In this world, events were ever-changing, cause and effect intertwined. One could only do one's best and leave the rest to fate.
The voice of Horikita Manabu, the impartial Student Council President, echoed through the meeting room.
Everyone looked grim. No one had expected the worst possible outcome.
Honestly, almost no one was willing to accept this ending.
Yet for some reason, Zhuge Linghao wore a strange smile.
Meanwhile, Ryuen Kakeru's expression was frighteningly dark, like the sky before a storm, oppressive and heavy.
His once-handsome face had twisted into a fierce, horrifying scowl that made people shudder.
Angry flames flickered in his eyes, as if they might erupt at any moment and burn everything around him to ashes.
But the volcano didn't erupt.
Ryuen pulled his hands from his pockets, then raised his right hand and said to Horikita Manabu, "President, we're withdrawing our accusation. As far as we're concerned, this incident never happened. Neither the Student Council nor the school should pursue it any further."
Even if Zhuge and Sudo were about to be expelled, Ryuen knew he had lost.
[I can't believe those two bastards actually dragged three people down with them!]
So he wanted to cut his losses and try to save those three underlings.
If students from his class really were expelled, he would lose all respect and authority in the class. No one would obey him!
Horikita Manabu said, "Whether you withdraw the accusation now is meaningless. The evidence is right there for everyone to see. Regardless of what happens, even if the Student Council no longer handles this matter, the school will still issue disciplinary action."
The day before the hearing, in the woods.
Zhuge Linghao sent Ryuen a text, calling him out.
As he waited, Zhuge Linghao examined the two permanent skills on his status panel—Triple Slide-Kneel Kowtow and a 50% increase in the chance that someone would agree when he asked for help!
Could it be that Zhuge Linghao was planning to...
A little while later, Ryuen, the Black Bodyguard, and Ibuki Mio appeared before Zhuge Linghao.
Ryuen grinned wickedly. "Well, well. Are you begging for mercy already, Zhuge?"
Zhuge Linghao decided to test out the skill first. With a pleading look, he said, "Um, Ryuen, I was blind to your greatness before. You're the bigger man, so please, be merciful and let me go, okay?"
For an instant, Ryuen seemed inclined to agree. Then he suddenly slapped himself and continued grinning wickedly. "No!"
The Black Bodyguard and Ibuki Mio were dumbfounded by Ryuen's move. What was that supposed to be? They'd seen plenty of tough guys slap other people, but never anyone slap himself. Only an idiot would hit himself...
Zhuge Linghao felt his knees going weak. He couldn't help wanting to slide to his knees and kowtow!
He lowered his head and stammered, "Th-then, Ryuen, what... what would it take for you to let me go?"
Ryuen figured Zhuge Linghao was certain to be expelled anyway. It would be great to get his points before that happened!
Ryuen grinned crookedly, greed in his eyes. "Hey, how many points do you have left?"
Zhuge Linghao turned his face away, afraid to look at the man before him. "I... I don't have many points. Just... a little over 200,000..."
That surprised Ryuen and the others. This Zhuge really couldn't be underestimated.
With so many Class D students getting by on zero points, how did this kid still have over 200,000?
Ryuen licked his lips. "I'll let you go, but you have to hand over 200,000 points."
Zhuge Linghao looked up in disbelief. "N-no way! Don't try to use your power to bully me. I... I won't give in!"
Ibuki Mio looked at Zhuge Linghao with pity. "You poor fool. You'll be left penniless if you're expelled anyway. You might as well hand over all your points now and save your own skin."
Zhuge Linghao hurriedly said, "But I believe in Horikita and the others! They won't let me get expelled!"
Ryuen smirked. "What a pathetic carbon-based life-form. You're so scared out of your wits that you're still counting on other people's strength—something completely outside your control."
Zhuge Linghao figured he was doomed either way. He steeled himself and said, "Ryuen, you want my points, right? Are you willing to make a bet with me?"
Ryuen wasn't worried. "What kind of bet?"
Zhuge Linghao's face and neck flushed red. "We'll bet on the final number of people expelled at the hearing. We each pick three possible outcomes, taking turns. How about it? Since it's two against three, if I lose, I'll pay you 400,000 points. If you lose, you pay me 600,000. Deal?"
Ryuen sneered. "I don't know what else you think you can do to struggle, but since you proposed the bet, how about I guess first?"
Zhuge Linghao looked like someone who had nothing left to lose. "Whatever. I don't care. I just want to take a gamble—maybe I'll strike it lucky!"
The hearing could only end in a few possible ways:
① No one expelled. ② One person expelled. ③ Two people expelled.
④ Three people expelled. ⑤ Four people expelled. ⑥ Five people expelled.
After thinking for three minutes and considering every possible outcome, Ryuen chose the three he thought most likely.
Ryuen immediately picked, "③ Two people expelled."
Zhuge Linghao's brain seemed to short-circuit. He chose an outcome that left all three people opposite him stunned. "I pick ① No one expelled!"
Zhuge Linghao had shaken Ryuen's confidence. Did he have some way to resolve this whole mess after all?
After hesitating for a long time, Ryuen made his second pick. His voice was cold. "④ Three people expelled."
Without a moment's thought, Zhuge Linghao said, "⑥ Five people expelled."
Hearing such an outrageous answer, the three finally relaxed. This idiot had picked five people to be expelled. He must have been terrible at math. And even if everyone got expelled, what good would winning the bet and earning 600,000 points do him?
In the end, Ryuen picked ③, ④, and ⑤, while Zhuge Linghao chose ①, ②, and ⑥!
After Ryuen and the others left, Zhuge Linghao finally stopped suppressing his laughter.
So excited he used all four limbs to climb a tree, he let out a long, unrestrained cry. Then a passing security guard took him to the interrogation room for a lecture...
The hearing room.
Suddenly, Sudo made a European step, dashed onto the podium, and immediately deleted the evidence video on the computer. Then he pulled out the SD card and stomped on it with all his might, crushing it!
It all happened in the blink of an eye. No one had time to react!
Sudo loudly recited his lines. "Dear President, the only evidence in the entire world has now been destroyed, and it can never be recovered."
Flames blazed in Sudo's eyes as he struck a cool pose. "So, President, what evidence did you base the verdict you just announced on?"
"Th-this..."
Everyone was astonished. They had all been blown away by Sudo's move!
For a long while, no one spoke. Each person seemed lost in thought.
"Ding! The host's six-hour silence period has ended. The host may now speak!"
In the utterly silent meeting room, Zhuge Linghao sprawled across the round table, flailing all four limbs. At the same time, he let out a pig-like howl.
[System, you almost got me killed!]
Before you continue