High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 149: Chapter 73: The Old Young Man_1

Based on Jiang Yu’s previous introduction, Zheng Qing thought he would meet a young wizard.

But reality took him by surprise.

The man before him, not even forty, had gray hair, a sallow and haggard face, and two big bags under his eyes, looking like a man of seventy or eighty.

Zheng Qing remembered very well that Doctor Du Zemu became a registered wizard when he was less than twenty. Now, only twenty brief years have passed.

Twenty years, to a grand wizard, could be as short as a nap.

Even for registered wizards, it doesn’t count as a long time.

Registered wizards could vary a hundred years in lifespan depending on their promotion time, but the vast majority live for over three hundred years.

Fo a registered witch, forty years old is somewhere between a human’s adolescence and young adulthood.

It should be an age in the prime of life.

Yet it resembles the twilight years.

This left Zheng Qing speechless.

So much so that when the host grabbed his arm and gave it a shake, Zheng Qing didn’t react at all.

However, Dr. Du Zemu was not an old-fashioned noble obsessed with protocol.

He didn’t take offense at Zheng Qing’s minimize impoliteness.

He was more interested in the young witch in a red robe standing before him.

”So, the rumors are true. You really are studying at Jiuyou Academy?” Dr. Du Zemu’s tone was full of regret. ”For a family like yours that have been Alpha People for generations, it must have been a difficult choice... your elders must be terribly upset about your choice.”

”They did not have to choose.” Jiang Yu smiled slightly.

While the two exchanged civilities, Zheng Qing finally collected himself and began to seriously examine the legendary genius before him.

Although the doctor’s face was lined with many wrinkles, he was neatly groomed, with almost no trace of a beard around his mouth. His waxen skin tightly clung to his cheekbones, giving him a gaunt appearance.

Unlike some old-fashioned researchers who would wear white working hats in their study, he let his silver-gray hair pile up messily on his head, looking like an undisturbed bird’s nest.

Even more neglected than his hair were his clothes.

The black wizard’s gown was washed until it had faded to gray. The trim on the hood was lost, leaving only a row of tight stitches. The cuffs and elbows of the robe were worn to a shine, and an unidentifiable stain hung on the collar.

Just like the iron gate of his house.

It’s hard to say whether financial difficulty necessarily dictates cleanliness and tidiness. The doctor’s outfit and appearance seemed more to exude the eccentric style of a neglected scholar.

But compared with the eccentric scholars in history who combed lice while talking, Dr. Du Zemu seemed somewhat restrained.

Most registered wizards, at his age, would have a proper job. But for one reason or another, the doctor could only rely on the support of the Jiang family to fund his research and live a simple life.

Life had worn out most of his ambition.

He wasn’t very tall, and perhaps because of years spent at the desk, his back was severely hunched. Standing in front of Jiang Yu, his face was always adorned with a near ingratiating smile.

None of the vibrant air that geniuses usually have.

His bent body, humble smile, threadbare clothes, and messy hair made him seem weathered by the relentless current of history, filled with the air of decline.

Only those silver-gray eyes sparkled brilliantly.

”This is my first visit since your research center was established,” Jiang Yu continued her superficial conversation with the doctor by her side. ”When I was at home, my grandmother didn’t allow me to go out.”

”Haha, indeed. Zhongshan is quite far from Buji Island.” It was evident that Dr. Du Zemu was not very skilled socially either. However, decades of experience had given him some wisdom. He chuckled and looked at the young lady of the Jiang Family:

”So, what brings you two esteemed guests to the ’Non-normal Life Research Center’? In fact, my lab only studies life forms that are non-normal... People generally disdain the study of normal life, don’t they, hahaha...”

Honestly, the humor was a bit cold.

Zheng Qing couldn’t help but shudder.

However, good upbringing still left Jiang Yu with a polite smile.

After the doctor’s few awkward chuckles, he closed his mouth, his eyes drifting around the room.

The atmosphere had become slightly awkward.

Zheng Qing shifted his gaze to the other corners of the room, trying his best to avoid the doctor’s eyes.

It was clear, this room reflected its owner; it was somewhat messy.

Across a large dressing mirror, there was draped a purple-red velvet blanket, the purpose of which remained unknown.

The most striking feature in the whole room was a hanging banner, displayed on the wall next to the desk, featuring a white background with splashed ink, elegantly framed. It contrasted sharply with the other décor in the room.

The banner featured the words ’Different fireworks, same brilliance’. It bore no signature or seal, seeming to be the work of an anonymous individual.

But this didn’t mean the writing was not good. On the contrary, Zheng Qing thought it was wonderfully done.

Zheng Qing had a deep foundation in calligraphy, and he could accurately judge that this writing was from the hands of a master.

This delighted him a bit, and he couldn’t help but stroll under the banner.

After examining it for a while, his attention was diverted midway, drawn to a glass fish tank in the corner of the room.

Perhaps Doctor Du Zemu finally realized that the atmosphere in the room was somewhat off. He turned his head toward his old servant, ”Constantin, we have guests, make some coffee.”

”But sir, we haven’t made coffee in a long time,” the old servant hesitated, looking at his master.

”Tea will do!” the doctor raised his voice and emphasized.

The servant blinked, submissively nodding his head, and walked out the door.

His actions further added to the awkwardness in the room.

”What is this?” The timing of Zheng Qing’s question perfectly dissolved the tension in the doctor’s expression.

He pointed to a bundle of small white bugs huddled together in the fish tank, and asked curiously.

The rectangular fish tank was about human height, and judging from Zheng Qing’s light tap, the glass of the fish tank was very thick. But in this sturdy tank, there were no delicate, beautiful fish kept.

The tank was empty, with a thin layer of fine black stones at the bottom.

A group of grayish-white bugs formed a sphere, like a volleyball, rolling on the bottom of the tank.

These bugs were motionless, as if petrified.

This made Zheng Qing very curious.

”What is this?” he looked up at the owner of the room, ”It looks like a group of small bugs.”

”They are bugs...These are burying beetles.” Doctor Du Zemu quickly came over to explain, ”They’re used in alchemy... If you want a clean surface of a bone for an experiment, this is an ideal tool. Most corpse-dissolving powders are too corrosive and damage the bone structure... These little bugs survive on corpses, be it of wizards or animals.”

As he spoke, he made a fist and hit the tank’s heavy glass wall.

A few burying beetles leisurely crawled away, revealing a little white skull they had been covering.

It looked like a baby’s.

Zheng Qing felt a sense of creeping horror.