Dai Mubai laughed heartily. Having always admired the strong, he thought highly of Ye Xingchen, who was so humble.
He waved a hand, then patted Ma Hongjun on the arm and said:
"Anyway, I'm going to acknowledge you as my big brother. I don't know about the others!"
"I don't think there's anything wrong with following someone strong. I just hope you'll look out for me in the future, Big Brother!"
Hearing Dai Mubai say this, Oscar and Ma Hongjun exchanged a glance, then stepped forward as well and said with grins:
"That goes without saying for us, right? We usually run with Dai Mubai anyway. Since he's acknowledged you as his big brother, you're our big brother too!"
Feeling somewhat awkward at the sight, Tang San couldn't help sighing inwardly.
As someone who had transmigrated and been reborn, he was no stranger to such scenes, but he considered himself to be of extraordinary origins and chose not to state his position.
In his view, the fellow before him was indeed strong, but he believed he would one day be able to defeat him.
"It's just an empty title. Since you insist, there's nothing else I can do!"
"Follow me from now on, then. How about we give our group a name-the Tang Sect?"
The Tang Sect?
Hearing Ye Xingchen say this, Tang San nearly stumbled and fell to the ground.
He looked at the fellow before him and couldn't help wondering whether he, too, had transmigrated from the Tang Sect.
"Sure! This is my first time hearing the name Tang Sect. A little organization like ours can have a name of its own!"
Dai Mubai folded his arms and said with a smile:
"From now on, I belong to an organization too. Aside from Boss Ye Xingchen and Sister-in-law, I rank second. You two are third and fourth!"
Ma Hongjun nodded with a broad smile, patted Oscar's arm, and said:
"Then I'm definitely third. Oscar, you can be fourth. That's what you get for having a food-type martial soul!"
Oscar, who neither fought nor competed for anything, smiled. He glanced at the two and said calmly:
"I have no interest at all in competing for fame and fortune. I'm joining the Tang Sect to follow the boss!"
Ye Xingchen nodded slightly, his expression calm. He stole a glance at Tang San's face and found it livid, as ugly as pig's liver.
He felt a little pleased. The reason I named it the Tang Sect was really just to disgust this fellow.
"Tang San, what are you standing there for? This is the perfect chance to join the Tang Sect. It won't be so easy to get in later!"
"Exactly! Don't play innocent. It's easy to enjoy the shade beneath a big tree. Don't you even understand that? We're all at the same academy now. With Big Brother looking after us, we'll carry more weight when we go out!"
"That's right, Tang San. What are you still dragging your feet for? Come acknowledge our big brother with us. From now on, you'll be fifth!"
Looking utterly uncomfortable, Tang San felt somewhat helpless at Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun's urging.
He glanced at the three, then turned his gaze toward Ye Xingchen and said flatly:
"Go ahead and join yourselves. I don't like joining organizations like this. I believe I'll become strong through my own abilities!"
With those words, Tang San swung his arm and left.
The sight of his forlorn retreating figure left Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar puzzled.
"What's wrong with him? He's acting as though he swallowed gunpowder. Is he really unhappy just because we asked him to join an organization? He really doesn't fit in!" Oscar said, rubbing his chin.
"Maybe he's run into something troubling lately. Look how distracted he is. Forget it. Let's leave him alone!"
Hearing Dai Mubai say this, Ye Xingchen couldn't help smiling slightly, then led Ning Rongrong away by the hand.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the academy.
Feeling somewhat agitated, Tang San slowly came to a pavilion. As he looked at the lotus pond before him, a glimmer of confusion appeared in his eyes.
He couldn't help recalling his days studying in the Tang Sect. It had already been nearly a dozen years since he had come to the Douluo Continent.
Today was the first time he had heard an outsider mention the name Tang Sect, and it shook him deeply.
"Brother San, what are you doing here? I heard from Rongrong that you were in a bad mood. Did something happen?"
Just then, Xiao Wu's voice came from behind him. Tang San looked back and discovered that she had quietly arrived without him knowing when.
He smiled slightly, then shook his head and said:
"Nothing. I just ran into a few unpleasant things..."
Xiao Wu nodded, her expression calm. Rongrong had told her a little about what had happened between Ye Xingchen and those fellows today, and she felt it was actually quite normal.
She simply didn't know why her Brother San had suddenly become unhappy. She shook her head slightly and hurriedly asked:
"Brother San, is it because of Brother Ye?"
"It's actually very normal. The strong receive respect wherever they go!"
With too much to explain, Tang San shook his head slightly. He turned to look at the beautiful Xiao Wu and instinctively tried to place his hand on her arm.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Wu seemed somewhat resistant and took a small step back, not letting his hand rest on her shoulder.
This surprised Tang San a little. Looking at Xiao Wu before him, he asked in confusion:
"Xiao Wu, why do I feel like you've become a little distant toward me? Have I done something wrong lately?"
Her pretty face slightly flushed, Xiao Wu shook her head. Looking at Tang San before her, she felt an indescribable resistance in her heart.
And that feeling had only slowly emerged after that fellow appeared!
Glancing at Tang San before her, she said calmly:
"Brother San, what are you saying? I'm not little anymore. We're brother and sister. We can't touch each other so casually anymore!"
Brother and sister?
Hearing this, Tang San's heart filled with bitterness. Why has my Xiao Wu suddenly become like this?
"All right. Since you put it that way, I have nothing else to say!"
Clearly sensing Tang San's unhappiness, Xiao Wu shook her head slightly. She turned toward the lotus pond and said with a smile:
"Brother Tang San, you once said you would look after me forever because you're my brother, so I've always seen you as my brother too!"
"If you've developed any different feelings for me, I think you should slowly forget those feelings. After all, I've always seen you as my brother!"
With those words, Xiao Wu quickly left, leaving only Tang San rooted to the spot, dumbstruck!
Watching her retreating figure, he felt a pang of pain in his heart and couldn't help recalling how, up on that mountaintop, he had once said he would look after Xiao Wu forever!
And when he had first said those words, he had indeed regarded Xiao Wu as his younger sister. Yet in the end, he had actually developed a trace of feelings for her that he could not put into words.
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