On the morning of the third day before the new term began, Tang Yu stood by the window in the school dormitory as the System Interface unfolded clearly in the morning light:
[Current Emotion Points: 72500/∞] [Cash Available for Exchange: 7.25 million yen (1 point = 100 Sakura Coins)] [Suggestion: Purchasing a safe house can improve strategic advantages]
He had been turning the idea over in his mind for days. Although the school's enclosed environment made it easy to manage, it also limited his freedom of movement.
A secret residence off campus would not only provide more privacy but also serve as a safe house in an emergency.
"System, display property listings near the school."
The translucent interface immediately switched to map mode, marking every property for sale within a five-kilometer radius. Tang Yu quickly set his filters: a medium-sized apartment, with excellent security and convenient transportation, but not too conspicuous.
A luxury apartment two kilometers northwest of the school caught his attention-the top-floor unit in an eighteen-story building, with a private rooftop terrace, fully furnished, ready for immediate occupancy, and listed at 58 million yen.
"A little expensive..." Tang Yu muttered to himself. Although he could exchange points for unlimited cash through the system, large expenditures could attract the tax authorities' attention, so he had to be careful.
After giving it some thought, Tang Yu decided to proceed in three steps: prepare the funds and identity on the first day, view the property and negotiate on the second, and complete the transaction on the third. Three days would be enough for him to use his system abilities to avoid all the hassles of the usual procedures.
[Exchange "Identity Forgery" skill, cost: 2000 points] [Exchange "Presence Adjustment" ability (three days), cost: 1500 points] [Current Emotion Points: 69000/∞]
His first stop was the International Bank in the city center. Tang Yu activated the "Presence Adjustment" ability, making himself neither conspicuous in the crowd nor completely overlooked-just the right degree of ordinary.
Using the identity of Tang Yu, an "overseas investor returning home"-the name deliberately sounded the same as his real name but used different characters-he opened an account and deposited the 6 million yen in "initial funds" exchanged through the system.
The bank manager, Sato Kenichi, was impressed by the young customer, though he could not say exactly why. "Mr. Tang, you're truly accomplished for your age. Investing in property already?"
"It's a family tradition." Tang Yu smiled and handed him a box of Premium Chocolate, exchanged through the system for 50 points. "Just a small token of appreciation. Thank you for your help."
[Enjoyment from Sato Kenichi +100] [Relationship Network Update: Banking Channel Established]
After leaving the bank, Tang Yu contacted a real estate agent. By subtly influencing her emotions through "Emotional Link," he managed to move the viewing up to that afternoon.
"This 1802 unit is one of the finest properties in our building," Kojima Mai, the agent, explained enthusiastically. "The previous owner was a diplomat. Everything was finished to international standards, and both the soundproofing and security are top-notch."
Tang Yu discreetly checked every detail-the fingerprint lock, bulletproof glass, emergency escape route, and even the hidden safe. Everything met his needs.
"Best of all, it has this private rooftop terrace." Kojima pushed open the glass door. "The view is wide open, yet it's completely private. Perfect for... um, leisure and entertainment."
Tang Yu noticed the subtle pause in her voice. After activating "Emotion Perception," he found a hint of pink in her Emotion Cloud-the terrace had clearly once been used for something not quite so "leisurely." But that had no effect on his plans.
"I like it here." Tang Yu stated his position directly. "Is the price negotiable?"
Kojima's eyes lit up. "The owner is in a hurry to sell. If you make a serious offer..."
After some negotiation, aided by a slight use of "Emotion Influence," Tang Yu successfully brought the price down to 55 million yen and secured a special arrangement to complete all the paperwork within three days.
[Surprise from Kojima Mai +150] [Current Emotion Points: 69350/∞]
That evening, after returning to the dormitory, Tang Yu began planning the flow of funds. The cash exchanged through the system needed to be properly "laundered," so he decided to fabricate proof of income from a remote job overseas, once again using the "Identity Forgery" skill.
The next morning, Tang Yu formally submitted the purchase application under the name Tang Yu. Thanks to the flawless credit history forged with the system's help and the 50 million yen in "family support" that had suddenly appeared in his bank account, actually cash exchanged through the system, the loan approval came through at astonishing speed.
"That's a record!" Bank manager Sato exclaimed repeatedly. "Your connections are truly impressive, Mr. Tang."
Tang Yu smiled without replying. In reality, he had used "Emotion Field" to influence the atmosphere in the entire Loan Approval Department, making all the staff inexplicably feel that this transaction was "especially important."
At the signing ceremony that afternoon, Tang Yu met the owner for the first time-a former diplomat in his sixties named Matsumoto Koji. The old man's sharp gaze lingered on Tang Yu for a few seconds, as if he had sensed something unusual.
"Young man, why are you in such a hurry to buy a house? Is it for some special purpose?" Matsumoto asked directly.
Tang Yu activated "Emotional Link" and instantly picked up the deep blue in the old man's Emotion Cloud. This was not ordinary suspicion, but the instinctive wariness of someone with professional training. This former diplomat was no simple man.
"Investment and a place to live." Tang Yu met his gaze calmly. "I believe in this area's potential for growth. Of course, privacy and security matter too."
They looked at each other for a moment, then Matsumoto suddenly laughed. "Interesting. This house has a little secret-the master bedroom closet hides a concealed space. I designed it myself back in the day. I hope you won't need to use it."
This unexpected discovery made Tang Yu raise an eyebrow. It seemed he had bought more than an ordinary apartment.
[Appreciation from Matsumoto Koji +200] [Hidden Attribute Obtained: Safe House +1] [Current Emotion Points: 69800/∞]
On the third day, all the paperwork was miraculously completed. Tang Yu received the keys and title deed, officially becoming the owner of the top-floor apartment.
He immediately began upgrading its security-replacing all the locks, installing extra surveillance equipment, all exchanged through the system for 800 points, and setting up a cache of emergency equipment in the concealed space Matsumoto had mentioned.
Just as Tang Yu was testing the newly installed security system, his phone suddenly vibrated. It was an urgent message from Karuizawa Kei:
[People from Class C are following me. They found out that I contacted you. I need somewhere to hide.]
Tang Yu frowned. He had not planned to use the safe house so soon, but Karuizawa was indeed in danger now. He quickly replied:
[Come to this address. Unit 1802. Don't let them follow you.]
An hour later, the access system showed that Karuizawa had arrived downstairs. On the surveillance footage, Tang Yu saw her looking flustered and glancing back repeatedly.
More worrying still, two suspicious figures were indeed loitering in the distance-not Class C students, but people who looked like delinquents.