Chapter 240: A Change in Their Gaze
In the narrow corridor, a delivery worker dressed in a yellow uniform with a swift swallow emblem and the words "Feiyan Express" approached. Interestingly, he was a Soul Master, and a rather strong one at that.
Feiyan Express was a courier organization founded by the Sensitive Clan, specializing in delivering goods after all, their defining trait was speed. If they didn't leverage their speed for deliveries, it would be a waste of their talent.
Besides handling official deliveries for White Cloud City, Feiyan Express occasionally took orders from local merchants, transporting goods to other regions. With soul storage devices allowing them to carry large quantities effortlessly, Feiyan Express quickly built a reputation.
In just a short time, even without government subsidies, the Sensitive Clan found a stable income source, lifting themselves out of poverty.
Currently, this delivery worker was responsible for delivering admission letters to students of White Cloud Academy. A crucial task and as a top tier courier, he was honored to be entrusted with it.
After arriving at Lijing Grand Hotel, he observed the cramped, dirty surroundings, littered with trash and a lingering stench.
The courier frowned.
He had already delivered dozens of acceptance letters mostly to students staying in high end hotels or proper guesthouses.
This was the first time he had seen someone staying in such a rundown place.
"Seriously? How cheap can you be?"
Still, it wasn't his problem.
His job was to deliver the package, so after checking with the hotel manager, he made his way up the stairs to the second floor, stopping in front of two opposite facing rooms.
Since he wasn't sure which room belonged to the recipient, he raised his voice and called out:
"Excuse me, is Mr. Oscar here? I'm a courier delivering your admission letter."
Seconds later
Both doors swung open, revealing six people stepping out.
Scanning the group, the courier quickly dismissed the three older men, focusing instead on the three younger ones.
"Which one of you is Oscar?" he asked politely.
"Me! Me!"
Oscar raised his hand excitedly, squeezing past Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai to stand before the courier, his hands trembling with anticipation.
"Here is your admission letter."
The courier double checked Oscar's identity against the photo from his application, then handed him the letter and a small package, saying:
"Congratulations on being admitted to White Cloud Academy."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Oscar's voice quivered with joy, his heart overflowing with disbelief.
A Food type Soul Master… actually got accepted?
Looking back at the overwhelming talent among the applicants, he had little hope of getting in.
Compared to Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, he assumed he stood no chance.
Yet, fate had smiled upon him.
"Nice going, Oscar!"
Dai Mubai patted his shoulder, offering his congratulations.
Meanwhile, the courier turned to leave
But before he could take two steps, Ma Hongjun panicked.
"Wait! Hold on!"
He quickly called out:
"What about our admission letters?! You haven't given us ours yet!"
The courier paused, flipping through his logbook.
After a moment, he shook his head.
"Apologies, but I don't have admission letters for either of you."
With that, he turned and left.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun stood frozen.
…What?
How is this possible?!
Even Oscar, a non combatant, got accepted
But they didn't?!
What kind of nonsense was this?!
Their expressions darkened as they turned to stare at Oscar.
However, lost in his own excitement, Oscar failed to notice their change in demeanor.
"Hahaha! Well done, Oscar!"
Flender laughed heartily, walking over and slapping Oscar's back so hard it nearly sent him tumbling.
Even though his shoulder stung, Oscar's joy overshadowed the pain.
Yu Xiaogang and Zhao Wuji also gathered around, showering him with praise and encouragement.
Meanwhile
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun stood awkwardly on the side, feeling completely ignored.
Their resentment grew.
All this time, they had been the academy's center of attention
Oscar was just a support type Soul Master, a side character in their story of greatness.
And now?
He had stepped over them?
If not for the fact that they still needed Oscar to steal the Condensation Ring Method, they would've beaten him up already.
Did they need a reason?
No.
Not daring to stir trouble is cowardice that was Shrek Academy's motto, and both of them had embraced it to the core.
Back in Their Room
The six of them squeezed into one tiny room, making the already cramped space even worse.
Yu Xiaogang frowned and said:
"Flender, I've been meaning to ask why did you book such a small hotel?"
"Oh, come on! A Soul Master shouldn't be picky!"
Flender waved dismissively, pretending to be carefree.
But in his mind, he thought:
"We're on a budget, damn it!"
Proper hotels charged outrageous prices
One gold soul coin per night for a single room!
Might as well rob me!
As the academy's funds were limited, he had to save wherever possible.
And besides, their real purpose wasn't to enjoy luxury
It was to enroll, steal the Condensation Ring Method, and boost Shrek Academy's reputation.
Naturally, students wouldn't be paying out of pocket.
That meant Flender had to cover all expenses himself
So cutting costs was necessary.
"Cheapskate."
Yu Xiaogang, Zhao Wuji, and the others glanced at him knowingly.
They weren't fooled for a second
Flender's penny pinching was legendary.
"Oscar, open the package!"
Flender quickly changed the subject, eager to distract them.
"Alright!"
Oscar set down his admission letter and opened the small box
Inside was a sleek, rectangular device.
Picking up the instruction manual, he began reading carefully…
As he familiarized himself with the phone's capabilities, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's expressions darkened further.
Their eyes burned with envy.
And bit by bit
That envy turned into resentment.
(End of Chapter)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/cortez10