Encounter at the Stronghold: The Disguised Leader and the Lurking Shadow

The light in the forest grew increasingly dim. Vines coiled around tree trunks, and the thick layer of fallen leaves underfoot crunched with every step. Suzune Horikita's gaze was sharp, sweeping over every rise in the terrain as she carefully scrutinized the area for signs of a base. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji followed steadily behind her, his expression calm, though he was quietly observing their surroundings, remaining vigilant for members of other classes who might appear.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, a flat plateau came into view not far ahead. In the center of the plateau stood an inconspicuous metal marker engraved with the small number "3"—it was one of the bases designated by the school. Suzune Horikita immediately raised a hand to signal Kiyotaka Ayanokoji to stop. Subconsciously, they lowered their profiles, ducking behind a thick, ancient tree nearby to observe with cautious eyes.

Two figures from Class A were turning away from the base marker: Kohei Katsuragi and Yahiko. Yahiko held a silver card in his hand, his fingertips lightly brushing the edges as he looked somewhat nervous. Kohei Katsuragi walked beside him with a stern expression, reaching out to pat Yahiko on the shoulder. His voice was kept extremely low, yet it was still sharp enough for Suzune Horikita to catch a few fragments.

"Keep the Leader card safe; you must not be careless." Kohei Katsuragi's tone carried an unquestionable gravity, and he deliberately raised his volume slightly, as if emphasizing something specific. "As the leader of Class A, with Classmate Sakayanagi absent this time, holding the base and stabilizing our points depends entirely on us. You must be cautious and ensure there are no slip-ups."

Yahiko nodded hurriedly, carefully tucking the Leader card into the inner pocket of his uniform, and replied in a low voice, "Classmate Katsuragi, I understand. I will definitely guard the card and not betray your trust."

Kohei Katsuragi nodded slightly, then frowned, his gaze slowly sweeping across the forest surrounding the base. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, as if checking for any hidden outsiders. His gaze passed over the ancient tree where Suzune Horikita and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji were hiding, lingering for a mere two seconds, but he discovered nothing—Kiyotaka Ayanokoji had already pulled Suzune Horikita down, keeping their breathing light and blending perfectly into the surrounding environment.

"There shouldn't be anyone," Kohei Katsuragi said, withdrawing his gaze. His tone softened slightly, yet it still held a trace of imperceptible vigilance. "But we still cannot let our guard down. Every class is scouting bases now, and conflicts are inevitable. Let's return to our camp first and arrange for people to re-occupy the base at set intervals. We must ensure we don't miss a single check-in and secure this 1-point bonus."

"Understood." Yahiko nodded, and the two walked side-by-side toward the Class A camp. Their footsteps were steady, and they remained vigilant until their figures completely disappeared into the depths of the dense forest. Only then did Suzune Horikita and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji slowly stand up.

"Kohei Katsuragi is the leader of Class A?" Suzune Horikita frowned, her tone laced with doubt. "He was quite straightforward, actually stating his identity in public and even taking out the Leader card."

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji watched the direction where Kohei Katsuragi and Yahiko had disappeared. A trace of imperceptible deep thought flashed in his eyes, and his tone was flat but carried a hint of certainty: "Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?" Suzune Horikita looked at him, completely puzzled.

"Kohei Katsuragi's vigilance is too high," Kiyotaka Ayanokoji said slowly. "His movements while checking the surroundings were too deliberate, and the fact that he specifically emphasized being the leader actually makes it seem unnatural. Furthermore, if he were truly worried about his identity being exposed, he would never have easily stated it in a place like a base where people are likely to run into them, let alone let Yahiko take out the Leader card in public."

Suzune Horikita paused, carefully recalling the scene just now, and gradually felt that Kiyotaka Ayanokoji's words made sense. "Are you saying he was deliberately acting for others to see? But he didn't know we were here."

"Perhaps he sensed something, or perhaps he had already prepared for such a contingency. Regardless, it is highly probable that Kohei Katsuragi is not the true leader of Class A." Kiyotaka Ayanokoji said no more, his gaze resting on the metal marker of the base.

Suzune Horikita nodded, suppressing the doubts in her heart. She and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji eventually found a more secluded base to occupy before heading back to the Class D camp, preparing to discuss arranging shifts for re-occupation. Yet, Kohei Katsuragi's remark, "As the leader of Class A," and his deliberate way of checking the surroundings continued to linger in Suzune Horikita's mind, planting a seed of suspicion.

At the same time, Mio Ibuki, the spy planted by Kakeru Ryuen and disguised as an outcast from Class C, followed the route to the Class D camp. Her cheek bore a faint bruise, and there were slight scratches on her forearm. She deliberately put on a timid and helpless appearance, her demeanor humble and her tone carrying a hint of pleading: "Everyone, because I refused to obey Classmate Ryuen's management, he kicked me out of Class C in front of everyone. He actually wanted to spend all our points at once; it's incomprehensible."

Yosuke Hirata looked at the bruise on her face and the scratches on her arm, and hearing that she had been expelled by Kakeru Ryuen, he felt a surge of compassion. He was about to agree, but Suzune Horikita stopped him. "Wait," Suzune Horikita said, eyeing Mio Ibuki with a vigilant gaze. "We don't know your background; we can't just take you in. Besides, Class D is currently arranging base scouting and camp construction; we need all our manpower for coordination and don't have the energy to spare for outsiders."

A flash of panic crossed Mio Ibuki's eyes. She subconsciously covered the wound on her forearm, then immediately feigned an even more aggrieved expression. "I really don't have any bad intentions. I just want to find a place to stay; I truly cannot obey Kakeru Ryuen."

Yosuke Hirata hesitated for a moment. Looking at Mio Ibuki's wounds and her timid expression, he finally nodded. "Alright then, you can stay, but you must follow the rules of Class D. Do not act without permission, do not use class points privately, and obey our arrangements. If we find anything suspicious about you, we will kick you out immediately."

Mio Ibuki felt a secret thrill and hurriedly nodded in thanks. She deliberately kept her wounds exposed, pretending to be honest and dutiful, while secretly beginning to observe the core decision-makers of Class D. She sought to find out who the hidden leader of the class was, gathering intelligence in secret and preparing to pass information to Kakeru Ryuen on the cruise ship at any time. Especially after learning that Suzune Horikita and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji had supposedly encountered the "leader" identity of Kohei Katsuragi from Class A while scouting, she accelerated her efforts, hoping to confirm the Class D leader as soon as possible while passing the Class A lead to Kakeru Ryuen.

Unlike the previous chaos, under Yosuke Hirata's mediation and coordination, Class D gradually got on the right track: the temporary toilets were successfully exchanged, food and water were distributed as needed, the base scouting team set out in an orderly fashion, and the camp construction proceeded steadily. However, the lurking spy, the unknown locations of the bases, the rule that bases needed to be periodically re-occupied, and the secret layouts of other classes remained like hidden undercurrents, capable of breaking this brief peace at any moment. Meanwhile, Suzune Horikita and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji continued to scout the forest, unaware of whether what awaited them ahead was the trace of a base or some other unexpected surprise.