Titanium Alloy Dog Eyes

Dorm Seven was the dormitory reserved for Notting Academy's work-study students. The students living there were all commoners.

For one reason or another, they couldn't afford tuition, so they worked part-time while studying under the work-study program.

As for those who still couldn't cover the tuition, Spirit Hall paid it for them. It was a benefit program driven by practical interests.

Now, Du Hao had arrived at the entrance to this dormitory, a special dorm where boys and girls lived together.

At the entrance to Dorm Seven, Du Hao set down his luggage and looked at Tang San's few belongings.

"San, are you sure you don't need our help?" Du Hao asked, shaking the money pouch in his hand.

"With this little stuff, I'm curious how you're going to sleep tonight." As he spoke, Du Hao glanced toward the doorway.

He remembered that around this time, a teacher was supposed to bring over the quilt Grandmaster had given Xiao San. Had his butterfly effect somehow made the quilt disappear?

What would Tang San sleep on tonight, then? The bed boards?

Tang San knocked on the door and smiled, shaking his head. "No need, Brother Hao. The teacher prepared something for me. I figure it'll be here soon."

At the sound of the knocks,

the open door swung wide, and several gazes turned toward them from inside. Feeling their attention, Tang San smiled. "Hello, I'm a new work-study student. I hope we'll get along."

"So you're this year's work-study students?" As soon as he finished speaking, a sturdy boy strode over to Du Hao and the others.

He looked down at the three of them, his eyes sweeping over them. "My name is Wang Sheng. My Martial Soul is Battle Tiger, and I'm the boss around here. What are your names, and what are your Martial Souls?"

"Tang San. My Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass."

"Du Hao. My Martial Soul is Green Onion." Afraid they might misunderstand, he added, "I'm not a work-study student. I'm from the dorm next door."

"I just happened to be passing by and came to help."

Hearing Du Hao's explanation, Wang Sheng looked at him in confusion but said nothing.

"Then Tang San, you must be a work-study student, right? Since I'm the boss here, from now on, you'll have to..."

Watching the impending clash over who'd be boss, Du Hao led Zhu Zhuqing toward the door.

"Let's hurry to the dorm. I'm sure Xiao San can handle things here himself." With that, he waved toward Tang San.

Zhu Zhuqing, who had remained silent all this time, nodded quietly and followed behind him.

"Hey, Du! I'm the boss around here. From now on, you have to listen to me, got it?" Du Hao stared speechlessly at the arrogant boy in front of him.

"Zhu Zhuqing, did you have this kind of thing happen back when you started school?"

At Du Hao's question, Zhu Zhuqing calmly shook her head. "We didn't have this... Besides, I only started school this year. I just dropped my luggage off at the dorm."

Watching the man and woman in front of him start chatting as though he weren't there,

the boy who'd called himself the boss flew into a rage!

"Fine, fine, just ignore everything I say, will you?" As he spoke, he raised his Martial Soul, a big club, and swung it horizontally at them!

Before Du Hao could move, Zhu Zhuqing beside him sprang into action!

Cat ears appeared atop her head, and she reached straight for the club! In the blink of an eye, Zhu Zhuqing grabbed the boy and the club with one hand.

Then she hurled them both right out the window!

"Oh-ho!" Du Hao clapped in amazement. "Looks like I don't need to lift a finger."

Zhu Zhuqing, having dealt with the trouble, glanced at her young master with disdain at the sight of his reaction.

"My master's so weak, yet he still makes such big boasts. What can I say? You really are my master."

"Is that any way to talk about me? Believe it or not, I'll use my Green Onion to make your eyes water." Du Hao summoned his Martial Soul, Green Onion, and smiled.

"Just as I thought. My master's a pervert." Zhu Zhuqing retorted without the slightest courtesy.

As they continued bickering, a muffled laugh came from the doorway.

Du Hao and Zhu Zhuqing followed the sound with their eyes and turned toward the door.

The person who'd been spotted didn't try to hide. She walked straight into the dorm.

"Excuse me, is this Dorm Seven?"

Her clear voice made Du Hao, who'd been trading barbs with Zhu Zhuqing, freeze.

He looked toward the sound and saw a graceful girl. Her cheeks were rosy, and her big black eyes sparkled as she stared at the two of them.

Even the black scorpion braid trailing behind her swayed with her question.

The great boss Xiao Wu was making her entrance...

!!

(Not trying to brag or downplay anything. Since I'm writing fanfiction, if I don't get into a relationship, what's the point of writing fanfiction?)

"Hm? This is the first-year dorm. Dorm Seven is next door, not far away. Just keep walking and you'll see it." Du Hao thought the little rabbit was pretty cute. Her whole vibe was something else.

"Aren't they all the same?" Xiao Wu pressed a finger to her lips and looked toward the way she'd come, clearly reluctant to go back.

She'd actually already checked out Dorm Seven, but the dorm there wasn't as nice as this one...

And since there'd been a commotion here, Xiao Wu had simply decided to come take a look. She hadn't expected to see the two of them fight back.

"It's pretty much the same when it comes to classes. We're all students, after all. It's just the dorms that are a little different." Du Hao patiently explained how the academy worked.

"Students, huh? Hehe, then let's introduce ourselves first! My name's Xiao Wu—Wu, as in 'dance.'" Seeing how serious Du Hao looked, Xiao Wu felt like teasing him.

"Ah? Oh, hello. My name's Du Hao, and this is my older si—" Before Du Hao could introduce Zhu Zhuqing, she answered first.

"Hello, I'm my master's maid. You can call me Zhu Zhuqing, too." After introducing herself, Zhu Zhuqing left Du Hao no room to explain.

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's calm expression,

Du Hao, who'd been about to say something, could only scratch his head with a wry smile. He felt like everything was going wrong.

After all, Du Hao had already stressed on the way here that he wanted Zhu Zhuqing to stop calling him "master" in public.

It wasn't just about what other people might think. The effect it had on Zhu Zhuqing's own status was bad enough. A maid was still a servant, after all. It didn't sound good.

But Zhu Zhuqing wasn't willing to give up that identity. No matter what Du Hao said, she kept doing as she pleased.

Just as the three of them stood awkwardly in the dorm,

a sound came from the doorway.

"Who just threw this guy out?" A middle-aged man, somewhat older than the students, stood there holding the boy who'd been tossed out the window.

He looked into the room with a deeply furrowed brow and asked.

Seeing this, Du Hao frowned and stepped forward without hesitation.

"Teacher, is something wrong?" His voice was calm and steady, without the slightest trace of fear.

"Was it you?" The teacher glanced at Du Hao, who stood before him, and said nothing more.

He simply dropped the boy he was holding.

Then he kicked the boy in the knee, thumped him on the head, and said sternly, "Apologize! Who told you to pull that stunt in the dorm? Have you lost your mind?"

"S-sorry! I shouldn't have..." The boy was very obedient. He apologized without even checking who he was talking to. He was apparently a repeat offender.

Du Hao stared at him, his face full of question marks.

He'd been bracing himself to get bullied by someone older and stronger. Who could have guessed it would turn out like this?

Just as Du Hao's mind was struggling to catch up, the system in his head, never one to miss a chance to stir up trouble, popped up with a random choice!

"An event has been detected! Please make a choice..."

"Option One [Black]: Don't let up just because you've got the upper hand! Right in front of the boy's father, grab him by the head and beat the hell out of him!

Reward: External Soul Bone: Titanium Alloy Dog Eyes!"