While Lezheng was monitoring Class D, back at Class A's camp...
"It's all here." Hashimoto handed Kanda a camera.
"Nice work." Kanda checked it.
"Remember to tell Ryuuen not to forget what he promised me."
"I'll pass that along."
"Are you sure about this, Yahiko?" Katsuragi looked at Totsuka worriedly.
"Kanda already knows I'm the leader. We have to do this," Totsuka answered firmly.
He now understood why Lezheng had asked him such a baffling question back then.
"Ryuen, are we going to take first place this time?" Ishizaki looked excited.
"I'm not worried about Class B or Class D. Class A is the main concern. Lezheng isn't easy to fool. Tomorrow, don't guess Class A's leader. We'll only submit the leaders of Classes B and D." Ryuuen looked certain of victory.
"But Kanda already got reliable information," Ishizaki said in confusion.
"Leaders can be changed, you idiot."
"Ayanokoji, isn't this plan of yours a little too cruel?" Hirata looked uncomfortable.
"Look at the state Class D is in, Hirata." Ayanokoji remained expressionless.
"I... understand."
"Kanzaki, we won't run into any problems doing this, right?" Shibata Hayato asked.
"Ryuuen gave us the names of the other classes' leaders, but we can't trust him completely. We won't guess any of them," Kanzaki said thoughtfully.
That evening, Ibuki made her move in Class D. First, she set a manual on fire to cause chaos, then stole the Leader Card amid the confusion and ran.
"Ibuki, stop right there!" Horikita shouted as she chased her.
Ayanokoji followed close behind, while Hirata and Kushida directed everyone in putting out the fire. Lezheng followed them as well.
But because she was sick, Horikita was no match for Ibuki and collapsed during the chase. Ayanokoji picked her up and headed toward Class D's camp.
"I hope the fever doesn't fry her brain," Lezheng muttered to himself.
Ibuki ran all the way to her meeting place with Ryuuen and tossed him the Leader Card.
"H-here."
"Tell me what happened." Ryuuen caught it and waved it in his hand.
After taking a few minutes to catch her breath, Ibuki gave him a rough account.
"You're saying you knocked her down?" Ryuuen frowned.
"Yes. I even checked her. She should have been unconscious." Ibuki looked rather pleased with herself.
"No one saw you, right?"
"I don't think anyone did."
"You're an idiot too."
"What's that supposed to mean? Want to fight?"
"Ibuki, you gave Class D a chance to change their leader," Kanda suddenly said.
"Doesn't changing leaders without special circumstances cost fifty points?" Facing one of Class C's few smart people, Ibuki sounded less confrontational.
"So you gave them those special circumstances. Now they'll only lose thirty points for Koenji, ten for the manual you burned, and fifty for the Leader Card," Kanda said, calculating the points Class D would lose.
Ibuki fell silent.
Inside Class A's camp.
"Lezheng, Class B's leader is Shibata Hayato. I saw him use the card to claim a spot myself." Yamamura looked as though she wanted praise.
"You've been a huge help, Yamamura. You really were the only one for this job." Lezheng smiled and applauded.
"Th-thank you. Hehe."
After he coaxed Yamamura into leaving, Kamuro sneaked over.
"Remember to call me next time there's something this exciting." Kamuro rubbed her hands together eagerly.
"Where's the manual?" Lezheng asked.
"I tossed it away somewhere."
"All right."
Indeed, Lezheng had entrusted the task of stealing the other classes' manuals to an expert in that field.
One hour before morning roll call on the seventh day.
"Will eating this really work?" Totsuka was skeptical.
"Relax. Eat this, and you're guaranteed to vomit and have diarrhea." Lezheng held a few plant shoots in his hand.
"Do you know anything about medicinal herbs?" Katsuragi looked worried too.
"Trust me."
Totsuka kept psyching himself up before finally swallowing them in one gulp.
For the first few minutes after eating them, Totsuka was still full of energy. Ten minutes later, he already looked uncomfortable. Then he spent over half an hour vomiting and suffering from diarrhea. In the end, he left with Mr. Mashima. Of course, Katsuragi and Hashimoto had to support him, with a circle of classmates around him who were "concerned" about him.
"Since Totsuka is in this state, choose another leader," Mashima said with a smile.
"We claimed our final spot this morning. All we need to do now is wait for the exam to end, so we're leaving the leader position to you, Hashimoto," Katsuragi said seriously.
"Huh? Are you serious?" Hashimoto was shocked. He had never imagined he would be chosen as the leader.
"This is what Lezheng and I decided after discussing it. Only the three of us know."
"...All right."
When Hashimoto returned to camp, Katsuragi pulled him into a tent, where he stayed until the exam ended.
When it was time to fill in the other classes' leaders, Katsuragi and Lezheng stood on either side of Hashimoto, watching him write down Class B's leader and leave Classes C and D blank.
In the eyes of the other Class A students, their own faction had contributed the most this time; neither side had stolen the show alone.
When Class A returned to the assembly area, Ryuuen walked over to mock them.
"Well, well. You Class A people really had it rough. You look like savages."
"You should be about the same. You couldn't have come back much earlier than us," Katsuragi retorted bluntly.
"That's different. I enjoyed myself for seven days, unlike you lot, who spent seven days playing Friday."
"Want to have a couple of drinks once we're aboard?" Lezheng looked at Hashimoto.
"I'd be delighted." Hashimoto understood what Lezheng meant.
Once Mr. Mashima saw that every class was present, he stepped onto the podium and began announcing the exam results.
"Congratulations to all of you for completing this exam. I will now announce the rankings from lowest to highest. Fourth place: Class B, with 26 points. Third place: Class D, with 86 points. Second place: Class C, with 100 points. First place: Class A, with 217 points."
Apart from Class B, the other three classes erupted in cheers.
"Finally... I can finally eat a proper feast at school! Ike, hit me. Let me see if I'm dreaming!"
"Ryuen really is amazing!"
"My efforts really paid off. Urgh..."
The classes' current points were as follows:
Class A: 1,237 points
Class B: 716 points
Class C: 620 points
Class D: 123 points
The gap between Classes B and C was getting smaller and smaller, now down to fewer than a hundred points. Class C could very well be the first class to move up.
After everyone was dismissed, Lezheng and Hashimoto went to the café aboard the cruise ship.
"I think I have a rough idea of what you're trying to do." Lezheng blew on the coffee in his hand.
"Oh? What am I trying to do?" Hashimoto was a little surprised.
"Not putting all your eggs in one basket."
"I don't think there's anything wrong with that."
"But there are serious problems with how you're going about it."
"...Will you stop me?" Hashimoto suddenly asked.
"I hope you can judge how far to go when dealing with other classes."
Lezheng's words made Hashimoto breathe a sigh of relief. He wasn't ready to become Lezheng's enemy yet.
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