They are still close to me today despite their negative feelings

I don't know why, but at the beginning of the match today, he seemed unusually nervous. After being interrupted twice and questioned twice, his nervousness was induced again, making him subconsciously want to use rebuttal to prevent making mistakes—and the consensus I needed was precisely that rebuttal from him.

As for targeting the judges and audience, it's not that I'm being disrespectful. Although debate is an interaction between two parties, its essential purpose is actually to persuade the judges and third parties. Because any normal contestant won't be persuaded on stage.

Everyone's stance is already fixed when the topic is chosen. What seems like persuading the other party is actually just showing the judges, "I am right."

Ah, but the fact that this made the first speaker even more nervous is a pleasant surprise. Faced with a first speaker's speech that starts to falter from its very foundation—the definition—our team can speed up our dismantling efforts.

"...The questioning session is over. Thank you to both debaters for their excellent presentations. Next, we would like to invite the first speaker from the opposition to present their arguments."

I sat back down and let out a soft sigh of relief.

Unlike the first question, my subsequent questions did not involve a large-scale breakdown of the system. Instead, I first reached a few small consensuses to lay the groundwork and provide a means of attack for Chen Di and the senior student's subsequent speeches.

Calling the fourth speaker a "wild assassin" is quite apt. Adjusting the pace and expanding the advantage, a few phrases like "reaching a consensus" made the opposing side uneasy, wondering how this consensus would be used—well, although sometimes it really was just a forced "consensus"...

Although it is said that labeling is the worst thing to do in a debate, in the actual competition, everyone was labeling the other side while simultaneously playing the victim to the judges, saying, "Oh, the other side is labeling me."

Thinking about it this way, it's really just using the most polite and rational language to express the most despicable and barbaric content.

"Great analysis. I feel like we can focus our attack on the fact that their first speaker's speech isn't comprehensive enough," Senior Wu Yuehua whispered to me. "That's a very fundamental point, and it's almost impossible for them to defend against."

On the field, debaters are not prohibited from communicating and exchanging ideas. However, if they are too noisy or disruptive, they will be penalized with points for etiquette.

"Senior, you and Chen Di can have one round of individual debate, and then emphasize this point again during the free debate. I think the judges should remember this point in their scores after three rounds. Talking too much will just waste time."

"Well, and then there are some things Chen Di wanted to ask..."

Due to our seating arrangement, with Senior Wu Yuehua acting as intermediary, the three of us had a brief and quick exchange, mainly discussing the consensus I had just reached and the attack angles we needed to explore further. Soon after, it was Ling Qingxue's turn to be questioned.

Upon seeing "Wu Sui'an" stand up, we involuntarily held our breath.

This guy was clearly the third debater in previous matches, but this time he chose the fourth debater position to control the overall situation. Probably to prevent us from figuring out his debating style from the senior students.

Perhaps seeing that our first speaker was a pitiful and beautiful young girl, "Wu Sui'an" had a greedy lust and sadistic pleasure flash in his eyes, and even licked his lips.

I held my forehead. Ling Qingxue always presented a refined and pure image in front of outsiders, but on the competition field, she revealed her delicate and helpless nature to the fullest extent.

"Due to the leg injury of the first speaker for the opposing side, please do not stand up during this questioning session."

More importantly, she made full use of her injuries. Even though she could already stand up with the help of a support, she deliberately wore a troubled expression. To outsiders, she was indeed an extremely delicate young girl, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she was as gentle and unassuming as a chrysanthemum.

I looked at Wu Sui'an. His gaze was fixed on Ling Qingxue, like a sticky tongue wanting to lick every inch of the girl's body.

In stark contrast was Ling Qingxue's pitiful, shy glances at the judges and audience. If one didn't already know her personality, most people would probably say, "Goodness, she's so pitiful," but only members of our literary society and a very few others knew the truth.

—The more nonchalant, gentle, and obedient this guy seems, the more cunning and scheming he is...

What can I say? I can only wish "Wu Sui An" good luck.

[Next chapter preview: Now! Let me shatter your stance completely!]

"Please answer my question directly, my opponent, and don't ramble on!"

If this girl really used external factors to this extent, then he truly found it terrifying.

So handsome!!! He's truly the kind of handsome that comes from the inside out, and his looks are consistent inside and out!

"This is outrageous! It must be condemned!"

Interlude: A terrifying team made entirely of iron plates

Seeing the appearance of the opposing team's first debater, "Wu Sui'an" was somewhat excited. This kind of delicate and frail JK girl could better arouse his sadistic desires. Looking at the girl's well-developed body, he wished he could go over and devour her alive.

My cheap "sister" is also quite something, but I still need to use that identity to do things—when we celebrate the bonfire tomorrow, I might as well make my move on this girl.

Unbridled, scrutinizing the other person with the same look one would give an object, "Wu Sui'an's" mind raced. Although the start had been terrible, his first speaker was, to begin with, a useless piece of trash.

Like the story of Tian Ji's horse race, the only person he truly feared on the opposing team was Ning Ruoyu, the "King of Silver Night." Aside from him, what was there to worry about in a team forced into this temporary formation? Now that Ning Ruoyu had finished his questioning, even if his own system and theories were crumbling, the worst storm had passed!

Ning Ruoyu, lament your own insignificance! I admit your points were fatal, but unfortunately, debate is ultimately a team game. You alone cannot defeat my well-established team!

Now! Let me shatter your stance completely!

"Wu Sui'an" asked the question he had prepared in a low, unpleasant voice.

Answer me, little lamb. Use your tender, moist lips to open the door to our victory.

In an instant, "Wu Sui'an" felt as if he were a triumphant general, conquering cities and territories, and being invincible.

"Regarding the questions raised by the opposing debater, I think they need to be considered from multiple perspectives and cannot be simply dismissed as..."

?

Upon hearing the girl's answer, "Wu Sui'an" frowned.

"Please answer my question directly, my opponent, and don't ramble on!"

"I... I was just answering your question!" The girl looked extremely aggrieved, but she didn't even glance at "Wu Sui'an." Instead, she looked helplessly at the judges' panel. "The reason why the opposing debater asked such a question is because they didn't understand the content of our first debater's speech. That's why I wanted to reiterate it."

"Then please answer directly, yes or no." A bad feeling rose in Wu Sui'an's heart.

"I've already answered that. This issue needs to be considered from multiple perspectives; it can't be simply answered yes or no. Our first speaker's statement clearly states that when..."

"You, you're clearly refusing to answer!" Wu Sui'an felt a sense of powerlessness, like being slowly eroded by a spider web, or punching cotton. He could only forcefully interrupt the other party's speech and give his own conclusion and opinion directly.

The male chairman in the audience sighed softly.

Senior "Wu Sui'an" was completely being played by the other side. From the very beginning, that first debater was a master at manipulating the atmosphere. Although her tone was gentle and her attitude mild, whether it was talking in circles, wasting time, or provoking "Wu Sui'an's" emotions, it was all premeditated.

He even suspected that, besides physical reasons, the first speaker's decision not to stand might be a deliberate attempt to exploit the superior posture of sitting while listening to questions, creating a psychological advantage and significantly reducing the pressure exerted by the fourth speaker during the questioning session. If this young woman truly used external factors to this extent, he found it genuinely frightening.

The fourth debater from Linwai High School had already left a deep impression on the judges, and combined with the first debater's performance, the male chairman had to admit that Linwai High School had created a near-perfect opening. This overwhelming style of play could only be achieved between two sides with a significant difference in strength.

He had heard that Linwai had replaced most of its members because of the friendly match, and he was a little suspicious that the other side was underestimating him. Now, less than ten minutes into the match, he was already sweating profusely—had Linwai deliberately shown weakness in the regional qualifiers? Did Linwai's debate club actually treat the regional qualifiers as a meaningless practice match?

Considering the recent popularity of online competitions, the boy became even more convinced. Afterwards, their first debater, a young woman, was relaxed and composed, answering some questions directly and others indirectly, knowing when to give in and when to stand firm, making all of "Wu Sui'an's" questions seem insignificant, and her expression grew increasingly gloomy.

The biggest problem with beating around the bush is what's known as "skipping the question" in debates—it's basically going in circles. If overused, it will greatly annoy the judges. However, aside from the initial instance where she deliberately provoked "Wu Sui'an" and caused him to lose his composure, the girl's responses were all very well-reasoned. There was simply no fault with them.

In other words, the opposing debater wasn't the type to blindly cheat, but rather a cunning hunter attempting to psychologically control others. After causing "Wu Sui'an" to lose her composure and feign innocence to the judges, she maintained control over the audience's goodwill and sympathy votes!

"Chairman, isn't our side a bit..." Even the new debaters who recently joined the team could see that their side had been on the defensive since the beginning.

"...Perhaps, the two of them will make a breakthrough later."

Thinking this way, the boy could only pin his hopes on the remaining second and third debaters. He knew a little about Wu Yuehua's abilities, but what about the boy who had been listening attentively with a smile on his face? He seemed completely non-aggressive—and what the second debater needed most was pressure and attack.

Surely no team is without its weaknesses? The boy hoped that the opposing team's second debater, the boy with the name tag "Chen Di" in front of him, would be his team's biggest breakthrough.

……

"Next is the intermission discussion, one minute in advance."

During the pre-debate discussion, the four students from Linwai High School tacitly exchanged notes and ideas, summarizing what they had not yet fully articulated to their fourth speaker, who then redistributed it to each debater according to the situation.

Meanwhile, at Lucheng University... everyone remained silent.

"Useless things."

"Wu Sui'an" was the first to start the insults, but this time, the third debater with long, straight black hair was no longer silent.

"If you hadn't failed to make any breakthroughs during the questioning, we wouldn't be in such a passive position now, would we?"

"What the hell did you say?!"

If it weren't for the fact that he was on stage being watched by countless eyes, "Wu Sui'an" would almost have grabbed this guy by the collar.

"What did I say wrong? The first speaker's speech was the same. The first speaker said that the definition was not complete enough and that it might not be comprehensive enough. You said that since it was an exhibition match, there was no problem. The consensus you reached was something that the other side was willing to reach. Some of the consensuses were self-serving, and the third and second speakers of the opposing side have just explained them all."

As the person most dissatisfied with "Wu Sui'an", the girl with long, straight black hair could no longer tolerate his attitude of shifting the blame to others when he made a mistake.

"You fucking idiot, say that again?!"

"No, stop arguing!"

The girl with the bun hairstyle, who was the second debater, finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Their opponent is really strong, let's recognize that sooner rather than later! There's still the free debate and the fourth speaker's closing statement to come, let's just do our best!"

As for whether she could win... to be honest, after just going through the debate with the opposing boy, the girl with the bun hairstyle was somewhat disheartened. For the first time in reality, she truly understood the meaning of the phrase "logic is more important than data, and data is more important than examples," as uttered by her seniors.

That smiling, handsome young man was unlike any of the second debaters she usually encountered in competitions. He spoke slowly and deliberately, and his tone was not at all aggressive or rapid-fire; instead, it was full of gentle and clean feelings.

When debating with him, I not only lose my usual aggressiveness, but I also actually get caught up in his logic and feel from the bottom of my heart, "He's so right."

She looked up at the boy and unexpectedly met his gaze. The boy smiled gently and even nodded slightly in greeting, while the girl with the bun immediately looked away shyly.

So handsome!!! He's truly the kind of handsome that comes from the inside out, and his looks are consistent inside and out!

The girl, who had already silently become a fan of the opposing team's second debater, asked herself honestly if she could possibly have the confidence to stand up to them... Not betraying them would be a success!

Meanwhile, Ning Ruoyu glanced at Chen Di suspiciously through Wu Yuehua.

"Why were you nodding at her just now? Did you perhaps have a crush on her? She's a college student, but she's quite cute. Hmm, I didn't expect you to like this type, Chen Di..."

"No, it's just politeness," Chen Di said with a smile, "plus I felt guilty."

"What do you mean?"

“During the debate just now, I said that according to a 2013 research report by the American Psychological Association, about 69.3 percent of those who failed to achieve the desired effect in upholding justice regretted that they did not ‘exert all their strength to argue their case’.”

"Is there anything wrong with this data? Isn't it quite suitable for our debate?"

"It was made up on the spot. Although the American Psychological Association really exists, and its authority is second only to the Jiuhua Psychological Association, the report and percentages were all made up on the spot."

Chen Di shrugged, looking apologetic. "I just wanted to give them some impactful data, but they abandoned their entire line of reasoning defense for it. I feel like I went a bit too far."

"I'm really sorry," he sighed softly. "I knew the judges wouldn't specifically look up this data on the internet, and if they couldn't find it, they couldn't be sure if it didn't exist or if they just hadn't found it themselves, so I felt so at ease. But in the end, I did something wrong."

After a few seconds of shock, Ning Ruoyu clapped her hands in admiration and then gave him the middle finger.

"This is outrageous! We must condemn it severely."

[Next chapter preview: Just like in the last selection competition, I am the biggest hidden danger in this team.]

It's an innate quality, as if once he stands up on the stage, there's only one protagonist left.

Therefore, this is the extent of what I can do in the free debate.

It's as if you can see what these people are trying to say.

Interlude: The Girl Who Regains Her Courage

When the timer ended, Wu Yuehua felt a tremor in her heart.

Although thanks to her teammates' supermodel status and Ning Ruoyu's control of the game's pace, even casual viewers who know nothing about debating can understand the current situation.

But for Wu Yuehua, she always knew clearly—just like in the last selection competition—that she was the biggest hidden danger in this team.

The guy who impersonated his brother "Wu Sui'an" deliberately switched from being the third speaker to the fourth speaker this time, with the aim of better targeting him. The third speaker's questioning round is different from the one-on-one debate between the second and third speakers; in this round, the third speaker questions everyone except the opposing third speaker. In other words, two third speakers won't face off, but they will need to interact with all other debaters.

Just now, during the questioning, she subconsciously avoided making eye contact with that guy. Partly out of anger, and partly out of fear.

Given Chen Di and Ling Qingxue's keen observation skills, they should be able to see this, right? Not to mention Ning Ruoyu.

And if nothing unexpected happens, the "Wu Sui'an" on the other side should have noticed it too. His gaze repeatedly drifted in our direction, like a wild beast eyeing the wounds of its prey.

Realizing that Ling Qingxue, the first debater on their side, was not so easy to deal with, the wolf-like fellow quickly changed his target. Although filled with anger, Wu Yuehua also felt a suffocating pressure.

Even though she kept telling herself that it wasn't her brother, the other person had made preparations for today, including wearing the clothes her brother used to wear and striking the poses he used to.

She didn't know where the other party had learned about her brother's situation, as if he had a large and malicious organization working for him.

No matter how strong she is, when she sees that identical face, Wu Yuehua will still subconsciously recall some past events that have been sealed in her memory and can never be returned to.

What's even more disgusting is that, after noticing this, that bastard gave her a completely unrestrained and malicious smile.

"My opponent's statement is quite biased. In our view..."

"It's my turn to stand up." Just as Wu Yuehua was thinking this, a hand suddenly grabbed her from the side.

"On this point, our second speaker has already discussed it in detail, so I won't repeat it here. Regarding your point about the right to life and health, I don't think it's necessary to discuss it further, because today's debate requires a more comprehensive perspective, rather than..."

The young man beside her stood up. Well, as expected of him; after that brilliant questioning, whenever he stood up and spoke to the judges with a smile, almost all the judges, and even the audience, couldn't help but nod in approval.

It's an innate quality, as if the entire stage is transformed into a single, captivating performance once he stands up. The boy's words were gentle, yet his insights were sharp. Just as he usually seemed carefree and disliked serious conversation, he had been so tender when he held my hand, as if I were a fragile treasure.

Indeed, he must have realized it too. With them on the team, this match was enough. As the free debate progressed, it became clear to discerning observers that it was a mismatch between the two sides. Wu Yuehua's team never faced any real crisis; in fact, they consistently managed to manipulate their opponents through coordinated attacks, keeping them within their own theoretical framework.

I'll just obediently be a decorative vase and a mascot, and wait for victory. That's fine.

Wu Yuehua tried to keep this in mind. She felt a little depressed, but why bother with this feeling? Her teammates were terrifyingly strong, and their teamwork was seamless. On the contrary, every time she stood up, she would hurriedly turn her face away when she saw the sinister look in Wu Sui'an's eyes. Although she didn't stutter, it always sounded like a discordant note.

At that moment, she even felt that every time she stood up, she could see the anxious expressions on the faces of the audience below. Their eyes seemed to be worried about something—whether they were worried that she might accidentally say the wrong thing, that she might accidentally give the other side an opportunity, or that she might remain silent for a minute and a half during the entire third debate, just like last time?