Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
On Thursday, Akira's training plan was interrupted by a sudden phone call.
He picked up his phone from the bedside, and the name flashing on the screen surprised him slightly—it was Shiina Hiyori.
It seemed that she was more concerned about finding the "mystery person" than he'd expected.
Last night, around nine o'clock before going to bed, he'd casually sent her a message saying, "Your deduction has a flaw." It was just a passing remark, but he didn't expect to receive a surprise call just after six this morning.
He thought for a moment, then swiped the screen to answer the call.
Shiina's slightly urgent voice immediately came through the receiver. "Shimizu-kun, what did you mean last night when you said my deduction was wrong?"
"The logic is simple," Akira's voice was steady and clear. "You previously speculated that the 'mystery person' was most likely a Class D student, but you missed the most crucial step—you didn't first confirm who the current core figure in Class D is. It's Kushida Kikyo. This classmate in our class has social skills that are no less than Ichinose-san in Class B. She knows people not just in our grade, but even in the upper grades. So you see, your deduction is flawed from its very foundation."
The other end of the phone fell into a long silence, so long that Akira almost thought the signal had cut off, before he heard Shiina's low murmur of realization. "I see... I made the most basic mistake. I didn't even check who the Class D leader was first. If it's Kushida-san, then my judgment indeed doesn't hold water."
"More importantly," Akira changed the subject, remembering the misleading information he had to convey, and added a deliberate certainty to his tone, "this matter is actually very simple in essence. I've already found another key clue left by the 'mystery person'."
Shiina's voice instantly rose a few notches. "Shimizu-kun? What was your line of reasoning?"
"The answer is a computer," Akira deliberately paused for half a second, emphasizing his words. "Since the person bought surveillance rights, when Kushida-san in our class rented the surveillance, the Student Council President explicitly said that a laptop must first be purchased before they would help install the corresponding surveillance software. This means that the moment the 'mystery person' rented the surveillance rights, he must have had a laptop in his possession."
He paused, completing the logical chain. "The school prohibits students from carrying extra electronic devices. If the person is a first-year student, they can only buy one from the school's electronics store. As long as we get the purchase list from the store clerk, wouldn't finding the 'mystery person' be as easy as pie?"
He secretly calculated in his mind.
When Kushida rented the surveillance back then, she indeed needed a laptop. At that time, it was the class's "Doctor" who voluntarily contributed his computer for public use, solving the problem of installing the surveillance software. Following this logic, the other three classes were likely in a similar situation—to activate surveillance, they first needed a computer.
This made his previous words seem flawless: if it was indeed done by a first-year student, that person would have to purchase a computer from the school's electronics store, and that purchase list would naturally become a crucial clue.
But only he knew that there was another hidden truth—his laptop was not bought from the store, but was actively gifted to him by the Student Council President.
So these words, while seemingly playing the role of "Dr. Watson" assisting with the deduction, actually cleared his own suspicion without a trace.
"This... indeed! Ryuuen-san in our class... also has a computer!" Shiina's voice paused, clearly lost in thought again.
A moment later, her light gasp of realization came through the receiver, as if she'd finally figured out the key. "You're right!... No matter what, the 'mystery person' must have a computer!"
"You're right," Akira responded, his gaze unconsciously falling on the laptop at the corner of the table—the screen still retained a faint residual warmth from being turned on, as if silently echoing his thoughts at this moment.
His fingertips unconsciously tapped the tabletop.
It was just a small matter like renting surveillance, but why did he suddenly have the illusion that he was the mastermind?
However, the logic was indeed correct.
The "mystery person" must have a computer.
Otherwise, how could he see the surveillance footage of other classes?
Akira then hung up the phone.
From the start of school until now, many first-year students must have bought computers—Sakayanagi's name was likely on that list.
Given her style of doing things, it would be perfectly normal for her to purchase a computer.
In that case, even if Shiina did get the list, facing the dense names, especially seeing such a significant name, she would inevitably spend more effort investigating.
In a sense, using this list to mislead her should buy him ten days to half a month without a problem.
He hadn't even sorted out his thoughts when his phone screen suddenly lit up, and a message popped up from Kamuro.
{I know you're awake. At this hour, you probably haven't gone out for your run yet, right?}
{Just a heads-up, Sakayanagi Arisu and I will be coming to your class at noon today.}
Akira was first stunned, then quickly realized—could Sakayanagi be coming to Class D to sell information proactively?
But what she didn't know was that Class D hardly had any points left to trade now.
Everyone only had eight thousand points this month, and he wondered how many points she planned to charge for the information.
In any case! He should be able to see some fun at noon.
However, what surprised him more was another piece of information in the message—Kamuro would actually be acting with Sakayanagi.
It seemed Sakayanagi still had a trick up her sleeve. He'd underestimated her before.
He hadn't expected her to actually be able to win over Kamuro.
Akira's fingertips danced across the screen, sending a barrage of messages:
{What methods did she use to win you over? You weren't threatened by her, were you?}
{If you're in trouble, tell me, and I'll see if I can help.}
After asking this, his fingertip paused on the send button.
Kamuro was not just anyone—she was someone who genuinely considered him a friend, always warm and thoughtful (though tsundere) towards him.
Putting himself in her shoes, he really couldn't stand by and watch her potentially be coerced by Sakayanagi.
To be honest, in his heart, Kamuro's importance far outweighed that little princess from Class A.
Soon, Kamuro's message popped up, filled with her usual bluntness:
{Idiot, don't worry so much! We just have a pure cooperative relationship—she pays twenty thousand points to hire me, and I take the job based on my ability. You don't need to worry about me!}
Akira stared at the text on the screen, his eyes widening slightly.
'What was going on? Kamuro actually managed to get the upper hand on Sakayanagi?'
'I'm not dreaming, am I?'