Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

Night had fallen on the streets of Heaven Dou City.

A chubby boy dressed in red and a tall, blond man with wicked eyes were walking side by side. These two were none other than Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai, who had just left the male dormitory of the Blue Tyrant Academy.

"Boss Dai, it's been a long time since we had some fun together. Tonight, I need to release this evil fire inside me," Ma Hongjun said with a lecherous smile plastered across his face.

"You're still as impatient as ever, Fatty." Dai Mubai shook his head slightly and said nonchalantly, "Heaven Dou City is the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire. The women here are much better than those worthless ones in Suotuo City. You'll see soon enough how your big brother Dai conquers them."

"Boss Dai, are you really planning to give up on Zhu Zhuqing?" Ma Hongjun, dressed in oversized shorts and flip-flops, showed a glimmer of perversion in his eyes as he mentioned Zhu Zhuqing's name.

"Fatty, I suggest you don't think about her," Dai Mubai snorted coldly. "Even if I break up with that woman, Zhu Zhuqing, she's not someone you can defile. One day, when I get stronger, I'll make her regret ever rejecting me."

"Heh heh, you mean make her submit, right?" Ma Hongjun's face visibly reddened due to the evil fire inside him, which had clouded his judgment and made his thoughts increasingly erratic.

At that moment, Ning Rongrong suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Dai Tiger, Fatty, have you seen Oscar?" she asked.

Both Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were momentarily stunned by her sudden appearance. Due to the evil fire in him, Ma Hongjun's eyes now gleamed with desire as he looked at her. Dai Mubai, on the other hand, spoke with clear impatience, "How should I know where Oscar is? Why don't you ask Tang San?"

"I couldn't find Tang San, so I came to ask you two." Ning Rongrong frowned. For some reason, she felt that Ma Hongjun was looking at her oddly, but she brushed off the feeling. Originally, she had planned to recruit Oscar to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan since, as a talented support-type soul master, his joining another faction would be a significant loss for them.

"If you don't know, fine. But if you see Oscar, tell him I'm looking for him." Unable to get any answers, Ning Rongrong waved her hand dismissively and turned to leave.

However, as she was about to walk away, Ma Hongjun quickly called out, "Hey, Rongrong, I know where Oscar is. I can take you to him."

His words not only made Ning Rongrong stop in her tracks but also left Dai Mubai puzzled. After all, the two of them had just left the dormitory together and hadn't seen Oscar go anywhere. So how could Ma Hongjun know where he was? As Dai Mubai pondered this, he realized that Ma Hongjun's claim was obviously a lie. This fat guy didn't know where Oscar was—he just wanted to release his evil fire, and the target was most likely Ning Rongrong.

Dai Mubai had no particular fondness for Ning Rongrong either. He especially resented her after a past incident when she had mocked him following a failed attempt to chase Zhu Zhuqing. As these memories resurfaced, Dai Mubai's gaze toward Ning Rongrong also grew more malicious.

Though Ning Rongrong might have a bad temper, one couldn't deny that she had an attractive figure. While she didn't quite measure up to Zhu Zhuqing, she was more than enough for the likes of Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, who often reveled in the company of street women.

"Fatty, are you sure about this?" Ning Rongrong asked with a puzzled look, still keeping her distance from them. Though she didn't immediately sense anything wrong due to the night's cover, she still felt a bit suspicious and remained on guard.

"Heh heh, Rongrong, we're teammates, part of the Shrek Seven Devils." Ma Hongjun quickly concealed the lust in his eyes, puffed out his chest, and said, "I happened to see Oscar heading that way when I left the dormitory. Boss Dai was in the bathroom at the time, so he didn't see."

Seeing Ma Hongjun's confident demeanor, Ning Rongrong was somewhat convinced. "Alright then, where is Oscar?"

"Follow me, I'll take you to him," Ma Hongjun chuckled before turning and walking toward a secluded area he hadn't even planned out.

As Ma Hongjun walked off, Ning Rongrong and Dai Mubai remained behind. Dai Mubai smirked and said, "Since you trust Fatty's word, I've got nothing more to say. If I see Oscar later, I'll tell him you were looking for him. I'm off." With that, Dai Mubai followed Ma Hongjun without looking back.

"Well, they are my teammates, so I shouldn't distrust them too much." Biting her lip, Ning Rongrong sighed and jogged after them. What she didn't realize was that as she followed them, a dark figure quietly emerged from the shadows.

"Strange, Oscar is still at the academy. Why would Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai lie to Rongrong?" Zhu Zhuqing muttered to herself with a frown.

Zhu Zhuqing knew about Ning Rongrong's plan to recruit Oscar. Although she hadn't intended to intervene, Oscar had used his "ultimate adorable technique" to persuade her, which eventually wore her down. So, she had reluctantly left the academy with him.

But as soon as she stepped outside, she saw Ning Rongrong blocking Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun. Not wanting to interact with Dai Mubai, whom she despised, Zhu Zhuqing decided to wait until the two left before approaching Ning Rongrong.

However, the situation had escalated in a way she didn't expect.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't shake off her concern and chose to follow them. Knowing Dai Mubai's character, she was increasingly worried for Ning Rongrong's safety.

…

Ning Rongrong walked behind Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, the three of them remaining silent as they ventured farther into a desolate area. As the surroundings became more remote, Ning Rongrong's wariness grew. Suddenly, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun stopped in their tracks.

"Fatty, are you sure Oscar's here? I don't see a soul around," Ning Rongrong asked, frowning at Ma Hongjun. Out of trust for her teammates, she still couldn't believe they would do anything inappropriate, but she was baffled by their strange behavior.

A flicker of lust crossed Ma Hongjun's eyes as he chuckled and said, "Rongrong, people say you're a smart girl, but you don't seem all that clever to me."

"What do you mean by that?" Ning Rongrong asked, confused.

"You'll find out soon enough," Dai Mubai sneered. "Fatty, grab her. I'll take the main course, and you can have the leftovers."

"Got it, Boss Dai." Ma Hongjun rubbed his hands excitedly, his voice filled with perversion. "Rongrong, let your fourth brother have a taste of how soft your lips are!"

"Screw you, you disgusting pig!" Ning Rongrong cursed, finally realizing their intentions. She never expected that the teammates she trusted would try to do something so vile.

"First soul skill, Ghostly Shadow Strike!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Zhu Zhuqing, who had been hiding in the shadows, activated her first soul skill. In a flash, she became a blur and darted toward Ma Hongjun. With her Martial Soul activated, her ten fingers turned razor-sharp.

"Get lost!" Sensing Zhu Zhuqing's approach, Dai Mubai's body suddenly erupted with light. Three soul rings rose from his body, and his muscles bulged as he caught Zhu Zhuqing's arm, holding her in place with a vice-like grip.

"Dai Mubai, I once had hopes for you, but now I see—you're nothing but a scum!"