Hikaru Hashiba: Do You Dare to Bet?

But was it that he originally wanted to talk to me about something?

The girl was a little confused, so she looked up at the other person's face.

"Actually, this matter is not complicated, and it is actually beneficial to Karuizawa."

Hashiba Hikaru spoke gently; although he had been standing quite far away, he roughly knew what had happened.

It was nothing more than a conflict between two girls that eventually led to a group of people bullying each other. This kind of thing could happen in any school. What bothered him was not this, but Karuizawa Kei's attitude.

Although I've only met her once or twice, her confident attitude during the sale of the rules suggests that Karuizawa Kei has some influence in Class C, and she also has quite a few female followers.

A person like that should have shown a stronger attitude when faced with criticism, but Hashiba Hikaru just saw clearly that the girl's face was full of panic and tension, and her calves were trembling slightly.

Why is that?

Is it out of fear? Or has the other party found something on you, so you dare not argue loudly?

There could be many reasons, but the girl's behavior was somewhat different from what Hashiba Hikaru remembered, which is why he wanted to figure it out.

After all, according to the VIP pattern discovered by the boy, this Karuizawa is VIP of the Rabbit Group, and confirming this is the top priority.

"Is it good for me?" Karuizawa Kei crossed her arms, adopting a posture that clearly indicated a defensive stance.

"Yes, when I saw what was happening over here, I actually watched for a while longer," Hashiba Hikaru said with a slight smile, her tone calm. "So I discovered quite a few things. Karuizawa, would you like to hear them?"

"..."

"Then you tell me."

Karuizawa sized up the other person's handsome face. She often heard his name from the girls in her class, and it seemed that they even had some kind of First-Year Handsome Guy Ranking. This Classmate Hashiba had been at the top of the list since the beginning of the semester.

"Although I don't understand the complex relationships between girls, I do know a little about Yamashita. She seems to be the kind of person who won't give up until she gets what she wants. If she's really eyeing Karuizawa, this might just be the beginning."

Hashiba Hikaru began to probe the other party's attitude; to be truly helpful, the other party had to take the initiative to ask for assistance.

"I only helped you out of that situation by threatening you, so they must be a little resentful. I don't know if that resentment will eventually be directed at Karuizawa."

"So what? I'm not afraid of them!"

Without hesitation, Karuizawa Kei continued her acting, displaying an attitude of never bowing down to anyone. However, she instantly tensed up inside, knowing that Yamashita and the girl were all members of the Rabbit Group, making it easy for them to continue pestering her.

"Of course, you absolutely can't back down when you're being bullied, otherwise the bullies will only become more aggressive." Hashiba Hikaru smiled gently, "That's why I said I could help Karuizawa."

"What... do you want to do?" Karuizawa's eyes held a hint of suspicion. After all, the other person was practically a stranger to him, so why would they be willing to lend a helping hand?

"Of course, we should help Karuizawa solve this problem completely."

Hashiba Hikaru Karuizawa sized up the other woman's pretty face. She had to admit that Karuizawa was quite beautiful. She wore some makeup, and it was clear that she had a good foundation. Coupled with her well-proportioned figure, it was no wonder she was popular.

"How do you plan to completely solve this problem?"

The girl knew that Hashiba Hikaru a key figure in Class A, the one who led them to first Class A in the last Uninhabited Island Exam. Therefore, she guessed that his abilities must be exceptional, and that his statement likely indicated he was confident in his abilities.

"We can't reveal the solution right now, since we haven't discussed the other matter yet."

Hashiba Hikaru shrugged, a hint of helplessness in her voice. "This is probably the first time Karuizawa and I have spoken privately. Since I'm offering you help, it can't be for free, can it?"

"You..."

Upon hearing this, the girl's expression changed instantly, but recalling the troublesome situation she had just encountered, she quickly calmed down again.

Actually, this wasn't the first time the trio had come knocking on her door. After their first discussion, Karuizawa was harassed by them. Although Hirata dissuaded her, when the girl suggested to her "boyfriend" that he help her resolve the issue completely, his response left her quite disappointed.

[Yes, no one is kind to others for no reason. You have to pay a price for what you want to gain. How could I forget that?]

After a few bitter laughs to herself, Karuizawa Kei looked at Hashiba Hikaru again and asked, "What do you want?"

"Hey, it seems Karuizawa is quite resolute. Good, I admire your attitude."

Hashiba Hikaru clapped her hands, a look of approval on her face.

"I don't need your praise, just tell me what you want." Karuizawa rubbed her shoes on the ground, a sign of her unease.

"Okay, it's actually very simple. I want you to help me find out information about the Rabbit Group's VIP." Hashiba Hikaru calmly cast her line, waiting for the expected result.

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Karuizawa Kei's face twitched slightly, and she immediately retorted, "How could I possibly do something like that? You're asking me to do something I don't understand."

"No, I believe in Karuizawa's abilities, and only you can do this." The boy's tone was gentle. "After all, you've got entanglements with Yamashita -kun and the others, haven't you? This is a great opportunity."

"No, it's still too difficult," Karuizawa Kei clenched her small fists, forcing herself to calm down. "The real VIP will definitely hide their information tightly. There are so many people in the Rabbit Group, and I can't just forcibly check their phones. That would be against the rules."

"You don't need to worry about that. I've already checked the situation in both Class A and Class B, which is why I came to find you."

Hashiba Hikaru coaxed, "Only your Class C and Class D are left. Coincidentally, the members of Class D are the three people who were just about to bully you, as well as Ibuki. If you try to probe them, you might be able to narrow down the possibilities further."

"How... how do you know all this?"

Karuizawa Kei's heart skipped a beat again. She was actually VIP of the Rabbit Group, but she must have been hiding her identity since the start of the exam. If she could keep those 500,000 Private Points all to herself, it would be a huge help to her future school life.

"Could it be Ichinose: Ichinose Honami, the class leader of Class A, and Hashiba Hikaru a couple, so the transmission of information should have been very easy.

"How the information was obtained is not important; the focus now is on solving Karuizawa's problem."

Hashiba Hikaru's tone turned serious. "If Karuizawa intends to let them continue to pester her, then I have nothing more to say."

"I... I."

A complex light flashed in the girl's eyes. If the other party had indeed confirmed the information of the two classes, then cooperating with him would be very risky. After all, if they used the process of elimination, they might very well find her.

But if Manabe and the others' problems aren't resolved, her future will likely be even more difficult.

Due to some past reasons, Karuizawa Kei easily becomes helpless when faced with bullying or mistreatment, and even feels that her body is starting to lose control of itself. It's like a curse, a nightmare that the girl can't shake off.

"I promise you, I will investigate the VIP in the Rabbit Group for you."

After a moment of contemplation, the girl gritted her teeth, nodded, and said, "But you must solve their problems for me."

"Of course, and we can solve it right now."

Hashiba Hikaru's gaze swept across Karuizawa Kei's face, and after roughly confirming the other party's attitude, a smile immediately appeared on his face.

Now?

The girl was slightly startled; she hadn't expected the other person to have such a proactive personality. But the next second Karuizawa Kei saw the man opposite her pull a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"Let's draw up a contract, otherwise I can't guarantee you'll do your job properly."

Hashiba Hikaru stroked her chin and slowly said to Karuizawa, "Besides, with the contract, Karuizawa can feel more at ease, right? I can assure you that I will definitely solve your problems."

"..."

"What? This is the most impartial testimony, doesn't it, Karuizawa?"

"Then I..."

Seeing that the other party was about to sign the contract directly, the girl felt a little flustered. If she really agreed to find Rabbit Group VIP for him, wouldn't she be in breach of contract if she couldn't find one?

"I can see your worries, Karuizawa, but I think you don't need to overthink it. If my judgment is wrong in the end, you won't be considered to have breached the contract."

Hashiba Hikaru smiled faintly. His current goal was to confirm whether the other party was indeed VIP of the Rabbit Group. Checking everyone else was just a pretext; the important thing was to observe the girl's attitude during this process.

Often, a person's eyes and tone of voice are far more truthful than their words. Even if you haven't seen the text message, your body's reaction won't lie. Just choose the right moment, and the answer will naturally be revealed.

Let's see if this Karuizawa will take the bait.

Chapter 191 Hashiba Hikaru: Dare to Bet?

After Hashiba Hikaru's final assurance, Karuizawa Kei signed the contract. After all, her situation was already quite troublesome. Although they were people she had only recently met, at least the contract was legally binding, and she didn't have to worry about the other party renege on their agreement.

After putting the contract away, the boy looked at Karuizawa in front of him and checked the time. There were still a few hours until the 8 PM discussion, which was more than enough time for him to resolve the issue.

"Then we can get started now, Karuizawa."

Hashiba Hikaru took out her phone and typed a message. The recipient was naturally Ibuki Mio, the class leader of Class C whom she had added before.

"Now? Should I go too?" Although she was reluctant, Karuizawa Kei understood that the person in charge had to be present, otherwise it would lose its meaning.

"Of course, but please don't worry, Karuizawa can just stand behind me during the negotiations."

The boy smiled slightly and continued to communicate with the strong-willed short-haired girl, but Karuizawa Kei, who was opposite him, paused slightly after hearing this.

"Standing behind me...?"

Karuizawa Kei muttered to herself in a voice only she could hear, seemingly lost in thought.

After several back-and-forths on the phone with Ibuki Mio, she finally agreed to negotiate and they arranged a meeting place.

"Alright, let's head out now. It's on the sixth floor. Hopefully, this will be resolved smoothly." Hashiba Hikaru gestured for the girl behind her to follow.

"Oh, I understand."

Karuizawa Kei followed behind, strange thoughts beginning to creep into her mind.

They had only just met, but now she was following the boy around; it felt really strange.

They agreed to meet at a very spacious indoor Tennis on the sixth floor. Because this Luxury Cruise Ship was very large, in addition to the swimming pool, there were many indoor sports facilities that the students could use freely.

After entering the Tennis, Hashiba Hikaru glanced at the situation in the distance. There were quite a few Class B students standing there. In addition to Ibuki Mio and the three girls from before, there was also the muscular Yamada Albert and another man, Ryuen Kakeru.

"After we get there, Karuizawa, stand behind me. I'll lead the negotiations," Hashiba Hikaru instructed the girl as she entered. "You just need to listen to our conversation. In the end, I'll have Yamashita -san and the others apologize to you and say they won't bother you again."

"Oh, I understand."

After nodding slightly, Karuizawa Kei followed Hashiba Hikaru towards the group of Class D. When they arrived, the girl realized that there were many classmates on the other side, and their auras were quite impressive.

However, Hashiba Hikaru walked over without paying any attention and met the gaze of the long-haired man.

"Wow, everyone's here! Are you all giving me this much face?" Hashiba Hikaru greeted them with a grin, "Good afternoon Ibuki."

"It's a pity that seeing you makes me so grumpy. Tell me quickly, why did you contact me? And why did you specifically ask me to invite Yamashita and the others too?" Ibuki Mio crossed her arms, her delicate face full of vigilance.

Since losing the exam on the Uninhabited Island, Ryuen Kakeru has gained considerable recognition by proactively contacting Class B and devising a plan to prepare for the exam.

Although Class D didn't get any points in the end, according to the contract, each member of Class D would receive 20,000 Private Points starting next month, which was more than enough.

Therefore, Ryuen's faction gradually absorbed some people and began to compete with Ibuki Mio for the right to speak in the class. This exam was no exception. After hearing about Hashiba Hikaru's contact, she also came over.

"Why do you say that? I came here to solve a problem." Hashiba Hikaru's gaze fell on the three girls beside her, and she smiled at them, "We meet again, you three."

"What exactly does Classmate Hashiba want from us?"

Manabe looked nervous. Since Hashiba Hikaru had pretended to delete the photos in front of them, the three of them thought the matter was over. But they didn't expect that she would take the initiative to come to them again with Karuizawa.

"Yeah, so you're here to confess to a girl in our class, Hashiba?" Ryuen Kakeru grinned. "If that's the case, I'd totally support you, hahaha."

"Although the girls in Class D are all very charming, that's not really the case. But it's actually a good thing that Ryuen is here too."

Hashiba Hikaru chuckled easily, "After all, I think this might be a decision you and Ibuki need to make together."

"What exactly happened?" Ibuki asked sharply.

"Please take a look at this photo. The situation presented in it is quite clear, isn't it?"

Hashiba Hikaru opened her phone and showed them the photo she had just taken. Upon seeing the picture, Yamashita Saki, Manabe Shiho, and Yabu Nanami's expressions changed instantly.

"Didn't you just delete it?" Manabe, with short Manabe, asked angrily, looking at the boy.

"I probably deleted the wrong picture too quickly, sorry."

Hashiba Hikaru's tone showed no apology. Instead, she addressed Ibuki and Ryuen, saying, "The photo clearly shows that the three of you are bullying Karuizawa."

"Tch, it's not a video. Are you trying to frame them for assault?"

After seeing the photo, Ryuen merely glanced coldly at the three girls beside him before walking up to Hashiba Hikaru with a fierce expression.

"Oh, I almost forgot, you love recording videos, didn't you? That's how you framed me before." Ryuen Kakeru was actually a little shorter than Hashiba Hikaru, but he held his head high as he got closer, expressing a tough attitude.

"Let's not talk about those old things. I'm talking about the current situation." Hashiba Hikaru had a faint smile on his face. After raising his stamina to 6 points and mastering [Combat Techniques (Mastery)], he felt that he could easily handle two Ryuen.

"It's just a photograph; it's hardly important evidence," Ibuki Mio interjected at this moment. "What is your purpose?"

"Of course, Yamashita and the others should apologize to Karuizawa and pay her 50,000 points of compensation for emotional distress," Hashiba Hikaru stated her demand.

"You're dreaming! We're not paying those points."

Yamashita Saki and the others finally understood the other party's sinister intentions. First, they pretended to delete the pictures, and now they arranged to meet with them. It turned out that it was all for Private Points.

"It seems you haven't grasped one thing: besides physical evidence, the parties involved can naturally serve as witnesses," Hashiba Hikaru said with a cold smile.

"She wasn't talking about being bullied, but about being pressured by students from other classes to see if she was a VIP. What would happen if she told the teacher about this?"

"Just because you say so doesn't mean it's true." Ibuki Mio said, glaring at the boy, somewhat unconvinced.