Classroom of the Elite: After the Intel Refreshed, They Always Want to Conquer Me! 37

There have been precedents among past students who discovered the rules.

But the key lies in the timing—discovering them too late is meaningless.

Even if they are discovered, if one is unwilling to share them with the entire class, it is equally futile.

Furthermore, getting the entire class to strictly adhere to school rules is, in itself, an incredibly difficult task.

These three hurdles are enough to filter out 99% of the students.

Yet, the Class A he oversees has managed to execute these three points almost perfectly.

With leaders like Sakayanagi Arisu and Katsuragi Kohei at the helm.

This time, he feels victory is within his grasp.

In all his years of teaching, this is the first time he has dared to make such a claim only two weeks into the school year.

"Hmph! Isn't Class A always like this? A glorious start, a miserable finish. It's only just the beginning of the school year; the real battle is yet to come!" Sakagami Kazuma adjusted his glasses and let out a cold snort.

"Oh my, oh my... what a coincidence! The students in my class just discovered the hidden rules too~" Hoshinomiya Chie said with a beaming smile.

"Wha... how on earth did you manage that?" Sakagami Kazuma was truly shocked this time.

It was one thing for Class A to discover the rules, but how could even Class B...

Hoshinomiya Chie smiled without answering, looking playfully at Chabashira Sae standing to the side: "Little Sae, don't pretend anymore~ You in Class D must have spread the news long ago, right?"

Chabashira Sae merely cast a cold, sidelong glance at her: "...You talk too much."

This understated response caused Sakagami Kazuma's expression to turn ugly in an instant.

Class D... actually knows too?!

The most uneasy one, naturally, is Class C, which is still being kept in the dark.

Because in previous years, it was usually Class A and Class B sitting at one table, and Class C and Class D at another.

065 It must be Shimizu Akira who secretly told me the hidden school rules / Spending eighty thousand was so worth it!

However, Sakagami Kazuma quickly calmed himself down.

He is actually quite confident in his own class.

He especially appreciates his student, Ryuen Kakeru.

Because in a strict sense, both of them belong to the type who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

If it weren't for his tacit approval, Ryuen Kakeru wouldn't have been able to become the leader so quickly.

Thus, he picked up his phone and immediately sent a text message to Ryuen Kakeru.

Sakagami Kazuma: Student Ryuen, how is the class doing lately?

Hoshinomiya Chie hummed a little tune unconsciously, her gaze sweeping over Chabashira Sae not far away.

(Little Sae, oh little Sae...)

(This time, our class was able to successfully obtain the intelligence, all thanks to that student Shimizu in your class.)

(If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been able to pinpoint that second-year student with zero points so quickly...)

That's right, Hoshinomiya Chie knew it clearly—it was she who had taken the initiative to approach that second-year senior, Yamamura.

In just a few words, she confirmed from the other party's evasiveness: Shimizu Akira had already mastered all the hidden rules.

A plan quietly took shape in her mind.

But the ironclad school rules loomed large—teachers are not allowed to interfere with student actions.

So, she didn't hesitate to spend eighty thousand private points to make senior Yamamura sign a gag order.

This transaction made it logical for senior Yamamura to "coincidentally" establish a connection with Ichinose Honami.

Thinking of the wonderful expression Chabashira Sae might show when the truth is revealed, the corners of Hoshinomiya Chie's mouth lifted involuntarily, and a light hum escaped her nose.

(Those eighty thousand points were so worth spending!)

On Thursday morning, Shimizu Akira had just finished his physical training and returned to the dormitory.

His sweat-soaked sportswear clung to his back, and as he reached out to turn the bathroom doorknob—

[Buzz] His phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

The name flashing on the screen made his brow twitch: Ichinose Honami.

"Student Shimizu!" The female voice coming from the other end of the line, while carrying a hint of hesitation, was more than anything else, resolute: "It was you, wasn't it?"

Shimizu Akira's breath hitched, and his fingers gripping the phone tightened slightly.

(What is she referring to?)

The first thing that flashed through his mind was his own secret alias identity.

(Could it be... have I been discovered?)

(Did the million-point transaction expose me?)

(How is this possible... how did she find out?)

(Could it be... did she deduce my real name from the ID "Yueqing"?)

However, Shimizu Akira quickly calmed himself down and asked indifferently, "What are you talking about, Ichinose? I don't understand."

"That 1.3-second silence just now was very suspicious, you know~" Ichinose's voice came through the receiver, laced with a smile. "It really is you!"

"..." Shimizu Akira's expression immediately became conflicted.

"It was you who instructed Yamamura-senpai to approach me, right?" Her voice suddenly turned lighthearted. "Shimizu-kun is really... unexpectedly kind."

The interrogation he had anticipated didn't come; instead, he heard something completely unrelated, leaving Shimizu Akira momentarily stunned.

(Yamamura-senpai? That Class D second-year who sells information?)

His tense shoulders relaxed imperceptibly—at least his cover hadn't been blown yet.

"Sorry, I really don't know what you're talking about." This time, he was genuinely confused.

"Heh~ still playing dumb? You really are something!" Ichinose's voice carried a playful tone. "On the second day of school, wasn't it me who you brought to meet that Yamamura-senpai?"

"That is correct." Shimizu Akira admitted cautiously.

"Then..." The tone on the other end of the line suddenly turned serious. "Shimizu-kun, you must have bought the hidden rules from her, right?"

Shimizu Akira was taken aback.

(What is going on...)

(The usually mild-mannered Ichinose, why does she seem like a different person today?)

(She's sharp in a way that doesn't feel like her.)

He weighed the pros and cons.

Since the other party had already seen through things to this extent, continuing to hide it would only seem disrespectful.

"...That's right." In the end, he admitted it frankly.

"I knew it..." Ichinose's voice trembled with a sudden realization. "So it was you who specifically arranged for Yamamura-senpai to approach me and sell me that information at a low price?"

Shimizu Akira suddenly understood something and explained earnestly, "It really wasn't me."

(I see...)

(Someone specifically spent points to have Yamamura-senpai approach Class B...)

(And I had just met that information broker with Ichinose last week...)

(With a coincidence like this, it's no wonder she would misunderstand.)

The sound of fabric rustling came from the other end of the line. "Shimizu-kun... is it really not you?"

"Given my personality," Shimizu Akira tapped his knuckles against the receiver, producing a crisp sound, "if I really wanted to help, I would have told you the answer directly. Why go through such a roundabout way and involve a third party?"

The other end of the line fell into a long silence, with only the faint crackle of static.

Just as Shimizu Akira's thumb was about to slide toward the end-call button, Ichinose suddenly chuckled. "As expected... it really is you, Shimizu-kun."

"The reason is simple," her voice suddenly brightened, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the moon. "The four classes are in competition with each other. You want to maintain your stance, yet you can't help but reach out a hand—that's why you chose this indirect method, isn't it?"

(What is wrong with this classmate? How can she draw a logical explanation from this?)

Shimizu Akira rubbed his forehead, a sigh of helplessness escaping his throat.

Even though he had explained it so clearly, the other party's train of thought was like a tangled pair of earphones, stubbornly winding back to the starting point.

But on second thought—if one stood in Ichinose's shoes, this deduction seemed reasonable enough.

After all, every clue pointed eerily toward him; it was like a meticulously designed coincidence.

"Shimizu-kun, don't worry..." Ichinose's voice suddenly softened, carrying a hint of playfulness in her tone. "I will treasure this secret in my heart forever."

"This is a promise between the two of us, okay... hehe."

"If it weren't for your help, Class B would have fallen into a passive position in the first month of the new semester..."

"...Please accept these 80,000 points. It's not much... but after I receive my points next month, I will continue to compensate you."

"Well then—" her speaking speed suddenly increased, carrying a hint of haste. "Goodbye, Shimizu-kun."

Before he could respond, the call cut off abruptly.

Shimizu Akira stared at the "Call Ended" text on the screen, then looked at the 80,000 points that had been transferred immediately.

For the first time in a long while, he fell into a prolonged silence.

He had been the scapegoat many times, but he never expected that one day he would be the recipient of a "white goat"—taking credit for a good deed he didn't do.

(Seriously! Which idiot is it that does good deeds without leaving a name!)

066 Kamuro Masumi: Eating a free set meal? Take my points and spend them.

Shimizu Akira returned to the dormitory and took a refreshing hot shower.

After changing into his crisp school uniform, he sat alone in the corner of the cafeteria, chewing on his free breakfast.

80,000 points—that number again.

Counting this latest transfer from Ichinose, the most prominent girls from all four classes had somehow intersected with him through this magical number.

Right! There was also the one million points from Chabashira Sae.

Of course, given her age, she could hardly be called a beautiful girl.

"Currently, there are 1.37 million points in the account..."

Shimizu Akira stared at the number displayed on his phone screen and muttered to himself.

It hadn't even been two weeks since school started, and he had already earned 1.37 million points.

He didn't know how many points the other students had in their accounts, but for an ordinary high school student, this was undoubtedly a massive fortune.

However, at the end of the day, these were just internal school points that could not be circulated in the real world.

Furthermore, these points couldn't be touched for the time being, as they were funds reserved for renting surveillance equipment.

From this day forward, every single expenditure had to be strictly controlled.

He would just have to make do with a free breakfast this morning.

Come to think of it, he hadn't heard back from the Student Council president since they parted ways yesterday.

But that was understandable—after all, they had only reached the agreement last night, so he couldn't expect the other party to complete the task immediately.

Besides, the president had clearly stated that there would be results by the end of school on Thursday at the latest.

Just one more day to go!

As long as he could endure this one meal, he wouldn't have to live such a frugal life from here on out.

"How truly pathetic!"

A slightly disgusted female voice suddenly came from above.

Shimizu Akira snapped back to reality, his gaze landing right on a pair of slender, beautiful legs.

He followed them upward to see Kamuro Masumi holding a tray, looking down at him with an expression filled with undisguised contempt.