Chapter Twenty: The Strategy Conference

The activity room granted to the Cyber Ghost Music Club was located on the fourth floor of Building E. Nestled beside a narrow corridor, its hidden location prompted the esper to exclaim, “I can’t believe our school actually has a place like this!” Its arrangement, reminiscent of times past, stood out amid the ever-expanding teaching spaces of the modern academy: two cabinets, a long table, and a worn-out whiteboard—facilities that reflected a rare and precious spirit of thrift.

The first words spoken by Kira upon entering could well represent the thoughts of all the club members.

“This looks just like the activity rooms you see in anime!”

The esper nodded in agreement. “It satisfies my craving for school anime nostalgia.”

“No way—?!” The provisional club leader cried out in frustration. “Hey, Lianyi, this room is way too small! What are we supposed to do in such a cramped space?!”

Shi Yu Lianyi, shaken by the blonde girl, looked like a sapling swaying in a storm. His voice, interrupted by her aggression, broke into fragments.

“The student council senior said—small clubs don’t need large spaces—I also think this classroom is sufficient—”

“Absolutely not!!! This is the time to stand our ground and fight for our rightful space!”

What could a five-person club with such a name possibly need a large room for? The fact they even managed to secure one was likely because the student council feared their notorious reputation.

A low, rumbling sound, reminiscent of a large beast ready to hunt, issued from Caldesia’s throat.

“Let’s go, everyone! Follow me to reason with those bullying little bureaucrats!”

Qin Qianbai brandished a knife, and the completely oblivious Kira raised her guitar with a cheer.

Look at you, strutting around like little mobsters. Who’s really doing the bullying here, you three?

Now was the moment to hit the brakes. The gray-haired youth gave a signal to the suit-clad sapling, who promptly regained his human form and gently reminded, “Caldesia, you still have a class on Imperial Folklore this afternoon.”

“That class is as pointless as the Yamentha Sea back home, no need to attend~”

“But today is the midterm. You told me at the start of the semester that the midterm assessment was either an in-class exam or a short paper. I assume you submitted the paper ahead of time?”

“Well then…”

The blonde girl fell silent for a second.

Under the esper’s gleeful gaze, she stormed out like a whirlwind.

“I’ll leave setting up the temporary activity room to you—I have to rush to the midterm—!!!”

Gongsun Ce laughed heartily.

Out of basic concern for his friend, Qin Qianbai asked, “Is Caldesia about to fail?”

“I submitted a paper on her behalf earlier, so she shouldn’t lose any participation points,” the suited youth replied with a soft chuckle. “But I suppose letting her learn a lesson now and then isn’t a bad thing.”

“I’m dying of laughter,” said Qin Qianbai.

The gray-haired youth used telekinesis to close the door. An ink pen floated up and wrote four large words on the whiteboard: Operation Meeting.

“While Captain Caldesia is off taking her exam, let’s hurry up and hold a little meeting!” He leaned against the table and solemnly declared, “The first club meeting, combined with Shi Yu’s romantic operation meeting, begins now!”

Kira pointed at herself in surprise. “Even though I’ve only known you all for half a day, I can join?”

“Of course! Because, apart from the homebound Senior Mo, you’re the only one who knows all four of us and is available for the meeting! With your energetic spirit, you are sure to become the fresh breeze that sweeps away the stagnation between those two. We have high hopes for you, Miss Kira!”

Moved, the twin-tailed girl clasped her hands.

“I—I will do everything I can to help Shi Yu Lianyi!”

Shi Yu sat at the assistant’s seat, looking rather embarrassed.

“Gongsun, have you told her everything…”

“No, regarding your love life, I haven’t said a word, Mr. Gongsun. Miss Kira, how did you know Shi Yu’s feelings?”

Kira looked up. “Isn’t it obvious that Shi Yu Lianyi likes Caldesia?”

Qin Qianbai covered her mouth, Gongsun Ce cackled strangely, and Shi Yu looked even more mortified.

“Exactly! And this sticky, indecisive relationship has gone on so long that even Caldesia is ready to introduce someone else to him! Friends, this is no longer the time for us to merely spectate. If we don’t help Shi Yu now, these two will ruin their chances all by themselves!”

The gray-haired vice-captain banged on the whiteboard.

“Opportunities don’t wait! This time, at the very least, we have to get them married!”

“Oh oh.” “Oh oh!”

The girls cheered, while Shi Yu looked as if he’d just been hit by an invisible punch.

“No, Gongsun, isn’t this goal a bit too ambitious?”

“Aiming high ensures we get something, even if we fall short! If we don’t push, it’ll just end in chaos again. We have to go all out this weekend! Everyone, share your best ideas!”

Qin Qianbai was first to raise her hand.

“Go ahead, Miss.”

“Print a marriage registration form and pretend it’s a street survey, inviting the two to sign. With Shi Yu’s help, the careless Caldesia might just be tricked into it.”

“Great idea!” “Let’s adopt it as a backup plan!”

Within three minutes of the meeting, the suited youth was already regretting seeking help from his friends.

The second suggestion came from Kira, full of longing: “We could find a quiet, beautiful place—preferably outdoors at night, with the moon and stars. We’ll prepare in advance to keep others away, let them spend time alone, talk about the past… Then, when the mood is just right, Shi Yu Lianyi can naturally take out a ring and propose! I’m sure she’ll say yes!”

Shi Yu, forcibly assigned the role of proposer, groaned softly.

This time, the imperial duo shook their heads.

“That won’t work.” “It’s not feasible.”

“Why not?!”

“If Shi Yu had the initiative to confess, they’d already be together. Why would we need to help?”

Kira’s mouth gaped in shock.

“Wait! So our task is… to get Caldesia to confess to Shi Yu?! That’s so strange! Not only do we wait for her to like him, we have to wait for her to confess, too—how can that be right?!”

Say no more.

Shi Yu’s life force had already hit zero.

Qin Qianbai placed her hands on the twin-tailed girl’s shoulders.

“Kira, don’t say such hurtful things.”

“Did I say something wrong?”

“The truth can be more painful than lies.”

The provisional vice-captain cleared his throat, steering the conversation back on track.

“Ahem! Everyone, listen. In my opinion, we should focus on the big picture—let’s decide their weekend date location first, then work out the details.”

The esper wrote the first proposed location on the whiteboard: Movie Theater.

“Shi Yu’s excuse was shopping, so meeting at a large mall makes sense. After shopping, watching a movie together is even more natural! The reasons for recommending this place: the atmosphere is right, renting out a theater is simple, it’s easy for us to intervene, and Shi Yu, who loves movies, will be in his element.”

Shi Yu Lianyi straightened. “A movie theater… Yes, it’s a place we both know well. I think it’s a good idea.”

Kira put forward the second suggestion: “I suggest the amusement park!”

It sounded ideal for a couple’s date, but if those two went, all anyone could picture was Shi Yu being dragged around all day by some wild woman. That wasn’t a date—it was one-sided torment.

However, if Caldesia were allowed to take the initiative, her chances of confessing might increase…

“A moderate suggestion, let’s keep it for now. What’s your idea, Miss?”

“Furniture store.”

Those three words dropped the room’s temperature by ten degrees in an instant, and the enthusiastic members nearly froze.

The other three sat solemn and silent, like three stone Buddhas radiating light.

The gray-haired Buddha spoke woodenly.

“Miss, they’re going on a date, not filming a martial arts movie.”

Qin Qianbai tilted her head.

“They could pick out furniture together for when they live together.”

The three shouted in unison, “Live together?!”

“The aftermath of the Glass Disaster has made public safety worse lately. Shi Yu is worried about Caldesia’s safety and plans to live together temporarily to protect her. His invitation to shop was just a cover for his embarrassment—what do you think of this plot?”

The esper gasped.

Living together! For those whose minds were still on simple dating, this was a high-level, extraterrestrial strike!

If this operation proceeded, even if the ultimate goal of a confession wasn’t reached, “living together” would be a physical milestone…! With this closer relationship, even two blocks of wood would eventually spark! What far-sighted strategy—aiming for victory and long-term benefit, truly the mark of a tactician!

“Impressive, Miss! Fits Shi Yu’s character perfectly… He would absolutely do it!” Gongsun Ce excitedly wrote down the third location candidate. “What do you think?”

The suited youth replied with a dry chuckle, “Caldesia has a new house guest lately.”

He added, under their shocked stares, “A girl I used to know.”

“I almost thought a love rival had appeared—don’t be so dramatic when you speak.”

So the lady with the hat had taken in someone new? No wonder she hadn’t brought Kira home yesterday. And it was someone Shi Yu knew—a wider social circle than anyone expected.

The three steadied themselves and, as Shi Yu Lianyi’s despair deepened, resumed their lively discussion.

·

Two hours later.

“I’m exhausted—I finished my exam and I’m back—”

Caldesia pushed open the activity room door, startled by the fiery atmosphere inside.

“There’s always a way.”

“The most important thing is a flexible mind… the ability to adapt on the fly!!”

“Come on, everyone! Let’s leave everything to our future selves!!”

The blonde, hat-wearing girl tiptoed around the three animated figures, coming to stand quietly behind her serene friend, and whispered, “Lianyi? What are those three idiots doing?”

Shi Yu Lianyi replied, without joy or sorrow, “It’s club activities, Gongsun and the others are discussing club matters.”