraction of light and the formation of

shadows.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" The judge couldn't help clapping his hands. "Miss Mellor, could this

be the long-lost 'Fluffy Stitch' method that you have used in your work?"

Abby pursed her lips and nodded with a light smile. "It is," she confirmed.

"What a talented youth!" The judge kept nodding as a wide grin spread across his face.

Ekaterina grabbed Abby's embroidery and grumpily leaned in close to take a look at those expressive

eyes on the dragon's face. She couldn't help but find it strange.

She had really lost to Abby in terms of embroidery skills.

This piece of work where the dragon emerged from the sea might not have completely defeated her,

but those eyes alone had been embroidered with extreme expertise.

"Are you trying to destroy our nation's treasure now that you have lost the contest, Miss Miiyagi?" The

judge finally sounded much firmer as he raised his eyebrow and challenged the woman.

Ekaterina glanced at him with stubborness written all over her arrogant face. She remained motionless

for a good minute before she finally conceded.

No matter who the embroiderer of those eyes was, she had still lost to a Cittadelian in the end.

"Diamond cut diamond. I shall admit defeat this time. I acknowledge the talent in Cittadel. However, this

does not mean that this is all I have to my embroidery skills. Today, in front of all of Salt Stone City, I

would like to propose a challenge to your new national champion. I wonder if Cittadel is brave enough

to take the challenge, though. If I win, embroidery will be declared as an intangible cultural heritage in

Rosepeak in the future!"

Her condescending words managed to arouse the public's anger again.

"Just listen to what this Rosepicker wench is going on about! Embroidery is something our ancestors

have passed down to us and yet, she wants it to be an official cultural heritage in her country? This is

blatant disrespect!"

"What?! You think your puny country can hold the legacy of embroidery and keep its name alive? How

much more shameless can you get?!"

"Kick the Rosepicker out of here!"

Rosepeak had once invaded Cittadel in the past century, and that history alone had ingrained a deep

hatred for Rosepickers within every Cittadelian. Ekaterina was only testing the Cittadelians' limits by

declaring something so obnoxious and disrespectful.

This was a fight that every citizen in the country would never back down from.

"Fine. We will have the competition. On behalf of Cittadel, I accept your challenge!" The judge was

indignant and he added harshly, "You are not allowed to step into Cittadel ever again if you lose. And

you will write a public apology for trying to steal from our culture!"

"Deal."

With that, Ekaterina narrowed her eyes and gazed at Abby before she walked away.

In order to avoid affecting the relationship between Rosepeak and Cittadel, the organizer had to

arrange for a few security guards to escort Ekaterina as she left.

Even so, many Cittadelians from the crowd still followed her while cursing at her loudly.

It was supposed to be a celebration that the first place didn't go to a participant from Rosepeak.

However, due to Ekaterina's provocation, everyone had to force themselves to still act happy.

Abby, especially, had to give a persuasive speech on the stage about how she was going to win and

defend Cittadel's honor.

She was the only one who knew how uneasy she was feeling at the moment.

After the award-giving ceremony, Abby immediately went to Elise and pleaded, "Please help me, Miss

Sinclair!"

If it wasn't because of Elise's last minute reminder for her to use the Fluffy Stitch, Abby might have lost

the contest and became a sinner for both Salt Stone City and Cittadel.

As the last remaining descendant of the Mellor Family, she needed to protect Cittadel's embroidery

culture. There was no way she could let Rosepeak steal it from the Cittadelians.

Elise must have had expected this when she helped Abby earlier as she was utterly calm now.

"Don't worry," Elise said. "I won't stand by and watch when this concerns Cittadel's glory and the

nation's dignity. I have something else to deal with for now. After I am done with that, I will get you a

teacher so that you can go all out during your competition with Ekaterina Miiyagi."

"I will do my best!" A little hardship wasn't enough to frighten a patriot like Abby.

Hearing that, Elise nodded, expressing her confidence in the young lady.

…

Elise had been doubtful of the Peculiar Jadeite that had recently been mined ever since the suspicious

man was caught at the mine in Salt Stone City. She suspected radiation wasn't the reason those stones

would change color. There was a possibility of it being a man-made, artificial occurrence.

And so, she specifically brought a professional to the mine to conduct an on-site inspection today.

It was a complicated process that took a long time. Elise and Alexander were still patiently waiting for

the result in the morning but when noon came, they finally couldn't sit still and they started patrolling

the mine.

She picked up a small piece of Purple Jade when she was in front of a newly opened mining cave. She

was about to take it back for research when she saw a group of college students wearing safety

helmets walking toward her from a distance.

"They are interns majoring in physics," he explained.

Seeing their energetic and curious faces, Elise couldn't help but sigh. "These potential-filled youths will

be the ones who create a future for this world."

Alexander put his arms around her shoulders and half-jokingly teased her. "Mrs. Griffith, can you

please not speak like you are an old lady? You will make me think that we are already in our eighties or

so."

"That is a bit too much, isn't it?" Elise laughed at his joke. This boring trip to the mine finally feels more

fun now.

As they cheerfully spoke to each other, they walked in the opposite direction as the interns.

Their shoulders had just almost brushed past each other when a commotion started within the group of

students.

One of the students took off his safety helmet then. He threw it on the rail used to transport coal, and

stormed away from his team. "I want to learn about nuclear fusion, particle bombs and gamma rays. I

don't want to be bending my back working. I don't understand why we have to come to this freaking

place and get covered in ashes!"

The lecturer who led the group sharply reprimanded him, "Sergio, follow the team's plan! Don't start

with your emotional outburst now!"