"Click—"
Accompanied by a heavy scraping of metal, the doors to the Confinement Room slowly slid open to either side.
Yan Shaozhe, Er Ming, and Xuan Zi nearly raised their heads at the same time, their gazes snapping toward the doorway.
Their eyes all carried a fervent expectation.
"They're here?"
Yan Shaozhe's heart leaped with joy.
In his view, Bei Bei must have sent the message back, and the academy had dispatched someone to negotiate.
After all, with Shrek Academy's foundation and prestige, even this mysterious "knockoff" academy had to show them some respect, didn't it?
Ransoming people out might not sound very dignified, but as long as they could leave, everything was negotiable.
Xuan Zi beside him thought the same.
"Hmph, those bastards know what's good for them. They know to fear Shrek Academy..."
Xuan Zi muttered smugly, already imagining himself stuffing his face with chicken legs after getting out to make up for the emotional suffering of the past few days.
Meanwhile, Er Ming happily thought that Da Ming had surely extorted money from that idiot Qian Duoduo and was planning to ransom him out.
However.
The next second.
When they saw who had entered through the doorway, everyone froze.
Zhang Yang walked in expressionlessly, dragging a thoroughly bedraggled Qian Duoduo behind him.
"Behave."
Zhang Yang spoke coldly, then skillfully pulled out a silver metal collar and, with a click, fastened it around Qian Duoduo's neck.
It was a specially made Soul Tool designed to restrict Soul Power.
Then.
Bang—!
With a casual toss, Zhang Yang threw Qian Duoduo into an empty cell nearby as though he were throwing away trash.
Then he turned, shut the door, and locked it, the movements flowing together in one smooth sequence.
Only when the string of metallic locking sounds rang out did Yan Shaozhe suddenly come back to his senses. His eyes widened as he stared at Qian Duoduo sprawled on the floor and cried out:
"Old Qian?!"
"Why are you here?!"
"How... how did you get locked up too?!"
Yan Shaozhe could hardly believe his eyes.
Just moments ago, he had been imagining Qian Duoduo coming to ransom them out. Yet in the blink of an eye, the man who was supposed to ransom them had been locked up as a hostage instead?
And...
Wasn't this just too miserable?
"Cough, cough..."
Qian Duoduo laboriously rolled over, clutching his still-aching chest. Looking at the stunned Yan Shaozhe in the neighboring cell, he gave a bitter smile uglier than crying.
"Shao Zhe..."
"This... this is a long story..."
Before Qian Duoduo could finish, Er Ming in the solitary cell beside them suddenly burst into booming laughter.
"HAHAHA!"
"So you have a day like this too!"
"Aren't you rich? Aren't you so full of yourself?"
"Then why did you end up in here too? Hahahaha!"
Er Ming laughed with utter glee, pointing at Qian Duoduo until tears nearly came out of his eyes.
But.
As he laughed, Er Ming's laughter abruptly stopped.
Wait...
Qian Duoduo had been locked up?
Then... then what about him? The original plan had been to take Qian Duoduo's money. Now that Qian Duoduo was imprisoned, how could Da Ming get the money?
Didn't that mean he...
Had no money to get out either?
"I'm screwed..."
Er Ming plopped down on the ground, his gleeful expression instantly turning as sour as a bitter melon.
Qian Duoduo ignored Er Ming's mockery. Right now, all he could think about was how to salvage a little of his dignity.
Facing Yan Shaozhe's puzzled gaze, Qian Duoduo's eyes flickered as he answered vaguely.
"Ah, don't mention it."
"I was ambushed."
"I let my guard down. I didn't dodge."
He couldn't possibly tell Yan Shaozhe the truth—that he, a dignified Rank 94 Title Douluo armed with powerful Soul Tools, had been one-shot by a Rank 92 Title Douluo, could he?
How would he ever show his face at Shrek Academy after that?
Did he want to keep any of his pride at all?
"Ambushed?"
Yan Shaozhe furrowed his brow, seemingly considering how believable that was.
Just then, Xuan Zi, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke. His voice was loud and carried a trace of indignation.
"I knew it. None of the people in this counterfeit place have any martial virtue!"
As Xuan Zi spoke, he ran a hand through his messy hair and recalled solemnly:
"When I first came to visit this academy."
"Following the principle that harmony was most important, I wanted to reason with them."
"And what happened?"
"These bastards didn't listen to a word I said. They actually sent five Super Douluo to join forces and besiege me!"
Xuan Zi held up five fingers and waved them before Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo, boasting without the slightest blush:
"Though I was invincible in battle and defeated three of them on the spot."
"Still..."
"Two fists can't beat four hands."
"In the end, my Soul Power was exhausted, and I had no choice but to admit defeat."
Hearing this, Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo exchanged a look, both revealing expressions of deep respect.
"As expected of Elder Xuan!"
"You fought five alone and still took down three!"
"That record is simply terrifying!"
Qian Duoduo nodded repeatedly, as though he had found a kindred spirit, and chimed in:
"Yes, yes, Elder Xuan is absolutely right!"
"These people just love bullying the few with the many. They love sneak attacks!"
"I was careless for a moment too and fell for their trick!"
Only Yan Shaozhe silently sighed inwardly.
Compared to Elder Xuan's "fighting five alone and taking down three," his own defeat at the hands of a man named Zhuo Shi in a one-on-one fight was truly too embarrassing to mention.
But...
"Old Qian."
As though he had suddenly remembered something, Yan Shaozhe's expression grew tense. He lowered his voice and asked:
"You came here this time... was it because Teacher sent you?"
"To negotiate with this academy and get us released?"
Qian Duoduo's expression stiffened at his words, but he still forced himself to nod.
"Yes... that was Mu En's instruction."
Upon hearing that confirmation, Yan Shaozhe's face instantly turned deathly pale.
It was over.
All over.
"Now that even you got locked up, what are we supposed to do?"
Yan Shaozhe's voice trembled slightly.
He had thought Qian Duoduo was coming to put out the fire, but not only had he failed to save them, he had gotten himself caught too.
Who could possibly come save them now?
Qian Duoduo also wore a bitter expression, but he forced himself to rally and comforted him:
"Don't panic, don't panic."
"Even though I'm in here, Bei Bei and Tang Ya are still outside."
"The two of them definitely saw everything and know how serious this is."
"I'm sure... they'll go back and notify Mu En."
At the mention of "Mu En," Xuan Zi, who had been extremely calm all along, immediately lit up.
"Mu En is coming?"
"Good, good!"
Xuan Zi smacked his lips and looked around at the surroundings with disdain.
"This dump doesn't even provide chicken legs. There are only cold steamed buns and cold water."
"It's completely inhumane!"
"Once Mu En arrives, I'll make him teach these arrogant bastards a proper lesson!"
Watching Xuan Zi's unconcerned, even somewhat expectant expression, Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo broke out in cold sweat, their backs drenched.
Teach them a lesson?
How could they possibly have the mind to think about teaching anyone a lesson right now?!
All they could think about was how they would explain this string of reckless self-sacrifices when Mu En arrived!
When Mu En had sent them here, he had repeatedly warned them not to act impulsively, to be steady, and to handle the matter properly.
And what happened?
One, two, three—every last one of them got locked up!
It was like the Calabash Brothers trying to save their grandfather, delivering themselves one after another in perfect order!
If Mu En found out...
No matter how good Mu En's temper was, he would probably be angered into an episode, wouldn't he?
"Sigh..."
This time...
They had truly embarrassed themselves beyond all measure!
Before you continue