"Ibuki-san?"
A gentle call pulled Mio Ibuki back from her chaotic memories. At some point, a silver-haired girl had appeared by her desk, her voice filled with concern. "Are you... alright?"
Her classmate, Hiyori Shiina's, tone was as gentle as ever, but it made Ibuki unconsciously tense her back. "Ah! I'm fine!" she straightened up abruptly, deliberately leaning back in her chair, making a soft creaking sound. "Don't forget, I've practiced martial arts." She brandished a fist showily, but the movement pulled at her unhealed wound, and her lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
"You... you still haven't paid the points, have you?" Hiyori's voice was as soft as a sigh. "Even Ishizaki and Yamada, who resisted him the most at the beginning, have now..."
Ibuki sharply scanned the classroom and noticed that the troublemakers from before were once again out doing something with Ryuen. How ridiculous. Those two had somehow become Ryuen's thugs.
"Are you kidding me..." Her fist, hidden under the desk, was clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. "How could I ever submit to that scumbag..."
Just three days into the school year, Ryuen had ordered the entire class to hand over 80,000 points each as a class fee this month. Many had resisted at first, but he had beaten them into submission one by one. As the days went by, by the second week, even Yamada couldn't hold out anymore. Only she was still holding on.
"It's absurd! The student council actually asked me for evidence? They won't even do a basic investigation!" Ibuki kicked her desk hard, the dull thud making the students in front of her turn around in fear.
"You actually went straight to the student council to report Ryuen..." Hiyori's voice was extremely low. "If he finds out..."
The back door of the classroom was suddenly kicked open violently. Ryuen strode in like a beast inspecting its territory, with Ishizaki standing by his side like a guard. "Heh... really acting like a king," Ibuki said, deliberately raising her voice.
Ryuen's steps came to a halt in front of their desk. "A king... not a bad title." His eyes then sharpened, locking onto Ibuki. "As for you, you seem more like a rebellious subject."
"You—!"
Ibuki clenched her fists, her eyes burning with anger, but Hiyori gently tugged at her sleeve. Hiyori shook her head slightly, her gaze calm and restrained, signaling her not to be impulsive.
"...Hmph, get lost!" Ryuen sneered, his gaze sweeping contemptuously over the two of them. "I'm in a good mood today, so I can't be bothered with you." With that, he lazily took out his phone and his fingertips flew across the screen.
Ibuki was taken aback. She looked down at her phone screen. A new message had just popped up in the class group chat:
Kakeru Ryuen: Everyone, get your asses back to the classroom in ten minutes! Don't make me come and "invite" you personally.
Ibuki instantly understood. That man... had probably found some key information again. She gritted her teeth, forced to admit the truth. Although Ryuen's methods were despicable—violent coercion, verbal deception, secret recordings... all sorts of underhanded tricks—sadly, these lowlife tactics were effective.
(Otherwise... everyone in the class besides me wouldn't have obediently handed over those 80,000 personal points...)
In less than half a month, almost everyone both hated and feared Ryuen, but they had to admit his strength.
Ibuki's gaze was fixed on the classroom door. Sure enough, after seven or eight minutes, the once-sparse seats were now completely full.
"From today on, everyone—" Ryuen crossed his arms, his sharp gaze sweeping over every student below the podium, "—be on time for class! No being late! No using your phones! No fighting! And definitely no sleeping in class!" His voice was like a hammer striking the classroom. "Cut out any behavior that violates the school rules!"
A strange silence instantly fell over the classroom. All the students stared wide-eyed at the figure on the podium in disbelief. This problem student, who usually led the charge in breaking the rules and who championed violence, was now reciting the standard "model student" code of conduct.
"...I see," Hiyori's eyes widened slightly, and she murmured thoughtfully.
"Huh?!" Ibuki blurted out, her face a mask of disbelief.
(Has Ryuen lost his mind? He's acting like a model student?)
"Hmph, I knew that besides Shiina, none of you idiots would get it," Ryuen sneered, then snapped his fingers. "Ishizaki! Play that!"
"Got it!" Daichi Ishizaki immediately understood and quickly took out a recording pen. The recording played, and through the static, a clear conversation could be heard:
"...At this rate, Class A will be number one next month for sure."
"Yeah. Especially those guys in Class C and D. They lost a lot of class points just from breaking the rules last week."
"How many points do you think we'll get next month?"
"According to Sakayanagi-san's calculations, at least 950."
"So we should be getting over 90,000 personal points next month."
THUD! Ryuen suddenly slammed his fist on the podium, sending chalk dust flying. He looked down at everyone in Class C, a dangerous smile on his lips. "Now, do you understand?" Ryuen stood there with one hand in his pocket, his posture reeking of impatience, as if mocking the entire class's slowness.
A commotion finally broke out in the classroom.
"What are class points?"
"It seems to be related to our personal points!"
"Don't tell me we lose class points for breaking the rules?! Why didn't the school explain this from the start!"
Ryuen's fingertips tapped a dangerous rhythm on the podium as he looked down at the whispering students, a hint of ridicule in his eyes.
(What a bunch of hopeless idiots...)
(They still don't get it even after hearing the recording?)
(How is it that besides me and Shiina, everyone else is an idiot? Our class is so weak!)
(If Class C is this weak, Class D must be a bunch of trash! Heh~ So only Class B and A are my rivals.)
(Fortunately, the superiority complex of those honor students gave me an opportunity.)
The scene from the cafeteria a few days ago flashed through his mind—that silver-haired cripple's condescending gaze, as if admiring a flock of lambs waiting to be slaughtered. That nauseating sense of superiority had been the best clue. He had later sent people to investigate her identity. The girl with the cane was Arisu Sakayanagi from Class A, and also one of its leaders. So last night, when he had passed by the Class A classroom, he had specifically planted two listening devices at the door. He hadn't expected to hear something that could be called a "major revelation" just after school today.
A cold smile touched his lips.
(Information warfare... isn't just about solving the problem head-on.)
(Even if I don't have the information... getting it from a class that does is also a strategy.)
(Since I couldn't send a spy this time, I had to make do with a listening device.)
He twirled his phone in his palm and quickly pulled up a certain contact.
Kakeru Ryuen: Save it, you trash. You really think I'd spend 1,000,000 points on that little bit of information of yours?
Kakeru Ryuen: I already know all about your so-called hidden rules.
His thumb pressed down hard on the send button. The recipient was clearly named "Yue Qing." When he had first received the friend request from this mysterious person "Yue Qing" a few days ago, he hadn't thought much of it. However, to his surprise, the other had not only replied quickly but had also thrown out even more shocking words.
Yue Qing: It seems you already know. That saves me the trouble of explaining.
Yue Qing: We can get straight to the point and talk about the next transaction.
Ryuen stared at the screen, his brow furrowed.
Kakeru Ryuen: Wait, aren't you just selling information?
Yue Qing: What era are you living in? Who only sells information anymore?
Yue Qing: Let me see, hmm? Your whole class is here... this makes things much more convenient.
Ryuen's heart skipped a beat. He shot up his head and looked around—the classroom door was clearly locked! "Are you listening in on me?" he asked instinctively.
Yue Qing: It's not a listening device. I'm watching you openly through the two cameras in your classroom.
Yue Qing: So, Ryuen-san, how many millions are you going to pay to rent these two surveillance cameras in your classroom?
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