Classroom of the Elite, A Hypocritical Gray Life

"Doesn't that sound pretty bad?"

"Yeah... ahhhhh, it's seriously miserable. How on earth did Soma get interested in this kind of activity anyway?!"

"Probably the spirit of a great explorer. Their nerves are constantly stimulating a desire to explore the wonders of the world. Whenever they get active, they produce exciting criminal hormones; they can't resist it and end up addicted."

"That's just nonsense. I have no idea what you're even trying to say."

"Heh, honestly, I don't know either. Just pretend I'm talking gibberish."

"What even is all this."

"Is it too late to go back and join Ichinose and the others in their discussion?"

"Damn it, don't even bring that up right now. My willpower can't take such a heavy blow." Takashima lunged forward, wrapping his arm around my neck to make me shut up while dumping part of his weight onto me.

"Please let go. If this keeps up, I'm going to collapse too."

"Just consider it punishment for making a mistake. Don't mind it."

"How could I not mind? You were the one who found it strange that I wasn't complaining earlier, and now you're the one expressing dissatisfaction with my complaining. Isn't that going too far?"

"I never said anything like that."

"..."

From the moment we took our first step, we hadn't stopped moving deeper into the island for a single second, which meant our stamina was draining rapidly.

"Do you think we'll get lost later?"

"Don't worry, I've been leaving markers."

"That's good, whoa--" Takashima suddenly shrieked. He had probably tripped over a tree root, and as he fell toward the ground while still hooked around my neck, I instinctively braced for the impact. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

"Hiss, that hurts."

"...Remember not to drag me down next time." After regaining my balance, I stood up and couldn't help but complain.

"Haha, sorry. I didn't expect this tree root to grow so strangely."

"Pay attention. It doesn't matter if we're slow; the important thing is to ensure our own safety. If we get injured and are eliminated, we'll lose thirty points." Nakahara, who was walking at the front, said to Takashima with a pained expression.

"Yeah, there won't be a next time. By the way, this path is really steep."

"That's just how a natural forest is."

We took this opportunity to make some minor adjustments, then continued to struggle as we cleared obstacles and pushed forward. However, it wasn't long before a discordant voice arose within the group.

"Nakahara, slow down a bit... I'm having trouble keeping up."

"Ha, are you kidding me? We just rested, didn't we? Besides, even Raku isn't saying anything, yet you're the one throwing in the towel?"

"Is it possible that I just haven't said it out loud yet?" I replied, feigning a breathless state.

Nakahara looked back at our condition with a helpless expression. "You two really need to increase your exercise."

"Spare me. If you increase my exercise load any further, my muscles will snap." I tried to prove my usual efforts to Nakahara, but he dismissed it without hesitation.

"Heh, do you take me for a fool? What kind of high-intensity, excessive exercise would it take to actually snap a muscle? And that's even more impossible for someone like Raku."

"In that case, my body must just be fragile."

Sorry, it was my fault for not being able to handle the excessive training load.

"You guys are really... sigh. Anyway, I'll slow down a bit, but stopping is out of the question."

"That's enough." Before I could respond, Takashima gave the reply first.

After that, our banter fell silent, and we focused on clearing the vegetation blocking our path. Before long, a pathless trail appeared before us. This small path, which clearly showed signs of human intervention, became the new journey for our liberated bodies and minds.

There were two key points to this exam: one was how to use points efficiently and sparingly, and the other concerned all actions taken by the leader.

The former wasn't very important, as there wasn't much room for the class to maneuver in terms of saving points, making it difficult to achieve anything significant there. The problem lay in the second point. It was currently unclear if any class would engage in the crazy behavior of occupying a base. Class A's movements in this regard were very concerning to me, as they seemed to have a tendency toward such behavior, which easily created a risk of leaks.

"Could this be... a road?" Not long after following the small path, Nakahara stopped in his tracks, pointing at the scene before him.

"Looks like it."

Although it wasn't an asphalt road or a paved path with stones, there were traces of large trees having been cut down, cleared, and the soil leveled. It looked very much like something the school had made.

"Following this road might lead us to a base."

"Let's hurry up and see. Don't let other classes beat us to it."

We jogged along the path and eventually arrived at an extremely comfortable area.

This was an unexpectedly good location for a base, as the tree cover made it difficult to be observed from elsewhere. It was a perfect hiding spot.

We conducted a detailed assessment of this base.

In the end, we reached a conclusion: this place could be supplied.

Chapter 55: On the inability to cover one's body while bathing

Bill Lafo was an impressive entrepreneur. As early as middle school, he was determined to become a businessman. For that reason, he didn't just study trade; he chose mechanical engineering to build up professional knowledge for his future business ventures.

Later, to cultivate the qualities of a businessman, he studied economics for three years and worked in a government department for five. Only then did he resign to go into business, achieving success far beyond those who had gone straight into it.

Everything he did was in preparation for future success.

Dale Carnegie once mentioned this regarding this point: "Those who do not prepare for tomorrow will never have a future."

Therefore, in order to prevent our future selves from easily falling into a desperate situation and to resolve all difficulties with ease, we often need to pay a higher price.

1

Do you all know why there are more mosquitoes at night in places where the trees are dense?

For those with extensive camping experience or those proficient in wilderness survival knowledge, this is probably just a minor question.

The answer is determined by the habits of mosquitoes.

The more lush the aquatic plants grow, the faster mosquitoes breed.

Dark, damp, foul-smelling, and lightless areas are the breeding grounds for mosquitoes. These places provide excellent habitats for mosquito mating, which is why there are so many mosquitoes in the woods. Especially during the summer, when mosquitoes are most active, the cool, damp ground under the trees is their favorite spot.

Precisely because of this, it is best to sleep in a mosquito-proof tent at night; otherwise, the quality of your sleep will suffer a dimensional blow. Of course, if you have tools like mosquito repellent, that is a different story.

"Raku, we're here." After hearing Ichinose's call, I threw away the branches and leaves I had been fiddling with in my hands and casually covered them with some soil.

Did they finally arrive?

This was a campsite that Nakahara, Takashima, and I had discovered not long ago. To guard this stronghold and declare the fact that we had discovered it first, they left me here while they went to establish contact with the main group.

Although there was no river, there was a well in the center of the campsite, and a sign was posted next to it, which read:

[This well is a designated stronghold; unauthorized use is prohibited.]

The placement of the sign was direct proof of the stronghold's status.

The school's contribution to all the space in this stronghold was not just the digging of the well; the clearing of the surrounding trees and the variations in terrain elevation all made this location an excellent strategic point.

"This place seems really nice. You guys are truly amazing."

"We were also taken aback at first. We didn't expect to find it after walking for such a short time. As expected, luck is also a part of ability," Nakahara said proudly.

"This is fantastic... However, the most important thing here is this well. Can Soma confirm that it can be used normally? Although it looks like it's being managed based on the surrounding environment, that isn't enough to guarantee the quality of the water inside the well."

"It doesn't smell like anything strange. To be safe, I've already tested it, though we might need to wait a while for the results," Takashima added from the side, yet this action caused Ichinose's dissatisfaction?

"Does that mean Takashima has already drunk it? You should be more cautious next time. What would you do if something happened?"

"Haha, I was just too thirsty at the time, so I couldn't help but drink a few mouthfuls. Besides, isn't this the only way to ensure the water quality?"

"We lack tools on hand, so it seems this was the only way to ensure the quality of the well water," Soma nodded helplessly, confirming Takashima's statement.

"It's fine, and the worst-case scenario is just diarrhea."

"Don't act so recklessly next time. At least let everyone know."

"I understand."

"Honestly... Raku, you didn't drink any, did you?"

"Neither Nakahara nor I drank any."

"That's good." Upon hearing my reply, Ichinose breathed a sigh of relief.

Nakahara, however, placed his hand heavily on my shoulder and gave me a thumbs-up as if he were tearing up.

What is he acting crazy for all of a sudden...

"If the quality of the well water is fine, then everything will be perfect. I just did a rough estimate, and even if we rely entirely on this well for water for the next seven days, there will be no problem at all. The water volume is very abundant."

Soma stated the conclusion he had reached very seriously.

"In that case, as long as the water quality is fine... I remember Kameyama saying he found a cave; how is that one?"

Kameyama shook his head, "It's much worse than this one. There's no guarantee of water quality there, and we couldn't find any fruit or preserves nearby, plus the terrain isn't good either."

"What about Yasuda?"

"I found a river stronghold, but it had already been discovered by people from another class. It seems to be Class D."

"We didn't find anything on our side." Before Ichinose could ask, Imada gave his reply.

"...The situation around here is also quite good. If everyone has no objections, I would like to establish our camp here. Is that okay?"

"No problem, and the quality of the well water is largely good."

After Soma's guarantee and seeing it with their own eyes, most of the students expressed their agreement. In the end, Ichinose made the decision.

"Then let's make this our campsite. Let's use points to buy our water for today, and we'll see if this well can actually be used tomorrow."

After several more discussions, we determined the locations where the tents would be set up.

"Also, those who were out earlier, please come over. I want to tell you about the results of our discussion regarding the allocation of points and see if you have any opinions."

We quickly responded to Ichinose's call and gathered around her.

"First is the issue of tents. The school only provided us with enough tents to accommodate half the class, so it's definitely not enough. I originally planned to order two more tents, but I reconsidered, and it seems hammocks might be a good choice. This area happens to have trees close together, which can serve as support points for hammocks. We can also save a significant amount of points."

"Of course, considering the possibility of rain, I also bought two small tents. If something really happens, I'll have to ask the boys to bear with it and squeeze in a bit. Is that okay?" Because it seemed a bit offensive, Ichinose was very cautious when asking this question.

"We have no problem with that. Although we've never slept in hammocks, just thinking about it is exciting."

"If that's the case, then I'm relieved. I thought you guys would be dissatisfied."

"What's the problem with that? Leave it to us."

"Then, next, we want to purchase a portable toilet. This will make things much more convenient for us girls."

"I'd say this is actually for the best. Only then will the psychological pressure on most of us decrease, allowing us to better face the exam."

"I think so too," Ichinose responded with a chuckle.

"Next is food and drink. Let's calculate the costs based on the premise that we might not be able to find any food. In that case, choosing the set menu from the manual is the most cost-effective option."

Food or water costs six points each per meal for the entire class, but if we go with the set menu, we can cover it for ten points per meal. That would be twenty points for two meals a day. Assuming we only eat one meal tonight and one on the final day of the exam, that's a total of twelve meals. That adds up to one hundred and twenty points. If we endure and skip the last day, it comes out to one hundred and ten points.

If we can ensure the water quality is safe, we can save on the water costs, which means we would only need seventy-two points.

If we happen to find food along the way, we can save points meal by meal.

"Because this point is highly uncertain, I'm just stating it for now; whether we implement it will depend on the specific situation. Also, please pass around this manual. We've also decided to purchase some necessary daily items. If there are no objections, we will proceed this way."

"If you have any questions, please be sure to speak up."

After saying this, Ichinose handed the booklet she was holding to us. It had many items checked off in ballpoint pen, including hammocks, cooking utensils, a small tent, lanterns, a portable toilet, fishing rods, a shower room...

Excluding the point calculations for food and drink, the total cost came to nearly ninety points. Being able to compress the points to this extent is already quite impressive.

"We can do without the shower room," Soma replied after checking the items in the guidebook.

"Soma, I don't want to spend a week without bathing with you."

"That's obviously impossible!"

"Please let me finish; that's not what I meant," Soma sighed helplessly. "I mean the shower room can be replaced with an outdoor shower. It's five points cheaper than the shower room and is a much better deal."

"Does Soma know what that is? We asked Teacher Hoshinomiya, but she didn't seem prepared to answer that question for us. None of us know what it is."

"I know what it is and how to use it. You place this outdoor shower next to a well, fill the tank here with water, and it can produce hot water in a few seconds. It's very convenient, right? The heat source comes from a gas canister, and it's quite durable. If it runs out, you just need to replace the gas. This is definitely more cost-effective than the shower room. After all, we can ensure an abundant water supply; even if it's not drinkable, it can definitely be used to wash our bodies."

"That would be fine, but..."

"But what?"