The boy's father couldn't hold back his anger. "You're obviously just..."
"...Mu Bai, Mu Bai?!"
As the two argued back and forth, the system's prompt quietly rang in Zhao Linchuan's ears—
[Current plot setting detected: "Shrek Academy's admissions site." Admissions are an annual "grand event" for Shrek and an important source of funds for the academy's operations, obtained through deceit and fraud.]
[Choice task triggered:]
[Choice One: Infiltrate from within. Join Shrek Academy and lie low as a student. Observe the growth of Tang San, the (false) Child of Destiny, up close, and wait for a chance to bring down this future "nest of monsters" from the inside.]
[Reward: God-Level Mimicry Training Ground (containing thirty-six top-tier training spaces that can operate independently and have fully customizable environmental parameters, covering every known extreme attribute environment), Blue Star elementary school textbook Thoughts and Morality (complete collection, deluxe illustrated edition), 200,000 system points.]
[Choice Two: Wreck the place. How can youthful passion tolerate such petty, underhanded schemes to swindle students out of their money? When injustice is in plain sight, draw your sword and help. Ruin this "grand admissions event" and expose this scam of an academy for what it really is.]
[Reward: 1 Non-Attribute God King Level God Core, 1 complete set of soul imprints of the Shrek Seven Devils (from the original timeline) before their ascension to the Divine Realm, 200,000 system points.]
[System's friendly reminder:]
"According to preliminary calculations, joining Shrek Academy would do more harm than good to the host's current path of development."
"The academy's teaching resources are extremely scarce, its curriculum lacks any coherent system, and its training environment is poor. In addition, the core members' principles fundamentally conflict with the host's, and could cause unnecessary disruption and waste of time in the host's personal development and planning."
"Please consider carefully."
Hm? The system was actually offering advice on its own now? Zhao Linchuan thought in surprise. This was a first.
The God-Level Mimicry Training Ground is pretty good, but it isn't essential to my current growth path, which is centered on the Puni Martial Soul and system resources.
As for an elementary-school textbook on thoughts and morality... System, are you serious?
He barely hesitated. System, I choose the second option.
[Choice confirmed. The task "Ruin Shrek Academy's Current Admissions" has been accepted. Rewards will be issued automatically upon completion.]
In the time it took for a thought to flash through his mind, Zhao Linchuan's expression had returned to calm. Looking at Li Yusong's stubborn, slippery face and the father and son's despair and fury, he stepped forward and said evenly, "Teacher, what you're doing doesn't seem right, does it?"
Li Yusong raised his eyelids and sized up Zhao Linchuan and the others.
At first, he thought they were just some hotheaded youngsters sticking their noses where they didn't belong. He was about to signal Dai Mubai to "show them out," but then his eyes swept over the clothes and bearing of Zhao Linchuan, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing behind them.
When he noticed the finely crafted soul-guidance storage rings on Zhao Linchuan's and Xiao Wu's fingers, a glint immediately flashed in his eyes.
These youngsters looked rich and influential... They might be even bigger "fat sheep."
His impatience vanished in an instant, replaced by a kindly expression. He pointed toward the line behind them. "Are you youngsters here to register too? If you want to sign up, go queue at the back and wait for the test."
"But I should tell you beforehand: Shrek Academy only takes monsters, never ordinary people."
"Register? Register for what?"
Zhao Linchuan raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying just the right amount of "indignation" and "confusion." "Are you asking us to sign up for your... shameless, unreasonable, no-name academy?"
He looked at the furious father and son, then raised his voice. "Since your academy's teacher has clearly said this young man doesn't qualify and won't be accepted, why not return his registration fee?"
"Ten Gold Soul Coins might not mean much to your academy, but for an ordinary family, it could be several years' worth of living expenses!"
Li Yusong's expression darkened. He knitted his brows and spoke more firmly. "Those are the rules here! Once the registration fee is collected, it is never refunded!"
"Rules?"
Zhao Linchuan seemed to have heard something ridiculous. His voice sharpened. "What kind of rules are these? Rules for forcing people to buy something? Or rules for raising shameless little crooks?!"
He glanced around and spoke clearly:
"As everyone knows, Soul Master Academies charge a registration fee as an advance payment. Parents pay it in advance so their children can qualify for admission and receive Soul Master education."
"It can be considered a 'deposit' or an 'exchange' for future teaching services!"
"Since your academy has unilaterally decided that this boy doesn't qualify and refused to provide teaching services, then the 'deposit' should naturally be returned in full! That's only right!"
"If you keep the money and refuse to return it, how is that any different from street thugs demanding protection money?"
His gaze swept across the remaining parents, whose faces showed uncertainty and discontent. His voice rang clear, carrying a powerful, rousing force.
"Parents, think carefully!"
"If a Soul Master Academy resorts to such despicable tricks to keep a mere ten Gold Soul Coins in registration fees, what kind of character and vision does it have? What kind of students could it possibly teach?"
"Will it teach students how to train and grow stronger, or how to make up excuses to swindle and cheat people?!"
His words were like cold water poured into boiling oil, instantly setting off the parents' simmering discontent.
"That's right!"
"Exactly! This is clearly a scam!"
"They're greedy over even ten Gold Soul Coins. What good teachers could a rotten academy like this have?"
"Come on, let's go! We're not signing up, son! We'll find another proper academy!"
The crowd erupted. The remaining parents no longer hesitated. They grabbed their children and turned to leave, cursing under their breath as if another second here might bring them bad luck.
In just a few minutes, the village entrance, which had been fairly lively, was deserted.
Only the father and son who wanted their money back, Zhao Linchuan and the other three, and Li Yusong—whose face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot—remained.
"Mu Bai! Dai Mubai! Where the hell are you?!" Li Yusong was so furious that his mustache bristled. He slapped the table and roared toward the academy.
He shouted several times, but the Evil Eye White Tiger, who usually handled things and "kept the peace," never came out.
Ning Rongrong covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she struggled to hold back her laughter.
Yesterday, she'd specifically had someone look into the background of the person Zhao Linchuan had crippled. According to the report from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect,
Dai Mubai was probably lying in some healer's place in Suotuo City right now, crying and begging them to put his "brother" back together again. How could he possibly have time to come here?
Before you continue