Zhang Yang silently grumbled to himself.
Trouble had come faster than expected.
So far, all he had obtained from signing in was the [Musical Instrument Proficiency MAX] talent, a life skill.
Dai Huabin, on the other hand, was already a three-ring Soul Elder. A head-on clash would put Zhang Yang at a serious disadvantage, so he could only play to his own strengths.
Max-level charm had no combat power, but that didn't mean he couldn't protect himself. Who said he had to fight with his own fists? Couldn't someone else be willing to help?
"Yuhao, Wang Dong, do something for me."
Zhang Yang deliberately lowered his voice and told them what he had discovered and what he planned to do.
Then he took Xiao Xiao's little hand and changed course, slipping into a small grove.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong didn't follow. Instead, they returned to the teaching building to carry out the task Zhang Yang had assigned them.
At the same time, this would give Dai Huabin a false impression. The fewer people around Zhang Yang, the more easily Dai Huabin would take the bait.
"Damn, Boss Dai, they went into the grove. Don't tell me they're going to..." Not far away, one of his lackeys turned pale.
"The other two boys were sent away. They're definitely doing that. Come on, let's go ruin their fun!" Another lackey was green with envy and burning with jealousy.
There was no question about Zhang Yang's charm.
With him alone with a young girl, it was all too easy for people's minds to wander.
Dai Huabin wasn't very bright to begin with and had no idea it was a trap. Annoyed by what he heard, he followed them.
It must be nice to be handsome. First the senior sister, and now a little loli. I'll really be stewing if I don't beat him up.
He immediately charged in, brimming with menace.
Before long, he caught up with the two of them.
Zhang Yang was leaning against a large tree, while Xiao Xiao had already released her Martial Soul and stepped forward to protect him behind her.
That damn pretty boy! Dai Huabin grew even angrier at the sight. He's actually letting a girl protect him. Doesn't he feel ashamed?
"What do you want?"
It was Xiao Xiao who spoke.
She spoke timidly, her voice tinged with nervousness. That much wasn't an act.
She had learned that several people had been secretly following them, including a three-ring Soul Elder, and wanted to harm Zhang Yang.
She had resolved to keep him safe, but she wasn't very confident in her own strength.
"Isn't it obvious? What else would we want?" One of the lackeys sneered disdainfully and rolled up his sleeves.
"You snuck into a grove before it even got dark. I don't like it. Is that reason enough?" another lackey added, offering a more respectable excuse.
Dai Huabin offered no explanation and silently activated his White Tiger Martial Soul.
He was also afraid that if he delayed too long, he would attract more attention.
He prepared to give Zhang Yang a vicious beating right away, both to complete his brother's task and to vent his frustration.
He had originally planned to use the fellow before him to get under Dai Yueheng's skin, only to end up tripping himself up instead. It would have been strange if he were in a good mood.
"Have I ever offended you?"
Zhang Yang raised an eyebrow and took the opportunity to ask why.
Of course, the answer didn't matter. The important thing was to stall for time.
When he had noticed they were being followed and realized the danger, they hadn't been far from the teaching building.
To prevent anything unexpected from happening, he had sent Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er to find their homeroom teacher. If Zhou Yi acted promptly, she should be arriving about now.
As for whether Zhou Yi would act promptly, or just how promptly, Zhang Yang wasn't worried in the least. He could doubt anything, but not his own charm!
"You hadn't before, but you have now."
Dai Huabin gave a curt answer, his face dark.
As he spoke, he continued closing in on Zhang Yang, his Evil-Eyed White Tiger baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.
The lackeys around him spread out, closing in from both flanks to keep the two from escaping.
"Hmph! If you want to touch Zhang Yang, you'll have to get past me first!" Xiao Xiao mustered her courage and rebuked them in a low voice, but it had little effect.
"Don't they say you have Innate Full Soul Power? What's the point of hiding behind a woman?" Seeing that the little loli wouldn't budge, Dai Huabin could only resort to mockery.
He had thought Zhang Yang would at least be embarrassed.
To his surprise, Zhang Yang instead gave him a confident smile.
In an extremely punchable tone, he said in front of them all, "It means I'm charming!"
He was half joking, buying himself more time as he quietly watched the distance. By rights, they should have arrived by now.
"You fucking..."
Dai Huabin was truly angry.
I know you're charming. Stop rubbing it in!
To make matters worse, Xiao Xiao, who was standing in front of Zhang Yang, nodded seriously at his words and retorted as though it were only natural.
"That's right, Zhang Yang is charming. He's handsome and has an impressive bearing, and you have neither! What gives you the right to question him?"
The veins on Dai Huabin's forehead bulged.
He hadn't originally intended to target the little loli.
Now he had changed his mind. He would beat up this damned couple together! He could beat them to death for all he cared!
"Go, go, go! Hit them in the mouth! Poison them mute first, so they can't shout for help."
Dai Huabin hurriedly gave the order.
Beside him, the lackeys closed in with vicious expressions.
But just then, a woman's voice came from behind them out of nowhere. Its cold tone gave them a fright.
"Dai Huabin of Freshman Class Five, and the rest of you, you're utterly lawless! What do you take Shrek Academy for?!"
Before her words had faded, Zhou Yi slowly walked out from behind them.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er stood on either side of her, looking relaxed.
In fact, they had arrived some time ago and had been listening in ever since Zhang Yang asked, "Have I ever offended you?"
The only reason they hadn't come out to stop it immediately was that Zhou Yi was setting a trap. If they didn't finish running their mouths, how could she catch them in the act?
"Teacher Z-Zhou..."
"Ahem, this is a misunderstanding."
"Classmate Zhang Yang and I were just playing around. Yes, playing around."
The old woman's reputation was well known. Even Dai Huabin, who was in Class Five, had heard the terrifying stories.
When he saw who it was, his expression immediately froze, but he reacted fairly quickly and came up with a lousy excuse on the spot.
"Teacher, I don't know him well."
Unfortunately for him, Zhang Yang wasn't going to indulge him at all.
Playing around? This is bullying, nailed to the board for all to see!
"You're saying that you, a three-ring Soul Elder, brought several accomplices and cornered Zhang Yang and Xiao Xiao in a grove just to play around?"
"Dai Huabin! Do you think your teacher is so easy to fool that you dare to argue your way out of this? Fortunately, Zhang Yang was quick-witted, or the consequences would have been unthinkable!"
[Zhou Yi's favorability +10, current: 40 (sign-in unavailable)]
Zhou Yi was seething with righteous indignation as she listed Dai Huabin's offenses.
As she spoke, a notification inexplicably floated through Zhang Yang's mind.
I didn't even do anything. Why did her favorability suddenly go up? Does this count as her winning herself over?
"Now, immediately, come with me to the Academic Affairs Office to see Director Du Weilun and await his decision!"
"You should be glad you're not a student of Freshman Class One. Otherwise, at this very moment, you would already have been expelled..."
Zhou Yi herself had the cultivation of a Soul Emperor.
Now that she was angry, she released her oppressive presence without restraint.
How could Dai Huabin and the others dare resist? With things having come to this, they could only obey and dejectedly withdraw their Martial Souls.
As he left, the fellow didn't forget to glance back and glare viciously at Zhang Yang, as if to say this wasn't over.
But Zhang Yang didn't care at all about such threats. As long as he was given a little time, there was no telling who would be the unlucky one.
I need to hurry up and raise their favorability!
At the very least, I need to get a few skills to protect myself.
"All right, all right, everything's fine now. Come on, let's go have dinner..."