High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2658 - 879: News from the Review Committee

Zheng Qing found it hard to understand why the teaching assistant group chose to enter the depths of the Silent Forest at night.Moreover, they chose Qingming Festival for this.

Admittedly, theoretically, there’s no ghost or spirit on Buji Island daring enough to challenge the first university’s majesty, so the risk factor of the assistant group’s action is not as high as imagined.

But the reason theories are theories is because there’s a certain gap between them and reality. Especially for wizards, the greatest value of many theories lies in their potential to be broken.

"...Today’s task is to visit an ancient horseman tribe in the depths of the Silent Forest. Their high priest is an excellent diviner, who knows many secrets unique to the Silent Forest. The school’s divination group believes this visit will be very meaningful."

A wizard wearing an Alpha letter vanishing mask concisely conveyed today’s mission brief. His voice filtered through the mask became blurry and toneless. If Zheng Qing closed his eyes, he’d almost think he was listening to an alchemy puppet.

Thinking of alchemy puppets.

He naturally thought of the three great elves living in Greenhill Mansion, and looked somewhat gloomily in the direction of Beta Town. Originally, according to the plan, tonight he was supposed to evaluate Zheng Suyi, Zheng Sushuang, and Zheng Susu on their ability to ’reject inappropriate demands from wizards’, which was related to their ability to adapt to school life.

However, similar to when he last received a paper crane from the assistant group and ’telepathically’ sensed the scent of cherry blossoms, this time, upon receiving the paper crane, the image of fireworks he’d seen in the Sandbox Mini World inexplicably appeared before his eyes.

Zheng Qing, who had experienced two bouts of ’caprice’, wouldn’t ignore any intuitive signs given to him.

Driven by his earlier deep conversation with Old Yao about graduating early, after weighing options, Zheng Qing ultimately chose to respond to the teaching assistant group’s summons, donning the vanishing mask and heading into the Silent Forest.

Speaking of the vanishing mask.

Zheng Qing had originally thought the mask’s serial number was fixed, but unexpectedly, when taking out the mask today, the number in the corner changed from ’Yu’ to ’Wu’—he almost thought he had mistakenly taken someone else’s mask, until after assembling, the captain of this special tactical team, a wizard wearing an Alpha letter mask, told him that the vanishing mask’s serial number adjusts based on missions and is not fixed, relieving his confusion.

"...Check each of your Law books and charm pouches!"

The latest order from the squad captain came to his ears.

Zheng Qing skillfully pulled out his copper Law book, scanned the recorded spells, stuffed a pile of talisman paper into his belt, and, just in case, he also took out his Colt silver python, loading the magazine with charm bullets.

Of course, for safety, there were no blood symbol bullets loaded in the charm gun for now.

As Zheng Qing checked the charm bullets.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder.

Turning around, it was a companion with a mask numbered ’Ding’.

"Wu, don’t use your own Law book during the mission! Doing so will get you pinpointed by the enemy... Didn’t the assistant group provide you with a standard Law book?"

The Ding wizard pointed at Zheng Qing’s copper Law book and then glanced at his charm gun, adding, "Also, don’t casually show off your charm gun... Are you worried others won’t know you’re the infamous Zheng Zha Student?"

The face under Zheng Qing’s mask flushed slightly.

But his mind became rarely clear.

Most people who know the nickname ’Zheng Zha’ are quite familiar with him, and they are basically his classmates. In the teaching assistant group, the only one who could use such a tone and address to remind him was likely the Hilda hippie with a face full of copper nails and rings.

"Assistant Hilda?" The group’s newest member tentatively asked, happy to finally recognize someone.

Slap!

The warlock was smacked hard on the back of the head.

"Never seen such a pit teammate!" The voice from beneath the Ding assistant’s mask remained flat, yet everyone could feel his exasperation: "I kindly remind you not to make mistakes, and this is how you repay me? Why don’t you announce my birth date and shout in all directions, ’Hilda is on duty in the Silent Forest’?"

Nearby, wizards wearing Yi and Bing letter masks emitted low chuckles.

"Ding and Wu, each get a point deducted. We’ll settle all scores after the mission." The captain in the Alpha letter mask glanced at them indifferently: "For safety, during advancement, you two stay in support... Yi scouts, Bing patrols, and I hold the rear, deploying the first-level Qi Shui battle formation, any issues?"

"No!"

The four others answered in unison, although Hilda’s tone sounded slightly melancholic.

But this melancholy lasted a very short time.

Not long after the team ventured into the woods, Hilda returned to his lively self, and seeing the captain staying a bit farther away, he immediately engaged Zheng Qing in idle chatter.

"I heard your sprites have transformed into several great elves?" Hilda slightly lifted his mask, revealing the copper ring on his lips, as his familiar voice appeared clearly in Zheng Qing’s ears.

Zheng Qing knew that, in a sense, this was a kind of self-identification gesture.

He cautiously looked behind him.

"How do you know?" After retracting his gaze, Zheng Qing didn’t immediately answer Hilda’s question. Instead, he became particularly concerned about how quickly this matter spread.

Though he didn’t deliberately stop the message from spreading.

But just within three days, it had already reached Hilda’s ears, evidently the great elves had garnered more attention than Zheng Qing anticipated.

"Professors interested in magical biology in school should all know by now."

Hilda didn’t hide the source of the news and readily replied: "You entrusted Su Councilor to submit identity verification materials for the great elves, right? Professor Lubo from the Review committee once advised me on my firefly modification thesis. Do you remember the fireflies I modified? Before, when you were in the school works committee patrol, I brought them to help your lot several times... This time, once the Review committee publicly announced the great elves’ news, I knew... You are the main author in the application materials, and how many wizards by your name and familiar with Su Councilor are there in school?"

This answer was full of elements, so much so that Zheng Qing reacted after a while.

"What identity verification materials?" He decided to clear up the aspects he didn’t understand one by one.

Hilda raised his mask a bit higher, seemingly wanting Zheng Qing to see his disdainful gaze.

"Got it... No wonder you wondered how I got to know."

After closing his mask, he shook his head and speedily explained: "You should thank Su Councilor. Unreviewed magical modified organisms aren’t acknowledged as existing rights by the Alliance. This means any wizard can kill them anytime anywhere without facing any responsibility. After passing the school’s review, your great elves will automatically gain protection from the school. Regarding the announcement, since the issue of high-level wizards monopolizing the magic research results of low-level wizards often occurs, to protect the rights of low-level wizards, this kind of research outcome will be publicised to ensure there’s no disagreement. Besides, Su Councilor is a Big Wizard, her submission of the relevant application materials not only rushes the review process but also earns some considerations from the old geezers in the Review committee for Qingqiu, keeping them from making unreasonable requests... For instance, after my firefly modification succeeded, the Review committee demanded I provide specimens of different forms from each stage."