Triggering a Conversation and the Collapsing Sudo

He stood where he was, using Psychokinesis and his senses to silently sweep the surrounding environment.

Everything was normal, however; there were only a few students hurrying by, none of whom were carrying dangerous items or showing any malice toward him.

"Tch," Lin Mu clicked his tongue, muttering to himself, Forget it, I can't figure it out.

Anyway, with my abilities, no one in this academy should be able to actually hurt me. I'll ponder it slowly after the exams tomorrow.

He then resumed his stride, habitually reaching into the pocket of his uniform trousers, only to find that just a single grape-flavored lollipop remained.

He peeled off the wrapper and popped it into his mouth, then remembered that the stash of snacks and spare lollipops in his dorm room was also running low.

His brow furrowed immediately.

Restocking... what a hassle.

(Actually, the academy offers delivery, but I need to go out to trigger the plot.)

Having to go to the convenience store, pick things out, carry them back... just thinking about these steps made him feel like his chronic laziness was about to flare up.

But... a life without lollipops and snacks was unimaginable! Could that even be called living? That would be ascetic monk training!

Despite his deep reluctance, his dependence on sweets and snack foods, along with the excuse of maintaining his "full-power state," ultimately triumphed over his inertia.

Lin Mu sighed, resigned to his fate, and changed direction to head toward the academy convenience store.

As soon as he entered the store, he activated "shopping mode."

His gaze locked precisely onto the candy section, grabbing two large bags of every flavor of lollipop—milk, strawberry, grape, orange, cola, mint...

On the adjacent potato chip shelf, he grabbed several large bags of various brands and flavors as well.

(Cucumber-flavored chips are delicious.)

Biscuits, chocolate wafers, small bags of nuts, and a certain brand of lactic acid drink he had been enjoying lately... in no time, his shopping basket was piled high.

At checkout, his terminal deducted a considerable amount of points, but he didn't even blink.

He walked out of the convenience store carrying two heavy bags of "strategic supplies," the cool evening breeze brushing against his face.

"Since I'm already here..."

He looked at the flashing neon signs of the academy's commercial district not far away, and this classic thought popped into his head.

And so, his footsteps veered away from the direct route back to the dorms, turning toward his favorite dessert shop in the commercial district.

Strawberry cream cake, give me two;

Chocolate lava cake, looks good, give me one;

Matcha red bean pudding, sweet and refreshing, give me a box;

And the new mango pancake...

(Flying horse year Wang Wenwen, Lu Bu jumps with his ultimate.)

By the time he emerged from the dessert shop feeling satisfied, he had two more exquisite paper bags filled to the brim in his hands.

Consequently, for the final stretch back to the dorms, Lin Mu's image became somewhat comical: a 178cm-tall white-haired boy with a cold, handsome face, a lollipop dangling from his mouth.

With two bulging bags in each hand, he walked along the evening campus path with a slightly heavy but still lazy rhythm.

Fortunately, there weren't many people on the road, otherwise, the number of heads turning to look at him would likely have been even higher.

Just as he passed a fork in the road leading from the commercial district to the dormitory area, a familiar voice rang out with pleasant surprise:

"Lin Mu-kun!"

Lin Mu looked toward the sound and saw Honami Ichinose walking from another path, also carrying a small shopping bag that seemed to contain some stationery and snacks.

Her long, golden-blonde hair glowed with a warm luster in the evening sunset, and her face was radiant with a sincere and bright smile as she hurried toward him.

"It really is you! Long time no see!"

(Is it a cousin?... It's a younger cousin!)

Ichinose stopped in front of him, her tone full of gratitude, her eyes shining as she looked at him.

"Thank you so much for what you told me last time! After I went back, I thought about it carefully and felt that you were right, Lin Mu-kun.

So, I led the students of Class B to work hard together to maintain good campus habits and take every classroom performance and small quiz seriously..."

The more she spoke, the more excited she became, her tone light: "The results have been really good!

Although our Class B might not be the absolute best, our class points have been very stable this month; we haven't lost any points, and everyone is working together! This is all thanks to your reminder back then!"

Lin Mu watched her energetic and motivated demeanor, comparing it to the mess that was his own Class D. He felt no ripples in his heart, merely nodding faintly:

"It's because you manage them well, and the students of Class B are willing to listen to advice and work hard together."

He spoke the truth, "If it were Class D..." He paused, thinking of the faces in the classroom who remained "I think, therefore I am" and the scene of Ken Sudo slamming the table, then shook his head.

"Even if I reminded them, I doubt many would actually take it to heart. In the end, they'd lose points where they lose points and get zeros where they get zeros."

His words were very blunt, even a bit cold, but Ichinose knew he was stating facts. Her face showed no displeasure; instead, she nodded even more earnestly:

"Yes! That's why I feel very lucky to be with everyone in Class B.

Of course, I'm also very lucky to have met someone like you, Lin Mu-kun... um, a friend?"

When she said "friend," she hesitated slightly, as if unsure whether the term was appropriate, and her cheeks flushed a faint red.

Lin Mu gave a noncommittal response. A friend? Perhaps, at least better than a stranger.

The two stood by the side of the road like this, chatting casually for a few moments.

The topics were nothing more than the recent daily routines of their respective classes and a slight anxiety about the upcoming midterm exams—Honami Ichinose was genuinely anxious, while Lin Mu was faking it. During this, Honami Ichinose looked at Lin Mu and mentioned how a new snack shop in the shopping district tasted.

The atmosphere was relaxed and peaceful, as if two ordinary classmates had bumped into each other and were exchanging pleasantries.

After saying goodbye, Honami Ichinose walked in the opposite direction, her steps light and brisk.

Lin Mu, meanwhile, continued carrying his large bag of "supplies," sauntering slowly back to his dormitory.

In the blink of an eye, the day for the official announcement of the midterm exam results arrived.

Inside the classroom of Class D, the air seemed to have solidified, permeated by a strange atmosphere mixed with tension, anticipation, unease, and a hint of relief.

Everyone held their breath, their eyes locked firmly on Sae Chabashira at the podium, waiting for her to deliver the verdict that would decide their fate.

Thanks to the answers that Kikyo Kushida had gone to "great pains" to obtain, most of the students felt "confident" during the exam and found answering the questions exceptionally smooth.

After the exam, when they compared answers in private, it seemed they were all mostly on the right track.

Therefore, a hint of irrepressible joy and anticipation flowed through the classroom—this time, would they finally be able to earn class points?

Would they finally be able to escape the nightmare of a zero score?

Sae Chabashira stood on the podium, her face still wearing that unchanging, cold expression.

Her gaze was like ice, slowly sweeping over every expectant face below, and the corners of her mouth seemed to twitch downward in a way that was almost imperceptible.

"To be honest," she began, her voice flat and waveless, echoing clearly through the silent classroom, "I am somewhat shocked."

Many students below felt a surge of joy—shocked by our progress?

However, Sae Chabashira's next sentence instantly made their hearts sink.

"I didn't expect you all to actually get these kinds of scores this time."

Her tone made it impossible to tell if she was praising or criticizing them. "I acknowledge your... superficial 'effort'."

"However," her tone shifted abruptly, and her cold gaze, like a scalpel, pierced precisely toward a certain spot in the back row of the classroom, "one student did not pass."

(Ken Sudo was in the last row by the door)

Her voice paused, and she clearly spat out the name:

"Sudo."

"Boom—!"

It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded in Ken Sudo's mind!

He jerked his head up, the color instantly draining from his face, his eyes wide, his pupils slightly constricted from shock and fear.

He was frozen, stiff in his seat, unable to react for several full seconds.

"No... impossible!"

He finally snapped out of it, and like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he slammed his hands on the desk and stood up, the massive sound making the entire classroom tremble.

His face flushed red, his voice distorted by panic and hysteria as he pointed at Sae Chabashira and shouted a question:

"Stop joking around! I clearly... I clearly memorized the answers! How could I have failed?! You must have made a mistake!"