Chapter 28 The Necessary Reasons
Ning Hao's smile remained unchanged as he gazed at the letter wrapped in yellow paper in front of him.
His eyes narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable.
"Since it is a letter from Senior Yan, I, Ning, will certainly read it carefully."
As he spoke, he leaned forward and took the letter from Zhang Lexuan's hand.
At the same time, he subtly kept an eye on her out of the corner of his eye, preparing to take this opportunity to confirm his guess.
Sure enough, the moment the envelope left her hand, Ning Hao clearly sensed a subtle change in the person in front of him.
The smile was no longer stiff and forced.
The previously tense shoulders suddenly relaxed slightly.
The brows that had unconsciously furrowed due to worry began to ease.
Judging from her demeanor, it was as if the task was accomplished the moment the letter was delivered, which brought her visible relief.
'It seems Shrek Academy isn't a monolithic entity after all...'
'Hmph, some people are inherently good; they won't be easily swayed.'
Having received the answer he expected, Ning Hao withdrew his gaze, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the yellow paper envelope.
'In that case, Xiao Huan's previous idea might be worth implementing.'
Even if they gain nothing, it's still worthwhile if it can disgust Shrek.
In an instant, countless thoughts raced through his mind.
The plan, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, gradually took shape.
In order to avoid Zhang Lexuan noticing anything amiss, he opened the envelope without the slightest pause.
He then multitasked, unfolding the letter in front of everyone.
However, Ning Hao couldn't help but burst out laughing after just one glance.
"Oh..."
"As expected of Dean Yan. Come here, Uncle Jian, take a look too."
Sword Douluo was very curious upon seeing this.
He immediately pinched the letter between two fingers and read ten lines at a glance.
As expected, the contents of the letter were not much different from what he had anticipated.
Most of it was merely polite talk and not worth taking seriously.
The remaining content was a mixture of metaphors and probing questions, every word filled with hypocrisy meant to build rapport.
After reading most of it, Sword Douluo suddenly felt puzzled.
'Could it be that this is what made the sect leader laugh out loud?'
However, when he saw the words "shared destiny," his doubts were finally resolved.
"Sect Leader, this wording..."
"Mmm... that's quite nice."
"Haha, doesn't it feel like stepping back in time?"
Seeing Ning Hao laugh loudly, yet with no trace of amusement in his eyes, Sword Douluo subconsciously shuddered.
If he remembered correctly, every time the former laughed so happily, it meant someone was about to be in trouble.
'Shrek, Shrek, do you really have to make everyone hate you?'
'Oh, their school motto seems to be "Those who dare not cause trouble are mediocre"...'
'It seems practice makes perfect.'
After making a few internal complaints, Sword Douluo glanced at Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo, who were sitting there restlessly, and sighed.
How did these two perfectly good girls end up in Shrek's hands?
On the other side, the sudden shift in atmosphere made Zhang Lexuan nervous, her hands clenched tightly.
She didn't actually know what was written in the letter.
She couldn't understand why Ning Hao would suddenly laugh so loudly.
But at this moment, she was absolutely certain of one thing.
That letter definitely contained words that the person in front of her did not want to see—words that could even damage the relationship between the two sides.
Therefore, she knew she had to do something quickly.
Unfortunately...
She never got the chance.
"Rather..."
"It's getting late. Please stay at Jiubao Academy for the night."
As he spoke, Ning Hao, with an attitude that brooked no refusal, casually pressed a button on the table.
The next second, four beautiful maids filed in and stood on either side of Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo.
"Besides, you two should give me some time to prepare a reply, right?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lexuan had no room to refuse.
Besides, they were indeed exhausted, and staying here to rest was far safer than being outside.
"In that case, we two juniors will trouble you."
"Yes, you should both get some rest. I will personally see you off tomorrow."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Lexuan gave Ning Hao, whose smile remained unchanged, a deep look.
Then, taking the somewhat bewildered Han Ruoruo's hand, they quickly left the reception room under the guidance of a maid.
...
After a short while, when there was no more sound in the building, Sword Douluo stepped forward and spoke softly:
"Sect Master, will Shrek's actions affect our upcoming plans?"
Ning Hao pondered for a moment, then calmly shook his head.
"Not for at least four years."
"Four years? Why... does the Sect Master mean the next Soul Fighting Tournament?"
"Yes, this is a hurdle we cannot avoid."
Looking out the window at the setting sun gradually sinking in the west, his tone became somewhat helpless.
"Even if the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Academy has no intention of competing, Shrek Academy will use various methods to force us to participate."
"After all, in Shrek's eyes, that stage belongs solely to them."
"Using the outcome of the Soul Fighting Tournament to suppress a newly emerging academy is simply the most convenient method."
Sword Douluo's expression turned grim.
Their original intention had been to conceal their strength and keep a low profile.
But then he thought of that troublesome genius junior within their sect.
With Ning Huan's temperament—someone who responds only to reason but never to coercion—there was no way he would tolerate Shrek Academy's actions.
"Isn't there any other way to delay it for a few more years?"
"Certainly..."
"Sigh, just as I expected..."
"There is!"
"This old man... wait? There is?!"
Seeing Sword Douluo's astonished expression, Ning Hao couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth slightly, a hint of anticipation appearing on his face.
"Just wait. Xiao Huan won't disappoint us."
"Some things are better left for the younger generation to resolve themselves."
After saying that, he silently added in his heart:
'Perhaps... the outcome will come sooner than expected...'
...
It was late at night, and the moon and stars were sparse.
Zhang Lexuan leaned against the headboard, constantly recalling what she had seen and heard that afternoon, unable to fall asleep.
The night outside the window grew deeper, and the confusion she had forcibly suppressed quietly returned to her heart.
"Would things be different if the dean and the others had come today?"
"Sigh, what are those elders thinking?"
"Why can't I understand..."
Feeling frustrated, she suddenly had the urge to take a walk.
After all, Ning Hao had already given his approval.
So Zhang Lexuan put on her outer clothes.
Then she quietly slipped out of the lavishly decorated guesthouse.
"The night and its tranquility suit me better."
The moonlight poured down like clear water, instantly washing away some of the girl's worries.
Walking along the quiet path bathed in starlight, the soft sound of footsteps echoed gently.
Suddenly, a brightly lit five-story building in the distance caught her attention.
"Huh? That's... a library?"
"The academy isn't open yet, so who would be there?"
Driven by curiosity, Zhang Lexuan unconsciously walked toward it.
By the time she came to her senses, she had already stepped into the softly lit first-floor hall.
Tap, tap, tap...
"Who goes there!"
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