Haven't you eaten?

There was not a trace of emotion in Flender's eyes, only the authority befitting the dean of Shrek.

If Tang San could ignore his teammates today, he could desert the battlefield tomorrow! In Flender's eyes, someone like that did not deserve to enter Shrek at all.

Someone who could abandon his comrades was not worth nurturing.

Tang San stood frozen in place, his face full of uncertainty and surprise. Why? Why did things turn out like this? Isn't Shrek's dean Grandmaster's friend? Why is he treating me this way?

Oh! Right! Grandmaster! I remember now. Before he left, Grandmaster gave me a letter to deliver to Flender. Maybe it'll help. Tang San suddenly saw a ray of hope.

Just as Qin Ye was considering putting in a good word for Tang San, Tang San promptly took out Grandmaster's letter to Flender. At the sight, the boulder weighing on Qin Ye's heart finally settled.

Whew, thank goodness. If Tang San leaves, Xiao Wu will probably leave too. Besides, even if she stays, who am I supposed to use to farm her corruption points? Qin Ye had not suddenly grown a saint's heart. He needed Tang San as an experience pack for Xiao Wu's corruption.

Moreover, Qin Ye wanted to see the day when Tang San watched Xiao Wu leave him and fall into Qin Ye's arms. That scene would surely be spectacular. Without that spineless loser Tang San around, it would lose much of its fun.

"If you still refuse to leave, I'll have to escort you out myself." Seeing Tang San remain rooted to the spot, Flender urged him impatiently.

"Wait, Dean Flender. I have a letter for you. My teacher asked me to deliver it."

"Oh? Your teacher?" Flender looked Tang San up and down, immediately noticing Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges at his waist.

After a moment's hesitation, Flender said, "Let me see the letter."

Tang San handed it over, eagerly awaiting Flender's response. According to Grandmaster, he and Flender had a friendship forged through life-and-death trials and were closer than blood brothers. Surely Flender would take his side after reading the letter.

Flender glanced at the letter, then at Tang San, his brows knitting together. "You're Xiao Gang's disciple? He sent you here to prove himself? Hmph. The Xiao Gang I know would never stand by and let his comrades die."

"Don't think I'll let you in through the back door just because you're Xiao Gang's disciple," Flender said irritably. "Shrek doesn't need trash who sneak in through connections. Besides, didn't you say it yourself just now? No matter how exceptional your talent or how powerful your background, facts are facts. You've been eliminated."

Flender spared Tang San no dignity, not even for being Grandmaster's disciple. The character Tang San had displayed so far was practically an insult to the Grandmaster Flender held in his heart.

Flender's retort left Tang San speechless. He had never imagined that the words he had just spoken would immediately become a stone dropped on his own foot.

Now Tang San was truly like a mute chewing bitter herbs, unable to voice his suffering.

"Dean, why don't we let it go?" Qin Ye knew this was his cue to step in. "I think Tang San must have had his own considerations. Perhaps he wanted to wait until the last moment to strike and secure victory. Teacher Zhao said we'd win as long as one of us remained standing, so I think Tang San must have been thinking about our eventual victory. Am I right, Tang San?"

Faced with the way out Qin Ye had offered, Tang San took it without hesitation and hurriedly nodded at Flender. "Yes, yes, that's exactly what I was thinking."

A hint of suspicion entered Tang San's gaze as he looked at Qin Ye. Just what medicine is Qin Ye hiding in his gourd? Is he using this chance to humiliate me? To make me feel I only got into Shrek Academy thanks to his charity?

Flender's expression still did not soften. "I'm the dean of Shrek. What I say is..." Before he could finish, Qin Ye secretly passed him a Soul Tool Ring from behind and whispered in his ear.

"Ahem, Dean, there are a million Gold Soul Coins in here. Consider it my first investment in our academy. I'll give the academy another large sum in the future, too, so please think carefully about what you're going to say next." Qin Ye had a firm grasp on Flender's love of money and went straight for his trump card.

"Ahem." Flender hurriedly coughed twice. "As the dean of Shrek Academy, I won't stoop to arguing with a child like you. Since you're Xiao Gang's disciple, I'll give you one chance. There won't be a next time."

Flender put away the Soul Tool Ring packed with Gold Soul Coins and immediately changed his tune, so quickly that everyone present found it unbelievable.

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened in particular shock. Shrek Academy's dean was bought off just like that? Are you kidding me?

"Tang San," Flender called.

"Yes, Dean." Tang San stood ramrod straight, terrified that Flender might impose some other outrageous admission requirement.

"You may escape expulsion, but not an apology. Since you made a mistake, you must take responsibility for your actions. I'll settle this today: apologize to Qin Ye, and we'll put this matter behind us. You'll all be classmates from now on, so you must get along." As the dean, Flender took the long view. A team with cracks in it was doomed not to go far, so he had to ease the conflict between Tang San and Qin Ye.

"What? You want me to apologize to him? Why should I?" Tang San loudly railed against the injustice. "Impossible! I'd rather die than apologize to someone like him! Whoever apologizes is a dog!"

"If you won't apologize, get out of Shrek Academy," Flender said irritably. "If you want to study at Shrek, you must follow Shrek's rules. If you can't even apologize for a mistake, you don't deserve to be a student here."

"But..." Tang San clenched his fists in fury, his knuckles cracking.

Tang San raised his head with difficulty and met Qin Ye's contemptuous gaze. His throat worked again and again. Only after struggling several times did he slowly force out those agonizing words.

"I'm sorry."

Tang San's proud heart sank like a stone to the bottom of the sea. At that moment, he felt utterly humiliated and wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"What? I was spacing out just now and didn't hear you. Could you speak a little louder?" Qin Ye tilted his ear toward Tang San, feigning confusion as he mocked him.

Tang San's face flushed scarlet. Under Flender's pressure, he could only say it again.

"I'm sorry."

"What? You said you haven't eaten? Your voice is so quiet. Can you speak up, hey?" Qin Ye taunted him again with infuriating smugness.

"You!" Veins bulged on Tang San's forehead. He wanted nothing more than to drive his fist straight into Qin Ye's obnoxious face.

"I'm sorry! I was wrong! Are you satisfied now?" Faced with the cruel reality, Tang San forced himself to shout words he did not mean, loudly enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

"Mm, that's more like it."