Deserted Island Game (5)

The gale was like a blade, and the torrential rain poured down like a waterfall. Tang Yu carried the unconscious Horikita Suzune on his back, struggling through the knee-deep floodwaters.

Every step felt like fighting against the weight of the entire ocean, and the icy rain poured into his collar, stealing away his precious body heat.

"Hold on... we're almost there..." Tang Yu gritted his teeth, saying it to himself as much as to Horikita on his back.

[Adrenaline Burst remaining time: 3 minutes]

The system's prompt was like a sword hanging over his head. The temporarily enhanced strength was fading, yet they were still at least five hundred meters from the camp. The flood continued to rise, and branches and gravel floating in the water struck his calves like hidden weapons.

Horikita's body grew heavier, her breathing faint but relatively stable. Tang Yu adjusted his posture to ensure her head remained above the water.

A bolt of lightning split the night sky, instantly illuminating the terrain ahead. Tang Yu squinted—a new turbulent current had appeared directly in front of them, cutting off the path back to the camp.

"Damn it!" He had to turn to the left to find a new route. This detour would add at least two hundred meters to their journey, and his strength was draining rapidly.

[Strength +2 temporary effect ending soon]

[Agility +2 temporary effect ending soon]

Tang Yu's muscles began to tremble, and every breath brought a burning pain to his lungs. He stared fixedly at the camp lights visible in the distance; they were his only hope.

"Put... me down..." Horikita's faint voice sounded in his ear.

"Shut up and save your energy." Tang Yu snapped back, his voice drowned out by the wind and rain.

A sharp pain suddenly shot through his right leg—a jagged branch had pierced his pant leg, leaving a gash. The warm blood was immediately washed away by the rain, but the pain caused Tang Yu to stumble.

"System! What else can I use?" he roared in his mind.

[Emotion Points can be exchanged for "Emergency Sprint" ability]

[Consume 1000 Emotion Points to gain 30 seconds of extreme speed]

"Exchange!"

A surge of new energy flooded his legs, and Tang Yu dashed toward the final stretch like an arrow released from a bow. The flood seemed to offer less resistance, the sound of the wind and rain turned into white noise in his ears, and the world narrowed down to that flickering camp light ahead.

Thirty seconds later, the strength receded like a tide, and Tang Yu's legs went soft, causing him to collapse at the edge of the camp. But he had succeeded—the Medical Tent was right before him.

"Help! Someone help!" he shouted with his final ounce of strength.

A few seconds later, several figures rushed out of the tent. Hirata Yosuke arrived first, taking Horikita from him, while Ayanokoji Kiyotaka supported the nearly collapsed Tang Yu.

"She has an ankle injury, possibly a fracture... severe hypothermia..." Tang Yu reported intermittently before his vision went black and he lost consciousness.

Warmth. This was the first sensation Tang Yu felt after regaining consciousness. He was lying in a dry sleeping bag; outside the tent, the wind and rain continued, but they had become a distant background noise.

"Awake?" Ayanokoji's voice came from nearby.

Tang Yu turned his head and saw Ayanokoji sitting by a makeshift medical kit, holding a book. There were three other students sleeping in the tent, including Horikita, who was still unconscious.

"How long has it been?" Tang Yu's voice was hoarse.

"Six hours and seventeen minutes." Ayanokoji closed his book. "You were physically exhausted, but you're fine. Horikita's condition is more serious—a fractured right ankle and mild hypothermia, but the school doctor said there won't be any lasting damage."

Tang Yu tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness forced him back down. Ayanokoji handed him a cup of warm water: "Take it slow. You pushed yourself too hard."

After drinking the water, Tang Yu felt much better. He looked at Horikita—the girl's face was pale, but her breathing was steady, and her right ankle was secured with a makeshift splint.

"What's the situation with the storm?"

"It's still ongoing and will likely last until tomorrow noon." Ayanokoji's tone was flat. "The camps for Class A and Class B have both been damaged, and the situation in Class C is unknown."

Tang Yu nodded, then suddenly remembered something: "What about Koenji?"

"He's in his own tent, refusing to participate in collective actions." Ayanokoji's lips curled slightly. "He said, 'This level of wind and rain is not enough to disturb my meditation.'"

A typical response. Tang Yu almost laughed, but a sharp pain in his chest made him cough.

"You might have a hairline fracture in your ribs." Ayanokoji handed him two pills. "For the pain."

Swallowing the pills, Tang Yu lay back down. The only sounds in the tent were the wind and rain hitting the canvas and the steady breathing of the other students. Ayanokoji continued reading his book as if the conversation had never happened.

[Emotion Points: 14250/20000]

[New Ability: "Emotional Link" (Can briefly establish a deep emotional connection with others)]

This new ability made Tang Yu's heart race. Compared to the previous passive perception or brief resonance, "Emotional Link" seemed to allow for much deeper interaction. He looked at the unconscious Horikita, hesitating whether to try it.

"Can't sleep?" Ayanokoji asked suddenly.

"Yeah." Tang Yu responded vaguely. "You go get some rest; I'll keep an eye on Horikita."

Ayanokoji gave him a meaningful look before finally nodding and leaving. The tent was left with only Tang Yu, the three sleeping students, and the semi-conscious Horikita.

Tang Yu moved gently to Horikita's side and, after a moment of hesitation, activated the new ability.

[Establishing Emotional Link: Target Horikita Suzune]

[Duration: 3 minutes]

In an instant, Tang Yu's consciousness felt as if it were being pulled into a whirlpool. Countless images and fragments of emotion surged toward him—the back of a tall man (Horikita Manabu?).

An empty dining table, piles of reference books, a lonely running track... all of these were soaked in a complex emotion: a longing for recognition, stubborn pride, and deep-seated loneliness...

The most intense part was a memory fragment: a young Horikita standing in an empty Gymnasium, looking at a photo of her brother on the wall, whispering: "I will definitely surpass you..."

The Emotional Link suddenly severed, and Tang Yu gasped for air, as if he had just surfaced from the deep sea. Three minutes had felt both incredibly long and fleetingly short. He looked at Horikita Suzune and found her eyes open, watching him quietly.

"How... do you feel?" Tang Yu asked softly, unsure if she had sensed anything.

Horikita Suzune's lips were cracked and pale. "Why risk saving me?" Her voice was faint, yet exceptionally clear.

Tang Yu recalled everything he had seen within the Emotional Link, and a sense of understanding he had never felt before rose in his heart: "Because Class D needs you."

"Liar." Horikita Suzune looked away. "Class D is enough with just you."

The wind and rain howled outside the Medical Tent, but inside, it felt as though a small, isolated space had formed. Tang Yu weighed his words carefully: "I do have my abilities... but as you have seen, this school is far more complex than just academic grades."

"For Class D to rise, it needs the strength of everyone, especially someone with your potential."

Horikita Suzune remained silent for a long time, so long that Tang Yu thought she had fallen asleep again.

"My brother..." she suddenly spoke, her voice barely audible, "Horikita Manabu, the Student Council president. Since I was young, I have lived in his shadow. Entering this school was my chance to prove myself..."

Tang Yu listened quietly, not interrupting. The medication began to take effect, and his eyelids grew heavy, but Horikita Suzune's words were like a thread, tethering his consciousness from falling into darkness.

"I wanted to prove that I could succeed without relying on my brother's name... so I refused all help... including yours." Horikita Suzune struggled to turn her head, meeting Tang Yu's eyes. "But tonight... thank you."

These three simple words seemed to exhaust all her strength. Horikita Suzune closed her eyes, her breathing becoming steady. Tang Yu knew that for this proud girl, this expression of gratitude was more precious than any trophy.

[Horikita Suzune's trust level has increased significantly]

[Special achievement unlocked: "Crack in the Ice Wall"]

Tang Yu smiled and closed his eyes, letting the medicine pull him into a deep sleep. In the final moment before his consciousness faded, he thought he heard a system notification, but he no longer had the strength to check it...

At noon the next day, Tang Yu was woken by the sunlight. The tent was empty, save for a simple breakfast and three pills left beside his sleeping bag. The wind and rain outside had ceased, replaced by the chirping of birds and the busy chatter of his classmates.

He swallowed the pills and slowly walked out of the tent. The campsite was in shambles, but the core area remained intact. The students of Class D were divided into groups; some were repairing tents, some were drying supplies, and others were preparing lunch.

"Tang Yu!" Hirata Yosuke was the first to spot him and walked over quickly. "How are you feeling? The school doctor said you needed more rest."

"Much better." Tang Yu moved his shoulders, feeling only a dull ache. "Where is Horikita Suzune?"

"Over there." Hirata Yosuke pointed toward the Medical Tent. "Chabashira has contacted the School Administration via Satellite Phone, and they will send a boat this afternoon to take her for treatment. The test has been suspended for one day."