Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 2122

The phrase "Cultural Festival" conjured images in Helen's mind of lively celebrations—full of singing, dancing, and a vibrant, joyful atmosphere.

As she associated it with children, she imagined charming performances where the audience would delight in the innocence and energy of youth.

However, she knew that Trinity Alliance's Cultural Festival was likely to be something far different. Moving closer to the castle walls, she hoped to get a clearer view.

Around the square, a group of adult men stood in formation, maintaining order. Dressed in the traditional attire of ancient Estorian guards, with gleaming swords at their sides, they exuded an air of authority and intimidation.

The woman directing the children wore a similar outfit, though hers appeared to signify a higher rank.

"Alright, everyone, up on the platform!" she commanded, gesturing toward a high stage behind her, level with her head.

The children quickly organized themselves into two groups, climbing the stairs from either side of the platform.

Within moments, the stage was packed, with some children having to stand near the stairs and the railing.

"Listen up!" the female commander called out. "We're forming teams now. Pair up and pick your partners. Your task is simple—knock the other teams off the platform. Only one team will remain standing at the end."

As she finished explaining the rules, she raised a timer and pressed the start button. "You have five minutes. The countdown begins now."

In that instant, the children on the platform erupted into chaos. A few standing at the edge of the stairs barely had time to form pairs before being pushed off the platform.

Despite this, they were still somewhat fortunate. The female commander was tall, and the platform had an extra 1.5 feet-high barrier, bringing the total height to almost six feet.

Nonetheless, the area was surrounded by cement slabs. Given the fragility of the children's bodies, a fall could cause serious injuries, particularly to their necks or heads. It was no small matter.

The overweight child lost his footing and tumbled down the stairs. As soon as he hit the ground, he instantly lost consciousness, his body going limp.

The female commander glanced at the fallen child before looking up at the thin one. "Why did you betray your teammate?"

As Helen stared at his youthful, delicate face, a chill ran down her spine. She expected the female commander to scold him, but instead, she heard a surprising, "Good job!"

The thin child pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his expression oozing with entitlement.

In that instant, Helen couldn't shake the feeling that she was seeing another Colin. Suddenly, a realization struck her, and she instinctively placed her hand on her rounded belly.