Chapter 78

Aurora frowned at the bucket in her hands. The handle was too short to distribute the water evenly. Just then, a group of people ran from the distance, yelling, "Buckets and mops! Professor Crawford, use this!"

Erik and his classmates from Class F arrived, bringing buckets of the same foul concoction. They pushed through the crowd, offering Aurora more effective weapons.

Aurora raised an eyebrow, her gaze lingering on one particular person. The student from Class F who had earlier seemed to flee had actually gone for help.

"Heh…" Aurora chuckled softly, lowering her head. Her eyes reddened slightly. The feeling of having backup warmed her. She wasn't alone after all.

Aurora grabbed a mop, its fabric end unfurling. The veins on the back of her hand bulged as she gripped the handle tightly. She plunged it into the bucket of filthy water with force. The liquid splashed, and a horrible stench filled the air as she stirred the mop.

Some quick-thinking students sensed trouble. Those facing outward picked up their mops. Their instincts proved right. Aurora, wielding the dripping mop, swung it at the crowd.

Cold, foul-smelling droplets splashed onto the onlookers' faces, necks, and clothes. The impact broke their stunned silence, a reaction to Aurora's unexpected defiance.

"Ugh! It stinks! Get away!" a man in the front row bellowed, recoiling. A woman nearby shrieked, "Aurora, knock it off!"

Shouts rippled through the crowd lining the broad street. The tightly packed mass devolved into chaos, their panicked cries piercing the air. It was just an ordinary mop, but in Aurora's hands, it became a fearsome weapon. She wielded it like a warrior, driving people back. The spray of water might as well have been poison, sending people fleeing.

The denser the crowd had been, the harder escape became. People stumbled and fell, trampled in the panicked rush. Cries of pain pierced the air as bodies were crushed and limbs twisted.

Aurora plunged the mop into the bucket again. When she pulled it out, only a shallow layer remained. Seizing her chance, she treated Alison and her crew to an impromptu face wash. She didn't spare those who had earlier thrown things at her. Everyone received a "special" dose of mop service.

Erik and Jimmy each grabbed a security guard, feigning fear and begging for protection. They were actually blocking the guards, giving Aurora center stage. The rest of Class F joined in, swinging mops wildly, unconcerned about the splashing dirty water.

They knew Aurora had pulled them out of their hopeless situation. She had united Class F and led them to surpass Class A, despite their slower pace. They wouldn't let anyone bully the best teacher in the world – Aurora.

Chaos erupted. Those who had looked down on Aurora were now scampering like frightened mice.

The morning sun broke through the clouds, bathing the ground in golden light. Mercida High School's towering buildings gleamed like palaces. Aurora's mop had scattered the darkness and curses, dissolving them like fragile bubbles in the sunlight.

The once-pristine floor was awash with dirty water. As the moisture evaporated, a foul stench lingered. Alison and her crew were covered head to toe in mud. Dried muck clung to their eyelashes, obscuring their vision. The more arrogant Alison had been, the more humiliated she felt. Aurora had "rewarded" each person according to their earlier actions—true equality in retribution.

Alison felt dazed. Everything had changed so fast. She couldn't understand how she'd gone from having the upper hand to her current sorry state.

A five-star hotel near Merida High School had some unusual guests: a group of mud-covered, foul-smelling students. Their stench lingered long after they'd passed.

"Kids these days are something else," the lobby manager muttered, instructing the cleaning staff to add perfume to their mop water.

Frank sat in the lobby, massaging his temples. Across from him was Ruby, the teacher for Class A. He'd rushed over with his team, but it was almost over by then.

Aurora stood in the center of the chaos, leaning on a mop like a battle-worn general. All around her, people were sprawled on the ground. Students from Class F patrolled the area with buckets, ready to smear mud on anyone who dared to stand.

Aurora, the only one left standing, looked victorious. When she spotted Frank, she waved a polite hello. Frank nearly fainted. He couldn't take them to the administration office looking like this; he had to find a nearby hotel where they could clean up.

Ruby was furious. "Mr. Gill, the students from Class F have gone too far! Ganging up to beat others—they have no respect for school rules! We must expel them!"

Frank slumped onto a couch, feeling drained. "Ms. Bates, we can't jump to conclusions before we find out what happened."

Ruby was livid. "Mr. Gill, everyone saw it. Aurora threw the first punch. Isn't it obvious who's to blame? What else is there to ask? Are you protecting Aurora because she's the top?"

If Frank dared to shield Aurora, Ruby swore she'd report him to the Board of Education. Frank's face darkened. Since she was clinging to this before knowing the full story, he decided to drop pretense.

"Ms. Bates," Frank said coldly, "it's been a month since the monthly exams. Are you still unable to accept that Class F's average score surpassed your class? As an educator, you're targeting students you dislike at every opportunity. I don't think someone as selfish and petty as you should continue in this profession."

Ruby's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected Frank to expose her motives so bluntly. "Mr. Gill, what are you talking about? I don't understand," she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

She forced a weak smile and clutched her handbag tightly, her palm growing damp. Frank gave her a long, hard look. Considering they'd be colleagues for years, he decided against completely burning bridges.

"Ms. Bates," he said, "as teachers, we should not only focus on academic performance but also guide our students onto the right path. The college entrance exams are just a month away. I don't want to see this kind of group disturbance happen again."

Ruby forced a weak smile. "O-okay, I understand."

Frank felt relief. He'd talked to Ruby beforehand to prevent her from joining forces with other parents. The thought of dealing with other parents made his head throb. This was no time to relax; there was still a tough battle ahead.