"Me, apologize to Meng Bei—a junior? Impossible!"
The Master glared at Tang San, rejecting his plea outright.
The Master acknowledged that barging into Meng Bei's room unannounced had been wrong, and it was unfortunate timing that he had caught Ning Rongrong there as well. He even felt a twinge of guilt about the incident.
But he was a senior! How could he lower himself to apologize to a junior like Meng Bei?
Since Meng Bei's departure, the Master had taken time to reflect. He concluded that the issue wasn't entirely his fault.
Was it really all my doing? he thought. Weren't both of us at fault?
The Master believed Meng Bei had overreacted by attacking first, making his mistake worse. Yet now, everyone was pointing fingers at him.
Feeling this was unfair, but unable to pinpoint why, the Master shared his thoughts with Tang San, his most prized disciple, hoping for clarity.
"Do you think Meng Bei deliberately magnified my mistakes to shift the blame onto me?"
Tang San, however, wasn't concerned with who was right or wrong.
All he wanted was for the Master to apologize to Meng Bei and bring Xiao Wu back. He couldn't bear the pain of losing her—nothing else mattered.
"Teacher, can't you think of the bigger picture? What's wrong with apologizing to Meng Bei? Does it really matter who's right, who's wrong, or who's the senior or junior?"
Tang San's voice was tinged with desperation.
The Master's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Xiao San, do you even realize what you're saying?"
"Does my reputation mean nothing to you? If Meng Bei wants to leave Shrek, then let him go! Shrek doesn't need Meng Bei to survive!"
The Master's fury was evident.
Tang San clenched his fists tightly. For the second time, he felt a growing dissatisfaction with his teacher.
The first time had been during the battle with the Emperor Team when the Master had reassigned his opponent from Dugu Yan to Yu Tianheng.
That fight had left Tang San badly injured. Despite his victory, achieved by trading blows and relying on the Eight Spider Lances, he had felt the Master's strategy was flawed.
He believed that if he had been allowed to face Dugu Yan, he could have defeated her swiftly without the prolonged struggle he endured against Yu Tianheng.
That was the first time he questioned the Master's capabilities.
Now, watching the Master stubbornly refuse to apologize to Meng Bei, Tang San felt a second wave of dissatisfaction.
Meng Bei wasn't important to Shrek?
Without Meng Bei, Shrek wouldn't have stood a chance against the Emperor Team.
And without you, Yu Xiaogang, Shrek might've performed even better.
Meng Bei was also Xiao Wu's brother, practically making him Tang San's family.
Was a simple apology too much to ask? Couldn't the Master make a small concession for his sake?
Tang San was deeply frustrated.
Without another word, he left the Master's quarters.
Behind him, the Master's voice echoed, full of indignation.
"Xiao San, where are you going? Do you really think I'm wrong?!"
The next morning, Meng Bei hired a carriage and prepared to leave Soto City with Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu.
Tang Hao, disguised as a coachman, held the reins.
"Hyah!"
"Meng Bei, wait!"
A voice called out from behind.
Meng Bei turned to see Tang San riding toward them on horseback.
"Meng Bei, I'm coming with you!"
Tang San's voice was resolute.
The previous night, after leaving the Master, he had wrestled with his emotions. Xiao Wu's image kept appearing in his mind.
Just one day apart, and he already missed her terribly. The thought of never seeing her again was unbearable.
How could he let Xiao Wu go?
Compared to Xiao Wu, Shrek Academy meant little to him.
He had only joined Shrek at the Master's insistence. Leaving wasn't a problem—his real dilemma was choosing between the teacher who had guided him for six years and Xiao Wu, who had been by his side for the same amount of time.
In the end, Tang San made his decision.
Xiao Wu.
The next morning, without hesitation, he went to the hotel where Meng Bei was staying.
Learning from the hotel staff that they had already left, Tang San immediately gave chase, catching up with their carriage just in time.
"Welcome, Third Brother!"
Meng Bei grinned and pulled Tang San aboard.
*[System Notification]*
Special situation detected. The protagonist Tang San has left Shrek.
*[Task Update]*
- Side Quest: Shrek's Unity → Side Quest: Shrek's Reconstruction
- Description: Due to your actions, Tang San has left Shrek Academy. Rebuild the Shrek team from scratch.
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Reward: Spirit Power +5 levels.
"So, I've become the real deal?"
Meng Bei smirked inwardly.
According to the system, Tang San's departure had turned Meng Bei's team into the new, authentic Shrek. The Master's Shrek Academy was now just a counterfeit.
What an unexpected twist!
Meng Bei invited Tang San onto the carriage. As Tang San climbed aboard, he couldn't shake the feeling that the coachman looked strangely familiar.
Dismissing it as coincidence, he joined the others.
The large, enclosed carriage had enough space for four people to sit or even sleep comfortably.
However, Xiao Wu's expression darkened.
Tang San assumed she was still upset with the Master and tried to console her. But in truth, Xiao Wu was worried about Meng Bei's promise.
Only one day of their promised week had passed, and now that Tang San had joined them, continuing the arrangement seemed impossible. Would Meng Bei back out of his promise later?
Xiao Wu was anxious.
Meng Bei noticed her unease and casually placed one arm around Ning Rongrong while slipping his other hand under Xiao Wu's shorts.
Due to their seating arrangement, Tang San couldn't see what was happening.
Still, he kept talking, trying to defend the Master.
"Xiao Wu, don't hold a grudge against the teacher. You know how stubborn he can be."
As Tang San spoke, Xiao Wu's face grew redder and redder until it seemed she might melt.
And so, the carriage continued its journey toward Heaven Dou City.
Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy, the Master had gathered the students for training early in the morning.
But Tang San was nowhere to be seen.
Concerned, the Master went to Tang San's residence.
Having learned his lesson from the incident with Meng Bei, he patiently knocked on the door and waited for over fifteen minutes.
Yet the house was empty.
Finally, he found a letter addressed to him.
*To My Respected Teacher:*
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