Monocle

"Let me introduce him. This is Ma Hongjun. Just call him Fatty. His Wuhun is a Grass Chicken," Dai Mubai introduced.

"Phoenix. It's a Phoenix, Boss Dai," Ma Hongjun corrected with a curl of his lips.

"Fine, fine. Phoenix, Phoenix," Dai Mubai said helplessly.

"You must be Tang San. We exchanged blows earlier. It's incredible that you actually made Teacher Zhao suffer," Ma Hongjun said, staring at Tang San in disbelief.

"It was only luck. An Chen also played a major role," Tang San said with a smile.

An Chen knew that Tang San had fought Ma Hongjun when he went to look for Xiao Wu earlier. It had been mentioned in the original novel.

"So you're An Chen? I heard your Wuhun is an Iron Pot? You and Tang San were the ones who made Teacher Zhao suffer? Impressive, impressive." Ma Hongjun turned to look at An Chen.

"It was all right. Just luck," An Chen said calmly, nodding.

"Boss Dai, tell us about the academy's rules," Tang San said.

Dai Mubai nodded. "The academy doesn't have any special rules. Simply put, no rape, murder, arson, or plunder. But fighting and gambling are encouraged."

Tang San smiled. "Monster Academy truly is Monster Academy."

"Fighting is the quickest way to master one's Wuhun, while gambling is a battle of minds." Dai Mubai shrugged. "Of course, don't kill anyone when you fight, and don't gamble away your pants."

He paused. "The most important part of today's lesson is paying up. The academy's annual tuition is one hundred gold coins."

Xiao Wu asked curiously, "Boss Dai, why is the academy so poor? Teacher Zhao is a Soul Saint. His monthly subsidy should be quite substantial, shouldn't it?"

Dai Mubai shook his head. "Spirit Hall subsidies are only issued up to the Soul Elder rank. Once you surpass level forty, the subsidy is gone."

An Chen nodded. He knew that much. Soul Master subsidies were funded by the empire, and there were too many Soul Masters above level forty to support them all.

"Our teachers are all Soul Masters unwilling to serve under any power," Dai Mubai said. "They enjoy freedom and hate restraints."

As they spoke, the sound of a bell rang out from outside.

"That's the bell calling us to the headmaster," Dai Mubai said, standing when he heard it. "Let's go."

By the time they reached the Playground, the bleary-eyed Oscar had already arrived, munching on a Sausage he had made himself.

Oscar's appearance had changed drastically.

The main difference was that the beard on his face was gone.

Tang San had nearly failed to recognize him. Without his beard, Oscar looked completely different.

His peach blossom eyes were deep-set, giving him an unfathomable air. His face was fair as jade, handsome and well-proportioned, with a roguish smile hanging from his lips. No matter how one looked at him, he resembled a charming young nobleman.

Of course, no matter how handsome a nobleman was, he would not look particularly elegant while gnawing on a Sausage.

An Chen could not help smiling at the sight.

This guy did look much better without the beard. At least his appearance no longer clashed so badly with his voice.

"Your beard?" Tang San stopped beside Oscar and could not help pointing at his face.

Oscar chuckled, quickly swallowing the Sausage in his hand before lowering his voice. "Didn't several beauties just arrive? If I don't spruce myself up, how am I supposed to get their attention? Boss Dai has obviously set his sights on that cold girl. Xiao Wu is yours, and Fatty's Evil Fire won't attract girls either. So Ning Rongrong is my target."

He turned to An Chen and blinked his peach blossom eyes. "What about you? Your Iron Pot Wuhun is even less appealing to girls than Fatty's. You don't even have a backup choice. Tragic."

An Chen smiled. "I'm not in a hurry."

"Xiao Wu and I are only friends," Tang San said with a frown.

"You're still so young. Why are you thinking about such things?" Tang San said, patting his forehead.

Oscar replied without hesitation, "I'm fourteen. So what? When my father was fourteen, he already had me."

An Chen shook his head speechlessly.

This guy was exactly the same as in the original novel.

Dai Mubai stood beside Zhu Zhuqing, though Zhu Zhuqing was clearly keeping a certain distance from him. Dai Mubai's expression was also visibly unpleasant.

Oscar grinned gleefully. "Looks like Boss Dai has hit another wall. His foolproof methods for courting girls are finally going to fail this time."

While they were talking, a middle-aged man walked over from the other side of the Playground.

Tang San and Xiao Wu were both visibly stunned when they saw him.

The man looked to be around fifty years old. He was powerfully built, and his face had striking features: a slightly protruding chin, broad cheekbones, a flat face, and something of a hooked nose.

If it absolutely had to be compared to something, his face looked a little like the sole of a shoe.

An Chen raised his head, and the instant he saw that face clearly, his heart gave a slight jolt.

A gold-rimmed Monocle over his right eye?

Those eyes were bright and sharp as an eagle's. Whenever they swept over someone, they gave the unsettling feeling of being seen through.

A trace of discord flashed through An Chen's mind.

Why was he different from the Flender in his memories?

In the original novel, Flender wore square black-framed glasses, had a goatee, and looked like a down-and-out schoolteacher.

But the man before him had no goatee and wore a Monocle.

An Chen instinctively looked at the others.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar...

Their expressions were all perfectly normal, without the slightest surprise.

It was as though Flender had always looked like this.

A flicker of doubt rose in An Chen's heart.

Something was wrong.

He remembered clearly that the Flender in the original novel had a goatee and wore ordinary glasses.

Why did everyone else think this was normal?

Had he remembered incorrectly?

Or had the original novel's description been inaccurate?

Xiao Wu said in surprise, "Isn't that the unscrupulous merchant uncle?"

An Chen knew she was referring to Tang San's purchase of the Plate Crystal.

Oscar said in astonishment, "What unscrupulous merchant uncle? That's our headmaster, the founder of Shrek Academy, Flender the Four-Eyed Lynx Owl. A level seventy-eight Soul Saint. He's even stronger than Teacher Zhao. And he possesses a flying-type Beast Wuhun. That's quite rare even among Battle Soul Masters. Fatty is his direct disciple."

Xiao Wu muttered, "Good. He's only level seventy-eight. I never expected that famous line—only monsters, no ordinary people—to have come from him. Big Sausage Uncle, does our academy have any Soul Masters at the Soul Douluo rank?"

Oscar shook his head. "Please call me Oscar of Sausage Speciality. Do you think Soul Douluos are vegetables you can buy anywhere? There are fewer than a hundred powerhouses above the Soul Douluo rank on the entire continent. They are all supported by the empires and the kingdoms beneath them. As for Title Douluos, there are only around ten between the Two Great Empires. They're not so easy to encounter."

Xiao Wu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "That's good."

Afraid someone would turn her into a red Great Soul Ring? An Chen glanced at her.

Tang San looked at Xiao Wu. "Xiao Wu, what's wrong?"

Xiao Wu shook her head and said somewhat evasively, "Nothing, Little San. Do you think that unscrupulous merchant uncle still remembers us?"

Tang San gave a bitter smile. "It's only been two days. He probably hasn't forgotten. But since he's the headmaster, he shouldn't hold your offense against you."

Oscar chuckled and lowered his voice. "Then you're mistaken. Our Headmaster Flender is famous for holding grudges. Of course, his greatest virtue is that he protects his own."

Flender, who was walking toward them, suddenly let his gaze drift in their direction. It happened to stop on Oscar, and an amused glint flashed through his eyes.

Oscar's face changed drastically. "Oh no, he might have heard what I said. I'm doomed."

Flender stopped in front of the seven students.

His distinctive hoarse voice, carrying a trace of magnetism, rang out. "I am Flender, headmaster of Shrek Academy. On behalf of the academy, I welcome you. Later, each of you will pay one hundred gold coins to Teacher Li, who handles the finances. Mubai."

"Headmaster." Dai Mubai stepped forward.

Flender said, "Five new junior students have arrived. Later, tell them the academy rules. Then return and rest. Recover yourselves to your best condition as much as possible. Today's first lesson will begin tonight. Oscar and Ning Rongrong, you two are exceptions. Come with me."

Oscar's face immediately fell. Reluctantly, he walked before Flender and bowed.

Only when he saw Ning Rongrong walk over beside him did his expression improve somewhat.

Flender's gaze swept over everyone's faces before finally settling on An Chen.

"An Iron Pot Wuhun, yet Shadow Attribute Soul Skills."

He smiled and adjusted the gold-rimmed Monocle over his right eye.

"Interesting."

An Chen's heartbeat paused slightly.

That gaze seemed to have seen through his entire body, including... the Potion.

He forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart, keeping his expression calm.

"You flatter me, Headmaster."

Flender withdrew his gaze and waved a hand. "The rest of you may go rest. Remember, before nightfall, bring yourselves to your best condition. Don't blame me for failing to warn you. This academy's teaching is unlike anywhere else. You may even face danger."

With that, he turned and left with Oscar and Ning Rongrong.

An Chen watched his retreating back as the Monocle flashed beneath the sunlight.