"Why on earth did Dad and Second Dad make me dress like this to go to school?"
After finally unpacking the luggage from her Storage Soul Device, stowing everything in the locker and making the bed, Wang Dong glanced at the unfamiliar bed across from hers. She couldn't help but complain inwardly about her fathers' arrangements—why did she have to share a dorm room with a boy she didn't even know for the next few years?
Her stomach grumbled loudly. Having been busy with enrollment procedures since early morning, Wang Dong hadn't even eaten breakfast yet, and her hunger was unbearable.
Looking at the dried rations stored in the soul device, Wang Dong felt no appetite. She decided to leave unpacking for later and headed straight to the cafeteria to solve the breakfast problem.
Just as Wang Dong reached the dormitory entrance, she bumped into Huo Yuhao coming the opposite way.
Both were startled, suddenly realizing they were roommates. They sized each other up silently.
"Who are you?" the boy asked.
They were standing very close, and Wang Dong could smell the sweat odor wafting from him. She disliked being this close to the opposite sex, especially when he was blocking her way and delaying her breakfast. The pungent smell only made her stomach churn.
Calm down, stay calm! This guy is my future roommate after all—I can't make things awkward.
Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Wang Dong said calmly, "Move aside."
Huo Yuhao, expressionless on the surface, stepped aside, but inside he was anything but calm.
The young man before him was fair-skinned and handsome, with striking pale blue eyes and neat short hair of the same hue. His looks might even surpass Beibei's, giving off a delicate, almost feminine vibe.
So this must be Wang Dong, even in male clothing she looked far better than most in anime or manga. If she wore female clothes, she'd be stunning—no wonder she was the bearer of the Bright Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul. Tang San really spared no expense.
He recalled that Wang Dong probably wasn't under any restrictions at this point—after all, she had embraced him when they tested their fused martial souls without incident.
Wait—since when did I start fangirling over a girl?
Suddenly realizing his strange thoughts, Huo Yuhao bit his tongue hard, snapping himself back to reality.
"Tianmeng Jie! It's happening! The thing I sensed is coming!"
"Is the one you sensed that handsome guy in front of you? He doesn't seem special at all," Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's lazy voice echoed in his mind. Though puzzled, it focused all its attention on the premonition Huo Yuhao described.
Meanwhile, Wang Dong remained unaware of Huo Yuhao's odd behavior, walking forward on her own.
On a hidden layer invisible to others, the dull trident mark of the Sea God on Wang Dong's forehead suddenly vanished, replaced by a blood-red longsword.
At the moment this sword emblem appeared, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's body jolted violently. In its eyes, Huo Yuhao's entire spiritual sea was stained blood red.
Yet, Tianmeng sensed nothing abnormal. Had it not been for Huo Yuhao's alertness and constant monitoring of his spiritual sea, it probably wouldn't have realized it was tainted at all.
Even with its million-year cultivation, pulling off such a stealthy infiltration on its territory without raising alarm was impossible for any ordinary soul beast—even that notorious "Big Gray Orb" that often challenged Emperor Tian Wu.
Only a god could fully conceal its presence from Tianmeng's senses.
But what did the god want to achieve by doing this?
Outside, Wang Dong took a few steps but then stopped, turning to look at Huo Yuhao.
"You're in this dorm too, huh? Since you cleaned the dorm so thoroughly, I'll allow you to stay here temporarily. But there are rules you have to remember: First, no bringing guests back. Second, no walking around naked to annoy people. Third, no snoring at night. Fourth, don't disturb me. Fifth, you're responsible for cleaning the dorm, but don't touch my bed. Got it?"
Seeing Wang Dong's high-and-mighty attitude, Huo Yuhao's temper flared. "Why should I listen to you?"
The boy snorted coldly. "If you don't, I'll kick you out. Try me."
Having been bullied since childhood in the Duke's mansion, Huo Yuhao hated people acting all high and mighty. Feeling annoyed, he was about to teach her a lesson.
Before he could move, a trembling voice sounded in his mind: "Yuhao, calm down!"
"Tianmeng…"
At the sound, a chilling current swept through his head, cooling his anger. Tianmeng Ice Silkworm had noticed Huo Yuhao's unstable emotions and triggered the ice attribute power of his nascent second martial soul to calm him down.
Recalling the events that just transpired, Huo Yuhao shivered. Within the past minute alone, his thoughts had been interfered with twice. Tang San—what a man!
He was already meddling from the moment his daughter and the destined child met for the first time.
Now, Huo Yuhao roughly understood the Sea God's plan. Without Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's help, the fate child Huo Gua shouldn't have fully risen yet.
This was when Wang Dong would strike Huo Gua before his morale grew, hitting him while he was down. Then, using the advantage of the divine bestowed soul rings to suppress Huo Gua harshly, breaking the proud spirit of the destined child.
Afterwards, offering some benefits like immortal herbs or medicinal pills to help the destined child's cultivation.
If done well, this little brother would be completely in their hands.
Who would truly rise in the end—the destined child of Douluo Continent, or Wang Dong's pawn?
Fortunately, in the original story, Huo Gua's cheat-like power emerged early enough that he at least beat Wang Dong by the rules. Otherwise, the "Heaven and Earth Dog Training Valley" wouldn't have even needed to open; Wang Dong could have easily kept Huo Gua under her complete control.
So what now? Should he follow the plot and go fight Wang Dong? No way. Winning would only cost him his morale while losing strength. In the original, their relationship only grew closer afterward. Getting too friendly with Wang Dong would become a weakness later, giving the God King leverage to threaten him and causing endless trouble.
Do nothing? Just submit and follow Wang Dong's rules? That's not an option either. Doing so would immediately put him at a disadvantage, making him a perpetual target for bullying.
He couldn't let things get too tense with Wang Dong; after all, her rules weren't unreasonable. But he had to squeeze some benefits out of her to secure at least equal footing—or better yet, take the initiative.
"Wait, you misunderstood me. When did I say I wouldn't follow your rules?" Huo Yuhao decided firmly in his heart. Since he was short on money, he was determined to wring some advantage from Wang Dong. Licking his lips, a greedy glint flashed in his eyes.
"I mean, why should I obey your rules when you're adding all these restrictions without any benefit for me?"
"Benefit? If you don't listen to me, I'll kick you out. And you still want to get something from me?" Wang Dong sneered, utterly disdainful of the greed on Huo Yuhao's face.
"Hah, hit me?" Huo Yuhao laughed dismissively. "According to Article 5 of the Academy Dormitory Management Regulations: Fighting and brawling in the dorms are prohibited. Offenders will receive one warning, and both parties will be fined 100 Gold Soul Coins each. If someone deliberately provokes, they will receive a minor demerit, a call to their parents, and an additional fine of 200 Gold Soul Coins! Article 6: Damage to public property must be compensated at full price. So, before you throw a punch, think carefully. This is Shrek Academy, not your home!"
ps: read advance chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/Seraphim777