Chapter 144: 【Detected Complex Environment】

【Detected complex environment, please choose】

【2】 【Competition, Battlefield】

【Jing Sai, Battlefield】

Who holds killing intent toward him this time?

What did he do?!

Could it be because Ono Mika and Ono Mizuki greeted him? Or because Bass Sakurako and the others cheered for him?

Mikami Ai and Miyase Yaeko are also possible.

If it's those people who only have eyes for them, they should be able to discover the near-nonexistent small interactions between them.

Miyase Yaeko herself is also not impossible.

After all, Qingshan Li promised her, guaranteed that her Student Council President's authority would possess deterrence at all times.

The system's prompt tone, on the contrary, calmed Qingshan Li down.

He didn't choose, simultaneously slowing his pace.

Taking first place now would indeed stop the farce, but simultaneously lose the chance to find the culprit — in Qingshan Li's view, the culprit.

Moreover, in front of the whole school, under circumstances where the Broadcasting Club might interview at any time, using the system is not a rational move.

As Sports Club members, Kobayashi Shiki and Aizawa Jun are currently in the lead pack, while Qingshan Li runs out of campus alone.

After leaving campus, quite a few people start walking, strolling and idly chatting as they head toward Jingu Gaien.

Qingshan Li also stops his steps.

The weather is clear, a cloudless May day.

He takes out his mobile phone, opens TikTok, finds 'Kaimei Broadcasting Club', enters the livestream.

No picture, only sound.

'New comment.'

'Class 2-2's Mikami Ai, if I get first place, please go out with me — anonymous again.'

'But I suspect the Sports Club people!'

'On site, please connect them!'

Someone in the comments replies 'Yes'.

Before long, the screen splits into two frames; one frame still has no picture, the other shows the long-distance race's lead pack.

These Sports Club people have not an ounce of excess fat on their bodies; tough muscle wraps their whole frames.

Qingshan Li's bearing and physique are better-looking than theirs, but in terms of athletic feel and muscle definition, he still falls short of them by some distance.

On-site staff run alongside, pointing the camera at the lead pack.

'It was you, brat, who confessed, right!' Asami's imposing accusation — only Conan, who paralyzes Kogoro, has this kind of confidence.

The interviewee glances at the camera.

"Mika-senpai!" A shout suddenly comes from behind.

The camera swivels sharply.

A guy shouting 'Mika-senpai', 'Unreachable Love', 'I Want to Dance Too' and such runs into the frame, then sprints out of the end at a hundred-meter dash pace.

The lead pack becomes the second pack.

'The culprit is him! Chase him!' Asami urges.

"Sorry, the section ahead isn't my responsibility anymore." On-site staff refuses.

'Damn it, if my former subordinates were still here'

The Broadcasting Club was reorganized; they deserve to die.

Just at this moment.

"Wherever there is news, the broadcast lives on!"

A bespectacled man shouting 'Asami, are you watching', 'Even if I quit the Broadcasting Club, I'm still a Broadcasting Club member', 'Broadcasting Club ah—' rushes into the frame, then rushes out the end.

'Masaki-kun!!' Asami shouts.

"Steady!" The Soccer Club Captain shouts, "Don't be influenced by those too fast or too slow, follow your own rhythm, our goal is to defend the championship!"

"Yes!" Including Kobayashi Shiki, the Soccer Club members respond.

The Track and Field Club and other clubs are the same.

'This Masaki-kun might also be the confessor.' Kuze Oto says.

'Masaki-kun? Impossible impossible, he already has someone he likes, hehe~'

Thump thump~

A warning knock sounds from the broadcast.

'Alright, the girls' group is about to start too'

'On site, trouble giving the camera to the boys' group's tail-enders, let us cheer for them!'

Qingshan Li looks back once; good, he isn't the last one.

Wait, he's watching the livestream while walking, and he's actually not the last one?

'Everyone look, these people, every single one of them, are waiting for their girlfriends!'

'Camera, steady, let everyone see who their girlfriends are!'

A few guys run off.

'These few who ran off either don't even have the courage to meet their girlfriends on camera, or have no girlfriend and are just lazy!'

Is Miyase Yaeko watching the livestream? Qingshan Li wonders.

'Alright, the girls' group has started too!'

'Everyone, may fortune favor the brave!'

It's finally coming.

Qingshan Li broke into a light jog at the same pace as a stroll.

"Ah~, President Miyase-sama~, what beauty~, what grace~, what confident strides~"

The women's first pack soon appeared in view.

Those boys waiting for their girlfriends, a scattered few also began to accelerate.

"Eh? Wait, how will we know who your girlfriends are like this? So despicable!"

"But don't think you can escape Asami's eyes, twenty kilometers to the finish, I'll definitely find you!"

"Huh?"

"Qing Shan Jun, your older sister and younger sister are still behind? Why are you accelerating?"

"By your logic, his girlfriend is in there too." Kuze Oto said.

"Impossible, no way, Qing Shan Jun can't have a girlfriend!"

"Masaki-kun, you poor thing." Kuze Oto said.

"Kuze Oto-sensei, Qing Shan Jun is an idol, that's different from a boyfriend — who on earth is Qing Shan Jun's girlfriend?!"

"Kuze Oto-sensei, you're a Tokyo University clinical psychology master's, can you tell anything?"

"I know the answer." Kuze Oto said.

"Who?!"

"But I can't tell you, protecting student privacy is a teacher's duty." Kuze Oto said.

"Doesn't matter, as long as I'm sure Qing Shan Jun's girlfriend is in there, I'll definitely find her, twenty kilometers to the finish!"

Kuze Oto-sensei, look at what you've protected!

What relieved Qingshan Li was that the women's first pack maintained a steady pace throughout, with Miyase Yaeko and Mikami Ai trailing four or five steps behind.

Qingshan Li followed behind them.

Because their backs affected his breathing, he ran to the front again, blending into the women's first pack.

The women's first pack's breathing grew ragged.

The sky was a clear blue, running together with girls of fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, Qingshan Li felt he could run forever.

Past the Akasaka Rikyu grounds, ahead lay an uphill slope, the roadway red, the roadside trees thick and sturdy.

The women's first pack, running about 4 minutes 20 seconds per kilometer.

Qingshan Li felt he could go faster still.

Japanese high school sports clubs all undergo systematic training, at least Kaimei High School does, the women's first pack's 【Physique】 and 【Speed】 are undoubtedly both Upper C.

Qingshan Li's 【Speed】 just received a 'C' rating yesterday.

Not because of 【Speed】, this proves his 【Physique】 surpasses a normal 'Upper C', let's call it 'Elite Upper C'.

*Buzz~*

Qingshan Li took out his mobile phone.

【Miyase Yaeko: You're running up front, do you know where I am?】

Qingshan Li looked back, Mikami Ai and Miyase Yaeko were both gone.

"Eh? Is Qing Shan Jun's girlfriend from a sports club?" Agatsuma Haruka asked curiously.

"Did I join the wrong club?" Bass Sakurako regretted, making it impossible to tell if she was serious or joking.

【Qingshan Li: Waiting for you up front】

He slowed his pace, opened TikTok, entered the live stream.

"The men's first pack is starting to split, those who can't keep up became the second pack"

"Everyone be careful crossing the road"

"Received a new letter"

"Qing Shan Jun, if I catch up to you, will you go out with me?"

"What about Qing Shan Jun? Qing Shan Jun slowed down! He agreed?!"

"About to catch up to Qing Shan Jun are the Student Council President and Mikami Classmate!"

Right at that moment.

Drummer Mumi approached from afar, running into the frame, her expression focused, gaze fixed ahead, short hair flying.

Qingshan Li recalled their first meeting, when he was caught by her, the incident of being tied up five-flower style in the Sunny Band Club.

To run, or not to run?

(Chapter End)