Chapter 37: Exposure

"This child's beast form is indistinguishable," a rather reticent teacher remarked, pointing out a detail they had all overlooked.

Everyone present was stunned.

The principal realized with a start, "That's right! What is this child's beast form?"

It was common knowledge that the physical appearance of a Federation Orc was inextricably linked to their beast form. Yet, looking at Xiao Ningxue’s face, one could discern no trace of what her beast form might be.

The teacher who had been silenced speculated:

In any case, they had long since prepared themselves mentally; the journey ahead would surely be fraught with danger and riddled with difficulties, and they could not let their own presence become a burden to everyone else.

Bai Lingge and the proprietress in the green dress lifted the girl Meilaofu onto Black Lingge’s back. Black Lingge carried the unfortunate employer into the back room, dabbed some alcohol on her forehead, and waited for her to slowly regain consciousness.

Black droplets splattered onto the arena floor with a sizzling sound; the potent, corrosive poison had no choice but to vent itself upon the ground.

Huan-Ting, her gait increasingly aged, noticed a purple thread hanging around Suolang’s neck. She asked him what it was, but Suolang himself had not realized when such a thing had come to be around his neck. Tied to the purple thread was an apricot-colored cloth pouch. He tugged it off and found a strip of fabric inside.

She had never craved for others to worship her or sing her praises, but she was equally unwilling to be wantonly smeared with dirt or saddled with false charges. She did not wish to carry an unearned reputation nor bear, without cause, a burden as heavy as Mount Tai.

Shi Quan finally understood that the intruder was Chen Xing, the City Lord’s third son. It was no wonder he dared to act so brazenly; no outsider would have the audacity to poison other contestants here.

"Father, did you call for me?" Luoya sat on the sofa beside the desk, pouring himself a cup of tea without waiting for an invitation.

"Blood tears! No, that’s not right—they aren't flowing from the blood-red eyes!" While grappling with another tentacle, Shi Quan kept his focus on the state of the Blood-Eyed Ink Toad.

"It’s been ready for a while. Afraid it would get cold, I put the food in a large pot. Sister, why are you so late? You know, Dad was waiting eagerly at the village entrance. He didn't come home until six. He even thought you might not be returning today."

He recognized this wizard as someone specifically dispatched by Visken County to investigate the whereabouts of Huan-Ting; she was clutching a registry in her hand.

Ordering two cups of tea and four strips of sliced green radish, Wang Haoming lay back contentedly on the wooden platform. He seemed to have returned to the old bathhouses of a dozen years ago, his thoughts drifting aimlessly.

Old hands in the business world like Uncle Zhou would never let personal relationships interfere when it came to pricing.

"Done!" Zhao Zixian pulled the first piece of wild rabbit from the campfire and brought it to his nose, sniffing it with an expression of pure enjoyment. The aroma surged from the rabbit like a tide, wafting in every direction.

Shrapnel from the exploded box struck Xuan Shao’s back, and the scent of scorched fabric permeated the air.

Watching the arrogant, holier-than-thou demeanor of Mr. Zhu, the homeroom teacher of Class 9, Grade 12, as he walked through the grade office every day, they felt a gnawing hatred. But there was nothing to be done; such a slap in the face, no matter who it happened to, would feel deeply infuriating.

Above the main entrance of the hot pot restaurant, between the second and third floors, a massive LED screen was broadcasting television news.

In Haikou, his word was law. Immediately after he and Su Zhi departed, officials arrived to seal the club.

On one side was her only blood relative, and on the other, the person she respected most; yet, the content of their conversation revealed far too much information.

She knew that given her current relationship with Yanyu, if there were no benefit to be gained, Yanyu would never have taken such a huge risk to fish her out of the palace. She possessed at least that much self-awareness.

"Still sharp-tongued when death is at your door—truly a madman!" Seeing Xie Bi insulted, Huang Yun could not help but interject, her voice icy.