Douluo, my clone Groudon

Chapter 280 Surrender and You Lose Half

Mo Hongchen's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and his eyes flashed intensely.

Reason told him that the dean of academic affairs was right; Shrek Academy had come prepared this time, sending out monsters of extraordinary abilities. But emotionally, as the leader of Sun Moon Academy, his pride and resentment prevented him from making this humiliating decision easily.

Meanwhile, the audience was in an uproar. After the initial shock and fear, a tidal wave of discussion and questioning followed.

"This is...this is terrifying...Are those two from Shrek even human?"

"Bai Yuan single-handedly defeated six of our main fighters, and that Mu Yi was even more ruthless, enduring two fusion techniques and still managing to turn the tables..."

"We didn't lose unjustly; the difference in strength was just too great!"

"Shrek's loss to us last time was definitely an accident! They underestimated us! Look at them when they get serious, we don't even have a chance to fight back!"

"Exactly! Shrek Academy's title of being number one for all time seems to be well-deserved... their foundation is incredibly deep..."

"Maybe... we should just give up? Continuing to fight will only bring us humiliation, and if we injure a few more core disciples, it would be a losing proposition..."

"Let's call it a day. At least we've won one game, forced out the true monster of Shrek Academy, and proved that we're not without a chance... even if the chance is slim..."

Doubting their own team's strength, questioning whether the higher-ups should continue sending people to their deaths, and even beginning to "understand" that Shrek's previous defeat was due to accidental underestimation of their opponent—this sentiment spread like wildfire in the face of overwhelming and hopeless strength.

The Sun Moon Academy's proud home-field advantage and cohesion are quietly crumbling in the face of absolute power.

While this atmosphere of pessimism and doubt permeated the entire venue, the area where Shrek Academy was located remained unusually calm.

A barely perceptible sneer played on Cai Yue'er's lips as her sharp eyes swept across the boisterous audience and the VIP seats where the Sun and Moon executives were seated.

She turned her head slightly and whispered a few words to a middle-aged man beside her who looked ordinary, like a typical teaching assistant.

The middle-aged man nodded silently, his fingers tapping rapidly a few times on a delicate soul-guided communicator hidden in his sleeve.

Soon, in various corners of the audience, some "just-timed" whispers began to be deliberately amplified and clearly amplified through some kind of soul-guided amplification device, cleverly blending into the noisy crowd:

"Alas, Shrek Academy is Shrek Academy after all... A legacy spanning ten thousand years, with unfathomable depths, how could it be shaken by a single, accidental defeat?"

"Last time they lost because they were careless and sent some second-tier players to test the waters. Look at this time, they were serious, and the difference immediately became apparent."

"This is the true grandeur of the number one academy for ten thousand years! When it moves, it is as powerful as thunder!"

"Sun Moon Academy was lucky to win a single match. The wise thing to do now is to recognize the gap in skill, cut their losses, and preserve their strength. Continuing to fight head-on and ruining their own genius would be a huge loss!"

"Shrek's glory remains as solid as a rock..."

These words, like seeds precisely planted, quickly took root and sprouted in the already wavering hearts of the audience.

Instead of directly belittling Sun Moon Academy, they repeatedly emphasized Shrek Academy's deep-rooted reputation as "number one for all time" and that "the last defeat was purely accidental."

This subtly diminishes the value of Sun Moon Academy's hard-won victory, while simultaneously attributing Shrek Academy's current terrifying strength to "taken for granted" and their "true level." More importantly, it provides a seemingly reasonable excuse for Sun Moon Academy's potential "give-up"—preserving their strength and avoiding unnecessary sacrifices.

The phrase "eternal honor" was mentioned repeatedly, striking the hearts of every supporter of Sun Moon Academy like a heavy hammer blow.

Shrek's heavy, seemingly unshakeable historical aura, supported by two consecutive crushing victories, has become dazzling again, even more solid than before.

In the audience, calls for "knowing when to quit while ahead," "preserving strength," and "recognizing the gap" grew louder and louder, even beginning to drown out the shouts of a few unwilling voices.

In the office, Mo Hongchen naturally heard these deliberately amplified "public opinions."

His face changed from ashen to a complex, defeated look. He understood that Shrek had not only crushed them in the ring, but had also delivered the final blow in the psychological and public opinion battles.

The opponent didn't even need to send anyone else; they had already put them in a dilemma with this invisible pressure.

Should we send more people? Who would we send to face those two monsters? It would only increase casualties and humiliation. Besides, judging from the eyes of the trainees below the stage, their morale was on the verge of collapse.

To give up and admit defeat? On home turf, with only two Shrek Academy players, this would be an unprecedented disgrace in the history of Sun Moon Academy! Ten thousand years of honor… Mo Hongchen closed his eyes in anguish.

Time ticked by, and the entire arena awaited the Sun Moon Academy's decision. Every second of silence was agonizing for the academy.

Finally, after a suffocatingly long wait, Mo Hongchen suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes were bloodshot, but the struggle seemed to have made a decision.

He took a deep breath and looked at the head of the teaching department. The head of the teaching department stood up with a bitter face. His powerful soul force carried his voice clearly to every corner of the room, carrying a heavy weariness and unspeakable humiliation:

"Given that our key players are still recovering from injuries and are in poor condition, and in order to protect the safety and future development of our students... Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy will forfeit the remaining matches."

He paused, as if using all his strength, before uttering the last few words:

"In this exchange match... Shrek Academy emerged victorious."

As soon as the words were spoken, the entire arena erupted in an uproar, then fell into an eerie silence. There were no cheers, no celebrations, only the Shrek team's calm gaze, and the deep sense of loss and resentment permeating the Sun Moon Academy audience, and... a hint of relief that even they themselves were unwilling to admit.

Shrek Academy's millennia-long honor has, today, been firmly and once again erected above the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy in an almost ruthless manner.

Under immense pressure, Shen Yi watched this scene, and finally, an undisguised victorious smile appeared on his face. This was just the beginning, but the first step had been incredibly solid.

At the Sea God Pavilion, a massive light screen composed of pure energy was clearly displaying everything that was happening in the Sun and Moon Academy arena—from Bai Yuan's Devouring Domain sweeping across the six directions, to Mu Yi's indestructible Vajra clashing with the dual fusion technique, and then to Mo Hongchen's humiliating declaration of defeat.

Several figures stood quietly in front of the light screen.

Yun Ming was still wearing that simple white robe, his face was gentle, and his eyes were as deep as the sea.

At this moment, however, his handsome brows were less furrowed than before, replaced by a subtle, relieved warmth.

(End of this chapter)