The sun rose gently over Shrek Academy, spilling warm golden light across the cracked stone paths and the ancient oaks that towered like silent guardians above the courtyard. Their thick, twisted branches sifted the sunlight into patches of soft, shimmering patterns on the ground, making it look as if the earth itself was breathing.
Yet for all the brilliance of the morning, a strange hush hung over the assembled students. They gathered around the long stone tables as always, bowls of simple porridge and tea in hand — but today, the usual lively banter was absent. It was as if the absence of one person had stolen the color from the day.
Li Wei.
Tang San sat with his hands wrapped loosely around his porcelain bowl, staring into the swirling steam rising from his rice porridge. Across from him, Xiao Wu cradled her cup close to her chest, her pink eyes shadowed by thought. The space beside them, where Li Wei usually sat, remained stubbornly empty — a silent, undeniable wound.
'It's strange.' Tang San thought, stirring his porridge idly, how heavy the air feels without him here. 'He wasn't loud… but somehow, the mornings felt lighter when he was around.'
He set down his spoon quietly and spoke, voice barely above a murmur. "Strange… it's so quiet without him."
Xiao Wu glanced up. Her lips curved in a soft, bittersweet smile, the kind that never quite reached her eyes. She set her cup down carefully, tracing the rim with a finger before answering. "He always had a way of making things feel easier," she said, her voice tinged with longing. "Even though he didn't talk much… whenever he did, it was just enough to ease everyone's nerves."
Her smile faltered, and she lowered her gaze, lashes trembling. After a small pause, she added in an even softer voice, "I miss his jokes."
Tang San offered her a faint smile in return, but neither of them could chase away the lingering chill that had crept into the morning.
A clatter of spoon broke the stillness as Dai Mubai leaned back in his seat, trying — and failing — to force some brightness back into the group. He grinned over his bowl at Ma Hongjun, with the gesture a little too wide, a little too sharp. "Well," he said, voice louder than necessary, "if Li Wei were here, he'd be complaining that I chew too loud."
He laughed, a brash bark of sound that didn't quite mask the ache behind it.
A few small chuckles circled the table, but it was clear that everyone felt the same emptiness pressing against their hearts.
Ma Hongjun clapped Dai Mubai on the back with a heavy hand, grinning in that carefree way that always seemed to defy gloom. "Hey, c'mon, no sulking!" he said brightly addressing everyone. "We're missing Li Wei, sure. It's not like he died, in just a few days he will come back— do not forget that we're still Shrek's monsters, right? We've got work to do."
That's right, Tang San thought, his heart lifting slightly at Ma Hongjun's easy resilience. We can't let ourselves get stuck here. Li Wei wouldn't want that.
Before anyone could respond, Oscar — who had been quietly nibbling at a piece of bread — suddenly pushed himself up from the bench. His shoulders squared, and an odd shimmer of spirit energy sparked briefly around him, catching the morning light.
Tang San's brow furrowed. He sat up straighter. "Oscar?"
Oscar's hands trembled slightly as he lifted them before him. His voice cracked with barely-contained excitement. "Guys… I think… I'm there."
There?
A heartbeat later, the ripple of Oscar's spirit power exploded outward, sharp and clean as a blade. It crackled faintly in the air, sending a fresh wave of astonishment through the group.
Tang San's eyes widened. He could feel it — a surge of spirit power that was unmistakable. He's broken through.
Oscar's face broke into a smile so wide it looked almost painful. "Level… thirty!"
For a moment, the courtyard was frozen in stunned silence — then erupted into cheers.
Xiao Wu sprang to her feet, clapping her hands together, her earlier sadness forgotten in an instant. "Oscar! That's amazing!" she beamed, her twin braids bouncing with the force of her excitement.
Ma Hongjun whooped loudly, pumping his fist into the air. "Finally! The meat cart's has roll into third gear! I knew you had it in you, Oscar!"
Even Dai Mubai allowed himself a genuine grin, crossing his arms and letting out a low chuckle. "Now we've got another powerhouse on the team," he said, nodding approvingly.
Oscar flushed deep red, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Thanks, guys…" he muttered, trying not to fidget under their collective praise.
Dai Mubai stepped forward and threw an arm around Oscar's shoulders, squeezing tightly enough to make the older boy squawk. "You're ready to get that third spirit ring now. Just remember — after Level 30, the real battles begin."
Oscar laughed shakily, the nerves clear in his shining eyes. "I know. I'm ready."
He wasn't just saying it, either. Tang San could feel it — the steadiness in Oscar's spirit energy, the hard-earned resolve forged through months of relentless training.
Ning Rongrong, ever the composed one, sipped delicately at her tea before speaking. Her voice was light, but her gaze was thoughtful. "Do you think Li Wei would have come with us if he'd stayed?" she asked, setting her cup down with a soft clink.
Her words struck a chord among them, and a heavy silence briefly returned.
Zhu Zhuqing, who had been quietly eating all this time, placed her bowl aside and crossed her arms, closing her eyes in thought. In her mind's eye, she saw the image of Li Wei — calm, unwavering, like an anchor in a storm.
"He would've come," she said quietly. "He never let a friend face danger alone."
The certainty in her voice wrapped around them all, sealing the truth of her words into their hearts.
Tang San looked around at the familiar faces — his friends, his comrades — and felt something deep inside him steady. Li Wei's absence was like a missing piece in their group, but it hadn't broken them. If anything, it had reminded them of what they fought for.
The morning sun rose higher, turning the dewdrops on the grass into tiny jewels. The laughter returned, softer but stronger, rippling through the group like the first breath of spring after a long winter.
And somewhere in their hearts, they all carried Li Wei's quiet strength forward — a silent promise that, no matter what, they would not falter.
Not now.
Not ever.
_________
"Why do you guys act like I'm dead?"