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--- Chapter 282 ---
The night came and made the entertainment district on Java Island more packed and bustling with lights. Of course, this is also due to the recent preliminary round.
Those who fail could only release their pent-up frustration tonight. But they couldn't blame anyone but themselves for performing poorly.
Huo Yuhao walked on the street, wearing a white sweater and a black coat over it. His long legs covered loose black pants, making him look charming under street lights.
His natural charm has always been heart-striking.
And being God of Lust could easily incite phenomenon in the opposite gender's maiden hearts.
Unfortunately, Huo Yuhao doesn't care about these people. He ignored their gazes and strode toward the Melati Hotel, where Shrek Academy people stay.
Huo Yuhao stopped and saw the new Shrek Seven Devils with Zhang Lexuan, Ma Xiaotao, and some elders at the hotel's entrance.
They are clearly waiting for him.
He smiled, "What are you guys doing at the front gate."
"Are you guys waiting for me?"
Wang Dong, being the tsundere that she is, immediately rebutted, "Who is waiting for you, hmph! The air outside is just nicer."
'Yeah, sure. I knew damn well every hotel on the island got equipped with air-refreshing machines. You couldn't see them because you're a dum dum.' Huo Yuhao rolled his eyes.
"Well, you look spirited enough. It seems the Tower of Babylon doesn't put pressure on you guys."
Cough! Cough!
The new Shrek Seven Devils coughed awkwardly.
"Please don't tell such a joke, Yuhao." Bei Bei scratched his neck. "We barely passed the preliminary round."
"If we don't have Xiao Xiao, He Caitou, and Luo Xing on our side, we wouldn't pass that 100th floor and end at 110th floor."
"Interesting, so I assume someone is contributing nothing." Huo Yuhao casually jokes. Of course, he peeked at Wang Dong when saying that.
"Yuhao, are you looking down on me?!" Wang Dong was furious.
Huo Yuhao used his poor acting skills, "What? When did I say that?"
"Xiao Xiao, back me up."
Xiao Xiao stepped forward and rubbed her chin like a mystery-solving detective, "Indeed, Yuhao never said he was looking down on you. That must be your feeling, Wang Dong."
"I've read a book before that says people who always say nonsense are usually projecting their inner self to others. Given how you always act around Huo Yuhao, are you perhaps overwhelmed by his talent and strength?"
"A study also says people who are mad at a certain individual are because they want to feel weak and dominated by that person."
Xiao Xiao, What book are you reading?? Huo Yuhao and others looked at the green-haired girl bizarrely.
Xiao Xiao felt gazes on her body and smiled slyly at Wang Dong, "Wang Dong, I'm not insinuating anything, but..."
"Stop speaking nonsense, Xiao Xiao!" Wang Dong blushed a little.
"W-Who wants to feel weak and dominated..."
Wang Dong's reaction made the ladies cock their eyebrows, especially Xiao Xiao, Zhang Lexuan, and Ma Xiaotao.
'Oy, oy, stop blushing, girl. Your cover is falling.' Huo Yuhao couldn't help but facepalm at this cross-dressing girl. At least, act like a guy, Wang Dong.
Growl~!
A growling sound comes from Xu Sanshi's stomach.
Everyone looked at him, and he shamelessly laughed.
"Haha, can we go to the restaurant already? That insane floor-climbing makes me hungry and tired."
"Well, let's go to the second famous restaurant on Java Island, Golden Peacock Palace." Huo Yuhao agreed, changing the topic to their next destination.
"Second famous, not the first? With your position, you shouldn't have trouble making a reservation at the most famous restaurant, no?" Xu Sanshi gave Huo Yuhao a suspicious look.
Huo Yuhao smiled helplessly and replied, "The most famous restaurant was out of food stock."
"Out of food stock, damn." Xu Sanshi was speechless. "Did someone eat the whole restaurant as well?"
"Hahaha, you have no idea."
After that, Huo Yuhao brought them to the Golden Peacock Palace and booked the best room. Yet they met with people from the Sun and Moon Empire on the way there.
"Zero Disciple. I didn't expect to meet you here." Jing Hongchen greeted Huo Yuhao with a smile.
Huo Yuhao sighed inwardly, 'Of all people, I have to meet this guy here.'
'But this encounter also made me remember to check on Spirit Embryo later. Unfortunately, the Snow Empress is still deep asleep.'
He patted Jing Hongchen's shoulder quickly and said, "Yeah. I hope you enjoy the restaurant, bye!"
"..." Jing Hongchen silently watched Huo Yuhao and Shrek Academy people entering the Golden Peacock Palace's best room.
"Should we follow the Zero Disciple?" Jing Hongchen's granddaughter, Meng Hongchen, suddenly said.
Jing Hongchen shook his head bitterly, "Let's not disturb his time. We cannot afford to stay in the Golden Peacock Palace for too long."
"At this rate, we would spend too many contribution points!"
"Eh, but didn't we still have a few million?" Meng Hongchen couldn't help but complain. She wanted to see her prince charming more.
"Those are our funds until the tournament ends." The bespectacled man didn't budge. "Xiao'er, drag your sister."
"Yes, Grandpa." Xiao Hongchen, who has been quiet all this time, grabbed his sister's hand and dragged her back to the hotel.
"NOOO, MY PRINCE! PRINCE YUHAO!!" Meng Hongchen cried out.
Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and others from the Sun and Moon Royal Academy couldn't help but feel embarrassed. It happened because a girl fell in love with their competitor's golden boy.
They endured it with their thick faces, though.
...
In the private dining room, Huo Yuhao sat down with Zhang Lexuan on his left and Ma Xiaotao on his right. He asked a waitress to bring the menu and gazed at the new Shrek Seven Devils.
"Order anything you want. However, don't waste it."
"Understood!" They responded excitedly.
After all, Golden Peacock Palace is fancier than their dinner at the Shrek Academy. The food here must be tasty and possess nourishing effects.
Huo Yuhao glanced at Elder Xuan and then proposed, "Elder, I know you want to say something. Feel free to utter your confusion, and I will answer it to the best of my ability."
Xuan Zi ordered some wines shamelessly and coughed, "Well..."
"Yuhao, your relationship with Shrek Academy was superficial. We even asked you to teach the new Shrek Seven Devils by trading Zhang Lexuan off."
"To be honest, I'm ashamed."
"Stop beating around the bush." Huo Yuhao gave him a funny look.
"Also... You make my girlfriend look bad by saying you traded her off."
"She's a person, not an object!"
"Yuhao..." Zhang Lexuan felt touched.
However, she actually agreed with Elder Xuan. Shrek Academy has nothing but pretty girls to appease Huo Yuhao. For Zhang Lexuan, it was a necessary sacrifice to make Shrek Academy great again.
Yet here, he actually appreciated her more than that. People say love is blinding, and Zhang Lexuan learned it firsthand today.
Elder Xuan thought his skin was thick enough, but the blue-haired young man's words made him feel so ashamed that he laughed at himself inside.
"Hah, you're right."
"I will stop beating around the bush. And ask if you can give the new Shrek Seven Devils, if possible, access to the Tower of Babylon every three months?"
"You can take this question for nothing. I don't mind."
"Sure." Huo Yuhao agreed casually.
"I know it's too much-! Wait, what?" Elder Xuan and others were shocked by Huo Yuhao's reply.
Huo Yuhao shrugged and told him a secret instead, "This is a secret, but I don't think it matters right now. The Dragon Nest planned to spread the Tower of Babylon and build them on the suitable faction."
"This..." Such news is indeed shocking.
Elder Xuan doesn't know what to say.
"W-What are the criteria?" Elder Xuan doesn't care about status anymore and learns from his table.
Huo Yuhao smiled and answered, "First of all, that faction must form a relationship with the Dragon Nest one way or another. It can be subordination or simply business related."
"Second, a faction must pay 25% of the strategic resources to keep the tower active annually."
"Last and most important, only those who reached the top thirty in the Continental Spirit Academy Tournament can get their hand on this privilege."
"Top thirty!" Everyone in the room, except Huo Yuhao, sucked a cold breath.
They didn't know Huo Yuhao just made shit up on the spot.