Tang Yu remotely unlocked the lobby entrance, while activating Environmental Emotion Infiltration and filling the apartment entrance with a calm atmosphere to help Karuizawa settle down.
The elevator doors opened, and Karuizawa rushed in, her face pale. "They found where I live! They said if I didn't cooperate with Ryuen's plan, they would..."
Tang Yu handed her a cup of hot tea (Calming Tea from the system shop, costing 30 points), but Karuizawa's hands were still trembling.
"Take a moment to rest." Tang Yu guided her to sit on the sofa. "How did they find you?"
"Kushida Kikyo." Karuizawa gritted her teeth. "She pretended to be my friend and tricked me into telling her about my connection with you. Then Ryuen sent people to follow me..."
Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception. Karuizawa's Emotion Cloud showed fear in deep gray interwoven with anger in red. The situation was worse than he'd imagined-Ryuen had already started using people from outside the school.
"You're safe here." Tang Yu showed her the newly installed security system. "Nobody can enter this building unless I let them in, let alone this apartment."
Karuizawa looked around, then suddenly realized something. "Is this... your place?"
"I just bought it today," Tang Yu said casually.
Karuizawa's eyes widened. "How can a student... afford an apartment this luxurious..." Her voice grew quieter, and a complicated emotion flashed in her eyes. "Who exactly are you, Tang Yu?"
The question came sooner than Tang Yu had expected. He activated Emotional Link and decided to be partly honest: someone capable of protecting his friends. That was enough, wasn't it?
Karuizawa stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice choked.
[Deep Dependence from Karuizawa Kei +500] [Affection increased to 85/100] [Current Emotion Points: 70500/∞]
The unexpected embrace caught Tang Yu off guard. He gently patted Karuizawa on the back while keeping an eye on the activity downstairs through the surveillance system. The two suspicious figures were still lingering nearby, but for now, they couldn't get into the building.
"You'll need to stay here for a few days," Tang Yu said, releasing Karuizawa. "Until the new semester starts and things settle down. I've prepared a spare bedroom."
Karuizawa nodded, then blushed. "J-just the two of us?"
Tang Yu chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm not interested in taking advantage of someone in trouble. There are two bedrooms here, each with its own bathroom."
He showed Karuizawa around the apartment. When she saw the spacious walk-in closet, her eyes lit up-even in danger, a girl's nature still shone through.
"Could I borrow the bathroom?" Karuizawa asked. "I feel like I'm covered in cold sweat..."
"Of course." Tang Yu took a brand-new towel and bathrobe from the closet (redeemed from the system, costing 20 points). "Just tell me if you need anything."
While Karuizawa showered, Tang Yu checked the security system again and considered what to do. Ryuen's use of people from outside the school was a dangerous sign; it meant he was escalating his tactics. And Kushida Kikyo's involvement made things even more complicated.
When the sound of the shower stopped, Karuizawa came out wearing a bathrobe that was too large for her. Her wet blond hair fell over her shoulders, and she looked much more vulnerable than usual.
"I... I didn't bring a change of clothes," she said awkwardly.
Tang Yu took a few neutral-style T-shirts and sweatpants from the newly furnished closet. "Wear these for now. I can have someone bring you some women's clothes tomorrow."
Karuizawa took the clothes, her fingers accidentally brushing Tang Yu's hand. They both paused for a moment.
"Tang Yu..." Karuizawa hesitated. "If... if those people find this place..."
"They can't get in," Tang Yu said firmly. "And..." He activated Emotion Field, filling the whole space with a sense of security. "I promise you'll be safe."
Karuizawa looked at him intently, nodded, and returned to the bedroom.
That night, Tang Yu redeemed several surveillance devices through the system and set them up around the apartment building in his study, which he had converted into a temporary command center. As he adjusted the equipment, a familiar signal appeared at the edge of the surveillance feed-Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
The usually expressionless boy stood in the shadows of the building across the street, his gaze fixed directly on the window where Tang Yu was, as if he knew someone was watching from there. A moment later, he silently disappeared into the night.
[Deep Attention from Ayanokoji Kiyotaka +300] [Current Emotion Points: 70800/∞]
Less than an hour later, the surveillance system caught another familiar figure: Kiriyama Ikiteru, the Student Council Vice President. He was wandering around downstairs with some kind of device in his hand, seemingly recording something.
"Interesting," Tang Yu muttered to himself. "Two big fish showed up in one day."
It seemed his secret base wasn't so secret anymore. Still, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing-letting himself be seen to some extent could serve as bait and draw out more hidden opponents.
In the quiet of the late night, Tang Yu stood on the private rooftop, looking down over Tokyo's nightscape. An idea he'd had three days ago had now become reality. The apartment was not just a physical space; it would also become an important foothold in the complicated game he was playing at the school.
Karuizawa's unexpected arrival had disrupted some of his plans, but it had also brought new possibilities. By protecting her, Tang Yu would further strengthen the trust between them and learn more inside information about the Ryuen Group.
[Special Notice: Attention from multiple factions detected] [Ayanokoji Kiyotaka Attention: 85%] [Kiriyama Ikiteru Hostility: 75%] [Ryuen Group Threat Level: 65%]
The system's notifications kept flashing in the night sky, like stars scattered across it. Tang Yu stood by the window, took a deep breath of the cool air, and felt the quiet of the night.
The new semester would begin in three days, and the game would enter an entirely new stage. Tang Yu was filled with anticipation and excitement. He knew this would be a time full of challenges and opportunities.
And now, he was better prepared than anyone else. Over the past few days, he had kept learning and studying, gaining a deeper understanding of the game's rules and strategies. He believed that as long as he stayed calm and focused, he would achieve better results in the new semester.
Tang Yu turned away from the window and returned to the living room. He saw Karuizawa curled up on the sofa, already asleep. She clutched her phone tightly in her hand, as if waiting for some important message.
Tang Yu walked over to her gently, careful not to wake her. He carefully covered her with a blanket, noticing that even in her sleep, her brow was still tightly furrowed, as if she were thinking about some difficult problem.
"Get some good rest," Tang Yu said softly. "Tomorrow will bring even more challenges, but I believe you'll be able to handle them."