Chapter 54: Searching for a Needle in the Ocean
Sorry for the delay (extra chapter)
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The situation spiraled out of control.
Rumors had a tremendous impact on one's reputation, especially when they were a mix of truth and falsehood. This scandal had completely reshaped Yan Shaozhe's public image—now, he was seen as a heartless playboy who betrayed his lovers, with no preference between men or women. Meanwhile, Qian Duoduo had been depicted as a deeply devoted lover, but one with a questionable sexual orientation.
And so, the two of them earned new titles:
Shrek's No.1 Sea King – Yan ShaozheShrek's Most Devoted Man – Qian Duoduo
At first glance, these nicknames didn't seem to have any special meaning in the Douluo Continent. But for those who had read Entwined Dragon and Phoenix, these titles felt extremely strange and suggestive.
They could not accept this.
On the Douluo Continent, Titled Douluo were always at the pinnacle of the soul master world, respected wherever they went.
As Deans of Shrek Academy, their status was comparable to emperors. (Would you dare say otherwise? If Shrek doesn't punish you for this, who will?!) But now, their prestigious reputation had been shattered, and this humiliation sent Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo into a boiling rage.
Even Sea God's Pavilion took this matter very seriously, going so far as to convene an official meeting about it.
In a time when the four great empires were on the brink of war, even the slightest disturbance could trigger Shrek's alarm. Let alone a scandal that had spread across the entire continent.
Even Lin Yun himself never expected that his devious plan would actually shake Sea God's Pavilion—let alone force them to hold a meeting over it.
A Message From the Shadows
"Your Excellency, the Ten Thousand Monster King reports that Shrek Academy has begun a full-scale investigation into the source of Entwined Dragon and Phoenix. He requests your instructions on what to do next."
As Lin Yun returned to his dorm after a day of classes, Ice Empress's mental link delivered the latest intelligence.
"Oh? They're only reacting now?" Lin Yun shook his head.
Shrek's sense of urgency was disappointing. They had failed to extinguish the flames when it was just a small spark. Now that the wildfire had spread uncontrollably, they were scrambling to find the culprit.
Ten thousand years of glory and dominance had made them forget what true crisis felt like. They had forgotten that, at the end of the day, they were just an academy.
"Is Harmonious Dragon and Phoenix complete?" Lin Yun asked.
"It's finished," Ice Empress replied. "Thanks to Your Excellency's foresight, bringing that Light Unicorn here ahead of time. With her overseeing everything, that human named Qing Ye barely even stopped to rest—he's been working day and night."
She couldn't help but admire Lin Yun's plan.
"It's really hard to believe he's just a normal human. He's even more relentless than a Palulu!"
"Trust my judgment." Lin Yun grinned. "I told you, he has great potential."
"Spread the word. We're moving to Phase Two of the plan!"
"Yes, Your Excellency!"
The Birth of a New Scandal
Inside a dimly lit room, only a single soul-powered lamp cast a faint glow.
The room was deathly silent, except for the constant scratching of a pen against paper.
Beneath the soul lamp, a handsome young man was furiously scribbling away. His face was haggard and exhausted, but his bloodshot eyes burned with manic passion.
His face remained fixed in an unsettling, twisted grin.
"Kehehehehe…"
Outside the room, a mature woman in a black JK uniform and thigh-high stockings shuddered violently at the eerie laughter.
Even though she had heard it countless times before, every time she did, her skin crawled with unease.
"Dear god… I'm supposed to be a holy Light Unicorn, why am I taking part in such a sinister plan?!"
Saint Xin clutched her forehead in agony, her voice carrying a hint of despair.
Smack!
A thick book was thrown out from the room, landing precisely on the table in front of her.
Four bold words adorned the cover:
Harmonious Dragon and Phoenix!
"…Well, actually, darkness isn't so bad after all!"
Saint Xin's eyes lit up as she snatched up the book, eagerly flipping through its pages.
"…Damn, this is good stuff!"
"Kekekekeke~"Shrek's Internal Academy: The Hunt for the Mastermind Behind Entwined Dragon and Phoenix
The mission to track down the mastermind behind Entwined Dragon and Phoenix had already been pinned to the top priority of the Disciplinary Committee's task list, marked with the highest-level red classification.
A wave of inner court disciples poured out of Shrek Academy, scouring the entire continent in search of the so-called mastermind.
Beyond Shrek City, their footprints spread across the entire continent—even within the Sun-Moon Empire, inner court disciples had infiltrated, conducting covert investigations.
Within Shrek City, the City Defense Army carried out a carpet search, given that the book's origin was traced back to this city.
However, despite Shrek Academy's nearly all-out efforts, they still could not find the person behind the book.
Instead, what they accidentally uncovered were many overlooked targets from previously incomplete disciplinary missions.
Dean's Office
Yan Shaozhe sat at his desk, his expression dark and grim, reviewing the search reports sent back by the inner court disciples.
Nothing.
They had found no clues about the mastermind. According to those who owned a copy of Entwined Dragon and Phoenix, the selling locations were never fixed. Only those with exceptionally good luck ever had the fortune to encounter a seller.
Moreover, after purchasing the book, buyers would immediately forget what the seller looked like.
They couldn't even recall their age, gender, or any defining features.
"A conspiracy. This is absolutely a conspiracy targeting Shrek!"
Yan Shaozhe slammed his fist on the table, forcing the words out through gritted teeth.
"Shaozhe, is this really that serious?" Cai Meier, standing beside him, asked with a worried expression.
Yan Shaozhe nodded, his face filled with bitterness.
"Meier, don't you see? It's too fast!" His voice was heavy. "So fast that we didn't even have time to react before the entire continent already knew about this book!"
"Look at this—every single buyer forgets the seller's face. Some of them are even soul masters, yet they still forget. That means whoever is behind this is incredibly powerful—at least a Titled Douluo specializing in spiritual abilities."
"But why would a Titled Douluo waste their time on something so… beneath them?"
"There must be a deeper reason. On the surface, this seems like an attack on our reputations—but in reality, there's something much darker hidden beneath."
"But we can't even find them!"
Cai Meier felt a massive headache coming on.
She knew that this was a deliberate attack against Shrek Academy. But the problem was—they had no idea where to even begin.
If a Titled Douluo with spiritual abilities was deliberately staying hidden while stirring up chaos, Shrek Academy alone wouldn't be able to dig them out.
The Douluo Continent was too vast.
Unless they gathered the full power of Shrek Academy and the four great empires, finding a hidden spiritual-type Titled Douluo would be like searching for a needle in the ocean.
But even if it was a needle in the ocean, they had to search for it!
Yan Shaozhe exhaled deeply.
"Right now, I can only hope their next move doesn't come too soon…"
He had a bad feeling—
This time, it was just an attack on their reputations.
Next time… it would shake the very core of Shrek Academy.
(End of Chapter)
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