The Duke's Mansion, back gate,
A boy who looked about eleven or twelve, dressed in simple gray cloth and carrying a small bundle, quietly eased the back gate shut.
After hurrying a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the Duke's Mansion, with its ornate beams and painted rafters. Its crystal-clear glazed tiles shimmered with golden light beneath the sun.
This place was the root of all the suffering he and his mother had endured!
Deep hatred welled up in his dark blue eyes.
He clenched his fists.
"Mother, watch over me from the heavens. No matter what it takes, I'll come back and trample everything here beneath my feet!"
"From now on, I'll take your surname. I'll change my name to Huo—Huo Yuhao!"
With that, he turned and ran north without looking back.
"Mm... ah..."
Lu Ran stood by the window. Just out of bed, he stretched as the cool morning breeze brushed against him,
bringing with it the damp scent of Sea God Lake.
Today marked the start of Shrek Academy's new admissions year. It was also one of the liveliest and most anticipated days on the continent.
If a family's child could enter Shrek Academy,
it was cause for immense celebration,
something worth recording in the family genealogy,
especially for commoners who had no family genealogy to speak of.
He'd heard from Jiang Nannan that Bei Bei and Tang Ya were heading to the Star Dou Great Forest today, while Huo Yuhao had left the Duke's Mansion about a week ago. The two parties would cross paths soon.
Lu Ran considered it.
The Star Dou Great Forest was absurdly vast. Who knew where the two parties would meet?
He might as well go with them.
At the Outer Academy,
a handsome young man and woman stood beneath the shade of a tree.
Both wore Outer Academy uniforms.
The boy stood tall and straight. Though young, he had short dark blue hair, and his handsome face bore a scholarly air.
A quirky girl stood in front of him, her hair tied in a high ponytail.
Only,
the girl stood protectively before him like a mother hen guarding her chick.
Her nearly perfect oval face was set with large, lively eyes, full of wariness,
as she swept her gaze again and again over the empty path,
as though something dangerous might leap out at any moment.
This was a secluded spot, where even young couples rarely came.
That was why the two of them had come here,
and chosen it as their meeting place.
"Don't worry. The two of us will take him on together when the time comes. We'll definitely have the upper hand!"
The girl nodded as she said this,
though it sounded less like she was speaking to the boy behind her and more like she was reassuring herself, trying to work up her courage.
"Xiaoya, it's all right..."
"We're just going to the Star Dou Great Forest together."
Bei Bei's handsome face showed a helpless smile. He didn't understand why Tang Ya kept thinking Lu Ran was going to pick a fight with him,
and stayed on guard the whole time.
Tang Ya looked around again,
then asked,
"Then why didn't he go earlier or later? Why go with us now?"
She'd spent over a month on guard,
but Lu Ran had never come to challenge him.
She'd thought he'd given up on the idea.
But a week ago, when Jiang Nannan said Lu Ran wanted to go with them, her heart gave a sudden lurch.
Was that a veiled challenge?!
But she was going to obtain a Soul Ring this time, and more people meant more strength.
She'd hesitated,
but Bei Bei had agreed,
and Jiang Nannan was coming too.
Lu Ran probably wouldn't do anything out of line. It should be fine.
So she'd agreed,
but now that she thought about it, something still felt fishy.
Bei Bei helplessly placed both hands on Tang Ya's shoulders, turned her around, and straightened her posture. His voice was gentle:
"Xiaoya, it's all right. It's not what you think..."
Lu Ran's talent was indeed terrifying, but he wouldn't attack him for no reason.
Just then,
a young man and woman approached from afar.
The pretty blonde girl held the boy's hand affectionately as they waved to the two of them, their smiles warm.
Tang Ya's body instantly stiffened, and her eyes grew even more wary.
He'd instantly defeated the academy's Absolute Defense in full view of everyone. If he beat the Absolute Attack too, he'd become famous throughout the academy. There was no reason Lu Ran wouldn't want to do it.
She had to be careful!
Bei Bei helplessly tried to reassure her.
"Yaya, sorry to keep you waiting."
Jiang Nannan linked arms affectionately with Lu Ran. "This is Lu Ran."
For some reason, she suddenly felt nervous. They were only meeting friends, but she felt as nervous as if she were meeting the parents.
Well... meeting the other half's friends meant becoming part of the other half's life, didn't it?!
Becoming part of his life...
Wouldn't that mean...
Jiang Nannan suddenly grew shy.
She pressed her shapely legs together and stole a glance at Lu Ran,
her beautiful eyes overflowing with tenderness like flowing water.
Lu Ran smiled politely. "We've seen each other before, from the stands, but today's the first time we've been this close."
Under normal circumstances, the next thing to say would be that he'd long admired Bei Bei and was finally getting to meet the academy's Absolute Attack.
But considering he'd once instantly defeated the academy's Absolute Defense, and how Tang Ya was acting,
saying that would sound all wrong.
Bei Bei smiled too and nodded in reply. "The way you looked on the arena left a deep impression..."
They'd never fought, but he had no doubt Lu Ran could take him down in the same amount of time.
In fact,
a year from now,
it might take even less time!
The two sides exchanged pleasantries.
Tang Ya eyed Lu Ran suspiciously with her big eyes.
So friendly?
Why wasn't he making threats?
In the little play unfolding in her head, Lu Ran should have come over with bad intentions, made threats, and then she should have fired back. Lu Ran would have kept provoking them until Bei Bei couldn't take it anymore and attacked, and then she would've joined the fight...
Why wasn't it happening the way she'd imagined?
After a few pleasantries,
Lu Ran explained, "I've been looking for Sweet Honey. Since you're heading there too, I thought we might as well go together and watch each other's backs."
The name Sweet Honey sounded a little casual.
Its origin really was just as casual.
The story went that someone tasted a mouthful of honey and said it was sweet, so they called it Sweet Honey, and the bees that made it became known as Sweet Honey Bees.
Lu Ran had tried it a few times. It really was sweet and delicious,
and it came in different colors with different effects depending on the pollen.
He'd decided to find dozens of bee colonies. They'd come in handy.
Of course,
he didn't expect Bei Bei and Tang Ya to slowly search alongside him for dozens of colonies.
He'd mainly brought it up as an excuse to go to the Star Dou Great Forest together.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya had heard from Jiang Nannan that Lu Ran liked things like this, so they didn't suspect anything else.
"Couldn't be better,"
Bei Bei said warmly. "With you two along, we'll be that much safer."
Both of them had seen Lu Ran's strength with their own eyes.
The group set off.
At that moment, the school plaza was packed with people who'd come to register.
By chance, Lu Ran and the others passed by the plaza,
and the four of them, with their striking looks and figures, immediately drew plenty of attention.
The teenage boys and girls all cast curious glances their way,
some envious, some surprised, and others feeling something else...
Jiang Nannan clung even closer to Lu Ran, as if showing him off.
Tang Ya also held Bei Bei's hand, staking her claim and telling the girls with designs on him that they didn't stand a chance!
Even after the four had disappeared from view, some people still gazed after them, reluctant to look away.
Shrek Academy's allure and mystique in their hearts
grew stronger still.
Once they left the city,
they could see the forest surrounding the outer reaches in the distance, since Shrek Academy was close to the Star Dou Great Forest. But there was still some distance between them.
Across the plains,
the four strolled along.
Lush grass stretched all the way to the forest, dotted with flowers of every color. Butterflies fluttered past, and the morning breeze swept across the grass and tousled their hair.
Jiang Nannan hummed softly as she brushed her hair aside.
Tang Ya bounced along, deciding to give their group a name.
"Hehe... Let's call ourselves the Four-Person Team. How's that?"
"Ah... Not creative enough? Then how about the Soul Hunting Squad? Creative, right..."
Before you continue