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

It also stands with a signature metal post.

Needless to say, it has already been taken over by Class A.

Beside the stake,

Two students from Class A were also standing there—

One was a girl named Miki Yamamura who seemed somewhat introverted.

The other was a brown-haired, bespectacled, and polite young man named Sanada.

They appeared to be a group sent by their class to check on the situation at this location.

Upon seeing Sakamoto appear,

Sanada adjusted his glasses and greeted him politely:

"Sakamoto-san."

He pointed to the stream and open space beside them.

“We found that this outpost is close to a water source and the environment is relatively flat. Considering that we will need to conduct morning and evening roll calls every day, this may affect the increase or decrease of the number of dedicated points. So I was thinking, could we make this our Class A's main campsite? This way, centralized management would be more convenient.”

His tone was consultative.

Miki Yamamura also quietly chimed in:

"Hmm...it looks...quite quiet here."

Sakamoto did not immediately respond to Sanada's suggestion.

His gaze calmly swept across the entire area.

They observed the surrounding terrain, vegetation, and the direction of the stream.

He walked to the stream.

I crouched down and gently touched the water and the soil on the bank with my fingers.

Then, he stood up and looked at Sanada and Yamamura.

He spoke in an analytical tone:

"This place is located halfway up the mountain; it's not the highest point, but it's relatively lower than the surrounding area. Although there's a flowing water source, making it easy to get water, but..."

He paused slightly.

"During the day, the ground absorbs heat from the sun, causing the air to warm up. However, the density of this warm air is less than that of the cold air descending from the mountains at night. As night falls, the cold air tends to accumulate here, resulting in a temperature significantly lower than at higher altitudes."

"Furthermore, the area around the stream is rich in moisture, and the humidity in the air is consistently high. If it rains, the soil becomes saturated with water, and silt easily forms on the ground, which will obstruct both passage and encampment."

Sanada listened attentively.

A thoughtful expression appeared on his face:

“I see… I understand now. Thank you for your guidance, Sakamoto-kun. Indeed, we only considered the convenience of water access, but neglected more basic survival conditions such as warmth, moisture protection, and drainage. It will be too cold here at night, and it will become a mess when it rains. It is indeed not suitable as a long-term campsite.”

His tone carried a hint of disappointment at his lack of foresight.

Sakamoto saw his expression,

No further explanation was given.

He simply added a sentence:

"This place is not without its advantages. It has a convenient water source, a relatively open terrain, and a decent view. It still has value as a temporary rest stop or a base for daytime activities."

He changed the subject slightly,

"As for setting up a camp, I have already conducted a preliminary survey of another location."

Sanada nodded upon hearing this.

The slight disappointment in my heart was also diluted.

Now that Sakamoto has found a better place,

That would naturally be the best outcome.

First Year Summer Vacation: Chapter 099: Sakamoto, the Suspected Leader

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji blended into the crowd of Class D who had temporarily gathered in the jungle.

Most of the students looked tired after exploring.

"Ayanokouji-san."

A cold voice sounded.

It's Horikita Suzune.

She walked over, looking at him with a slight frown.

"You're back. Looks like you lost track of Koenji-kun?"

Ayako nodded expressionlessly, her tone flat:

"You know that kind of person, there's no way to control him."

He did not mention that he accidentally discovered Class A's base or glimpsed Katsuragi and Kamuro.

In Ayanokouji's view, it's not advisable to let the other members of Class D have too much information at this stage.

In particular, unverified or potentially misleading information is not a good thing.

The fewer variables there are, the easier it is to control the situation.

Especially crucial and uncertain intelligence concerning the leader of Class A.

At this moment, Hirata Yosuke, who is the apparent core of Class D, clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention.

He still wore a gentle smile on his face:

"Everyone, good news! It seems that Chi has found a good water source. Let's go and meet up with him now, and see if it's suitable as a temporary base."

This news gave the exhausted crowd a slight boost.

Led by Hirata, Class D followed the markings left by Kanji Ike.

After walking through the jungle for a while, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A clear stream meanders through the forest, its waters gurgling softly.

Beside the stream is a relatively flat open space, surrounded by trees, which provides shade without feeling cramped.

"Oh! This place looks nice!"

"There's water! Great!"

"The place is quite spacious!"

The students in Class D exclaimed in admiration, and the fatigue from trekking through the complex terrain seemed to have lessened considerably.

This place definitely looks like a good place to camp.

However, Kanji Ike, the discoverer,

He stood in the middle of the open space, his face not looking good, showing no excitement at discovering a treasure trove.

Hirata Yosuke walked up to him and asked with concern:

"Chi, what's wrong? The place you found is really nice, why do you look like that?"

Kanji Ike sighed and pointed to one side of the open space:

"Hirata, look over there."

Hirata looked in the direction that Ike Kanji was pointing.

At the edge of the open space, next to a large tree, stood a metal stake.

The screen atop the pile clearly displays:

[Class Occupied: A CLASS]

[Remaining occupation time: 7:32:26]

Hirata Yosuke's gaze swept across the screen and the excited faces of his classmates around him, his brows furrowing slightly as he fell into a brief moment of thought.

"its not right…"

He whispered to himself,

"If this is a stronghold occupied by Class A, and the environment is so suitable for camping... logically, they should have left someone to guard it or used it as their camp."

He looked around and saw no sign of any students from Class A except for those from Class D.

"Could it be..."

Hirata thought of a possibility,

Class A's strategy is to prioritize efficiency, quickly capture as many strongholds as possible to obtain reward points, and then quickly withdraw to avoid prematurely revealing the leader's whereabouts.

But this does increase their risk of being spotted by other classes during the occupation…

The advantages and disadvantages are both obvious.

Hirata shook his head, setting these speculations aside for the time being.

The more pressing issue right now is solving the survival problem for Class D.

He turned to the crowd and raised his voice:

"Everyone, listen to me."

The clamor gradually subsided, and everyone looked at Hirata.

"This place has indeed been occupied by Class A first."

Hirata pointed to the stake.

"However, according to the rules, the occupation status of a stronghold will only last for 8 hours. After 8 hours, the occupation status will be lifted, and other classes can retake it."

His gaze swept over the tired faces.

“I can tell everyone is exhausted. And it’s getting late, it’ll be evening soon. We need to decide on a campsite as soon as possible so we can get some rest and consider using our special points to buy some necessary equipment.”

He offered his suggestions:

"I think this place has an ideal environment. There's a water source, the terrain is flat, and the view is relatively open. Since Class A didn't stay here, perhaps we could temporarily set up camp nearby. After the 8-hour occupation period ends, we can officially occupy this outpost. What do you all think?"

The proposal was immediately approved by the majority of people.

"Hirata-kun is right! I'm exhausted!"

"Yes, we finally found a good place, we shouldn't waste it!"

"Although we can't use the water here directly right now, it shouldn't be too hard to find some water nearby, right? Let's settle down first!"

Seeing the students' reactions, Hirata nodded:

"Alright, since everyone basically agrees, let's start setting up a temporary camp here and prepare for the night."

He began to assign tasks systematically.

Under Hirata's organization, the students of Class D began to take action.

Despite their exhaustion, the clear goals and the hope of finding a place to settle down motivated everyone.

In the lull between the initial stages of camp construction, a discussion about another crucial issue was quietly taking place among several core students.

"Hirata,"

Horikita Suzune walked to Hirata's side and whispered,

"Before we officially begin our long-term deployment, we must determine the identity of our leaders. This is not only related to capturing the strongholds, but also to the guessing game on the final day."

Hirata nodded solemnly:

"I understand. This is indeed a matter that requires careful consideration."

Hirata wanted the whole class to discuss and decide who the leader should be.

Horikita Suzune glanced at Ayanokouji, seemingly wanting to hear his opinion.

But Ayanokouji simply stood silently to the side, his gaze fixed on the post that read "A CLASS".