A Knife to Dai Mubai's Heart

The night was as dark as ink, and the shabby, dilapidated gates of Shrek Academy cast crooked shadows beneath the moonlight.

A figure staggered forward, practically clinging to the gateframe as he barely managed to shuffle into the academy grounds.

It was Dai Mubai.

His face was deathly pale, utterly devoid of color. His lips were cracked, and the wounds barely sealed by a Healing Soul Skill during the day still throbbed faintly.

After all, this was Suotuo City. There were no particularly powerful Healing Soul Masters here.

It was already quite good that someone could treat him at all.

What hurt even more was the emptiness below his waist, constantly reminding him of the cruel reality: he was already a eunuch.

Every step tugged at the discomfort throughout his body, causing fine beads of cold sweat to seep from his brow.

"Mubai?" A familiar voice rang out.

Flender stood beneath the old tree in the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back.

Dai Mubai had not returned this late, so Flender had been somewhat concerned and waited here for him.

Now, seeing Dai Mubai so listless, as though all his vigor had been drained away, Flender adjusted his glasses and revealed a teasing smile. "Well, well, Shrek's tiger is back? Weren't you full of life before, shouting about conquering every woman in Suotuo City?

So why have you... turned into a sick cat now?"

He leaned closer, lowering his voice with the knowing smirk shared between men. "Could it be that today... you ran into a rival and couldn't perform?"

He had only meant it as a casual tease, an innocuous joke.

Yet to Dai Mubai, those words were no different from a dagger viciously stabbing into the bloodiest wound in the depths of his heart.

Dai Mubai felt as though the pain below his waist was enough to make him bleed.

Couldn't perform?

It was far more than that.

It was completely gone.

A blaze of fury, mixed with excruciating pain and humiliation, surged straight to his head. His vision darkened, and he nearly roared uncontrollably.

He nearly smashed his fist into Flender's face.

But he clenched his teeth tightly and forcibly suppressed the emotions that were about to explode.

He knew he could not say it!

No one could ever find out!

Becoming a eunuch and losing the symbol of his manhood was a thousand times more humiliating than losing an arm or a leg!

If word got out, he would become a complete laughingstock. Back in the Star Luo Empire, he would never have a chance to rise again!

Best... best if only heaven, earth, and he himself knew this secret.

Ye Mu!

No... Tang San too, along with that woman by his side! And those people at the Rose Hotel who might have seen it! Even... that Healing Soul Master!

They had to be silenced!

Everyone who might know about this... had to disappear!

Killing intent arose in his heart.

Not a single one could be spared!

On the surface, he merely tugged at the corners of his stiff mouth, forcing out a smile uglier than a grimace. His voice was hoarse and dry. "It's... it's nothing. Dean, today... I was beaten outside."

"What? Beaten?" The teasing vanished from Flender's face in an instant. His brows furrowed, and his voice rose with anger. "How could that happen? You're from Shrek Academy! In Suotuo City, who would dare lay a hand on someone from Shrek? Who's so blind?"

Dai Mubai's lips twitched.

Shrek Academy?

He sneered inwardly, filled with contempt and self-mockery.

This dump had no money, no land, barely any teachers altogether, and its students were even more of a motley bunch. Aside from a name used to swindle money, what pride did it have?

If it were not remote and loosely managed, allowing him to temporarily evade certain spies and pursuers from the Star Luo Empire, why would he, a dignified Star Luo Prince, ever come to a place like this?

But naturally, he would not say any of that aloud.

He drew a deep breath and tried to make himself sound aggrieved. "Dean, you have to stand up for me!"

Then, he began to embellish the story, glossing over the important parts while dwelling on the trivial ones.

He portrayed Ye Mu as a bully who relied on his slightly higher Soul Power Level, used vicious methods, and provoked him for no reason. He himself had only struck back to defend Shrek Academy's honor.

But the other party's strength had been strange, and his attacks ruthless, leaving him severely injured.

As for the exact course of the fight, how he had been utterly crushed, and most importantly, the details of his castration, he brushed over them vaguely.

In any case, Ye Mu was the bad guy, an evil Soul Master!

Sure enough, Flender's anger boiled over as he listened. His eyes widened behind his lenses. "Good! What an Ye Mu! A mere Soul Ancestor dares to bully a student of Shrek Academy like this!

Does he really think Shrek Academy has no one?"

Dai Mubai secretly rejoiced, but immediately grew nervous again.

He could not let Flender actually go looking for Ye Mu!

What if they fought? That bastard Ye Mu had no filter... his secret would not remain safe!

He hurriedly put on an appearance of weakness and magnanimity, as though he were thinking for the academy, and dissuaded him. "Dean, forget it. Please don't act rashly.

After beating me, that guy probably realized he had caused trouble and already fled Suotuo City.

After all... you are a mighty Soul Saint, Dean. Unless he is an idiot, he definitely would not dare stay behind and wait for you to go settle accounts with him."

This subtle flattery pleased Flender greatly.

The anger on his face faded considerably, replaced with a faint pride. His back even seemed to straighten a little.

"Mm... that makes sense." Flender nodded, feeling that Dai Mubai had a point. "I suppose he wouldn't have the nerve. This time, he got away quickly! Mubai, recover properly. The academy will remember this debt! If we meet him again, we'll make him pay!"

"Thank you, Dean." Dai Mubai lowered his head, concealing the coldness and calculation in his eyes.

Flender gave him a few more instructions to rest well, then left with his hands behind his back and a somewhat smug stride.

Dai Mubai remained where he was until Flender's footsteps faded away. Only then did he slowly raise his head.

Moonlight fell across his pale, twisted face. There was none of his former arrogance or wickedness in his eyes, only resentment, madness, and chilling cold.

He slowly dragged his feet toward his dormitory, each step incomparably heavy.

When he saw the crude Boys Dormitory, he pushed open the door. A stench of sweat mixed with greasy food scraps rushed at him, making his already nauseated stomach churn even harder.

"Oh! Boss Dai is back!" A slightly excited, lecherous voice rang out.

It was the fat boy, Ma Hongjun.

Ma Hongjun sat cross-legged on his own Wooden Bed, still clutching a greasy Chicken Leg he had no idea where he had gotten. When he saw Dai Mubai enter, his eyes lit up. He immediately tossed the chicken leg aside, wiped his mouth, and approached with the knowing, teasing grin shared between men.

"Boss Dai, why are you back so late today? Could it be..." He waggled his brows, lowered his voice, and chuckled. "You were having too much fun with those Twins from before... and kept at it until now?"