Karuizawa (Part 2)

Ten minutes later, the two thugs were firmly tied to chairs with rags stuffed in their mouths. Tang Yu placed a disposable phone (redeemed from the system, costing 100 points) in front of them, the screen displaying a drafted message:

[Tell Ryuen Kakeru that the game has leveled up. If he dares to release any private photos of students, this recording and your confessions will immediately appear before the School Board and the police.

By noon tomorrow, I want to see the originals and backups of all photos placed in the lockers at the east exit of Shinjuku Station. Leave the key in the usual spot.]

"The usual spot?" Ayanokoji Kiyotaka showed a rare flicker of curiosity.

"The locker Karuizawa Kei used in middle school," Tang Yu explained. "Ryuen Kakeru will understand."

It was late at night when the two left the apartment building. The streets were deserted, with only streetlights casting long shadows. Tang Yu suddenly sensed something unusual—someone in a black sedan nearby was watching them.

"You go first," Tang Yu whispered. "We have a tail."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka gave an imperceptible nod and turned in the opposite direction. Tang Yu pretended not to notice the observer and walked naturally toward the subway station. The black sedan followed slowly, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

The system suddenly flashed a warning:

[High-threat surveillance detected]

[Identity confirmed: Tsukishiro Shuhei]

[School Board Special Evaluator]

[Hostility: 70%]

Tang Yu remained calm, but his heart rate accelerated involuntarily. An evaluator from the School Board appearing in person meant that their "attention" on him had escalated. He deliberately took a long detour, ensuring no one was following him before returning to the secret apartment.

Karuizawa Kei was not yet asleep, curled up on the sofa watching television. Seeing Tang Yu enter, she immediately jumped up: "How did it go?"

"Resolved," Tang Yu briefly explained the situation and played a portion of the recording. "Once you get the original photos tomorrow, you will be completely free."

Karuizawa Kei's eyes widened, and she suddenly lunged forward to hug Tang Yu tightly: "Thank you... really... thank you..." Her voice was choked with sobs, and her body trembled slightly.

Tang Yu gently patted her back, activating "Emotional Link" to sense her emotions—the relief of a heavy burden lifted, deep gratitude, and something warmer and more complex...

[Deep emotional fluctuation from Karuizawa Kei +500]

[Favorability increased to 90/100]

[Emotion points exceeded 100,000!]

[Unlocked "Emotion Weaving Network" ability]

[Can now simultaneously perceive and influence the emotional states of multiple people]

This new ability made Tang Yu's eyes light up. If the previous "Group Emotional Link" could only roughly influence the emotions of many, then "Emotion Weaving Network" allowed him to precisely customize different emotional influences for different targets, building a complex network of interpersonal interactions.

Karuizawa Kei finally let go and wiped her tears: "I... I never told you the specific details about the photos..."

"You don't have to force yourself."

"No, you should know." Karuizawa Kei took a deep breath and sat on the sofa. "In middle school... I was bullied by some upperclassmen.

They locked me in the bathroom and forced me to take off my clothes for photos... threatening that if I told the teachers, they would post the photos online."

Tang Yu listened quietly, activating "Environmental Emotion Infiltration" to fill the room with a sense of security. Karuizawa Kei's account was intermittent, sometimes sobbing uncontrollably, but she insisted on finishing the whole story—how she transferred schools.

How she pretended to be a strong "queen" at the new school, and how she thought the nightmare was over, until Ryuen Kakeru found those photos...

"It's all over now," Tang Yu said softly. "Those photos will disappear tomorrow. And..." He activated the newly acquired "Emotion Weaving Network," weaving a special emotional state for Karuizawa Kei—a combination of "self-acceptance" and "inner strength." "You are stronger than you think."

Karuizawa Kei stared at him blankly, the tears in her eyes shimmering under the light: "Tang Yu... who exactly are you? Why... why are you helping me like this?"

"A friend," Tang Yu smiled. "That's enough, isn't it?"

Karuizawa Kei seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she just nodded, a sincere smile appearing at the corners of her mouth.

It was late. Tang Yu stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the apartment, reviewing the day's actions. On the surface, he had won a complete victory—subduing Ryuen Kakeru's subordinates and obtaining key evidence.

He was about to resolve Karuizawa Kei's crisis. But the greater challenge had only just begun: Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's uncharacteristic proactive assistance, the Student Council's sudden intervention, and especially the appearance of the School Board evaluator...

The system interface expanded, showing the latest relationship network:

[Karuizawa Kei: 90/100 (Deep dependence)]

[Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: 60/100 (Cautious cooperation)]

[Horikita Suzune: 85/100 (Strategic partner)]

[Tsukishiro Shuhei: Hostility 70%]

[Ryuen Kakeru: Hostility 80%]

Tomorrow would be the first day of the new semester, and the start of his direct confrontation with Ryuen Kakeru. With today's evidence, he could completely crush Ryuen Kakeru directly.

But his intuition told him that things were not that simple—there might be a larger force behind Ryuen Kakeru, and the attention of the School Board was an unknown variable.

[Task updated: Respond to School Board evaluation]

[Reward: Unlock special permissions based on performance]

Tang Yu closed the system and looked out at the Tokyo night view. In some corner of this city that never sleeps, Ryuen Kakeru might be flying into a rage, Tsukishiro Shuhei might be writing an evaluation report, and Horikita Manabu might be planning the Student Council transition... and he, possessing the Emotion System, was standing at the center of this complex network.

A sliver of light still shone through the crack in Karuizawa Kei's bedroom door. Tang Yu knocked gently: "Not asleep yet?"

"Come in..." Karuizawa Kei's voice was a bit hesitant.

Tang Yu pushed the door open and saw Karuizawa Kei sitting on the edge of the bed, holding an album. She patted the spot beside her: "Could you... stay with me for a while?"

Tang Yu sat down by the edge of the bed, maintaining a respectful distance. Karuizawa flipped open the photo album and pointed to one of the pictures—it was her during middle school, wearing a shy smile, looking like a completely different person from who she was now.

"I want to start over," she said softly, no longer putting on a facade, choosing to be her true self... "Do you think it's possible?"

Tang Yu activated the Emotion Weaving Network, but this time, instead of influencing Karuizawa's emotions, he established a pure connection with her—devoid of any agenda, offering nothing but understanding and companionship.

"Of course it's possible," he said sincerely, "and... I will help you."

Karuizawa leaned her head on his shoulder, and the two of them sat there in silence as the lights of Tokyo outside the window flickered like a galaxy of stars. The curtain had already risen on the new semester, but tonight, at least for this moment, it was a rare tranquility before the storm.