Chapter 72
"Charlotte, you're settling personal scores! Do you even take this competition seriously?!"
Seeing her stern expression, Charlotte let out a cold laugh, her lowered eyes filled with darkness. "I'm settling personal scores?"
"Then what if I said that contestant number 24's work also bears resemblance to a master's piece?"
"Doesn't everyone think this painting's overall spirit and core essence are almost identical to the famous work 'Hope' by the legendary designer Blue, who retired five years ago?"
The moment the name "Blue" was mentioned, the judges below erupted into chaos.
"Right! I knew it looked familiar! This is just a cheap knockoff simplified version of 'Hope'!"
"Yes! Even the line directions are similar, just with different colors and background. This is blatant plagiarism!"
"No... no..."
Mandy seemed unable to accept this result and immediately screamed, "What evidence do you have to prove we plagiarized?! You're clearly targeting us! I'm going to file a complaint with the organizing committee!"
The woman glared at Charlotte, her eyes filled with shocking viciousness.
At this moment, Chloe also snapped back to reality and quickly chimed in loudly, "That's right! You say I plagiarized your work, but where's your proof? Show us the evidence!"
Looking at the two people still arguing below, Charlotte's mocking smile grew stronger. "Evidence? Fine, I'll give it to you!"
The moment her words fell, two more works suddenly appeared on the big screen.
On the left was a design draft with an international copyright encrypted timestamp, signed by Queen.
When Charlotte overlaid Chloe's design on it, apart from some deliberately modified details, the proportions and perspective lines of the entire image matched by over 85%.
This wasn't original work at all... it was clearly plagiarism!
"This draft has never been published anywhere publicly. It only exists in my private work email."
Looking at the ashen-faced Chloe, Charlotte sneered, "Chloe, do you need me to also display on the big screen the IP address from two years ago when the Johnson family accessed my old computer data?"
At these words, Chloe clenched her fists tightly, trembling uncontrollably.
At this moment, she couldn't say a word.
The reporters below frantically clicked their shutters, and the comments in various live streams completely exploded.
However, Charlotte's actions didn't stop.
On the right side of the screen, another comparison appeared.
It was the original breakdown of Blue's "Hope" compared with Mandy's work.
She stripped away the color saturation from both images, leaving only the line structure.
"Ms. Miller, did you think that just because Master Blue retired, no one would remember his work? You mirror-reversed the composition of Hope, then replaced the cool tones with soft colors, thinking you could get away with it?"
"Unfortunately, plagiarizing is one thing... but you even copied Master Blue's habit of leaving hidden patterns in the finishing touches. Do you need me to point them out one by one and show everyone?"
The girl's cool voice transmitted through the speakers into everyone's ears.
When they saw the shocking degree of overlap on the screen, everyone present couldn't help but burst into exclamations.
"Oh my god, they really are identical!"
"These two are so bold! Weren't they afraid of being discovered?"
The reporters, seeing this scene, also frantically clicked their shutters, trying to capture this explosive news first.
"Ms. Johnson, why did you do this? Do you hate Queen? Or were you trying to get away with it using this method?"
"Ms. Miller, regarding your plagiarism of Master Blue's work, what are your thoughts? Did you think no one would notice? Or did you think it wouldn't matter if they did?!"
Looking at these frenzied people before her, Chloe kept shaking her head, her throat seemingly voiceless, completely unable to say a word.
But Charlotte had no intention of letting them off so easily. Her red lips curved as she said softly, "World Design Competition, contestant number 23 Chloe and contestant number 24 Mandy are involved in plagiarism. Both works receive zero points!"
"Additionally, both contestants' qualifications are revoked, and they are permanently banned from participating in this competition!"
"The design world doesn't need trash!"
"Plagiarists get out of the design world!"
Someone shouted first, and then the entire venue seemed to ignite. Overwhelming curses instantly engulfed the two.
"So disgusting! One plagiarized an unpublished work, the other copied a retired master's painting. They have no shame!"
"And they wanted to win the championship?! People like this shouldn't taint this profession!"
"Get out! Don't stand there blocking our view!"
As the scene gradually spiraled out of control, security personnel quickly stepped forward, grabbed the two stunned women, and half-dragged them out of the venue.
Just as they were dragged out of the backstage area, Chloe's phone started vibrating.
Looking at the name displayed on the screen, her brow twitched, and she had a bad feeling.
"Hello..."
"Chloe! Look at what you've done! The whole internet is full of news about you! You've made me lose all face!"
Sensing the barely concealed anger in the man's words, her pupils contracted, and her lips trembled involuntarily. "Benjamin... I... I didn't mean to, it was Charlotte..."
"Shut up!"
Benjamin was furious and roared on the other end of the phone, "Even now, you're still pushing the blame onto others! You're truly shameless and completely hopeless!"
"I must have been blind to get engaged to you! You're on your own now!"
As the phone was hung up forcefully, Chloe's face turned pale, her eyes full of panic and helplessness.
"It's over... everything's over... Everything I worked so hard to build has been destroyed..."
Compared to the completely broken-down Chloe, Mandy was calmer.
But a closer look revealed her eyes were filled with hatred.
"Stop crying! Crying won't solve anything now!"
Hearing this, Chloe's eyes red and swollen, stammered, "But... I have no way out now..."
"I never thought she was Queen. If I had known earlier, I..."
As she spoke, tears were about to fall from her eyes again, but Mandy suddenly spoke.
"We can't beat her in design, but that doesn't mean we don't have other options!"
"What do you mean?"
Chloe was stunned, somewhat confused.
Mandy sneered, lowered her voice, and said word by word, "Isn't a designer's most precious asset their hands? If she could never pick up a paintbrush again, then..."