Xue Beng's warning had come just in time, allowing everyone at Shrek to prepare early.
Unexpectedly, the Tournament Committee arrived sooner than anticipated, and the people who came were wholly unexpected.
Everyone gathered in the reception room on the first floor. Flender sat on a guest sofa, with Tang San and Ma Hongjun standing behind him.
As the central figure in this affair, Ma Hongjun naturally had to be present. Tang San was there to accompany him and help Flender improvise and maneuver as needed.
Seated before the three of them were, naturally, representatives of the Tournament Committee.
They were Third Prince Xue Haicang and Platinum Bishop Salas.
Xue Haicang's presence needed no explanation. He had proposed this investigation himself, and as a member of the Imperial Family, he was naturally the obvious choice to conduct the visit. Bai Baoshan, one of the three education commissioners, accompanied him.
Salas's arrival, however, was surprising. Surely this matter was not serious enough to draw the attention of the Platinum Bishop.
In truth, Salas had been keeping an eye on Shrek because of Tang San, that monstrous genius. After watching Shrek's matches, he had repeatedly raised his estimation of the academy.
Especially after learning that Grandmaster was also at the academy, he had rushed a letter to Pope Hall, hoping to clarify how he should treat this academy that had risen like an unexpected new force.
Not long ago, Salas had received a reply. Its message was simple: [Leave them alone. Do not get overly close, and do not lightly make an enemy of them, but do not allow them to align themselves completely with any one faction.]
At that point, Salas understood. The Pope wanted to isolate Shrek Academy, allowing it to cultivate outstanding Soul Masters for the Soul Master World without