Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO

Chapter 1008 - 691: Supporting Actress Award [01] Twelve’s Voting Is Here!

"Michael Quinn."

The two words entered her ears, and Nora Scott suddenly realized something.

Michael Quinn, the copy machine.

Nora took a sip of water and spoke in a deep voice, "The last time you went to see him..."

"I brought the drawings and showed them to him," Pedro Langley smoothed her hair and paused, "He said he’d send them over once finished. But can he really recreate them one-to-one?"

"Yes."

Nora was adamant.

But then she reconsidered, "Oh, maybe not. Anyway, he can when he’s at his peak, but now..."

It was a somewhat sad situation, yet Pedro Langley felt a bit sympathetic for Michael Quinn.

— Even his closest childhood friend didn’t completely trust his ability anymore.

"When will he finish the drawings?" Nora asked.

"I don’t know." Pedro shook his head gently, then added, "Anyway, you’ve got to study the Mechanism City blueprints first. The eighth blueprint is missing, and you’re the only one in the world who can find the entrance and open Mechanism City... You’ll also have a safer time with your pregnancy."

"Mm."

Nora nodded.

Before Mechanism City emerged, no one would dare to touch Nora even slightly; everyone wanted her to be healthy and everything to go smoothly.

Unless it was someone who preferred Mechanism City to disappear from the world.

But such a legendary building, who wouldn’t want to see it? Even if it was destroyed after emerging, it would be better than never seeing it at all.

*

Biel Hall searched all night, a carpet-style search, yet still didn’t find Alexander Vaughn.

Although Nora was feeling nauseous, she obtained the last two drawings, Sophie Scott was found, Alexander’s remaining followers were mostly cleaned out, and Alexander himself was seriously injured — oh, perhaps Alexander died in some corner. In any case, the night still had its harvest.

With Robert Durant eradicated and Alexander severely injured, plus Biel Hall guarding, Nora could peacefully nurture her pregnancy and study the blueprints.

The next day, after receiving Biel Hall’s report, Nora was being attended by Pedro while having breakfast. Just as she was about to open her neglected computer and graphics tablet to work, she received a call from a Biel Hall member who said Sophie Scott was causing a disturbance at the police station, refusing to cooperate.

"Show her Alexander Vaughn’s sins," Nora said casually after listening, "She’ll calm down after seeing them."

"...Yes."

Nora said, "Send her back to Returning Seal City once it’s handled, don’t contact me."

She did not need to bear the burden of Sophie Scott’s life.

Since Sophie dared to associate with Alexander Vaughn, she should be prepared to bear all the consequences.

Moreover, since Alexander made Sophie stay by his side for so long, it’s impossible he didn’t do anything. Given his high regard for Sophie, even willing to trade life for life, surely he wouldn’t easily argue with her and let her leave in a huff. In other words, he deliberately arranged for Sophie to leave him.

Sophie could not stay with Alexander Vaughn forever.

Sophie may not know, but Alexander does.

Perhaps Alexander knew from the beginning.

So, before letting Sophie leave, Alexander must have taught her how to grow, ensuring she had a heart capable of accepting everything.

Now Sophie herself didn’t realize that she was no longer the girl bound by maternal, familial, and external pressures.

However, in which direction Sophie would specifically grow—

Nora was definitely going to send someone to observe for a while.

"Yes."

The member on the other end of the phone responded respectfully and then hung up.

A couple of minutes later, the phone rang again, this time it was Rosie Sullivan calling.

"Hall Master, Alexander’s plants in Biel Hall have been identified. As for whether there are others, Biel Hall will conduct a comprehensive check," Rosie reported earnestly, her tone very serious.

Robert Durant tried to bribe people in Biel Hall, but it was nipped in the bud, discovered early by Nora. All those who were bribed were caught in one fell swoop.

Back then, Rosie didn’t feel anything was amiss; rather, she felt exhilarated for catching and countering them early.

Actually, such events can be understood. The lower-level members are more susceptible to temptation, because people can’t live solely for faith and dreams; life requires mundane necessities, and if the benefits are large enough, then what of loyalty to Biel Hall?

Moreover, there are simply too many Biel Hall members.

When there are many people, it’s hard to control.

But—

The people Alexander planted were from high-levels within Biel Hall, holding certain powers. Rosie worked with that person twice, having a very good impression.

If not for his haste in disclosing Pedro Langley’s whereabouts to Alexander, making a mistake, they definitely wouldn’t have been discovered.

"Mm."

Nora wasn’t surprised.

It was within her expectations.

The probability of such events occurring was so high that Biel Hall had already adopted measures as it expanded.

Each region handles its own matters, dividing territories without cross-interference except under higher-level orders;

Clear hierarchical systems exist, where higher levels manage lower ones. Those reaching a certain level are handled by the headquarters, regular inspections occur;

The team responsible for a specific task or arrangement isn’t allowed to disclose information externally, each group operates independently and must pass approval before collaboration;

Once a task is assigned, only a few know the full picture. Tasks are fragmented unless heard across departments, but such actions would surely be detected;

...

Of course, even under such tight measures, there will definitely be some who escaped notice.

This was also why when Nora first took over Biel Hall, she personally went to Yangel to inspect the fake antique case and evaluate the person’s character herself.

She was uneasy.

"Considering Alexander Vaughn’s meticulousness, it’s impossible he only placed one or two people, and they likely don’t know of each other," Nora asked, "Does the hall have talents for checking these aspects?"

"Yes. We have a dedicated inspection team..." Rosie hesitantly asked, "Hall Master, haven’t you fully understood our hall yet?"

Nora slightly twitched her brow, ignoring her question, calmly saying, "Then let them act."

"Activating them requires your signature," Rosie softly reminded.

"Oh."

Nora acknowledged.

Afraid that continued communication would dethrone her as the overachieving Hall Master, Nora decisively ended the call with Rosie, instructing her to directly contact Amy and Barton Mansfield for any matters.

Rosie obediently agreed.

...

After another few busy days.

The situation on Robert Durant’s side finally concluded. Aside from Luna Durant, the others had conclusive evidence and faced imprisonment.

Alexander Vaughn still had no news.

The inspection team was very effective, swiftly uncovering two people, and with the interrogation team’s cooperation, they easily got them to confess.

Additionally, Sophie Scott calmed down at the police station; she knew nothing, and Alexander hadn’t let her handle any affairs or learn any intelligence, only arranged her residence and took care of her daily needs. She recounted the past half-year, and once her story was verified logically, she was sent back to Returning Seal City.

She was very obedient the day she returned to Returning Seal City.

Meanwhile—

All 12 episodes of "Twelve" were released, and voting for various awards opened on the official website. Fans eagerly awaited the voting process, and on the first day of voting, due to overwhelming traffic and a surge in registered users, the website crashed for two hours.

"Quite interesting, huh."

On her first day back to Returning Seal City, Nora was scrolling through webpages on her tablet while openly snacking.

— The snacks were prepared by Butler Loxley; Marcus Shaw could only keep quiet when he saw them.

"The website crash issue?" Pedro Langley leaned over the back of the couch, watching the tablet in her hands.

"No," Nora raised an eyebrow, "The voting rules."

"Mm," Pedro nodded, "It’s said to be based on the ’A Sip of Light’ comic competition."

"Really?"

"Didn’t ’A Sip of Light’ invite you as a judge?"

"I rejected it, right?"

"..."

Pedro was speechless.

The "A Sip of Light" comic competition invited Nora as a judge for two consecutive years, but both times, Nora declined. Nora only drew comics, without much interest in the comic industry, thus not knowing much about it.

However, one acknowledged claim is— among all national contests, "A Sip of Light" most effectively prevents ’vote rigging’.

"Twelve"’s voting follows the "A Sip of Light" model.

Real-name authentication, one person one vote.

To earn votes requires effort; voters must write a review for each work, with at least three hundred words, and the total number of likes must reach a certain amount for one to gain voting rights.

Fans are forbidden from vote stuffing or buying votes. Upon verification, official reporting allows for corresponding vote deductions.

...

In short, it minimizes the influence of fan circle tricks, focuses on quality for audience votes, ensuring a just and objective final result.

Nora initially thought this voting focused on ’traffic’. Unexpectedly, the official implemented so many measures against ’traffic’.

What surprised her even more—

After the website was restored, the name "Nora Scott" in the "Best Supporting Actress" section was leading by a wide margin.