Chapter 53: An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth—I Will Repay Blood Debts with Blood!
Flender raised his hand and pressed it down on Zhao Wuji's furious shoulder.
The thin-built dean wore a complicated expression, the gaze behind his lenses flickering uncertainly.
"Old Zhao, calm down."
His voice was lower than usual.
"The matter hasn't been fully investigated yet. And… that Tang San is very likely to become a student of our academy."
Zhao Wuji froze.
The next instant, even greater fury surged across his face.
"Someone like that can still enter our academy? Flender, has your head been slammed in a door?!"
"He crippled Mubai! Crippled him! Do you understand what that means?!"
Flender let out a deep sigh.
He was thinking further and deeper than Zhao Wuji.
Dai Mubai was a prince of the Star Luo Empire—his identity was extremely sensitive.
If this matter weren't handled properly, it wouldn't just damage the academy's reputation; it could even draw blame from the empire itself.
But what gave him an even bigger headache was—
A few days ago, he received a letter from his close friend, Yu Xiaogang.
In the letter, Yu Xiaogang said he had taken in a disciple with extraordinary talent—a genuine "little monster."
That child would soon come to Shrek Academy to apply.
Yu Xiaogang specifically mentioned in the letter: the disciple's name was Tang San, and his martial soul was Blue Silver Grass.
And according to Dai Mubai's earlier description, the one who injured him was also a young man named Tang San, whose martial soul was likewise Blue Silver Grass.
Once the two were matched together, the answer was almost self-evident.
"Old Zhao, I know you're angry."
Flender pushed up his glasses, keeping his tone as steady as possible.
"But think about it—how long has it been since our academy encountered a truly top-tier talent?"
"Tang San defeated Mubai head-on while only at the Soul Grandmaster level, despite Mubai being a Soul Elder. That kind of combat talent more than deserves to be called monstrous."
Zhao Wuji glared, his chest heaving violently.
"So Mubai's grudge just gets forgotten?!"
"Of course not."
Flender's gaze darkened.
"But not now, and not in this way."
"Once Tang San joins the academy, you'll naturally have plenty of opportunities to 'educate' him as a teacher."
"We can slowly investigate what really happened and see whether there was some misunderstanding."
"If it truly was Tang San's fault…"
He paused — his voice taking on a deeper meaning.
"Then we'll have him apologize to Mubai, compensate him, and find a way to ease the conflict between them."
"It's not easy to cultivate a genius—we can't destroy him over a moment of impulse."
"And most importantly—"
Flender lowered his voice and leaned closer to Zhao Wuji.
"Mubai's identity is special. This matter must not be blown out of proportion."
"The Star Luo Empire's prince… You understand."
Zhao Wuji's fury froze on his face.
Of course, he understood.
Dai Mubai was a prince of Star Luo, yet also the weaker party in the struggle for the throne.
If news of him being "eunuch" were to spread…
That ambitious eldest prince would absolutely seize the chance to strike his younger brother down.
When that happened, Dai Mubai's fate would likely be far worse than it already was.
"Damn it…"
Zhao Wuji slammed his fist into the wall, sending flakes of plaster raining down.
Grinding his teeth, he forced the words out:
"Fine. I'll listen to you."
"But if that brat dares refuse to admit his mistake, or harms any other student in the academy again—I'll personally cripple him!"
Flender nodded, a complicated glint flashing behind his lenses.
Right now, he only hoped for two things.
First, Tang San truly was Yu Xiaogang's disciple.
Second, that this matter could be resolved in a relatively satisfactory way.
Otherwise… he truly didn't know how he would face his old friend Yu Xiaogang.
Nor how he would placate Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai.
Inside the room, Dai Mubai's howls gradually died down.
Replacing them were suppressed, broken sobs.
Dai Mubai buried his face into the pillow, his shoulders trembling violently.
He knew his life was completely ruined.
All his ambition, all his pride, all his future… had been shattered in that instant by Tang San's hidden weapons.
'Tang San…'
He silently repeated the name in his heart, one word at a time.
Each syllable was soaked in venomous hatred.
'No matter what it costs…'
'I will make you repay this blood debt with blood!!!'
...
Morning.
The first ray of sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains of Room 202 at the Rose Hotel, gently spilling across the messy, large bed.
"Hiss—"
Lin Qingmo sucked in a sharp breath and jolted awake from his sleep.
He had just had a very bizarre dream.
In it, he was stripped bare by a gigantic spider and then eaten bit by bit—the sensation was frighteningly real.
"What the hell?"
He rubbed his temples and sat up.
Immediately, a stronger wave of soreness swept through his entire body.
"Hiss—!"
Lin Qingmo grimaced, feeling as though he'd been run over back and forth by ten carriages. Every muscle in his body was protesting.
He looked down at his body.
His clothes were scattered messily across the bed, and strange red marks covered his body.
They looked a bit like scratches… and a bit like… a hickey?
"This…"
Lin Qingmo stared blankly around the room.
The Rose Hotel suite. Familiar furnishings. The bustling sounds of the morning market drift in from outside the window.
He tried hard to recall what happened last night, but his memory stopped at a crucial moment—
Xiao Wu, blushing, said, "I like you, Ah Qing."
Then the two of them slowly leaned closer, their lips about to touch…
And after that—nothing but blankness!!!
"No way…"
Lin Qingmo's expression instantly became colorful.
He slowly turned his head toward his side. Xiao Wu was curled up beneath the blanket, sleeping soundly, even smacking her lips slightly.
Her long eyelashes trembled faintly, a sweet smile lingering on her small face, her breathing even and gentle.
"I… I couldn't have…"
A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.
Had he lost control last night and done something to Xiao Wu?
But why didn't he remember anything at all?!
"What kind of nonsense is this…"
Lin Qingmo covered his face, frantically complaining inwardly.
"Such an important first experience in life, and it just disappeared like that? Not even a single memory left behind? This is way too much of a loss!"
Just as his inner drama reached its peak—
Xiao Wu stirred lightly, then slowly opened her eyes.
Those clear eyes still carried the haziness of just waking up.
When she saw Lin Qingmo staring at her from close range, her little face instantly flushed red.
"Ah Qing… you're awake?"
Her voice was soft and sweet, with a slight nasal tone from sleep.
Lin Qingmo took a deep breath.
He felt it was time to face this awkward issue head-on.
"Xiao Wu."
His expression was extremely serious.
"Do you… Still remember what happened last night?"
"Huh?"
Xiao Wu tilted her head, seeming to think hard.
The blush on her face only deepened, spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.
She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of the blanket.
"I remember… I said I liked you, Ah Qing, and then we were… together."
By the time she reached the last few words, her voice was so small it was almost inaudible.
"J-just… together?"
Lin Qingmo froze for a moment, then asked uncertainly.
He pointed at the marks on his body, then at his aching frame.
"Then what's all this?"
Xiao Wu lifted her head and looked at him in confusion.
Her big eyes blinked, looking especially innocent.
"I… I don't remember either…"
Lin Qingmo: "..."
He stayed silent for a full ten seconds.
His inner complaints surged once more.
So in the end, both of them had blacked out?
But they hadn't even been drinking.
Forget it—better not say something this embarrassing out loud.
Still, since Xiao Wu said they were "together," that probably meant they had confirmed their relationship, right?
Lin Qingmo comforted himself inwardly.
Although he felt immense regret over the fact that their "first date ended in total memory loss," it didn't stop him from deciding to be a responsible man.
End of Chapter