Vice President York's expression shifted.
He couldn't understand the sea of code scrolling across the screen—but he recognized something else.
The file paths.
His file paths.
Does this mean… she's already hacked into my computer?
A flicker of unease crossed his face.
Everyone had things on their computers they didn't want exposed. If she kept going, wouldn't that humiliate him in front of everyone?
Just as his anxiety began to rise—
Riley stopped.
She straightened up. "Vice President York, I have a question. If we identify the person who leaked the exam papers, how do you plan to handle it?"
Vice President York, who had just relaxed slightly, tensed again. "It's not about how I handle it. This is a serious matter. It will be dealt with according to the university's regulations."
A flawless answer.
Exactly what you'd expect from Imperial University's vice principal.
Riley's voice remained calm. "And what exactly are the regulations for leaking exam papers and academic misconduct? I'm new here, so I'm not familiar. I'd appreciate it if you could explain."
Vice President York's face darkened.
What is she implying? That I'd play favorites?
This was too big of an issue. No matter who was responsible, the punishment had to be strict. He couldn't afford to give President Langford any leverage against him.
He frowned. "Leaking exam papers is a serious violation. Once the culprit is identified, they will be expelled. Any lecturer involved will also bear responsibility."
Riley nodded, satisfied. "Good. With that assurance, I'm at ease. Our university is fortunate to have a vice president as fair and principled as you."
Vice President York puffed out his chest slightly, accepting the praise.
Riley lowered her gaze and enlarged the results on the screen.
A collective gasp filled the lecture hall.
Right there—
A file path labeled "Ethan Harper" was clearly displayed.
Ethan's expression changed instantly. Behind his black-framed glasses, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"Does… does this mean the exam papers were leaked from Mr Harper's computer?" someone asked hesitantly.
Professor Whitlock nodded. "Yes. She has successfully traced the leak to Mr Harper's computer. However… there are no signs that his computer was hacked."
Which meant—
Blaming Henry from Class Seven earlier had been completely unjustified.
The lecturer frowned, confused. His colleagues had previously claimed that Ethan's system had been breached. But now… everything appeared clean.
Vice President York glanced at Ethan, whose expression had subtly shifted, and frowned.
Ethan had always been meticulous. He had never made mistakes like this before.
In fact, because of his careful nature and ability to navigate relationships, many people were inclined to defend him.
"Even if the leak came from Mr Harper's computer," someone spoke up, "that doesn't necessarily mean he's responsible."
Riley nodded. "That's a fair point."
She continued evenly, "After the exam papers are finalized, the files are encrypted. However, the investigation shows that the leak didn't involve hacking. The encryption wasn't broken. Instead, someone used the correct password and copied the files directly from Mr Harper's computer."
With every word she spoke, Ethan's face grew darker.
He stared at her, his gaze sharp and heavy. Then, in a low voice, he said, "Vice President York, if the papers were indeed leaked from my system, I'm willing to take responsibility."
That single statement won him a wave of sympathy.
The lecturers who had come with Riley immediately began to comfort him.
No one noticed—
In the corner, Evan's eyes flickered with something uneasy.