I have a life simulator.

Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, as the class leader, had no objections to these arrangements for Class C. Firstly, these projects were indeed strong points for Class C and weak points for Class D. Secondly, he was currently busy with another matter.

Unlike Kitagawa Ryo, who was already acquainted with Sakayanagi Narimori, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka learned about the change in the position of chairman a little later. Kitagawa Ryo himself learned about it after spreading the news among the faculty and staff through Hoshinomiya Chie and Chabashira Sae in order to thwart Sakayanagi Arisu's trump card during the student council election.

Undoubtedly, just as Tsukishiro Tsunehira realized Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's value, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka also realized this through the latter's backstage alteration of scores during the mixed training camp's special exam.

In this respect, their journey can be considered a two-way trip.

It was precisely because of this that, in the final days before Tsukishiro Tsunehiro resigned and left Tokyo Advanced Educational High School, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka needed to meet with him alone.

After deciding to make a change, his vision was no longer limited to simply wanting to spend three years at this school in an ordinary and peaceful way, but he looked more far ahead to the future.

However, she no longer held the fatalistic attitude of the past, believing that she would eventually return to that man and the white room no matter what. Instead, she had a more resolute and determined idea.

He will seek the opportunity to deliver the fatal blow.

And they will spare no expense for this.

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"So, let's tentatively set these ten projects for the initial stage of Class A in the first year."

Similar to Class C, Class A also made significant progress in their discussions under Sakayanagi Arisu's guidance. However, unlike Class C, whose choices were mostly academic, Class A's choices in this special exam were undoubtedly closer to sports and general categories. The only academic-related subject was English, and the competition was a three-on-three format. The students expected to participate were Yukimura Teruhiko, Wang Meiyu, and Sakayanagi Arisu, with two other students with good academic abilities serving as substitutes.

Compared to Class D's almost book-burning and scholar-burying cultural achievements, Class A, although its foundation is too weak, has already gone through several rounds of screening since entering school. Students like Kanji Ike and Haruki Yamauchi, whose minds are not on studying, have already dropped out of school for almost a year. In addition, with a good role model like Ken Sudo leading the way, Class A's overall academic level is actually quite good. The top students are among the most capable in the grade.

After English, it was time for basketball, which Sudo Ken requested. According to him, he was second to none in one-on-one basketball, except for Kitagawa Ryo. However, since the number of participants in each event could not be the same, the one-on-one slots were moved to the computer typing event that Tomomura Hideo was participating in later. Therefore, Class A decided on a five-on-five rule, with Sudo Ken leading the team.

Next up was a two-on-two archery match, with Akito Miyake as the ace up front.

In the swimming relay for a specific girls' group, Kayano Onodera was the last to perform.

In judo, the rules were set up as a ring match, and Albert Yamada was the first to go on the field and fight the entire match.

For Class A of Grade 1, although the number of students in the class is the smallest in the entire grade, there is no shortage of all kinds of cards. You can easily find several students who can make rules and create projects around him/her.

"However, compared to scoring points in your own projects, the key to winning this special exam is actually to score points in your opponent's projects. After all, going back and forth is equivalent to two points. Moreover, from the perspective of maximizing benefits, the class points gained from winning more small rounds also increase exponentially. If it is really difficult to win by four to three in the end, the class point difference will only be 250 points... which is not enough."

Similar to Kitagawa Ryo's actions, Sakayanagi Arisu also created a small group during the preparation phase for this special exam, and these words were spoken to Horikita Suzune.

"But this matter requires you, the official class leader, to speak up; otherwise, I can't command the students in the class."

"Is Arisu trying to gather information about Class B?"

"After all, information asymmetry has always been a key factor that can determine victory in one fell swoop."

Sakayanagi Arisu continued typing:

"Rinne knows the personalities of the students in Class B. Just like how Hashimoto Masayoshi was able to easily extract the entire class's competition list from any random girl in Class B during last year's sports festival, most of the information about Class B is visible or even transparent to all the students in the class."

"Let alone the ten projects submitted initially, we might even be able to glean some clues about the five projects they ultimately decide to submit."

"That's not entirely unreasonable, but don't be like Ayanokouji and let your classmates deceive you with their feelings. Don't do anything out of line."

While Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu were discussing these things, Sakura Airi suddenly popped up in the small group chat:

Are you two working overtime at the student council right now?

"Yeah, the student council just had a leadership change recently. Not to mention the new president, Suzune, even I, the vice president, am incredibly busy. Ayanokouji took leave as soon as he took office. He seems to be even more relaxed than I was before."

"Indeed... the student council president's job is more than I imagined."

"I think it's because there are too few members in the student council now. Ryo is gone, Kiriyama was expelled, and Ayanokouji is on leave. There are hardly any people left."

Seeing that the two seemed about to start complaining about student council affairs in the group chat again at the slightest disagreement, Sakura Airi simply continued typing, rather speechlessly:

"Actually, I think Arisu and Suzune don't need to be in such a hurry, because Class B's project is probably not finalized yet."

"How can Airi be so sure?"

"Because the students in Class B haven't made any moves at all, and if you just open the school forum on your phone, you'll know that the two leaders of Class B are on a date. Today is Hui's birthday."

"Birthday...that's great."

"It's best not to make such remarks if someone just celebrated their birthday less than a month ago."

"That's great...it's my birthday."

"Blocked."

----------------------------------

"I don't want to explain to you anymore why I chose Class C as our opponent, because the truth is that even if I had chosen Class A or Class B, you would still have kept asking me similar questions."

Similar to Class B, whose projects were not yet finalized due to the class leader's vacation, Class D in the first year also failed to confirm their submitted projects. However, Long Yuanxiang did not seem to be in a hurry about this, and instead, he was unusually communicating with the students of Class D. Although his tone was still rude, his attitude was relatively peaceful, and his hostility was visibly reduced.

"All of you need to remember now is one thing: under my guidance, unleash all the little potential you have in your bodies, and treat this special test as if it were the last one."

As he spoke, Long Yuanxiang also chuckled:

"Don't think that Class C is such a strong opponent. If they were really that strong, they wouldn't have fallen all the way down from Class A and had to stay behind us for a while. Their weaknesses have always been just as prominent as their strengths. Right now, just Hashimoto Masayoshi alone is enough to give them a headache."

Even after saying it once, Long Yuanxiang could still see that most of the students in Class D were still not very enthusiastic. After all, what they really wanted was for Long Yuanxiang to take charge of the entire special exam by himself. This kind of exam format, which forced everyone to participate and perform and risked expulsion, was really hard for them to adapt to.

If Long Yuanxiang hadn't taken on this command position himself, and another student had been forcibly appointed instead, the sentiment would probably be even stronger. But at least the sense of responsibility that Long Yuanxiang has shown so far has made some students in Class D willing to follow his orders.

But it's still not enough.

Long Yuanxiang thought to himself.

However, this was a situation he had anticipated.

Class D has lost too many times, and the students desperately need something to boost their morale and spirit.

This requires what is known as getting something for nothing.

"Everyone listen to me."

"I've already made a pact with Kitagawa. If we can defeat Class C in this special exam..."

"He will transfer to this class next semester."

Chapter 508: The So-Called Redemption

It has to be said that as soon as Ryuen Sho said those words, the atmosphere in Class 1-D changed instantly. After all, even putting aside Kitagawa Ryo's own abilities, his relationship with the students in Class 1-D was quite good. Moreover, whether they were boys or girls, they all felt a sense of warmth when they saw him. If he could really transfer to their class and become their classmate, that would definitely be a great thing.

But soon, a student raised a question:

"Didn't Beichuan just transfer to Class B? It hasn't even been a semester yet. I feel like this is a bit fake. Longyuan, have you been fooled by someone?"

“I personally communicated with Kitagawa, and this matter was finalized a long time ago. Otherwise, do you think I would have asked you to go and support him and Shiina on Valentine's Day last month? Do you remember what we were shouting back then? Those were the secret codes between Kitagawa and me, understand?”

Ryuen Sho made up a story without batting an eye, but his half-truth did sound convincing, and since Shiina Hiyori herself didn't deny it, the students in Class D gradually came to believe it.

"Don't worry about the individual points, I'll cover them all. All you have to do is show your skills in this special exam and win this damn competition."

Taking advantage of the good morale, Ryuen Sho waved his hand generously to motivate his team. As the saying goes, if you aim high, you can achieve something in the middle; if you aim for the middle, you can achieve something in the bottom. According to the agreement between him and Shiina Hiyori, they didn't necessarily need to actually defeat Class C led by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. They only needed to show the style of the Class D students.

Of course, Ryu Yuanxiang never felt that there was really no chance of winning.

Rather, the format of this year-end special exam gave him a considerable chance. If the plan went smoothly, and with a little bit of luck, Class D's chances of winning could be pushed to over 50%.

In Ryuen Sho's view, from the perspective of winning probability alone, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had no need to play as the commander. This actually limited the opponent's scoring ability. Apart from pure luck, Ryuen Sho couldn't think of any way to beat Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. The gap in strength was an objective fact that could not be changed in a short period of time.

There was no other way but for Long Yuanxiang to take on this command role. After all, the last bit of spirit and morale of the entire D class was hanging on his shoulders. If he were to desert his post, the D class would probably fall back into disarray.

"As for specific projects..."

----------------------------------

"I feel that some classes will definitely choose music-related projects."

As she passed by the music room at Tokyo Advanced Educational Junior High School, Megumi Karuizawa thoughtfully peered through the window at the setup inside:

"Actually, I feel that Ryo could also do this. I remember that Ryo got first place in this kind of subject during the special exam on the deserted island. In the entire Dongyu, besides Ryo, Lingyin is probably the only one who can do this? However, she is the commander of Class A this time, so she can't personally participate."

"Yes, we can definitely add a project like this. However, Hui said something wrong. In fact, in the entire first year of Dongyu, besides me and Lingyin, there are other people who can play the piano, and their skills are quite good."

"Who?"

"Ayanokouji."

As a test subject who had also spent several years in the white room, Kitagawa Ryo was well aware of the differences between the courses for the fourth-generation students, including Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, and the fifth-generation students, including Amasawa Ichika. The former received far more skills training than the latter, including arts such as piano and calligraphy. Although it was only a superficial understanding, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's learning ability had already surpassed the amateur level.

"Ryo seems to know Ayanokouji quite well."

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle. Besides, my relationship with him is not just that of an opponent."

Kitagawa Ryo smiled upon hearing this. After all, if Ayanokouji Kiyotaka could really stage a patricide like a character in a Greek drama and take the opportunity to eliminate the White Room organization, he would be quite happy to see it happen. After all, he himself harbored a lot of malice towards Ayanokouji Atsuomi and the White Room. The old torments he suffered both physically and psychologically during Sakayanagi Arisu's last simulation were not something that could be forgotten so easily.

"Speaking of which, apart from musical instruments, if Class A were to let Airi choose a singing or dancing activity, our class doesn't seem to have anything particularly outstanding."

"Yes, Class A has a lot of students who can be used, but due to the rules, we can only apply for one one-on-one duel project. Otherwise, we would be overwhelmed by just those professionals."

After a brief chat about the special exam, Karuizawa Kei shifted the topic to Class D, or rather, Shiina Hiyori.

"Ryo's next stop should be Hiyori's place, right?"

"If nothing else happens."

Just as he didn't hide his impending transfer from Honami Ichinose back then, Kitagawa Ryo wouldn't deliberately conceal it from Karuizawa Megumi now, especially since Hiyori and Megumi are best friends.

"However, it will still take some time. Hiyori herself set up a checkpoint for the D office on my behalf. Megumi should know that, right?"

"Yes, I've already heard Hiyori say that. She doesn't want Ryo to just be another Ryuen Sho among the students in Class D. After all, if you want to be saved, you have to show the belief and courage to save yourself first."

At this point, Karuizawa Kei's thoughts unconsciously drifted off, as if she were recalling some things from the past.

After that trip to London in her memory, she had actually been there again two years earlier. However, this time she was invited to perform as a theatrical actor. The entire troupe boarded a plane, and Kitagawa Ryo sat next to her. The two of them looked out the window at the clouds together.

They performed together, met up with Hiyori Shiina, who was studying there at the time, and then strolled along the Thames together.

That night in London, fog rolled in. The gray smoke blurred the constellations above them and the river in front of them, making everything lose its history and names. The people were still the same people, and the river was still the same river, but the whole world became a gentle, hazy image in Karuizawa Kei's eyes, a memory she still remembers to this day.

Compared to Honami Ichinose, who is also a reborn person, Kei Karuizawa is undoubtedly better at erasing those painful traces. But it's not simply about forgetting; rather, it's about covering them up with a gentler yet more powerful reality. This applies to everything from the K&K symbol that she initially only fantasized about and cherished (see Kei Karuizawa's birthday special from last year, updated on March 8th), to actively changing her role when facing bullying in elementary school, and even to her revisit to London.

In a sense, Kitagawa Ryo used the same approach as Karuizawa Megumi in solving Ichinose Honami's psychological problems.

However, this does not mean that Karuizawa Kei is perfect, without any flaws, or that he does not need so-called 'after-sales' service.

Actually, Kitagawa Ryo had noticed similar clues a long time ago, but it wasn't until last night that he confirmed it when the other party sincerely said that he wanted to continue being an actor.

The identity of a reborn person is both a legacy of her transformation and a prison that has kept her trapped in a certain constraint.

"Actually, I've reconsidered what Hui said to me last night."

"Hmm?"

Seemingly not expecting Kitagawa Ryo to bring up the matter again, Karuizawa Megumi subconsciously showed a slightly puzzled expression.

“I believe that Hui will definitely achieve this goal and become the best actress. This is not just a simple encouragement, but I hope that Hui can believe in the fact that no long-term success is a given and that you should never belittle your efforts. At least from what I see, Hui is more qualified than me to become a professional theatrical actress.”

Undoubtedly, since joining the theater troupe and partnering with him, the K&K duo quickly achieved a turnaround in reputation within a few years. Karuizawa Megumi, who was initially thought by the audience to be unworthy of his one-in-a-million theatrical genius, gradually gained more recognition, and the title of genius was naturally bestowed upon her as well.

This is undoubtedly a wonderful story about reborn individuals.

But for Karuizawa Kei, who has always maintained a high degree of self-awareness, this was also the beginning of another doubt, or rather, self-doubt.

After all, she wasn't someone who was often praised, otherwise she wouldn't have encountered school bullying several times in her life.

That is precisely why Karuizawa Kei was able to remain completely unburdened when faced with the initial deluge of negative reviews and criticisms.

But when these criticisms quickly turned into positive ones, and when words she had never thought of before were used to describe her, she felt somewhat at a loss.

Everyone claims to be a rare genius on par with Ryo, but is that really true?

Perhaps for a long time, this was actually the idea that Karuizawa Kei had been holding in her heart.

After her rebirth, Karuizawa Kei takes a matter-of-fact attitude towards everything, believing that time should not be wasted. This allows her to maintain a high level of execution and outpace Ichinose Honami in completing everything, but it also causes her some confusion about her own self-awareness.

Was her courage, which was beyond her years, during elementary school, and her performance in the theater troupe's preliminary selection, which surpassed that of Shiina Hiyori, truly due to her own abilities?

Or is the truth simply because she is a reborn person, and these are merely small advantages that reborn people have?

The same thing is considered precocious when done by a young child, but becomes commonplace when they grow up. Once this is realized, the choice is made.

In theory, it would be quite simple for Karuizawa Kei to abandon such a misconception: she could announce her semi-retirement from the entertainment industry last year, gradually fading from public view, and only showcasing her most perfect side beyond her years by utilizing the legacy of the reborn. That would be enough for the audience to think, "If only she were still acting," when they think of her a few years later.

But Karuizawa Kei still chose to continue down this path.

This is theoretically a battle only between herself and herself, because before she is exposed, those around her will only look at her with admiration and crown her with the title of genius, but they will not know that she is just working harder to make herself worthy of this title and to become the one who truly deserves it.

“I have always felt that Hui has no need to feel fear or anxiety about this, because Hui is really talented and works harder and is stronger than many people. When you choose this path, you have in fact chosen a different path from all your previous lives at the crossroads.”

"For most of the time in this universe, we do not exist. At some times, there is you but not me, and at other times, there is me but not you. And in the times when we are both here, there is sometimes tragedy."

“Wanting to be a bride and wanting to be the best theatrical actress are naturally different, so the difficulties you encounter will also be different. Being reborn is just an identity; it doesn’t mean you can solve all problems as a matter of course, nor does it mean that solving all problems is a matter of course.”

"So, I hope that Hui can have more confidence and face up to all the efforts she has made along the way. This is not an experience that can be simply glossed over. Others have not had it, and Hui herself is even less likely to do so."