Chapter 239: The Third Task (Part Three)

After experiencing intense pain in her back and waist, coupled with a dizzying spin, Jane Yu found herself face down on the Quidditch pitch, her nose buried in the dirt.

During the transmission, she had loosened her grip, so after her grand fall, the trophy landed heavily on her waist.

Just let me die.

Mortified in public and in such pain that she couldn't even scream, Jane Yu managed to flip herself over with Dumbledore's help, her eyes glazed over, as she forced herself to speak with the last of her willpower:

"Wait—I am not—the champion—Harry—spider—"

"Are you talking about the spider guarding the trophy?" Dumbledore laughed, "Don't worry, Newt said it's just a little cutie bred by Hagrid, a bit strong and robust, but it can't kill anyone—"

A bit strong?

A bit robust?

The little cutie knocked her flying ten meters away?

She could understand Hagrid, but did Newt even listen to what he was saying?

Feeling betrayed by her mentor, Jane Yu felt the pain in her back intensify.

She sat up and removed her tattered robe, which was originally embroidered with runes but now smeared with spider venom. Fortunately, it hadn't seeped through, but she didn't need to look to know that her back was swollen like a hump.

"Yu Jian brought back the trophy, she's the champion!"

Cheers erupted from the audience.

Students from all four houses of Hogwarts were jumping and cheering in the stands, with those in the front row shaking banners embroidered with "Hogwarts," the crest shining brilliantly; those in the back row had "Hogwarts" written on their faces, waving flags in their hands.

"Yu won the match, we are the champions!"

Daphne, occupying a seat closest to Jane Yu, shouted fiercely, leaning over the railing to hold back the students surging from behind, not even noticing she had squeezed back-to-back with Ginny; while Draco and Theodore, pushed to the side by the crowd, waved their wands to part the crowd, trying to get back to a spot where Jane Yu could see them.

Perhaps inspired by the Weasley twins in the last match, the Slytherin team members mounted their brooms, flying around the field while pouring out boxes of Jane Yu's merchandise; not to be outdone, the Weasley twins also began throwing her cards into the stands.

This immediately sparked a scramble, almost causing a stampede, but the experienced professors used various levitation and binding spells to prevent chaos.

A few cards fell onto Jane Yu's head, and she picked up a card curiously—

[An interesting match, making Yu the champion, with love from Gryffindor.]

What about Harry? Has Gryffindor forgotten him?

Jane Yu wished she could grab the shoulders of the creators and shake them until they came to their senses.

But when she flipped the card, she found the back even more unbearable!

There were various photos of her, standing among a pile of stunned treasures... lying with dragons...

She had no doubt that by the end of today, she would see new cards featuring her face-down fall!

She let out a helpless groan, feeling as if the whole world had darkened!

Why is it that even though she puts in effort, things always go awry?

Why does anything involving "retreat" become more heartbreaking the harder she tries?

Why, when Harry's trophy was within reach, did a spider have to come and knock her away?

With a healthy back and reasonable plot lost, Jane Yu lay peacefully on the ground.

The searing pain in her back made even breathing feel like a mistake.

She desperately hoped this was just a dream within the maze!

"Look, this is the relaxation of a strong person! Falling asleep right away!" Daphne shouted loudly, seeing her sprawled on the ground, "Did you know, winning the championship is as natural as drinking water for her, it's important to regularly rest to promote magical growth!"

"I see!" A little badger nodded solemnly, "You're her roommate, I believe you!"

"Of course!" Daphne proudly puffed out her chest, considering her roommate's championship as her own glory, she continued, "She has tamed an entire merpeople tribe, communicating with them for days! She didn't even prepare for this match! She just walked in and flew out to win!"

Her insider information quickly won over the onlookers, with Ginny glaring at her with envy and jealousy, the merchandise and cards she grabbed not enough to soothe her heart.

"Everyone calm down!" Bagman beamed like a sunflower, continuing loudly, "The champions inside are still completing their tasks, our team of professors has entered the maze to patrol, and will bring them out one by one!"

Fudge, standing beside him, fidgeted impatiently, glancing at his watch from time to time, seemingly eager to conclude his visit here.

Soon, Harry was helped out, followed by Krum and Cedric, then Fleur.

"Big spider!" Harry shouted, "Too big! Used multiple Stupefy spells!"

Jane Yu, in her agony, suddenly sat up, standing up abruptly to argue with the judges:

"Harry is the champion! I was just knocked into the trophy by the spider!"

"What?" Harry jumped up in surprise, "That's not true at all! I followed Yu through the challenges! I didn't do anything, just held onto her coattails!"

"No, Harry chopped down all the trees!" Jane Yu said firmly, "And I used magical tools for assistance!"

She took off the conch necklace given by the merpeople and placed it before Dumbledore, only to see her guardian smiling at her:

"I know you're trying to be gracious, but there's no need to concede the championship. This tool... it's ineffective on land."

Madame Maxime also smiled, picking up the necklace to admire it, then listening to it:

"A conch modified by merpeople, it only works in water and on the shore, if used on land, it just keeps pushing you forward."

Jane Yu was dumbfounded.

No wonder the conch kept telling her to move forward!

No wonder it forced her through the hedges!

Why didn't they make the navigation rules clear?

Useless product on land!

She couldn't help but want to call and report it!

"Alright, this is no time for noble gestures!" Bagman announced loudly, "The champion is Yu Jian, and that's final!"

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