Marvel: Beginning with the Collection of Shinra Tensei

As they approached the hotel entrance, Han Yu and his companions unexpectedly crossed paths with a group of people, prompting a surprised expression from Han Yu.

"Tang San?"

The group they encountered included Tang San—but this was the Tang San of this timeline!

Of course, this Tang San didn't recognize Han Yu or the others. When he noticed Han Yu looking at him, Tang San simply nodded politely, sensing no hostility.

"Why are you staring at him?" Erina asked, noticing Han Yu's fixed gaze on Tang San.

She didn't recognize him as the Tang San she knew. After all, the Tang San before her wasn't the impossibly handsome figure he would become after inheriting his mother's Blue Silver Emperor bloodline.

This version of Tang San was the one from the time when the Shrek Seven Devils were venturing into the Star Dou Forest for their first soul rings.

It wasn't until Tang San's group had left that Han Yu finally explained, "That was Tang San—his younger self."

"That was Tang San?"

Erina's eyes widened in shock. She looked at the boy who was even younger than her, and though she had seen transformations before, such as Xiao Yan's in the Dou Qi Continent, she was still astonished.

The Tang San she knew was completely different from the one she had just seen.

Right now, Tang San was just an ordinary-looking 12-year-old boy.

Even Xiao Yan and Ace were surprised. Their image of Tang San was that of a cultured, graceful young man with flowing blue hair. The child they had just seen was nothing like that in appearance or demeanor.

"Various twists of fate made him into the person you know today," Han Yu said thoughtfully. "It seems they're heading to the same place we are to hunt for soul rings. We might run into them again later."

Erina nodded, finding the sight of the young Tang San amusing.

Meanwhile, Tang San had noticed Erina's unabashedly curious gaze. Though he found it odd, he didn't sense any malice or ill intent, which made her staring all the more puzzling. After failing to figure it out, he simply dismissed the thought and followed his teammates.

Han Yu and his group approached the front desk. Just as Han Yu was about to speak, the receptionist beat him to it.

"Hello, I'd like to book four—"

"Apologies, but all single rooms are fully booked. We only have one single room and one room with a double bed left!"

Seeing the receptionist's knowing smile, Han Yu instantly realized he had been misunderstood. Standing close to Erina, they must have looked like a couple to an outsider.

"You've misunderstood. We're not what you think. We—"

Before Han Yu could finish, the receptionist's smile deepened, and he winked knowingly. "I understand, I understand."

Even Xiao Yan and Ace turned their heads to stifle their laughter, though their slightly upturned lips betrayed their amusement at Han Yu's predicament.

For them, sharing a single room wasn't an issue. With their physical capabilities, they didn't even need to sleep. They could spend the night exploring and still be fine.

Noticing their barely concealed grins, Han Yu sighed and rubbed his forehead, feeling that the more he explained, the worse it would get. He worried that if he said anything more, the receptionist might even think they were planning to squeeze in a third person.

"Fine, one room it is. I'll take the sofa, and you take the bed. Is that okay?" Han Yu turned to Erina.

Erina's cheeks flushed. Though she was a celebrated goddess on campus, she was inexperienced in matters of the real world. She genuinely thought there was only one room left.

After booking the room, the group didn't head upstairs immediately since they had nothing to unpack. Instead, they stayed in the lobby to have dinner. Erina, curious about the local cuisine, was eager to try dishes from this otherworldly realm.

Midway through their meal, Han Yu noticed out of the corner of his eye that Tang San and his group had come down to eat as well. Coincidentally, they were seated directly in front of them.

"Hey, hey, Boss Dai! Check out that stunning beauty over there!"

Ma Hongjun, one of the Shrek Seven Devils, spotted Erina and his eyes instantly lit up, scanning her from head to toe without restraint.

Compared to them, Erina was slightly older. Coming from a noble family, she exuded a unique, cold elegance. It wasn't the lifeless indifference of Zhu Zhuqing but more of a queenly aura that carried a commanding presence—one that could make someone willingly submit to her.

Erina's usual demeanor was proud and aloof, though she displayed a softer, more girlish side when dealing with Han Yu. Having lost to him in so many culinary duels, their relationship had grown past the need for formality.

If not for her inherently reserved personality, Erina might have been as casual as some carefree girls—sharing everything down to the same pair of pants.

Dai Mubai looked over and couldn't help but show a flicker of admiration in his eyes. But after receiving a sharp glance from Zhu Zhuqing, he quickly coughed and said, "She seems to already have company. Don't even think about making a move."

"Heh, I don't think so. The vibe between them screams sibling relationship. I might as well give it a shot," Ma Hongjun replied.

"I don't think you stand a chance."

"Come on, men shouldn't make things hard for other men."

Their conversation wasn't particularly quiet, and the distance between Han Yu's group and Tang San's team was no more than five steps. Naturally, Han Yu and his companions caught every word.

Although Erina knew Tang San, she had no idea who Ma Hongjun was. She glanced at him with evident disgust.

That single glance, however, struck Ma Hongjun's heart like Cupid's arrow.

"Is this what they call love at first sight?" Ma Hongjun murmured dreamily. A moment later, he stood up, walked over to Han Yu's group, and extended his hand to Erina. "Beautiful sister, my name is Ma Hongjun. You're stunning. Can we be friends?"

His intentions were completely undisguised. The other six Shrek Devils immediately covered their faces, embarrassed by his blatant behavior.

"Scram."

Erina's voice was icy, her tone dripping with disdain. Her usual aloof demeanor returned in full force, showing no interest in anyone other than Han Yu.

But Ma Hongjun refused to give up. "Don't be so cold. I just want to be friends."

Erina lifted her head and glanced at Han Yu. Seeing her gaze, Han Yu avoided eye contact, pretending to focus on his food. Xiao Yan and Ace, meanwhile, had turned their heads, grinning as they tried to suppress their laughter.

"These jerks aren't even helping me out!"

Frustrated, Erina noticed the subtle smirk tugging at the corners of Han Yu's lips. Clearly, he was enjoying her predicament as entertainment.

Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind, and her expression shifted to a sweet smile. However, there was something mischievous about that smile.

Ma Hongjun saw it and misinterpreted its meaning, thinking he had won her over. Just as he was about to capitalize on the moment with more compliments, Erina leaned close to Han Yu.

"I already have a boyfriend," she said coyly. "If you want to be friends with me, you'll have to see if my boyfriend agrees."

Cough!

Han Yu, Xiao Yan, and Ace simultaneously choked on their food, pounding their chests to recover as they stared at Erina in shock.

Erina, however, wore an innocent expression, her demeanor a masterstroke of feminine charm. It was an image that could make any man's heart skip a beat.

Imagine this: a cold, untouchable campus queen—someone who could kill any conversation within three sentences—suddenly acting coquettish while clinging to you. The sheer impact was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.

Han Yu wasn't sure if what she said was true or not, but he was certain of one thing: she was deliberately drawing the fire onto him.

This woman is dangerously cunning, he thought, shaking his head.

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