The Shrek Academy student dormitory—though it was called a dormitory, it was really nothing more than a shabby thatched hut.
The roof, layered with stalks of straw, swayed gently in the evening breeze, while a few dry strands of grass drifted down with the wind.
Chunks of uneven mud occasionally crumbled from the walls. Through the gaps, large and small, one could see clouds on the horizon dyed a deep red by the twilight.
It looked nothing like an "academy."
At that moment, waves of scorching heat filled the so-called dormitory, making it feel as though a fire were burning in a kitchen.
Inside the room, Dean Flender's brows were twisted into a tight chuan character. His half-black, half-white beard bobbed with his rapid breathing, every rise and fall revealing his deep anxiety.
Beside him stood Zhao Wuji, Shao Xin, and several other Academy teachers. Dai Mubai, a student who had recently joined the Academy, was also huddled awkwardly in a corner, his hands unconsciously clutching the hem of his clothes.
The group formed a modest circle, their gazes seemingly drawn by magnets, all fixed on the creaking wooden bed at the center of the room.
Ma Hongjun was curled up on the bed, his round and rolling body tossing about on the creaking boards like a fish out of water as painful groans escaped him. "Mm... ah... mm... ah..."
The agonized groans struck the thatched roof and bounced back dully, echoing through the cramped space. Everyone's hearts tightened as though something were gripping them.
The heat wave rising from the little fat boy's body was visible to the naked eye. Even the surrounding air had been roasted burning hot; one could feel the searing temperature from several steps away.
The Soul Power fluctuation from his body was like an