Soon, Tang San and Xiao Wu returned to Thunder Academy.
Tang San and Xiao Wu ran into Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai in the academy corridor.
Tang San opened his mouth, wanting to speak but hesitating, his gaze unfocused, completely unsure what expression to use to face these two.
Xiao Wu had no such qualms. She blinked her big eyes, took a quick step towards the two, and whispered with a mischievous smile, "Hey, I heard you two... were playing human knot-tying yesterday? How was it?"
"Pfft!!!" Ma Hongjun spat out the water he had just drunk.
The item in Dai Mubai's hand clattered heavily to the ground.
The two rigidly turned their heads, their faces visibly changing from shock to pale.
They might have thought it would spread, but they didn't expect it to spread so quickly.
Only one thought was in their minds right now.
It's over!!!
"Xiao... Xiao Wu... how do you know?" Ma Hongjun's voice was trembling at this moment.
Xiao Wu was startled by their reaction, took half a step back, and pointed innocently outside: "The whole Heaven Dou City is talking about it now, people are discussing it everywhere on the streets..."
Boom!!!
Xiao Wu's words were like a bolt from the blue.
Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai's legs went soft, and they collapsed onto the ground, staring blankly at the sky.
"It's over..." Dai Mubai murmured, "My lifelong reputation... shattered just like that."
"Just let me die..." Ma Hongjun lay flat, completely despondent.
Tang San really couldn't bear to watch anymore and cleared his throat: "Actually, it's not so bad. They didn't mention your names, only Young Master Dai and Fatty, so you still have a chance."
Immediately, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun stood up, looking at Tang San with burning eyes.
This gaze startled Tang San, and he immediately took a few steps back. After all, these two were now people with a 'dragon-yang preference', and although he didn't know if it was true, it was still necessary to keep a distance.
When the two saw Tang San take a few steps back, their expressions became awkward.
"Uh... Little San, is what you said true?" Dai Mubai asked.
"Of course, after all, the people at Yi Hong Courtyard might not even know you, right?" Tang San nodded.
"Don't mention it, it really seems to be the case. Our names were never revealed, though we might have mentioned them when drunk. But we never said we were from Thunder Academy, and it's impossible to say that when drunk. I don't consider myself a person from Thunder Academy." Dai Mubai nodded.
"That's good, that's good. Even if they know my name, it's fine, as long as I don't admit it." Ma Hongjun patted his chest and sighed in relief.
"But... people from Thunder Academy might recognize you two," Xiao Wu whispered.
Hearing this, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's expressions became slightly grim.
"It's not a big problem. There aren't many people in Thunder Academy, and besides, the exchange competition is in a while, so they shouldn't go out." Dai Mubai gritted his teeth.
"Let's hope so," Tang San then asked curiously, "So what exactly happened with you two? I don't believe you're that kind of person."
Ma Hongjun was on the verge of tears: "We don't know either. We just went to play like before, but midway, we don't know what happened, we just fainted. When we woke up, it was as you know."
Dai Mubai didn't speak but nodded.
Tang San frowned: "It seems you two were knocked out by something, possibly a drug."
"I think so too, but we didn't smell anything at the time? Besides, uh... women's scent." Ma Hongjun's voice grew smaller and smaller.
Xiao Wu looked at him with disdain.
Ma Hongjun could only avoid looking at Xiao Wu; saying such things in front of a girl was indeed embarrassing.
"If it really was a drug, there are only two possibilities. The first is that the fragrance on those women was the drug that knocked you out. The second is a colorless and odorless drug," Tang San said, holding up two fingers.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun pondered for a moment.
Dai Mubai said, "Between these two possibilities, honestly, the first one is more likely. For the second, we didn't see anyone else. Of course, it's also possible those women drugged us, but that kind of thing is hard to investigate."
Tang San sighed softly: "You two can only suffer in silence, after all, you probably have quite a few enemies."
"Could it be Xiao Ze?" Ma Hongjun asked softly.
"Didn't we already rule out Xiao Ze?" Dai Mubai frowned.
"I was just saying," Ma Hongjun sounded a bit wronged.
Seeing Ma Hongjun's aggrieved expression, Dai Mubai felt a bit nauseous. You're a big Fatty, and you're still acting wronged? How disgusting.
Tang San thought for a moment and shook his head: "It's unlikely. I heard Xiao Ze rarely leaves Tian Dou Royal Academy; he mostly cultivates within the academy.
Besides, he wouldn't go to Yi Hong Courtyard, would he?"
"That's true."
"Alright, you two, just lie low in your rooms for the next few days. Otherwise, if students from Thunder Academy recognize you, you'll be in trouble. Even if they don't, you'll still have a huge headache."
"Alright."
...
Days passed, and with Ning Rongrong's spending.
The discussion about Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai's situation grew more intense each day.
Ning Rongrong just loved to have fun; after all, daily cultivation was so boring, dealing with bad people was much more interesting.
For five days, Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai barely left their rooms.
But they still heard the discussions within Thunder Academy.
"Sigh... do you think this Young Master Dai is our academy's Dai Mubai?"
"The one with the White Tiger Spirit?"
"Yes."
"It must be him. After all, someone named Dai with heavy pupils, I don't believe there are that many people."
"Then that Fatty must be the one who harassed our Sister Liuli."
"Damn it! I knew something was off about two men playing such disgusting games; so it was him! No wonder, no wonder."
"Hahaha... let's go, we must let everyone in the academy know the true faces of these two disgusting people."
"Exactly, we'll ruin their reputations."
"It's a shame that despite this, they still have to participate in the competition."
"There's nothing we can do. Their character may be poor, but their strength is indeed quite good."
"True."
In the afternoon, the sun was scorching, and in the Thunder Academy plaza, the fourteen team members representing the academy in the exchange competition were neatly lined up.
However, the atmosphere within the team was exceptionally strange.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun hung their heads, their faces flushed, wishing they could bury their faces in their chests.
The surrounding Thunder Academy students wore playful expressions, their gazes constantly sweeping over the two, a knowing smile on their lips.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun hadn't expected that their attempt to lie low for a few days would not only fail but actually make things worse, which was simply outrageous.
They were truly bored; what was so good about spreading such a story?!