Chapter Ten: The So-Called Wise (5/5)

Fujimi Academy could be counted among the best high schools in Chuangzhuang City. The school’s clubs encompassed nearly every interest, from the refined and elegant flower arrangement club to the passionate kendo club.

The spare equipment for these clubs was typically gathered and stored in the school’s equipment storage room. This storage room was right next to the classroom where Liu Mengchao was.

The science laboratory.

If one didn’t count the zombies sprawled lifelessly on the ground, there were currently eleven people in this spacious chemistry lab.

Liu Mengchao sat by the window, hands folded, silently surveying the others in the classroom.

Li Xin. She had been a public relations manager, and in Liu Mengchao’s eyes, a PR manager’s greatest skill was managing human relationships. This was obvious from the perpetually practiced smile on her face. Whether it was the openly hostile Makoto Ito or the inexperienced Ye Yutian, she greeted everyone with a ready smile. She was employing a strategy favored by the weak: forming alliances and sticking together.

Yet Liu Mengchao could tell that Li Xin didn’t actually like the two people beside her. Every time she looked at them, her facial features involuntarily drew inward toward the center of her face.

That could only mean one thing—she harbored a secret aversion to them. Unless, of course, she had recently undergone a facial lift that had distorted her features.

As for Li Xin’s approach, Liu Mengchao could more or less guess her intentions. In this round of the endless world, there were six newcomers and himself, the one veteran in their minds.

Seven people.

As Qi Xiaoxiao had just told him, there were only six plot characters in Fujimi Academy.

Six life buoys, but seven people tossed in the water. As the strongest veteran, he would surely seize one of the buoys, but what about the rest?

On the way to the chemistry lab, Qi Xiaoxiao had already demonstrated formidable combat prowess. How could a public relations manager hope to outfight a powerful bodyguard? And as for Chen Mo, the special forces operative, he was even more formidable.

That left only Xu Zhengdong, Ye Yutian, and the slightly unhinged Makoto Ito as likely candidates for elimination.

“What kind of choice will you make?” Liu Mengchao narrowed his eyes, watching Li Xin, who was still chatting easily with the two men. “Will you short-sightedly team up with another man and abandon the weakest, or will you band together and wait for Teacher Xu and Chen Mo to destroy each other?”

While Liu Mengchao continued studying the other reincarnators in the chemistry room, the classroom door was suddenly pulled open.

Saeko Busujima.

Then came the military otaku Hirano Kouta, wielding a makeshift weapon crafted from a nail gun, and—

“Four-Eyes?” Ye Yutian, who had been talking with Li Xin, turned around and shouted as Saya entered.

“Who are you calling Four-Eyes, you spoiled rich kid who only knows how to spend your family’s money!” Saya’s eyes flashed with disdain as she strode straight to Liu Mengchao, took a deep breath, and said, “You’re the current leader of this group, the Chinese Liu Mengchao, right?”

“When you talk, you keep your hands in your pockets. That’s a sign of nervousness,” Liu Mengchao replied expressionlessly to Saya. He’d never had much patience for arrogant people.

“I’m not nervous. I’m a genius. You—”

“The downturn of your mouth is a classic sign of guilt. That means you’re not confident in what you’re saying, Miss Saya.”

“You—!”

For the first time, Saya realized that Liu Mengchao, whom she’d only known as an athletic type, could become so terrifying. Standing before him, she felt as if she were naked—her every thought laid bare.

“Sometimes, silence doesn’t mean I can’t see through your thoughts.” Liu Mengchao leaned back in his chair as he spoke, relaxing his body, projecting an air of calm authority that made his words all the more convincing.

“Your upper eyelid is lifted higher than usual for more than a second. That can only mean you’re afraid of me.”

He leaned forward, exerting subtle pressure.

“Don’t bother trying to keep your face expressionless, or trying to control the tiny muscles in your face, because your facial muscles will always give you away before your emotions do.”

“And one more thing,” Liu Mengchao shook his head, raised a finger at her, “having no expression is still an expression.”

“The more popular a student is, the more likely they are to lie. But I’ve noticed you don’t have many friends at school, so your likelihood of lying is low. Still, don’t try to get the thrill of deception from me. Speak your mind, honestly and completely. Or, if you prefer, you can test your acting skills in front of me.”

Defeat! Utter defeat!

Saya stared at Liu Mengchao as if she were looking at a devil. She even felt the blood rush to her legs, a physical response she couldn’t control. Of course, if Liu Mengchao knew what she was feeling now, he’d tell her that this was a physiological escape response triggered by psychological fear.

When confronted with fear, a person’s first instinct is to run.

“I want to join you,” Saya lowered her head and admitted her true feelings.

“What about your previous thoughts?”

“I didn’t want a Chinese person like you leading the team.” Fog crept over Saya’s glasses, but she dared not wipe them. All she could feel was helplessness, as if she were a little bird waiting for Liu Mengchao to decide her fate.

“You want to lead this team?”

“Ye—no…” Saya almost lied again, but caught herself and stammered out her true thoughts. “I wanted Takashi Komuro to lead the team. I think he has that potential.”

Truly, the wise are an annoying breed.

Liu Mengchao smiled as he looked around at the other reincarnators in the chemistry lab. Except for Qi Xiaoxiao, who was smiling at him, the others all showed varying degrees of fear.

Yes, fear.

No one could guarantee they’d never lie. No one dared guarantee that, in the endless world, they wouldn’t tell necessary lies to survive. But if someone could easily see through all your lies—and had the strength to kill you—what then?

Right now, their minds were blank. Apart from fear, which grew like wild grass, the only thing left was the faint sound of their own breathing, barely reminding the others that they were still alive.

Prize pool amount: 100,000.

Clearly, Liu Mengchao’s speech had been highly effective.

“Now, welcome,” Liu Mengchao smiled faintly at Saya.

To everyone’s surprise, Saya suddenly broke into a happy grin.

Liu Mengchao couldn’t help curling his lip, silently cursing Stockholm syndrome.

“Now, share your plan with us.”

“Alright!” Saya nodded excitedly. “We’re currently on the far side of the Jingchuan River. Chuangzhuang City is divided in half by that river. My parents are on the other side. Our home is large, practically a fortress. If we can find a car in the school and drive across the river to where my parents are, it’ll give us the best chance of survival.”

“Not bad,” Liu Mengchao nodded approvingly. This was just like the wise ones he knew—intellectually ecstatic over their own high IQ, yet completely oblivious to their abysmal emotional intelligence.

Smiling, Liu Mengchao stood up and glanced around the chemistry lab. “Let’s go to the equipment room and find some handy tools.”

“Oh, right,” Liu Mengchao turned at the door, looking back at the others in the chemistry lab. “Who’s going to help Teacher Marikawa carry her first aid kit?”

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Fifth update for today delivered… Ten thousand words complete, sending flowers~ Please call me the author with perfect discipline, ha ha~

School starts tomorrow, so I’ll stay up late to write a few more chapters. Updates may have to rely on scheduled posting…

And tonight, the stockpile of chapters will be snuggling up with the urging-for-updates votes.

A deep bow of thanks to DLDLx, Blood Moon Starfall, and Frozen Speechless for the generous rewards~