The sea breeze before dawn carried a bone-chilling cold. Tang Yu stood on the observation platform, watching the eastern horizon turn pale. After a whole night on watch, his eyes were sore, but Class A's Katsuragi Kohei had been acting strangely, and Tang Yu didn't dare let his guard down for a moment.
"Time to switch shifts." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's voice came from below. He had woken up at some point, and his grayish eyes looked especially detached in the morning light.
Tang Yu climbed down from the platform and rolled his stiff shoulders. "Katsuragi watched us from the woods to the northeast for two hours."
"Just as expected." Ayanokoji handed Tang Yu a cup of hot water. "Class A likes to gather all the information it can before making a move."
The hot water slid down Tang Yu's throat, bringing a hint of warmth. He looked at the camp as it began to stir. "We have to secure the mission point on Central Hill today."
"Ryuen will be thinking the same thing," Ayanokoji reminded him.
"That's why we have to move fast." Tang Yu set down his cup. "I'll lead the team. You stay at camp and watch out for a sneak attack."
Ayanokoji didn't answer right away. He gazed at the distant horizon, where dark clouds were gathering. "The weather's about to turn."
Tang Yu followed his gaze, frowning slightly. Bad weather would make surviving on the deserted island much harder. They had to complete the mission before it hit.
An hour later, the team Tang Yu led was already heading toward the center of the island. It included Horikita Suzune, Ken Sudō, and three other boys in good physical shape. Everyone carried simple supplies on their backs—rope, water bottles, and food wrapped in banana leaves.
"Why aren't we bringing more people?" Sudō asked as they walked. "What if we run into those jerks from Class C..."
"A larger group moves more slowly," Horikita explained calmly. "Besides, the camp needs people to defend it."
Tang Yu walked at the front, listening for every sound in the forest. His Emotion Perception was fully active, and he could detect any emotional fluctuations within a fifty-meter radius.
"Stop." He suddenly raised a hand, and the team immediately crouched behind the bushes.
Thirty meters ahead, a three-person team from Class A was taking a break in an open space. Their leader was Katsuragi Kohei. His square face was full of caution as he studied a map with two teammates.
[Fatigue from Class A members +30] [Wariness from Katsuragi Kohei +50]
Tang Yu carefully observed Class A's gear. They had professional climbing ropes and binoculars, clearly heading for the mission point on Central Hill too.
"What should we do? Go around them?" Sudō asked in a lowered voice.
Tang Yu shook his head, the corners of his mouth lifting. "No. Let's play a little game with them."
He motioned for the team to fall back, then took several brightly colored pieces of cloth and a long rope from his backpack. Horikita immediately understood his plan. "A decoy trap?"
"Exactly." Tang Yu quickly set it up. "Sudō, take this around to the front of them and make some noise. Remember, don't let them see you."
Sudō didn't quite understand, but he took the simple noisemaker Tang Yu handed him—a few empty cans tied together with rope—and quietly made his way forward.
Five minutes later, a sudden clatter broke the forest's silence. The Class A team immediately went on alert.
"What was that?" Katsuragi stood up and warily scanned his surroundings.
"Maybe an animal..." one of his teammates said uncertainly.
Just then, Tang Yu pulled the rope, making the brightly colored cloth they had set up flash through the bushes to Class A's left.
"Someone's over there!" one of the Class A students shouted.
Katsuragi hesitated for a second, then made a decision. "Go after them! But watch out—it could be a diversion."
Once the three Class A students had chased after the decoy, Tang Yu's team quickly crossed the clearing and continued toward the hill.
"That was amazing!" one of the boys said admiringly. "How did you know they'd chase after it?"
Tang Yu quickened his pace. "Katsuragi is cautious, but being too cautious can become a weakness. He'd rather waste time checking out a false target than risk ignoring a potential threat."
Horikita gave Tang Yu a thoughtful look. "You know the leaders of the other classes well."
"Just the basics." Tang Yu answered casually, secretly pleased. His little trick had not only shaken off Class A, but also earned him the team's admiration—and Emotion Points.
As the elevation increased, the vegetation grew sparse and the terrain steeper. Tang Yu signaled for the team to slow down and watch out for a possible ambush.
"Look, the summit!" Sudō pointed up.
Through gaps in the treetops, they could see a flag standing on the summit platform, with a metal box beside it. It was the mission point.
Just as the team prepared to make a final push, Tang Yu's Emotion Perception suddenly picked up a powerful wave of malice. He grabbed Sudō, who was leading the charge. "Stop!"
Almost at the same moment, a fist-sized rock flew down from above, grazing Sudō's nose before hitting the ground.
"Not bad, you Class D losers." An arrogant voice came from above.
Ryuen Kakeru emerged from behind a rock with four Class C students, looking down at Tang Yu's team from above. They carried all kinds of "weapons"—sharpened sticks, nets filled with rocks, and even a makeshift slingshot.
[Smugness from Ryuen Kakeru +120] [Hostile intent from Class C members +200]
"I knew you'd come, Chinese Kid." Ryuen grinned, baring his beastlike canine teeth. "Too bad we've already claimed the summit."
Tang Yu calmly assessed the situation: the terrain was unfavorable, they were outnumbered, and their equipment was inferior. They had almost no chance in a direct confrontation.
But he noticed a hint of unease buried in Ryuen's Emotion Cloud. A boy who habitually used violence to solve problems wasn't actually good at handling unexpected situations.
"Claimed it?" Tang Yu laughed deliberately. "You call this claiming it?"
Ryuen frowned. "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at how stupid you are." Tang Yu stepped forward, his voice full of confidence. "You think the School Administration would let students get hurt during an exam? Take a look around."
The Class C students glanced around despite themselves. Tang Yu seized the moment and pressed on. "There are at least three hidden cameras on this hill. Everything you do is being recorded.
"Using weapons to attack other students? That'd be enough to wipe out all of Class C's Class Points."
[Hesitation from Class C members +150]
Ryuen's expression darkened. "You're bluffing! Even if there are cameras, accidents are bound to happen out here in the middle of nowhere."
"Really?" Tang Yu took his phone out of his pocket. The screen showed a video of the rock flying toward Sudō just moments earlier. "The footage is being sent to the cloud in real time. Pretty amazing technology, huh?"
It was all a bluff. There was no signal on the island. But Ryuen couldn't be sure, and his Emotion Cloud roiled violently with a mix of anger, suspicion, and a trace of fear.
[Uncertainty from Ryuen Kakeru +180]
Tang Yu seized the opportunity and activated his newly unlocked Emotion Resonance ability, directly sensing the emotions deep inside Ryuen.
In an instant, a wild, chaotic flood of emotion poured into his consciousness. On the surface, there was arrogance and violence, but beneath them lay a surprising amount of insecurity and fear... Ryuen was afraid of losing control, afraid of being seen through and exposed as a bluffer...
The ability lasted only a few seconds, but that was enough for Tang Yu. He let it go and looked straight into Ryuen's eyes. "You don't want to take that gamble, do you, Ryuen? If this video gets to Chabashira-sensei..."
Ryuen's fists clenched with a crack, but he finally let them relax. "Hmph. You're lucky today. But don't think this is over." He waved to his men. "Let's go!"
The Class C students followed Ryuen away reluctantly. Before leaving, Ryuen shot Tang Yu a vicious glare. "Next time, no camera's going to save you."
Only after the Class C students had disappeared completely did Sudō let out a long breath. "That was close! Did we really get it on video?"
Tang Yu put away his phone. "Of course not. There's no signal on the island."
"Then why did you..." Horikita's eyes widened in surprise.
"It was just psychological warfare." Tang Yu headed toward the summit. "Ryuen likes to solve problems with violence, but that's exactly why he's more afraid of punishment under the rules. I bet he wouldn't risk it."
[Emotion Points exceeded 10,000!] [Unlocked "Deep Emotion Resonance" ability] [Can briefly experience a target's deep psychological state]
The notification lifted Tang Yu's spirits. His new ability could do more than read surface emotions; it could briefly let him enter a target's deeper psychological state and obtain more crucial information.
The team reached the summit without trouble. The Mission Box beside the flag contained seven cards, each with a set of coordinates written on it.
"What does this mean?" Sudō picked up a card and turned it over.
Horikita examined the others. "Seven sets of coordinates... They should mark the locations of hidden supply points around the island."
Tang Yu quickly memorized all the coordinates. "These are strategic resources, more valuable than just food or tools. We'll take one and leave the rest."
"Why not take them all?" Sudō asked, puzzled.
"Because that way, the other classes will keep fighting over the remaining cards and wear themselves out," Horikita explained on Tang Yu's behalf, a hint of admiration in her voice.
Tang Yu nodded and chose the card whose coordinates were closest to the coastline. It was likely to mark the location of a lifeboat or communication equipment, making it the most strategically valuable.
Before you continue