The classroom had only just settled after the presentations when the teacher placed her materials down and looked at the students with a slightly brighter expression than usual, as if she had been waiting for the right moment to introduce something important.
"Everyone did very well today," she said with a smile, her voice carrying a hint of excitement. "So I have some good news."
The children immediately became curious.
"Good news?"
"What is it?"
The teacher clasped her hands lightly.
"Next week, our kindergarten will hold a small school play."
The classroom instantly filled with excitement.
"A play?!"
"Like acting?"
"Can we wear costumes?"
The teacher laughed softly.
"Yes, you will all have roles, and we will perform in front of other classes and some parents."
At the mention of parents, the atmosphere changed slightly.
This was no longer just a classroom activity.
This was a public stage.
Gu Wen's gaze sharpened slightly.
Larger audience.
Higher visibility.
Higher evaluation weight.
At the same time, the system interface appeared.
[New Event Detected]
School Activity: Kindergarten Play
Impact Level: High
Evaluation Scope: Teachers, Students, Parents
Hidden Value: Social Reputation Expansion
New Mission Released
[Mission: Lead Successful Performance]
Objectives:
Ensure group stabilityAchieve high performance qualityMaintain positive public impressionPrevent external interference
Reward:
Leadership Trait (Initial Unlock)Social Influence +30Reputation Boost
Gu Wen's eyes moved slightly.
Prevent external interference.
That means—
There will be a problem.
Not far away, Zhao Yichen lowered his gaze slightly, his expression calm as the noise of the classroom surrounded him, but his mind had already begun moving ahead of everyone else.
A public performance.
Parents present.
Teacher evaluation.
This is not just a stage.
This is pressure.
And pressure creates mistakes.
He glanced toward Gu Wen.
If Gu Wen succeeds here, his position will become stable.
Teacher trust will solidify.
Classmate support will increase.
And Liu Ruyan will stand beside him on that stage.
That cannot happen.
Zhao Yichen's fingers tightened slightly.
Then his thoughts shifted.
Direct interference will be too obvious.
Too risky.
So—
The problem must come from within the performance itself.
The teacher began assigning roles the next day.
"We will perform a simple story," she explained. "There will be a main character, supporting characters, and helpers for props and scenes."
She looked around the classroom thoughtfully.
"For the main role…"
Her gaze paused.
Then—
"Liu Ruyan."
The classroom became quiet.
Liu Ruyan froze.
"Me…?"
Her voice was soft and uncertain.
The teacher smiled gently.
"You did very well yesterday, and I think this is a good opportunity for you."
Above Liu Ruyan's head, captions flickered.
[Nervousness Rising][Pressure Detected][Seeking Support: Gu Wen]
Her fingers tightened slightly.
Gu Wen looked at her calmly.
This was expected.
She is being pushed forward.
That increases her growth.
But also—
Her risk.
The teacher continued.
"Gu Wen, you will assist with coordination and scene management."
Not the main role.
But something more important.
Control.
Structure.
The backbone of the performance.
Gu Wen nodded slightly.
"Okay."
Zhao Yichen watched carefully.
So Gu Wen stays behind the stage.
Controlling everything.
Even better.
That means if something goes wrong—
He is responsible.
Rehearsals began that afternoon.
The children practiced their roles, moving awkwardly at first, forgetting lines, missing cues, and laughing when things went wrong, but gradually improving under the teacher's guidance.
Gu Wen stood slightly to the side, observing everything.
Movement timing.
Positioning.
Sequence flow.
Potential failure points.
His mind worked calmly.
The main risks:
Missed cuesIncorrect positioningEmotional breakdown (Liu Ruyan)Prop mismanagement
He watched Liu Ruyan carefully.
She was trying.
Speaking softly.
Moving carefully.
But her confidence was still unstable.
Above her head:
[Performance Stress][Confidence Fluctuating]
Gu Wen stepped closer during a short break.
"Your timing is fine," he said calmly.
She looked at him.
"…Really?"
"Yes."
"You just need to slow down."
Her breathing eased slightly.
"Okay…"
At the same time, on the other side of the stage, Zhao Yichen was quietly helping organize props.
But unlike before, his attention was not on cooperation.
It was on structure.
He observed:
Where props were storedWho handled themWhen they were usedWhich moments depended on timing
His eyes settled briefly on one specific scene.
The final scene.
Where Liu Ruyan would stand at center stage.
And everything depended on correct timing and positioning.
Zhao Yichen's gaze darkened slightly.
That is the key point.
If that moment fails—
The entire performance collapses.
And Gu Wen—
Will be responsible.
Later that evening, after returning home, Gu Wen sat at his desk, reviewing the rehearsal in his mind like a precise sequence of events, breaking it down step by step and analyzing every possible weakness.
The system interface appeared again.
[Performance Simulation Available]
[Would you like to run scenario analysis?]
Gu Wen paused slightly.
Then—
"Yes."
The interface shifted.
Scenes appeared in simplified form.
Flow.
Timing.
Interruptions.
Errors.
Multiple outcomes.
One scenario highlighted in red.
[High Risk Scenario Detected]
[Final Scene Disruption]
[Cause: Prop Misplacement / Timing Error]
[Impact: Performance Failure]
Gu Wen's eyes narrowed slightly.
So that's the most likely attack point.
He closed the simulation.
Then spoke quietly to himself.
"If I can predict it…"
"Then I can control it."
The next day at school, Zhao Yichen watched Gu Wen more carefully than before.
But something felt different.
Gu Wen was no longer just observing.
He had begun adjusting things.
Quietly.
Subtly.
Changing prop positions.
Reassigning small responsibilities.
Improving timing cues.
Strengthening weak points.
Zhao Yichen's eyes sharpened.
He noticed.
He's already preparing.
Which means—
He also sees the risk.
Zhao Yichen slowly smiled.
Then this will be more interesting.
Because now—
It's not just sabotage.
It's a battle of prediction.
As rehearsal continued under the soft afternoon sunlight, the stage was slowly being set for something much bigger than a simple school play.
It was no longer just a performance.
It was a test.
Of control.
Of strategy.
Of who could see further ahead.
And both sides were already making their moves.
The real conflict—
Had not even begun yet.