Quick Calculation

In a corner of the library, Wu Qiao had somehow acquired a chessboard. He was currently flipping through a rulebook while fiddling with the black and white pieces on the board.

Ichinose Honami had never really played before, so she sat by his side, playing a casual, disjointed game with him.

Resting her chin on her hand, Ichinose watched Wu Qiao—who, in just a few days, had begun to vaguely resemble the bookworm from her first simulation—and became even more convinced that the fault in that previous simulation had been her own.

Or rather, as long as the people around him didn't apply that invisible pressure, this boy was really just a nerd who loved to read and was obsessed with studying.

Even though it was the first time for both of them to play chess, Wu Qiao's speed of adaptation was astonishing. Before long, Ichinose found herself completely unable to keep up with him.

As the "checkmate" was finalized, Ichinose smiled helplessly and tipped over her king.

After the game ended, Wu Qiao didn't put the board away immediately; instead, he continued to browse the book on chess tactics and history. Ichinose blinked at him, asking curiously, "Wu-kun, are you done studying? Why the sudden interest in these books?"

Wu Qiao closed the book and let his gaze rest on the stationary pieces, his tone tinged with a hint of reflection. "Ichinose, there have been two voices in my head lately—one wants to calculate, the other wants to laugh. I feel like people should know how to be happy and find things that make them feel comfortable."

As he spoke, a relaxed smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Of course, Wu Qiao couldn't possibly tell the truth: that leveling up the Path of Erudition was so painful and monotonous, and that feeling of pure mental exhaustion was enough to drive anyone mad.

He had had enough of being a heartless problem-solving machine. Now, he wanted to shift his perspective and try walking the Path of Elation for a bit. After all, if he kept his nerves stretched tight studying all the time, what would happen if he actually drove himself crazy one day?

Hearing his words, Ichinose was stunned for a moment, then a gentle, relieved smile bloomed on her face. "It's great that you think that way, Wu-kun. It really is important to relax occasionally and enjoy the happiness of the present."

Watching Ichinose's genuinely happy expression, Wu Qiao silently mocked himself: It seems that occasionally spouting some ambiguous, literary lines works quite well.

Still, playing chess was definitely more interesting than rote memorization. At least when you lost, you could say "tch" to vent, unlike math problems, where getting the wrong answer just made you question your existence.

Ichinose played a few more games with Wu Qiao. With Wu Qiao distracted—flipping through his book while making moves half-heartedly—Ichinose managed to win a game or two, her face beaming with joy.

Unnoticed, a slender figure leaning on a cane arrived in the corner.

Sakayanagi Arisu stood a short distance away, followed by the taciturn Kamuro Masumi, observing the two playing chess with great interest.

One was trying hard to think, the other was half-hearted; this contrast made her narrow her purple eyes slightly.

After a game concluded, Sakayanagi stepped forward, her voice soft yet carrying an air of undeniable authority. "Would you be interested in a game with me?"

In truth, Sakayanagi hadn't come to the library to read; she was simply there to clock in for an hour, and since she was idle, she might as well play.

Ichinose was surprised to see Sakayanagi, but she didn't think much of it.

Although Sakayanagi was a formidable enemy during the special exams in the simulations, it was just a game of chess; it shouldn't be a big deal. Ichinose generously stepped aside to give up her seat.

Sakayanagi set her cane aside and sat down gracefully. Seeing this, Wu Qiao finally put down his book on chess tactics and shed his lazy demeanor.

The two set up the pieces and began a new game. Sakayanagi looked at the boy across from her, whose expression had shifted slightly, and raised an eyebrow with a playful smile. "Not reading anymore?"

Wu Qiao spoke nonchalantly, "Classmate Sakayanagi of Class A, you're a veteran at chess. I can't afford to be as lax as I was just now."

Hearing this, a hint of pleasure appeared at the corners of Sakayanagi's mouth, and she smiled quite sweetly. "You're well-informed."

As the two began their match, Karuizawa Kei had also quietly arrived at the library. She had originally intended to see how miserable Wu Qiao would be after being "targeted" by Sakayanagi, but to her surprise, she was greeted by the sight of them playing chess in such harmony.

Karuizawa hid behind a bookshelf, watching the scene, and couldn't help but mutter to herself: Is this what that broken system meant by "being targeted"?

The atmosphere looked more like experts exchanging blows and admiring each other! That Wu Qiao was actually able to sit down and play chess on equal footing with Sakayanagi from Class A...

She gripped her phone, watching the black and white pieces on the board, and vaguely felt that behind this seemingly calm game, an invisible storm was brewing.

Soon, after only a few moves, Sakayanagi keenly sensed that something was wrong with Wu Qiao. This guy... he was playing speed chess.

Every time she finished her move, the time he took to think before his next move never exceeded five seconds.

The fluid, rhythmic pace of his moves seemed as if he didn't need to think at all, advancing entirely by instinct or some pre-calculated path.

Seeing her opponent being so arrogant as to play speed chess, the pride in Sakayanagi's bones wouldn't allow her to respond sluggishly. She didn't want to be outdone and increased her own pace, attempting to suppress him with rhythm.

However, the biggest problem with speed chess was that it severely tested one's mentality and calculation ability; a single careless move could lead to a fatal error. After just one wrong step, the game Sakayanagi took pride in instantly fell into a one-sided, passive state.

She was shocked to discover that Wu Qiao hadn't made a single mistake from start to finish; every response was as precise as pre-written program code.

After struggling for a moment and seeing that her retreat was completely sealed off, Sakayanagi realized she was in a dead end. She exhaled softly, looked up, and stared directly at the boy across from her. "How long have you been playing?"

Wu Qiao tilted his head, his tone incredibly relaxed. "I just learned today. But I've learned many things; games like this are basically about who can make a mistake later. You were too impatient."

Sakayanagi couldn't help but scoff, her purple eyes flashing with a competitive light. "Weren't you even more impatient?"

Wu Qiao shook his head, pointed a finger at his own head, and explained with a straight face, "I calculate fast."

The words were understated, yet carried an absolute confidence that left no room for rebuttal. Hiding behind the bookshelf, Karuizawa couldn't help but roll her eyes: Is this guy humble-bragging? He just learned today and he's already crushing the monster from Class A without any resistance, and he calls it "calculating fast"? This is just a conversation between monsters!

Sakayanagi stared at Wu Qiao for a few seconds, then smiled helplessly and elegantly tipped over her king. "Indeed, I lost. It seems there is another interesting variable in Advanced Nurturing High School, but don't get too happy just yet."

Sakayanagi didn't dwell on it. A game was like a battlefield; in speed chess, whoever made the first mistake was the unlucky one. She could afford to lose and never made excuses. She simply added a special tag to the mysterious boy in her mind and said nothing more.

Just as the game ended, Wu Qiao keenly caught a movement behind the bookshelf.

There was no helping it; the corner of that signature jacket tied around her waist was far too conspicuous.

Wu Qiao stood up and waved toward the bookshelf. "Come out, Kei. Why did you run over here today?"

Seeing that she had been discovered, Karuizawa realized there was no point in pretending. She walked out from behind the bookshelf, scratching her head. "Nothing, Wu-kun. I was just passing by and came to take a look."

Although Karuizawa had previously been caught and "threatened" by Wu Qiao, he hadn't done anything excessive and had even helped her, so the two were currently able to maintain this superficial harmony and tacit understanding.

Ichinose, standing to the side, was somewhat surprised by Karuizawa's sudden appearance. In her impression, Karuizawa's presence in previous simulations hadn't been high—she was the type easily overlooked—and she had almost no deep impression of her. She hadn't expected her to be so close with Wu Qiao.

Seeing that it was getting late, the three exchanged brief greetings before leaving the library.

Once the noisy footsteps faded, only two people remained in the quiet corner. Sakayanagi rose slowly, leaning on her cane, lost in thought about Wu Qiao's comment regarding his "fast calculation."

She turned and looked at her capable subordinate, who had been standing silently behind her, her tone returning to its usual calm and composure. "Masumi, go investigate him later. I want to know exactly how many more surprises that boy named Wu Qiao is hiding."

Kamuro Masumi simply nodded expressionlessly, silently committing the order to memory.