High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2202: Chapter 423: A Twist of Fate

The Winter Hunting Area’s outermost hunting zone forms a strip encircling the entire First University.

For the sake of caution, the hunting teams are arranged by strength in order. For instance, the strongest school hunting team is allotted Zone No. 1 (A Alpha One), with the Judgement Hunting Team (Zone No. A Alpha Two) on its left, and the last-ranked Atonement Hunting Team (Zone No. A Omega Three) on its right; the team on the right of Atonement is the second-to-last Fringe Hunting Team (Zone No. A Omega Two); to the right of the Fringe is the third-to-last Absolution Hunting Team (Zone No. A Omega One), and to the right of the Absolution Hunting Party is the Xiangqi Hunting Team (Zone No. A Ren Three), and so forth.

In clearer terms, the distribution of this outermost hunting area is as follows: Judgement (Erwin Hoffman), School Hunting Team (Uncle Zhang Zhi), Atonement Hunting Team (Andrew Taylor), Fringe Hunting Team (Nicholas Green), Absolution Hunting Team (Zheng Qing), Xiangqi Hunting Team (Mike Gold Cypress Plano).

This arrangement is not only neat and orderly but also enables the strongest teams to look after the weakest ones.

At least, this is how it was initially planned by the Hunting Committee.

However, on the afternoon of the third day of the Winter Hunt, after more than twenty wild dragons unexpectedly invaded the outskirts of the Hunting Ground, the situation slowly slipped from the committee’s control.

The wild dragons’ harassment attracted the patrol team outside the Hunting Ground, which initially wouldn’t disturb the Winter Hunting teams at all.

But when Linda Barnes threw out that scroll, awakening the School Guardian Array, even the slowest hunting team would realize that the golden curtain slowly falling was a signal that things were not going well.

Banding together for warmth and mutual support with other hunting teams became the optimal choice for all ’normal’ teams.

The School Hunting Team is the most normal among all teams.

Once the School Guardian Array was activated, Uncle Zhang Zhi, as the school hunting team leader, immediately received inquiries from almost all outside hunting teams—the term ’almost’ is used because some teams, for well-known reasons, did not intend to communicate with ’Lei Zhe’ students from a weaker position.

”Stay cautious, hide and wait.”

This was Uncle Zhang’s answer to most hunting teams, but as the school hunting team leader, besides giving advice, he also had to take on more responsibility.

To the school hunting team’s left is Judgement, and to the right is Atonement.

Choosing whether to help the left or right-side team was originally not a question. According to the committee’s initial plan, in emergencies, the school hunting team was also supposed to prioritize helping the weakest Atonement Hunting Team.

This choice unexpectedly stalled at the first step.

”Can’t get in touch with the Atonement Hunting Team?”

Uncle Zhang Zhi frowned; his tall figure almost merged with the equally tall trees behind him, exuding a steady and reliable aura: ”Can we divine their position?”

He had already prepared for the worst.

Once again, the outcome was unexpected.

”They didn’t hide their tracks.”

Responding to him was the school hunting team diviner ’Alpha’—apart from the leader, the other four hunters in the school team each come from the four school academies, using their respective academies as their code names—her words were very cautious: ”The divination results show the Atonement Hunting Team has all retreated into the School Guardian Array...Their part of the hunting zone lies at the edge of Beta Town, providing them ample justification.”

”Really a clever little wolf pup.”

Speaking casually yet appreciatively, the wandering hunter ’Starry Sky’ looked at Uncle Zhang Zhi: ”...Then, are we going to aid the Fringe Hunting Team next?”

To the right of Atonement is the Fringe Hunting Team, ranked second to last among thirty teams.

”I’d rather suggest going to help the Judgement Hunting Team first.”

The hunter coded ’Jiuyou’ suddenly spoke, with very compelling reasons: ”Generally, facing such dangerous situations, lower-ranked teams would typically choose conservative and cautious responses, like that Taylor family’s little wolf, who immediately retreated under the School Guardian Array. The Fringe Hunting Team likely wouldn’t be an exception. I’ve seen their performance in the Campus Cup; their leader was once in the same grade as you...”

He cast a glance at ’Starry Sky’, adding, ”So, you should know that he’s a very prudent and thorough warlock. In such circumstances, he would seriously listen to and follow the school hunting team’s advice, hiding carefully.”

The wandering hunter ’Starry Sky’ nodded slightly, agreeing with this assessment.

”On the contrary, the Judgement Hunting Team won’t be so ’obedient’. ”

The hunter turned his focus, continuing his analysis: ”Everyone knows their leader, Erwin; does anyone think he would be a wizard who obediently follows orders? In this situation, it’s likely he would be more excited than most hunters in Starry Sky Academy... Only the team leader going over could slightly rein him in, preventing him from running around recklessly.”

A low laughter of agreement arose immediately.

Uncle Zhang Zhi hesitated a moment.

Theoretically, the overall second-to-last ranked Fringe Hunting Team indeed needed more help, but the hunter’s analysis was not without reason. Besides, he had his own considerations.

To the right of Fringe Hunting Team lies the Absolution Hunting Team.

As the elder brother of Jiuyou Academy’s Lei Zhe and Zhang Ji Xin, he knows the Absolution Hunting Team better than anyone present and privately believes this young team deserves a higher rank.

Moreover, both the Fringe Hunting Team and Absolution Hunting Team hail from Jiuyou Academy—and further, most of their members are even classmates—this means if an incident occurs with the Fringe Hunting Team, even if the School Hunting Team is not nearby, the Absolution Hunting Team would be a very proactive and potent assistance.

The diviner ’Alpha’s next words helped Uncle Zhang finally make up his mind: ”Incidentally, the Fringe Hunting Team’s mentor is Ms. Zhu Si; considering her father, who would be foolish enough to provoke both the school and a newly promoted legend wizard simultaneously?”

”Then let us gather the other teams in a counterclockwise direction.” Uncle Zhang Zhi shook his cloak, stepped forward, and drew out his law book: ”Let’s first find the Judgement Hunting Team!”

From any perspective, the School Hunting Team’s decision wasn’t wrong.

On the contrary, throughout the judgment process, they considered various possibilities, evaluating each team’s strength and even their nature thoroughly.

The only misstep was failing to recognize the true target of the attackers.

When Atonement Hunting Team retreated beneath the guardian array, whereas School Hunting Team turned left to assist the Judgement Hunting Team, Absolution Hunting Team and Xiangqi Hunting Team simultaneously ventured deep into the Silent Forest; in this long and winding part of the Winter Hunting Area, amidst confusion and coincidences, a huge and abrupt gap opened.

And within this gap, only one Fringe Hunting Team remained.