Starting with 100,000 Personal Points

Everyone refrained from initiating conversation, maintaining a state of equilibrium where they left each other alone, bordering on indifference.

This state of affairs made Lin Mu feel incredibly comfortable.

It seemed that as long as he maintained this low-profile, lazy mode, his three years in Class D might be even more peaceful than he had anticipated.

He tilted his head slightly to glance at Airi Sakura, who was still keeping her head down to his right. After a moment of thought, he reached into his pocket and pulled out another milk-flavored lollipop.

He reached out and gently placed it on the corner of the desk right next to him.

The movement was quick, making almost no sound at all.

Airi Sakura seemed startled by the subtle movement; her shoulders gave a sharp jerk. She cautiously raised her gaze just a fraction to see the perfectly wrapped lollipop on the corner of her desk.

She cast a quick glance at Lin Mu (who had already pulled his hand back and was staring straight ahead again, looking as indifferent as if he had done nothing at all).

Her entire face flushed bright red, like a ripe apple.

She stared at the candy, her fingers twitching. After what seemed like a long hesitation, she nudged the candy to the center of her desk and lowered her head again, though the blush on her ears refused to fade for a long time.

Suzune Horikita, on his left, seemed to catch the scene out of the corner of her eye and let out a barely audible huff.

Her lips curled, and the coldness and sense of "I knew it" in her eyes intensified, but she still didn't say a word.

Lin Mu ignored the reactions from both sides, contentedly continuing to savor his grape-flavored lollipop.

Leave each other alone. Perfect. That was exactly what he wanted.

The self-introduction segment finally drew to a close, and the classroom regained a measure of reassuring quiet.

The students who were willing to introduce themselves had already finished, and the few who remained were either introverted and shy, or felt it was meaningless and couldn't be bothered to participate.

Seeing that the process had come to an end, they each lowered their heads to fiddle with their phones, chat with new acquaintances, or stare blankly out the window.

No one forced the issue—after all, not everyone was keen on social performance; some preferred the bustle, while others were accustomed to silence.

Lin Mu, sucking on his nearly finished lollipop, watched coldly as some of his Class D classmates gathered in small groups to continue chatting after their introductions.

He only hoped that the mysterious homeroom teacher of Class D would appear soon to end this long and boring pre-class segment.

As if responding to his (and several other quiet students') inner wishes, the classroom door was pushed open with a loud "bang" at that very moment.

A capable, upright figure exuding an undeniable, chilling aura strode in.

The person was a woman of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, wearing a simple dark gray professional suit. Her long hair was tied back meticulously, revealing a pair of eyes as sharp as a hawk's.

Her expression was stern, the corners of her mouth naturally downturned. There was no warmth to welcome the new students; instead, she carried an air of official scrutiny.

As soon as she stepped into the classroom, her gaze swept across the entire room, taking in everyone's posture and expression.

Then, a cold voice filled with unquestionable authority rang out:

"Everyone, return to your seats and sit down immediately!"

Although her tone was flat, the students who had been chatting or walking around in the aisles or by other people's desks were like puppets pushed by an invisible hand; they quickly returned to their seats and sat up straight, even stopping their whispering.

Only the slight sound of chairs shifting remained in the classroom.

Sae Chabashira did not seem to approve of this sudden quiet, as if it were only to be expected.

She walked straight to the podium and placed a thick stack of materials she was holding onto the desk with a loud "thud."

The crisp sound of paper hitting the desk was exceptionally clear in the silent classroom, adding a few more layers of pressure to her arrival.

She rested her hands on the edge of the podium, looked up, and let her gaze slowly and forcefully sweep over every young, nervous, or curious face in the room.

Then, in a steady tone that was almost devoid of emotional fluctuation, she began her self-introduction:

"I am Sae Chabashira, the homeroom teacher for your Class D."

"A reminder to everyone," she paused to ensure everyone heard what followed, "in this school, there is no system for changing classes halfway through.

Since you have been assigned to Class D, then for the next three years, as long as you remain in this school, I will be your homeroom teacher.

I am responsible for all your school affairs—academics, daily life, discipline, and most importantly, your points."

Having said that, she stopped looking at the students' reactions and reached for the stack of materials on the podium, handing them to the student in the front row and signaling for them to be passed back:

"These are the <Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School Student Handbook>; everyone take one and be sure to read it carefully.

Our school operates under special rules independent of the outside world, and there are a few basic matters that must be clarified first."

With her hands behind her back, she paced back and forth in front of the podium, her voice echoing clearly through the classroom:

"First, this school is a fully enclosed boarding facility. During your time at the school, no student is permitted to leave the campus grounds without authorization.

Furthermore, private contact with the outside world—including your families—in any form is strictly prohibited.

All external communication must be conducted through channels designated by the school and will be subject to management."

"Whoa—"

These words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake; a wave of irrepressible gasps and hushed exclamations erupted throughout the classroom.

Many students wore expressions of shock and disbelief, exchanging uneasy glances with one another. Completely enclosed?

Even contact with family is controlled? For teenagers accustomed to the freedom of modern life, this was undoubtedly a bombshell.

Sae Chabashira ignored the commotion below, as if she had long anticipated this reaction.

She stopped in her tracks and added, "There is no need for excessive worry."

The campus is fully equipped with all kinds of facilities, ranging from supermarkets, cafeterias, and hospitals for daily necessities, to cinemas, gyms, cafes, and even some specialty stores for entertainment and leisure.

As long as you do not leave the campus, your daily life can proceed completely as normal, and it is even more convenient and centralized than in the outside world.

She softened her tone slightly, though it remained cold: "Second, cash is not used for on-campus consumption; you will use the personal points in your student terminals for all settlements."

Points can be used to exchange for all goods and services within the campus, with one point equal to one yen.

On the first of every month, the school will distribute points to each student's personal account.

Having said this, she paused deliberately, her gaze seemingly sweeping over a few students who were still whispering to each other, and those individuals immediately fell silent.

Then, she dropped the information that made the hearts of all students in Class D race:

"This month's points, one hundred thousand, have already been transferred to your student terminals. You may check and confirm for yourselves right now."

One hundred thousand points! Equivalent to one hundred thousand yen!

"For real?!"

"One hundred thousand? That much?!"

"Quick, check the terminal!"

After a brief, dead silence, the classroom instantly exploded!

(Event period: May 1st to May 5th)