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"Little Ao, stop talking."
Ma Hongjun tugged at Oscar, signaling him not to ask further.
By now, Ma Hongjun's swollen pig-like face had subsided. Although Oscar's big sausages were hard for those who know to stomach, their healing properties were still quite effective.
After eating two of them, though traces of his beating were still visible, Ma Hongjun had mostly recovered.
At this moment, footsteps echoed from the cafeteria entrance, drawing the attention of Oscar and the other two inside.
Upon seeing Flender and Zhao Wuji enter, along with Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu, Oscar wasn't fazed, but Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai's faces immediately changed.
Especially Ma Hongjun, whose body began trembling slightly.
Bad omens came true—he had feared this earlier. The demon had indeed come to enroll in the academy!
"Oscar, aren't these two also students here? Why don't you introduce them to us?"
Glancing at Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, Chu Chengzhou addressed Oscar.
Hearing this, Oscar was taken aback. Didn't you just beat them up earlier? And didn't my sausages heal Ma Hongjun's swollen face? Now you're acting like nothing happened and asking me to introduce them?
Oh~ right! You're the one who did the beating, not the beaten. Naturally, you can act like nothing happened.
"Junior Chu, this is Dai Mubai, martial soul White Tiger, 14 years old, three-ring Soul Elder. This is Ma Hongjun, martial soul Chi... no, Phoenix, 11 years old, two-ring Soul Grandmaster."
Oscar pointed at the two as he introduced them.
"Nice to meet you all. My name is Chu Chengzhou, and she's my little sister Xiao Wu. We're both 16 this year."
Chu Chengzhou said with a smile.
"What? 16?"
Oscar blinked. These two juniors were older than him?
"Hmph~!"
Dai Mubai snorted coldly, continuing to shovel food into his mouth. However, the flames of revenge that had once been extinguished in his heart reignited.
This Chu Chengzhou was already 16, a year older than him, yet hadn't even reached the three-ring Soul Elder stage. Clearly, his cultivation talent was inferior to Dai Mubai's.
Though he, a three-ring Soul Elder, couldn't defeat him now, surely after advancing to four-ring Soul Ancestor, he'd have the upper hand!
The humiliation of today, Dai Mubai would remember. Sooner or later, Chu Chengzhou would pay!
As for Ma Hongjun, he forced out a smile uglier than tears.
"Tsk~, it seems Brother Dai isn't welcoming us. What about you, Little Fatty? Are you welcoming us?"
Chu Chengzhou asked teasingly.
"Cough cough~, alright, enough standing around the doorway. Hurry up and eat!"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou's intention to bully the older students, Flender couldn't bear it any longer and quickly intervened.
Including the newly arrived Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu, there were only five students in the academy.
In other academies, conflicts among students were minor skirmishes—three to five people fighting was normal. But in Shrek Academy, such fights would be an all-out brawl involving the entire school.
"Alright, Principal Flender!"
Chu Chengzhou smiled and nodded.
Shrek Academy was so poor that its cafeteria food was predictable.
Steamed rice, stir-fried Blue Silver Grass, sautéed cabbage, and a pot of mushroom soup—that was today's lunch provided by the academy cafeteria.
"Principal Flender, isn't the food in our academy cafeteria a bit lacking?"
After serving himself and sitting down, Chu Chengzhou said somewhat helplessly to Flender seated across from him.
There wasn't much oil in the dishes. While they wouldn't starve, he and Xiao Wu needed to train their bodies, and this level of nutrition was insufficient.
"Having something to eat is already good. Why are you being so picky?"
Flender said, dissatisfied.
You didn't even pay tuition! I let you eat for free, and you still dare to complain about the quality of the food?
"Principal Flender, it's not me being picky. We're still kids. What if we suffer from malnutrition in the future?"
Chu Chengzhou argued reasonably.
"Then will you cover the cost? If you agree, I'll have someone prepare whatever you want to eat right away!"
Flender said sternly.
Don't I want to eat better food? But the problem is, without money, what can I do?
"In that case, does the academy's financial situation seem tight?"
"Well, do you want to donate?"
"I have a legitimate way to make money. Would you like to hear it?"
After pondering for a moment, Chu Chengzhou said with a smile.
"Oh? Tell me, kid~"
At the mention of a legitimate way to make money, Flender perked up and eagerly asked.
Not only Flender, but even Zhao Wuji beside him cast a curious glance.
"If you don't have money, borrow it~. Borrowing isn't illegal!"
"Borrowing? From you?"
Flender said sarcastically.
"I don't have money! But just because I don't have money doesn't mean others don't. Borrow from those who do."
"From those who do? Who?"
"Let's not talk about that for now, Principal Flender. What's the highest level of expert in Suotuo City?"
"As far as I know, there shouldn't be anyone in Suotuo City with soul power above 80 levels."
"So, you and Teacher Zhao are considered top experts in Suotuo City?"
"Of course! Not to brag, but our strength definitely ranks within the top five in Suotuo City!"
Flender puffed out his chest proudly.
"Principal Flender, Suotuo City is a major city on the continent. There must be plenty of unsavory forces within the city, right? You and Teacher Zhao can borrow money from them!
If they refuse, tell them you'll report their misdeeds to the city lord. Even if they have ties with the city lord, considering you're seven-ring Soul Sage experts, they'll likely lend you money."
Chu Chengzhou suggested to Flender and Zhao Wuji.
In his previous life, modern society's cities had criminal forces, so it went without saying for a world resembling ancient society like Douluo Continent.
To put it bluntly, this wasn't borrowing—it was extortion using strength against the unsavory forces in Suotuo City.
Direct robbery would provoke strong psychological resistance, but framing it as borrowing made it more palatable.
"But borrowed money has to be repaid, right?"
Flender hesitated.
"Money borrowed through skill—why should it be repaid?! If they dare to complain, just eliminate the lender, and you won't need to repay it. After all, the lenders aren't exactly good people."
Chu Chengzhou said earnestly.
Instantly, everyone present was stunned. Could it really work like this?
BANG—!
After pondering it over, Flender slammed his palm on the table, his expression filled with excitement.
"You're absolutely right! Money borrowed through skill—why should I repay it?!"
At this moment, Flender felt invigorated.
The method Chu Chengzhou proposed wasn't entirely unfeasible. Though they likely wouldn't "borrow" large sums, securing some small funds was possible.
At the very least, it could improve the academy's financial situation, and perhaps settle the overdue wages of his brothers-in-arms that had been delayed for half a year.
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