Chapter 19 - Lunch Break

The midday sun hung high over Shrek Academy, its rays filtered by the intricate lattice of ancient oaks that shaded the central courtyard. The air was warm but carried a gentle breeze, stirring the copper-red leaves and scattering dappled light across the worn stone tables where students gathered for lunch. The scent of freshly cooked porridge mingled with the earthy aroma of moss and old wood, creating a homely atmosphere that belied the undercurrent of tension.

Li Wei sat at the far edge of the longest table, his back straight and shoulders squared. He ate slowly, methodically—each spoonful placed precisely under his chin, his gaze drifting occasionally to the swaying branches above. He seemed at ease, but a faint pulse of focus shimmered behind his calm eyes.

Dai Mubai approached with his usual swagger, though today he moved with slightly measured steps, as if bracing for scrutiny. He slid onto the stool next to Li Wei, folding his arms and leaning in with a mischievous grin.

"Mind if I join you?" Mubai asked casually. "I figured I'd get the first seats before the rest of the hive descends."

Li Wei glanced at him, expression unreadable, then returned his gaze to the porridge. He nodded once.

Mubai grinned, making a show of ruffling his hair. "Thanks. I'm parched. This heat feels like a furnace."

"It's summer," Li Wei replied quietly.

Before Mubai could respond, Oscar and Ma Hongjun bounced over, trays in hand. Oscar tossed his hair back and settled across from Li Wei, while Hongjun claimed the seat opposite Mubai.

The group exchanged nods slightly, a tacit acknowledgment of familiarity.

Oscar tapped his spoon against the bowl. "So… last night's match was insane. Those armored warriors of yours—what are they? Spirit summons? Soul bone constructs?"

Li Wei swallowed, placing his spoon down. "It is the ability of my tool-type martial spirit. If you want to classify it using the system, it's easier to say that it encompasses all the systems. It is assault type, agility type, control type, and support type system." His voice was flat, precise.

"I know that your fight can be classified as most of the systems," Oscar repeated, eyebrows lifting. "Never saw you ever use it as support."

"Neither have I," Ma Hongjun admitted, digging into his food. "Yeah, you never used them as support-type before. If you consider summoning, they looked real enough to align with the control type system. Even one of them moved so fast, it was like watching lightning crawl across the ground—and that was against your opponent, who literally had a lightning martial spirit."

Li Wei's gaze flicked to Hongjun. "It's called Clock Up." He didn't elaborate.

Dai Mubai chuckled. "Looks like you're not giving away secrets today."

Before Li Wei could respond, a ripple of laughter drifted from the end of the courtyard. Xiao Wu appeared, dragging a wooden stool behind her with exaggerated effort.

"Hey," she called, bounding up and perching on the stool beside Li Wei. "You looked lonely. Mind if I sit here?"

She offered a bright, teasing grin. Li Wei regarded her for a heartbeat, then inclined his head.

This puzzles him. 'What is this girl doing? Doing something like this in front of Tang San? Don't you know that you must get beat up so that Tang San can become powerful?'

'A pity, she is used like a tool more than a tool-type martial spirit.'

Xiao Wu grinned at the assembled trio. "Don't worry—I won't steal his secrets. Probably."

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing arrived next, moving with more composed steps. Tang San followed quietly, porcelain-faced and silent, before settling opposite Mubai.

The eight students formed an uneven circle, the midday sunlight painting them in warm hues and shadow.

For a moment, silence reigned—broken only by the soft clink of utensils and distant murmurs of other staff and ordinary people.

Oscar cleared his throat. "All right, Li Wei, you've gotta talk to us. You summoned an army. Clocked Up so fast—even Vice Principal Zhao Wuji was dizzy. How do you train for that?"

Ma Hongjun leaned forward, eyes bright. "Yeah, come on. I wanna know how you got those skills. Are you hiding some rare spirit bone? A secret technique?"

Xiao Wu bounced on her stool, arms draped casually across Li Wei's table space. "It's like you're a hero or something."

He thought in his head. 'It is the power of the hero if you consider it as Kamen Rider. When you consider it as the original user of Diend, it's more like a thief.' When he thought about this, he gave a chuckle.

Li Wei took a breath, eyeing each of them in turn—Mubai's expectant grin, Oscar's eager eyes, Hongjun's raw curiosity, Xiao Wu's bright enthusiasm, Ning Rongrong's analytical stare, Zhu Zhuqing's calm assessment, Tang San's calculating silence.

He exhaled. "I do the same thing, train like everyone else." His voice was soft but firm.

The group blinked.

"That's… it?" Oscar asked, baffled. "Just train?"

Li Wei inclined his head. "Consistency and observation. I watch, I learn, I practice. If you want to say that you, Ma Hongjun, Dai Mubai, and Oscar train hard, forget about it—even Zhao Wuji gave you a slap full of love. And Oscar, you even had to run around the academy when Flender caught you using the kitchen for your sausage experiment."

Hongjun scoffed playfully. "You're hilarious. You make it sound like it's easy. Even I have problems that need dealing with. You know the side effect of my mutations. That doesn't explain anything about how you got your strength. Dude, you crushed Ashzure."

Dai Mubai steered the conversation back. "We've all trained. We all sparred with Vice Principal Zhao Wuji—and most of us paid dearly for it. But none of us moved like shadows. None of us summoned mindless… or mind-full?" He glanced at Xiao Wu. "What did you call them?"

"Riders," she supplied. "Like Kamen Riders. I heard it when you used that card."

Tang San leaned forward. "Those 'Riders'—your tool martial spirit—how do they obey you? Spirit bones respond to spiritual power, but this was different."

Li Wei regarded him. "Not spirit bones. Not just martial spirits. I call them Riders because that's what they are: partners, not pets."

A hush fell. Even Oscar turned serious.

Zhu Zhuqing tilted her head. "Partners implies trust. How do you place trust in… tools?"

Li Wei's gaze flickered. "I don't. They follow commands. I trust them when I deploy them, so they trust me back. I've never given them reason to hesitate."

He paused, then added in a quieter tone: "In battle, hesitation kills."

The weight of that statement hung in the air.

Ning Rongrong broke in, voice gentle. "Your style… it's not just about power. It's tactics, timing, psychology. Do you plan every move?"

Li Wei took a slow bite of rice, considering. "In part. But instincts matter. Calculations alone don't win."

Tang San nodded slowly. "Instinct and calculation. You need both."

A fleeting smile touched Li Wei's lips—so brief it almost went unnoticed.

"Right," he said, placing his bowl aside.

The group lapsed into quiet reflection for a moment, each lost in their thoughts.

Then Ma Hongjun, ever the trickster, leaned toward Dai Mubai. "Hey Dai, since we're talking about training… how about we hit the club tonight? You owe me, you owe Oscar here, and…"

His tone turned teasing: "…women are resources, right?" Hongjun teased, repeating words Dai Mubai had muttered in confidence days before. "Come on, let's go unwind."

Mubai's face flickered—panic rippled through his calm façade as he realized Zhu Zhuqing had overheard. He shot a quick glance at her. Dai Mubai's face flushed crimson. He sputtered, eyes darting to Zhu Zhuqing, whose gaze had sharpened.

Zhu Zhuqing's lips curved into a thin frown. She muttered under her breath, "Disgusting."

Hongjun's eyes widened. Realizing his error, he leapt up. "Oops—I'll leave you to your… philosophical meal!" With that, he vanished in a flurry of legs.

Tang San raised an eyebrow at Mubai. "That was… unexpected."

Mubai swallowed. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Holding it inside him, not wanting it to escalate more.

"You!"

Zhu Zhuqing turned from him, looking away from Dai Mubai. Mubai's shoulders tensed.

The atmosphere had shifted—light camaraderie tinged with undercurrents of tension and judgment.

He do not want to overreact. Even though Li Wei sit like that sipping the tea and quite silent but if he do something stupid, Li Wei will beat him up. He do not remember how much time he and Ma Hongjun got beat up because sometimes they went too far.

Xiao Wu cleared her throat, breaking the moment. "Right. Back to Li Wei. What about… endurance? Speed? Strength? Technical skill? Which do you focus on?"

Li Wei considered. "Balance." He met each of their eyes. "Endurance, speed, strength—they're all tools. Skill is how you wield them. Control is mastery of self."

Tang San folded his arms. "So control is the key. You keep your emotions in check. That explains the calm."

Li Wei nodded. "Emotions in battle are hazards. You feel pain, doubt, anger—you lose."

Oscar frowned. "Does that mean you never feel fear?"

Li Wei's gaze darkened for a heartbeat. "Fear is useful. It tells you what to avoid. But you should never ever let it dominate you."

The group absorbed his words.

Ning Rongrong ventured another question. "What about your background? Why did you come to Shrek Academy?"

Li Wei's expression flickered—uncertainty, then resolve.

"Opportunity," he said at last. "To learn something new and also to grow."

Tang San leaned forward. "And beyond that?"

Li Wei stood, silently gathering his tray. "That's all you need to know for now." He bowed his head slightly, then turned and walked away heading toward the bin to drop utensils he use.

Silence followed his departure—dense, thoughtful.

Xiao Wu exhaled. "Well… that was something."

Zhu Zhuqing folded her arms. "We learned little about him. But more about someone else." Zhu Zhuqing's gaze hardened fractionally as she assessed him. In her mind, she compared him to Li Wei.

'If Li Wei were my fiancé, she thought, I'd know he'd never speak so crudely. She recalled seeing Li Wei training before Flender's call—silent focus, tireless drive. A genius whose diligence bordered on obsession. No casual boasts, no missteps.'

'He will become a monster, she mused, but a monster honed by discipline, not arrogance.'

Oscar tapped his spoon. "He's frustrating."

Mubai nodded. Trying not to look at Zhu Zhuqing direction. He knows that it will be awkward. "He's powerful. Not just in strength… it is also in mind."

Tang San looked after Li Wei's retreating form. "We'll try again."

And in that unspoken promise, a new chapter in their relationships began—one shaped by caution, curiosity, and the unbreakable pull of a mystery yet to be solved.