High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2283: Chapter 504: Situational Awareness

The three young wizards stared at the sparks, holding their breath until the sparks completely dissipated, then collectively exhaled. Zheng Qing felt a thin layer of cold sweat on his neck.

”...Tan Ya Ruman (1889) in her pioneering research proposed the ’interpretive transfer’ theory. This theory, through the acceptance of the existence and agency of non-human intermediary beings, successfully explained the source of the classical school’s mysticism proliferation, clarified the boundary between classical magic rituals and Satan worship, thereby achieving the ’disenchantment’ of mysticism and laying a solid foundation for the development of modern magic theory...”

Zhang Ji Xin’s voice was sonorous and powerful, engrossed in reviewing his notes on mysticism, seemingly oblivious to the tingling sensation lingering in the air.

At some point, Xin Fat Man had already crumpled up the piece of parchment, as if ready to throw it out the window in the next moment.

Zheng Qing glanced out the window.

From the corner where he was sitting, he could see a corner of Lin Zhong Lake through the window. Although it was already deep winter, due to the Fishman Tribe, the lake surface was not completely frozen. From a distance, it looked like a light green jade, with strands of sunlight casting enchanting hues on the water—this beautiful color nicely relieved the young public-funded student’s anxiety.

He withdrew his gaze.

Doctor Xiao, narrowly escaping a disaster, still had a slightly pale face but had regained complete composure. At some point, he had opened his thick, black-cover notebook and was scribbling on it with a feather pen, trying to keep it concealed from others.

Zheng Qing had no curiosity to peek.

He was worried that if he looked any longer, that extinguished spark might start crackling again.

The young public-funded student cleared his throat, once again emphasizing the ’red line’ of discussion: ”I reiterate, we’re only discussing the ’Small Arcana’ list, not the big one... if the big ones come, we won’t be able to handle it... So, any changes in the Small Arcana this time?”

The fat wizard still clutched the crumpled parchment, his face full of confusion, seemingly not understanding why the young public-funded student was so persistent on this issue, not frightened back by the successive three lightning strikes.

”Even if a cat has nine lives, you can’t do that!”

Under Zheng Qing’s unblinking stare, Xin Fat Man finally mumbled, admitting defeat: ”...I merely took a liking to one of your amulets from the beginning, and now it seems I’ll never pay it off in my lifetime... Look, there’s nothing else special...”

He spread out the piece of parchment again, trying to push it under Zheng Qing’s nose.

Zheng Qing firmly pushed it back: ”I’ve already seen it; no one can understand your shorthand.”

The fat wizard grumbled as he took back the parchment, glancing at the direction where the chain of sparks had disappeared, as if worried that a bolt of lightning would suddenly appear and strike his forehead. His demeanor grew more cautious: ”As for other special things... oh, here, Alpha’s ’Starcoin’ sequence included a newcomer from the first year. You might know him, it’s that Lin Yan from the Fringe Hunting Team, the guy who wanted to buy out our Atonement Hunting Team... he’s Starcoin Sequence Ten, just like Nicholas, both are the last position in the sequence. Um, I just realized he’s also surnamed Lin, and he entered Alpha Academy, does he have any connection with Lin Guo?”

Mumbling to himself, mumbling to himself, Fat Man slowly yet keenly realized something he hadn’t noticed before.

”No relation.”

Zheng Qing impatiently interrupted the fat wizard’s rambling nonsense: ”The surname system in the Huaxia Area is different from Europa, having the same surname doesn’t imply family connections... Is there anything else?”

The fat wizard was full of confusion, not knowing what else Zheng Qing wanted to ask.

”Female.” Xiao Xiaoyan concisely reminded.

Xin Fat Man instantly understood.

”Oh, say that earlier!” He puckered his lips, his gaze scanned over the parchment: ”Mmm, female, Senior Linda Barnes will be graduating next semester, so she has stepped down from the Starcoin sequence this time...”

A hint of murderous intent flashed in Zheng Qing’s eyes.

”Just kidding, just kidding.”

Fat Man chuckled dryly twice, glanced at the nearly empty classroom, and quickly increased his speech speed, first addressing the part Zheng Qing was most concerned about: ”Jiang Yu has advanced from last year’s Wand Sequence Five to Wand Sequence Three, which is quite an achievement. Ahead of her is Liu Feifei, whose position hasn’t changed, she’s still Sequence Two, after all, she’s been the top student for two consecutive years. Then there’s Doctor Xiao, who was Wand Sequence Seven last year, and this year advanced to ’Wand Attendant’, a position that belonged to Zhao Qiao, one of the Three Heroes of Will last year. Although he didn’t become Lei Zhe this year, as captain of the Ninth Existence Academy Hunting Team, he still belongs to the Wand list, mmm, this year Zhao Qiao is Wand Sequence One...”

”That’s enough, that’s enough.”

The young public-funded student interrupted the fat wizard’s rambling supplement once again, decisively getting up and heading out of the classroom: ”Discussion ends here, there’s a practice class in the afternoon. I need to go buy some snake oil first...”

His voice suddenly stopped.

At the door, a witch who should have left long ago suddenly appeared, startling him.

”Why did you come back?”

He glanced behind Jiang Yu, blinking, a mix of surprise and confusion in his eyes: ”Where’s Li Meng? I thought you guys went for lunch...”

”Forgot something, came back to get it.” The witch casually explained, her gaze sweeping toward the back of the classroom: ”It’s you guys who aren’t going for lunch?”

Before Zheng Qing could explain, Xiao Xiao and Xin Fat Man quickly got up and rushed out of the classroom as if they had a dozen Armor Horse Charms on them, dragging along the bewildered Zhang Ji Xin.

”Just about to go!” Xiao Xiao said, speaking rapidly.

”I’m starving!” the fat wizard shouted full of spirit.

”...In December 1739, the ’Delhi Religious Peace Proposal’...” The red-faced male wizard was dragged out backward, clinging to his book of mysticism, still muttering to himself.

Jiang Yu watched the backs of the departing people, her brow slightly curved.

They do have some sense, Zheng Qing nodded silently in his heart.

Coming back to his senses, the witch had already taken a magic history textbook out of the drawer, holding it in her arms, and noticing the warlock’s gaze, she simply explained: ”Meng Meng left it behind.”

This is undeniable; that little girl is always forgetful.

”How’s your review going?” Zheng Qing, at a loss for words, asked as his eyes flitted around, his feet seemingly glued to the floor, having long forgotten his intention to buy snake oil.

”Not good.”

The witch shook her head, her finely arched eyebrows furrowing beautifully: ”Recently, going over divination, magic scripts, and alchemy, I’ve found many knowledge points I’ve forgotten... this exam is certainly going to be a disaster.”

If these words came from Li Meng or Zhang Ji Xin, they would surely be believable. But coming from a witch who had just been promoted to Wand Sequence Three, they involuntarily provoked anxiety.