dmims Chapter 4: Registration fee of 1 Bronze Soul Coin, are you doing charity?
Chapter 4: Registration fee of 1 Bronze Soul Coin, are you doing charity?
The following morning, Soto.
Today is Shrek Academy's student recruitment day. It only happens once a year, and if you miss it, you'll have to wait until next year.
So before dawn, many parents had already brought their children to wait at the college gate to register.
But today... the atmosphere is a bit off.
"What... what's going on?"
A middle-aged man stood in the middle of the street with a boy of about ten years old, looking left and right, completely bewildered.
To his left was the dilapidated Shrek Academy, its wooden archway crooked and leaning precariously. A broken plaque, seemingly about to fall, hung above it, bearing the words "Shrek Academy," and in front of it was a distinctively ugly green monster head.
An elderly man in his sixties sat by the door, leaning on a long cane, his eyes half-closed, looking indifferent.
To his right, across the street, was a brand-new academy with a sign that read "Shrek Academy" that looked quite impressive.
Two people stood at the door. One looked somewhat thin, but had bright, piercing eyes, a high nose, and long, lake-blue hair. The other person next to him was a boy with short, golden hair who exuded a bright aura.
The two of them just stood there, and without saying a word, they had already won.
"Two...Shrek Academys?"
The middle-aged man rubbed his eyes hard, thinking he was seeing things.
The other parents around him had the same reaction, looking at each other and whispering amongst themselves.
"Why are there two Shrek Academys?"
Which one is real?
"I heard Shrek Academy is really powerful, but that one on the left... it's so shabby!"
"The one on the right looks impressive, but I've never heard of it. Is it newly opened?"
Li Yusong sat at the door, listening to the discussions, and sneered.
He knew the sign for the college across the street had only been put up yesterday, but he didn't pay it any mind.
"Just a fake."
Li Yusong thought to himself.
"A pirated copy will always be a pirated copy, and a genuine copy will always be a genuine copy. The difference cannot be taken away by a name alone."
He knew Shrek Academy's true strength all too well. Although the academy was dilapidated, it collected a lot of money, and Dean Flander was incredibly stingy, Shrek Academy was truly capable.
Not to mention, Shrek Academy also has a recommendation from the local Spirit Hall, which isn't something just anyone can get. (Chapter 77 of the original novel mentions that the Spirit Hall confirmed Shrek Academy was known for offering graduates the title of Imperial Viscount.)
"Once Dean Flander returns, we'll extort him thoroughly. Daring to open a school with the same name right across from us—isn't that just asking for trouble?"
Li Yusong squinted and glanced at the person opposite him.
Thinking of this, he lazily called out.
"Those who have registered, come and line up!"
"Registration fee: ten gold soul coins. Just put them in the box over there."
Ten Gold Soul Coins.
When this number was announced, many parents' expressions changed. Ten gold soul coins are no small amount for a family.
But... look at this dilapidated academy gate, and then look at that plaque that's about to fall off...
"Is this really Shrek Academy?"
A plump woman dressed in silk clothes frowned and looked Li Yusong up and down.
"Teacher, we came all this way because we heard about Shrek Academy's reputation, but... this doesn't look like it at all?"
Li Yusong didn't even lift his eyelids.
Believe it or not.
The plump woman choked for a moment, her face turning pale, but she dared not retaliate. The boy next to her tugged at her sleeve and whispered something.
"Mother, how about... we go take a look across the street?"
The plump woman hesitated for a moment, then turned to look across the street.
When Wu Changkong and Le Zhengyu stood there, one with an otherworldly air and the other with radiant brilliance, they both seemed more reliable than this old man in his sixties.
Many parents were tempted and began to move towards the other side.
Li Yusong frowned.
He glanced to his side and saw that Dai Mubai, who was supposed to help maintain order, was not there today.
I heard he was beaten up yesterday, with several bruises all over his body. He also got into a fight with a second-ring Soul Master, and then spent the whole night messing around with some twins. He can't even get out of bed today.
Li Yusong cursed, then looked at another person.
Oscars.
"Xiao Ao, come over and help keep an eye on things."
Oscar was hiding in the shade of a tree, munching on a cucumber. When he heard Li Yusong call him, he quickly swallowed it in a few bites and ran over.
"Here it comes, here it comes."
He stood next to Li Yusong, looked at the brand-new college across the street, then at his own dilapidated gate, and his lips twitched.
"…Professor Li, what are your plans regarding that college across the street?"
Oscar asked in a low voice.
Li Yusong snorted coldly.
"No rush, let them make the first move."
Oscar opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he kept it closed.
He glanced at the hesitant parents, then at the two admissions officers opposite him, and felt that this matter... was not so simple.
And at this moment, across the street.
Wu Changkong's gaze swept over the hesitant parents and students, his expression calm and showing no emotional fluctuation.
Le Zhengyu stood beside him, his short golden hair meticulously combed with hair wax, and a perfectly timed smile on his face.
"We are from Shrek Academy. Our academy is a place to train monsters. As long as you pass the exam, you can enter Shrek Academy to study. The registration fee is one copper soul coin. We do not want the monsters that can grow up to be restricted by money."
One bronze soul coin.
Compared to the ten gold soul coins on the other side, this is simply mind-boggling.
"One...one copper soul coin?"
The fat woman from before stared wide-eyed, and her voice changed.
"You're not mistaken, are you?"
Le Zhengyu smiled and shook his head.
"That's right. As long as you complete the academy's tasks and contribute to the academy, your tuition will be waived, your room and board will be covered, and you'll have access to specialized training facilities and instructors."
The plump woman gasped.
The boy next to her had his eyes light up and tugged hard at her clothes.
"Mom! This is it! I want this one!"
Not only them, but almost all the parents were excited.
Ten gold soul coins are not something everyone can afford, but one bronze soul coin... is something almost everyone can afford.
"This is what a real academy should be like!"
"Yeah, those ten gold soul coins over there are all tattered and worn out. Who knows if they're scammers?"
"But... is this really reliable? Could there be some kind of trap hidden in a single copper soul coin?"
"Are you stupid?! Even if it's a trap, can you afford to lose a single copper soul coin? They're offering ten gold soul coins!"
The discussion grew louder and louder, increasingly focusing on the other side of the street.
Li Yusong's expression grew increasingly grim.
His fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the long stick, his knuckles turning white.
"Stealing business?"
He gritted his teeth and lowered his voice.
"This is blatant stealing of business..."
He originally thought that the fake Shrek Academy was just a joke, and that parents would naturally choose the real one when the real enrollment day arrived.
After all, Shrek Academy has a reputation, and a recommendation from the Spirit Hall isn't something you can just get easily.
But to his surprise, the other party offered one copper soul coin.
One bronze soul coin.
This is no longer doing business; this is doing charity.
No, this is disrupting the event.
Li Yusong knew he couldn't just sit and wait to die; otherwise, if Flander returned, he would definitely cause him trouble.
Just then, a clear voice came from outside the crowd.
"Third Brother, which Shrek Academy did Master send us to?"
A girl in a pink dress stood on the side of the street, her hair styled in a long scorpion braid, her big eyes filled with confusion.
Standing next to her was a young man who looked to be about the same age as her, with delicate features and a gentle demeanor.
It was Xiao Wu and Tang San.
The two had just arrived from Nottingham City, following Master Yu Xiaogang's instructions, to report to Shrek Academy in Soto City.