*[Ding! Side Quest Completed.]*
*[Reward Obtained: Slave Collar]*
*Item: Slave Collar*
*Effect:* Once equipped on a target, any of the user's actions will be deemed reasonable and forgiven.
*Note:* The collar cannot be removed once worn, and it does not work on the protagonist Tang San or the heroine Xiao Wu.
When Tang Hao saw Meng Bei leave, he panicked. At that moment, everything Meng Bei had said, reasonable or not, ceased to matter. The notion of forcing an apology was discarded entirely.
All he could think of was how integral Meng Bei was to the Shrek Seven Devils. Shrek couldn't afford to lose him!
Ning Rongrong's gaze swept across the group coldly.
"If Meng Bei leaves, I leave too!" she declared before striding off to follow him.
Xiao Wu glanced back at the Shrek Academy members, her gaze lingering on Tang San. There was hesitation in her heart, but not for long.
"I'll go talk to Meng Bei," she said, quickly following after him.
Tang San reached out, trying to stop her, but could only sigh deeply as she slipped away.
In mere moments, the Shrek Seven Devils were fractured.
The remaining members turned their eyes to the Master, who felt utterly humiliated.
"How did it come to this?" he muttered to himself.
Meanwhile, not far from the academy, Meng Bei was walking down the street with Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong on either side of him, holding hands.
Ning Rongrong, displeased with the sight of Xiao Wu, glared.
"Let go! Why are you holding Meng Bei's hand?"
Xiao Wu shot back defiantly.
"And why shouldn't I? You're holding his hand too!"
"I'm his girlfriend!" Ning Rongrong declared loudly, as if to assert her claim.
Xiao Wu didn't back down, thinking to herself, Girlfriend? That doesn't mean much.
"Ha! Girlfriend? Well, I'm his older sister!" she retorted, leaning playfully against Meng Bei.
Ning Rongrong's face flushed with anger.
"You shameless rabbit!"
"Enough, stop arguing. I'm thinking about what to do next," Meng Bei said, giving each of them a light smack. Both girls blushed, falling silent.
Meng Bei was deep in thought, considering his next move.
The system's new quest demanded he reunite the Shrek Seven Devils. Although failing the quest carried no punishment, the reward of two levels of spirit power was tempting enough to pursue.
Returning to Shrek was inevitable, but it had to be done carefully. If he simply went back willingly, he'd be seen as weak. A plan was needed.
Master, Shrek, Tang San… he pondered.
What's the best approach?
In the shadows, a hooded figure watched the trio on the street with interest.
"Interesting. It seems a lot has happened in my absence," the figure murmured.
That evening, Meng Bei rented a hotel room for himself, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong. While lying in bed, he continued to strategize when a voice suddenly pierced the silence, resonating directly in his ears.
"Come out!"
The voice carried a powerful aura, accompanied by a mental shockwave. Meng Bei felt a sharp pain in his ears, blood trickling down.
"This kind of power…" Meng Bei instantly knew who it was.
The system confirmed his suspicion:
*[Ding! Side Quest Triggered!]*
*[Side Quest: Tang Hao's Wrath]*
*Description:* Tang Hao, the father of Tang San, has discovered your deception in posing as Xiao Wu's brother. Fortunately, he is unaware of your deeper involvement with Xiao Wu. Apologize sincerely to earn Tang Hao's forgiveness.
*Difficulty:* Hard
*Reward:* God-given Spirit Ring
Meng Bei's expression shifted as he processed the quest.
Gripping his cyan-gold staff, the Heaven Measuring Ruler, his aura surged. The ruler's power suppressed the overwhelming pressure in the air.
Exiting the hotel, Meng Bei found himself face-to-face with a hooded figure standing in the shadows.
A hoarse voice emanated from the figure.
"I hear you're Xiao Wu's brother?"
The killing intent that followed was suffocating. Tang Hao, possessing the Killing God Domain, wielded his murderous aura with precision, attempting to shatter Meng Bei's composure and uncover the truth about his relationship with Xiao Wu.
Although Meng Bei felt tense under the pressure of a Title Douluo, the Heaven Measuring Ruler allowed him to withstand it.
In the past, Meng Bei might have dropped to his knees, begging for forgiveness and pledging loyalty to the Tang family to save his life. But now, he had newfound confidence.
"That's right. I'm Xiao Wu's brother," Meng Bei replied calmly.
Tang Hao sneered. No one knew Xiao Wu's true identity better than he did. Meng Bei's claim was a blatant lie, but Tang Hao refrained from exposing him immediately.
"Is that so? Strange. You don't seem to share any blood relation with her," Tang Hao said, probing further.
Meng Bei answered smoothly, "You're correct. We're not related by blood. Emotional bonds are what make us siblings, aren't they?"
"What?" Tang Hao's voice rose, his composure cracking.
The implications of Meng Bei's words were clear: their relationship was far from platonic. Tang Hao's mind raced as he realized the ten-thousand-year spirit beast he had been safeguarding for Tang San had been claimed by someone else.
"You dare to deceive Tang San and act behind his back?!" Tang Hao's killing intent solidified, his resolve to kill Meng Bei growing stronger.
Meng Bei remained unfazed.
"Deceive? Not at all," he replied innocently.
"You must be Uncle Tang Hao. Don't worry. Even though Xiao Wu and I are together, this won't affect my relationship with Tang San. If Tang San likes Xiao Wu, he can quietly support us. I'm generous like that—I won't mind."
Tang Hao's eyes widened in disbelief, his face contorting with fury.
"Utter nonsense!" he roared, summoning the Clear Sky Hammer.
Nine spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—lit up, radiating an oppressive force.
Tang Hao's rage boiled over as he raised the hammer, ready to strike.
But just as he was about to bring it down, Meng Bei calmly produced a black collar from his storage space.
Time seemed to freeze.
---
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