"Senpaku, I am Sakamoto. What brings you here?"

Learning is an indispensable part of improving the overall quality of a class.

His method is simple and direct:

Groups were formed based on academic performance, and study groups were established so that high-achieving students could mentor those with lower academic performance.

Fortunately, perhaps it was the high scores in the first month that brought a sense of collective honor and confidence.

Although the students in the class complained incessantly, most of them were still quite obedient.

Some people have even started to develop a genuine interest in learning.

This is good.

Long Yuan silently urged himself on, suppressing the urge to throw the study guide away.

We'll decide to focus on dealing with external threats after the midterm exams.

after all,

That guy from Class A named Hashimoto came to me a while ago.

This also suggests that the water there is deeper than imagined.

Just as he was preparing to tackle another geometry proof problem head-on,

Two figures stopped in front of his desk.

Long Yuan raised his head.

Standing at the front is Hiyori Shiina.

Her long, silver hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

His violet eyes were calm and still.

Holding a few literary books in his hands, he seemed to be just passing by.

Following behind her was Shiho Manabe.

This former female delinquent had short, brown hair.

Those heterochromatic eyes—one brown and one blue—now seemed to have lost some of their usual ferocity.

They became more cautious.

She was clutching a stack of papers that looked like exam papers tightly in her hand.

Long Yuan put down his pen and leaned back in his chair.

He regained his air of being in control.

"what's up?"

His gaze went straight past Shiina and landed on Manabe.

Hiyori Shiina turned slightly to the side.

She spoke softly to Manabe:

"Manabe, tell Ryuen in detail what happened to you."

Shiho Manabe seemed a little nervous.

He took a deep breath before speaking:

"Longyuan, it's like this... Yesterday afternoon, when I was shopping in the commercial street outside the school, I was approached by a second-year senior I didn't know."

She paused, organizing her thoughts:

"He claimed to be from Class B of Grade 2. He said he had high hopes for our Class B of Grade 1 and that we could overtake other classes and take second place in the first month... Then he asked me if I wanted to know how to keep the class ahead in points, saying that I could exchange personal points."

“I didn’t think too much about it at the time. I just thought it would be great if there really was a way… so I transferred 10,000 points to him.”

Manabe lowered his voice, seemingly regretting his impulsive actions.

"And then he gave you this?"

Long Yuan gestured with her chin towards the stack of papers in her hand.

"Yes."

Manabe quickly handed the exam paper to Ryuen's table.

"He said this was their midterm exam paper from last year. The questions are pretty much the same every year. With this, we can easily gain an advantage in the midterm exam."

Long Yuan picked up the stack of papers.

I quickly flipped through a few pages.

The questions above are indeed within the scope of high school level knowledge.

"but,"

Manabe added, his expression becoming even more confused.

"As he was leaving, he suddenly added, saying... that it was actually Sakamoto from Class 1-A who instructed him to do this. Sakamoto wanted our Class B to maintain our advantage."

Manabe scratched his head:

"I know who Sakamoto is, he's a really good guy... but his actions made me feel a bit strange and uneasy. I didn't dare to distribute the test papers to everyone directly, so I went to discuss it with Shiina first."

After listening, Ryuen turned his gaze to Shiina Hiyori, who had remained silent:

"Shiina, what do you think? Do you think this is something Sakamoto would do?"

He asked deliberately.

He knew that Shiina and Sakamoto often met at the library, although he wasn't sure what their connection was.

But he had a gut feeling that Shiina might offer a different perspective.

Hiyori Shiina gently shook her head:

"No. Sakamoto's style is more direct and grander. This way of secretly selling test questions and deliberately leaving his name is somewhat clumsy and deliberate."

Upon hearing this, Long Yuan revealed a cold smile:

"Coincidentally, I also think it doesn't seem like it."

He casually tossed the exam paper back onto the table.

It was as if it were something dirty.

“I’ve dealt with that guy more than once or twice. This kind of sneaky and underhanded tactic isn’t his style. If he wants to do something, he’ll either do it openly and make it irresistible, or he’ll make it so you won’t even realize it was him.”

Longyuan's mind raced.

His eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

"Looks like some rat has appeared out of nowhere, trying to take this opportunity to cause trouble for that Sakamoto guy... It's even faster than me."

"To be able to mobilize second-year students... this rat probably isn't even one of our first-year students."

Longyuan has reached a preliminary conclusion.

"It's impossible for a first-year student to be able to order a second-year student around so quickly. Therefore, the mastermind is most likely a second-year student."

This deduction made Longyuan even more unhappy.

He knew almost nothing about the second year, which was an area he had not yet explored.

Now, things are better; he hasn't gone looking for trouble with the second-year students.

The second-graders were the first to reach out their hands.

His target remains his primary adversary – Sakamoto.

"Going against Sakamoto, the more I get to know him, the more unfathomable he seems..."

Long Yuan muttered to himself, his tone complex.

"How could it attract such a strange enemy from an older student... Just how far does that guy's reach extend?"

Bringing her thoughts back, Ryuen waved to Shiina and Manabe:

"Alright, I understand. Leave the exam papers with me. You all go back and continue studying, and don't make a fuss about this."

"clear."

Shiina Hiyori nodded slightly, then turned and left.

Shiho Manabe also breathed a sigh of relief.

Follow up quickly.

After the two left, Long Yuan sat alone in his seat.

My gaze fell once again on that suspicious stack of exam papers.

Although based on the available intelligence and his intuition, he was 90% certain that this was a frame-up against Sakamoto,

But just to be on the safe side, he felt it necessary to double-check.

He took out his phone and swiped his finger across the screen.

The contact I had just added was found very quickly.

Masayoshi Hashimoto from Class A.

The guy who proactively revealed some inside information about Class A to him and expressed his desire to "make friends".

In this situation, perhaps asking the people in Class A directly would provide more direct information?

He wanted to see just how deep this pool of water really was.

First Grade Midterm Exam: Chapter 060: Using a Borrowed Knife to Kill Sakamoto

During lunch break,

The rooftop of the teaching building.

It was spacious and slightly desolate, with only the whistling wind passing by.

It also blew the hem of the clothes of the two people who had arrived earlier and were now standing in the center of the rooftop.

Masayoshi Hashimoto leaned against the rusty railing.

Her golden braids swayed gently in the wind.

He still wore that nonchalant smile, as if he were just there to admire the scenery.

Standing beside him was a boy with short purple hair, his expression calm and composed.

It is none other than Ryuji Kanzaki, one of the core figures of the current Class C and the former Class B.

Footsteps came from the entrance to the rooftop.

Long Yuanxiang walked up slowly, his hands in his pockets.

His gaze immediately locked onto Kanzaki next to Hashimoto.

He made no attempt to hide his scrutiny of this "defeated opponent."

The moment Kanzaki Ryuji appeared at Ryuen, the wariness in his eyes intensified.

This is the man who, through unknown means, brought together the chaotic Class C.

And within the first month, they had crushed their original Class B.

Rumors say he's a delinquent who only knows violence, but Kanzaki absolutely doesn't believe it.

A pure violence fanatic could never achieve a score of 910.

This man must have a shrewd mind and the ability to use various methods.

"Relax, Kanzaki-kun."

Hashimoto seemed to sense the tense atmosphere around him, and patted Kanzaki on the shoulder with a smile.

"We've gathered here today to resolve issues, not to rekindle old grudges, right, Longyuan?"

Long Yuan chuckled and walked up to the two of them:

"Oh, of course."

"introduce,"