Chapter Four: Not a Blade of Grass Grows

“All right, since there’s still daylight left, let’s set out!” At the teacher’s command, the group surged forward like a tide.

Lingering at the back, Feng Shang sneered, “I wonder what kind of scheme that old fox is plotting this time!”

“It’s definitely nothing good,” Fang Zhe replied cautiously.

“It seems that if we want to finish this task, we’ll have to stick together,” Wen Pin, the eldest in the class, said. At his words, everyone nodded in agreement.

“Crown Prince, why don’t we team up?” Han Tianyue offered kindly.

The Crown Prince didn’t even turn around. In a cold tone, he replied, “No matter what tricks the old fox tries, I have my own ways to deal with them!”

As the school’s top student, the Crown Prince had every reason to speak with such confidence. Han Tianyue could only turn back to his own team, watching the Crown Prince’s solitary figure disappear into the distance, a sense of dejection welling up inside him.

“Let’s get going!” Feng Shang had just spoken when—suddenly, the class beauty Xiao Nuo stepped forward, her voice gentle as water, “Brother Feng Shang, would you help me, please?”

With such a delicate plea, Feng Shang instantly abandoned his friends and drifted to her side. “Sister Xiao Nuo, I’ll go with you!”

And so, Feng Shang went off with a group of girls.

Prioritizing beauty over brotherhood—this was Feng Shang’s trademark. The others said nothing and followed the main group into the back mountain.

“How could this be!” The moment they entered, everyone was stunned.

Han Tianyue hurried forward to see that the entire back mountain was barren, not a single blade of grass to be found.

“Forget about the Scarlet Herb—even regular grass is gone!” The outcry grew louder and louder, echoing throughout the mountainside.

The supervising teacher stood at the foot of the hill, listening to their complaints in silence.

Observing the scene, the Crown Prince let out a cold laugh. “I knew we’d run into them today.”

“Them?” Fang Zhe seemed to catch his meaning, a trace of panic flickering across his face.

“Who are they?” Han Tianyue didn’t know who they were talking about, but from the tone of the Crown Prince and Fang Zhe, he could tell these people were no ordinary opponents.

“Everyone, don’t stray too far!” the Crown Prince commanded, and the group instinctively clustered closer together.

Suddenly, a piercing caw split the sky. From deep within the mountain, all the old crows took flight at once, a dark swarm blotting out the sun as everyone looked up in alarm.

“Old Song, are you sure this is safe?” At the foot of the mountain, a teacher approached the supervising instructor and asked in a low voice.

Pushing his glasses up his nose, Instructor Song replied gravely, “We’ve sheltered them under our wings long enough. It’s time they learned what a real crisis feels like.”

“But those others aren’t friendly. If something goes wrong, how will we explain to their parents?”

Instructor Song answered, “I trust these kids.”

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