Huo Yuhao still hadn't seen Wang Dong'er again by the following day.
Wang Dong'er had tried to find him, but in the end, he hadn't dared to face her.
With no other choice, Wang Dong'er went to speak with Mu En and the others at Sea God Pavilion first.
After a long discussion, Mu En and the others finally agreed to give Wang Dong'er her freedom and even offer her their support.
By the following night, attention had to be diverted somehow.
They would have to wait for a new Sharp Critique character to appear before they could shift their focus, at least for a while.
Another new night.
The Light Screen appeared again.
Every character, whether involved or not, stared at the Light Screen, ready to see who the new character was.
Quite a few people were already discussing it.
On the Light Screen.
[Sharp Critique of the Top Ten Stupid Women of Douluo!]
[The Fifth Stupid Woman: Xiao Wu!]
[Xiao Wu: No one knows just how tiny a rabbit's brain is. But the moment you see Xiao Wu, you'll get some idea!]
[Among the countless fantasy worlds, she is the only female protagonist defined by her low intelligence and brutish stupidity.]
[Unless you're an idiot like Tang San, it's hard to imagine anyone falling in love with her, isn't it?]
The moment this appeared on the Light Screen, everyone was instantly stunned.
Good grief, Xiao Wu?
It wasn't just people from one era who knew her. Almost everyone from every era knew her.
[Tang San of Douluo Era 1]: "Xiao Wu? No, this has to be a mistake. How could Xiao Wu be a stupid woman?!"
[Xiao Wu of Douluo Era 1]: "The Light Screen must be talking nonsense, right? How could I be a stupid woman?!"
[Xiao Wu of Douluo Era 1]: "Wait! The Light Screen is going to critique me? Could it be that my..."
[Xiao Wu of Douluo Era 1]: "Oh no!"
[Sky Azure Bull Python of Douluo Era 1]: "Sister Xiao Wu, hurry to the Star Dou Forest! Er Ming and I will come get you right away!"
[Titan Giant Ape of Douluo Era 1]: "Sister Xiao Wu, where are you? I'll come get you right away!"
[Tang San of Douluo Era 1]: "Xiao Wu, what's wrong?"
[Xiao Wu of Douluo Era 1]: "I'm in Notting City, at Notting Academy. I'll head for the forest right away!"
[Tang San of Douluo Era 1]: "What's going on?"
[Bibi Dong of Douluo I]: "Oh? A little girl has ties to the legendary King of the Forest and Emperor of the Forest?"
[Bibi Dong of Douluo I]: "Could there be something going on?"
[Titan Giant Ape of Douluo Era 1]: "Sister Xiao Wu, hurry! I'm coming out of the forest to get you!"
[Huo Yuhao of Douluo Era 2]: "Indeed. According to legend, Senior Xiao Wu is XXXX... Looks like the truth is about to come out."
[Wang Dong'er of Douluo Era 2]: "Is she really my mother?"
[Tang Wulin of Douluo Era 3]: "Senior Xiao Wu, you have to be careful!"
[Lan Xuanyu of Douluo Era 4]: "Senior Xiao Wu, be careful."
[Tang San of Douluo Era 1]: "What are you all talking about? How did this happen?!"
[Tang San of Douluo Era 1]: "What's going on?"
[Tang Hao of Douluo Era 1]: "Enough, enough... She's ultimately Xiao San's girl. Little lass, don't worry. With me here, I'll make sure you reach the Star Dou Forest safely!"
[Tang Hao of Douluo Era 1]: "Xiao San, wait a little. I'll be right there."
[Tang San of Douluo Era 1]: "Huh? Father, you're there too? What's going on? It sounds like all of you know... Am I the only one who doesn't?"
No one had expected Xiao Wu's name alone to cause such a huge commotion.
Xiao Wu herself, especially, understood at once.
If the Light Screen was going to critique her, it would surely expose her identity as a Soul Beast.
The most important thing now was to stay alive!
The characters from the other eras knew Senior Xiao Wu's identity too.
Quite a few of them were fond of the former Shrek senior, and hoped she could make it out alive.
Only Tang San was left confused, with no idea what was happening.
Douluo Era.
Notting Academy.
When Tang San saw the words "Xiao Wu" appear on the Light Screen, Xiao Wu had already grabbed the edge of his clothes.
She clutched it so tightly she nearly tore the fabric.
"Xiao Wu?"
Her face was deathly pale.
Her eyes were fixed on the Light Screen.
Her lips trembled.
"What's wrong?"
"Xiao San," she said, her voice strained.
"Don't ask me anything right now."
Tang San stepped forward, trying to block her view.
"Xiao Wu, are you afraid the Light Screen will insult you?"
"Don't worry. None of that matters. You'll always be the best in my heart—"
"I'm not afraid of it insulting me!"
Xiao Wu cut him off.
Her voice rose sharply, then quickly dropped again.
"I'm not afraid of what it says about me. It can make me sound as awful and disgusting as it wants. I don't care. I don't care about any of it..."
At last, her gaze shifted from the Light Screen to Tang San's face.
There was something in her eyes that Tang San had never seen before.
That urgency.
That terror.
That despair, like she stood at the edge of a cliff, the ground already cracking beneath her feet.
"Xiao San, there's no time to explain everything right now."
Tang San's heart sank.
"Then at least tell me what's going on. What are you afraid of?"
"If you trust me—"
Xiao Wu stared at him, her gaze unwavering.
"Will you take me back to the Star Dou Forest?"
"Now. Right away."
"The Star Dou Forest?" Tang San froze. "Why do you suddenly want to go there? What are you hiding from?"
Xiao Wu didn't answer.
Her eyes began to redden.
Her lips moved several times, but she couldn't bring herself to say the rest.
The unfinished words caught in her throat like a thorn.
"Xiao Wu!" Tang San panicked, gripping her shoulders. "What are you afraid of? Tell me!"
Xiao Wu closed her eyes for a moment.
When she opened them again, she took a deep breath.
"Xiao San."
Her voice was so soft it might have been carried away by the wind.
"If one day, the whole world wanted to kill me—"
Her voice trembled.
"Would you still stay by my side?"
Tang San felt his heart slam against his chest.
He didn't hesitate.
"I told you before."
His voice was heavy.
"If anyone wants to hurt you,"
"they'll have to step over my dead body first."
Each word was firm as a nail.
Tears instantly filled Xiao Wu's eyes.
They welled and glistened, but didn't fall.
She nodded hard enough for her neck to tremble.
Then she lifted a hand and pressed her palm to Tang San's cheek.
It was cold.
"Xiao San."
Her voice softened, breaking with tears, yet carrying a hint of relief.
"I'll come back for you someday."
Tang San opened his mouth.
"When that day comes,"
Xiao Wu's thumb gently brushed his cheekbone.
"I'll finally be able to be with you for real."
Tang San wanted to grab her hand. To question her. To make her explain.
But just then, a dark figure dropped from the sky and landed between him and Xiao Wu.
The man wore a tattered black robe.
His hair was disheveled, his face covered in stubble.
He looked as though he'd crawled out of a garbage heap, but his eyes were as sharp as knives.
The newcomer was none other than Tang Hao, who had rushed over to protect his son's future Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!
Before you continue