High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1997: Chapter 318: Nothing Is Absolutely Certain

After staying in the magical world for a while, Zheng Qing’s deepest impression is that ’there’s no such thing as a sure thing’.

For example, in the absolutely safe First University, a kitten with its eyeballs gouged out might appear; or the absolutely reliable dean of the college could be a hidden demon.

And then, for instance, Xiao Xiao finding Sima Yangyun to serve as the Atonement Hunting Team’s mentor, such a sure thing, could also run into problems.

”So, you’re saying your Sima is not allowed to participate in competitive hunting activities because he has a position in the Alliance’s Historical Truth Investigation Committee?” Zheng Qing stared intently at Doctor Xiao, who was shrinking behind his desk, and asked, word by word.

He emphasized the words ’your Sima’.

Xiao Xiao’s mouth twitched, and he nodded silently, acknowledging Zheng Qing’s statement.

The young scholarship student was on the verge of tears, like a snake that had its bones removed, slumping helplessly onto the desk, barely holding back from crying loudly.

It was already Tuesday afternoon.

With less than eighty-three hours left until the final deadline for the selection task on October 9th at midnight, the Atonement Hunting Team still hadn’t confirmed their mentor.

The intangible pressure was heavily weighing on the minds of many young wizards, including those in Atonement.

Originally, from Zheng Qing’s perspective, the selection task for this school’s hunting party wasn’t difficult.

First University had one hundred and eighty-six qualified guides, allocated to over two hundred hunting teams. Even with a one-to-one ratio, only a dozen teams would be eliminated. Even if they increased the risk, leaving extra room for the unknown, and deducted fifty spots in one go, over a hundred teams would still find mentors.

Somehow, the Atonement Hunting Team should be among those hundred teams.

However, the reality was that, as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Xin Fat Man’s latest news, less than thirty teams at the entire First University had their mentors confirmed—at this rate, by Friday night, there might not even be fifty teams who have found a mentor.

It could only be said that these hunters in the ivory tower were still too young, unaware of the dangers of the world.

As far as Zheng Qing knew, reasons for hunting teams not finding mentors were all over the place—senior professors unwilling to lower themselves to guide unknown small teams, young teachers couldn’t overshadow their seniors in this major wizard world hunting competition; for those who didn’t mind such workplace conventions, scheduling conflicts could mean participation in critical magic experiments, making them unavailable; and others like Sima Yangyun, who were employed in other Alliance institutions, had ethical risks and were banned from participating in competitive or commercial hunting events.

Of course, there were some teachers who didn’t give any reason and simply evasively claimed they didn’t have time, refusing to interact with any hunting team.

For example, today’s Magic Script class teacher, Professor Montreya.

The previous Magic Script class professor for Astronomy Class 08-1, Lady Emma, had been promoted to vice president of First University, so she no longer took on actual teaching duties. Thus, beginning this semester, Zheng Qing’s Magic Script class teacher became Professor Montreya.

This figure, whom Zheng Qing remembers as the tyrant of the laboratory, is not a good teacher.

Compared to the lively and experienced Lady Emma, Professor Montreya’s classroom performance is utterly dry; he almost strictly adheres to the time for beginning and ending classes, sticking rigidly to the script, never straying from the cases at the end of his workbook for after-class assignments. Zheng Qing even heard from classmates claiming they have completed the entire year’s after-class assignments for Magic Script in advance.

Of course, this isn’t the main point.

The elderly alchemy teacher, Mr. Tesla, was even more extreme than Professor Montreya—at least Montreya personally led the classes, while Mr. Tesla almost entirely delegated the teaching tasks to his graduate students, leaving classmates to guess who would be teaching before every Friday morning’s alchemy class.

”Perhaps we should broaden our perspective,” Zhang Ji Xin seemed somewhat worried because of the issue of Atonement not finding a mentor, even reducing his time helping his brother, arriving early in the classroom by more than half an hour.

”For instance?” Xin Fat Man lazily asked, balancing a brush between his upper lip and nose.

”For example, Teacher An in the academic office,” the red-faced male wizard confidently gave an example: ”His qualifications meet the requirement for guides, but he’s not familiar with most students... Fortunately, we interacted with him when we first enrolled, and with my brother’s connections, it should be possible to persuade him to help.”

’Interacting with him,’ as Zhang Ji Xin referenced was when Zheng Qing and the others had just enrolled and got into a fight with Arthur Ness on the pedestrian street. It was Teacher An who eventually escorted them back to the school.

The young scholarship student didn’t think this was a good ’connection,’ but also didn’t want to undermine the optimism of the red-faced male wizard.

”So, persuading Teacher An becomes your task.” The captain of the Atonement Hunting Team decided, then shifted his gaze to the other two companions: ”But we can’t put all our hope on a single possibility... We must pursue multiple avenues and submit applications to different teachers simultaneously...”

”What if two or even more teachers agree at the same time?” Xin Fat Man immediately raised the worst-case scenario: ”Then refusing post-application will offend more than one teacher...”

Zheng Qing hesitated for a moment.

”Offending them assumes teachers agreed,” Xiao Xiao finally spoke, silently glancing at the Fat Wizard: ”Right now, we’re barely getting by, yet you’re worried about overeating being bad for the stomach? Offending one or two teachers leaves plenty of opportunities for remedies in the future, but if we don’t find a suitable mentor within eighty-three hours, our hunting team’s probation task will absolutely fail.”

”The Doctor makes sense.” Zheng Qing slammed a fist onto the desk: ”Let’s address whether we have options first, and worry about other concerns later... Do you guys have any other targets?”

”Tomorrow afternoon, my elective Magic Universe Study teacher, I can try.” Xiao Xiao promptly proposed a clear target, which greatly frustrated Xin Fat Man.

”You really take the easy way,” he muttered.

Because to copy homework, the Fat Wizard deliberately chose the same elective class as Xiao Xiao, thus he was in no position to compete for this opportunity.

But Xiao Xiao’s target also reminded Zheng Qing.

”Elective classes are a good idea.” He thoughtfully patted Zhang Ji Xin’s arm: ”Besides Teacher An, the teacher from your elective Mysticism class tomorrow can also be approached... I’ll ask the magical zoology teacher.”

”Then I’ll persuade Zhu Si!” Xin Fat Man chuckled, mentioning a name everyone nearly forgot.

”Ah, how could I forget that little girl! This one’s certainly no problem,” Zhang Ji Xin clapped his hands but hesitantly asked Zheng Qing: ”... should we still ask other people?”

Zheng Qing glanced at Xiao Xiao.

”Of course, we should!” he replied without hesitation, affirming: ”Don’t forget Teacher Sima’s example... In the world of magic, there’s no such thing as a sure thing.”