A Deal with Teacher Chazhu

"Wait, Ayanokoji!"

Horikita called after Ayanokoji, who was walking away without looking back.

"What is it?"

Hearing her call, Ayanokoji slowed down. Horikita soon caught up with him.

"About those scores before... tell me why you did that."

"Didn't I already explain? It was all a coincidence. Just a coincidence."

"You think I'll believe that?"

"Believe what you want. You seem pretty obsessed with Class A, though."

"Can't I just want the benefits of graduating from Class A?" Horikita retorted.

"Of course you can. Most people come to this school for that. But once they get here, they discover that only Class A gets those benefits." Ayanokoji looked at Horikita and continued:

"So the only way is to compete your way into Class A."

Horikita nodded. "That's true. I used to think that as long as I got into this school and graduated, I'd reach the finish line."

"Now I've realized I haven't even made it to the starting line." Horikita's voice grew noticeably more subdued.

"So what are you going to do? Keep working toward Class A?"

"Of course. If I ask the school and they still tell me I can't transfer classes, then I'll work to get our class promoted to A."

"That won't be easy. Class D is 'full of talent,' after all, and we've already fallen far behind the other classes in just the first month."

"I know that, which is why I'm going to ask the school first."

"All right."

"Actually, I don't think the school will keep sitting back and watching the other classes. If it did, there'd be no point in competing, would there?"

"True." Ryoji nodded in understanding.

"In my opinion, the next chance to raise our Class Points is the Midterm Exam in two weeks. If there's a penalty for getting expelled, there must be a reward, too."

After speaking, Horikita looked meaningfully at Ayanokoji. Her intent couldn't have been clearer.

"I'm not helping." Ayanokoji answered without a moment's thought. When he saw Horikita fall silent, he continued, worried she might be upset:

"Go ask Mu Tianchen. You saw him today—he's much smarter than I am."

"He is smart, but I'm not close to him. I'd feel much more confident leaving it to you. Thanks for the trouble, Ayanokoji."

"Hey, hey, I never agreed to anything."

"I heard your inner thoughts. You said, 'Sure, no problem.'"

Ryoji: "..."

"Once I've come up with a strategy, I'll contact you. I'll be counting on you then."

In the blink of an eye, Horikita and Ayanokoji had left the Teacher Office Building. After her final remark, Horikita hurried off as if she had somewhere to be.

Before leaving, Ayanokoji glanced back toward Teacher Chazhu's Office.

Why had she asked to speak with Mu Tianchen alone...?

Was it simply about getting promoted to Class A, or...?

"Tell me why you transferred here."

After Ayanokoji and Horikita had left, Teacher Chazhu turned to Mu Tianchen and asked.

"Why? I don't know either. If I had to guess, maybe it was for the benefits I mentioned earlier."

Mu Tianchen answered calmly.

"You think I'll believe that?"

"Believe what you want. If that's all, I'll be going."

With that, Mu Tianchen headed straight for the door.

Why had he come to this school? Honestly, he didn't know. But all sorts of signs suggested that his father had deliberately sent him here, and might even have used Uncle Sakura's connections.

"Honestly, you're such an annoying student."

Teacher Chazhu sighed and spread a sheet of paper across the desk. "Take a look."

"If you leave now, I'll have you expelled. I don't want students whose backgrounds I know nothing about in my class."

Why was she threatening him with expulsion again?

And what did she mean by knowing nothing about his background? Hadn't he filled out all the necessary forms before coming here?

Besides, given how unusual this school was, he couldn't imagine they wouldn't investigate their students' backgrounds.

Curious, Mu Tianchen turned around and walked over to Teacher Chazhu to look at the paper.

Name: Mu Tianchen

Class: Year 1, Class D

Academic Ability: ??

Intelligence: ??

Physical Ability: ??

Judgment: ??

Teamwork: ??

Interviewer's Comments: ???

What was going on? Why were they all question marks? Not only was Teacher Chazhu puzzled—he was, too.

Had the interviewer glanced at the camera that day and received instructions from someone watching?

But wouldn't that make it far too obvious? It was just like Ayanokoji's clumsy acting...

Mu Tianchen couldn't help making a sarcastic remark to himself.

"Can you tell me why now?"

After Mu Tianchen had been silent for quite a while, Teacher Chazhu spoke first.

"How am I supposed to explain it? I really don't know. If you keep asking, you'll get the same answer. There's no point."

"Fine." Teacher Chazhu sighed again.

"From the moment I discovered your file had been sealed, I've been keeping a close eye on you."

"On the first day of school, you gained 360,000 points. Then, on some later day, you suddenly gained about a million more."

Teacher Chazhu really was annoying. She'd investigated him in incredible detail.

"Then... you can at least tell me why you collected so many points, right?"

"I can. But first, Teacher Chazhu, let me ask you: what's the most important thing in this society?" Mu Tianchen asked in return.

"What's the point of asking me that?" Teacher Chazhu asked, puzzled.

"Don't worry about that. Just answer."

"Fine. In my view, the most important thing is to stay alive—to survive."

"Then what's the foundation of survival?"

"Supplies, of course."

"And money is the foundation for buying supplies. At this school, points are equivalent to money."

"I see. So that's why you figured out the rules from the very beginning."

"Actually, I have your reminder—'There's nothing points can't buy'—to thank for that."

"You're quite clever. Since you think points are so important, how about we make a deal?"

Teacher Chazhu slowly took a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and drew one out, placing it between her lips.

The lighter clicked, and the cigarette caught. She took a gentle drag, seeming to enjoy it.

"Go ahead." Mu Tianchen thought for a moment before replying.

He had a pretty good idea what Teacher Chazhu's deal would be. She wanted him to help the class reach Class A. He'd already figured that out when he'd taught Horikita a lesson earlier.

Teacher Chazhu lowered her cigarette and stared into Mu Tianchen's eyes. "I'll give you the points you need. In return, you'll help me lead Class D."