On the first morning of the new school year, Tang Yu stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of the secret apartment, overlooking Tokyo's streets as they gradually awoke. The System Interface unfolded clearly in the morning light:
[Current Emotion Points: 81500/∞] [New Semester Mission: Establish a D Class Intelligence Network] [Special Reminder: Multiple hostile forces detected]
The bedroom door behind him opened softly. Karuizawa Kei emerged, rubbing her eyes, her blond hair slightly mussed. She was still wearing Tang Yu's oversized T-shirt. After three days in hiding, she seemed much more relaxed than she had at first.
"G-good morning." Karuizawa tugged at the hem of her shirt, looking a little embarrassed. "I made coffee... I'm not sure if you'll like it."
Tang Yu turned and accepted the mug she offered. Signs of another person's life had appeared in the apartment—the women's magazines on the coffee table, the skincare products in the bathroom, the neatly folded blanket on the sofa. This unfamiliar, homey atmosphere made him feel slightly out of place.
"Thanks. Did you sleep well?"
"Mm... better than I expected." Karuizawa sat on a barstool nearby. "Um... school starts today. What should I do? Ryuen's people might still be looking for me..."
Tang Yu brought up the surveillance footage on his phone. Over the past three days, the two young men suspected of being Ryuen's lackeys had indeed been loitering around the apartment, but they had never managed to get past its security system.
"I have a plan." Tang Yu put down his coffee. "I'll go to school first and see what's going on. You can leave two hours later. Hirata Yosuke will meet you at Shinjuku Station and bring you into school safely under the pretext of a class activity."
Karuizawa's eyes lit up. "Hirata? You contacted him?"
"I just told him you needed help. I didn't explain why." Tang Yu activated "Emotional Link" and confirmed that Karuizawa's emotions were stable enough. "Once you're at school, try to stay where there are lots of people. Don't wander off alone."
Karuizawa nodded, then suddenly reached out and grabbed Tang Yu's wrist. "Be careful. Ryuen... He's definitely got something planned for the new semester."
Tang Yu felt her fingertips tremble slightly. It wasn't fear, but concern. Being cared about like this felt strangely novel.
[Karuizawa Kei's concern +200] [Affection stable at 85/100]
At seven o'clock sharp, Tang Yu left the apartment, deliberately taking the back entrance to avoid the watchers. More and more students filled the morning streets, all heading toward Advanced Nurturing High School.
He activated his "Presence Adjustment" ability, blending into the crowd without standing out or vanishing completely.
Colorful flags fluttered at the school gate, and a banner welcoming students back hung high above. Tang Yu's Emotion Perception immediately picked up several unusual fluctuations—in the shade of a tree to the right of the gate,
two boys in Class C uniforms were pretending to chat while actually watching every Class D student entering the school. Beside the information desk on the left, Student Council Vice President Kiriyama Ikiteru held a tablet and occasionally made a note of something.
"Tang Yu!"
A familiar voice came from behind him. Horikita Suzune approached with a steady stride, her black hair tied in a neat ponytail. After her summer training, she stood even straighter. Her gaze was less sharp than before, but steadier.
"Good morning, Horikita." Tang Yu nodded in greeting. "How was your summer?"
"Productive." Horikita gave a brief reply, then lowered her voice. "I heard you helped Karuizawa deal with a problem?"
Tang Yu raised an eyebrow. "News travels fast."
"Hirata told me." Horikita glanced at the Class C students by the gate. "Ryuen's been making a lot of moves lately. He's not just targeting Karuizawa; he's also bought off a few people in my class."
"Kushida Kikyo?"
Horikita's eyes widened slightly. "You noticed, too?" She paused. "We need to have a meeting. After school today, in Section A on the third floor of the library."
Before Tang Yu could reply, Horikita had already strode toward the school building, as if their conversation had been nothing more than a casual greeting. Her caution showed just how serious things were.
[Horikita Suzune's trust +150] [Affection increased to 85/100]
The opening ceremony was held in the school auditorium. Tang Yu sat in the Class D section, quietly observing the entire room. Class A was as orderly as ever, and Class B had a relaxed atmosphere, but Class C was unusually united. Ryuen Kakeru sat surrounded by his classmates like a king, occasionally casting provocative looks toward Class D.
After the principal's address, Student Council President Horikita Manabu took the stage. The entire room fell silent at once as everyone held their breath, waiting for the speech of this legendary figure.
"The start of a new semester means new challenges." Horikita Manabu's voice was calm and forceful. "This semester, special exams will become more frequent and more difficult. The first test is scheduled for two weeks from now."
A wave of groans rose from the audience. Horikita Manabu continued, "In addition, the Student Council will hold an election. Anyone interested in running must submit an application by Friday."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Miyabi Nagumo. The vice president wore his trademark radiant smile, but Tang Yu's Emotion Perception clearly caught the ambition that flashed in his eyes.
After the ceremony, the classes returned to their classrooms. Class D's homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, stood at the front of the room, looking more serious than usual.
"Did you enjoy your summer?" She pushed up her glasses. "I hope so, because starting today, you'll face the most demanding semester since this school was founded."
The murmuring in the classroom stopped at once. Chabashira turned on the projector, displaying a set of complicated figures. "Based on your performance last semester, Class D currently has a total of 652 points, still the lowest. However, the gap between you and Class C has narrowed to 89 points."
The number drew a quiet cheer. Chabashira quickly dampened their enthusiasm. "Don't celebrate too soon. The rules have changed this semester. At the end of each month, the class in last place will face an 'Expulsion Vote.' The student with the most votes will be forced to transfer."
The whole class erupted. Tang Yu immediately understood how insidious the new rule was—it would make classmates distrust one another and tear apart their teamwork.
"Quiet!" Chabashira rapped on the lectern. "Now, for your first special task: next week's Class Debate Tournament. The topic is 'The pros and cons of Meritocracy.' The winning class will receive a reward of 100 points."
The moment the bell rang, the classroom exploded into commotion. Hirata Yosuke tried to organize a discussion, but panic had already begun to spread. Tang Yu noticed Kushida Kikyo slipping quietly out of the classroom, heading toward the floor where Class C was.
"Should we follow her?" a voice asked beside Tang Yu. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had appeared at his side without him noticing. His pale gray eyes were unfathomable.
Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and found Ayanokoji's Emotion Cloud unusually active. Beneath his calm exterior lay a trace of anticipation.
"You go," Tang Yu replied quietly. "I'll check on Karuizawa."
Ayanokoji gave an almost imperceptible nod and followed Kushida without a sound. Such seamless teamwork would have been unimaginable before summer break.
[Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's willingness to cooperate +200] [Current Emotion Points: 82500/∞]
With Hirata escorting her, Karuizawa arrived safely at school. She was now surrounded by a group of girls, apparently telling them some thrilling story. When they saw Tang Yu approach, they tactfully moved aside.
"Everything go smoothly?" Tang Yu asked.
Karuizawa nodded and lowered her voice. "But there's bad news. Ryuen sent me a text this morning..." She handed her phone to Tang Yu.
On the screen was a threatening message: [Hiding won't help. If you don't contact me by noon tomorrow, I'll send your photos to the whole school group chat. I know which class you're in.]
Tang Yu's expression instantly turned cold. "He's just bluffing. He doesn't know you're at my apartment."
"But he installed tracking software on my phone!" Karuizawa bit her lip. "I only just found it... That's how he knew to send people to wait outside as soon as I moved in with you."
Tang Yu took the phone and checked it quickly, confirming Karuizawa's claim. A hidden program was running in the background, transmitting her real-time location.
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