After running for nearly two hours, Zhu Zhuqing's steps had become disordered and her breathing uneven. Unsurprisingly, she had been left far behind by the others.
Sweat from her forehead ran down her neck and soaked through her close-fitting bandeau. The large rabbit in her arms seemed to sense its owner's exhaustion and kicked anxiously, making her stagger sharply and nearly fall.
"Damn it..."
Zhu Zhuqing bit her lower lip, her nails digging deeply into her palms. Even circulating the Soul Power within her had become sluggish.
The explosive power of an Agility Attack System was utterly useless during a prolonged sprint. She had to maintain her speed while firmly holding down the large rabbit squirming and jumping in her arms. Her arms had long since grown sore and swollen, and her sense of balance was a complete mess. Every step felt like she was treading on cotton.
For the first time, Zhu Zhuqing felt that the large rabbit on her chest was nothing but useless baggage.
Li Xiaoyao saw Zhu Zhuqing's miserable state, but he had no intention of helping this Kitten.
With Zhu Zhuqing's fiercely competitive personality, if he stepped in to help now, she would only think he was hindering her cultivation and growth.
Just as Zhu Zhuqing prepared to force herself into a sprint—
An accident happened!
Zhu Zhuqing forcefully activated her remaining Soul Power, trying to accelerate and catch up, but the long run had already left her legs sore and numb.
Her foot suddenly gave way, and her center of gravity shifted in an instant. Startled by the abrupt jolt, the large rabbit in her arms struggled wildly. Her already precarious balance completely collapsed, and she fell straight toward the ground.
Zhu Zhuqing's sudden predicament drew everyone's attention.
Given the distance between Zhu Zhuqing and the others, the only people who could react and arrive in time were Li Xiaoyao, who possessed the Spatial Teleportation Spirit Bone, and Zhao Wuji, the seven-ringed Soul Sage leading the group.
But neither Li Xiaoyao nor Zhao Wuji moved!
After all, as the saying went, only simps rushed over to fawn on someone at the first opportunity.
For example—Dai Mubai, who had been watching Zhu Zhuqing every moment. Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing was about to fall, wasn't this his chance to play the hero and save the beauty?
Dai Mubai's eyes narrowed sharply. Soul Power instantly surged through his limbs, and with a low shout, his figure turned into an afterimage as he shot forward.
He completely ignored his rapidly draining Soul Power. At the very moment Zhu Zhuqing was about to hit the ground, he barely reached her side, grabbed her arm with one hand, and steadily supported her falling body.
Dai Mubai pressed his advantage.
He took the initiative to show off—
"Zhuqing! Are you all right?"
"If you don't have the stamina, I can carry you."
Before Zhu Zhuqing could speak, Ning Rongrong got so distracted by the gossip-worthy scene that her foot caught on a protruding stone. She instantly lost her balance and fell face-first toward the ground.
"Ah! Brother Xiaoyao!"
"Save me! Rongrong doesn't want to be disfigured!"
Li Xiaoyao's mouth twitched.
That brat could even get distracted while watching a show. But there was nothing he could do—she was his woman, so he could only spoil her!
Almost the instant Ning Rongrong cried out in alarm, the 100,000-Year Angel Spatial Teleportation Spirit Bone skill activated. The next second, he appeared out of thin air behind her.
Li Xiaoyao's long arms slipped beneath Ning Rongrong's knees and behind her back, scooping her up securely in a princess carry.
Still shaken, Ning Rongrong curled up in the arms of the man she loved. Her cheeks were flushed as her hands instinctively wrapped around Li Xiaoyao's neck. She patted her chest and complained softly to herself.
"Phew, phew, phew! Rongrong was scared to death!"
"It's all Dai Mubai and Zhuqing's fault for making me lose focus!"
Li Xiaoyao flicked her forehead with a bent finger, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.
"You didn't watch where you were running, and now you're blaming other people?"
Though he said that, he still did not put Ning Rongrong down.
After running for nearly two hours over twenty-plus kilometers, Ning Rongrong, a support with no combat ability, had more or less reached her physical limit.
"Bleh, bleh, bleh!"
"Who told those two to be so eye-catching!"
Li Xiaoyao's words made Ning Rongrong's cheeks grow even hotter. She simply buried her face in the hollow of his neck, her voice muffled.
"You little troublemaker. Just wait until tonight—I'll teach you a proper lesson!"
Li Xiaoyao raised a brow and deliberately shook his arms, making Ning Rongrong cry out in surprise. Her hands instinctively tightened around his neck.
Not far away, Zhu Zhuqing shook off Dai Mubai's hand.
"Get lost! You're affecting my cultivation and growth!"
"And I don't need your fake concern!"
"If you spent some time on yourself, you could afford one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins' worth of cultivation resources. There's no need to waste time on me."
"From now on, stay away from me, Young Master Dai—the Rose Hotel's most elite VIP guest!"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice was cold and crisp, like a blade tempered in ice. Every word carried piercing force.
"Zhuqing... you..."
Dai Mubai's expression stiffened. His mismatched eyes turned bloodshot as his chest heaved violently, but her words had struck directly at his sore spot, leaving him unable to say a single word.
Rose Hotel VIP guest, playboy Young Master Dai—those identity labels he had deliberately tried to downplay were ruthlessly torn open by Zhu Zhuqing in front of everyone, repeatedly slicing through his pride like a dull knife.
What made him feel even more stifled was what had happened at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Hotel last night: he had bought finished cultivation resources for himself alone, yet had not prepared any for Zhu Zhuqing, his "fiancée."
He thought he had kept it very secret. Only Li Xiaoyao, Tang San, and Oscar had been present the entire time. How had it reached Zhu Zhuqing's ears?
Dai Mubai instinctively glanced at the three people not far away.
Li Xiaoyao?
It couldn't have been him who leaked it.
Since this morning, Li Xiaoyao had not been alone with Zhu Zhuqing even once. Besides, Li Xiaoyao had always been the type to stay out of matters that did not concern him. He was not someone who gossiped.
Oscar?
That was impossible too!
Oscar would not do something that stupid, and his mouth was much tighter than Ma Hongjun's big mouth. He had even shared a room with Dai Mubai last night and had not left his sight that morning.
With those two ruled out, only Tang San remained!
Dai Mubai's mismatched eyes narrowed abruptly, his gaze locking tightly onto Tang San.
It was him! It was him! It had to be him!
Last night at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Hotel, Tang San had constantly observed his surroundings with those deep eyes. Perhaps he had held a grudge ever since their conflict at the Rose Hotel.
And this morning, Tang San had returned to Shrek Academy together with Zhuqing. They had plenty of chances to interact in private.
Maybe Tang San had been adding fuel to the fire in front of Zhuqing, deliberately driving a wedge between him and Zhuqing!
The more Dai Mubai thought about it, the heavier his suspicions became. The fury in his chest nearly burst through his ribs.
He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. Soul Power stirred restlessly within him, and even the air around him seemed tinged with scorching tension.
Tang San sensed Dai Mubai's hostile gaze and frowned slightly, instinctively slowing to a stop.
He could clearly feel the hostility coming from Dai Mubai, yet he was utterly confused—how had he offended him?
Only Li Xiaoyao laughed without a shred of decency—
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