"Then this old man will wish the young master an early triumphant return!"
Zhang Peng spoke loudly, his voice filled with trust in Jiang Jue.
Jiang Jue met Zhang Peng's eyes, and in that silent exchange, everything was understood.
Both knew that the "triumphant return" referred not to victory in the ongoing Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament…
Afterward, Zhang Peng seemed to recall something, hesitated as though wanting to speak but stopping short.
Naturally, Jiang Jue could see his hesitation, so he asked first:
"Elder Zhang, is there something troubling you? If so, just say it."
"No, young master. It's just that that masked fellow wanted me to tell you—he followed the Sect Master to the Extreme North this time, made great contributions, and said that when you return, he'll treat you to spicy rabbit heads."
Zhang Peng tried to hold it back, but when the words left his mouth, even he couldn't help but laugh.
"Hahaha, Elder Yue…"
Jiang Jue chuckled. That masked man was indeed loyal.
After giving Zhang Peng a few more instructions, the latter turned back into a cloud of black mist and left—he still had other matters to handle.
"To hold the future in my own hands, I must walk this path alone."
Jiang Jue slowly walked to the window. Looking at the bright moon in the sky, his eyes grew deeper.
Knock, knock, knock!
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
Immediately after came a crisp young girl's voice:
"Jiang Jue, are you asleep?"
The moment he heard it, Jiang Jue knew it was Meng Hongchen.
"No, come in."
He casually pulled the curtains shut, walked to the door, and opened it.
Meng Hongchen stood upright at the door, holding some small snacks in her arms.
"Here, Jiang Jue, this is for you."
She took out a bag of snacks, handing it to him with a lively smile.
Jiang Jue smiled faintly, slipped an arm around her slender waist, and pulled her inside amid her surprised cry.
"Why suddenly come to me tonight instead of resting?"
"Tomorrow's the match. I'm too excited to sleep."
Meng Hongchen sat on Jiang Jue's lap, opened a bag of bean-like snacks, popped one into his mouth, then happily ate one herself.
As the fragrance of the young girl filled the air, Jiang Jue gently caressed her wine-red hair and spoke softly:
"What's there to be excited about? Didn't Elder Lin already say we hold the advantage?"
"Heehee, I know, but I can't help it."
"And… these past few days, I've felt uneasy, like something important is about to slip away from me…"
She shook her head, frowning slightly, her voice tinged with worry.
"Are a girl's instincts really that accurate?" Jiang Jue thought to himself, a little stunned.
"Jiang Jue-officer, you won't ever leave me, right?"
Hearing her expectant words, Jiang Jue instantly broke into a cold sweat.
"Probably not…"
"Hmm? What do you mean 'probably not'? Jiang Jue-officer, are you planning to abandon your General Meng?"
Her cherry lips pouted, her gaze pitiful and watery, as if tears might fall at any moment.
Jiang Jue suddenly realized—he could arrange everything perfectly in reality, but when it came to matters of the heart, he was far from adept.
Seeing his silence, Meng Hongchen slowly lowered her head and nestled against his broad chest, murmuring:
"Jiang Jue, I don't care what you're going to do, you must put your safety first, do you hear me?
"I don't care where you go—you must remember to come back. I'll always wait for you. I know you have a powerful enemy, so I've been training hard, hoping to help you. But… I still feel like I'm so far behind…"
Her murmured words grew uneven, betraying her emotions.
"Hmph! Jiang Jue, you're the one I, Meng Hongchen, chose. You will stand at the pinnacle of this world and defeat every one of your enemies, won't you?
"After all, ordinary people don't deserve my attention!"
She suddenly raised her small head, speaking proudly, though Jiang Jue could hear the faint sob in her tone.
"Hongchen…"
In that instant, as he looked at the girl in his arms, Jiang Jue felt a moment of daze.
Before him, Meng Hongchen had always appeared knowledgeable, sensible, almost like a little adult. But now, her eyes were red, faint tears glimmering within them.
"Alright, let's not talk about that. We have a bright future ahead! Come on, eat some snacks."
She pursed her lips, picked up a snack, and fed it to him again.
Watching him eat, she leaned once more into his embrace, her small head rubbing against his chest as though that was the only place she could feel safe.
That night, Meng Hongchen whispered on and on…
Until finally, whether from exhaustion or from cherishing that moment of warmth, she fell asleep in Jiang Jue's arms.
Looking at the girl resting on him, Jiang Jue felt a faint stir in his heart.
"So it seems… I'm not such a lonely man after all."
The next morning, under the faint glow of dawn—
In Star Luo City's arena, the atmosphere was already electric. Even before the final two teams appeared, the stands had split into two camps, hurling insults back and forth.
One side cheered for Shrek Academy, the other for Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.
"No matter what, we can't let the children fighting abroad for our nation lose their momentum, right everyone?!"
A bald old man shouted—it was clear he was from the Sun Moon Empire.
"Shrek Academy is the strongest! You lot should crawl back to where you came from!"
"Oh yeah? Shrek Academy, huh? Who even wants you? Do you even deserve it?"
"…"
Sometimes, lies don't hurt as much as the truth—a truth can cut like a blade.
After a brief silence, another wave of heated arguments erupted.
Though soldiers maintained order and neither side dared to start a fight, their mouths fired endlessly, spitting and cursing with the intensity of a battle.
"Silence!"
A heavy voice rang out as Huang Jinxu descended onto the stage.
But his face was clearly sour—once again, the exhausting job of referee had fallen to him.
And in Shrek Academy's waiting area, he even spotted someone casually munching on a chicken leg.
The closer it came to the finals, the fiercer the battles grew. Even he couldn't guarantee saving everyone in time.
But with his shout, the arena finally quieted down.
Still, both sides glared at one another, as though trying to kill with their eyes alone.
"The first match of the finals—team battle! Both teams, take the stage!"
As his words fell, the green-uniformed students of Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy ascended together.
"Jiang Jue, watch me perform!"
Xiao Hongchen whispered at Jiang Jue's side. Today, he had swapped into a dark brown hat, puffed up his chest, and proudly walked with the team onto the platform.
In his eyes, there was an unmistakable glint of excitement.
"This day—I've been waiting far too long for it!"
"My twin guns have been thirsting for battle!"
(End of Chapter)