High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 834: Chapter 182: Act on the News

When Iseni appeared outside the D&K store, Zheng Qing knew the identity of the visitor at once.

This wasn’t to say that the young cost student’s divination had greatly improved, allowing him to foresee the future, but rather the small bunch of dorsal fins protruding from the ripped robe at the neck revealed its true identity—especially the golden fishhook hanging on the fin, which Zheng Qing had only seen twice, but the impression was deep and unforgettable.

”This is bad...”

The warlock watched the Fishman squeezing through the crowd and the guests slowly becoming agitated, suddenly realizing something—not every wizard could, like Sepulano’s far-sighted Fat Wizard, objectively view the Fishman race.

Most of the wizards in the Wizard World still adhered to the traditional belief that ”those who are not of our kin are sure to have a different heart,” holding a considerable degree of vigilance and hostility towards non-human species such as Fishmen, Mermen, Horse-Men, Giants, and Dwarves.

Even Sepulano only dared to put the Fishman in a newly established hunting team under the jurisdiction of the society, rather than directly recruiting them into the official hunting teams of the Auspicious Association.

It is said that the buttocks determine everything, and those with skewed buttocks, an impediment to public perception, hardly ever end well.

”This is terrible...I should have asked it to come at night.” The young cost student watched the frowning guests leaving and the somewhat agitated scene outside, filled with regret.

Because Iseni’s appearance in the previous campus hunting competition did not cause a huge reaction among Hunters, the young warlock subconsciously believed that most wizards felt the same, completely ignoring the difference between the outstanding individuals at First University and ordinary wizards of the outside world, as well as the deep-rooted poor impression of Fishmen in the minds of most wizards.

Indeed, there was a lack of experience, unaware of the taboos of running a shop.

But it was uncertain whether this incident would affect the small store’s business in the future.

The cost student looked up, saw the barely concealed anger and disgust on some customers’ faces, the surprise and unease on some friends’ faces, and finally let his gaze fall on the golden fishhook hanging at the highest point of the Fishman’s dorsal fin, and he sighed deeply.

”Besides Iseni, have you sent out invitations to other ’similar friends’?” Xiao Xiao moved next to Zheng Qing and asked in a low voice, with additional emphasis on the word ”similar.”

”No, no...I don’t know that many people,” the cost student replied with a bitter expression, shaking his head repeatedly.

”Thank goodness, Iseni has complete procedures for coming ashore... Senior Linda has already taken care of her friends, and they won’t make this matter more difficult for us,” Xin Fat Man hurried over to his two companions from behind the counter.

Linda was the editor-in-chief of the Campus Newspaper, and the Fat Man’s mentor when he was a Journalist there. The friends of Senior Linda mentioned by Fat Man were media circle friends who had come to visit the small shop with her.

The appearance of a Fishman on Pedestrian Street was neither a big deal nor a trivial matter, but if this event was linked to the youngest Merlin Medal recipient of First University, a cost student, it might catch some attention.

Zheng Qing didn’t trust the integrity of the media—especially after experiences like the special admission plane and the encounter with a Wild Demon during a night patrol; the media’s tendency to add fuel to the fire had greatly displeased the warlock.

Fortunately, the Absolution Hunting Team also had a Journalist among them.

Perhaps the news of a Fishman appearing on Pedestrian Street could not be kept from being released, but with Fat Man’s intervention, the wording in the press release would likely be adjusted to prevent things from getting worse.

”Perhaps we should have listened to Old Ghost Mu before,” Fat Man finally added with a worried tone: ”We’ve just started the business, and not even two hours have passed.”

Old Ghost Mu was the owner of shop number ninety-six on Pedestrian Street, but the young warlocks liked to call him ”Old Taoist Mu” or ”Old Ghost Mu” privately. This did not mean that the young wizards had any ill will toward Mu Mingzi; it was more of a jest.

When the Absolution Hunting Team was planning to rent this shop, Mu Mingzi had warned them that several shops near the Wandering Bar were not suitable for business and suggested they give up this location.

However, on the one hand, the rent for this small shop was cheap, the most cost-effective option within the hunting team’s budget; on the other hand, there was a San You Bookstore two doors down from the shop.

So, after weighing the options, Zheng Qing still chose this location.

Xin Fat Man was just recalling Old Ghost Mu’s earlier warning when he linked it to the series of events that unfolded merely minutes after his shop opened, which left him somewhat restless at heart—compared to the Commoners outside the World, Wizards held a far greater reverence for certain indescribable and nebulous concepts, and they couldn’t help but let their minds run wild whenever faced with them.

”Oh, shit.” Zheng Qing suddenly let out a curse.

After sensing a few surprised or vigilant gazes around him, the young scholarship student gave a wry smile, whispering to his friends, ”I think I also sent invitations to that group of cats in the forest, and to that flock of parrots at the office building reception...”

Xiao Xiao’s face immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Those cats in the forest weren’t too much of a problem, as they couldn’t talk; although they may lack some manners, their fluffy appearance was enough to make up for these shortcomings.

But those parrots at the office building reception were a different kettle of fish.

Having dealt with them a few times, everyone was crystal clear about what those noisy green birds were like.

”Are you out of your mind?!” Fat Man’s eyes widened, showing disbelief.

”Well, I was worried no one would come... I just thought the more, the merrier,” the scholarship student muttered, nearly burying his head under the counter while still trying to defend himself, ”Besides, I had just transformed back from being a cat when I wrote the invitations, so I wasn’t exactly thinking straight, and none of you were around...”

Xiao Xiao heaved a sigh, resting both hands on the counter, speechless.

”Look on the bright side, maybe those parrots can’t understand your invitations,” Fat Man tugged at his cheeks, forcing out a laugh or two, but eventually gave up the idea of deceiving himself, twisted around, and headed out from behind the counter towards the slowly dispersing crowd of onlookers, seemingly trying to struggle a little more.

Zheng Qing couldn’t run away.

He was the shop manager, and he was more familiar with Iseni. It was a bit more appropriate for him to handle the dealings with the Fishman than other members of the Hunting Team.

It’s a blessing if not a curse, and if it’s a curse, you can’t escape it.

Muttering to himself, he stepped forward to meet the situation.

”Mortgage, dead pledge!”

The Fishman threw the fishskin bag onto the counter, grinning at the young scholarship student on the other side, revealing a mouthful of sharp, yellow teeth and exhaling a stench that could knock a person out.

The tie of the fishskin bag burst open, spilling out a heap of damp odds and ends.

Tattered law books, a small bronze cauldron covered in green mold, a rusty timer, a crucible caked with char, half of an ox horn comb, several broken wooden staffs, and so on—most appeared to be useless junk. Among them were several attractive corals, a handful of dull-colored black pearls, and a few ornaments made from Beast Bones by the Fishman, which Zheng Qing considered to have recycling value.

The young scholarship student held his breath and focused, trying his best to pull up the corners of his mouth into an appropriately welcoming smile: ”Welcome! Thank you for coming such a long way under the Sun...”

As he spoke, he came out from behind the counter, tugging at the Fishman’s robe, dragging him toward the storeroom at the back of the shop: ”Please take a seat in the back, take a seat in the back... There are private seats back there. We’re not a pawn shop here; we don’t directly deal in these kinds of goods.”

”We can talk about trade in the back at leisure.”

”We are a financial firm mainly helping some students short on credits with short-term loans... Who told you we accept these kinds of goods?”

”Wiz... Wizards... Wizards don’t like these?” Iseni widened his eyes, appearing quite puzzled.