Douluo Dalu: I Can Become Stronger by Pitfalling Yu Xiaogang

"Let's go. We'll head to the Cafeteria together, and I'll introduce you all to each other while we're at it. This is the third student, Ma Hongjun..."

After hearing about the bizarre Evil Fire martial soul he possessed, Zhang Tianyu showed no reaction, while Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu both wore complicated expressions.

They had originally disliked Ma Hongjun somewhat, but after learning that his Mutated Martial Soul had turned him into a lecherous demon, the two could only exchange a glance and swallow the taunts that had reached their lips.

As they introduced themselves, the four of them arrived at the Cafeteria. Zhu Zhuqing was already there, eating. After they entered, Tang San arrived shortly afterward as well.

Tang San had such a miserable fate, coming to eat all alone.

But it made me so happy to watch!

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were close and usually casual with each other, so their introductions were casual too. Their mouths were vicious—after all, that was what bad friends were like.

Normally, Ma Hongjun would not have cared if Dai Mubai ran his mouth a little.

But today, Ma Hongjun's girlfriend had run off, and he had even been beaten up by Zhang Tianyu. He was already in a bad mood, so when he heard Dai Mubai's snide remarks, his temper flared.

"If I had a bitch face like you and Little Ao, and could date several girlfriends at once, would I have ended up like this?"

Dai Mubai froze, then abruptly turned to look at Zhu Zhuqing, who was quietly eating. He turned back and glared fiercely at Ma Hongjun. "You..."

"You don't need to put yourself down. Don't think I don't know about how you schedule three dates a day with different girls," Ma Hongjun continued, twisting the knife.

"I'm warning you, Fatty. You can eat whatever you want, but don't talk nonsense. Shut your mouth!" Dai Mubai warned in a lowered voice.

Ma Hongjun chuckled. "Weren't you always proud of that instead of ashamed? What's gotten into you today? Take the wrong medicine?"

Dai Mubai shot him a glare. "You! Cut the crap! Some things can't be said carelessly. Keep ruining my reputation, and don't blame me for getting rough with you!"

Ma Hongjun was thoroughly confused. "What's wrong with you today? How am I ruining your reputation? Weren't you with those twins the night before last..."

"You motherfucker!" Dai Mubai lunged forward and clamped a hand tightly over Ma Hongjun's mouth, while casting a panicked glance at Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing kept eating with a cold expression, as though she had not heard a thing.

Before Dai Mubai could breathe a sigh of relief, Zhang Tianyu delivered the final blow.

"Twins? You mean the two girls you had your arms around at the hotel that day?"

Dai Mubai: ...

Everyone: ...

"Notice: Mission [Justice Strikes] completed. You successfully set Dai Mubai up. Zhu Zhuqing's Favorability toward him has dropped to rock bottom!"

"Notice: Zhu Zhuqing believes your words and is grateful that you let her learn the truth. Zhu Zhuqing's Favorability toward you has increased!"

"Reward Points obtained: 20!"

"Bro! You're my real bro!"

Dai Mubai transformed into a warrior swift as the wind and rushed over to Zhang Tianyu, covering his mouth.

Zhang Tianyu froze. "???"

Seeing the innocent, confused question marks on Zhang Tianyu's face, Dai Mubai felt so stifled that he was practically about to cry!

Zhu Zhuqing put down her bowl, turned, and left.

She was cold as ice, hard as an icy stone.

Only after watching her leave the Cafeteria did Dai Mubai finally release Zhang Tianyu. "Tianyu! You're my real bro!"

"Huh? What happened?" Zhang Tianyu asked strangely.

Xiao Wu rolled her eyes. "Can't you tell? He wants to get with Zhu Zhuqing now. Ma Hongjun kept talking about all his romantic escapades outside, so of course he didn't want Zhu Zhuqing hearing it."

Ning Rongrong continued, "Then you completely finished him off at the end and gave solid proof that he has, at the very least, a pair of twins outside."

"Ah..." Zhang Tianyu looked embarrassed and apologetic. "Sorry, Old Dai. I... I didn't think that far ahead. When he mentioned twins, I just thought of those two girls you had your arms around when we made that bet."

Dai Mubai: ...

After a full five seconds of silence, Dai Mubai smacked his forehead.

"Sigh, forget it, forget it. You can't blame someone who didn't know. I won't say any more about it. Tianyu, my real bro, I won't bring this matter up again. In the future..."

"Don't worry, we're brothers," Zhang Tianyu immediately said, thumping his chest. "From now on, whenever I get the chance in front of Zhu Zhuqing, I'll say you're a pure and innocent young man!"

Xiao Wu burst out laughing.

Ning Rongrong was equally speechless.

Zhu Zhuqing was not an idiot. How could she not know what kind of person Dai Mubai was?

Even if Dai Mubai carved the words "pure and innocent young man" onto his face, in everyone's eyes, it would be like spreading a layer of cream over a pile of shit.

It would be a complete waste of those four words.

Dai Mubai knew that too, and waved his hand. "That won't be necessary."

Looking at the spot where Zhu Zhuqing's figure had already disappeared, Dai Mubai let out a dejected sigh.

Ma Hongjun had finally figured out what was going on. He walked over and said, "Don't worry, Boss Dai. From now on, whenever I get the chance in front of that girl, I'll definitely say good things about you too!"

Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong both rolled their eyes at the two of them, then lowered their heads and continued eating.

"By the way, Boss Dai," Ma Hongjun asked at that moment, "yesterday, you said a new student had beaten Teacher Zhao right away. That wasn't Zhang Tianyu, was it?"

Dai Mubai said, "You finally had a smart moment. That's right."

Although Ma Hongjun had guessed as much, he was still somewhat skeptical. "Zhang Tianyu, I admit you're strong. I can't beat you. But Teacher Zhao is a level seventy-six Soul Saint, after all. How did you defeat him?"

"A spar and a fight to the death are two different things," Zhang Tianyu said. "Besides, I was just a little lucky."

"Stop being so modest." After saying that, Dai Mubai had everyone share their nicknames, which helped bring them closer together. After all, they would all be in the same academy from now on. There were only a few of them, and building rapport and staying united could only bring benefits.

Soon, the summoning bell rang. Everyone hurriedly finished breakfast and headed to the academy training ground.

Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing had already arrived at the training ground.

Oscar had shaved off his beard and looked like he had not woken up yet. His eyes were half-lidded, and he swayed unsteadily as he slowly ate a sausage.

Zhu Zhuqing stood off to one side, staring straight ahead with a cold expression.

Everyone immediately walked over. Naturally, Dai Mubai went to stand beside Zhu Zhuqing, but the moment he did, Zhu Zhuqing promptly moved away and stood next to Xiao Wu.

Ma Hongjun, Zhang Tianyu, and Xiao Wu immediately stood between Dai Mubai and her.

Sigh.

Dai Mubai sighed inwardly.

"Notification: Mission received [Family Engagement is Feudal Dross]. Mission objective: win over Zhu Zhuqing. Mission rewards: one random Soul Tool, Soul Power increased by five levels, Reward Points +50.

If Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong leave you, the mission will be considered failed. If Zhu Zhuqing's Favorability toward you drops to 0, it will also be considered failed. Failure penalty: hairstyle changed to a bald crown for ten years."

"Notification: Mission received [We Are a Perfect Match]. Mission objective: win over Ning Rongrong. Mission rewards: one random Soul Tool, Soul Power increased by 5 levels, Reward Points +50.

If Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing leave you, the mission will be considered failed. If Ning Rongrong's Favorability toward you drops to 0, it will also be considered failed. Failure penalty: your belly will become a beer belly for ten years."

Zhang Tianyu: ...

What did that mean?

What the hell did the system mean?

Was it openly telling him to become a scumbag?

If he didn't become a scumbag, he would go bald and get a beer belly, skipping straight past his youth and entering greasy middle age?

Sigh!

He was just an innocent young man!

Why did it have to make him into a scumbag?

"Host, please show some self-respect. No innocent young man has the ability to ask a pretty young girl he met less than twenty-four hours ago out to play poker."

"We... we just happened to catch each other's eye. It was love at first sight!" Zhang Tianyu retorted righteously.

"Love at first sight with dozens of girls?" the system asked in return.

Zhang Tianyu: ...

"Regardless, the missions have already been issued. Whether you succeed or fail is up to you, Host."

Zhang Tianyu wore an agonized expression.

Success or failure?

Did he dare fail?

If he failed, he would lose his right to choose a partner for ten whole years!

Ninety-nine percent of people in the world judged others by their looks first.

It was the same for both men and women.

They might say they would love you for a lifetime, but if you became ugly, they would turn around and leave without the slightest hesitation!

The three girls might all have a favorable impression of Zhang Tianyu now, but if he really became bald with a beer belly, they might immediately draw a clear line between themselves and him, too lazy to even say another word to him.

Xiao Wu probably would not be so blunt about it, but the final outcome would likely be much the same.

All good things were merely superficial.

"Since the missions have been issued, I'll do them," Zhang Tianyu thought after a few seconds of silence. "System, since you hate scumbags, why did you choose me as your Host?"

Judging from the system's attitude toward Yu Xiaogang from the very beginning, it utterly despised scumbags. So the question was—

Why would something that hated scumbags choose to cooperate with one?

The system fell silent. The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, and only after more than ten seconds did it finally say:

"It takes a scumbag to defeat a scumbag. Besides, he was born a scumbag. You are not."

Just then, the academy's dean, Flender, finally sauntered over, swaying with every step like an old master who had put on enough airs.

Thanks a lot, Zhang Tianyu thought.

"You're welcome," the system replied.

Flender walked up to the group and stopped. "This year is looking good. We've gained another five little monsters. I, Flender, headmaster of Shrek Academy, welcome you all to the academy."

"I heard one little monster defeated Teacher Zhao yesterday. Which one was it? Step forward and let me see."

Zhang Tianyu stepped forward.

"Mm, not bad. First of all, you look passable."

Everyone: ...

Passable?

Just passable?

With that shoehorn face of yours, how did you have the nerve to say those words?

"Show me your Martial Soul and Soul Rings."

Huangquan silently appeared, three Soul Rings—two yellow and one purple—circling his body.

Flender frowned slightly.

As one of the Golden Triangle who had once traveled across the continent, Flender's knowledge far surpassed that of ordinary people. Even Zhao Wuji fell far short of him.

The instant Zhang Tianyu's Soul Rings appeared, Flender keenly sensed a powerful aura that flashed by in an instant.

That aura came from the energy within those three Soul Rings.

How could a Hundred-Year Soul Ring and a Thousand-Year Soul Ring emit such a powerful presence?

That powerful aura instead resembled that of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring!

Could these not be ordinary yellow and purple Soul Rings?