The morning sun pierced the thin mist and spilled across the deserted island's beach. Tang Yu stood at the edge of the landing craft as the sea breeze, carrying a salty dampness, swept over him. He took a deep breath, feeling the excitement surge through him.
"Class D, prepare to disembark!" Chabashira-sensei's voice came from ahead.
Tang Yu glanced back at his classmates. Some looked nervous, some excited, and others plainly unwilling.
The seven members of the Leadership Group stood at the very front. Horikita Suzune was checking her equipment list, while Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wore his usual expressionless face.
"Remember our plan," Hirata Yosuke reminded everyone quietly. "Establish a camp first, then consider the task."
The landing craft pulled ashore, and the Class D students stepped onto the soft sand. Tang Yu immediately activated Emotion Perception and scanned the surrounding area. The other three classes were disembarking at different spots not far away, and a subtle tension hung in the air.
[Emotion Perception: Highly competitive emotions detected within a 50-meter radius]
"Split into groups according to the original plan," Hirata ordered. "Sudo, lead a team to gather wood. Kushida, organize the girls to set up the tents. Koenji... where's Koenji?"
The maverick blond boy had already disappeared. Tang Yu had expected as much. "Forget about him. Let's get on with it."
Horikita Suzune took out a map. "Considering the tides and wind direction, we'd be best off setting up camp on that high ground." She pointed to a small hill nearby.
"No," Tang Yu said, shaking his head. "It's too exposed there and would make us an easy target. I suggest the edge of the woods, near the freshwater stream."
The two couldn't agree, and eventually they looked to Ayanokoji. To their surprise, he supported Tang Yu's plan. "Concealment matters more."
Once they had settled on a campsite, Class D got to work at once. Tang Yu and Ayanokoji took a few boys with them to set up a perimeter.
The two worked in sync, setting up simple alarm devices around the camp-an elementary warning system made from string and empty cans.
"There's someone thirty meters east," Ayanokoji said suddenly in a low voice, his eyes still fixed on the string in his hands.
Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception and sure enough, picked up a trace of nervousness. "A scout from Class C?"
"Most likely. Ryuen wouldn't pass up any chance to gather information."
Tang Yu's lips curled slightly. "I'll deal with it."
He deliberately spoke loudly to a classmate beside him. "I'm going to the stream to get some water." Then he picked up a bucket and headed toward the scout's hiding place.
As he approached the bushes, Tang Yu pretended to trip over a tree root, and the bucket accidentally flew into the shrubbery.
"Oh! Who's there?" he shouted.
A skinny boy leaped awkwardly out of the bushes, a Class C badge hanging from his uniform.
"S-sorry!" the boy stammered. "I was just... just..."
"Just scouting for Ryuen Kakeru?" Tang Yu smiled, finishing the sentence for him as he activated Emotion Perception. The Emotion Cloud above the boy's head instantly turned a panicked red.
[Fear from a Class C scout +100]
"Go back and tell Ryuen that Class D isn't a pushover," Tang Yu said in a lowered voice. "If he wants information, he can come talk to me himself."
The boy fled in a panic. Tang Yu returned to camp and found Ayanokoji waiting for him.
"Did you handle it?" Ayanokoji asked.
Tang Yu nodded. "Ryuen will soon find out we're not easy to mess with."
"You deliberately provoked him?" A hint of surprise flashed in Ayanokoji's eyes.
"Rather than let him stir up trouble from the shadows, we might as well draw him out into the open," Tang Yu explained. "An angry person is more likely to make mistakes."
By noon, Class D's camp had begun to take shape. The tent area, storage area, and cooking area were all neatly arranged, and they had even built a simple watchtower.
The other classes were clearly lagging behind. Class A was too cautious, Class B's excessive democracy had made them inefficient, and Class C was spending its energy harassing others.
"We're ahead," Hirata said with relief.
Horikita Suzune was teaching several girls how to identify edible plants. "This wild vegetable is edible, but that mushroom is poisonous..."
Tang Yu noticed Ayanokoji standing alone at the edge of camp, looking toward Class C's campsite in the distance. He walked over and followed his gaze. Ryuen Kakeru was heading their way with several tall boys.
"Trouble's coming," Tang Yu said softly.
Ayanokoji nodded. "Now comes the test of your strategy."
Ryuen Kakeru, Class C's tyrant, stood nearly 1.9 meters tall. Beneath his short black hair was a sharply defined face, and his eyes held a predator's ferocity. Three muscular boys followed behind him, clearly looking for trouble.
The Class D students immediately grew tense. Ken Sudō and several other athletes stepped forward to block their way. "What do you want?"
Ryuen ignored Sudō. His gaze swept over the group before settling on Tang Yu. "You're that transfer student from China? I heard you threatened one of my men today."
Tang Yu stepped forward calmly. "It was just a friendly exchange. Welcome to the Class D camp. Would you like a tour?"
[Annoyance from Ryuen Kakeru +80]
Ryuen narrowed his eyes. "You've got some nerve. But in a place like this, with no teachers watching every minute, accidents can happen pretty easily."
The blatant threat stirred the Class D students around them. Tang Yu only smiled. "That's true. For instance, an 'accident' like Class C choosing a poor campsite and getting flooded by the tide in the middle of the night."
"You!" A boy behind Ryuen shouted angrily and stepped forward, but Ryuen stopped him with a raised hand.
"Interesting." Ryuen stared at Tang Yu. "Looks like Class D isn't all useless. But don't think you can survive out here just because you can solve a few math problems."
Tang Yu shrugged. "We may not be as good at violence as Class C. But the test is scored on 'quality of survival' and 'teamwork,' not on who's better at fighting."
[Anger from Class C members +120]
Ryuen's expression darkened. "You've got a sharp tongue. I hope you're still this cocky three days from now."
Just as tensions were reaching a breaking point, a gentle female voice came from the side. "Could everyone calm down?"
Honami Ichinose, the leader of Class B, walked over with a few classmates. Her short, flaxen hair shone golden in the sunlight, and her face was filled with sincere concern.
"Ryuen, the test has only just begun. There's no need for this, is there?" Ichinose urged.
Ryuen gave a cold snort. "Does Class B want to get involved, too?"
"I just think everyone should get along peacefully." Ichinose replied with a smile, but Tang Yu's Emotion Perception picked up on her inner nervousness. This kind-hearted girl was genuinely worried that the conflict would escalate.
"Hmph. Boring." Ryuen gave Tang Yu one last glare, then left with his men.
Ichinose breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Tang Yu. "Are you all right?"
"Thanks for stepping in," Tang Yu said politely, quickly assessing the leader of Class B. Ichinose's Emotion Cloud was a warm pink-orange, filled with sincere goodwill.