High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 887: Chapter 235: Unwritten Rules

”I am indeed a bit curious,” Thomas nodded thoughtfully but then shook his head, ”Only, these are things you should be saying to the professors’ council and the people from Danghag, not to us two lowly assistants.”

”Danghag?” Zheng Qing’s face slowly turned pale as if realizing something, ”Are people from Danghag coming as well?”

Hilda tugged at the corner of her mouth, showing a bitter-smiling expression, ”That’s why there’s a saying ’ignorance is bliss’... You don’t really think the ’suspect’ who ’attempted’ to create a terrorist attack near First University will be let off just by the school’s rules and discipline, right? Regardless of the severity of such behavior, simply possessing so many explosion charms alone is worth an investigation by someone from Danghag, whether it complies with the ’Mage Alliance’ regulations or not.”

”If I’m not mistaken, the files of the entire Absolution Hunting Team are probably already on the desks of key figures within the Mage Alliance... Personally, I suggest that praying to all gods and buddhas in the sky right now would be more effective than explaining yourself to us.”

”At the very least, praying won’t make things worse.”

”But praying makes people weak,” Xiao Xiao, who had been silent for some time, finally spoke up.

”Ho ho ho, those are fighting words if someone from Atlas hears you!” Hilda teased with an ’I got you’ expression, turning her head towards Xiao Xiao, ”Normal people would think praying makes them stronger... But speaking of which, you’ve been really off today. If it weren’t for the fact that the detection magic I used on you earlier didn’t reveal any abnormalities, I would suspect that this Zheng Qing kid has used some strange magic to control you...”

”Am I that bad in your eyes?” Zheng Qing interrupted Hilda, irritated.

But the teaching assistant didn’t pay him any mind, continuing to speak to Xiao Xiao, ”...Anyway, since you’re very much aware, now I’m even more curious as to why you turned a blind eye to your captain’s reckless actions?”

He looked at Xiao Xiao with penetrating eyes.

Xiao Xiao lowered his head, gazing at the crystal ball in his hands, and missed Hilda’s gaze, seemingly not hearing his question, murmuring, ”It’s not over yet...”

”What?” Hilda leaned closer with her ear to Doctor Xiao, moving closer to his face.

”I said, this matter isn’t over.” Xiao Xiao raised his head, his expression twisted, but his tone was very firm, ”The crystal ball tells me that there’s a vast, dark shadow following behind you all!”

...

...

The vast, dark shadow mentioned by Xiao Xiao was soon verified.

After cleaning up the scene and with Dylan and Zhang Ji Xin returning from their patrol, the assisting teachers were then escorting the young wizards of the Absolution Hunting Team towards the edge of the hunting grounds—they planned to take the remaining hunters of the Absolution Hunting Team with them when passing the ’Cabin in the Woods’ on their way back.

Though it was called an escort, the assistants did not take any forceful measures. On one hand, Zheng Qing and the others were very cooperative and showed no signs of resistance; on the other hand, it was a display of the assistants’ confidence.

After all, they were on Buji Island, less than a mile from the walls of First University and within the faint influence of the school’s Protection Array. More importantly, the more than ten assistants were all of registered wizard level, and to watch over four young wizards who had barely enrolled for half a year was more than enough—indeed, like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

It was nearly five in the afternoon, and the sky was getting darker by the minute.

Because of the snow, the woods didn’t seem so dark. However, the grey and dusty light wasn’t particularly friendly to human sight, and even standing still and looking into the distance, one could only see a blurred world.

Walking in a group of three rows, crunching through the snow, they progressed unhurriedly forward.

The reason they didn’t use ’Escape Technique’ or ’Armour Horse Charm’ stemmed from various considerations of the assistants, like saving expenses, filing fewer application forms, and the impact of school defense magic on Escape Techniques—especially the uncertain effects when carrying people.

Of course, the most important, unspoken reason was that the assistants were discreetly giving the young wizards of the Absolution Hunting Team a bit of a grace period. According to what Assistant Zhang Yu leading the team said, as soon as Zheng Qing and the others were brought back to the school, they might be transferred to solitary confinement straight away, and in a more severe case, Zheng Qing might be taken to Danghag by someone from the Mage Alliance later on.

”You could send word to your families in advance,” Zhang Yu said, glancing at Zhang Ji Xin and Dylan with an insinuating look, ”After all, it’s only a minor threat, with charges being misuse of magic or not declaring a large number of explosion charms according to regulations... It’s not a big deal, but don’t let your families worry too much.”

Zheng Qing walked silently in the formation, not speaking.

He knew that Zhang Yu’s words were more directed to the other wizards—regardless of whether it was Zhang Ji Xin or Dylan, both had renowned wizard families behind them, and even Xiao Xiao, as he understood, had more than one wizard in his family.

Only Zheng Qing stood alone.

A family knows its own affairs, and though the Zhang family had produced a few scholars, they had nothing to do with the wizard world, so family influence was out of the question. Outside of the family, Mister Wu was elusive, and Zheng Qing wasn’t sure if he should trouble him over this issue—especially since he felt somewhat guilty when facing Mister Wu, given the trouble he had stirred up with Hui Zi Ji and Yellow Flowered Cat.

As for Su Shijun, unless absolutely necessary, Zheng Qing was determined not to let anyone know about the relationship between them. So, he immediately dismissed the thought.

And ’absolutely necessary’ of course referred to the scenario where Danghag’s initial investigation results were terrible.

Up to this point, based on the discussions of the assisting teachers, Zheng Qing felt the situation had not developed that far.

Before that, the young cost-student believed he could trust the school more—after all, it was a school that was willing to buy expensive ’medical insurance’ for its students, willing to reimburse ’transformation potions,’ Zheng Qing had every reason to believe that the school would assign him a defense counselor.

That’s how it’s often shown on TV dramas.

With this peculiar confidence, stepping through the crackling snow, Zheng Qing kept his head down and walked silently forward. During this time, Xiao Xiao briefly explained the previous incidents to the two assistants who arrived later.

Unsurprisingly, Zhang Ji Xin and Dylan held no complaints against Zheng Qing—although they were also a bit puzzled as to why Zheng Qing chose such drastic measures. In comparison, they were more interested in discussing the underlying issues revealed behind Zheng Qing’s choices.