High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 650: Chapter 319 The Man Who Calls the Shots_1

”Ladies and gentlemen!”

”Those of you who have traveled from afar with your invitations!”

”And all you sleepy professors and decrepit school staff!!”

”And the immature bunnies down there!”

”Good afternoon!!”

”Welcome!!!”

”Welcome to the venue of the 2008 ’Campus Cup’ Freshmen Tournament!!”

”I am the awarding master of ceremonies, hastily invited--the great Night•Phantom•Puppeteer•Puppet Highness! And this here is my partner, an amiable Secret Garden Elf...”

With this, the puppet man grabbed the brim of his hat, lifted his top hat from his head, and revealed an ugly elf sitting upon a small, ornate chair.

The elf waved his wand around, laughing heartily as golden beams shot from the tip, creating bursts of golden fireworks that further enlivened the atmosphere of the entire venue.

”That dimwit, picking such an idiot to be the host...”

A sudden thought made Zheng Qing blurt out these words.

From next to him, a sympathetic response came from Xin Fat Man: ”Indeed, indeed, both of these guys are clearly mad... is the school out of people?”

”Whether or not they’re out of people, I don’t know. But what I do know is that if you continue to speak without restraint, you probably won’t have a good time later.” From behind them, Thomas lowered his voice to warn, ”Do not say I did not forewarn you!”

”Also, as far as I know, even though people like hosts and commentators are chosen by the Hunting Committee, Old Yao reviewed them all... If you’re sick of living, next time, at least wait until I’m further away before choosing death.”

Upon hearing these words, Zheng Qing and Xin Fat Man simultaneously wiped their mouths, lightened their breaths, and carefully looked around, fearing that their complaints had been overheard by those around them.

At the host’s platform, Puppet Highness, wearing a high silk top hat, dressed in a black swallowtail suit, and holding a long civility cane, seemed to have completely ignored the ’slander’ from the corner and continued to introduce the protagonists on stage today with an enthusiastic voice:

”...The fierce competition has come to an end!”

”The trumpet of victory sounds in the distance!”

”The wind, it howls in everyone’s ears, howls... telling you who is the ’man of the hour’ today!”

”Now! With the warmest cheers and applause, let us welcome the champion of this freshman hunting party—the hunters team Absolution—to make a dazzling appearance!!”

With the puppet man’s invitation, fireworks erupted from the hunting ground. Bells and drums mingled, a lively scene indeed.

The five hunters of the Absolution team lined up, following a thin line on the ground from backstage, stumbling towards the stage to stand beside the puppet man.

From a few meters away, Puppet Man’s pale face, long eye corners, and wide-open mouth, along with his long nose, seemed more pronounced and disturbing to look at.

So, Zheng Qing tried to divert his gaze from the puppet man and look around at the stands, attempting to find some familiar faces among the crowds.

Then he seemed to hear some discordant noises.

These sounds started out small in comparison with the lively atmosphere, like quiet streams against roaring rivers, easy for people to overlook.

But as time went on, streams converged into rivulets, and rivulets coalesced into rivers. As the rivers cascaded to the sea, the surging waves brought along a maelstrom that could no longer be ignored.

”Cheating!”

”Cheating!!”

”Cheating!!!”

Unified shouts emanated from the Alpha and Atlas Academy stands, easily engulfing the scattered cheers from the Jiuyou Academy stand. Even the students from Starry Sky Academy, who usually got along well with Jiuyou Academy, seemed somewhat discontented with Absolution Hunting Team winning the Freshmen Championship. They did not beat their drums to cheer for Jiuyou Academy.

”Cheating! Cheating! Cheating!!”

Zheng Qing, hearing these shouts, couldn’t help but turn his head, looking around shocked.

The other hunters of the Absolution Hunting Team lowered their heads, as if they did not dare to meet his gaze.

”What’s going on! What are they shouting?!” The young publicly-funded student seemed still shocked by the drastic change. A minute ago, he was happily waiting for the championship medal and the cheers of the audience.

But a minute later, he was engulfed by a storm of accusations, panicked and disoriented.

”...Some of Alpha think that our trophies were ’picked up’ from the hunting grounds, and they are not happy with how we got them.” Under Zheng Qing’s intense gaze, Xin Fat Man finally started to explain hesitantly, ”After all, those demons were killed by that big cat. We didn’t do much.”

”Plus, our hunting team ’lost’ two people.” Zhang Ji Xin added with a low voice.

”Some people at our academy say that if it wasn’t for that big cat killing most of the prey, other hunting teams could have had a chance to win.” Blue Bird suddenly spoke, softly expressing another viewpoint - it was clear that his opinion represented the thoughts of many people in the Starry Sky Academy, to the extent that usually silent Swordsman also had to speak up.

Zheng Qing opened his eyes wide, feeling a surge of anger rushing from his chest to his brain, almost unable to restrain himself from rushing to the stands to shout at those noisy spectators for hundreds of rounds.

”Actually, you could stay down there and not come out.” Zhang Ji Xin suddenly spoke, saying softly, ”You’ve been voted out by us, stripped of your position as the team leader... Leave the rest to us.”

”I guess at most it will be some rotten leaves, tomatoes... The fight from a few days ago just settled down. Those Alpha’s brats wouldn’t dare to throw curses at us.” Xin Fat Man added chucklingly

Zheng Qing was stunned, finally understanding why his teammates had insisted on removing him from the captain’s position. The anger that had originally piled up in his chest seemed to be extinguished by a clear spring all of a sudden.

”What do they know!”

”Even if a thousand more demons were sent into the garden, could the other hunting teams gather all the demons together?”

”Even if all the demons were gathered together, would the other hunting teams be able to face such a beast tide?”

”Being able to attract so many demons, and then kill all of them, even if it is a championship dictated by luck, it is an unparalleled championship! A solid championship that admits no contradiction!!”

Next to them, Xiao Xiao kept a straight face. Her tone was flat, but her words were violent, lashing out at the chaos on the field: ”Some people always attribute others’ victories to luck, but they don’t know how much courage and effort are included in that piece of luck!”

Facing the clumsy consolation of his teammates, Zheng Qing opened his mouth, but couldn’t say anything.

He just felt his eyelids were a bit hot, and his nose was a little sore.

”Moo!!”

A deep cow roar echoed around the hunting ground, interrupting the chaotic noise below the stand and the intense reactions of the young wizards on the stage.

The puppet carried a long rein in his hand, pulling a pure white bull with antlers like chestnut-coloured cocoons from the other side and dragging it to the middle of the podium.

”Now, let the leader of this year’s ’Torchbearer’ hunting team, pray for blessings from heaven and earth!”

”Receive grace from heaven, preserving the rights of life!”