"Why are you here?" Yu Xiaogang asked as he stood up, his tone surprisingly calm.
"All students and teachers are to gather on the playground tonight. I have an announcement to make," Flender stated simply. "You and Tang San should come along."
Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Yu Xiaogang staring after him. Yu Xiaogang curled his lip in dissatisfaction. Who does he think he is, putting on such arrogant airs? he thought resentfully. Despite his inner annoyance, he put on a cheerful face a moment later and relayed the news to Tang San.
Tang San was completely exhausted from cleaning the room all day. But upon hearing the news, a bright smile immediately lit up his tired face. This assembly meant he was finally going to be recognized as a true student of Shrek Academy. How could he not be happy? A sudden surge of energy flowed through him, and he felt revitalized enough to finish his work.
Time flew by, and the day quickly drew to a close. The sun sank toward the western horizon, painting the fish-scale clouds in the sky with beautiful shades of red.
Outside the gates of Shrek Academy, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun were walking back, their faces flushed with satisfaction. It was hard to tell if it was from the glow of the sunset or a deep, personal contentment.
"Boss Dai, you're really something else!" Ma Hongjun showered Dai Mubai with praise, much to the latter's delight. "The quality today was absolutely top-notch!" he added, giving Dai Mubai a big thumbs-up. The fat on his face bunched up as he grinned, his expression a mixture of glee and admiration. "If you find any more opportunities like this in the future, you have to remember us little brothers!"
Because of his unique Evil Fire Phoenix spirit, Ma Hongjun considered himself an expert in these matters, but he had never experienced anything as satisfying as their outing today. It just proved that you had to follow the right person. He felt that his evil fire wouldn't flare up again for at least three to five days. He had to admit, while the activity itself was crude, the principle was similar to cultivation: the higher the quality, the more effective the result. Ma Hongjun made a firm decision then and there. Even if he went alone in the future, he wouldn't short-change himself. As the saying goes, you have to save where you can, but spend where it counts.
"Fatty, you're right about that," Dai Mubai said, his face full of pride. Like any man, he enjoyed being praised, even if it was for something like this. "But let me tell you, what we had today wasn't even the best. When I get the chance, I'll let you two experience something on a whole other level!"
"Boss Dai is amazing!"
This time, the praise didn't come from Ma Hongjun, but from Oscar. It was his first time indulging in such a life of pleasure, and he never expected it to be so... comfortable. The feeling was almost addictive. When he had first heard Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun discussing it, he had felt a little embarrassed. But after he completely let go, he discovered a new kind of paradise.
"Hahahahaha!" Hearing Oscar finally join in, Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai shared a knowing laugh. It seemed Oscar's initiation was a success. From this day forward, there was no turning back for him on this path.
Because they had drunk a fair amount of wine, the three of them were a bit tipsy and walked slowly. Just then, the sound of cheerful, bell-like laughter came from behind them. It was clearly the sound of girls. The three of them turned to look and saw four people walking toward them, talking and laughing happily.
It was Huo Feng, Xiao Wu, and the two other girls from the academy. They also happened to be returning at the same time. Dai Mubai had deliberately avoided them when they left, never thinking they would run into each other right at the academy gate.
Crap, Dai Mubai thought. The respectable image he had worked so hard to build was about to be shattered.
As Huo Feng and the girls approached, Huo Feng greeted the trio with a casual smile and didn't say much else. The three girls beside him, however, all wore expressions of open disgust. From the trio's disheveled state and tipsy demeanor, they could easily guess what they had been doing. The final clue was the overwhelming scent of cheap women's perfume clinging to the three men as they passed.
Almost at the same time, the three girls had the exact same thought: Besides Huo Feng, no other men are any good.
Seeing that they had been found out, Dai Mubai and the others dropped the act. They waved their hands with lazy smiles. There was no point in pretending anymore. Besides, the three girls at the academy only ever seemed interested in Huo Feng and paid them no attention at all. This made things simpler for everyone.
Not long after they returned to the academy, all seven students received the message from Flender: everyone was to gather on the playground. They quickly cleaned themselves up and headed over.
On the other side of the campus, after a full day of hard work, Tang San had finally finished cleaning their small house from top to bottom. However, they still lacked proper furniture and daily necessities. It was too late today, so they would have to go to Soto City to buy things tomorrow. He had even fashioned a makeshift bed by pushing two broken tables together and laying a straw mat on top.
Seeing that it was almost time, Yu Xiaogang called for Tang San, and the two of them made their way to the academy's playground. When they arrived, the other students and teachers were already there.
"I was wondering why the dean was waiting so long to start," Dai Mubai muttered. "Turns out he was waiting for these two."
Although he didn't speak loudly, Flender, with his keen hearing, caught the remark. His brow twitched for a moment before he smoothed his expression.
Just then, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San walked into the assembly. Upon seeing them, the three girls, who were standing on the edge of the group, immediately shifted inward, moving closer to Huo Feng. No one wanted to be near Tang San. He had been working all day and hadn't had a chance to change. He was still wearing the tattered clothes from his blacksmithing days, and after a full day of labor, he was covered in sweat and grime. He looked no different from a beggar on the street.
What girl would want to stand next to someone like that? Even Ma Hongjun, who was usually the sloppiest of the boys, glanced at Tang San with disgust and quietly shuffled a few steps away.
The students' discomfort was obvious, and the teachers weren't in a much better mood. Zhao Wuji and Li Yusong looked like they were about to roll their eyes into the back of their heads. While the students were hesitant to make any obvious moves in front of Dean Flender, the Soul Emperor and Soul Saint ranked teachers didn't care.
As Yu Xiaogang approached, they didn't even bother to hide their disdain. Ignoring the ugly, pinched expression on his face, they turned and walked to the other side of the playground, making it clear they wanted nothing to do with him.
In Zhao Wuji's own words, "Just seeing Yu Xiaogang is enough to bring bad luck."
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