People bring their own maids to the training camp

"It's okay, we'll deal with whatever comes our way." Chihaya took Honami's hand. "We're all starting from the same point, there's nothing to be afraid of, okay?"

"Mm." Honami smiled at Chihaya.

After a while, Hoshinomiya-sensei came to the middle of the group.

"Attention everyone! I'm about to start taking attendance. Don't miss your name because you're not paying attention!"

Ms. Hoshinomiya, dressed in sportswear, held a roster and checked attendance one by one according to student ID numbers. It felt less like summer vacation and more like a training camp. Even so, most students showed no signs of tension.

After roll call, the students entered a waiting state. Many students were already getting impatient and might have already thought of the shapes they would make for the sand sculptures—such as the Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon, which is very realistic.

Although playing like this might risk losing priority in choosing a partner, the boys' creative desires are endless.

Soon, a tall teacher walked to the front and stood on the prepared white podium. He was Mr. Zhenyu, the English teacher for Class A, known for his strictness. He had a wrestler-like physique, seemingly all brawn and no brains, but he was very intelligent. He also appeared to have taught other subjects in the past.

"First of all, I am very happy that everyone has arrived here safely today. However, on the other hand, although there is only one student here, it is also very regrettable that someone is unable to attend due to illness." Teacher Zhenji picked up the megaphone and began her speech.

Clearly, the only one who didn't participate was Sakayanagi Arisu.

Not far away, adults in work clothes were setting up tents. Computers and other items could be seen on long tables. The students began to look puzzled by the urban noise that seemed out of place with the gentle lapping of the sea. As if waiting for the atmosphere to change, Mr. Majima uttered a cold sentence.

"So next—we're going to begin the first special exam of the year for everyone."

"Huh? A special exam? What's going on?"

"Didn't you come here for vacation? Why are you taking an exam?"

"A special exam? Why is everyone required to take it?"

The students were in an uproar. They had expected a beach, sea, and bikinis, but instead it turned into a special exam. The stark contrast made the students very dissatisfied.

"As expected, my premonition was right." Fanbo shook his head helplessly. "I felt something was wrong from the moment they took the phone away."

"A special exam with everyone's participation... the rewards must be pretty generous." Kanzaki got into the zone very quickly and had already started thinking about the rewards.

"Kanzaki-kun, you're very calm," Honami said with a wry smile.

“There’s no way to cancel the exam now, so instead of complaining, we should think of a solution,” Kanzaki said calmly, arms crossed. “The rewards for the special exam are undeniable, so we should give it our all.”

“That makes sense. Let’s hear what it has to say first.” Fanbo also perked up, waiting for Teacher Zhenyu to continue explaining.

Soon, Ms. Majima announced the exam content.

"The exam period is one week from now and will end at noon on August 7th. You will spend the next week living in groups on this deserted island, and that is the content of the exam. Also, let me make it clear upfront that this is a special exam designed with reference to real corporate training. It is very practical and realistic."

"Living on a deserted island? Does that mean we're not going to be on a boat, but living on this island?" A student immediately raised the question, since asking high school freshmen in their teens to do a week of wilderness survival on a deserted island was a bit too advanced.

"Yes. You are not allowed to board the ship without a valid reason during the exam. Life on this island, from where you sleep to preparing your own food, is entirely up to you. At the beginning, the school will provide each class with two tents, two flashlights, and a box of matches. Sunscreen is unlimited. Each of you will be assigned a toothbrush. As an exception, we allow girls unlimited use of feminine hygiene products. Please request this from your respective class advisors. That's all."

Mr. Zhenyu's words broke the hearts of many students. Even before he finished speaking, some still thought that the school was just joking with the students.

That's too naive to believe that a prestigious school would use public funds to send its students on a luxury cruise trip.

While the other classes were in an uproar, Fanbo in Class B had already begun to calm the students down.

"If we win, there will definitely be amazing rewards! Everyone is participating this time, so it's sure to be very generous!"

160.300 points

"If we win, there will definitely be amazing rewards! Everyone is participating this time, so it's sure to be very generous!"

"Oh dear, it seems everyone has some misunderstandings about this exam," Ms. Hoshinomiya said with a smile. "If this were an exam that forced you to live a harsh life, then criticism would be understandable. Actually, the school doesn't prevent you from having recreational activities, you know?"

"What do you mean, teacher?" Fanbo asked. "Won't you say you won't provide us with anything else?"

"For the first week, you can swim at the beach, have a barbecue, or even light a campfire and chat with your friends. The theme of this special exam is freedom," said Ms. Hoshinomiya. "Let's hear Ms. Majima explain the rules first. It's not as tough as you might think, is it?"

It's supposed to be an exam, but students are allowed to play freely. This contradiction only adds to the students' confusion.

"As a prerequisite for this special exam on this deserted island, we will first distribute 300 exam points to each class. By making good use of these points, you may be able to spend a week of special exams as if you were enjoying a trip. We have also prepared a guidebook for this purpose."

Ms. Zhenyu held up the thick booklet with dozens of pages in her hand to show it off.

"This guidebook lists all the items that can be obtained with points. Needless to say, there are necessities like drinking water and food. If you want to barbecue, we will also provide equipment or food. We have also prepared countless game props for you to enjoy the ocean to the fullest."

Hearing this, the students calmed down a bit and decided to listen further to what this so-called 300 exam-specific points were all about. They had initially thought it would be a brutal wilderness survival exercise, but upon hearing that it included everything, the students suddenly realized they had probably misunderstood the school.

However, Chihaya knew very well that this was just a superficially wonderful thing. Because these 300 points for the exam were not just for "exams".

"Can we get anything we want using those 300 points?" the unsuspecting students continued to ask.

"Yes. As long as you use points, it's possible to collect all the items. Of course, you need to use them strategically, but the exam is designed so that as long as you have a solid plan, you can get through the week without any difficulties."

If you could really live on points for a week, then this wouldn't be an exam; it'd be more like a holiday or a summer vacation. Chihaya couldn't help but think to herself.

Having known the exam content in advance, listening to Mr. Zhenyu's speech now only makes me think he's bluffing, and a big bluff at that.

You could certainly use those 300 special exam points to have a blast for a week, but what would be the price?

The cost was that the points that could have been converted into class points were wasted for no reason. 300 class points are equivalent to 30000 personal points per person per month for 40 people—anyone who would sacrifice so many points just for a week of fun is simply out of their mind. Even if the three idiots from Class D were making the decision, they would never do it this way.

Soon, Mr. Majima uttered the words that dealt the final blow to the students and shattered their illusions.

"When this special exam ends, all the remaining points in each class will be added to the class's total points, and the results will be reflected at the end of the summer vacation."

A stone stirred up a thousand waves.

Class D was the most excited.

In exams like written tests, which are based solely on academic ability, top-performing classes with high-level basic academic skills naturally have a significant advantage. Classes in the lower tiers often fall behind in points and are forced into a difficult situation. However, the current rules are completely different. The exam structure makes the disadvantages between classes A and D almost imperceptible.

Although there was a special exam before, it did not involve class points, so even though Class D achieved second place in the Flying Chess Battle, it still failed to narrow the gap with Class C.

"Each class will be assigned a guidebook. Although replacements can be issued in case of loss, they will cost points, so please keep them safe. Also, the absent travelers this time are students from Class A. According to the special exam rules, those who withdraw due to illness or other reasons will have 30 points deducted from their class. Therefore, the Class A exam will start at 270 points."

Ms. Zhenyu continued, while gesturing for the staff to bring over several boxes.

“Now I’m going to give each of you a watch. Please don’t take it off until the exams are over in a week, and make sure you wear it on your wrists. Removing the watch without permission will be punished. This watch not only tells time, but it also has sensors to detect body temperature, pulse, and movement, as well as a satellite positioning system. In addition, just in case, the watch also has a function to report emergencies to the school. In an emergency, don’t hesitate to press this button.”

As soon as the words were spoken, the staff opened the box and, together with the homeroom teacher, distributed the items according to the roster.

"I guess this counts as one of those smartwatches?" Honami said to Chihaya after receiving the watch. "These are the kind that major mobile phone manufacturers make, but it doesn't seem to have a call function?"

"If you set up the call function, then the phone becomes just a money transfer machine."

"Haha, although the school should be able to turn off this feature, a phone can still do a lot of things even when it's offline, right?"

"Yes, that's why watches are more convenient."

"The school really went all out for this special exam," Fanbo sighed. "But it's only 300 points. If we take the A-class exam as an example, we can at least win by 30 points."

“We need to look at the details.” Kanzaki came over after taking the watch. “Wilderness survival doesn’t guarantee that both sides will consume exactly the same amount of resources—one less person means one less expense.”

"But surely it shouldn't be that one person would consume 30 points?"

"Let's wait until we get the instruction manual," Kanzaki said. "Considering wilderness survival, we need a suitable campsite to help with daily expenses as much as possible."

“I have an idea, but I need to see the specific catalog before I can confirm it,” Chihaya suddenly said. “Two tents are not enough, and there are also three meals a day and physiological needs—these are all necessary expenses. We can’t just not spend any money at all just to get points.”

“Yes, yes, I completely agree with Chihaya.” Honami nodded repeatedly.

161. A high-class toilet is definitely needed.

The watches are likely one of the school's methods for implementing safety management. If students are free to move around on the island, teachers alone cannot fully monitor their situation. Even so, installing surveillance cameras as comprehensively as on campus would be difficult. The school probably intends to use them to monitor students' physical condition and to respond to unforeseen circumstances. The helicopter seen on the cruise ship is a measure for dealing with such emergencies.

According to staff, the watch is waterproof and shouldn't malfunction from ordinary impacts. Of course, there are always exceptions, so the school has prepared a spare watch for replacement.

"Hoshinomiya-sensei, may I ask about some necessities?" Honami raised her hand. "Do things like eating, sleeping, and other physiological needs require us to spend points?"

“Yes, you can refer to this instruction manual for details.” Hoshinomiya-sensei said, handing the manual to Chihaya. “The school will not interfere at all. You will be responsible for preparing your own food and water. The same goes for any shortage of tents. Thinking of solutions is also part of the exam—whether you spend points to buy them directly or figure it out yourselves, it’s all up to you.”

"If that's the case, can we fish and drink river water?" Kanzaki asked.

“Of course.” Teacher Hoshinomiya nodded. “The school only looks at the points remaining after seven days. As long as the process complies with the regulations, the school will not have any objections.”

“I suggest we don’t drink the river water, okay?” Chihaya, who was flipping through the manual, suddenly spoke up. “The last page lists the deduction review items: those who meet the following conditions will be subject to the prescribed penalties.”

Students who are clearly unwell or seriously injured and are deemed by the school to be unable to continue taking the exam will have 30 points deducted. Furthermore, the student will be withdrawn from the exam.

Twenty points will be deducted when an act of polluting the environment is discovered.

For each person who is absent from the roll call at 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM daily, five points will be deducted.

The most severe punishment is that if a student commits acts of violence, looting, or damage to equipment against other classes, the class to which the student belongs will immediately be disqualified, and all of the student's personal points will be confiscated.

"In other words, students with sensitive stomachs are very likely to feel unwell after drinking river water, which could lead to a loss of students." Kanzaki's expression turned serious. "Then we need to compare the price difference between using a water purifier and buying drinking water directly."

The method of simply enduring a week is out of the question from the start; trying to gain 300 class points through a week of asceticism is impossible. The conventional approach to passing this exam is to think about how to use and conserve points efficiently.

Honami joined Chihaya in studying the instruction manual, and Kanzaki took on the task of asking questions.

"Teacher Hoshinomiya, what would happen if someone forfeited after all 300 points were used up?"

"This situation will only increase the number of people withdrawing from the exam. The points will remain at zero."

"So, there's no penalty for not scoring points, right?"

“That’s right.” Hoshinomiya-sensei gave an affirmative answer.

Soon, all 40 watches in Class B were distributed. After everyone checked their time, Ms. Hoshinomiya began the next step of her explanation and instruction.

"The school will provide a large tent for eight people. It weighs nearly fifteen kilograms, so please be careful when carrying it. Also, the school will not provide assistance with any damage or loss of allocated items. Remember that you will need points if you need a new tent." Teacher Hoshinomiya paused for a few seconds after speaking. "Next is about roll call—the school stipulates that instructors must be with each class until the end of the exams. Once you have decided on your base camp location, just report to me, and I will use your chosen location as the base. Also, once you have decided on your base camp, you cannot change it without a valid reason, so please consider it carefully. Other classes have the same conditions; there will be no exceptions."

"Then there is the issue of toilets, because urinating or defecating indiscriminately is undoubtedly an act of polluting the environment, so the school will provide everyone with simple toilets."

Then, Ms. Hoshinomiya demonstrated how to use the portable toilet and the precautions to take.

Although the girls in Class B haven't expressed much opinion yet, it's clear from their expressions that they strongly resist this kind of thing.

"It seems we really need a better toilet." Kanzaki wasn't stupid; he knew that forcing the girls to use this makeshift toilet wasn't a good idea.

At this moment, class unity is paramount.

“There are indeed temporary toilets among the items available for purchase,” Chihaya said, flipping through the brochure. “20 points per toilet.”

The makeshift toilet appears to be perfectly functional; judging from the reference photos, it is almost indistinguishable from a toilet in a home, and it can also be flushed.

“I can buy one,” Kanzaki said.

After all, both leaders of Class B are girls, so it's understandable that they would buy a temporary toilet.

“Let’s decide on a base first before we buy anything. I found a good spot on the ship earlier,” Chihaya said. “Can Kanzaki-san come with me? Shibata-san, you can explore in another direction. Honami, you can stay here and organize the group. Can we exchange for some basic items first?”

"Leave it to me. I'll submit my request for dinner tonight first."