High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2302: Chapter 523: Rookie Mistakes

The Absolution Hunting Team received a reply from the school’s Hunting Committee regarding the Alliance’s assigned task on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, which is the second day after the Cold season.

Only then did Zheng Qing realize that the hunting team needs to undergo a review by the Tri-Sword before executing their task.

The official hunting teams organized by the students participate in the Alliance’s assigned tasks, which undergo three layers of review: by the Professor Joint Meeting, the School Works Committee, and the Hunting Committee. Therefore, Zheng Qing felt that the Tri-Sword review was a redundant procedure akin to putting on pants and farting, totally unnecessary.

But just like how sometimes you indeed secretly put on pants and fart when no one’s around, there are many seemingly foolish things in this world that, upon reflection, make a bit of sense.

In any case, upon receiving the reply, Zheng Qing hurriedly gathered the Absolution team members who were already prepared: Xiao Xiao, Xin, Dylan, Blue Bird — plus himself, making five of them — and rushed to the Tri-Sword Headquarters through the Big Clock between the school and the Tri-Sword, hoping to return to the school cafeteria in time for lunch before it closed.

Fortunately, they had good luck.

Since they arrived early, they didn’t have to wait in line too long before it was Absolution’s turn to retrieve their ’key.’ Behind the rectangular-shaped counter sat a plump, fair-skinned receptionist, resembling a glutinous rice dumpling stored in a refrigerator, with a mechanical voice and cold demeanor, hardly like a living person.

Until that little incident happened.

In Zheng Qing’s eyes, ’glutinous rice dumpling’ suddenly seemed more lively.

While the receptionist was verifying the Absolution Hunting Team’s data, Zheng Qing casually glanced at the table’s arrangement — several piles of folders of varying thickness haphazardly stacked at the table’s edge, while the wooden box in the middle held a collection of brass keys that all looked identical to Zheng Qing.

There was a broken Magic Mirror at the corner of the table; Zheng Qing received a similar gift during Christmas, which he had quietly broken. He thought this was both the wizard world’s most successful and unsuccessful alchemy product, its main function being to tear apart the false Illusory World woven by language and codex, diligently reminding everyone that they live in a society filled with malice against them.

Paper cranes of various colors flew incessantly in mid-air; Zheng Qing could easily guess that the red ones were urgent because they flew with a small cluster of flame at the tail, seeming to burn into ashes if the retrieval was slightly delayed, while white ones flapped slowly, much like big fat geese taking a stroll after being fed.

A small purple hourglass, without any playmate, flipped between documents and ink stone by itself; while Zheng Qing’s gaze pursued the hourglass, a plump Flower Cat poked its head out from the receptionist’s side drawer, giving a friendly ’meow’ to the young cost student.

”Alice actually greeted you!”

The equally plump receptionist finished stamping, seeing this sight, exclaimed, ”She’s usually very shy and never talks to strangers... What a surprise.”

Startled by her loud voice, the Flower Cat swiftly retreated back into the drawer.

”Here’s your key, take it, choose an unattended archway, just open and go in.” The receptionist instructed while playfully winking at Student Blue Bird, the most handsome of the group.

Zheng Qing held back his laughter, took the key, and hastily left, not daring to glance at Blue Bird’s expression.

However, before entering the gate, he subtly sneaked a peek at Swordsman classmate, seeing him keeping a stern face, the joke that had bubbled up to Zheng Qing’s mouth lost its appeal for expression.

”Check your insignia and appearance,” Absolution’s Diviner suddenly reminded, ”hang the Law book at your belt, fasten it securely, don’t show any fret in front of the examiner... Hey chubby, you’ve got some cake crumbs on your collar!”

The young cost student’s slightly scattered thoughts immediately gathered back.

The group sneaked past under the unsparing gaze of the Door Gods. As they crossed the threshold, Zheng Qing felt as though passing through a thin bubble, even faintly hearing a slight ’pop’ in his ear.

He speculated this might be part of the Protective Barrier within Tri-Sword.

Behind the door lay a spacious corridor, padded with a thick, indigo carpet, below foot, it was silent. The walls on either side were adorned with portraits of unknown wizards, many donned masks with lively, expressive eyes depicted exclusively.

Under the oppressive gaze from the portraits, Absolution Hunting Team quietly and silently passed through this corridor.

A dark grey double-door stood at the corridor’s end.

The door was devoid of Door Gods, only hung a small sign stating ’Tri-Sword Review Office,’ beside which appeared a blank space seemingly a bulletin board, piling numerous notices, a top parchment recently affixed, with a hastily penned message by a Feather Pen reading, ’Notice: Reviews for 2010 Registered Hunter Teams undertaking Alliance assigned tasks are underway. Deadline: March 31. Registered teams, please communicate reciprocally, any inquiries, contact Tri-Sword Review Office, much appreciation for your cooperation!’

Whoosh!

The office door abruptly opened, immediately drawing the young hunters’ attention.

”Please, come in.”

A slightly weary voice resonated from within, soon accompanied by a curse: ”... hurry up and buzz off, don’t disturb my work here, think everyone in the File Management Office is as idle as you all are?”

”Let me catch a breath, have a sip of tea!” Another lazy voice replied, ”Idle? You know how many offices I’ve dashed through this morning just to deliver these files...”

Peeking inside, Zheng Qing scanned the spacious office, sparsely adorned, with towering bookshelves on both sides, crammed full with densely packed materials and files. A colossal arc-shaped desk occupied almost half the room, absent were tea tables and sofas, only randomly positioned high chairs before the desk, already claimed by a slender, tall Warlock in black robes, clutching a piping hot beverage.

”Don’t mind me, you can treat me like air.”

Noticing Zheng Qing’s gaze, the lanky Warlock raised his mug kindly in acknowledgement, ”... you folks are here for the Alliance assigned task as a registered hunting team? Undergoing qualification review? ... hmm, judging by your attire, you must be new hunters from last year! ... ha, don’t give me those admiring looks, just so you know, my long tenure at Tri-Sword simply means more experience gathered... apart from novices, no hunting team dressed in neat, clean robes with Law books belted while undertaking tasks, carrying an outlook inviting all Black Wizards to prioritize eliminating you.”