"Xiao Wu, where have you been?" Tang San asked as he ran into Xiao Wu, who had just returned from her errand not far from their base.
Xiao Wu's eyes darted away, avoiding eye contact. The recent close encounter with Chen Xuan was still vivid in her mind, and the guilt of betraying her brother weighed heavily on her heart.
However, her feelings of guilt quickly vanished when she recalled that Tang San had also betrayed her by passionately kissing Huo Wu from Blazing Academy, a kiss that had lasted more than two minutes.
"I just... went out to buy something..." Xiao Wu stammered, her lie awkward and unconvincing, as she rarely ever lied.
Hearing this, Tang San sighed in relief, finally letting go of the heavy weight that had been on his mind.
It seemed like Xiao Wu hadn't followed him, and hadn't seen what had happened between him and Huo Wu. Even though it wasn't his choice, he knew no one would believe him if he told them.
So, he decided not to tell Xiao Wu at all, knowing it would likely affect their relationship.
"That's good. You should go and rest. The list of participants for tomorrow's match is out, and you're up first," Tang San said, now feeling at ease.
However, he was completely unaware that Xiao Wu had noticed every small change in him.
First, she felt the pain of betrayal, and now, the deception of the person she loved most pierced her heart, filling her with immense sadness and grievance.
"Alright, I understand," Xiao Wu said, her voice tinged with sorrow.
"I need to return to the academy for a bit. You should head back," Tang San added, oblivious to the sorrow that flickered in her eyes as they parted.
He had no idea that everything that happened between him and Huo Wu—the passionate kiss in the woods—had been witnessed by the person he loved most, his sister.
Originally, Xiao Wu had held onto a faint hope, thinking her brother wasn't that kind of person, that he must have been forced.
She had even made up her mind: if her brother sincerely told her the truth, she would forgive him, pretend nothing had happened, and continue loving him.
But, sadly, all of this was just her wishful thinking. The truth wasn't what she had imagined. Her brother had not only betrayed her but also deceived her.
If Tang San had been forced, and if he truly despised Huo Wu, with his skills, how could he not have avoided that kiss? Even if he hadn't avoided it, why didn't he push her away immediately? Instead, the kiss lasted more than two minutes.
Xiao Wu wanted to lie to herself, but everything about Tang San's actions and attitude proved that he had done it willingly, that he didn't dislike Huo Wu at all.
"Xiao Wu, make sure you rest well and prepare for tomorrow's match. I'm heading out," Tang San reminded her once again, with no explanation in sight.
Xiao Wu's thoughts flashed to Chen Xuan, and without thinking, she blurted out, "What about Chen Xuan?"
Hearing that name, Tang San's brows furrowed deeply, a trace of killing intent flashing in his eyes, though he quickly concealed it.
"Teacher said Chen Xuan was heavily exhausted from today's match, so he won't be participating," Tang San replied, his expression neutral, devoid of any emotion.
Xiao Wu remained silent, her eyes reflecting a glimmer of sadness.
For some reason, the Tang San standing in front of her now felt unfamiliar and distant, not like the brother she once knew.
After parting ways with Xiao Wu, Tang San headed toward Shrek Academy, only to run into someone he detested: a person who showed no respect for his elders.
Chen Xuan frowned as he saw Tang San, who still wore a scowl on his face.
"Persistent as ever," Tang San muttered coldly, ignoring Chen Xuan as he walked past him without a glance.
"Whatever," Chen Xuan muttered in frustration.
Tang San, already far ahead, paid no attention to the arrogant man behind him.
Chen Xuan walked over to Xiao Wu, his gaze briefly resting on her, especially her stomach, a detail he couldn't ignore.
"Are you competing tomorrow?" Chen Xuan asked.
"Yes," Xiao Wu replied, her tone distant and devoid of emotion.
Chen Xuan hesitated before speaking again, "Can you skip the match?"
The moment he said it, he regretted it. Their relationship was already strained, and as just a teammate, it wasn't his place to say such things.
"Do you need something else? If not, I'm heading back," Xiao Wu responded coldly, her tone even more distant, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense.
"No, that's all," Chen Xuan said, feeling half-defeated, but he forced himself to say one final thing.
"Just be careful. Don't hurt yourself."
Xiao Wu turned and left without a second thought, her cold and distant figure fading from view.
Watching her disappear, Chen Xuan's emotions were a mess, a mix of frustration and helplessness. He hadn't expected that one day, he'd be in the position of a lovesick fool.
"Two months… It's been almost two months since that day," he murmured to himself, looking up at the dark sky.
Since Xiao Wu didn't want to tell him the truth, he wouldn't force her to. But he still had to do what he could, at the very least to protect her from harm.
As night fell, Chen Xuan returned to the Shrek base, slipping back to his room without disturbing anyone.
...
The night passed uneventfully, and soon the sun rose, signaling the start of a new day.
Early in the morning, Master Yu Xiaogang led the Shrek team to the Heaven Dou Arena.
Liu Erlong and Flender followed closely behind, while Qin Ming stayed behind at Shrek Academy as a teacher on duty.
Chen Xuan had been awake for a while, wandering around the now empty Shrek base. Everyone else had gone to the arena for the match.
Yu Xiaogang's plan was in motion. Chen Xuan had been labeled as being heavily exhausted from his previous match, giving him a reason to rest for the next two days.
But Chen Xuan knew it would be much longer than that. He was likely out of the matches entirely, not just for the qualification rounds, but for the elimination rounds at Spirit Hall too.
Knowing Yu Xiaogang's ways, he would eliminate all potential threats, not giving him any chance to return.
As for Flender, Chen Xuan could only shake his head in disbelief. As the academy's headmaster, his influence was pitifully small.
But upon further thought, it made sense. After all, the academy belonged to Liu Erlong, and she was deeply in love with Yu Xiaogang, so of course, she wouldn't take his side.
There was nothing he could do about it. Flender had shut down the original Shrek Academy and followed Yu Xiaogang to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, only to be kicked out in the end. In a sense, he had brought this upon himself.
For now, Yu Xiaogang ruled Shrek Academy. Chen Xuan knew the chances of him competing again were slim, almost non-existent.
Unless Yu Xiaogang died.
"I'd better go familiarize myself with the area around Heaven Dou City," Chen Xuan muttered as he left the Shrek base to explore the surrounding terrain.
He hadn't gone far when he was stopped by a man claiming to be a noble.
"Brother Chen, where are you off to in such a hurry?" asked a middle-aged man with short, spiky hair, his appearance tough and unapproachable.
The man wore a luxurious golden robe made of the finest silk, adorned with rows of glittering gemstones.
"Brother Chen, would you honor me by visiting the palace for a chat?" the nobleman asked. He introduced himself as a marquis from the Heaven Dou Palace.
Chen Xuan's eyes brightened. It seemed yesterday's match had attracted attention. Now, people were starting to take notice of him.
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