Yukio and his group left the camera store and decided to treat everyone to a meal at the cafeteria to show appreciation, with Class D footing the bill since they had just received their monthly allocation of 200,000 points. While a banquet-like feast every day was not feasible, treating the entire class to a good meal at the cafeteria was certainly within their means.
As usual, Ishizaki took the initiative to get food for Yukio, who didn't mind such small matters. Yukio checked the time on his phone and then headed to the restroom in the cafeteria, with the reasonable excuse of washing his hands before eating.
The men's restroom was empty except for one occupied stall at the end. Yukio casually entered the third stall and closed the door, speaking to the person in the last stall: "Did you bring the stuff? You can go back now."
A frightened voice came from the last stall: "Yes! I've brought everything as you asked! But can you please let my son go? I've done exactly as you instructed!"
Yukio, leaning against the door, reassured in a gentle tone, "Don't worry, we're not bad people. We just needed your help with a small task. Your son is fine. Our people just took a photo outside his elementary school, nothing more. Rest assured."
"There are still two days until this weekend. Don't rush. Call home then, and you'll see I'm not lying to you."
Hearing this, the frightened voice gradually calmed down: "Okay, I believe you... I'll leave the items here and go out first. Please, I beg you, don't harm my family."
Footsteps faded away from heavy to light, growing distant.
Only then did Yukio go to the neighboring stall and retrieved a small package, sealed with special electromagnetic material. It was very small, barely larger than two palms. After carefully checking it, he opened it and stored a tiny phone and various chips and small components, each labeled, in his bag.
Some special tools and materials were available on campus, but the key items for his project were not, making it challenging for Yukio, who knew how to create them, to actually produce them on campus. Therefore, he had to slowly acquire the necessary components from the outside world. The phone was essential for communicating with the outside.
As for how all this was arranged, it was quite a hassle. The strict policies of the Advanced Nurturing High School, meant to isolate students from external communication for three years, complicated these efforts.
Before entering this high school, all students' personal phones were temporarily confiscated and replaced with school-issued phones, which completely restricted any direct contact with the outside world.
This rule applied not just to students but also to all employed staff, whether working in the cafeteria or at the shops in the Shopping Center. Their personal phones were also taken by the school authorities, and they were given school phones. However, unlike the students, the staff could contact their families on weekends, albeit under surveillance, and they couldn't reveal any internal information, only assuring that they were fine and earning well. The generous salary made this strict management model somewhat acceptable to the staff.
Under such a seemingly flawless and isolated management system, the most vulnerable aspect was the transport personnel. Most goods, like game consoles or cosmetics, were delivered monthly, but anything related to food, either for the school cafeteria or the various restaurants, required daily delivery due to perishability issues.
Every morning, trucks brought fresh supplies, and the delivery personnel's phones were confiscated at the school gate and returned only when they left. Yukio quickly noticed this loophole at the beginning of the school year and bribed a delivery person to work for him, thus establishing minimal contact with the outside world.
Even though Japan wasn't Yukio's family's base, there were many small and big powers willing to help. Thus, through the delivery person bridging the inside and outside, Yukio's external connections prepared the needed phone and materials for him. They also took a distant photo of a cafeteria worker's child going to school, which easily deceived the cafeteria employee into assisting Yukio.
The items Yukio needed were delivered without detection or damage, proving the adage that even the most fortified castles are most vulnerable from the inside.
As for the morality of his methods? Yukio didn't care. He was focused on achieving his goals and accepted his role as a villain, seeing nothing wrong with it.
The reason the delivery person could bypass the school gate's checks relied on special electromagnetic shielding material. The electromagnetic shielding lining is a conductive elastic material that eliminates discontinuities in conductivity, preventing high-frequency leakage. Metal detectors work by producing a high-frequency variable magnetic field through an oscillator connected to a transmitting coil, which was effectively blocked by this material.
With the ability to communicate with the outside world anytime and anywhere, Yukio was relieved. He no longer needed to rely on the delivery person's inefficient method of contact.
After returning to the cafeteria and enjoying a hearty meal, Yukio led the C class students back to their dormitories, drawing attention along the way as many thought they were part of some class activity.
Back in his own dorm room, Yukio carefully examined the "old phone." Compared to the school-issued phones, this one, capable of contacting the outside world, was indeed outdated. It lacked a large screen, featuring only an old-fashioned keypad and a small display. Its advantage lay in its long standby time; if used only for standby and not actively operated, it could last up to twenty days on a single charge.
Once assured the phone was functioning correctly, Yukio made several calls to express his gratitude to the various powers that had assisted him from the outside. He spoke of future international cooperation and mutual benefits, making those on the other end very pleased and eager to flatter him.
After the pleasantries, Yukio finally called his family's patriarch. Upon connection, he was met with a refusal from the other end: "Who is this? Let me clarify first, I don't believe in scams, won't send money, and I haven't received any prize-winning messages, so I won't give you any verification codes."
Yukio, slightly exasperated, responded, "Grandpa, don't you realize? Your private number has a whitelist, doesn't it?"
He didn't delve into why the whitelist included the number of this old phone's SIM card.
"Hahaha! Just a joke, just a joke," the elder switched to a more serious tone. "How is your life in Japan? Are you enjoying it?"
"It's interesting," Yukio genuinely replied, thinking of the many secrets and rules of the high-level nurturing school.
"Then make sure to document everything. Once you've unraveled all the secrets of the school, I expect you to bring that information back," the elder directed, revealing the main purpose of Yukio's attendance at the school.
Yukio, accustomed to his grandfather's manner, was neither annoyed nor surprised. "I'm just checking in. As for the school, don't worry, I'll handle everything."
The patriarch expressed his trust in Yukio's abilities, "Alright, then. We'll be waiting for your good news. Remember, you have full authority to use our resources in Japan."
Yukio, amused by his grandfather's character, ended the call and then contacted other family members to assure them of his well-being.
***
300 power stones = 1 extra chapter