Wang Feng dropped his body onto the bed in a relaxed motion, as if the tension from earlier had never existed. But his mind remained alert. He stared at the ceiling, letting the silence envelop him.
"Why am I only realizing this now?" he thought, trying to recall the small details he had overlooked all this time—Huo Yuhao always asking him to wait outside while he bathed, Wang Dong being reluctant to change clothes around him. All of it made perfect sense now.
He closed his eyes, trying to calm his thoughts. "If they went so far as to hide their identities, there must be a strong reason behind it."
However...
The problem now was: how should he act? All this time he had thought they were boys, so he had interacted freely without any awkwardness. But now, after learning that they were girls, Wang Feng found himself confused.
He let out a long sigh, then suddenly sat up and tried to change the subject in his mind.
"Oh right, how did your match go today? Did you win first place?"
"Of course!" Wang Dong replied quickly. "We always keep our promises. Unlike someone who promised to watch the match but disappeared instead." His tone was half teasing, half reproachful.
Wang Feng scratched his head in embarrassment. He quickly changed the topic. "So? What did you get for winning?"
"They'll distribute the prizes tomorrow," Huo Yuhao answered calmly. "But Sister Tang Ya said one of the prizes is that some students who meet the criteria might be promoted to core disciples of the Martial Soul Department."
Wang Feng nodded, trying to smile. "Impressive. You two really are amazing."
But deep down, he still felt awkward. "Should I keep my distance? Or act like usual? I don't even know where to start."
Huo Yuhao, more sensitive to the atmosphere, seemed to notice Wang Feng's change in demeanor. He narrowed his eyes slightly and asked gently, "Wang Feng, is something bothering you?"
Wang Feng was startled and quickly shook his head. "No, I'm just… thinking."
Wang Dong immediately crossed his arms. "Don't lie. You've been acting weird for a while. If something's wrong, just say it."
Wang Feng took another breath. He knew he couldn't avoid it forever. Finally, he spoke softly, "I'm just… confused. I didn't expect you two to actually be..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Silence filled the room for a moment. Then Huo Yuhao said calmly, "We had our reasons for hiding our identities. But... we're still your friends, right?"
Wang Dong chimed in, "Yeah! We're still the same people. You just learned a new fact, that's all. No need to act weird!"
Wang Feng looked at the two of them. Slowly, his expression softened, and a small smile formed on his lips. They were right. This truth didn't change who they were.
"Alright," he said at last. "Let's train together again tomorrow, okay?"
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong smiled. "Of course!"
For the first time since discovering their secret, Wang Feng felt a little lighter in his heart. Maybe, everything would be okay.
"Alright," he said at last. "Let's train together again tomorrow, okay?"
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong smiled. "Of course!"
For the first time since discovering their secret, Wang Feng felt a bit lighter in his heart. Maybe, everything would be alright.
However, unbeknownst to him, both of his friends were harboring feelings that went beyond mere friendship. In fact, because of a growing "threat," they had ultimately revealed their true identities to Wang Feng.
The night grew late. But the three of them still hadn't gone to sleep. Each one was lost in their own thoughts. Wang Feng slowly felt at ease after their earlier conversation, unaware of the subtle glances Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong exchanged with each other.
The next morning, the sun shone brightly. The surface of Poseidon Lake reflected the morning light, creating a soft mist that made the air around Shrek Academy feel both fresh and slightly damp.
All the new students who had passed the selection were gathered in Shrek Square, waiting for an important announcement.
Not long after, Du Weilun, the Director of Teaching for the Martial Soul Department, appeared before the students along with a dozen teachers. Among them, Huo Yuhao only recognized two: Teacher Zhou Yi, their homeroom teacher, and Teacher Wang Yan.
Du Weilun stood with a folder in hand, his gaze sweeping across the students with a faint smile.
"I'm sure all of you are aware that the new student assessment has concluded, and the top three teams have been decided. I will now officially announce them, along with the prizes they will receive."
He opened his folder.
"Third place goes to Team Huang Chutian. The members are Huang Chutian, Lan Susu, and Lan Luoluo. They stood out during the competition."
Sure enough, the team led by Huang Chutian—who had been defeated by Huo Yuhao's team—secured third place. Although they lost to Dai Huabin's team in the semifinals, they triumphed over Team Zhou Sichen in the battle for third place—thanks to the recovery of the twin sisters' fusion ability.
Led by Huang Chutian, the team stepped forward with eager expressions. Their achievement had far exceeded their expectations.
Applause broke out among the remaining first-year students, now reduced to just around 300—a drastic cut from the original number.
"Second place goes to Team Dai Huabin. The members are Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Cui Yajie. Please step forward."
Applause sounded once more. However, Dai Huabin's expression was different. His face was tense, his eyes slightly red, and his head lowered as if consumed by frustration or regret.
Du Weilun then paused for a moment and raised his voice a little louder.
"And now, please give a warm round of applause for the first-place winners of Shrek Academy's new student assessment: Team Huo Yuhao! The members are Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao."