Douluo: The Rebirth of the Supreme King Dong'er Chapter 33

"First place, Wang Dong'er's team. Team members: Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Huo Yuhao."

They had registered with Wang Dong'er as the leader from the start, so Du Weilun had no need to deliberately call the names out of order just because Huo Yuhao did not look like a captain.

With Wang Dong'er in the lead, Xiao Xiao close beside her and Huo Yuhao half a step behind them, the three arrived before Du Weilun.

"Good. I will now announce the rewards for the top three teams of this year's freshman assessment. First, they will all receive the same reward." Du Weilun said, "Whenever any of you need a soul ring in the future, you may submit a request to the academy. The academy will assist you in obtaining the most suitable soul ring that you can bear."

"Furthermore, in light of the first-place Wang Dong'er team's performance throughout the freshman assessment and their undefeated record, the academy will also grant them a special reward."

As he spoke, Du Weilun turned to Wang Dong'er. "After the class assignments are finished, come with me to collect that special reward."

The nine of them then returned to the freshman crowd. After another round of empty formalities, Du Weilun began announcing the list of core disciples.

The previously noisy group of freshmen immediately fell silent.

The list of core disciples did not consist solely of the top three teams. Anyone with outstanding performance and good results had a chance of becoming a core disciple.

Du Weilun opened the folder he had been carrying and read out the names one by one. "After the academy's review of the freshmen's performances during the assessment, the core disciple list for this year's freshman assessment is as follows: Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, Xie Huanyue, Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo."

Even after the entire list had been read, Huo Yuhao's name never appeared.

Although Wang Dong'er had long since stripped away his illusions about Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao was still stunned for a moment.

Both Tang Ya and Bei Bei had stated with absolute certainty that a team which took first place in the freshman assessment would definitely receive core disciple slots.

But now, he was not on the list.

Ever since his mother's death, Huo Yuhao had cultivated tirelessly with the sole thought of avenging her. He had never once slackened.

Yet after enduring so much hardship to reach Shrek City, he had learned that if he had not happened to meet Tang Ya, he would not have been able to enroll in Shrek Academy.

If Wang Dong'er had not pointed it out, Zhou Yi might have ruined him.

Then there was Ma Xiaotao's madness, the attitude of Shrek Academy's upper ranks...

Now, he was clearly a member of the team that had taken first place in the freshman assessment, yet he had not been granted a core disciple slot. Du Weilun might as well have said outright that his talent was too poor, that a spiritual-type martial soul had a harder time obtaining soul rings than ordinary martial souls, and that he was simply unqualified to receive the rights guaranteed by the rules.

A vicious resentment had always lingered in Huo Yuhao's heart. He had vented a small part of it during his fight against Dai Huabin, but it had continued to build within him.

Now, with Du Weilun's "help," that resentment could no longer be hidden.

Wang Dong'er gave a light cough and flicked her finger. A strand of light power pulled Huo Yuhao back from the brink of losing control.

Huo Yuhao's gaze instantly cleared. He gave Wang Dong'er a faintly grateful look, then took several deep breaths to calm himself.

If it had been the original Huo Yuhao, he might have already begun brainwashing himself at this point.

But after losing his illusions about Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao merely felt his disappointment deepen.

He had come to Shrek Academy hoping it could teach him to become strong enough to gain the power to take revenge. Instead, all he saw was a slapdash operation.

Wang Dong'er: I Was Afraid Saying Director Du Wasn't Human Would Be Too Blunt

Before the plaza, Du Weilun continued reading from his folder. "Since some freshmen performed outstandingly in the freshman assessment but still lack sufficient talent and ability, they are proposed as provisional core disciples. The list is as follows: Cui Yajie, Huang Chutian, Long Xiangyue, Nanmen Yun'er, Huo Yuhao."

Now Huo Yuhao understood.

Shrek Academy had only given him a provisional core disciple slot because of the rules. Otherwise, he likely would not even have received that provisional status.

Had choosing Shrek Academy really been the right decision?

He wondered what Wang Dong'er thought.

Huo Yuhao could not help looking at Wang Dong'er. In his eyes, Wang Dong'er seemed to be the type who feared neither heaven nor earth, and she always had a bit of a mischievous streak.

Still, even Wang Dong'er, who had once openly lashed out at Zhou Yi, would not publicly confront the Dean of Studies on an occasion like this... would she?

But Huo Yuhao was wrong.

Wang Dong'er really dared to.

Or rather, Wang Dong'er had never intended to let Shrek Academy have any peace while she was still around.

"Director Du, can anyone in Shrek Academy violate the academy's rules?" Wang Dong'er suddenly asked in a clear voice.

Hearing her, Du Weilun looked up, his gaze locking directly onto Wang Dong'er.

Yan Shaozhe had told him that Wang Dong'er was extremely difficult to deal with. It was not merely because of her background, but because of that sharp tongue of hers.

"Of course not," Du Weilun said. "Wang Dong'er, do you have an objection?"

"An objection? I'm just an ordinary freshman. How would I dare have any objection to Shrek Academy's rules, which are practically nonexistent?"

Du Weilun's fists clenched.

Ordinary? Practically nonexistent? What was that even supposed to mean?

"Which rule do you claim is practically nonexistent?" Du Weilun stared at Wang Dong'er. Since he could not suppress her with his status, he would settle this with words.

"Director Du just said that no one could violate Shrek Academy's rules, but Director Du himself has violated them. I was afraid saying outright that you weren't human would be too blunt, so I could only say that Shrek Academy's rules are practically nonexistent."

Du Weilun's fists clenched again, cracking as veins bulged across them.

Had Wang Dong'er just bluntly said he was not human?

What kind of madness was this? His faith in Shrek Academy could be witnessed by the Sea God and the blue heavens alike! When had he ever violated Shrek Academy's rules?

"Every freshman assessment's first-place team is guaranteed core disciple slots. Why is this year the only exception?" Wang Dong'er stepped forward and looked Du Weilun directly in the eye. Her calm composure made the surrounding freshmen mutter to themselves inwardly.

As Shrek Academy's Dean of Studies, Du Weilun was an eight-ringed Soul Douluo-level powerhouse. Who could fail to understand what Wang Dong'er's earlier words meant?

That was not even a hint. She had practically stated outright that Du Weilun was not human.

And the reason she had taken this step was merely to stand up for a teammate with only one ring.

Of course, no one knew whether Huo Yuhao's core disciple status truly mattered to Wang Dong'er at all.

She merely wanted to use the matter of Huo Yuhao not receiving a core disciple slot to make a bigger issue of it.

However, the moment she stepped out, the system stirred again.

The system had not issued a mission during the freshman assessment, but it had given her one now.

Mission: Are You a Thing or a Person

Mission Description: You bravely talked back to Dean of Studies Du Weilun. Congratulations, there are fewer and fewer people left in Shrek Academy for you to offend!

Only after hearing Wang Dong'er's words did Du Weilun glance at the Huo Yuhao he had been ignoring all along.

In truth, he had originally not even wanted to give Huo Yuhao a provisional core disciple slot. For one thing, Huo Yuhao seemed to possess spiritual attack abilities, and perhaps he really had contributed.

For another, Huo Yuhao was still a member of the championship team. There were reasons to deny him a core disciple slot, but refusing even to give him provisional core disciple status would have seemed too targeted and damaged Shrek Academy's image.

Giving Huo Yuhao a provisional core disciple slot, then offering a special reward for the three of them to decide among themselves, would both display Shrek Academy's magnanimity to the other freshmen and make Huo Yuhao deeply grateful without leaving him anything to criticize. It was killing two birds with one stone.

But Du Weilun had never expected that Huo Yuhao would not cause trouble while Wang Dong'er would jump out instead.

And the instant she did, she began saying he was not human.

Now Du Weilun thoroughly understood Yan Shaozhe's words.

Du Weilun took a deep breath, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. If that was all she had, it would not be enough!

"Wang Dong'er, I know you care about your teammate. But have you considered that Shrek Academy has never publicly told all freshmen that taking first place in the freshman assessment guarantees core disciple slots?"

Hearing Du Weilun's explanation, the freshmen looked toward Wang Dong'er again, only to see her standing there calmly, as though she was not surprised in the slightest that he would say that.

She truly was not surprised. She had thought of it back when Tang Ya mentioned it. How could she not know Shrek Academy's nature?

Besides, her fundamental goal was not to "seek justice."

"Then Director Du, you watched several matches as well. Do you know what Huo Yuhao's martial soul is?"

Du Weilun shook his head. "I can only tell that it is a spiritual-attribute martial soul."

"Then can you tell what effects all the soul skills he used in every match had?"

Du Weilun still shook his head. Although he knew Huo Yuhao likely possessed a skill that used Spiritual Power to launch attacks, Huo Yuhao's first soul ring had remained lit throughout every battle. He could not possibly have been constantly launching spiritual attacks, so it truly was a mystery.

"You don't know this, and you don't know that. So you're judging someone's talent based on nothing but empty words? If I said your martial soul was a Pig-Lout Beast and its soul skill was farting, but because your soul ring configuration was the same as previous first-place winners, with eight optimal rings, you could enter the core teacher list, would you agree?"

"You!" Du Weilun's face flushed red with anger, while the freshmen lowered their heads, looking as though they wanted to laugh but did not dare.

Naturally, they understood that Wang Dong'er was making a sarcastic analogy.

Shrek Academy had always granted three core disciple slots to the first-place team in every freshman assessment. This year, it had suddenly refused to do so, then claimed Shrek Academy had never had such a rule. Was that not simply judging people by their worth and being unwilling to grant the slots?

In fact, it was much like the rumor that Dai Huabin, after losing because he failed to complete a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, had begun claiming Wang Dong'er had cheated.

But Wang Dong'er did not care whether such a rule truly existed. She only wanted to rip off Du Weilun's mask—or rather, Shrek Academy's mask.

No matter how Du Weilun handled this, he was already covered in mud. Even if it was not shit, it would look like shit.

The Shadow Sneaking into the Girls' Dormitory

"In any case, the academy has never had such a rule. Do not bring this matter up again!" Du Weilun's aura suddenly surged, and a blast of wind pressure swept across the entire area. Anyone with eyes could see his anger.

Yet at that moment, few people realized that Wang Dong'er had confronted Du Weilun again and again without suffering any consequences!

Only a scant few began studying Wang Dong'er thoughtfully.

After that interruption, Du Weilun began assigning classes. All the freshmen would be placed into new classes according to the cultivation direction they had written down before the freshman assessment, following the class assignment rules.

Starting from first grade, there would only be four classes.

All three of Wang Dong'er's group entered Class One, but strangely, Zhu Lu, who belonged to the Agility System, was assigned to Class One as well. No one knew why.

Even if it was because Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Dai Huabin would be the one leading it. Zhu Lu was merely fusion material.

Moreover, Class One's homeroom teacher was not Mu Jin, but Zhou Yi.

That genuinely surprised Wang Dong'er.

Why was Zhou Yi able to keep popping up everywhere, like an irritating plaster?

Was it just because she was Fan Yu's wife?

As one of Shrek Academy Soul Tool Department's three top figures, Fan Yu was the only eighth-rank Soul Engineer beneath the two Soul Tool Department deans, Qian Duoduo and Xian Lin'er. He was also their chosen successor for dean, so he indeed held considerable power.

In any case, Zhou Yi could do nothing to her, and Xiao Xiao and Huo Yuhao had the exemption from expulsion that Yan Shaozhe had granted them. She could be a homeroom teacher if she wanted.

A class could have two homeroom teachers. Class One's other homeroom teacher was Wang Yan, while Mu Jin became Class Two's homeroom teacher.

"All freshmen, follow your respective homeroom teachers back according to the latest class assignments. The first-place team in the freshman assessment... Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Huo Yuhao, you three, come with me."

As Du Weilun called out the names one by one, the homeroom teachers for all four classes had been decided. At the end, Du Weilun dismissed all the freshmen and teachers who had now become first-year students and instructors, then called Wang Dong'er's group aside.

Following Du Weilun, the three arrived at the area where Shrek Academy's teachers worked.

Du Weilun led them all the way to the top floor. After sitting at his desk, he pointed at the sofa opposite him and said irritably, "Sit."

Wang Dong'er did not care. Du Weilun did not dare do anything to her, but that did not mean he would not dare show her a sour face.

"This is the special reward for taking first place in the freshman assessment, and also another form of compensation from Dean Yan." A glint of light flashed from the ruby ring on Du Weilun's right hand, and a leather pouch appeared in his hand.

He had not originally intended to apply for a special reward for Wang Dong'er's group. After all, Yan Shaozhe had already promised Wang Dong'er's group that they would not be expelled from the outer academy under any circumstances before graduation, which was enough to make the other freshmen envious.

However, after Yan Shaozhe saw that Wang Dong'er had taken first place, he still told Du Weilun to prepare an additional reward.

Du Weilun had no idea what Yan Shaozhe had done that required compensating Wang Dong'er, but he could only comply.

If he had known Wang Dong'er would make such an enormous mess today over "standing up for justice," he would never have agreed to Yan Shaozhe's request.

Wang Dong'er accepted the leather pouch. If it was stored in something like this, there was probably a soul bone inside.

She did not know its age, but it was probably at least a thousand years old.

A Soul Tool of decent rank plus a soul bone over a thousand years old was not a low-value reward.

Wang Dong'er had no idea what Yan Shaozhe was thinking. Perhaps he was afraid she would target Ma Xiaotao?

"Inside is a Secret Method Soul Soul Bone," Du Weilun said. "Its quality is somewhat lacking, but it can fuse two soul bones with identical attributes. It can also be fused directly, in which case it increases strength. It is yours now."

"Alright, you may return to your class now." Du Weilun did not say anything else and directly dismissed them. At this point, he did not want to see Wang Dong'er for even another second. It was too suffocating.

Only after they had completely left the teachers' office building did Xiao Xiao pat her chest and let out a long breath.

"I thought that Dean of Studies might do something to you, Dong'er."

"What could he do?" Wang Dong'er curled her lips. "He can't expel me, and he can't outargue me. All he can do is pull a sour face."

Huo Yuhao greatly envied Wang Dong'er's state of mind—no, that was not right. Her mental fortitude.

At any rate, he would never have dared question Du Weilun in public, much less refute him repeatedly.