By the time Lin Yu returned to Dorm Seven, something felt off.
Seated on one of the beds, casually swinging her legs, was Xiao Wu, who suddenly turned her head towards the entrance. Her delicate and adorable face showed utter shock.
"Impossible! This aura… it's so familiar!"
"Boss Xiao Wu, this is the new kid in our dorm. His name's Long Aotian!" Wang Sheng quickly walked up to Xiao Wu, lowering his voice as he introduced Lin Yu.
Hearing this, Lin Yu had to hold back a chuckle. Sure, he'd given himself this outrageous name for a laugh, but hearing it out loud still felt awkward.
"Long Aotian… yeah, that name's way too flashy for my low-key personality." He sighed inwardly. "But, well… it's a tribute to my past life, so I'll stick with it."
"Boss Xiao Wu, hello. My name's Long Aotian. Nice to meet you. I'll be counting on you to look out for me from now on!" Lin Yu smiled and greeted her warmly.
Xiao Wu, regaining her composure, stood up and casually patted Lin Yu on the shoulder. "Hmm, you're not bad. But joining our dorm isn't so simple. As the boss, I've got a few questions for you. Come with me."
Before Lin Yu could react, Xiao Wu grabbed his hand and began dragging him outside in a hurry.
"Boss Xiao Wu!" Wang Sheng and the other dorm members were left dumbfounded as they watched Xiao Wu haul Lin Yu away.
"Why's Boss Xiao Wu being so friendly to a newbie? Do they know each other? That can't be right… This guy's some noble or rich kid. Boss Xiao Wu's just a commoner… unless… she's into looks?"
The boys exchanged glances, feeling disillusioned.
Meanwhile, as Xiao Wu pulled him along, Lin Yu was thoroughly confused.
"Why does Xiao Wu seem… overly familiar with me?"
His original plan had been to spend a few days at Nuoding Academy, trying to gradually build rapport with Xiao Wu. Eventually, he'd either reveal the truth to her or just keep her confined to the dorm for a few days to prevent her from being noticed by Bibi Dong when she passed through Nuoding City.
He was leaning towards the latter option, but now it seemed like the former might be easier than he'd thought.
Once they reached a secluded spot, Xiao Wu finally let go of his hand. She put her hands on her hips, exhaled deeply, and looked at him curiously but with relief.
"Alright, no need to pretend anymore. What kind of spirit beast are you? I can't seem to recognize your aura. Did Da Ming or Er Ming send you to find me?"
Lin Yu froze for a moment, stunned. "Wait, what? She thinks I'm a transformed spirit beast?"
His mind raced, and he quickly decided to play along. If Xiao Wu already believed him to be a spirit beast in human form, he could use that to warn her about the impending danger.
"Sorry," Lin Yu said, feigning reluctance, "I don't know Da Ming or Er Ming. I'm here because you're in danger."
Xiao Wu blinked, pointing at herself. "Danger? Me? In this tiny human town? There probably isn't even a Soul King around here. How could anyone possibly figure out who we are?"
"There's no threat here, but…" Lin Yu paused dramatically before explaining, "Do you know the father-son duo, the Clear Sky Douluo, who's wanted by the Spirit Hall? They're hiding out in a village nearby, and the Spirit Hall is sending a Titled Douluo to capture them any day now!"
Xiao Wu's eyes went wide, panic flashing across her face. "What?! What should we do?!"
Her normally confident demeanor vanished as fear crept in.
"Calm down. Don't worry," Lin Yu reassured her. "As long as we stay inside the academy and don't wander around town, we'll be fine. The Spirit Hall is just passing through Nuoding City; they won't notice us if we stay put."
Xiao Wu exhaled deeply, placing a small hand on her chest. "Whew… that's a relief!"
"Thank you!" she said, blushing slightly. "If it wasn't for you telling me, I might've been wandering around Nuoding City and gotten into serious trouble!"
Then, she tilted her head curiously again. "But where are you from? I've never seen you before. Are you from another forest? Or maybe the far north, or even the endless sea?"
Lin Yu sighed inwardly. He couldn't keep dodging her questions forever, so he kept it vague. "I'm not from the Star Dou Forest. There are… reasons I can't tell you the full story right now."
Xiao Wu pouted, clearly disappointed but still respectful of his secrecy. "Aww, fine. But I'm still curious!"
Before she could pester him any further, Lin Yu suggested they head back to the dorm. Grabbing her hand again, he led her back towards the academy.
As they neared the dormitory, though, a figure in a black academy robe suddenly spotted them and rushed over.
"Xiao Wu! Wait up!" the person called out.