Flender's Empty Bravado

The atmosphere on the playground, however, was completely at odds with such leisure.

Dean Flender stood in the center of the group with a face like thunder. Oscar stood before him with his head hanging so low it nearly touched his chest, his ears burning red; he was clearly being dressed down in no uncertain terms.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai, and the others stood to the side, casting varied looks at the two who had arrived so late.

"Oscar! Do you take me for a blind man?" Flender's voice was like a thunderclap, making everyone's eardrums tremble.

"Ning Rongrong slacks off to go gallivanting, you know about it, and you dare to cover for her? Shrek Academy has no room for students who disregard discipline like this!"

Oscar shrank his neck, stealing a glance at Fu Qin and Ning Rongrong, feeling nothing but envy.

They had both spent the afternoon with Ning Rongrong, yet Fu Qin got to accompany the little witch on a shopping spree while he was stuck getting lectured by the Dean. How could the gap between people be so vast?

The moment Ning Rongrong appeared, Flender's fury shifted targets, and he began to berate her head-on.

"Ning Rongrong! Look at the state of you! It's one thing to lack ambition, but to let your playfulness ruin your potential? Let me tell you, every move you make is under my surveillance. Don't think you can just muddle through!"

Having been pampered since birth, Ning Rongrong had never faced such a reprimand. She bristled instantly, her brows arching as she prepared to retort.

But before she could speak, Fu Qin suddenly stepped forward to shield half her body, his palm covering her lips.

His palm was warm and carried a faint scent; she pressed against his back.

Fu Qin's low voice resonated by her ear, carrying a soothing power.

"Don't be impulsive. Offending Flender here isn't a wise choice. He is the Dean, and he's doing this for your own good. Apologize first; we can talk about everything else later."

[Fate Origin and Dissipation Max+ activated. Ning Rongrong's reliance on Fu Qin surges; her anger dissipates instantly.]

[Ning Rongrong's thoughts: Brother Fu Qin is holding me! He actually stood up to protect me and defuse the situation! He's right, I can't clash with Flender here. Listening to him is definitely the right move!]

Ning Rongrong's body stiffened, a blush staining her cheeks. Her agitated emotions settled rapidly, as if doused by cold water.

Feeling Fu Qin's strong arm and steady heartbeat, the grievance and anger in her heart were gradually replaced by sweetness. She closed her mouth obediently, her gaze turning docile.

Fu Qin released her, steadied her shoulders, and turned to Flender, bowing slightly in apology.

"Dean, I'm sorry. This is all my fault. It was my suggestion to take Rongrong out to relax. She's young, and I didn't properly advise her; instead, I accompanied her and delayed our training. If you want to punish someone, punish me."

[Intelligence-Reducing Halo activated. Flender concludes that "Fu Qin taking the blame is a genuine act of concern for Ning Rongrong and shows he recognizes his mistake."]

[Flender's thoughts: I didn't expect this child Fu Qin to be so responsible! That little witch Ning Rongrong has always been headstrong and willful, yet she's actually willing to listen to him and apologize. It seems Fu Qin really can keep her in check. I can't afford to truly offend the Young Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Having Fu Qin help keep her in line saves me quite a bit of trouble.]

Flender had never intended to punish Ning Rongrong severely; after all, he couldn't disregard the face of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Seeing Fu Qin take the blame and Ning Rongrong looking so obedient and repentant, Flender's expression softened considerably, though he kept his face stern.

"Fu Qin, you have great talent, but you mustn't let these trivial matters delay your cultivation! You should be focused on your training, not joining in on this nonsense!"

"Yes, the Dean is right. I will be sure to pay attention in the future," Fu Qin replied respectfully, his attitude so humble that no one could find fault with it.

At this, Ning Rongrong also whispered an apology: "Dean, I'm sorry. I know I was wrong. I won't slack off again, and I'll participate in training properly."

When these words left her lips, not only was Flender stunned, but even Dai Mubai's eyes showed a flicker of disbelief.

Who didn't know that Ning Rongrong was a notorious little witch who always did as she pleased? When had she ever apologized so obediently?

Flender felt a weight lift from his heart, secretly relieved that Fu Qin was there; otherwise, if he had truly provoked Ning Rongrong, he wouldn't have known how to answer to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

He cleared his throat and said, "As long as you know you were wrong. If you dare to slack off again, I won't let you off so easily!"

"Fu Qin, since you took the initiative to look after Ning Rongrong, you must take responsibility for her training and tasks moving forward. You cannot let her hold the team back."

Fu Qin nodded immediately: "Please rest assured, Dean. I will definitely lead Rongrong to keep up with the progress and won't cause any trouble for the team."

Flender nodded in satisfaction and shifted the topic to their upcoming itinerary.

"Alright, enough talk. We are heading to the Suotuo City Great Soul Arena to participate in soul duels. This is a great opportunity for you to accumulate combat experience and improve your strength. Fu Qin, you and Ning Rongrong will form a duo. The rest of you can pair up as you like. Prepare yourselves; we leave immediately!"

In truth.

Flender had long wanted to see just how deep Fu Qin's potential really went.

A thirty-fourth-level Soul Elder with bizarre and formidable soul skills, capable of suppressing even a brute like Zhao Wuji.

Pairing Fu Qin with Ning Rongrong would serve two purposes: testing Fu Qin's combat level and allowing Ning Rongrong to get some exercise during battle. It was killing two birds with one stone.

Fu Qin was taken aback when he heard Flender's words.

But he quickly grasped the Dean's intention.

Good grief.

This old man was truly handing him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy.

Ning Rongrong hadn't awakened her past-life memories yet, so it was a perfect chance to build some rapport early on.

Upon hearing that she would be paired with Fu Qin, Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up instantly. A smile she couldn't suppress bloomed on her face as she secretly tugged at Fu Qin's sleeve and whispered.

"Brother Fu Qin, this is great! We actually get to be a team!"

Feeling her movement.

Fu Qin saw her favorability on the panel surge by another 10 points, reaching 135.

On the other side, however, Tang San's expression turned quite ugly, his heart feeling unusually tense.

He watched the intimate interaction between Fu Qin and Ning Rongrong, his brows knitting tightly together.

In his heart, he knew that Ning Rongrong was destined to be Oscar's wife and an indispensable member of the Shrek Seven Devils.

Yet now, Ning Rongrong clearly had feelings for Fu Qin, and with Flender's assistance, the two had even formed a duo. If they were to truly end up together, wouldn't the entire structure of the Shrek Seven Devils be thrown into chaos?

But soon, his mind fell into a brief trance.

[Intelligence-Reducing Halo activated. Tang San concludes: "Fu Qin and Ning Rongrong teaming up is merely to complete the mission; it will not affect the future plot."]

[Tang San's thoughts: No, I must find a way to stop them! Ning Rongrong belongs to Oscar; I cannot let Fu Qin snatch her away. Once the soul fight ends, I must have a good talk with Oscar and urge him to be more proactive so he can win Ning Rongrong back quickly.]

Tang San felt as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, yet he was completely helpless.

With Fu Qin's strength and charm plain for all to see, and Ning Rongrong clearly interested in him, he had no idea how to stop it.