The Dean Is Here? Let's Play Monster Hunter First!

The night was deep, and the neon sign of Origin Internet Cafe glowed at the edge of the mixed-use district, somewhat glaring.

Yan Shaozhe hovered in midair, his white dean's robes snapping loudly in the night wind.

As a level 95 Super Douluo and wielder of the Bright Phoenix Martial Soul, his senses covered several miles around him.

Just moments ago, a familiar aura had made his heart tighten—it was Scarlet King.

"Strange... Scarlet King's aura is violent, but why does it... carry a hint of grievance?"

Yan Shaozhe frowned deeply.

More importantly, he had sensed Zhou Yi's aura, along with those of several Shrek students, all at the source of that ferocious beast's aura.

"Could Scarlet King have captured Zhou Yi and the students to threaten the academy?"

Yan Shaozhe's gaze turned cold, and golden light shimmered around him.

"Beast! How dare you touch Shrek's people!"

Without any hesitation, Yan Shaozhe flashed forward, turning into a streak of light as he charged straight toward the strange glass building below.

He was already prepared to fight.

If Scarlet King dared to kill the hostages, he would leave that three-headed dog here even if it meant suffering grievous injuries!

Boom!

Yan Shaozhe landed at the entrance of the internet cafe, his aura erupting instantly and making the surrounding trees rustle violently.

He shoved open the glass door. The pressure of the Bright Phoenix flooded into the shop as he roared, "Scarlet King! Release them at once—uh?"

His furious shout caught in his throat.

Yan Shaozhe remained frozen in the posture of pushing open the door, his face full of astonishment.

There was no river of blood, nor were there any trembling hostages.

Instead, the internet cafe was... rather noisy.

"Hit its legs! Hit its legs! Scarlet King, you useless fool! That hammer is for swinging, not for giving it a pedicure!"

A familiar roar entered Yan Shaozhe's ears.

He turned his head stiffly and saw a scene that shattered his worldview.

Zhou Yi, who usually wore a cold expression, now had disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes as she stared at the screen before her, cursing nonstop.

Beside Zhou Yi—

Scarlet King was shrinking his neck pitifully as he played, protesting in a small voice, "Lady, if you're so good, you do it! That Rathalos keeps flying in the air. I can't reach it!"

Yan Shaozhe's eye twitched.

He would recognize it even if it turned to ash! Wasn't that the Red Demon Mastiff, Scarlet King?!

Shrek's demonic teacher and the overlord of the Star Dou Great Forest were actually sitting shoulder to shoulder... playing games?!

"Zhou... Zhou Yi?" Yan Shaozhe called out tentatively.

"Shut up! Don't make noise!"

Without even turning her head, Zhou Yi roared back, "Can't you see I'm doing an Iai Slash?! Keep talking and I'll throw you out!"

Yan Shaozhe: ...

He was the dignified dean of the Shrek Outer Court, a level 97 Super Douluo. When had he ever received such treatment?

"Zhou Yi! Look carefully at who I am!" Yan Shaozhe was losing face. Soul Power surged around him as he tried to snap this abnormal teacher out of it.

However, before his Soul Power could spread—

A soft pop of a can opening came from behind the counter.

"Sir in white, making noise is prohibited here. Releasing Soul Power pressure is even more prohibited."

Lu Yuan sat in a gaming chair, casually shaking the cola in his hand as he smiled at Yan Shaozhe.

"Even if you're the dean, you're just an ordinary customer here. Can you afford to compensate me if you scare away my fish?"

Yan Shaozhe abruptly turned his head, locking his gaze onto Lu Yuan.

"Who are you? Was this your doing?"

As a Super Douluo, he had keenly noticed that the pressure he had just released vanished silently once it entered within three meters of this young man.

This young man had no trace of Soul Power fluctuations, yet Yan Shaozhe could not see through him.

"I'm the owner of this shop, Lu Yuan."

Lu Yuan stood up and calmly pointed to the empty seat beside him.

"Dean Yan, right? Since you're here, why not sit down and chat? You seem quite angry. Has your disciple's situation been keeping you worried lately?"

Yan Shaozhe's pupils suddenly contracted, and even the surrounding air seemed to turn cold. "You investigated me?"

Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire problem was Shrek Academy's highest secret! How could the owner of an internet cafe out in the wilderness know about it?

"Don't be nervous." Lu Yuan waved his hand. "I not only know that Ma Xiaotao can no longer suppress her Evil Fire, I also know that you came to the forest this time hoping to get lucky and find herbs or Soul Beasts that could suppress it, right?"

Yan Shaozhe's eyes flickered, but he did not immediately deny it.

Indeed, the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul within Ma Xiaotao was becoming increasingly violent. If it was not resolved, she could explode and die at any moment, or fall into becoming an evil Soul Master. This was Yan Shaozhe's greatest worry.

"You can solve it?" Yan Shaozhe stared fixedly at Lu Yuan, his voice hoarse.

"I can't." Lu Yuan spread his hands.

Yan Shaozhe's expression darkened as he was about to flare up.

"But..." Lu Yuan pointed at the rows of computers behind him. "It can."

"You mean... these strange Soul Tools?" Yan Shaozhe frowned.

"These aren't Soul Tools," Lu Yuan said. "They're tickets to another world."

Lu Yuan walked to a computer and patted the monitor.

"Look at Zhou Yi! Her Martial Soul mutation caused her to be stuck at a bottleneck for years, but just now, she comprehended Mind's Eye in the game. Her bottleneck has already loosened."

"Now look at Scarlet King! As a fire-attributed ferocious beast, the fire poison in its body is no less severe than Ma Xiaotao's. But look at it now..."

Yan Shaozhe turned to look.

Scarlet King was being blasted in the face by Rathalos's flames in the game, screaming in rage. Yet in reality, Scarlet King's aura was remarkably steady, and its previously violent fire-attributed Soul Power had calmed considerably.

"This is the effect of Monster Hunter."

Lu Yuan began to spin his tale. "In the game, Ma Xiaotao can enter the frigid Iceborne region and use the environment to suppress her Evil Fire."

"More importantly, she can freely unleash her destructive urges in the game and vent the Evil Fire within her without worrying about hurting anyone in reality."

"We call this—Virtual Catharsis Therapy!"

Yan Shaozhe fell silent.

As a top-tier powerhouse, he could naturally see the logic behind it.

If one could truly fight to their heart's content in a virtual space, it would indeed be a good way to suppress Evil Fire and temper one's character.

After all, even Scarlet King and Zhou Yi had become addicted to it...

"How much?" Yan Shaozhe suddenly asked.

"Two Gold Soul Coins an hour."

"So cheap?" Yan Shaozhe was stunned.

For Ma Xiaotao, he would be willing to spend even millions of Gold Soul Coins. Two coins was practically giving it away for free.

"Of course, that's only the admission fee." Lu Yuan smiled. "Potions and equipment in the game cost extra. Oh, right, there are also special cooling services, such as iced cola. Those cost extra too."

Yan Shaozhe took a deep breath, pulled out a golden card, and slapped it onto the table.

The Shrek Treasure Pavilion Supreme Card.

"Get me a machine! I'll try it myself!"

Though he already believed it seven or eight parts out of ten, as the dean, he had to personally verify whether this thing had any side effects on the spiritual sea.

"Coming right up! What a generous boss!"

Lu Yuan accepted the gold card, and the smile on his face became even more sincere.

The top spender had finally arrived!

Lu Yuan thought as he operated the computer.

Bright Phoenix Martial Soul? Likes flying?

"Then I'll give you the Insect Glaive plus the Iceborne map. Let you freeze a little in that ice and snow first and cool down."

Five minutes later.

"Takeoff! So this is what flying feels like!"

"Huh? Why isn't this bug listening to me?"

"Holy shit! Is that a Barioth? Why is it so fast?! Don't bite my wings!"

In a corner of the internet cafe, there was now a middle-aged man shouting at the top of his lungs.

On the map known as Hoarfrost Reach, wind and snow battered his body. That realistic chill made even the Bright Phoenix Flames within him subside.

It felt incredible!

This cool sensation that seeped from the depths of his soul was exactly what Ma Xiaotao needed most!

"This place... was practically tailor-made for Xiaotao!"

As Yan Shaozhe controlled his hunter to evade Barioth's pounce, he roared inwardly, I have to bring Xiaotao here! No matter the cost!

Behind the counter.

Lu Yuan looked at Yan Shaozhe, who had completely fallen into the game, then at Zhou Yi, who was still hurling insults at Scarlet King beside him, as well as the Auspicious Beast in the corner farming materials with Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao.

[Ding! Mission completed: Fame Across Shrek (Stage One)]

[Reward distributed: Shop second floor unlocked; new game unlocked: Dark Souls 3; special beverage unlocked: Sprite]

Lu Yuan twisted open a newly stocked bottle of iced Sprite. The bubbles fizzed softly.

"Now that I've got the dean, can the Sea God Pavilion be far behind?"

He looked out at the deep night sky, as though he could see the old man seated in a lounge chair within the Sea God Pavilion—Mu En.

"And that one... a remnant soul hiding underground—Electrolux."

Lu Yuan took a sip of Sprite, the icy liquid sliding down his throat.

"Huo Yuhao, your second cheat should be coming online too."