Flender stood in the middle of the training ground, hands on his hips, his belly sticking out like a pregnant woman ten months along.
Behind his black-rimmed glasses gleamed the distinctive light of a capitalist spotting cheap labor.
Good. The plot was starting. Weighted running—the first lesson of Shrek's Devil Training, a timeless classic.
Han Yuchen yawned and rubbed his eyes.
Flender cleared his throat, his voice booming. "Little monsters, welcome to your first day at Shrek! Don't think passing the test means everything is fine! Starting today, what awaits you is true hell!"
He pointed at the basketfuls of stones piled into a small mountain beside him.
"Now, everyone except Han Yuchen, put one on your backs immediately! Run around the village twenty times! Anyone who doesn't finish gets no lunch!"
What a miser. He didn't even mention breakfast.
Dai Mubai was the first to step forward, expressionlessly slinging a stone basket onto his back.
Boom.
His knees sank slightly. The thing was clearly no lightweight.
The others followed one after another.
Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing—even Oscar from the Support System and Ma Hongjun, who looked the fattest—all gritted their teeth and hoisted them up.
The six figures instantly became unsteady on their feet.
Throughout the entire process, Han Yuchen stood to the side like a supervisor.
No, even a supervisor wasn't as relaxed as he was.
He leisurely pulled out a candied hawthorn skewer he had bought at the village entrance. The bright red hawthorns were coated in glistening sugar, looking sweet enough to make one's teeth ache.
Crunch.
He bit down on one, and sweet-and-sour juice burst across his mouth.
Mm, not bad.
"Go!"
With Flender's command, the six set off with heavy steps.
Han Yuchen followed as well, his steps light, as though he