Sausage

"Haha, Little Ao, your Martial Soul and its incantation are still so amusing."

As Dai Mubai spoke, he slung an arm around Oscar's shoulders, completely ignoring Oscar's pained expression.

Ma Hongjun beside them was also laughing so hard he bent over like a shrimp, unable to straighten up.

The two men, who considered themselves Oscar's seniors and longtime classmates, laughed themselves silly right in front of him, as if they had heard the funniest joke in the world.

At the same time, Xiao Wu and Tang San were laughing so hard at the "joke" that they could barely close their mouths.

For a moment, the air seemed filled with joy.

"Shut your mouths!"

A stern voice reached everyone's ears.

They looked over and saw Shouzaki.

"Is this really so funny? Is it really worth laughing about?"

Shouzaki's stern gaze wiped the smiles from everyone's faces.

"I won't say anything about those two, because I haven't interacted with them. I can only think they have no manners."

Shouzaki pointed at Tang San and Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu lowered her head after hearing Shouzaki's words, while Tang San clenched his fists and looked at Shouzaki with calm eyes that carried a trace of murderous intent.

"But you two have spent so long with Oscar. Why weren't you laughing this happily before? Tell me, what's so funny? Let me laugh too!"

Shouzaki pointed at Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai as he rebuked them harshly.

Shouzaki's words left the entire group silent, but he had no intention of letting them off.

"Why is it that Zhu Zhuqing, Qian Qiao, and Ryotaro, who are also freshmen, aren't laughing?"

Shouzaki paced back and forth with his hands on his hips.

Xiao Wu glanced over. Sure enough, Zhu Zhuqing, Qian Qiao, and Ryotaro, whom Shouzaki had named, showed no reaction at all.

"If this is all you're capable of, you might as well drop out now."

As Shouzaki spoke, he took the sausage from Oscar's hand and ate it.

"It tastes great, and the Soul Power boost is higher than before. Little Ao, it seems you've been working hard lately."

Shouzaki patted Oscar on the shoulder and praised him.

Gratitude filled Oscar's eyes.

"Alright, I've said enough. The rest is up to you."

Shouzaki deliberately looked at Ma Hongjun, who lowered his head in shame.

Shouzaki sighed and left as well.

Only after Shouzaki left did the atmosphere ease slightly.

"Little Ao, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mocked you... It was my fault!"

Ma Hongjun grabbed Oscar's hand and tried to make it hit himself.

"How about you hit me a few times, Little Ao? Otherwise, I won't be able to forgive myself either."

After a few minutes, it could be said that Ma Hongjun was still decent. Although his personality was influenced by his Martial Soul most of the time, he had not gone completely astray, so he wanted to earn forgiveness from his friend Oscar.

When Oscar's hand truly rose, Ma Hongjun squeezed his eyes shut.

But the expected blow did not come for a long while. When Ma Hongjun timidly cracked open his eyes—

Smack!

A crisp sound rang out. Oscar's hand had indeed landed on Ma Hongjun's face, but Ma Hongjun was stunned.

It was not because Oscar had actually slapped him, but because there was none of the expected pain.

Oscar had barely used any strength in that slap. It had felt more like a tickle.

Ma Hongjun stared blankly at Oscar, who gave him the familiar smile Ma Hongjun knew so well.

"Little Ao... I'm sorry..."

Crying his eyes out, Ma Hongjun threw himself into Oscar's chest and hugged him as he wept.

Ma Hongjun's nature was good, after all. As for why he had become so arrogant and domineering, that depended on how much a certain Young Master Dai, who wished to remain unnamed, had contributed.

"L-Little Ao, s-sorry."

Dai Mubai took a long time to force out those few words, but who was he? Young Master Dai.

"I'm sorry, Oscar."

Xiao Wu stepped forward at that moment and apologized to Oscar as well.

Seeing Xiao Wu act, Tang San also offered a very "polite" apology.

"Well, I shouldn't have mocked you like that. Sorry!"

Ning Rongrong curled a strand of hair around her finger and looked down, speaking as though she had mentioned it casually.

At once, the atmosphere on the entire Sports Field became lively again.

In a corner where no one noticed, Shouzaki watched the laughing group, and a smile could not help blooming on his lips.

"Aren't you going to join them?"

Flender suddenly appeared beside Shouzaki, standing with his arms crossed.

"There's no need. I only need to guide them properly."

After saying that, Shouzaki turned and left again.

Watching Shouzaki's receding figure, Flender could not help sighing.

Back on Shrek's Sports Field, where harmony had returned.

"I have a Large Sausage!"

"I have a Large Sausage!"

Oscar kept chanting his incantation and producing Martial Soul sausages until his Soul Power was completely exhausted.

"Come on, try an original-flavored one first!"

Oscar handed out the sausages, one to each person.

After Zhu Zhuqing carefully took a bite, a rich, meaty flavor instantly burst across her mouth.

"Delicious!"

Even Xiao Wu, who had always liked carrots, could not help praising it. Then she crunched through an entire sausage.

Seeing the satisfied expressions on everyone's faces after they ate the sausages, Oscar could not help feeling proud.

"Haha, it's all thanks to Shouzaki-ge. He helped me improve the recipe, so the sausages don't come in just one flavor anymore. At least we won't get sick of eating the same thing all the time."

Oscar thanked Shouzaki, because the sausages now tasted worlds apart from the ones he had made at the beginning.

"Actually, eating them plain isn't the best way. Just wait here."

Oscar hurried back to his little cabin as he spoke.

After waiting for Oscar for a while, they saw him jog back carrying a grill.

"Come on, let me show you what real cooking skills look like!"

Oscar skillfully arranged the charcoal evenly.

"Ma Hongjun, light it. Don't make the fire too strong!"

Oscar directed Ma Hongjun, who gladly summoned his Cockscomb Phoenix Martial Soul.

With a boom, the charcoal caught fire under Ma Hongjun's controlled flames.

After slowly waiting for all the charcoal to turn white, Oscar began threading the sausages onto skewers.

Once they were skewered and brushed with oil, everything was ready.

"Oh, right! There's also the Secret Sauce Shouzaki gave me. Apparently, it was invented by a gourmet known in the martial world as Lao Ba. It's seriously addictive!"

Oscar took a sealed bag from his pocket, carefully pinched out a small handful, and set it aside for later before sealing the bag again and returning it to his pocket.

"Hmm, it feels like something's still missing."

Oscar recalled Shouzaki's words.

"Oh, right, this!"

Oscar hurried back into the little cabin. When he came back out, his appearance had changed.

Oscar now wore a small round cap and an unfamiliar outfit, with a mustache above his upper lip that covered his mouth.

"Oy~ Xinjiang-style~ Xinjiang-style~ lamb~ skewers~"

Oscar found his soul, then began grilling the sausages while singing and dancing.