Preparing for battle

Two people stood facing each other on a tree-lined path along the shore.

"Why did you want me to reject all the sports events this morning?" Horikita asked, fixing Ayanokoji with a sharp gaze.

"Because Lezheng definitely won't be the Command Tower," Ayanokoji said calmly.

"How do you know?"

"Sakayanagi told me. She wants to face me in chess."

"If Lezheng... Sakayanagi wouldn't be stupid enough to waste someone as capable as Lezheng, so he definitely won't be playing chess."

"As expected of you, Horikita. You figured it out right away."

"You already knew that, didn't you? So what did you call me here to say?"

"Have you heard the story of Tian Ji's Horse Racing?" Ayanokoji asked.

"I'm not a three-year-old. Just tell me your strategy."

"Then have you heard of something obscure called mizuhiki craft?"

"You made that up, didn't you?"

"You can submit that as one of our main events."

"Are you sure anyone in our class knows how to do that?" Horikita asked doubtfully.

"If even you haven't heard of it, do you think anyone in Class A would know about it?"

"Probably not. You mean that if an obscure event like that gets drawn, Sakayanagi will send Lezheng out."

"Besides, you all argued this morning that Sudo wasn't as good as Lezheng. Sudo is probably seething right now. Without Lezheng as their trump card, nobody in Class A would be a match for him."

"Ayanokoji... I have to admit, you really are clever," Horikita said with feeling.

"But that will only happen if an obscure event gets drawn."

"At least our chances of winning aren't zero anymore, are they?"

"I'm relieved you have that attitude. I'll have Kushida handle Ike."

"Can't you do it yourself? You clearly have the ability, yet you insist on hiding behind the scenes." Horikita frowned.

"I hate trouble. Well... I'll be going." Ayanokoji turned and left.

"I can stand out front for you, but you have to help me reach Class A."

Ayanokoji didn't answer or even turn around. To him, Horikita was merely a somewhat clever pawn, unqualified to bargain with him.

If not for the pressure from Tsukishiro, he would have continued doing nothing.

Compared to the sense of urgency in Class D, Class A was very relaxed. In their eyes, victory in this contest was assured. Their opponent was Class D, the weakest of the four classes, and the most crucial point was this: Lezheng was invincible.

Most Class A students ranked highly in academics and intelligence, which also meant they had relatively few interests or hobbies in other areas.

As such, two of the five main events chosen by their Command Tower were academic: mathematics and English exams. The other three were model repair, judo, and chess.

Mathematics exam participants: Katsuragi Kohei, Matoba Shinji, Nishikawa Ryoko, Yamamura Miki, Ishida Yusuke, Shijo Taiga, Satonaka Satoshi.

English exam participants: Tsukachi Shiori, Guhara Mao, Motodoi Chikako, Fukuyama Shichan, Rokkaku Momoe, Nakajima Riko, Morishita Ai.

Model repair: Takimura Riku, Morishige Takuro, Shimazaki Ikkei, Totsuka Yahiko.

Judo: Hayato Kito, Tsukimi Rin.

Chess: Masayoshi Hashimoto.

This was Sakayanagi's lineup, comprising twenty-one people. Counting herself as the Command Tower, that left only four boys led by Lezheng and four girls led by Kamuro to handle Class D's main events. The advantage of this arrangement was that Lezheng would have opportunities to participate more than once, improving their chances of victory.

Sakayanagi trusted Lezheng so much because she had read his enrollment records during summer vacation. He was the only student in the entire first year with an A+ rating, and he had four such ratings in total.

Inside a café at the mall, Lezheng and Kiryuin sat facing each other.

"Kiryuin, although I don't know exactly what your family's circumstances are, they must be quite something," Lezheng said, stirring the coffee in front of him with a spoon.

"My intuition tells me you have something you need my help with!" Kiryuin maintained an elegant smile.

"Your intuition is very accurate."

"Mm-hmm. What would you like help with?"

"Can you help Chairman Sakayanagi return to the school?"

"Hahaha, why should I help you? Besides, he doesn't seem to have any connection to you, does he? Let me guess... is this for Sakayanagi Arisu?"

"This is a little presumptuous of me, but it isn't for Sakayanagi. I just feel that the new Chairman is too aggressive. Even voting to expel someone can become a Special Exam."

"I can help, but I'm very curious about what ratings your enrollment records actually contain." Kiryuin took a sip of coffee.

"Sure. That's a small thing I can manage." Lezheng nodded.

"You're different from President Horikita. When I asked him this question before, he would only sternly warn me not to abuse authority. So inflexible."

"That's where you're wrong. How can you call this abusing authority? The Student Council's original purpose is to help students and assist the school. Since you attend this school, you're part of it. Helping people is what I do best."

"Hahaha, you really are interesting. What if the school holds you accountable?"

"I have the final say on interpreting student requests." Lezheng merely smiled faintly at that.

Lezheng waited for Kiryuin to finish her coffee. After asking whether she wanted another cup and being turned down, he led her to the Student Council Activity Room. Anyone who saw his enthusiastic attitude would have praised him: now that was a good student council president.

Ichinose was organizing the materials from that day's regular meeting in the activity room. Then she watched Lezheng use a key to take a file from a cabinet marked "Confidential" and hand it to an older female student right in front of her.

Kiryuin studied the file in her hands, her pupils widening slightly. She had previously thought Lezheng had two A+ ratings, just like her. Now it appeared that this man was far from ordinary.

"You didn't falsify this, did you?" Kiryuin handed the file back.

Lezheng reached to take it, but Ichinose's hand was faster.

"No. The school wrote all of that."

"You really completed Ozaki's Eight Items? With a team or by yourself?"

"With a team. I was the referee."

"What is this sport?" Ichinose asked.

"Eight Ways to Die," Lezheng replied.

"I'll be watching you closely, Lezheng Youyan. As for the Chairman... he'll be back after winter break at the earliest."

Kiryuin left, though she looked quite excited.

"Lezheng, you have so many A+ ratings. Can I see mine?" Ichinose asked.

"Remember not to tell anyone." Lezheng went to find Ichinose's file as well.

"I knew I wasn't as good as you, but isn't this gap a bit too big?"

"These are just records on paper. You can't take them as fact."

(I'm moving today, so there's only one update. Sorry, sorry. If there are any issues, feel free to point them out. This author is all about taking advice.)