Chapter 227 Selling the Intel that Ryuen is the Leader? What Kind of Expression Would He Make?
Wednesday morning. Shimizu Akira, having just finished his morning training, was squatting by the river to wipe away sweat when the transceiver at his waist suddenly buzzed with static.
"Shimizu-kun! Good morning!" Hirata Yosuke's gentle voice came through the device.
Shimizu straightened up, picked up the transceiver, and pressed the talk button. "Hirata-kun, has something happened?"
According to their prior agreement, Hirata was responsible for notifying him of any significant developments in Class D. Out of consideration for his rest, Hirata had even mentioned he would try to contact him during the day, waiting until the next morning unless it was a late-night emergency.
"Actually, it happened last night, but I didn't want to disturb your sleep," Hirata's voice paused before continuing.
"Shortly after the roll call last night, Yamauchi-kun... brought back two people from Class C."
Shimizu's movements stopped abruptly. "Which two?"
'Wait—Yamauchi brought them back?!'
He had expected that the three people Ryuen "expelled" would try to move toward Class D to sniff out the leader's identity. But he never imagined that his own classmate, Yamauchi, would be the one to actively bring them in! This was effectively helping the enemy lower their guard.
Since when was Yamauchi so "kind"? Usually, he found even minding his own business a chore, yet this time he took the initiative to shelter students from another class.
"Yes, it's Ibuki-san and Shiina-san," Hirata said over the radio.
"Many people in the class saw it. Kushida-san said they had nowhere to go and the weather was getting cold, so she suggested letting them stay in the girls' tent for now. I agreed with her."
Shimizu understood immediately. So Yamauchi brought back Ibuki and Hiyori. He probably saw two cute girls and couldn't suppress his shallow impulses.
'Wait, wasn't he supposed to be in love with Sakura Airi? Has he already developed a "soft heart" for other girls?'
Then again, since it was Yamauchi Haruki, it wasn't surprising at all.
Shimizu sat down on a rock by the river. Ryuen's plan was moving faster than he had anticipated. As for Kushida taking them in—that was expected. When Ryuen's "argument" performance played out yesterday, Kushida had been eager to step onto the stage. With her persona, taking them in was a certainty.
"Did anyone else in the class object?" Shimizu asked. Sheltering students from another class, especially "refugees" from Class C, would naturally cause concern.
"At first, some students thought it was inappropriate, worrying they might be spies sent by Ryuen," Hirata explained honestly.
"But personally, I feel that even if they are from Class C, they've been kicked out and were beaten badly by Ryuen Kakeru. We can't just watch them suffer. As long as we keep an eye on their movements, it shouldn't affect our class exam."
Given Hirata's personality, he couldn't abandon students in distress, especially seemingly vulnerable girls. Besides, Class C's points were already at zero. Even if the two girls stayed at Class D's spot without permission, the 100-point penalty was meaningless. There was no mechanical rule preventing them from staying.
"What is your opinion, Shimizu-kun?" Hirata asked quickly. "Do you also think they are suspicious, like the others?"
Shimizu blinked. He hadn't expected Hirata, the de facto leader of Class D during the exam, to consult him so specifically. He composed his thoughts and replied: "They are definitely suspicious. Considering the 'Guess the Leader' segment on the seventh day, we should be careful. However, I am in favor of letting them stay."
After all, Hirata was the leader in the public eye and had the right to make decisions, and Kushida had already agreed. Since the leader can be changed, there was no need to over-worry about Class C's probing; instead, they could use this to intentionally mislead Ryuen. On a personal level, Shimizu also didn't want to see Hiyori wandering the wilderness without a safe place to sleep.
"I see..." Hirata's voice softened with clear relief. He didn't say much else and quickly hung up.
Shimizu checked the time; it was nearly 7:00 AM. He decided to head over to the Class C spot to see the situation for himself.
When he arrived at their previous camp, he blinked in surprise. The scene perfectly matched the "script" Ryuen had performed. On the western beach, there was nothing left but scattered mineral water bottles, cans, and the two large tents provided by the school. The camp, which should have been bustling, was empty and devoid of life.
Shimizu walked two laps around the camp, checking every corner. He noticed that everything Ayanokouji had mentioned—the jet ski, folding chairs, BBQ sets, and volleyballs—had vanished. It seemed the school had fully reclaimed the equipment. Much of it was rented, like the digital camera and voice recorder Shimizu currently possessed.
However, the basic food and water packages that should have remained were also gone. It was clear they had been transferred to Class A. Shimizu calculated that the best time to move supplies without being spotted was in the middle of the night.
But wait... Shimizu recalled yesterday's intel: Why was Katsuragi Kohei "satisfied" enough with Ryuen's performance to agree to the deal? Supplies were one thing, but Katsuragi seemed to have been convinced by the "argument" performance.
Connecting the dots with Ibuki and Hiyori infiltrating Class D, the truth was easy to assemble.
"So, the spies Ryuen sent aren't just for Class C; he intends to synchronize the intel with the Class A leader? Their deal included 'shared spy intelligence' from the start?"
In the "Guess the Leader" game, information doesn't strictly have to be shared. If you hold a key piece of news about a leader, you can sell it to other classes for profit or demand a "silence fee" from the target class. Ryuen didn't waste this value; he turned it into a bargaining chip to win over Class A.
Shimizu felt Ryuen was being almost conservative here—having such a good hand and only using it to secure a deal with Class A. But then again, Class D and B already had spies, and their relationship with C was hostile. Selling intel to them might alert the spies and blow their cover. Cooperating solely with Class A was the safest bet.
'Ryuen really has laid out a brilliant game!'
He had sold Class C's remaining 150 or so points and the "spy intel" to Class A. Shimizu estimated Ryuen would receive a return equivalent to at least 200 Class Points from Class A—a guaranteed profit.
Even better, Ryuen could now take his class and relax, no longer needing to maintain a spot or fight for supplies. On the seventh day, using the spies' info, they would likely guess the other two leaders correctly, netting another 100 points. Plus, with the Class C camp empty, no one would waste energy trying to guess their leader. If the C leader secretly checked in at a spot daily, they'd get another 20 points.
Even if he guessed wrong, Class C was at zero points—they couldn't go into the negatives. Day seven was a risk-free bet for him.
Shimizu had to admit, despite their past friction, Ryuen's series of maneuvers was incredibly sharp for a high schooler. However, every plan has a flaw.
'So, Ryuen should be hiding somewhere in this forest right now, right?'
Shimizu stepped away from the empty camp and looked toward the lush greenery. Ryuen was a smart man; he wouldn't leave the island while the exam was active. He was a tyrant who didn't truly trust anyone. Letting himself withdraw and leaving the final operation to a subordinate? Impossible.
With the transceiver in his hand, the answer was clear: Ryuen was hiding in the forest until the seventh day to make his grand appearance as the winner.
As for the leader identity, the three spies couldn't check in at other spots, so they couldn't be the leader. This left Ryuen himself. His optimal strategy was to hide near a spot, check in on time to maintain ownership, and wait for the spies' radio reports.
There were six spots. Shimizu had checked five: the river (D), the well (B), the cave (A), the high platform, and the cabin near A. Ryuen wouldn't hide at a spot already occupied by another class. This left only one unknown spot Shimizu hadn't visited yet.
'Of course, Ryuen could be more conservative and just hide in a remote area, but does that fit his style?'
An amusing thought occurred to Shimizu: "If someone were to sneak over, take a photo of Ryuen checking in with a digital camera, and then sell the intel that 'Ryuen is the leader' to other classes... I wonder what kind of expression he'd make when he found out."
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