Henry Hartwell let out a long sigh, but a cryptic smile played on his lips. "When we get on stage in a bit, let’s spice things up."

"Spice things up how?"

"This business with Lily Yariel plagiarizing your work... I’ve seen the online comparison charts. It’s plagiarism, no doubt about it. You should think right now about what you want to say to warn this plagiarist."

’Warn a plagiarist?’

Claire Sinclair was sharp and understood him in an instant.

"Teacher Hartwell, I know what you mean, but is it really appropriate to say something like that at such an important event?" If she did, it would be a huge slap in the face to this so-called "Original Work Grand Prize."

’This is going to blow up, isn’t it?’

Henry Hartwell smiled. "Don’t panic. The CloudScript Group wouldn’t dare go head-to-head with us at Astoria Daily. Besides, you’ve got Young Master Quincy backing you up. Don’t chicken out. Just do it." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

’Who wants his support!’

That’s what Claire Sinclair thought, but she didn’t say anything out loud.

When your own rights are violated, if you do nothing, the other party will only become more brazen.

So, when it was time to fight for herself, she absolutely could not hold back!

...

Before they knew it, the Annual IP Showcase segment had begun. Three works appeared on the big screen, and in the center spot was Mrs. Quincy’s "Shinra, Shinra, Please Don’t Say Goodbye to the World!"

To the left was none other than Lily Yariel’s "The Splendor of a Billion Years," and to the right was Chang Xiaoshu’s "A Phoenix in the Wind and Moonlight."

Perhaps because her work had been plagiarized, Claire Sinclair felt an instinctive aversion to Lily Yariel’s novel.

’The title alone, *The Splendor of a Billion Years*, sounded strange. It had a try-hard artistic feel, like someone moaning about nothing. In short, it was a mess.’

Just then, the host’s voice boomed through the microphone: "Next, let’s welcome the author of ’Shinra, Shinra, Please Don’t Say Goodbye to the World,’ Mrs. Quincy! And CloudScript’s number one romance queen, Lily Yariel, please come to the stage! Chang Xiaoshu, you come up as well. Let’s give them a round of applause!"

The moment his voice faded, the girls behind Claire Sinclair went wild.

"Haha, here comes the good part! The plagiarist and the original author on the same stage. You think they’ll start fighting?"

"It’s being livestreamed. How could they possibly fight?"

"Mrs. Quincy is so pitiful. She has to share the stage with the person who plagiarized her and can’t even say anything. If it were me, I’d definitely refuse to go up."

"Speaking of which, why isn’t Mrs. Quincy going up? That major plagiarist Lily Yariel has already rushed onto the stage."

Just as Claire Sinclair was making a last-ditch effort to get out of it, Henry Hartwell grabbed her and pulled her to her feet.

"You can’t avoid what’s coming. Let’s go."

"I don’t—"

Although Claire Sinclair had tried to mentally prepare herself, her body wouldn’t obey. It was as if every cell was protesting.

Henry Hartwell only escorted her to the foot of the stage; he didn’t go up with her. "Once you’re up there, say whatever you want to say. Don’t be a coward. Go."

"Teacher Hartwell..."

"If you don’t even dare to speak up when your own work is plagiarized, how can you expect to fight for justice for other vulnerable groups?"

Once Henry Hartwell said that, Claire Sinclair couldn’t hold back any longer.

A qualified journalist must know how to speak up for the vulnerable. Right now, she was both a member of a vulnerable group and a journalist fighting for justice.

So, she couldn’t be a coward!

Finally mustering her courage, Claire Sinclair held her head high and strode onto the stage.

The moment she appeared on camera, someone in the audience immediately recognized her—

"Isn’t that Ethan Kingsley’s rumored girlfriend?"

"Oh my god, so she’s the author of *Shinra*!"