Jason's seat in the second row was a tactical choice. Close enough to hear, far enough to be ignored. The desk by the window had a wobbly leg and a loose lid—but it had one key advantage: line of sight.
Today, however, all eyes were on him.
Emily Lin glanced sideways again. Jason had caught her watching him four times now since the bell rang.
Brandon's seat? Empty. Trevor's gang? Dispersed.
HEX64 pulsed softly.
[局势稳定.社交焦点转移中,主角已成为潜在势能中心.]
Jason narrowed his eyes slightly. "HEX64, seriously... can you start with English next time?"
"Acknowledged. Primary output now set to host language: English. Ancient protocols will retain source terms with translated overlay."
"Social dynamic stabilizing. You are now a node of rising influence."
Jason kept his face neutral. He liked this seat more today.
First Period – U.S. History
Mr. Keener, with his thinning hair and eternally disinterested voice, droned on about the Reconstruction Era. A question blinked on the projector.
"Which economic policy contributed most directly to the Panic of 1873?"
No one answered.
Jason blinked. A window opened in his vision:
[历史推演:癸巳流局.经济动因,信贷扩张,铁路过热投资——选择:Grant政权信用紧缩法案.]
"Historical Simulation: Gui-Si Flow Hex. Economic factors include credit expansion and railroad overinvestment. Recommended answer: Grant administration's currency contraction policy."
Jason raised a hand.
"Grant's currency contraction policies. Specie Resumption Act, 1875."
The room froze. Mr. Keener actually looked up.
"Correct," he said slowly. "Very correct."
Jason didn't smile. But the data flowed in:
"Classroom Reputation +2%. Female attention increasing."
Emily turned again. This time, she didn't look away.
HEX64 SYSTEM INTERFACE – STATUS UPDATE
A rotating bronze trigram compass flickered in his vision.
[Host: Jason Carter]
• Level: LV.0 (Strategist Trainee)
• EXP: 18 / 100
• Influence: 5% (Local School Network)
• Trait: 势道（Shi Dao - Momentum Sense）
[New Feature Unlocked: 人心图谱 / Human Map]
• Visualizes peer relationship dynamics and trust potential.
• Highlighting potential allies / rivals.
The interface shimmered again. A simplified map of the classroom appeared—names, emotional states, attention flows.
Three names pulsed:
• Paul Kim – Quiet, Observant, Tech-savvy – 70% loyalty potential
• Derrick Stone – Athlete, Underestimated, Feels Disrespected – 62% loyalty potential
• Emily Lin – Top 3 GPA, Emotionally guarded, Curiosity: Rising
Jason exhaled softly.
"HEX64… give me a low-risk mission."
"Side Mission Generated: First Step to Campus Control. Objective 1: Speak up in class three times today to gain 10% class discourse authority. Objective 2: Identify your first follower. Trigger 'Influence-Group' mechanic."
"Reward: System 'Resource Link Module' pre-initialized."
Jason grinned.
The game had started. And this time, it began with a classroom.
But strategy needs more than calculation.
It needs timing. It needs control.
And above all... it needs a reason.
That was what Jason Carter intended to find next.