Discovery

He lowered his head and looked once more at the cold rules displayed on the terminal screen.

Five days.

Only five days to prepare.

He needed to make his own plan.

Not merely to "cooperate" with Ryuen, but to survive the desperate situation on the Uninhabited Island and... to seize control of his own fate as much as possible.

After Ryuen left, Class C's classroom fell into an eerie silence.

The students gathered in small groups, discussing in low voices, their eyes filled with unease over the unknown wilderness.

There was also helplessness at being assigned roles under Ryuen's iron-fisted rule, along with a suppressed yearning ignited by the temptation of an enormous number of points.

After packing up her things, Hiyori Shiina hesitated for a moment before walking over to Yuefeng's desk.

Her face was still somewhat pale, but her eyes were full of concern. "Yuefeng... are you all right?"

Yuefeng raised his head from his thoughts. Seeing the worry in her eyes, he felt a faint warmth in his heart. "I'm fine. The rules are a little complicated. I just need time to digest them."

He paused and looked at Hiyori Shiina. "What about you? Any thoughts?"

Hiyori Shiina pursed her lips and said quietly, "There are many parts of the rules involving logical deduction and strategic choices... but Ryuen..."

She did not finish, but the meaning was obvious. Under Ryuen's absolute command, individual analysis and strategy might be utterly useless.

"Don't overthink it yet," Yuefeng reassured her. "Ryuen needs people to do the work, and he also needs people who can think.

"He won't completely disregard your analytical ability.

"For the next few days, let's thoroughly understand the rules first, especially the parts about leader privileges, mission triggers, stronghold occupation, and penalty mechanisms." He lowered his voice. "Those are the key points."

Hiyori Shiina nodded firmly, a glimmer of light returning to her eyes. "Mm! I... I'll study them carefully. If there's something I don't understand, can I... can I discuss it with you?"

"Of course." Yuefeng nodded. In the coming chaos, having one more trustworthy ally was always a good thing.

At some point, Ibuki Mio had also walked over. Her arms were folded, and she still wore that indifferent expression.

She glanced at Yuefeng, then at Hiyori Shiina, and said, "Wilderness survival, physical strength, vigilance, and fighting ability are all important.

"Hiyori, train with me for the next few days. At the very least, learn to recognize danger and protect yourself."

Her tone brooked no argument. It was both protection for Hiyori Shiina and an indirect warning.

On the Uninhabited Island, Ryuen's rules and even the school's rules might become meaningless. Personal strength was what truly mattered.

Hiyori Shiina froze for a moment, then nodded gratefully. "O-Okay, thank you, Mio."

Ibuki Mio gave a quiet "Mm," then turned her gaze to Yuefeng and looked him over. Her voice remained calm. "You look a little sturdier than before.

"But it's still not enough. The situation on the island may be more complicated than the rules say. Don't hold us back."

With that, she said nothing more and turned away.

Watching her retreating figure, Yuefeng knew this was Ibuki Mio's way of signaling a "warning" and an "alliance."

On the Uninhabited Island, with unknown dangers and competition from the other classes, even an unstable alliance within Class C was better than fighting alone.

As Ryuen had ordered, Ishizaki's group began bustling about, counting heads and loudly assigning groups for "physical labor."

But when Ishizaki passed Yuefeng's side, his gaze visibly darted away. He hurriedly looked elsewhere and even quickened his pace as if Yuefeng were some terrifying beast.

It seemed the "profound lesson" in the alley last time, along with that fatal recording, had truly left him shaken. He would not dare pull any more tricks anytime soon.

At least, not openly. That counted as one of the few pieces of good news for now.

Yuefeng did not linger in the classroom. He needed more information, as well as a quiet place to think.

He stood up and headed once again toward that familiar refuge—the library.

The library was livelier than usual as well. Quite a few students had gathered together, arguing endlessly over the rule document on their terminal screens.

Yuefeng headed straight for the Old Book Section, which remained deserted. He found a corner, sat down, opened his notebook, and began systematically sorting through the exam rules.

He also combined them with his Survival Notes and his understanding of the key figures in the other classes to conduct preliminary strategic deductions.

The leader... it was a high-risk, high-reward role.

Ryuen would definitely take it himself. With his need for control, he would never hand command over to anyone else.

That had both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was that Class C's actions would at least have a unified and decisive core, even if his methods were cruel.

The disadvantage was that Ryuen's decisions might be based entirely on his personal will and his need to maintain control. They might not be the optimal solution for the team's survival and score, and if he failed, he would likely drag everyone down with him.

Supplies... the initial supplies were extremely limited. They had to find a stable water source and food source as quickly as possible.

Island zones... which areas might be rich in resources? Which would be easy to defend and hard to attack?

Strongholds... what were the benefits and risks of occupying them? How could they prevent other classes from seizing them or launching surprise attacks?

Inter-class conflict and cooperation... Class A's Katsuragi would likely prefer steady progress and the establishment of a secure base.

Sakayanagi Arisu, on the other hand, was difficult to predict. She might adopt stranger, more destructive strategies.

Ichinose Honami of Class B would emphasize unity and mutual aid, but how long could her ideals endure in the face of brutal competition?

Class D was the most complicated. There was the lone wolf Horikita Suzune and Hirata Yosuke, who was trying to unite everyone.

And there was Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, that unfathomable person whose actions were impossible to predict... would he continue hiding, or use this opportunity to do something?

And "Father"... how would he view this exam? Would he give any "instructions"?

What role would Kiyotaka play? Would he continue observing, or intervene actively?

Question after question circled in his mind, weaving together into a complex and dangerous web.

Yuefeng rubbed his brow, feeling as if his brain was overloaded. He stood, intending to walk between the bookshelves and clear his mind.

Just as he passed through the aisle between two towering bookshelves, a soft, gentle voice with a distinctive rhythm sounded not far ahead.

"Katsuragi believes that a secure rear area and ample stockpiles are the keys to a prolonged battle. Strategically speaking, there is indeed nothing wrong with that."

It was Sakayanagi Arisu's voice.

Yuefeng halted at once, quickly slipping into the shadows beside a bookshelf and holding his breath.

"But if everyone thinks that way, then the war for the 'rear area' and 'supplies' will become extraordinarily fierce from the very beginning.

"On the contrary, some places that appear barren and inconspicuous may conceal unexpected opportunities.

"Don't you think so, Kanzaki?" Sakayanagi Arisu's voice continued, carrying a trace of innocent confusion that inexplicably sent a chill through anyone who heard it.

Yuefeng's heart tightened. Kanzaki? Was that Ryuji Kanzaki from Class B, the calm and rational student who often assisted Ichinose?

Sakayanagi Arisu was in contact with someone from Class B? In a semi-public place like the library?

He carefully peeked out. Sure enough, Sakayanagi Arisu sat at a reading table at the other end of the aisle.

She was still dressed in her immaculate uniform, her cane resting against the table. She held a book in her hands as though she were merely chatting with a student seated nearby.

And sitting across from her was none other than Ryuji Kanzaki of Class B.

Kanzaki sat upright with a serious expression. He listened intently to Sakayanagi Arisu, his brow slightly furrowed as though considering her words.

"Classmate Sakayanagi's view... is quite unique.

"But the risks in 'barren' regions are equally enormous. They may not be able to support a class's long-term survival needs.

"Besides, the other classes may not overlook those areas either," Ryuji Kanzaki replied cautiously.