Eight o'clock in the evening.
Inside Dragon Group's room, the final discussion began on time.
Compared to the Rabbit Group, the atmosphere here was somewhat oppressive.
Horikita Suzune sat alone in a corner, holding a book. Although her gaze was on the pages, the fact that she hadn't turned a page for a long time revealed her inner tension.
Hirata Yosuke sat beside her, his brows tightly furrowed, his gaze shifting between Horikita and Ryuuen, his eyes filled with worry.
And Ryuuen Kakeru, the tyrant of Class C, was now sitting imperiously in the main seat.
His hands were in his pockets, his feet casually propped on the table, and his narrow, cold eyes were fixed on Horikita Suzune.
His gaze wasn't like he was looking at a classmate; it was more like a venomous snake coiled in the shadows, flicking its tongue, patiently waiting for the moment its venom would seep into its prey's bones.
Kushida Kikyo sat next to Hirata, a sweet, characteristic smile on her face.
"Um, Ryuuen-kun, this is the last discussion. Wouldn't it be better for everyone to talk a little?"
She suggested in a slightly timid tone, perfectly playing the role of a good student.
Ryuuen didn't even lift an eyelid.
"Shut up."
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling coldness.
"You have no say here. Just wait quietly."
Kushida recoiled, pretending to be frightened, and stopped talking.
But inside, she was sneering wildly.
'Keep up the act. Just keep acting, Horikita Suzune.'
'You can still put on this arrogant facade now, but later, I'll see how you cry.'
Kushida's gaze subtly swept over Ryuuen's grim profile.
She knew what Ryuuen was waiting for.
It was their deal.
On the very first day of the exam, out of a rebellious and vengeful spirit towards Natsukawa, and also to vent her resentment towards Horikita for hogging the spotlight, she had proactively approached Ryuuen Kakeru during a gathering with Class C girls.
This was a transaction where both parties got what they wanted.
Ryuuen wanted to uncover the leadership core of Class D and redeem himself. She wanted to see the high-and-mighty Horikita Suzune fall from grace.
According to Ryuuen's plan, he had already set up an inescapable trap within Class C.
Class C members in the Rat, Horse, Chicken, and Pig groups had already received orders.
As soon as nine o'clock tonight passed, if they didn't receive Ryuuen's cancellation instruction, they would simultaneously submit the already determined preferred student list to the school.
This was Ryuuen Kakeru's confidence.
Time ticked by, minute by minute.
Eight forty.
The room remained deadly silent.
Kushida Kikyo idly played with her fingers, her gaze drifting towards Katsuragi Kohei, who had remained silent the entire time.
This big, bald guy from Class A had adhered to a strategy of "defense" from the very beginning, acting like a stone statue throughout the entire exam.
Just then.
Katsuragi, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly had his phone light up on the table.
"Buzz—"
The vibration sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
Katsuragi opened his eyes, picked up his phone, and glanced at the screen.
His poker face, usually so unreadable, twitched slightly the moment he saw the message.
But before anyone could notice, Katsuragi had already regained his composure.
He didn't avoid their gazes, directly unlocked the screen, tapped a few times on the keyboard, and sent a few brief messages.
Then, he put down his phone and closed his eyes again.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Ryuuen's gaze cut across Katsuragi's face like a knife.
"What? Bad news from Class A?"
Ryuuen's lips curled into a cold arc. "Or did you hear something good? Share it and let everyone be happy."
Katsuragi ignored his provocation, merely stating blandly:
"No comment."
Ryuuen snorted, slightly bored, and withdrew his gaze.
To him, Katsuragi was already a dead man walking. After tonight, Class A would also suffer a heavy blow.
The time reached eight fifty.
"Time's almost up."
Ryuuen Kakeru slowly rose from his chair. His movements were slow but carried a suffocating pressure.
He walked over to Horikita, leaned his hands on the table, and bent forward, bringing his sinister face close to Horikita.
"Suzune, enjoy these last ten minutes.
"This is probably your last moment of glory as Class D's leader."
Horikita finally closed her book.
She looked up, meeting Ryuuen's malicious eyes directly.
"I don't understand what you're saying."
"You will understand."
"Soon, you'll know."
Kushida watched this scene, watching Horikita's expression of knowing her opponent had cheated but being powerless, and she trembled with excitement.
This is it!
This is what she wanted to see!
Hurry up, hurry up and let it be eleven o'clock!
Let me see how long you can maintain that poker face.
Katsuragi also heard the commotion here. While remaining outwardly calm, he secretly sighed inwardly, thinking that Class D's genius was indeed worthy, even her acting skills were so excellent.
Even when Ryuuen was practically in her face mocking her, she could still calmly play the ignorant, as if she really knew nothing, showing no trace of acting.
Just at this tense moment.
"Buzz—"
"Buzz—"
"Buzz—"
A series of urgent and dense notification sounds suddenly rang out in the room.
Kushida's, Hirata's, Katsuragi's, and even Horikita's phones all began vibrating wildly at the same time.
Ryuuen's cold smirk instantly froze.
For this to happen at this time, there was only one possibility.
A flicker of shock, for the first time, appeared in his eyes, which had been full of mockery.
He quickly pulled out his phone.
Kushida Kikyo also immediately picked up the terminal on the table.
The screen lit up.
The notification bar was densely packed with several emails, each one like a heavy hammer, striking hard at their hearts.
[Notification: The preferred student of the Child (Rat) Group has been guessed. The exam for this group has ended early.]
[Notification: The preferred student of the Tiger (Tiger) Group has been guessed. The exam for this group has ended early.]
[Notification: The preferred student of the Horse (Horse) Group has been guessed. The exam for this group has ended early.]
[Notification: The preferred student of the Goat (Sheep) Group has been guessed. The exam for this group has ended early.]
[Notification: The preferred student of the Rooster (Chicken) Group has been guessed. The exam for this group has ended early.]
[Notification: The preferred student of the Dog (Dog) Group has been guessed. The exam for this group has ended early.]
[Notification: The preferred student of the Pig (Pig) Group has been guessed. The exam for this group has ended early.]
The entire screen was filled with "Exam Ended."
This was practically a massacre.
Kushida's pupils trembled violently.
'W-what's going on?!'
'It's only eight fifty! It's not nine o'clock yet!'
'Didn't Ryuuen say he would make his move after nine? Why have all the groups ended?!'
And... her gaze trembled as she looked at the last notification.
[Notification: The preferred student of the Dragon (Dragon) Group has been guessed. The exam for this group has ended early. Related students no longer need to participate in subsequent discussions.]
Dragon Group... also ended.
Right here in this room, right under their noses.
Kushida felt a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.
She instinctively looked at Ryuuen.
Ryuuen Kakeru was staring intently at his phone screen, his usually cold expression now ashen. His confident, strategic demeanor had completely shattered, replaced by an extreme grimness.
He didn't shout; he merely slowly raised his head, his eyes no longer holding their previous madness, only a desolate coldness.
He scanned everyone in the room.
He looked at Katsuragi, who had stood up at some point, and at Horikita, who remained expressionless.
"I've been played..."
Ryuuen murmured softly, his voice so quiet only he could hear it.
The humiliation of being intercepted, of being preempted and crushed, made his facial muscles twitch slightly.
Kushida Kikyo was completely flustered by now.
All groups except the Rabbit Group and the Snake Group were wiped out.
If Class C had done it, Ryuuen wouldn't have this expression.
If Class A had done it... Katsuragi had indeed been looking at his phone.
But if it were Class B... no matter which class, so many exams ending almost simultaneously meant this wasn't an individual act. And class leaders wouldn't take such a big risk, which meant her preferred student status had been exposed.
Kushida clutched her phone tightly, beginning to wonder if she had been betrayed, or if someone had truly figured out the pattern of the preferred students...
.....
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