Gu Rong stood to the side, watching everything unfold. In the end, he still couldn't bring himself to be hard-hearted.
He stepped forward, deliberately softening his voice.
"That's right, Rongrong. It's all right. None of this has happened, and even if it had, we wouldn't blame you."
But his tone was exactly like Chen Xin's.
Calm and restrained, as if he were soothing a child who had done something wrong, not holding the apple of his eye in his arms.
Ning Rongrong trembled all over.
She was afraid. Truly afraid.
She would rather Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa scolded her, beat her, or even disowned her. Anything would be better than this.
Their gentleness was more terrifying than indifference, because it meant they were still sparing her feelings, yet had already withdrawn their hearts.
From now on, she was afraid she would lose the genuine affection of both her grandpas.
Ning Fengzhi had been standing off to the side the whole time. He hadn't said a word.
His face had gone livid.
He watched his daughter kneeling on the ground and crying, watched his two uncles comfort her in voices that broke the heart, watched everything fall to pieces.
The scenes from the Light Screen replayed in his mind again and again. Uncle Jian and Uncle Gu's corpses—their bones not yet cold.
And his daughter, the daughter he had poured his heart and soul into raising, couldn't even make it back to collect their remains.
All for that damned Shrek, all for that Tang San.
Ning Fengzhi suddenly erupted in fury.
"Rongrong! Oh, Rongrong!"
His voice exploded through the hall. Ning Rongrong shuddered.
"You've always been mischievous, but Uncle Jian and Uncle Gu spoiled you, so I let it slide!"
"But in the future, Uncle Jian and Uncle Gu will die just because of that damn Shrek Academy of yours!"
"You couldn't even spare the little time it would take to collect their remains?!"
Ning Fengzhi's voice trembled, not from age, but from rage.
"Have you no time, no consideration to spare for the sake of your man, for that so-called Shrek Academy of yours?!"
His hand shook as he pointed at Ning Rongrong.
"You—you didn't just disappoint Uncle Jian and Uncle Gu. You've completely disappointed me, too!"
Ning Fengzhi gritted his teeth, the veins at his temples bulging.
"I—I... I could just slap you into the ground right now!"
His palm rose, then fell; rose again, then fell once more.
In the end, he didn't strike her—not because he couldn't bear to, but because it wouldn't do any good.
It had already happened. The future had already been exposed. The whole world had seen what kind of person his daughter was.
Ning Fengzhi clutched his chest. It felt as if a rock were lodged there.
He had been skilled at scheming since childhood, and under his leadership, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had flourished. But he had never schemed against his two uncles, because he cared for them.
In the original story, he was the one who collected Chen Xin and Gu Rong's remains. Not because he had nothing better to do, but because he remembered them.
But his daughter didn't remember.
"Enough."
Ning Fengzhi's voice suddenly dropped, as if all his strength had been drained away.
"You've grown up. You can make your own choices now. I can't control you anymore."
"There's no point saying more. Stay here and think about what you've done."
He turned to Chen Xin and Gu Rong and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu. I failed to raise her properly and let you down. But no matter what, I'll always be your child."
Chen Xin and Gu Rong exchanged a glance, then shook their heads helplessly.
They looked at Ning Rongrong, still kneeling on the ground, and their lips moved as if they wanted to say something more.
But the words died before they could leave their mouths.
What could they say?
That it didn't matter?
But it clearly did.
That she should stop crying?
But what good would crying do?
Neither of them said anything. They made up some excuse and turned to leave the hall.
Ning Fengzhi left, too.
As he walked away, he glanced at Ning Rongrong. There was no anger or tenderness in his eyes, only disappointment.
That disappointment weighed more heavily than any other emotion, so heavily that Ning Rongrong could barely breathe.
The hall fell empty.
Only Ning Rongrong remained, kneeling on the ground and sobbing uncontrollably.
Douluo Era.
Shrek Academy.
Oscar knelt on the ground, his whole body limp as a puddle of mud.
"It's over. It's all over."
His voice was hollow, as if he weren't speaking at all, but muttering to himself.
There was no light in his eyes, and his face was white as paper.
He didn't want to watch what was on the Light Screen, but he had watched it, every last detail clear as day.
The God of Food wouldn't pass the divine throne on to him anymore. Even if he reached Titled Douluo before the age of forty, it would be useless. Without a divine throne, everything was empty.
And the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wouldn't let him off.
That Ning Rongrong had laid all the blame on him in the comments section. Every bit of it.
Oscar knelt on the ground, his limbs weak.
"It's over. I'm afraid I can't escape this calamity after all."
He raised his head, a hint of madness in his eyes.
"If I run now, do I still have a chance?"
Ma Hongjun, frowning beside him, didn't know how to comfort him. He could only go along with what he said.
"Running away should still be an option, right?"
"Xiao'ao, don't take it too hard. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect may be powerful, but it's not the king of the entire Douluo Continent. You can always hide in the Star Luo Empire."
Oscar murmured, "The Star Luo Empire?"
"That place does seem pretty good. And the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire don't get along. Maybe they can protect me?"
Dai Mubai spoke from beside them, his voice much more subdued than usual. "Xiao'ao, Fatty's right. Go to the Star Luo Empire."
"Right now, the only ones in the world who can protect you are the Clear Sky Sect, the Star Luo Empire, and Spirit Hall."
"You can go to any one of those three."
"If all else fails, I'll give you some money for the road."
Oscar's eyes gradually brightened. The light in them was unnaturally intense, the feverish desperation of a dying man clutching at a lifeline.
"That's right! Those are the only three powers I can turn to!"
He got up from the ground, moving quickly, as if he had suddenly found his strength.
"I have to find someone who'll protect me. No matter what, I have to survive!"
His voice grew louder and louder.
"I haven't even done anything, yet the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is bullying me!"
"Is there any justice in this world? Any law at all?!"
He panted heavily, his eyes bloodshot.
"And as long as I survive, I'll get my revenge!"
"Fine! So the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wants to kill me, does it?!"
"Just you wait. Once I rise to power, I'll come back. I swear I will!"
He was nearly shouting.
"And Ning Rongrong, that bitch!"
"You looked down on me, didn't you? Just wait until I rise to power. I'll drag you back and take my pleasure with you!"
"Damn the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! Damn Ning Rongrong!"
After venting, he suddenly calmed down and muttered rapidly:
"If I want to rise quickly, would going to the Star Luo Empire work? Should I—"
"Why not just join our Spirit Hall?"
A soft, feminine voice suddenly cut in.
Everyone froze, then turned around in unison.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had appeared behind them at some point, as if they had grown out of the shadows.
But Oscar wasn't afraid. He didn't even step back. He just stared at them.
Chrysanthemum Douluo chuckled, speaking slowly in a thin voice.
"We can avenge you. We can help you capture that Ning Rongrong."
"Our Spirit Hall can make you the greatest food-type Soul Master of all time."
Oscar's expression changed.
The feverishness, the madness, the yearning that had burned all his fear and despair to ash—all of it was written across his face.
His lips trembled, not from fear, but from excitement.
Before you continue