High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 441: Chapter 110: Half-Face’s Business_1

”Lads, throw in a little bet.”

A strange wizard squeezed through the narrow aisle, approached the stand of Astronomy Class 08-1, and pitched to a few young wizards who were laughing loudly in hushed tones.

He was wearing a slightly ill-fitting red robe, holding a thick notebook under his arm, a stack of blank paper in his left hand, and a green peacock feather pen in his right hand, with several shorthand pens sticking out of his breast pocket.

Although the sun was shining brightly today and the weather was good, this wizard kept his oversized cap on, almost covering his entire face under the shadow of his cap, revealing only a sharp, fair chin. If it weren’t for his somewhat rough voice and the high Adam’s apple on his neck, Zheng Qing would have almost mistaken him for a witch.

”You are ...” Zheng Qing eyed this strange wizard warily and didn’t answer his question immediately.

Although this wizard was wearing a big red robe from Jiuyou Academy, the sharp-eyed scholarship student immediately recognized the wizard’s identity from the blue color inside his robe.

He was from the West.

”You can call me ’Half-Face,’” The strange wizard lifted his pale chin impatiently, ”So, is anyone interested in our little private business?”

Zheng Qing wrinkled his nose.

He had not completely understood what kind of business ’Half-Face’ was talking about and he wasn’t particularly interested either.

On the contrary, he was more interested in a blue gown impostering as a red one.

”Are you from the Starry Sky Academy?” The young scholarship student raised an eyebrow and asked in confusion, ”Why are you wearing our academy’s robe?”

”In this big university, one is hidden well.” Half-Face chuckled, urging, ”Is anyone willing to play a game or two...Bids start at a bronze coin, sky’s the limit! The maximum odds are nine hundred and ninety-nine to one, bet a jade coin and all your expenses before becoming a registered wizard will be covered!”

”Gambling?” Zheng Qing finally understood the business of this strange wizard, and couldn’t help but exclaim.

A few of the witches sitting in the front row seemed to have heard the scholarship student’s exclamations. Curiosity-pricked, they turned their heads and glanced this way.

’Half-Face’ obviously didn’t like this kind of exposure.

”Strictly speaking, it’s betting... Or you can call it ’gambling hunting’.” The strange wizard corrected Zheng Qing’s words and explained, ”It’s a game that tests your luck and insight and adds a little fun to this boring hunting party... Of course, like the hunting competition, our agreement explicitly prohibits the use of banned drugs such as ’Luck Elixir’, otherwise the jackpot will be confiscated and there will be an additional fine... If you are interested, you can read the detailed rules when signing the contract.”

”Sounds quite formal indeed.” Xiao Xiao took his eyes away from the telescope and showed a little interest, ”Who is running the book? Does the school know? Where is the contract made? Is there any deposit?”

”As expected of the doctor, quite sharp.” Half-Face gave Xiao Xiao a thumbs up, praising him.

”You know me?” Xiao Xiao adjusted his glasses, feeling a little surprised.

Half-Face chuckled and swept his gaze across the wizards.

”Jiuyou Academy’s scholarship students of the 2008 batch, the young winner of the Merlin Medal, student Zheng Qing; the fiery kid from the Zhang family; the blue giant from the Rhine... And you, a widely learned mysterious specially recruited student.” The strange wizard pointed his peacock feather pen at the wizards one by one and said,

”If we didn’t know you, we wouldn’t be doing this business with you. You need to understand not every freshman is qualified to invest in this venture... And since we are running this business, naturally we will be more informed. To put it plainly, this business is just about exploiting ’information gaps’.”

”You guys?” Zheng Qing squinted, echoing.

”Do you think I could hold up this business alone in this university full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons?” Half-Face let out a short laugh that sounded more like a scoff, and then he made an exaggerated gesture of thanks, ”What an honor.”

”But... Does the school allow students to gamble?” Zheng Qing curiously asked.

”The ’First University Management Method’ does not explicitly prohibit such things.” Half-Face shrugged and answered casually, ”’What is not forbidden by law is allowed’, since it’s not prohibited, it must be allowed... Perhaps the school believes that ’luck’ and ’insight’ are also part of their training.”

Zheng Qing didn’t bother arguing with him, but turned to look at Xiao Xiao.

”Indeed, there are no such provisions.” Xiao Xiao nodded, but also shook his head, ”But this does not mean that the school allows us to do these things. Just like ’The First University Management Method’ does not clearly state that students can’t kill each other, but we all know that it’s absolutely forbidden...”

Doctor Xiao’s explanation obviously had more authority than Half-Face’s and made more sense.

Half-Face was immediately silenced.

”However, since someone dares to do this, they must have some confidence.” Xiao Xiao changed the subject, his gaze fell back on Half-Face, ”So, who is really running the book? If you really want to do business, you should at least give us some peace of mind.”

”Me.” Half-Face popped out this word and then laughed mockingly, ”As you said, even though this thing does not violate school rules, it is, after all, against ’good customs’, which big shot would foolishly take the personal risk?”

Upon hearing the phrase ’good customs’, Zheng Qing felt a strange sense of deja vu.

But for a while, he couldn’t remember where he’d come across such a phrase.

”So what about the deposit? And the guarantor? They should still be given.” Xiao Xiao played with his pen, staring at Half-Face with sharp eyes, ”If there’s nothing, who would dare to sign a contract with you.”

Half-Face didn’t deny this time, but took out a gold card from his pocket and handed it to Zheng Qing.

”Wandering Bar Gold Card?” Zheng Qing touched the familiar texture of the card, surprised. Meanwhile, he pulled out his own gold card from his grey cloth bag, compared it, and nodded at Xiao Xiao, ”It’s indeed the same...”

”Does the Wandering Bar provide a guarantee?” Xiao Xiao murmured, receiving the card.

”The contracts we use are standard ’white contracts’ provided by the Wandering Bar. No names, no signatures...and guaranteed by the reputation of the wandering wizard.” Sensing that the attitudes of some wizards were wavering, Half-Face hurriedly called out enthusiastically, ”We are all students, just having some fun and earning a little pocket money...we always see each other, surely no one would create a fuss at the school over some jade coins, right?”

His justified and convincing speech was persuasive.

Zheng Qing also felt a bit tempted.

”The Wandering Bar indeed has some credibility.” Zhang Ji Xin suddenly interjected, ”I just thought it sounded familiar... I heard my brother talking about this ’backer’. It has been operating in the school for quite a while and hasn’t gotten any bad reputation.”

”Your brother? ... Uncle Zhang Zhi or Zhang Zhong Li?” Half-Face seemed to know Red Face’s family members well and casually mentioned, ”Both of them have done business with us... But since Zhang Zhong Li joined the research institute, he rarely practices and we haven’t seen him recently.”

”It’s my brother, Zhang Shuzhi.” Zhang Ji Xin’s face turned a bit dark, ”He is still in his third year.”