On the third day after returning to Advanced Nurturing High School, Tang Yu stood by a window in the school building corridor, watching cherry blossoms drift down in the breeze. The aftermath 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; and Class D had received an extra reward for its outstanding performance.
[Current Emotion Points: 19200/30000] [System Store redeemable items have been updated]
Tang Yu browsed the newly added options in the System Interface, and a bold plan gradually took shape in his mind. Horikita Suzune had just finished being observed in the infirmary yesterday and returned to class on crutches. The first thing she said was, "I'll win next time."
The fighting spirit in her words made Tang Yu's eyes light up. Horikita Suzune, this exceptionally proud honor student, might be the perfect target for his Emotion Points plan.
"System, pull up Horikita Suzune's historical academic records."
[Horikita Suzune Academic Ability Analysis: Mathematics: 92/100 Physics: 90/100 Chemistry: 91/100 English: 88/100 Modern Japanese: 85/100 History: 86/100]
Tang Yu's lips curved slightly upward. With his current Intelligence attribute of 11 points (the average for an ordinary person was 5 points), he could control his scores in every subject with complete precision. A brilliant plan came to mind-score one point higher than Horikita on every exam, no more, no less, just enough to beat her.
This sustained and precise psychological pressure would surely generate a large amount of high-quality Emotion Points.
"Student Tang Yu?" A gentle female voice interrupted his thoughts.
Tang Yu turned and saw Honami Ichinose standing behind him, her short flaxen hair gleaming gold in the sunlight. Ever since they had worked together on the deserted island, the Class B leader had become noticeably friendlier toward him.
"Ichinose, did you need something?"
"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 made by Class B's Baking Club, just a small token of our gratitude."
Tang Yu took the bag, and its fragrance immediately wafted out. "Thanks, but I'd say we both benefited from working together."
"Perhaps that's how it seemed to you." Ichinose's gaze was sincere and gentle. "But for Class B, it was a crucial turning point."
She hesitated. "I heard next month's Monthly Exam will be difficult. How are you preparing?"
Tang Yu immediately understood why she had come-Icinose was here to sound him out, albeit in a very tactful way. He activated Emotion Perception and confirmed that Ichinose's Emotion Cloud was a warm orange, with a trace of worried blue at its core.
"I'm preparing as usual," Tang Yu replied ambiguously. "Does Class B have any inside information?"
Ichinose shook her head. "I've just heard the question formats will change a lot. Oh, and..." She lowered her voice. "Horikita's been studying at the library until late recently. She seems very determined."
A glimmer of interest flashed in Tang Yu's eyes. "Thanks for the heads-up."
They chatted for a few more minutes before Ichinose took her leave. Tang Yu watched her walk away, lost in thought. Had Ichinose mentioned Horikita's study habits just to share information, or had she meant to draw his attention to her?
When Tang Yu returned to class, he found Horikita Suzune sitting alone at her desk, several thick reference books spread open in front of her. Her right leg was still in a cast, but she sat as straight as a pine tree, her black hair falling over her shoulders and her whole being radiating an aura that warned others to keep their distance.
Tang Yu naturally took the empty seat beside her. "Is your leg feeling better?"
Horikita didn't even look up. "Good enough for me to take next week's Monthly Exam."
"I heard this exam will be difficult."
"Just what I want." 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 showed a mix of fiery red and cool blue-fierce competitiveness alongside rational confidence. Perfect.
[Competitive spirit from Horikita Suzune +150] [Current Emotion Points: 19350/30000]
"Then we'll settle it in the exam room," Tang Yu replied with a smile, deliberately letting a hint of provocation enter his voice.
Horikita's pupils contracted slightly, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around her pen. "There won't be any surprises this time. I'll beat you with nothing but my own ability."
Tang Yu nodded and said no more. The fish had already taken the bait; all that remained was to wait patiently for the exam.
Over the next few days, Tang Yu kept up the appearance of studying as usual while secretly observing Horikita's every move. She went to the library after school every day and studied until closing time;
she took meticulous notes in class; she even reviewed during lunch. Her nearly obsessive effort only made Tang Yu more certain his plan would work.
On the night before the exam, Tang Yu ran into Horikita at the library. Her desk was piled with reference books and notes, and dark circles were clearly 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" and briefly sensed Horikita's inner state-a strange mixture of intense anxiety and confidence, with a fear of her older brother's shadow buried deep within.
The discovery surprised him a little. Horikita's desire to win seemed to stem not only from her competitiveness, but also from a deeper need to prove herself.
[Emotional Link Experience +10%] [Current Emotion Points: 19500/30000]
"Do you know?" Tang Yu suddenly said. "Being too nervous can actually affect your performance."
Horikita frowned. "I don't need your advice."
"Of course you don't." Tang Yu stood up. "I was only offering a friendly reminder as a classmate. Good night, Horikita."
With that, Tang Yu left the library. It benefited him to keep Horikita moderately anxious, but too much pressure might make her collapse completely, costing him the chance to keep collecting Emotion Points. He needed to strike the right balance precisely.
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 skimmed the test. It was indeed harder than usual, but still well within his abilities.
As he answered the questions, he watched Horikita, seated diagonally in front of him, from the corner of his eye. She worked quickly, but every so often she stopped to take a deep breath, clearly controlling her nerves.
Tang Yu deliberately slowed down, making sure he could adjust his pace to Horikita's progress. When she turned a page, he turned one too; when she paused to think, he pretended to think as well. This wordless psychological suggestion would intensify their sense of competition.
The final question was a difficult calculus proof. Tang Yu saw Horikita get stuck on it for a full ten minutes. He quickly assessed its difficulty.
Then he deliberately left a tiny flaw in his solution-a mistake sharp-eyed Horikita would spot when checking her work, but one that wouldn't cost him too many points when the teacher graded it.
The bell rang to signal the end of the exam, and Horikita's fingers trembled slightly as she handed in her paper. After handing his in, Tang Yu stretched and gave an easy smile.
"How did it go?" he asked deliberately.
Horikita paused while packing up her stationery. "I did 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 on the outskirts of the crowd. He didn't need to push his way in to know the result-he had calculated the score for every question precisely.