“And as for the allocation of cultivation resources, it is well-known that our family has a rule stipulating that individuals with primary stage talent in the first grade are only entitled to one basic pill per month. Naturally, her cultivation progress must be the slowest within the entire family."

Mrs. Jenkins' stance on the matter was evident.

She locked her gaze directly onto Finnegan and expressed her disappointment in an immensely regretful tone, stating, “Mr. Figueroa, our Jenkins family extended an invitation to you to be the judge of the competition's preliminary round. How could you disappoint us like this... Ah, it is truly disheartening... Alas..."

Finnegan was taken aback by her words.

“What is this? Do you truly believe that I am displaying favoritism? There is absolutely no evidence. Mrs. Jenkins, I implore you to refrain from making such baseless statements, disregarding the facts..."

Finnegan desperately wanted to defend himself but his plea was abruptly cut short by the elderly woman standing on the stage.

“Mr. Figueroa, the Jenkins family has made the decision not to appoint you as the judge for the semifinals. I kindly request that you leave this place immediately. Naturally, we will honor your service and ensure that you receive the rightful compensation, which will be transferred to your bank account within today."

Mr. Gonzales swiftly comprehended the unfolding situation as he absorbed the words uttered by Mrs. Jenkins.

He approached Finnegan with a sneer on his face and coldly stated, "I will personally arrange for a special vehicle to transport you away. Please follow me.”

Upon Mrs. Jenkins’ insistence, Finnegan found himself being driven away by Mr. Gonzales, a situation that left him feeling utterly humiliated.

Although fury coursed through his veins, he struggled to find the means to exonerate himself in that very moment.

“Humph! Ultimately, this was the Jenkins family and it was Mrs. Jenkins herself who harbored suspicions of his impartiality.

Overwhelmed by a mixture of embarrassment and rage, Finnegan had no choice but to walk away.

Under the watchful eyes of numerous onlookers, a car from the Jenkins family escorted Finnegan away.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Jenkins, standing on the stage with a face as unsightly as a withered tree, finally revealed a peculiar smirk.

In the square, a few remaining judges of the Literary competition continued their evaluation of the contestants" submissions, be it weaponry or medical expertise.

In due course, the comprehensive results of all the participants in the literary competition were compiled and presented to Mrs. Jenkins.

With a swift glance, she acknowledged the accuracy of the findings and nodded approvingly to her companion, Doris.

Understanding the unspoken message, Doris confidently took hold of the microphone and the result sheet, projecting her voice as she declared,

“And now, I am delighted to declare the outcomes of the semifinals and reveal the list of successful contestants who will advance to the final round of the Literary match. To begin with, it has been discovered that Maria Jenkins colluded with one of the judges in an attempt to cheat during the semifinal round of the competition. Consequently, her score for the semifinals will be recorded as zero, leading to her disqualification from further participation.

The first place of the semifinal in the literary match is B..."

“Wait just a momen’

The interruption came from an unexpected source, causing a flicker of annoyance to shadow Mrs. Jenkins’ countenance. However, as her gaze landed upon the speaker, she was left bewildered.

To her surprise, it was none other than Goodwin, the renowned grade eight pill alchemist from the esteemed Pill Alchemist Association, seated at the forefront of the VIP section.