Working Together 2

Horikita Suzune observed all of this with a cold eye.

To her, Ken Sudō's personal predicament was merely a pawn on a chessboard.

In order to get an A, she could spontaneously organize study sessions and control her score down to 51 points.

They could also take advantage of Ken Sudō's predicament to achieve their own goals.

This incident provided an excellent opportunity to mobilize the core members of the class.

She then took the opportunity to move into classroom management.

"Hirata has finally started making his move..."

She silently recited it in her heart.

This boy, who was once withdrawn, has once again demonstrated his potential as a leader.

Kushida Kikyo's performance was even more unexpected; she perfectly played the role of mediator, temporarily uniting the entire class.

From this perspective, it might not be about Hirata being replaced in terms of leadership, but rather a replacement at other levels.

Horikita Suzune's gaze swept across the classroom, lingering for a moment on Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

This seemingly ordinary boy always manages to offer crucial advice at critical moments.

Just like the analysis of "direct rivals and potential rivals" mentioned earlier, Kanji Ike out of school.

Although he doesn't show his true colors on the surface, Horikita Suzune vaguely senses that he might not be as simple as he appears.

"If we could also involve Tanaka Yukishin and Koenji Rokusuke..."

Horikita Suzune's thoughts continued to wander, but she quickly dismissed the idea.

Tanaka Yukishin and Koenji Rokusuke in their words and deeds and have great destructive power.

This could very well disrupt the existing delicate balance.

She recalled the incident where Kanji Ike failed his exam; if it weren't for the intervention of these two people, things might not have escalated to the point of expulsion.

What a class needs is controllable forces, not unpredictable variables.

Add it to the shortlist and wait for the right opportunity.

"However..." Horikita Suzune's lips curled up slightly, "This incident has made me see a lot of things more clearly."

She noticed Sakura Airi's unusual reaction; this girl, who was usually almost invisible, was unusually nervous at this moment.

Perhaps... she saw something?

They were wary of Tanaka Yukishin's attitude.

Horikita Suzune decided to hold back for the time being.

After all, it's only a possibility; she may not have actually seen it.

The most important thing now is to maintain the appearance of unity in the class and allow Hirata and Kushida to continue to exert their influence.

As for Sakura Airi... she will contact her alone at the appropriate time.

Chapter 98 97 Combined Force 2

After school, the sun shone through the windows into the classroom, casting an orange glow.

Hirata Yosuke, Kushida Kikyo, Horikita Suzune, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and a few others gathered together.

Hirata Yosuke pushed several desks together, his golden hair gleaming softly in the sunlight.

He rested his hands on his chin, his brows slightly furrowed, and his voice was deep and steady.

"Several classes have passed. According to Chabashira-sensei, each class has already been notified during the afternoon classes."

Kushida Kikyo sat beside him, her slender fingers gently intertwined, their fingertips unconsciously tapping each other.

She blinked her large, watery eyes, her thick eyelashes casting soft shadows on her cheeks.

"In other words, even if there were witnesses who were students from other classes, they had no intention of helping."

Her voice was soft, but carried a clear worry.

Horikita Suzune leaned against the window, her long black hair gently swaying in the breeze.

She crossed her arms, and the profile of her face was exceptionally clear in the sunlight.

"If there are no witnesses..." She paused, her thin lips forming a straight line, "The situation would be even worse. Ken Sudō's words cannot be verified."

At the classroom door, Tanaka Yukishin leaned lazily against the doorframe, watching with great interest, a faint smile playing on her lips.

He snorted softly upon hearing this conversation.

"Boring."

Karuizawa Kei tugged at his sleeve.

"They're leaving."

She pouted and impatiently tapped the ground with her toes.

Sakura Airi followed behind the two as always.

He gripped his backpack straps tightly with both hands, his gaze always lowered.

Koenji Rokusuke sat alone, elegantly sipping his black tea, seemingly oblivious to the discussion, as if he were in another world.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sat in the corner, hands in his pockets, and calmly made the suggestion.

"Maybe they're upperclassmen?" He said in a casual tone, as if discussing the weather.

"Same here." Hirata Yosuke sighed, rubbing his temples with his long, slender fingers. "Their absence means they have no intention of helping."

At the back of the classroom, Ken Sudō paced back and forth anxiously, glancing in their direction every now and then.

Wang Meiyu pretended to be reading a book, but in reality, she was eavesdropping.

Matsushita Chiaki's movements as she packed her bag noticeably slowed, her fingers unconsciously tracing the edges of the books.

Regarding the opportunity that the class began to solidify into a cohesive group, she considered whether she should join.

Kushida Kikyo's eyes suddenly lit up, and she clasped her hands together.

"Perhaps we could use points to seek evidence on the forum?" A faint blush rose on her cheeks with excitement.

"If it's anonymous..." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping thoughtfully across the classroom. "If someone really sees it, they'd probably be willing. After all, it's free points."

"How much would be appropriate? How about 100,000?" Kushida Kikyo asked, tilting her head.

"Too little." Horikita Suzune shook her head, calmly holding up five fingers. "500,000."

"100,000 is already a lot!" Kushida Kikyo exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise. Then she lowered her voice, "Isn't your 500,000 a bit too much...?"

Seeing Tanaka Yukishin lazily straightened up.

"It seems some people haven't figured it out yet."

After saying that, she led Karuizawa Kei and Sakura Airi out of the classroom.

Horikita Suzune's gaze followed their departing figures, then turned to the group.

"It seems you haven't figured something out yet."

Her voice was clear and strong. "If we can obtain real and valid evidence to prove that Ken Sudō is telling the truth, then Class C, as the one who framed him, will have to pay three times the price of Ken Sudō. Moreover, the 500,000 yen can be paid directly by Class C. If possible, I would even like to give 1 million yen."

As she said this, a barely perceptible smile curved her lips.

Koenji Rokusuke suddenly chuckled softly and gracefully set down his teacup.

"An interesting game."

His voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the entire classroom.

Hirata Yosuke nodded thoughtfully.

His gaze toward Horikita Suzune was filled with admiration.

"Indeed, regardless of the outcome, this approach can enhance class cohesion."

"Now, is it okay to send a group message about the passing of a certain person, the 'Nine' incident, or the 'Dad'?"

Kushida Kikyo asked eagerly.

No rush.

Horikita Suzune interrupted, her sharp gaze sweeping over the group. "We won't release it for now. Although we don't know the extent of the other classes' attitudes, or whether they've also considered this matter, this kind of school-wide offensive strategy, if kept hidden, might become a decisive factor in some future incident."

Ken Sudō finally couldn't resist and leaned closer.

"So what do we do now?"

His voice was full of anxiety.

"As planned."

Hirata Yosuke gently patted his shoulder and said in a reassuring tone, "Let's go to Class A and Class B for help and establish an alliance with them."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka added.

"Today is Monday, there are still six and a half days until next Monday." He glanced at his watch. "If there's no progress by Thursday, we'll consider the bounty again."

Matsushita Chiaki packed her bag and passed by, she said softly, "If you need any help, you can ask me."

After saying that, he quickly left.

As the students gradually left, the classroom slowly quieted down.

Hirata Yosuke stood up, his golden hair still dazzling in the sunlight.

"That's enough about the exchange for today. Let's get started."

The four of them packed their things and prepared to leave.

Only Koenji Rokusuke remained in the classroom, elegantly sipping his now-cold black tea, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

Watching the departing figures of the group, he recalled a passage from Atsushi Nakajima's "The Moon Over the Mountain".

I fear I am not a fine jade, so I dare not strive to polish myself; yet I also half believe I am a fine jade, so I refuse to live a mediocre life, associating with rubble.

These people have begun to radiate a beautiful light.

"No wonder Tanaka-kun enjoys this so much," Koenji Rokusuke muttered to himself. "If there's no beauty, then cultivate it yourself..."

"Unfortunately, not everyone is worthy of my crafting."

He gently swirled the teacup, the ripples of tea reflecting on the ceiling like swaying starlight.

In the corridor, sunlight slanted across the floor, casting long shadows of the four people.

Horikita Suzune walked at the front, the ends of her long black hair swaying gently with each step.

Suddenly, she stopped and turned around.

"About the bounty,"

She lowered her voice, her crimson eyes flashing sharply in the sunlight, "I suggest we prepare two announcements. One official version with 500,000 points, and one trial version with 200,000 points."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka leaned naturally against the window, sunlight filtering through the glass and casting dappled shadows on his calm face.

"A very reasonable strategy. Test the waters with a small amount first, then decide whether to increase the stake."

His voice remained calm, but his gaze thoughtfully swept across the end of the corridor.

Hirata Yosuke stood in the direct sunlight, his golden hair almost blending into the sunlight.

"This way we can save points and avoid alerting them. However..." He frowned slightly, his tone softening as he turned to Kushida Kikyo, "If the other classes find out we're probing..."

Kushida Kikyo immediately understood, and she winked playfully.

The sunlight shone on her radiant smile.

"Leave this to me! I can pretend it was an accident. After all, I'm best at accidentally letting things slip."

Horikita Suzune gave a soft hum, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly.

"They've certainly made the best use of everything."

Just then, the sound of scattered footsteps came from afar.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka straightened up, the shadow of the eaves obscuring his calm face.

His gaze shifted in the direction from which the sound came.