The first month after enrollment flew by. While most of Class D was still basking in the brief joy brought by those Ten Thousand Points, a sudden storm swept through the entire class at the start of the second month.
That morning, the students checked their Student Terminals as usual, eager to see their points credited. But the numbers on the screens left everyone stunned.
"Zero... zero points?" Yamauchi Haruki was the first to cry out, his voice filled with disbelieving panic.
"Mine are zero too!"
"What's going on? Weren't we supposed to get Ten Thousand Points every month?"
The classroom fell into chaos, panic spreading like a plague. Even Hirata Yousuke, usually so composed, furrowed his brow, and the smile on Kushida Kikyo's face cracked for the first time. Ken Sudō slammed his fist onto his desk with a dull thud.
Although Horikita Suzune still sat upright, her clenched fist and faintly whitened knuckles betrayed her inner turmoil. She had been frugal with her points, but this sudden turn of events had clearly caught her by surprise too.
Just then, Chabashira Sae entered the classroom as the bell rang. She seemed to have anticipated the chaos. Calmly walking up to the podium, she swept an indifferent gaze over the panicked students below.
"It seems you've already noticed." Her voice held no hint of emotion. "As you can see, Class D received zero points this month."
"Why?!" Kanji Ike couldn't help standing up to demand. "Weren't we told points would be issued every month?"
Chabashira's lips curled in a trace of mockery. "I told you that the points you receive are tied to your class evaluation. After observing you for the first month, Class D ranked last in overall evaluation among all the classes. Under School Regulations, classes with evaluations that are too low won't receive points."
Her words hit them like a bucket of ice water, leaving everyone stunned.
"Evaluation? What evaluation?" Yukimura Teruhiko adjusted his glasses, his voice trembling.
"Daily Behavior Standards, Classroom Performance, exam results, Club Activities... Everything affects your class evaluation," Chabashira said flatly. "And Class D, during its first month, had absences, tardiness, poor classroom discipline, and the lowest exam scores. More importantly..." Her gaze swept over several students whose faces had gone pale. "Your uncontrolled spending proved that you lack even the most basic ability to plan."
The classroom fell silent. Every one of Chabashira's words struck like a heavy hammer, weighing on everyone's heart.
"But... without points, we can't even..." A girl began to sob softly. "We can't even buy food in the cafeteria..."
"This is the reality you have to face." Chabashira's voice was cold and utterly devoid of feeling. "At this school, everything must be earned through your own ability. If you can't even manage the most basic necessities, then you don't deserve to be here."
After delivering her speech, she paid no further attention to the students' reactions and simply began the day's lesson. But by then, few could pay attention to what she was teaching.
At lunchtime, an air of despair hung over Class D's classroom. Students without points couldn't even buy a basic lunch, so they had to sit hunched over their desks on empty stomachs. Even those with a few points left were worried, unsure how long their savings would last.
Fūki Ran sat quietly in his seat. He had predicted this outcome long ago, so he had been extremely restrained with his spending during the first month. Combined with what he had gained from the Strategy Game Research Society, his point reserves were still impressive. But he had no intention of revealing that.
"Everyone..." Hirata Yousuke stood up, trying to calm the others. "Now's not the time to blame each other. We should think of a solution..."
"What solution could there be?" Ken Sudō irritably scratched his head. "No points means no points!"
Just then, Feng Qi noticed Horikita Suzune silently getting to her feet, ready to leave the classroom. Her face was still expressionless, but Feng Qi could see the determination in her eyes—she planned to face this predicament alone.
Feng Qi followed her without drawing attention. At the corner of the hallway, he called out to her.
"Horikita."
Horikita Suzune stopped and turned around, her brows slightly furrowed. "What is it, Feng Qi? If this is about points, I don't think we have anything to discuss."
"Actually, I think the opposite," Feng Qi said calmly. "Now's the time for us to have a proper talk. You should know that trying to solve this alone won't work."
A flicker of emotion crossed Horikita's eyes, but they soon turned cold again. "I don't see how working with people who lack even basic self-control could help."
"But what if the person you work with can offer a solution?" Feng Qi leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. "I've noticed that you have a real talent for Classical Literature and mathematics. As for me, I happen to be fairly good at Modern Literature and Social Sciences."
Horikita froze. She hadn't expected Feng Qi to make such a proposal.
"The Midterm Exam is coming up soon," Feng Qi continued. "If Class D keeps coming in last, things will only get worse next month. But if someone could organize effective study groups and help the students who are struggling improve their grades..."
"You're saying I should waste my time tutoring people who don't want to study?" Horikita's voice held unmistakable resistance.
"Not tutoring. A deal." A glint flashed in Feng Qi's eyes. "You use your knowledge to get them to change their behavior and, in time... perhaps even cooperate with us. That's better than watching the class keep sinking and dragging down your own evaluation."
Horikita fell silent. She had to admit that Feng Qi had hit the mark. Under the Class Evaluation System, even the best individual performance could still be dragged down by the group.
"Why are you doing all this?" she suddenly asked, her Purple Eyes fixed on Feng Qi.
"Because I believe Class D has far more potential than this," Feng Qi replied smoothly. "Besides, I don't want other people's incompetence to affect the resources I'm entitled to."
That reason seemed to convince Horikita. She thought for a moment, then finally relented. "What exactly do you have in mind?"
"First, we start with the people who need help most but can still be saved." Feng Qi looked toward the classroom. "For example, Ken Sudō. His athletic ability is valuable to the class. If we can help him pass his exams..."
Horikita followed his gaze, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. In that moment, she had to admit that this boy called Fūki Ran was far more calculating than she had imagined.
And Feng Qi knew this was only the first step in bringing Class D together. In the midst of the point crisis, knowledge and ability would become resources even more precious than points. And he happened to have plenty of both.
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