"Now, kneel and apologize, and then take your little friends to withdraw from the academy."
These words struck Dai Huabin like a hammer, his stern face turning pale.
No matter how much he wanted to deny it, the truth was right in front of him. A perfect score in the advancement assessment, an unprecedented achievement in Shrek Academy, was something he could not surpass.
Furthermore, he had made a pledge with Huo Yuhao at the gates of Shrek Academy, witnessed by many new students and their parents, and with Du Weilun as a witness. There was no room for denial, nor could he deny it.
"Huo Yuhao, don't go too far!" Zhu Lu shouted angrily.
"Oh? Am I going too far?" Huo Yuhao asked, feigning surprise.
"But wasn't it you who suggested that the loser should kneel? I originally wanted to bet with gold soul coins, but you decided to up the stakes. Now that you've lost, you want to renege? Is this how the White Tiger Duke's family behaves?"
"I..." Zhu Lu was rendered speechless by Huo Yuhao's retort.
Indeed, it was Zhu Lu who initially proposed that the loser should kneel. Even though Huo Yuhao added the condition of withdrawing from the academy, it was based on her suggestion. Ultimately, it was her own doing.
"Huo Yuhao, in my view, one should be forgiving. You are all classmates, why must you push Dai Huabin so hard? If word gets out, people might think you lack magnanimity. Can't you forgive him?"
At this moment, a Shrek Academy teacher stepped forward from behind Du Weilun, speaking to Huo Yuhao earnestly.
"Who the hell are you?" Huo Yuhao sneered, picking at his ear disdainfully.
"You! How dare you speak to a teacher like that? Do you want to be expelled from Shrek Academy?" The teacher roared in anger.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Director Du, where did this rat crawl out from? It seems he doesn't know how to talk properly," Huo Yuhao remarked coldly to Du Weilun.
"He said he would expel me from Shrek Academy? Fine! Let's go to Sea God's Pavilion and see who gets kicked out!"
Du Weilun sighed and smiled bitterly. In all his years of teaching, he had never encountered a student as brazen as Huo Yuhao. However, the Sea God's Pavilion had decreed that unless Huo Yuhao posed a significant threat to Shrek Academy, he must not be expelled, leaving Du Weilun with no choice but to explain.
"This is Teacher Yuan Liang, a backup referee for the advancement assessments. He was sent to other academies on the continent for an exchange program last year and wasn't present at Shrek Academy."
Yuan Liang was originally a teacher responsible for teaching soul beast knowledge at Shrek Academy, holding the rank of intermediate teacher. However, due to his contribution in spreading Shrek Academy's honor and teaching philosophy during his exchange program on the continent last year, he was about to be promoted to senior teacher.
As a native of the Star Luo Empire, he was naturally familiar with the White Tiger family. Even though he was a teacher at Shrek Academy, he wanted to ingratiate himself with the White Tiger Duke, hoping to secure military positions for his family members in the Star Luo Empire.
Therefore, his seemingly righteous intervention was actually an attempt to curry favor with Dai Huabin and the White Tiger Duke's family. However, he hadn't anticipated encountering a thorn like Huo Yuhao, who seemingly had connections with the Sea God's Pavilion.
"Oh, a backup referee. So, just a spare tire," Huo Yuhao shrugged.
"Mr. Spare Tire, back at the academy gates, Dai Huabin and I made a public oath witnessed by numerous new students, parents, and Director Du. Now, you want me to let Dai Huabin off the hook? That would mean breaking my word. In doing so, Director Du would lose his authority, and Shrek Academy's reputation and honor would be tarnished across the continent."
Yuan Liang was stunned. He had intended to use his teacher's authority to side with Dai Huabin but hadn't anticipated the complexities of the situation.
"Huo Yuhao, betting among classmates is meant to foster healthy competition, improving personal strength. But you now want Dai Huabin to kneel publicly and even withdraw from Shrek Academy over a mere bet. Put yourself in his shoes; how would you feel?"
Unable to reason with Huo Yuhao, Yuan Liang resorted to a classic teaching tactic—empathy.
"If I were him, I'd jump into the river if I couldn't beat a millennium soul beast and ended up ruining my hand," Huo Yuhao retorted, shocking Yuan Liang and turning Dai Huabin even paler.
"Dai Huabin hails from the White Tiger Duke's family, and the Duke is a prestigious military commander in the Star Luo Empire. If Dai Huabin breaks his oath, it would tarnish the Empire's reputation, showing disloyalty!"
"The White Tiger Duke is highly respected, and their ancestor ascended to godhood alongside Tang San, one of the original Shrek Seven Devils. If Dai Huabin retreats now, it would disgrace his family's honor, showing disrespect!"
"Now, you mentioned empathy. If I had lost to the millennium soul beast and lost the bet, would Dai Huabin have spared me? No! Therefore, I won't spare him. Otherwise, it would show him as heartless!"
"Dai Huabin has two female companions. If he flees his oath, they would bear the burden, showing him as unjust!"
"Disloyal, disrespectful, heartless, and unjust—are these the kind of students you want to teach, Teacher Yuan? Or did your year abroad make you seek new allegiances, damaging Shrek Academy's honor?"
Yuan Liang was at a loss for words, his face paling. His body trembled as he nearly collapsed.
"Teacher Yuan, I advise you to stop teaching students to forgive others. The human heart is as deceitful as a tiger or wolf. Today you spare someone, tomorrow you might not live to see the sunrise!"
"Am I right, Dai Huabin?!"
Dai Huabin felt a choking pressure in his chest, a bitter taste in his throat, and spat out blood.
Zhu Lu cried out, rushing to support him, but he roughly shoved her away.
His eyes bloodshot, Dai Huabin glared at Huo Yuhao, dropped to his knees, and shouted, "I was wrong!"
He knocked his head on the ground, then stood up to leave.
"Hold on!" Huo Yuhao wasn't done. "Kneeling was only part of the bet. When will the three of you withdraw from the academy?"
"Huo Yuhao, you're bullying..." Dai Huabin gritted his teeth, spitting blood.
"I know, I know." Huo Yuhao replied indifferently. "You're right, I am bullying you!"
"You have three days to withdraw from Shrek Academy, or I'll turn our bet into a story and spread it throughout Shrek City. If it damages the White Tiger Duke's reputation, it's on you!"
"You..."
Dai Huabin spat more blood, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.
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