The Midterm Exam results were like a precise diagnosis, laying bare every flaw within Class D. During the class meeting, Chabashira Sae offered no unnecessary criticism. In her characteristically languid, detached tone, she simply announced the scores and projected the report bearing the words "Class D" onto the screen. That silent display was more devastating than any reprimand.
The class remained mired in low spirits. Ken Sudō and the others had fallen into complete dejection. Even Kushida Kikyo's signature smile seemed a little dimmer, though she tried hard to maintain it. Hirata Yousuke's gentle encouragement did little good, while Yukimura Teruhiko and the others buried themselves even deeper in their own worlds.
Amid all this gloom, Feng Qi's routine remained undisturbed. He still kept to a regular schedule: class, Library, Dorm 129—a simple three-point circuit. Only the scope and depth of his observations had grown. He was assessing everyone's worth, calculating how to make the most of the resources and... pawns at his disposal in the storm to come.
That afternoon, with no Club Activities for once, the sky was clear and the sunlight mild. Carrying a book on Cognitive Psychology, Feng Qi went to the rarely used Rooftop Terrace on the top floor of the School Building. It offered a sweeping view over much of the campus, making it a place he sometimes visited for quiet contemplation.
But someone had arrived before him today.
Horikita Suzune stood alone by the railing, holding a thick English Original Novel. Sunlight fell across her black hair, giving it a silky sheen. Her brow was faintly furrowed as she seemed absorbed in the world of the book, an icy aura around her that warned others to keep their distance.
Feng Qi paused, but didn't leave. Instead, he walked naturally to the other side of the railing, several meters from her, leaned against it, and opened the book he had brought.
For a while, the only sounds on the terrace were pages turning and the breeze passing by.
This deliberate coexistence, each leaving the other undisturbed, lasted about ten minutes. In the end, Horikita was the first to break the silence. She closed her book but didn't leave, keeping her gaze on the distant athletic field. In a flat tone, she spoke as if to herself, or perhaps as if confirming something:
"Even outstanding individual results can't change the fact that we're in Class D. The burden of the group will ultimately affect the resources an individual can obtain." It was the first time she had brought up the class as a whole, though her tone remained distant.
Feng Qi kept his eyes on the page. His voice was just as calm. "The total amount of resources is fixed, but the way they're distributed can change. The key is who gets to define 'value' and decide the rules for allocation."
Horikita turned her head slightly and glanced at him. "Do you think anyone in Class D has that kind of authority?"
"Not at present." Feng Qi finally looked up and met her searching gaze. "But that's precisely what makes this an opportunity. A vacuum in the rules often means there's a chance to reshape them. The Special Exam could be our opening."
"You seem to be looking forward to the Special Exam," Horikita observed, catching the implication in his words.
"I'd rather see it as an equation with a great many variables." Feng Qi closed his book. "The known quantity is the current state of Class D. The unknowns are the exam's specific rules and our opponents' actions. The process of solving it is challenging and enjoyable in itself, isn't it?"
A strange light flashed in Horikita's eyes at his comparison of ruthless competition to a math problem. She fell silent for a moment, then murmured, "...That's an interesting comparison. But solving a problem takes enough ability and... collaborators."
"Ability can be cultivated. As for collaborators... they need to be selected and tested in the course of solving the problem." Feng Qi's reply carried a deeper meaning.
This time, Horikita didn't immediately argue back. She turned her gaze to the distance again and fell into thought.
Their brief exchange, like a contest between two masters, had led to no explicit agreement. Yet a subtle understanding seemed to have quietly formed between them. They had both recognized something unusual in the other, and each was testing the possibility of working together.
At the same time, Feng Qi had noticed another change. Ever since the thrilling "deal" in the Old Garden that night, Kushida Kikyo's perfect smile had taken on an almost imperceptible stiffness—and... fear—whenever she faced him. She still greeted him warmly and asked for his opinion when organizing Club Activities, but her eyes sometimes flickered away, and she dared not meet his gaze for long.
Feng Qi knew that the Dark Seed had been planted and was taking root inside her. He wasn't in a hurry to force it to bloom. He only needed to wait patiently until the right moment, when it would bear the fruit he wanted.
A few nights later, Feng Qi was in his dorm room, analyzing scraps of information he had gathered from various sources about the format of past Special Exams. Although the details changed every year, there might still be patterns in their style and general direction. Then came an extremely faint, almost imperceptible knock at the door.
Knock, knock-knock.
The rhythm was peculiar, full of hesitation and tentative caution.
Feng Qi set down the materials in his hand, the corner of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly. He went to the door but didn't open it right away. Instead, he peered through the peephole.
Outside, Kushida Kikyo had her head lowered, her orange hair hiding her expression. Her hands were clasped nervously in front of her, and her body was slightly tense. She wasn't wearing her school uniform, but an inconspicuous dark outfit, as if she wanted to blend into the night.
Feng Qi opened the door.
Like a startled rabbit, Kushida jerked her head up. Her usual smile was gone, replaced by a pale, uneasy look and a trace of desperate resignation. She quickly glanced down the empty hallway, then slipped sideways into the room like a fish.
Feng Qi closed the door and locked it with a crisp click. Kushida's body visibly trembled at the sound.
For the first time, the door to Dorm 129 had opened for that hidden "demon." And beneath the seemingly peaceful routine, the Special Exam was drawing closer and closer.
Before you continue