"How come two dragon boats are empty? Did they forfeit?"
"They probably did. What a bunch of cowards—didn't even compete before forfeiting."
"Maybe they got stage fright."
"Maybe they're eating Zongzi at home."
The onlookers were all discussing the two empty boats, while the organizers were frantic and at their wits' end.
The race was about to begin, but the two temporarily arranged teams still hadn't arrived.
"What's going on? Is the race starting or not?"
"Yeah, it's already been delayed for over two minutes."
"We're still waiting to take the championship!"
Seeing that the race had yet to start, the other teams began voicing their dissatisfaction.
The organizer in charge said with an awkward smile, "Everyone, please calm down. Two teams haven't arrived yet. They'll be here any moment."
Just then, another person in charge walked over and asked with a frown:
"What's going on? Why haven't you started yet? Don't you know today's race is being livestreamed? Everyone's watching."
The organizer smiled awkwardly and said quietly, "Some people haven't arrived yet."
"Then disqualify them for being late. What's there to think about?"
The organizer's expression turned timid, and he hurriedly shook his head. "I don't have the guts."
"Why?"
"Because the identities of these two late teams are different."
"No matter how different they are, what can they do? The law applies equally to everyone, even the emperor—"
Before the person in charge could finish, he suddenly heard deafening exclamations erupting from the surrounding spectators.
Shouts of "What the hell!" rang out one after another, nearly scaring him off the riverbank.
"We're doomed, we've provoked public anger. Let's see how you deal with this." The person in charge glared resentfully at the organizer, hurriedly trying to shift the blame first.
He thought the delayed race had angered the