The Mafia Heiress's Comeback: She's More Than You Think novel Chapter 221

Chapter 221 Bad Luck

“Maren, they look ready to go. Should we be making bows and arrows too?” Morris ran over to rouse Maren.

Maren had already woken up, but with the sun still low and the wildlife quiet, she chose to wait.

“We don’t have any hunting weapons, Maren,” Morris added, glancing around helplessly.

Without a word at first, Maren stood, grabbed two small stones from the ground, and said calmly, “We do now.”

Morris blinked in disbelief. “What?”

Those little stones–could they really be used as weapons?

He had promised himself he wouldn’t doubt her again. That had been last night. And now, once more, he was shocked,

Still, he swallowed his questions and said nothing.

Meanwhile, across the clearing, Nadia’s team had finished getting ready.

“Let’s get going,” Wilbur said, taking the lead with a bow and arrows in hand.

“They’re going now. Should we go as well, Maren?” Morris asked, watching the other group disappear into the

trees.

Maren glanced skyward. The sun was just climbing into the right spot.

Clearly, Nadia had planned this well. She had timed everything down to the minute.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Maren responded.

Now that the others were on the move, standing around wasn’t an option.

The game was more than just catching prey. The real test was in who caught what, and how challenging it was.

By then, Nadia’s team was already walking into the thick center of the island.

Maren tossed the stones to the side, picked up a freshly cracked coconut, and set off.

It was then that Morris noticed something near his tent. A coconut lay open, water glistening inside. She had prepared it earlier for him. It wasn’t just breakfast. It was the only hydration they had.

“Wait! Maren, you’re leaving your weapons!” Morris yelled, grabbing the discarded stones and running after her

with the coconut balanced in his hand.

Up above, drones buzzed silently through the sky, scanning every inch of the island.

Somewhere in the city, the judges sat before their screens, closely monitoring every contestant’s performance.

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“Maren’s on a whole other level. The girl’s got serious wilderness instincts and survival experience.”

“Nadia’s not far behind, though. She might not be as rugged as Maren, but among the others, she’s definitely one of the top talents.”

“I’m curious to see who’s going to bring back the first kill today.”

This time, the panel wasn’t made up of academics or sponsors. The island survival challenge brought in seasoned survivalists from all corners of Slatinia.

One of them was Gerald Hamilton–the same man who had lectured Nadia and the rest students.

“Gerald, you gave them pointers on hunting, didn’t you? Any guess on which team’s going to score first?” a judge asked him.

Gerald, a man in his fifties with a long beard, stroked his chin and replied, “My bet’s on Nadia’s team.”

“Really? I would’ve thought Maren was the obvious pick,” one judge said. The others nodded in agreement.

“Judging from everything we’ve seen so far, it’s pretty obvious–Maren’s in a league of her own,” another judge remarked, with the rest nodding in agreement.

Everyone agreed except Gerald. “There’s more to hunting than what Maren showed yesterday. That display had nothing to do with actual tracking or trapping. Two nights ago, I gave a lecture on hunting techniques to the students. Nadia absorbed every word. I’m confident she’ll get excellent results.”

“Wait, are you saying Maren didn’t pick it up?” one of the judges asked, puzzled.

“She didn’t,” Gerald replied.

He didn’t say that Maren hadn’t shown up to his class at all–that was exactly why he held such a grudge.

He was the most respected survival expert in Voutsas.

Students from every major academy would fight for a seat in his class. Yet, Maren was the only one who skipped it entirely. To him, that was more than just arrogance–it was an insult.

“I’ve been teaching survival for decades. My techniques are the standard. I’m certain–Maren won’t win.”

Gerald’s confidence didn’t come from Nadia’s talent–it stemmed from his own.

Since Maren hadn’t picked up his method, a loss seemed inevitable for her.

But Nadia had studied it closely, which made her a sure bet for the win.

“I wouldn’t count her out so fast,” another judge chimed in. “Maren dominated the shooting round. She even managed to beat the academy dean and graduate early. No one’s done that before. Her personal skills are beyond question.”

“Exactly. Nadia’s team might have more numbers, but Maren’s personal abilities still outclass them all.”

“That’s a solid point. Maren’s not the kind of person you brush off easily.”

Several judges exchanged slight nods, silently in agreement.

Gerald’s lips pressed into a thin line. He said nothing, but the irritation was clear. Their admiration for Maren

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felt like a personal slight.

“Ahem. Just to clarify–this island doesn’t have many small animals,” said Gerald. “Most of the creatures here are mid–sized or worse, full–on predators. So who catches the first prey? That’s not just about skill. Sometimes it comes down to luck. And if that luck turns sour, even the most talented could end up in a deadly situation.”

The others agreed without hesitation.

After all, if one team stumbled upon a harmless critter while another crossed paths with something vicious, the outcome would tilt fast. Survival wasn’t just about ability. After all, luck counted as a kind of strength too.

“Over here–look! Nadia’s team spotted something!” One of the judges leaned in, pointing at a screen.

“It’s a rabbit!” Another judge laughed.

“With that many people, catching it’ll be a breeze.”

Comments rolled out one after another, all praising Nadia’s lucky break.

“Just like I said. A rabbit that size? They’ll have it bagged in ten minutes. Meanwhile, I’d bet Maren hasn’t even seen so much as a feather out there,” Gerald added smugly.

His moment to gloat was cut short when another judge suddenly said, “Hold on–Maren’s team just found something too!”

“What?” Gerald immediately looked over.

At first, he was a little flustered, but soon, he couldn’t stop himself from laughing again. “A cheetah! Can you belleve it? It’s a cheetah!”

“That’s awful. They ran into a cheetah? That’s dangerous!”

The judges felt sorry for Maren.

Known for their speed, cheetahs ranked among the fastest creatures on the planet, and hunting one was close to impossible.

As apex predators, they sat near the top of the food chain. In truth, it wasn’t the cheetah that needed to be wary. It was Maren and Morris who had to stay alert. If that animal decided to chase them, there’d be no outrunning it.

“Talk about bad luck. Looks like Maren’s out of the running. There’s no question who’s getting the first prey now,” one of the judges said.

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