On the third day back at Advanced Nurturing High School, Tang Yu stood by a hallway window in the school building, watching cherry blossoms drift down in the breeze. The aftershocks of the Deserted Island Test still reverberated across campus—
Class C had lost 100 Class Points for violating the rules, and Ryuen Kakeru had been suspended pending an investigation; Student Council Vice President Kiriyama Ikiteru had been temporarily suspended from his duties; and Class D had earned an additional reward for its excellent performance.
[Current Emotion Points: 19200/30000] [Items available in the System Store have been updated]
Tang Yu browsed the new options in the System Interface, and a bold plan gradually took shape in his mind. Horikita Suzune had just finished her observation in the infirmary the day before. After returning to class on crutches, her first words had been, "I'll win next time."
The fighting spirit in those words made Tang Yu's eyes light up. Horikita Suzune, a top student with an exceptionally strong sense of pride, might be the perfect target for his Emotion Points plan.
"System, pull up Horikita Suzune's past grades."
[Horikita Suzune Academic Ability Analysis: Mathematics: 92/100 Physics: 90/100 Chemistry: 91/100 English: 88/100 Modern Chinese: 85/100 History: 86/100]
Tang Yu's lips curved slightly. With his current Intelligence attribute of 11 points—compared to the average person's 5—he could control his scores in every subject with perfect precision. A brilliant plan came to him: score one point higher than Horikita on every exam, no more and no less—just enough to beat her.
That steady, precisely measured psychological pressure was bound to generate a large amount of high-quality Emotion Points.
"Tang Yu?" A gentle female voice interrupted his thoughts.
Tang Yu turned and saw Honami Ichinose standing behind him, her short, flaxen hair glinting gold in the sunlight. Ever since they'd worked together on the deserted island, the Class B leader had grown noticeably friendlier toward him.
"Ichinose, is something up?"
"I just wanted to thank you again for helping us on the deserted island." Ichinose smiled and handed him a paper bag. "These are cookies from Class B's Baking Club. Just a small token of our gratitude."
Tang Yu took the bag, and its fragrance wafted through the air. "Thanks, but it was a mutually beneficial arrangement."
"Maybe for you." Ichinose's gaze was sincere and gentle. "But for Class B, it was a crucial turning point."
She hesitated. "I heard the next Monthly Exam will be difficult. How are you preparing?"
Tang Yu immediately understood why she'd come: Ichinose was trying to sound him out, though she was being very tactful about it. He activated Emotion Perception and confirmed that Ichinose's Emotion Cloud was a warm orange, with a trace of worried blue at its core.
"Just studying as usual," Tang Yu replied vaguely. "Any inside information from Class B?"
Ichinose shook her head. "I've only heard the question formats will change a lot. Oh, and..." She lowered her voice. "Horikita's been studying late at the library lately. She seems really determined."
A spark of interest flashed in Tang Yu's eyes. "Thanks for the heads-up."
They chatted a little longer before Ichinose took her leave. Tang Yu watched her walk away, deep in thought. Had she mentioned Horikita's study habits simply to share information, or was she deliberately trying to draw his attention to her?
When Tang Yu returned to the classroom, he saw Horikita Suzune sitting alone at her desk, several thick reference books spread out in front of her. Her right leg was still in a cast, but she sat as straight as a pine tree. Her black hair fell over her shoulders, and her whole demeanor warned others to keep their distance.
Tang Yu casually took the empty seat beside her. "Is your leg feeling any better?"
Horikita didn't even look up. "Well enough for me to take next week's Monthly Exam."
"I heard this exam will be difficult."
"Good." Horikita finally raised her head, her sharp gaze fixed on Tang Yu. "Only a truly difficult test can reveal the difference in ability."
Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception. Horikita's Emotion Cloud was a mix of fiery red and cool blue—intense competitiveness paired with rational confidence. Perfect.
[Competitiveness from Horikita Suzune +150] [Current Emotion Points: 19350/30000]
"We'll settle it in the exam room, then." Tang Yu smiled, deliberately letting a hint of provocation creep into his voice.
Horikita's pupils contracted slightly, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around her pen. "There won't be any unexpected circumstances this time. I'll defeat you with my own ability."
Tang Yu nodded and said no more. The fish had taken the bait; now all he had to do was patiently wait for the exam.
Over the next few days, Tang Yu kept up the appearance of studying as usual while secretly watching Horikita closely. Every day after school, she went to the library and studied until closing time;
she took meticulous notes in class; she even used her lunch breaks to review. Her almost obsessive effort made Tang Yu all the more certain his plan would work.
The night before the exam, Tang Yu ran into Horikita at the library. Her table was piled high with reference books and notes, and dark circles were visible beneath her eyes.
"Cramming at the last minute?" Tang Yu sat down across from her.
Horikita gave him a cold look. "I'm just making sure nothing goes wrong."
Tang Yu activated Emotional Link, briefly sensing Horikita's state of mind. Intense anxiety and confidence were strangely intertwined, and deep down, she feared the shadow her older brother cast over her.
The discovery surprised him a little. Horikita's desire to win seemed to stem from more than competitiveness; she also had a deep need to prove herself.
[Emotional Link experience +10%] [Current Emotion Points: 19500/30000]
"Did you know?" Tang Yu said suddenly. "Getting too nervous can actually hurt your performance."
Horikita frowned. "I don't need your advice."
"Of course you don't." Tang Yu stood up. "Just a friendly warning from a classmate. Good night, Horikita."
With that, Tang Yu left the library. It would benefit him if Horikita stayed a little anxious, but too much pressure might make her break down completely—and then he'd lose his chance to keep collecting Emotion Points. He'd have to strike the right balance.
On the day of the Monthly Exam, the classroom was so quiet that the scratch of pen tips against paper could be heard. Tang Yu quickly scanned the test. It was indeed harder than usual, but he could still handle it with ease.
As he answered the questions, he kept an eye on Horikita, seated diagonally in front of him. She worked quickly, but every so often she stopped to take a deep breath, clearly trying to keep her nerves under control.
Tang Yu deliberately slowed down, making sure he could adjust his pace to match Horikita's progress. When she turned a page, he turned one too; when she paused to think, he pretended to think as well. This subtle psychological cue would intensify the sense of competition between them.
The final question was a difficult proof involving calculus. Tang Yu saw Horikita get stuck on it for a full ten minutes. He quickly assessed how hard it was.
Then he deliberately left a tiny flaw in his solution—an error perceptive enough for Horikita to spot when checking her work, but not enough to cost him many points.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the exam. Horikita's fingers trembled slightly as she handed in her paper. After turning his in, Tang Yu stretched and smiled easily.
"How do you think you did?" he asked deliberately.
Horikita paused while packing up her stationery. "About as well as usual."
"Good." Tang Yu replied meaningfully. "I look forward to seeing the results."
Three days later, the Monthly Exam results were posted. The whole class crowded around the bulletin board, searching for their names. Tang Yu stood at the edge of the crowd. He didn't need to push his way in; he already knew the results—he'd calculated every single point.
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