One Point Suppression (Part 1)

On the third day since returning to Advanced Nurturing High School, Tang Yu stood before the window in the school building corridor, watching the cherry blossoms drift away in the wind. The aftershocks of the Deserted Island Test were still echoing throughout the campus—

Class C had been deducted 100 Class Points due to violations, and Ryuen Kakeru had been suspended pending investigation; Student Council Vice President Kiriyama Ikiteru was temporarily suspended from his duties; meanwhile, Class D had received extra rewards for their outstanding performance.

[Current Emotion Points: 19200/30000]

[System Store exchange items have been updated]

Tang Yu browsed the newly added exchange options on the System Interface, and a bold plan gradually took shape in his mind. Horikita Suzune had just finished her observation in the infirmary yesterday, and the first thing she said upon returning to the classroom on crutches was: "I will win it back in the next exam."

The fighting spirit contained in those words made Tang Yu's eyes light up. Horikita Suzune, this honor student with immense pride, might just be the perfect subject for his Emotion Points plan.

"System, pull up Horikita Suzune's historical academic data."

[Horikita Suzune academic ability analysis:

Mathematics: 92/100

Physics: 90/100

Chemistry: 91/100

English: 88/100

Modern Literature: 85/100

History: 86/100]

The corners of Tang Yu's mouth curled up slightly. With his current Intelligence attribute at 11 points (the average for a normal person is 5), he was fully capable of precisely controlling his scores in every subject. A brilliant plan surfaced in his mind—to score exactly one point higher than Horikita in every exam, no more, no less, just enough to stay one step ahead of her.

This kind of sustained and precise psychological pressure would surely generate a large amount of high-quality Emotion Points.

"Tang Yu-kun?" A soft female voice interrupted his thoughts.

Tang Yu turned around to see Honami Ichinose standing behind him, her flaxen short hair shimmering in the sunlight. Ever since their cooperation on the deserted island, the Class B leader's attitude toward him had become noticeably closer.

"Ichinose, is something the matter?"

"I just wanted to thank you again for your help on the deserted island." Ichinose smiled as she handed over a paper bag. "These are cookies made by the Baking Club in Class B, a small token of gratitude."

Tang Yu took the paper bag, and the aroma immediately wafted out: "Thank you, though we were just cooperating for mutual benefit."

"That might be true for you." Ichinose's eyes were sincere and gentle. "But for us in Class B, that was a crucial turning point."

She hesitated for a moment. "I heard the next monthly exam will be very difficult. How... how are your preparations coming along?"

Tang Yu immediately understood her intent—Ichinose was here to scout for information, even if her approach was very subtle. He activated Emotion Perception, confirming that Ichinose's Emotion Cloud was a warm orange, with a hint of worried blue at its core.

"Preparing step by step." Tang Yu replied ambiguously. "Does Class B have any inside information?"

Ichinose shook her head: "Just heard that the question types will change significantly. By the way..." She lowered her voice, "Horikita-san has been studying in the library very late recently; she seems very determined."

A flicker of interest flashed in Tang Yu's eyes: "Thanks for the heads-up."

The two chatted for a few more moments before Ichinose took her leave. Tang Yu watched her back, lost in thought. Did Ichinose specifically mention Horikita's study habits to simply share information, or was she intentionally trying to guide his attention?

Returning to the classroom, Tang Yu found Horikita Suzune sitting alone at her desk, several thick reference books spread out before her. Her right leg was still in a cast, but her posture remained as straight as a pine, her black hair draped over her shoulders, and she radiated an aura that warned others to keep their distance.

Tang Yu walked naturally to the empty seat next to her and sat down: "Is your leg injury feeling better?"

Horikita didn't even look up: "Well enough for me to participate in next week's monthly exam."

"I heard this exam is going to be difficult."

"That suits me just fine." Horikita finally looked up, her sharp gaze meeting Tang Yu's. "Only in truly difficult tests can one see the gap in ability."

Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception; Horikita's Emotion Cloud showed an interweaving of fiery red and calm blue—intense competitiveness and rational self-confidence coexisting. Perfect.

[Competitive consciousness from Horikita Suzune +150]

[Current Emotion Points: 19350/30000]

"Then we shall see the results in the exam hall." Tang Yu responded with a smile, intentionally adding a touch of provocation to his tone.

Horikita's pupils contracted slightly, and her fingers tightened unconsciously around her pen: "There won't be any accidents this time. I will defeat you with pure ability."

Tang Yu nodded, saying nothing more. The fish had already taken the bait; now, he just needed to wait patiently for the exam to arrive.

Over the next few days, Tang Yu appeared to be studying routinely, but in reality, he was secretly observing every move Horikita made. She went to the library to study until closing time every day;

she took meticulous notes during class; she even spent her lunch breaks reviewing. This near-paranoid level of effort made Tang Yu even more convinced that his plan would succeed.

On the night before the exam, Tang Yu ran into Horikita at the library. The table in front of her was piled high with reference books and notes, and there were visible dark circles under her eyes.

"Cramming at the last minute?" Tang Yu sat down across from her.

Horikita gave him a cold look: "I'm just ensuring there are no mistakes."

Tang Yu activated "Emotional Link," briefly sensing Horikita's inner state—a strange mixture of intense anxiety and self-confidence, with a deep-seated fear of her brother's shadow hidden within.

This discovery caught him slightly off guard; Horikita's desire for victory seemed to stem not only from a sense of competition but also from a deeper need to prove herself.

[Emotional Link experience +10%]

[Current Emotion Points: 19500/30000]

"You know," Tang Yu said suddenly, "being overly nervous will actually affect your performance."

Horikita frowned: "I don't need your advice."

"Of course not," Tang Yu stood up, "just a friendly reminder as a classmate. Good night, Horikita."

Leaving those words behind, Tang Yu walked out of the library. Keeping Horikita at a moderate level of anxiety was beneficial to him, but excessive pressure might cause her to collapse entirely, which would instead lose him the opportunity to continuously collect Emotion Points. This balance needed to be managed with precision.

On the day of the Monthly Exam, the classroom was so quiet that one could hear the rustling of pen tips scratching across paper. Tang Yu quickly scanned through the exam paper—the difficulty was indeed higher than usual, but for him now, it was still well within his capabilities.

While answering the questions, he used his peripheral vision to observe Horikita, who was sitting diagonally in front of him. She was answering at a fast pace, but every so often she would pause to take a deep breath, clearly struggling to control her nervousness.

Tang Yu deliberately slowed his rhythm, ensuring he could adjust according to Horikita's progress. When Horikita turned a page, he turned his; when she paused to think, he pretended to think as well. This invisible psychological suggestion would strengthen the sense of competition between them.

The final question was a high-difficulty calculus proof, and Tang Yu saw Horikita stuck there for a full ten minutes. He quickly assessed the difficulty of the problem.

He then intentionally left a subtle flaw in his solution—an error significant enough for the sharp-eyed Horikita to notice during a review, yet not so egregious that it would cost him too many points from the teacher.

When the bell rang to end the exam, Horikita's fingers trembled slightly as she handed in her paper. After submitting his own, Tang Yu stretched and flashed a relaxed smile.

"How did it go?" he asked deliberately.

Horikita's movements as she packed her stationery paused for a moment: "Performed as usual."

"That's good," Tang Yu replied meaningfully, "looking forward to the results being posted."

Three days later, the Monthly Exam results were announced. The entire class crowded in front of the bulletin board, searching for their names. Tang Yu stood on the periphery of the crowd; he didn't need to squeeze in to know the outcome—he had precisely calculated the score for every single question.