Wu Qiao's Opinion

Wu Qiao carried his bag, strolling through the campus at night with Karuizawa Kei. The night air had washed away the daytime heat, and the streetlights stretched their shadows, making them flicker long and short. He bought two bottles of water from a vending machine and tossed one to the girl beside him.

Karuizawa Kei caught the water with one hand, twisted off the cap, and took a sip. Naturally, the two began to chat about Ayanokoji Kiyoha, who had been inseparable from them lately.

Regarding that young lady who seemed so oblivious to the ways of the world, Karuizawa Kei's assessment was nuanced. She sighed and complained, "That Kiyoha, she's truly impressive in some areas—like math, she's practically a monster. But her common sense is seriously lacking, isn't it? Last time, she didn't even know how to buy a movie ticket. She just stood there looking completely lost; I didn't even know what to say."

Listening to her grumbling, Wu Qiao couldn't help but smile. After all, Ayanokoji Kiyoha had come from such a sheltered environment; a lack of worldly common sense was to be expected.

They chatted for a while longer. Looking at the dim, tree-lined path ahead, Wu Qiao suddenly dropped his playful expression and offered a reminder: "By the way, Kei. Actually, Kiyoha is quite capable of fighting; her skills are pretty good. If you're worried about running into any trouble or conflict later, you can bring her along. It'll be much safer with her around."

Karuizawa Kei froze for a moment, looking at Wu Qiao in disbelief. "Huh? Kiyoha? That common-sense-deprived girl who needs to be taught how to buy a ticket is good at fighting?"

In her mind, she pictured Ayanokoji Kiyoha's perpetually calm, even somewhat frail appearance. It was truly difficult to associate the words "good at fighting" with her.

Wu Qiao shrugged, his tone firm. "Believe it or not, you'll find out when the time comes. In any case, don't be fooled by her appearance. She's very reliable when it counts."

Karuizawa Kei pursed her lips. Although she remained half-skeptical, since it was Wu Qiao—the "information hub"—who had specifically warned her, she decided to keep his words in mind. After all, having an extra trump card was never a bad thing.

When they were still some distance from the dormitory building, the surroundings were so quiet that only their footsteps could be heard. Clutching the water bottle, Karuizawa Kei carefully broke the silence. "By the way, Wu-kun, what... what exactly are your thoughts on the class? Regarding class points, especially..."

Wu Qiao stopped in his tracks, turned his head to look at the conflicted gal, and let out a scoffing laugh. He countered, "What do you think is necessary to live well in this school?"

"Points, obviously!" Karuizawa Kei blurted out without hesitation, then immediately frowned. "That's why I'm confused. Why can you just watch the class points drop to zero? You don't seem worried at all."

Wu Qiao shook his head, his tone becoming more serious. "Kei, you need to understand: class points determine graduation, but personal points determine your current life. In this survival-of-the-fittest campus, only by keeping class points low can we be excluded from the target range of other classes. No one wants to waste energy on the weak."

Karuizawa Kei stood stunned, her brain struggling to keep up with Wu Qiao's speed of thought. She was still somewhat unclear about the specific rules of the special exams, but she grasped the core logic of his words—this guy intended to keep Class D in a "weak" state on purpose to lower their presence and secure a safe space.

In this school where strength was everything, could one really operate in reverse like this? Looking at Wu Qiao's confident demeanor, the unease in Karuizawa Kei's heart inexplicably dissipated, replaced by a complex sense of anticipation.

Perhaps, by following this unfathomable boy, Class D could truly survive to the end of this cruel game.

Karuizawa Kei looked at Wu Qiao with a complex gaze. She bit her lip, finally unable to hold back the doubt in her heart. "So... what do you really think about Class D? You look lazy most of the time, but you don't seem like the type who would just watch everyone suffer and remain completely indifferent."

Wu Qiao stopped walking, hands in his pockets, looking at the distant lights of the dormitory. He nodded, then shook his head. "The people in Class D are a scattered bunch, each with their own quirks but unable to come together. Sudo is impulsive, Ike and Yamauchi are short-sighted, and the girls' groups are all doing their own thing. If they aren't hit hard enough to feel the pain, they'll never learn their lesson."

He turned his head and looked calmly at Karuizawa Kei. "Rather than exhausting myself trying to turn the tide from the start and coddling them in my palms, it's better to let them learn the hard way and recognize the cruel reality of this school. Once they know pain, feel fear, and develop a sense of unity, I'll step in to stabilize things. Isn't that more efficient?"

Karuizawa Kei stared blankly at the boy before her. In the night breeze, Wu Qiao's expression appeared exceptionally clear-headed and rational. She suddenly realized that he seemed to see more and deeper than she did.

Although she had obtained that inexplicable "Daily Intelligence System" and possessed the ability to foresee events, she often stopped at the level of "knowing" and never thought through the underlying logic or long-term layout like Wu Qiao did.

She would only be filled with fear because Ryuen was going to start a fight, while Wu Qiao was already thinking about how to leverage the survival rules of the entire school.

This "dimensional strike" in terms of thinking made Karuizawa Kei feel a sense of powerlessness, but at the same time, it made her feel much more grounded.

Perhaps she didn't need to think so much; just sticking close to this boy—who seemed careless but was actually planning every step—would be enough.

Karuizawa Kei looked at the boy, and a sudden, inexplicable impulse surged in her heart. Perhaps this person, who saw through the school's rules and was willing to pull her up, could become the true "umbrella" she had been desperately searching for. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and spoke up. "I can provide you with some information in the future, but..."

Wu Qiao looked down at her hand, which was subconsciously shielding her abdomen, and sighed helplessly. He reached out and tapped her shoulder gently. "Alright, I know what you're afraid of. But I don't get it—since you know fear, why don't you train yourself to be stronger? Get your body in shape, and see who dares to touch you then."

Karuizawa Kei offered a bitter smile, her eyes dimming slightly. "I've been bad at sports since I was a kid, and... if they take some photos or..."

Before she could finish, Wu Qiao hurriedly reached out to cover her mouth. He realized his previous words had been insensitive; after all, some psychological shadows couldn't be erased by muscle alone. He softened his tone helplessly. "Fine, I get it. But I might not be the kind of big hero you're imagining. Don't have too many expectations of me; I can only do my best."

Wu Qiao's frankness—neither painting a grand picture nor making blind promises—gave Karuizawa Kei an unprecedented sense of security. She nodded firmly, and only then did Wu Qiao let go.

As the two continued toward the dormitory, Wu Qiao asked casually, "Any intelligence on your end lately? Some information might seem useless, but it could just be your perspective making it so. From another angle, it might be a game-changer."

Karuizawa Kei tilted her head, thinking. The strange message that had refreshed on her system that morning surfaced in her mind, and she shook her head. "Doesn't seem like anything special... Oh, wait. It seems like Kushida-san is going out tonight."

Hearing this, Wu Qiao's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. He looked at Karuizawa Kei in surprise, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and then a playful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Kushida Kikyo is going out at night? That's interesting. Let's not head back to the dorms just yet. Come on, let's go keep an eye on Kushida-san; we might just see a good show tonight."