Han Li, Xiao Yan, Wang Lin, and Shi Hao Look Down on Each Other

In the cafeteria of Shrek Academy, eleven people sat around a long table.

Though they were seated together, the divide was clear: the Shrek Seven Devils were huddled on one side, while the four newcomers sat on the other, separated by at least three empty seats as if by an invisible chasm.

Tang San decided to break the deadlock.

He stood up, cleared his throat, and offered his signature Tang San-style gentle smile: "Friends, since we will be spending time together from now on, why don't we formally introduce ourselves?"

The four looked up briefly before shifting their gazes away.

Han Li was observing a crack in the ceiling, Xiao Yan was picking dirt from under his fingernails, Shi Hao was doing fingertip push-ups, and Wang Lin had his eyes closed in meditation.

Tang San's smile stiffened slightly, but he chose to ignore it.

"This is Douluo Continent, Shrek Academy," Tang San said, his voice gentle and patient. "My name is Tang San, Blue Silver Grass martial soul, level 29 Control System Battle Soul Master."

He paused, then added, "I am currently one of the Shrek Seven Devils."

Silence.

The four of them showed no reaction.

Tang San maintained his smile: "Could you four introduce yourselves?"

Xiao Yan was the first to speak, his tone dripping with obvious disdain: "Level 29? Only level 29? This... cough, I was already a Dou Zong by the time I was thirty."

Tang San blinked: "Dou Zong?"

Xiao Yan realized he had let something slip and waved his hand: "You wouldn't understand, rookie."

Tang San's smile began to crack.

Shi Hao tilted his head to study Tang San, his eyes seemingly capable of seeing through everything. He suddenly spoke: "Your body is a bit strange; it seems you are hiding something."

Tang San felt a jolt of alarm.

Was he referring to the Mysterious Heaven Skill? Or his hidden weapons? Or... the Eight Spider Lances? How could this person tell?

He managed a stiff laugh: "Brother Shi Hao jokes. I am just an ordinary Soul Master."

Shi Hao curled his lip: "Ordinary my foot! The thing inside you is of a much higher order than soul power."

Tang San's smile froze completely.

Wang Lin finally opened his eyes. His grey-white pupils swept over Tang San with indifference, and his thin lips parted: "This Seat has seen trash, but never trash quite like this."

Tang San: "..."

Han Li had not spoken a word, quietly observing everything. His gaze lingered on Tang San for a few seconds before shifting away, silently recording his thoughts.

Blue Silver Grass? A trash martial soul, yet this person's attitude is overly friendly, and his behavior does not resemble a native of this world. There must be something suspicious here. Note it down.

Tang San took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his last shred of dignity: "Um... may I ask where you four are from? And why did you fall from the sky?"

The four looked at him simultaneously, then looked at each other.

In that instant, a strange, unspoken understanding passed between them.

Four mouths opened in unison, spitting out the same phrase: "No comment."

Tang San: "..."

Xiao Wu kicked Tang San under the table and whispered: "Third Brother, stop asking. It's embarrassing."

Tang San sat back down in silence, beginning to wonder if he shouldn't have initiated the conversation at all.

Just as the atmosphere dropped to freezing, the cafeteria door was kicked open.

"Move aside, move aside! Let me see what's going on!"

A figure flew in—or rather, a middle-aged man wearing round-rimmed glasses, a tattered robe, and hair as messy as a bird's nest came flying in with an extremely undignified posture.

Dean Flender.

He stumbled twice upon landing, steadying himself against the table. The eyes behind his thick lenses lit up like searchlights, scanning left and right before locking onto the four newcomers.

"So it's you lot? The heavenly omen? Four of you just dropped in?"

Flender began to circle the four.

The first lap, evaluating Han Li.

Flender leaned close to Han Li's face, his lenses nearly touching Han Li's nose.

Han Li remained expressionless, not moving a muscle.

Flender looked him up and down, smacking his lips: "You look... rather unique."

The corner of Han Li's mouth twitched slightly.

Unique? What did that mean? If I'm ugly, just say it.

Flender had already begun his second lap, targeting Xiao Yan.

He circled Xiao Yan once, then twice, finally stopping in front of him and rubbing his chin: "The lad has spirit, but your mouth is too foul."

Xiao Yan glared: "Who are you calling foul-mouthed?"

Flender pointed to his own nose: "I can smell it. Didn't you just curse a moment ago?"

Xiao Yan: "...What business is it of yours?"

Flender: "Look, exactly. Your mouth is too foul."

Xiao Yan's face turned livid, his Heavenly Flame nearly erupting.

Third circle, Shi Hao.

When Flender saw the shirtless Shi Hao, his eyes brightened even further.

He reached out to pinch Shi Hao's biceps, patted his pectorals, and finally knocked on his abdominals, producing a thud-thud sound as if striking an iron plate.

"These muscles are decent," Flender praised. "They'll make a good punching bag."

Shi Hao was confused: "Punching bag? What punching bag?"

Flender didn't explain, having already moved on to the fourth circle.

Finally, it was Wang Lin.

Flender stopped in front of Wang Lin, his eyes behind his lenses widening into perfect circles. He looked him up and down, left and right, front and back, several times over, his expression growing increasingly complex.

"Prettier than a girl..." Flender muttered to himself. "What a waste."

Wang Lin opened his eyes, those grey-white pupils staring coldly at Flender: "Waste of what?"

Flender was dead serious: "A waste of this face. If you were a girl, you'd certainly be very popular."

Wang Lin's complexion darkened visibly. The Heavenly Inverse Bead grew slightly hot in his sleeve, and the power of karma nearly spiraled out of control. Had his cultivation not been suppressed, this sharp-tongued Dean might have already been consumed by karmic backlash.

The four men's faces each darkened, and the temperature in the cafeteria seemed to drop by several degrees.

Dai Mubai whispered to Oscar: "The Dean's mouth is going to cause trouble sooner or later."

Oscar nodded: "I bet someone will beat the Dean up within a month."

Ma Hongjun chimed in: "I bet a week."

Tang San covered his face: "You two, say less."

Flender, completely oblivious to the fact that he was repeatedly dancing on the edge of death, clapped his hands boisterously: "Alright, I've seen enough. Let's talk about your arrangements."

He straightened his expression: "You four dropped from the sky, your backgrounds are unknown, and your origins are unclear. By all rights, you should be handed over to Martial Soul Hall."

The four men wore different expressions: Han Li was vigilant, Xiao Yan was disdainful, Shi Hao was indifferent, and Wang Lin was cold.

Flender changed his tone: "But I am the Dean of Shrek Academy, and my specialty is taking in freaks! Therefore, you will stay at the academy for the time being. We'll observe you for a while before deciding whether you stay or go."

Xiao Yan frowned: "Stay if you want, who's afraid of whom?"

Shi Hao raised his hands high: "Good! A place to fight!"

Wang Lin snorted coldly: "This Seat doesn't care."

Han Li nodded slightly: "That is acceptable."

Flender nodded in satisfaction, then dropped a bombshell: "By the way, the academy dorms are tight, so the four of you will share one room."

The expressions of the four froze simultaneously.

"What?"

For once, the four spoke in unison.

Flender waved his hand: "Don't get excited, don't get excited. Just one room—the four of you squeezing in together will be healthier."

Xiao Yan raged: "I'm living with these three lunatics?"

Shi Hao retorted: "Who are you calling a lunatic? You're the weakling!"

Wang Lin said coldly: "This Seat will not live with a brute."

Although Han Li didn't speak, his expression made his attitude clear: reluctant, extremely reluctant.

Flender turned a deaf ear, turning to look at Tang San: "San, you take charge of looking after them. Arrange their lodging and help them get familiar with the environment. It's all in your hands."

Tang San smiled warmly and patted his chest in assurance: "Leave it to me, Dean."

The four looked at Tang San at the same time, their eyes filled with the same sentiment.

Who needs you to look after them?

Tang San's smile remained warm: "Friends, follow me."

Han Li stood up and followed with a blank expression.

Xiao Yan walked behind, grumbling and cursing.

Shi Hao skipped along, muttering about "arbitrating the ages."

Wang Lin walked with his hands behind his back, his pace elegant.

The five formed a line, crossing the Shrek Academy playground.

Xiao Wu watched from behind and couldn't help but say to Ning Rongrong: "Rongrong, don't you think Third Brother looks like he's walking four dogs?"

Ning Rongrong covered her mouth and laughed: "And four different breeds at that: a pug, a bulldog, a Tibetan mastiff, and a Persian cat."

Zhu Zhuqing revealed a rare smile: "A Persian cat? Wang Lin?"

Ning Rongrong nodded: "Aloof, arrogant, and a neat freak."

Xiao Wu laughed until she was doubled over.

Tang San walked in front, glanced back at the four of them, and secretly cheered himself on: I can handle them.

I am Tang San, a genius of the Tang Sect, a transmigrator, and the future Sea God; four weirdos are nothing, piece of cake.

What he did not know was that four pairs of eyes behind him were sizing up his back in their own distinct ways.

Han Li calculated in his heart: This person is showing goodwill, he must have an agenda. Observe first, then decide how to exploit him.

Xiao Yan sneered: A floor-scrubber, and he says he'll look after me? He should worry about looking after himself first.

Shi Hao was eager to try: This guy is hiding something good inside him. I'll have to force him into a fight later and see what it is.

Wang Lin watched coldly: There is the aura of a deity on his causal line... This trash has a backer.

Tang San's journey of "looking after" them was destined to be anything but smooth from the very first step.

At this very moment, in the dormitory building of Shrek Academy, a small room piled with clutter and containing only four broken beds was waiting for its new occupants.

These four people probably had no idea that this dormitory would become the starting point where they would despise each other, torment each other, and yet be forced to fight side by side.

Tang San pushed open the dormitory door, beaming: "We're here, this is your..."

His words stuck in his throat.

Inside the room, there were four beds: one missing a leg, one without a quilt, one with a cracked frame, and the last one looking intact, except for an unknown spirit beast sprawled on top, snoring away.

Tang San's smile finally faltered.

Behind him, four people, four faces, four expressions.

Han Li was expressionless, but his eyes were cold as ice; Xiao Yan gritted his teeth; Shi Hao's eyes lit up as he stared at the spirit beast; Wang Lin turned to leave, only to be grabbed by Tang San.

Tang San wanted to say something to ease the tension, but he opened his mouth and found nothing to say.

The phrase turned on the tip of his tongue three times before he finally swallowed it back down.

My name is Tang San, please take care of... my ass.