"Congratulations, President!"
"Hehe, congratulations!"
Yan Huan carried the box containing the high-end suit gifted by Sakuramiya as he walked toward the Teaching Building. The students coming out of the building all greeted him with beaming smiles, congratulating him on "winning the beauty's heart."
Little did they know, this was absolutely not sothing to be happy about.
Perfect Sakuramiya had already hidden inside the High Table Dinner "fortress" she had constructed. Only by taking a boat to the island on the day of the event would it be possible to co into contact with her.
Hitomi's existence had entered its final countdown, but even that was not the most extrely urgent matter.
The real crisis was right here, right now.
"Xiao Huan."
Just as Yan Huan was thinking this, a cold, ghostly voice sounded from behind him, instantly sending a chill through his body and freezing him in place.
He tightened his grip on the box in his hand, took a deep breath, and turned around.
An expressionless Ye Shiyu imdiately entered his line of sight.
She was gripping her mobile phone, looking as if she had rushed over to the First-Year Departnt to find Yan Huan the mont she finished her exams.
"Sister Shiyu!"
Seeing her slightly frosty expression, Yan Huan offered a faint smile and hurriedly greeted her.
Upon seeing Yan Huan's smile, the ghostly, chilling aura of an evil spirit surrounding Ye Shiyu finally ward up a fraction.
Then, she tilted her head and suddenly asked,
"Just now, did Xiao Huan take the initiative to invite Sakuramiya Hitomi to be your dance partner?"
'As expected!!'
Hearing these words, sweat began to bead on Yan Huan's forehead.
Previously, Yan Huan had used An Le to make Ye Shiyu and Bai Yi believe that his acceptance of Sakuramiya's High Table Dinner invitation was due to the Modifier's influence. This could only be described as evil.
Yan Huan successfully used this excuse, leveraging the power of their Modifiers to destroy Sakuramiya Hitomi's Barrier.
But naturally, doing so had its disadvantages.
On one hand, unless absolutely necessary, Yan Huan really did not want to use this strategy of driving the tiger to swallow the wolf.
Doing this often increased the strength of the Modifiers. Just like when An Le went all out before, stepping on her own feet to ascend to the heavens, resulting in the descent of an evil god that nearly destroyed the world.
On the other hand, this completely failed to defuse the major problem of choosing one out of three!
Previously, perhaps because the words "let's all live together in harmony" spoken by Sakuramiya Hitomi were simply too terrifying, it made Ye Shiyu and Bai Yi absolutely certain:
Yan Huan must have been subjected to Common Sense Modification by the currently unstable Sakuramiya Hitomi.
Therefore, they had not caused Yan Huan any trouble lately. Instead, they were actively preparing for war, planning to settle everything once and for all at the High Table Dinner.
But now, Yan Huan putting on this dramatic confession scene of "man chases, woman flees" in front of the whole school imdiately provoked Ye Shiyu.
It also reminded Yan Huan of one crucial thing:
Even if he really resolved the issue with Sakuramiya's Modifier, as long as he did not choose them as his dance partner, disaster would still strike!!
Hearing her words, Yan Huan swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
However, seeing Yan Huan hesitate, Ye Shiyu tilted her head, and her eyes suddenly began to shimr with a faint purple light.
"Bzzzt..."
All around them, the whiteboards inside the Teaching Building and the display screens of various electronic devices began to faintly flicker with static.
A bizarre sense of oppression spontaneously arose. By the ti Yan Huan realized it, it was already too late.
'Oh no, it's a zero-fra activation!!'
"Voom!"
Yan Huan subconsciously activated his Perfect Expression Managent mask, wanting to parry the strike, but he was still one key fra too slow and failed to keep up with Ye Shiyu's swift blade.
'It's... It's over!!'
"..."
In Yan Huan's slightly widened, subsequently hazy eyes, the reflection of Ye Shiyu with her pursed lips appeared.
'As expected, she still...'
Yan Huan's eyes turned hollow. Feeling his heavy body and the tingling sensation running through him, he silently cursed his bad luck.
But after successfully hypnotizing Yan Huan, Ye Shiyu rely lowered her eyes. She gently pulled Yan Huan away from the public eye, leading him to a secluded corner next to the Teaching Building.
Once they were in a quiet place with no one around, Ye Shiyu lowered her gaze to look at Yan Huan and finally asked,
"Xiao Huan, you agreed to be Sakuramiya Hitomi's dance partner, right?"
"...Yes."
Ye Shiyu took a deep breath and looked at Yan Huan again.
"Sakuramiya Hitomi did sothing to you before, didn't she? Tell
using your subconscious."
"Click, click, click."
When Ye Shiyu issued this command, Yan Huan imdiately felt her words pierce through all the mory Correction, instantly engraving themselves deep into his mind and demanding an answer from him.
However, because he possessed Resistance, Yan Huan still managed to arduously fight against the power of the Hypnosis, adopting a bewildered expression.
"Mm... It seems so..."
He still voiced this explanation, exactly according to plan.
"Sakuramiya suddenly beca very healthy and beautiful... Besides, it should be common sense that the Student Council President and Vice-President lead the dance every year..."
Seeing this, thanks to An Le's groundwork, Ye Shiyu was not surprised; she only took a deep breath.
Yet, just when Yan Huan thought she was going to scold him for his actions earlier in public—which basically amounted to a confession—she pursed her lips.
Looking at Yan Huan and his hollow eyes, a trace of confusion cracked through Ye Shiyu's signature expressionless face.
"Xiao Huan... I suddenly... feel a bit lost."
"..."
Yan Huan's heart stirred slightly, but he continued playing the part of being in a Hypnotic State, choosing not to say a word.
"There are so things I cannot say to you while you're awake because of the hypnosis incident...
"Earlier, when I saw the entire school watch you chase after Sakuramiya Hitomi, they were all cheering for you. It was as if... you and she were a match made in heaven, a talented man and a beautiful woman...
"I suddenly thought: if it were you and
doing that, if you and I were leading the dance, everyone definitely wouldn't have shown those kinds of expressions."
Yan Huan paused slightly, studying Ye Shiyu.
"No matter who it is, as long as they understand my feelings for you, they will just scoff at it.
"So I thought, if that's the case, then were all my previous efforts and my desire to turn over a new leaf completely aningless?
"Just like Sakuramiya Hitomi said, no matter how much I change, what I do, or how hard I try, in the end...
"...it will never be possible to get everyone to acknowledge us."
Looking at Ye Shiyu standing in front of him with her head bowed, looking sowhat dejected, Yan Huan suddenly thought of many things for so unknown reason.
He abruptly rembered that day when he thought she was going to hypnotize him, but instead she had held him tightly.
He abruptly rembered that day when her shoes and socks got wet, and she sat docilely on the bench, waiting for him.
Only at this mont did he suddenly realize:
Ye Shiyu's hypnosis wasn't ant to punish him; she rely wanted to use the hypnosis to break that fabricated Common Sense Modification. She just wanted to feel a sense of security.
Ye Shiyu, in fact, was a person who lacked a great deal of security.
It was precisely because of her insecurity that she harbored such a strong desire for control.
Understanding her current anxiety, Yan Huan couldn't help but open his mouth. His emotions slightly broke through the limits of the hypnosis as he haltingly offered words of comfort,
"No... Sister Shiyu... You've done very well... recently... I really like this side of Sister Shiyu..."
"..."
Hearing this, Ye Shiyu's pupils contracted slightly, and she hurriedly raised her eyes to look at the Yan Huan in front of her.
"...What others think doesn't matter. As long as... Xiao Huan thinks so, that's enough."
She fiddled with her fingers as she said this.
Imdiately after, a sudden blush crept onto her face.
With her head still lowered, she asked again,
"Can... Can I give you a hug, Xiao Huan?"
Even though he was in a Hypnotic State, she did not order Yan Huan around; instead, she asked for his permission.
"Of course."
As soon as his voice fell, Ye Shiyu pulled Yan Huan into a tight embrace.
Feeling her embrace once more—a hug so tight it felt as though she wanted to weld him to her body—Yan Huan's muscles, for the very first ti, did not tense up.
"This ti, I... will save you, Xiao Huan."
Ye Shiyu's faint words drifted over, landing softly beside his ear.
However, these words made Yan Huan feel a sudden wave of sha, much like that ti they went on a date in the North Sea District.
This ti, it was because he was taking advantage of Ye Shiyu's sincere heart to turn over a new leaf just to resolve Sakuramiya's Modifier.
"..."
Yan Huan did not speak. He simply took the initiative for the first ti, holding Ye Shiyu's icy body a little tighter.
At this mont, it was incredibly quiet.
It wasn't born from a desire for fertility or any other ulterior motives.
There was only the embrace, only their heartbeats filling the hollow cavities of each other's chests.
"Thump... Thump... Thump..."
"Wow, isn't this way too high-class?"
"As expected, it really has to be handled by the Student Council. What was that bunch of old fossils from the Student Affairs Office putting together in previous years? It was either speeches or tired, old-fashioned performances."
"Yeah, yeah. And all that 'even after final exams are over, you can't relax' nonsense... Tsk. That's why the ball grabs everyone's attention every year."
On the third day, inside a high-end hotel along the coast of the North Sea District.
Following the end of the term, the teachers and students of Far Moon Academy had gathered here in full force, waiting for the High Table Dinner's ship to ferry them to the island.
The students were lined up by gender. Not only was this how they entered in previous years, but their seating arrangents later would also be allocated the sa way.
The boys were all uniformly dressed in suits. The only obvious differences were the colors of their suits and ties, and perhaps their hairstyles.
So boys had perd their hair or applied pomade, slicking it back into a mature look. On the other hand, the girls' side was a blooming garden of variety, featuring dresses of every imaginable style.
"So, are we really going to follow that plan later?"
Bai Yi was wearing a beautiful moonlight satin white dress. Her shoulders and arms were wrapped in long white lace sleeves adorned with embroidery, and a long string of white pearls hung gracefully from below her collarbone.
Paired with her long, slightly wavy black hair and the silver butterfly earrings resting on her ears, she looked just like an elf waiting to dance gracefully through the night.
"..."
The other mbers of the "Vengeful Wives Alliance" standing to the side couldn't help but fall silent when they saw her dressed so elaborately.
It was as if she existed on a completely different plane of reality from them.
Yan Huan had originally wanted to gift An Le a nicer evening gown, but she had picked out a simple black waist-cinching long dress for herself.
An Le instead glanced at Spencer beside her, who was covered in floral accents and dressed like a princess, but whose expression was exceedingly reserved, and couldn't help but ask,
"What's wrong, Spencer?"
Spencer shot her a glance and muttered softly,
"This dress is way too long, I keep stepping on it when I walk."
"..."
anwhile, Ye Shiyu, who was wearing a black-and-white French Hepburn-style little black dress, swept her gaze over Bai Yi and said softly,
"Causing chaos at the ball is secondary. The most critical goal is:
"Find Sakuramiya Hitomi before the ball starts and shut down her Barrier.
"As long as we make it so Sakuramiya Hitomi cannot maintain it when the opening dance begins, the plan will be a success."
Hearing this, Bai Yi imdiately raised her hand and whispered,
"Let
be clear first, I'll use Indifference at most. I won't use ti stop."
"...Why? Your ability would completely destroy her Barrier."
"Every ti I use ti stop, it's incredibly painful! I basically have to go to the hospital after using it, okay?!"
Bai Yi grew furious just bringing it up.
Why was it that these girls could use their abilities whenever they wanted without suffering a single side effect?
Just look at how Ye Shiyu threw hypnosis around recklessly, how An Le swung her tentacles at people, how Sakuramiya Hitomi threw up Barriers indiscriminately...
They were all perfectly fine and energetic!
She was the only one who felt like half her life was drained away after activating ti stop!
It was entirely unfair!
Was it possible to pay real money to buff superpowers too?!
"If I activate it later, even if I successfully destroy Sakuramiya Hitomi's Barrier, I wouldn't be able to dance if Yan Huan wanted to invite
because I'd feel so awful!"
By the end, Bai Yi's true intentions were finally revealed.
Are you kidding? She wore such a beautiful dress today!
"..."
Hearing this, the other three fell silent once more.
Ye Shiyu did not press the issue, only stating,
" hypnotizing her works too. We'll play it by ear when the ti cos."
"..."
An Le had been listening quietly, but her gaze secretly fell on the boys' line in the distance, where a slight commotion had erupted.
"President!"
"Wow, this suit fits you perfectly!"
Following the source of the voices, her eyes landed on several mbers of the Student Council stepping into the venue.
Yabashi Ki had his hair slicked back and was playing on his mobile phone.
Yurianna was wearing a pink dress, placing a hand over her brows like the Monkey King as she surveyed the classmates around her,
"Waku waku! What a high-class hotel!"
"Although I ntally prepared myself when the Vice-President invited those people to the office earlier, seeing it in person is still..."
Ashley, dressed in a skirt suit that made her look like a newspaper reporter, chid in in agreent.
Standing at the front of the group, Yan Huan wore an exceptionally well-tailored black suit. His hair had been styled by An Le back ho, making him look radiant and incredibly handso.
He locked eyes with An Le across the crowd for a split second before imdiately shifting his gaze to the watch on his wrist.
Yes, this ti, he was actually wearing a watch.
Simply because tonight was truly going to be a race against ti.
It was currently 15:56. At exactly 16:00, the ship would arrive from the island to pick them up.
At exactly 18:00, the High Table Dinner would begin.
Official, necessary procedures, including speeches by school leaders and the banquet itself, would last for an hour and a half.
After that, at exactly 19:30, the ball would officially start.
Before 19:30 arrived, he either had to enter Perfect Sakuramiya's Barrier and awaken Hitomi.
Or else, his only choice would be to completely destroy the ball.
"..."
Setting countdown tirs for a few key monts, Yan Huan took a deep breath and looked straight ahead.
"HOOOOOT!!"
With the loud blast of a ship's horn, two massive ships suddenly appeared on the sea ahead.
The great vessels cleaved through the waves and slowly pulled up to the shore.
Imdiately after, several petite female staff mbers dressed in won's suits, wearing hats and face masks, stepped down from them.
With detached expressions in their eyes, they looked at the crowd below and began carefully guiding them,
"Esteed school leaders, parents, and students, welco to Far Moon Academy's forty-seventh High Table Dinner...
"Please board the ships in an orderly fashion according to the boarding group and seat number sent to your emails yesterday. After a fifteen-minute voyage, we will arrive at the venue hosting this evening's banquet~"
Seeing the highly professional guidance and the cruise ships, anticipation swelled among all the students.
Up front, the school leaders and the parents attending the ceremony were still politely deferring to one another over who should board first. In the back, the students had already pulled out their phones to snap pictures.
Just as Yan Huan narrowed his eyes at these face mask-wearing "staff mbers" who were all suspiciously similar in height, a few of them walked directly toward the Student Council mbers.
"President Yan, please co this way. You will be giving a speech when the banquet begins later, so we have arranged a private dining room and seating for you."
Yan Huan swept his gaze over the suited won surrounding him and abruptly realized sothing.
'They want to monitor , afraid I'll stir up trouble...'
He glanced toward An Le and the others in the distance, only to find that several suited girls were also staring at them from the shadows.
"..."
Yan Huan did not refuse. He simply pointed a thumb at the three people behind him and asked softly,
"They are all mbers of the Student Council. It should be fine if they accompany , right?"
"..."
The suited won remained as stiff as wooden puppets upon hearing this, offering absolutely no response.
"..."
At this mont, out on the distant sea.
On that island, standing in front of an opulently luxurious building resembling a grand palace, Sakuramiya Hitomi stood on the beach wearing an elegant, crystal-like gown.
Behind her, resplendent lights pierced through the building's do—which seed to be made of so kind of crystal—illuminating the seaside beach in a dazzling golden glow.
Across the island, even the flora had been pruned into absolute perfection within a remarkably short period.
Let alone the palace-like venue itself, which boasted three full floors with a grand banquet hall right in the center.
Hearing Yan Huan's words, Sakuramiya Hitomi directed the chefs and the live band to get into position while taking a deep breath.
She gazed out at the sea, her line of sight seemingly shared with the suited won standing before Yan Huan.
After a mont of thought, she nodded.
"Of course, it's not a problem."
Over on the shore, the suited won nodded in perfect synchronization with Sakuramiya Hitomi and spoke politely.
After answering, Sakuramiya Hitomi gazed at the glorious, luxurious palace-like venue before her, resembling a heavenly palace, and couldn't help but smile.
She gently reached out her hand, as if trying to grasp the palace before her.
"Just... a little bit more... Hitomi."
"Click-click-click!!"
Following her movent, the rotating structure of the Barrier abruptly materialized inside the palace before her, along with various surveillance caras and suited won standing guard in the shadows.
All of these were put in place to deal with any possible accidents that might occur next.
"Set sail!!"
"HOOOOOT!!"
On the distant sea, the two cruise ships let out another massive blast from their horns.
Then, they slowly pulled away from the shore, carrying the entirety of Far Moon Academy's population as they sailed toward the venue of the High Table Dinner.
Reviews
All reviews (0)