After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

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[Prepare four million yen in cash within a week! Mail it to Wada Coarse Snack Shop in Hirao Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture! Otherwise, we will send out the photos to your family, friends, classmates, and you will lose all your dignity. Your Teacher Sato will also be dismissed from his job!]

After school at 3:30 pm, when Ruzaki Mami showed the text message she had received to Ayakoji Chiyoko, this is what it said.

Hirao Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture is a rural area far from Tokyo; presumably, it must be the hometown of one of the three extortionists.

"Four million yen is not a small amount," Ayakoji Chiyoko said as she handed back Ruzaki Mami's phone, suggesting, "If you are willing to report this to the police, they will take care of it."

"I... I won't report it to the police," Ruzaki Mami said, maturing a bit after several days of anxious toil, but still not daring to look Ayakoji Chiyoko in the eye, she looked down slightly, "I don't want Teacher Sato to be fired!"

"So you're saying you'll pay the money?"

"..."

"Good, it seems you haven't been blinded by love."

Ayakoji Chiyoko clenched her fists on the table, and said with the calm tone of a doctor, "Extortion is never-ending. Once you compromise, they will bleed you dry for the rest of your life. It's four million now, but tomorrow it might be five, six million. Do you really want to use your parents' hard-earned money to clean up after your boyfriend?"

Ruzaki Mami, unable to argue, pressed her head even lower in embarrassment, ashamed of herself for having considered doing just that for a moment.

Love cannot be measured in terms of money.

But that's just a tale for children; modern high school students are more realistic than ever and fully aware of the value of money.

That's four million yen we're talking about. You could buy a nice car, travel to several countries, or with the right moves even get Teacher Sato a job that's no worse than teaching. Why should you give that money to extortionists?

As for that photo... Ruzaki Mami was still troubled by it, profoundly conflicted, yet not knowing what to do.

If it were really exposed, it might be a mere embarrassment and scolding for her, but Sato would genuinely lose his job and might never be able to work in the educational field again.

Thinking of this, Ruzaki Mami couldn't help feeling sad, and she resolved that if she indeed caused Teacher Sato to lose his job, she would have to help him find a new one.

For example, becoming a manager at her father's hotel.

And then, naturally, becoming her husband... Hehe, hehehe, heheheheheh.

"Ah, lost in her own little world again," Ai Cheng Hua Lian, sitting beside her, sighed as she saw Ruzaki Mami blushing and daydreaming with a silly smile still on her lips.

This silly girl.

She turned her head to Ayakoji Chiyoko, "President Ayakoji, do you know where Mr. Kagura has been lately? He won't tell me when I ask, and it's quite concerning."

As Ruzaki Mami had recently been in close contact with the Disciplinary Committee, her relationship with Ai Cheng Hua Lian and Ayakoji Chiyoko had improved a bit. Although she was still fearful, at least she no longer felt weak at the knees at the sight of Ayakoji's stern face.

Upon closer interaction, Ai Cheng Hua Lian realized that the Disciplinary Committee Chairman, who was rumored to be arrogantly cannibalistic, wasn't as dismissive as she imagined.

She may be cool, but that's just because she's too serious.

Continuing their acquaintance, they might even become something like friends.

At this thought, Ai Cheng Hua Lian felt a complicated mix of emotions.

Ever since she learned from the Student Council President that Kagura Hikaru had a crush on Ayakoji Chiyoko, she had always felt inferior around her, guilty for no reason, and worried that something might be noticed.

This frustration had nowhere to go, and made her feel like beating up a certain male high school student who, after being all over the place and disappearing for three days, still managed to be the center of people's talks.

For the past three days, he had been missing after school, claiming to be busy with something when contacted online and acting all mysterious.

However, Ai Cheng Hua Lian guessed that he was probably investigating the whereabouts of the extortionists alone, and she couldn't help worrying about his safety.

```

After all, Kagura Hikaru did not seem to have the physique of someone who was good at fighting, delicate and fragile as he appeared; if he were to be attacked, he was likely to be covered in wounds.

After asking Ayakoji Chiyoko, the latter also shook her head to indicate that she did not know.

Their exchanges had been brief, with Chiyoko practically conveying new intelligence unilaterally these days, while there was no information coming back from Hikaru.

Although they had not coordinated in advance, they tacitly chose different directions for their investigation and advanced separately.

Ayakoji Chiyoko had chosen the lead of Sato Seiji and had uncovered quite a few things; she was just waiting for the evidence to fall into place.

As for the line Hikaru had chosen, the missing extortionist, the progress was unknown.

Securing direct evidence would likely depend on his performance.

If it was too late, in a week's time, that photograph would spread, causing irreversible damage to Ruzaki Mami.

After discussing the matter, Ai Cheng Karen and Ruzaki Mami were ready to leave.

It was then that Ayakoji Chiyoko's phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID and immediately answered the call; the voice of Kagura Hikaru came from the other end, "I've found them, but there are quite a few people."

The smile at the corners of Ayakoji Chiyoko's mouth faded, and her gaze sharpened; she looked like a lion intently eyeing its prey from afar, her iron-cold blood heating up with that non-human sensation returning to her.

Sensing a shift in the atmosphere, Ai Cheng Karen and Ruzaki Mami stopped, pricking up their ears to eavesdrop.

"Give me the location, can you provide a detailed address?"

Ayakoji Chiyoko pulled over an inconsequential document, flipped it over, and began writing down an address while listening.

"Hmm... Hmm... Wait for me half an hour; don't do anything rash before I get there."

After saying that, she hung up the phone and stood up, only to meet two pairs of curious cat eyes staring at her.

Ayakoji Chiyoko shook her head, "You cannot be involved; it could be dangerous."

"Can't we just watch from a distance?"

"We'll stay far away!"

"No."

Leaving no room for negotiation, Ayakoji Chiyoko had someone forcefully escort the two women away and then called the vice president, naming ten people to return to the club room and gather.

Five minutes later.

In the place where Sword Dao training was usually held, all ten Discipline Committee members stood.

They were the strongest fighters within the Disciplinary Committee, ensuring the capture operation was foolproof.

"The third-year extortionist who slipped away from us has been found," Chiyoko declared.

As these words were spoken, the breathing of the Discipline Committee members in the old classroom grew heavier, and their eyes changed.

The fact that they had let the criminal escape due to carelessness a few days ago was regarded as a humiliation by the entire Disciplinary Committee.

It seemed that the day to redeem themselves had come!

"We're going to settle this right now," Ayakoji Chiyoko said, hands behind her back and expressionless, "Take off your armbands and follow me!"