Chapter 228 Today's Intel: A Promise Between Arisu and Hiyori Concerning Shimizu
On second thought, given Ryuen Kakeru's personality and level of caution, tracking him would be no easy feat, let alone snapping a photo of him checking in. The man was perpetually hyper-vigilant; the slightest disturbance would likely alert him. Shimizu himself had zero experience in tailing people. If he fumbled and startled the target, he'd ruin his current rhythm, which would be a net loss.
As he deliberated, another piece of information flashed through his mind—intel from back in June. There was a girl in Year 1 Class A named Yamamura Miki who had once tailed Ryuen for a period of time. Not only was she undetected, but she even uncovered his secret trips to buy medicine.
The conclusion was obvious: if he could get Yamamura Miki to tail Ryuen and use his digital camera to capture the image of him using the keycard at a spot, success was highly probable. To hide from Ryuen's sharp eyes, her tracking skills had to be extraordinary.
Shimizu vaguely recalled that Yamamura Miki belonged to Sakayanagi Arisu's faction. Asking for her help seemed like the optimal solution—it avoided his own shortcomings in stealth and guaranteed a high success rate.
But he immediately shook his head and dismissed the idea. He didn't even know her; why would she help him? This was merely an "optimal solution" derived from existing intel. Yamamura was in Class A and had no connection to him; she had no reason to work for someone in Class D for free.
Still... Shimizu suddenly thought of Kamuro Masumi. He wondered if Kamuro knew Yamamura. Were they on good terms? If Kamuro could act as a bridge, he wouldn't mind paying 200,000 or even 300,000 Private Points. Once he had the photo confirming Ryuen as the leader, he could sell that intel to other classes—or back to Ryuen himself at a premium. The points he'd earn back would far exceed the "brokerage fee."
However, while he followed this train of thought, his wristwatch caught his eye. The hands were pointing to 7:30 AM. Shimizu snapped back to reality. He had to hurry back to the Class D camp to check in. According to the rules, failing to check in at your occupied spot by 8:00 AM resulted in an immediate 5-point deduction for the class. He stopped worrying about the tracking and sprinted toward Class D's river spot. Class D wasn't wealthy enough to throw away 5 points.
Fortunately, when he reached the camp, the time was exactly 7:55 AM. He had made it with five minutes to spare. Entering the camp, he noticed most Class D students were listless—some yawning against tents, others rubbing sleepy eyes. Shimizu felt a surge of resonance; despite being an exam on an island, having to check in strictly every day meant there was none of the relaxation a summer vacation should have.
Just then, his watch chimed for the hour, and today's exam intel synchronized into his mind:
Ibuki Mio of Year 1 Class C has a digital camera hidden in her luggage. At 8:30 PM last night, Ichinose Honami of Year 1 Class B took in Kaneda Satoru of Year 1 Class C. Sakayanagi Arisu of Year 1 Class A and Shiina Hiyori of Year 1 Class C made a promise concerning Shimizu Akira during that boxing tournament in June.
A digital camera?!
Shimizu's heart tightened—this was the definitive "smoking gun" that Ibuki Mio was a spy.
He had been looking for evidence, but the intel gave him the answer directly. Why would a girl who was supposedly "expelled" and starving have the presence of mind to buy a digital camera with her points? It was clearly for gathering evidence.
If Ryuen just wanted to know the leader's identity for himself, having a subordinate see the name on the keycard would be enough. But his partner was the conservative and cautious "bald classmate," Katsuragi Kohei. Given Katsuragi's obsession with stability, he would never trust Ryuen's word alone on something as critical as a leader's identity; he would demand hard proof. Using a camera to photograph the card was the safest, most direct method.
As for why they'd take a photo instead of stealing the card, the reason was simple: the rules on Day 1 stated that violence, plunder, or destruction of equipment would result in immediate disqualification for the class and forfeiture of all Private Points. Stealing a keycard was "plunder." If caught, Ryuen wouldn't just lose the "Guess the Leader" game; Class C's existing points would be voided. That total loss was something every student sought to avoid. The rule existed specifically to stop "martial" types from brute-forcing the exam.
'So, where is the transceiver hidden?'
Shimizu's thoughts shifted. To maintain contact with Ryuen, a transceiver was essential. Ryuen had one; where was Ibuki's? The intel only mentioned the camera, but she likely had it buried somewhere. Unlike the camera, which needed to be accessible for evidence, the radio was only for communication. Hiding it was safer for her cover. This aligned perfectly with his previous deductions.
He felt a spark of anticipation. Would Horikita find a chance to probe or even search Ibuki's belongings? Ibuki looked like she knew self-defense, and Horikita had mentioned studying martial arts. If they actually fought, who would win? Horikita had been intensifying her physical training lately, so her stamina and reflexes were likely improved. Shimizu felt that in a real fight, Horikita's odds were getting higher.
Moving to the second piece of intel: Ryuen was clearly running a dual-track strategy. Kaneda Satoru had successfully infiltrated Class B. Shimizu finally remembered the name of the "expelled" student. Just like Ibuki, Kaneda likely had a camera and a radio.
As for Ichinose Honami taking him in—well, she was the famous "Angel," far too kind to see someone in distress. Ryuen's "expulsion" act on Day 1 had laid the groundwork perfectly. Ichinose and Kushida Kikyo were the obvious targets for this "bitter struggle" ruse because of their reputations for being helpful. No wonder Katsuragi thought the "performance" was spectacular.
Currently, Shimizu knew the identities of three leaders: Horikita (D), Ryuen (C - inferred, no proof), and Totsuka Yahiko (A - confirmed by intel, no proof). Only the leader of Class B remained a mystery. Of course, leaders can be changed, so variables still existed. Shimizu hated variables; he preferred 100% certainty.
The last piece of intel made him pause. His own name appeared again? Why was the June boxing tournament still coming up two months later? It seemed Sakayanagi Arisu and Shiina Hiyori truly had a secret conversation. They were both geniuses—why would they make a promise specifically about him?
A vague sense of foreboding rose in his chest. He trusted Hiyori; even when she was the "detective" tasked with catching him, she was honorable and still kept his secret. But Sakayanagi was different. She was unpredictable and extreme. Like in the second month, when she leaked the midterm answers just to stop him from selling them—she was willing to cut off her own arm to achieve an objective.
He tried to console himself: Sakayanagi wasn't on the island, so the promise shouldn't affect this exam.
….Probably.
.
.
..
After the roll call, Hirata Yosuke approached and quietly explained the situation. Although Class D had taken the two girls in, Horikita, Kushida, and the others had decided to focus on "observation." Every day, a female student would be assigned to follow Ibuki and Hiyori. In the girls' tent, they were placed in the innermost spots to limit their private movements. During check-in times, the Class D girls would intentionally engage them in conversation to prevent them from spying on the leader. Excluding Day 7, they only had to endure this for four more days.
In terms of treatment, Class D was fair. Their food and water were the same as everyone else's, and they were given a share of the roasted meat at night. They weren't being mistreated, just monitored.
Shimizu was impressed. Objectively, Horikita's plan was thorough. It maintained Class D's dignity while shielding key info. Most classes would have ignored the pair or turned them away, especially since they were from Class C, who had sabotaged Class D before. Even so,
people like Sudo, Yukimura, and Shinohara had grumbled about keeping "traitors." It was only through Hirata's coordination and Kushida's soothing that the arrangement held.
Shimizu scanned the crowd and found Ibuki and Hiyori sitting on a rock, isolated from the bustling Class D students. He noticed Ibuki's face was indeed swollen, just as Hirata said—the unmistakable mark of a heavy slap.
'Ryuen is truly ruthless. They say you shouldn't hit the face, but he went right for it.'
She was a girl, after all. But this confirmed one thing: Ibuki and Kaneda were truly loyal.
To endure such a humiliating "bitter meat" trap required either absolute obedience or a willingness to suffer for the sake of Class C's victory.
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