Chapter 54: The Troubled Dai Mubai

Chapter 54: The Troubled Dai Mubai

As night approached, the Huangdou team gathered at the Soto City Great Spirit Arena.

Under Qin Ming's lead, everyone entered a private viewing room to watch the spirit battles.

Suddenly, Zu Zong spotted a familiar figure—Zhu Zhuqing.

Her luck wasn't great. Her opponent was a control-type spirit master, and even two levels above her.

Under such a disadvantage, Zhu Zhuqing's fight was anything but easy.

Fortunately, relying on her spirit ring advantage, she eventually secured a hard-fought victory, though she sustained light injuries in the process.

Zu Zong felt his heart ache. After all, that was his little kitten.

Beside him, Xiao Wu also recognized Zhu Zhuqing.

Seeing the worried look on Zu Zong's face, she gave a cold snort and stomped on his foot.

"Hmph! Don't just stand there like an idiot," Xiao Wu pouted. "Go bring your little girlfriend over so Lingling can heal her. Look at how distressed you are!"

Zu Zong froze for a moment.

Then surprise and joy filled his face. It seemed that after what happened earlier today, Xiao Wu wasn't so against Zhu Zhuqing anymore.

"Thanks, Xiao Wu."

While speaking, Zu Zong reached out and patted her small head.

Amid her shy and angry squeals, he used the Instant Step technique and vanished from the room.

At the spectator stands, in the section reserved for Shrek Academy—

Dai Mubai's gaze never left Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhuqing…"

These past few days, his heart had been unsettled.

Since the first rookie battle at Shrek Academy, Zhu Zhuqing had changed overnight.

Her face now carried more smiles and less of that familiar coldness.

She got along well with her classmates and even treated him, Dai Mubai, with less indifference.

Logically, he should be happy about her change.

But instead, he felt suffocated. There was an unspeakable discomfort in his chest.

He had once believed that, despite her cold exterior, he still held a place in her heart.

But now, Zhu Zhuqing treated him the same as she did Oscar, Tang San, and the others—like a stranger or at most, a friend.

And just like that, the distance between them widened.

Lost in thought, Dai Mubai's expression turned blank.

Ma Hongjun, the brothel-hopping Phoenix spirit master, noticed his brother spacing out and gave him a push.

"Boss Dai, what's wrong with you?" he asked casually.

"Eh? Oh, nothing…" Dai Mubai snapped out of his daze.

His face didn't look good, and his mood was clearly heavy.

"Boss Dai, look—Zhuqing won! But she seems to be hurt a little. Go help her," Ma Hongjun pointed out.

Dai Mubai's eyes lit up. "Thanks, Fatty!"

Then he turned to Oscar below.

"Little Ao, hurry and make two recovery sausages. Zhuqing is hurt—I'll go help her first."

Oscar grinned lewdly. "Let Zhuqing eat my big sausage… that sounds kinda exciting," he muttered, making an OK gesture. "Don't worry, Boss Dai."

With laughter full of 'I get it' between the two, Dai Mubai ran off happily in Zhu Zhuqing's direction.

Dozens of meters away, he saw Zhu Zhuqing stop and—seemingly—wave at him with a smile.

Dai Mubai's heart leapt.

She's happy I'm coming to get her, isn't she?

Look at that smile—so affectionate, I've never seen her smile like that before.

He thought, "I really should thank Fatty. If he hadn't reminded me, I might've missed this chance."

Just as he paused to raise his hand and wave back—

What happened next stunned and enraged him.

A youth in a black uniform with long blue-silver hair stepped out from the corner.

He greeted Zhu Zhuqing, and from her smile, it was obvious they were enjoying the conversation.

Dai Mubai recognized the boy—it was that "good friend" of Tang San's.

He quickly tried to comfort himself. "They just ran into each other… it's just a coincidence…"

But in that brief moment, Zu Zong and Zhu Zhuqing had already vanished.

Left unable to find her, Dai Mubai searched in vain before returning to the spectator stands, dejected and lost.

Ma Hongjun grinned and looked around. "Boss Dai, what took you so long? Where's Zhuqing?"

"Wait… did you meet some other pretty girl and forget about her?" he teased.

Oscar chimed in, "Yeah, Boss Dai, you can't eat from the pot and look at the bowl. Zhuqing's hurt—you should've gone to help her, not chase after someone new."

"Here, take these two recovery sausages and go give them to her."

As he spoke, Oscar held out two sausages.

Dai Mubai, already in a bad mood, snapped.

Being misunderstood by Oscar and Ma Hongjun pushed him over the edge.

In a fit of rage, he slapped Oscar's sausages aside.

"Get lost!"

Dai Mubai's furious outburst made Meng Yiran, the newest member of Shrek Academy, unable to hold back.

"That's way out of line! Oscar was just being kind," she snapped.

Over the past few days, she had learned about Shrek Academy's situation through Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and the others.

In her eyes, a man like Dai Mubai—who flirted with every girl he saw—didn't deserve someone as pure and graceful as Zhu Zhuqing.

Hmmph.

Her own Little San was so much better—loyal and devoted.

"Exactly! That's right!" Ning Rongrong chimed in.

Among everyone, she was the one who had suffered the most from Dai Mubai's temper.

Of course she had to seize this chance for revenge.

Dai Mubai glared at Meng Yiran and Ning Rongrong.

Although the events in Star Dou Great Forest had eased some tensions, they were still far from reaching the deep camaraderie of the original story.

He couldn't exactly tell everyone that Zhu Zhuqing had run off with someone else.

If word got out, how could his Evil-Eyed White Tiger still hold his head up at Shrek Academy?

With a cold tone, Dai Mubai said, "Mind your own business. Stay out of things that don't concern you."

"You—!" ×2

Meng Yiran and Ning Rongrong were just about to fire back, but were quickly pulled back by Tang San and Oscar.

Just then, the arena broadcast came on.

[Match 138: "Evil-Eyed White Tiger" vs. "Uchiha Zong." Both contestants, please proceed to Arena 7. Both contestants, please proceed to Arena 7.]

Inside the Huangdou Team's private box at the Spirit Arena—

Thanks to Ye Lingling's powerful Nine-Heart Begonia martial soul, Zhu Zhuqing's injuries were quickly healed within moments.

Zhu Zhuqing, Zu Zong, and Xiao Wu sat together on a long sofa.

Zu Zong sat in the middle. Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu sat on either side, staring each other down.

Neither would yield.

It was yet another battlefield of jealousy, and Zu Zong was caught awkwardly in the middle.

The rest of the Huangdou members stared at him, each with their own reaction.

Oslo and Yufeng were practically dying of envy, gritting their teeth, wishing they could swap places with Zu Zong.

Shi Mo and Shi Mo's brother gave him big thumbs-up, their eyes full of admiration and reverence.

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan sat together, exchanging amused glances.

They were clearly enjoying the chaos.

Dugu Yan muttered that Zu Zong deserved it—serves him right for being a playboy.

As for Ye Lingling, she stood silently in the corner, dressed in black, her face veiled as usual.

Although her expression didn't change, there was a flicker of emotion in her eyes.

Just as Zu Zong felt the tension reach its peak, the arena broadcast echoed through the room.

A staff member also arrived to inform him it was time for his match.

A small smile curled at Zu Zong's lips.

Gone was the awkward hesitation from before.

"Oh? Evil-Eyed White Tiger, is it? Now this should be interesting."

Zhu Zhuqing gave him a sidelong glance.

She knew Zu Zong was strong, but Dai Mubai couldn't be underestimated either.

"Evil-Eyed White Tiger is Dai Mubai. His spirit power may be one level lower than yours, but his family's inherited martial soul, the White Tiger, is very powerful. Don't take him lightly."

"Hmph! That golden-furred loser from last time?" Xiao Wu huffed, punching the air with her little fists.

"With Xiao Zong's strength, he could flatten that guy in two or three moves."

She was still sulking.

Zu Zong had been overly concerned about Zhu Zhuqing's injuries earlier, and Xiao Wu felt like she had lost ground in their invisible rivalry.

Now, she was venting her frustration.

Zu Zong glanced at the two girls and gently patted their heads.

"You don't need to worry. I'll take this seriously."

Of course, just how "seriously" depended on how much strength Dai Mubai could show.

"I'll go with you," Zhu Zhuqing added.

"Besides, I need to return to the Shrek section of the audience anyway."

She didn't say the rest.

Although she didn't believe Zu Zong would lose, there was a chance he might get injured.

If that happened, she wanted to be close enough to support him.

(End of Chapter)

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