High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2442: Chapter 663: Rumors and Truths

”Nonsense!”

Xin Fat Man gave his judgment without hesitation, while pulling out a brand new campus newspaper and a Beta Town Post, throwing them on the table, allowing his two companions to scramble for them, with a satisfied smile on his face:

”... There are many similar rumors, like many people believe the Alliance is trying to meddle in the personnel arrangements of First University through the establishment of Edge Academy, so the potential candidates for dean mentioned in the rumors include Trident Bureau Chief Robert Nud and Danhag Chief Justice Sam Marshall.

Some also think that after Vice Principal Shi left, the School Works Committee might arrange its own people to interfere with the appointments of the Professor Joint Meeting, possibly suggesting Deputy Director Qian Jiuzhou from the Committee, or Master Xiao Bonar who ferries on the Silent River, etc.

Others feel that different forces within Edge Academy are competing against each other, such as the Great Priest of the Fishmen, the elders of The Gypsy Witch Coven, etc., all of them with deep qualifications and eligible to compete for that position.

All in all, in the absence of statements from the involved parties, various rumors naturally fly everywhere... Of course, it cannot be ruled out that some of these rumors contain certain facts.

Or rather, precisely because the involved interest parties are too many, it makes the choice of dean somewhat difficult.

The editorial department has issued an internal directive that any news not confirmed by the school or campus newspaper must be treated as rumors... Of course, if Mr. Zha you have the latest statement regarding Greenhill Mansion, be sure to tell me, the editorial department will definitely give you a considerable intelligence stipend.”

Zheng Qing randomly responded ’mm-hmm’, nodding perfunctorily, but his attention was entirely focused on the newspaper at hand—he had grabbed half a campus newspaper and half a Beta Town Post, both featuring the front-page sections.

Similar to yesterday’s newspapers.

The news about the establishment of Edge Academy was still fermenting, and the majority of the content on today’s newspapers and commentary articles were still related to it. The only difference was the news of a certain student taking up a teaching assistant position at Edge Academy, breaking through the big news of the new academy being born, occupying nearly a third of the campus newspaper’s page space.

Comparatively, Beta Town Post didn’t give Zheng Qing such face, only vaguely and ambiguously mentioned a few weird phrases like ’backdoor operations’ and ’behind-the-scenes job arrangements’.

Not overly criticized, but rather made Zheng Qing feel somewhat flattered.

”... Based on information provided privately by unnamed sources, it’s suggested that Zheng Qing’s appointment as a teaching assistant for the Fu Lu Class at Edge Academy has received broad recognition within the Professor Joint Meeting... Committee members have reason to doubt whether a second-year student who carried a ’school probation’ penalty last semester has the ability to undertake such significant responsibilities.”

”... ’He very much enjoys such opportunistic things,’ Arthur Ness from Alpha Academy doesn’t have a high opinion of Zheng Qing, ’Everyone knows that the Dean of Jiuyou Academy is extremely biased towards their students, many believe there’s cheating during the Absolution freshman competition, but because Dean Yao served as the chief referee, the cheating incident ultimately went unresolved.’

”... This young man is best known not for his conflict with senior students at the school gate upon freshman admission, receiving a punishment notice from the School Works Committee before even entering school; nor for going on night outings during the second half of freshman year and seriously injuring a respected Alpha senior on campus; and certainly not for illegally entering the First University museum or touring the Dreamland unauthorized... People mostly know him due to Upper House Member Lady Sushi from the Moon Council... It is believed that Su Councilor’s unmarried son’s father is Zheng Qing... Last year around Halloween, a large-scale protest movement broke out within First University, protesting the school’s retention of Zheng Qing’s academic status...”

”I never knew your protest last year wanted to revoke my academic status.” Zheng Qing tossed the Beta Town Post he finished reading to Xiao Xiao while picking up another bun to stuff into his mouth.

For some reason, after reading these reports, he actually felt a bit better.

”There’s a lot you don’t know.”

Xiao Xiao took the stack of newspapers, adjusted his glasses, and used chopsticks to nibble on a meat bun: ”But I suggest you first read the ’Deep’ section in the Post about you...”

Zheng Qing suspiciously accepted the newspaper.

”Is it about Mr. Zha getting a Merlin Gold Medal during this winter holiday?”

Xin Fat Man had obviously browsed those pages long ago, immediately knowing where the Doctor’s attention was focused: ”The reporting on that hunting event is under uniform control by the school and the Alliance, leaking very little news, so those commentators are just randomly guessing... It’s just gibberish, don’t take it to heart.”

He comfortingly patted Zheng Qing’s shoulder.

Zheng Qing speed-read, quickly seeing what the Fat Man meant by ’random guesses’.

The awarding of the Merlin Gold Medal had traceable paths, but Zheng Qing’s contribution was vague, only known to be related to hunting a Black Wizard. Journalists queried the school at which the attitude was ambiguous, never knowing the answer; when querying the Trident the spokesperson again stated ’the facts are true, but details cannot be disclosed’.

Overall, in the commentators’ view, given Zheng Qing’s status as a second-year student, it was absolutely impossible for him to make significant contributions during the hunting of the Black Wizard, so the only possibility was that a wizard closely related to him ’transferred’ part of the credit, allowing the warlock to accumulate the merit necessary for gaining the Merlin Gold Medal.

And that wizard closely related to him, willing to share the credit, was undoubtedly Lady Sushi. Only a big wizard like Lady Sushi and an Upper House Member from the Moon Council would have the ability to make the Alliance accept such merit-sharing.

When Zheng Qing saw the newspaper’s speculative statement ’the Alliance grudgingly accepts such merit sharing’, an unnamed fire instantly erupted.

He admitted having suspicions of living off someone else.

But suspicion is ultimately just suspicion; he swore his Merlin Medal was honorably earned, without a single flaw. Yet, these commentators who know nothing dare to talk nonsense really make one angry!

”Does the school just allow them to talk so much nonsense?”

He angrily slapped the newspaper on the table so hard that Xin Fat Man couldn’t help but look up to see the little barrier he created, fearing the barrier might be broken by the sound waves.

”The article says these are all speculations.” The Fat Wizard comfortingly picked up a bun and shoved it into Zheng Qing’s mouth: ”Moreover, there isn’t a single real name inside, all are ’a certain sponsored student from Jiuyou Academy’, ’the youngest teaching assistant’, or ’a certain Upper House Member from the Moon Council’ etc... Furthermore, Beta Town Post isn’t run by the school, the school doesn’t have management rights.”

”They might even be hoping the school will shut them down.” Xiao Xiao was sipping soy milk, nodding confidently: ”If the school did that, I bet the Post would reopen the next day at any nearby marketplace, then after adding a special edition, quickly sell out...”

Zheng Qing gnawed at the bun in his mouth, glancing again at the column name.

”It should be renamed ’Shallow Rumors’,” he mumbled maliciously: ”Neither deep nor measured, hardly counts as reporting... What qualifies it as ’in-depth reporting’!”

”Indeed, indeed.”

The Fat Wizard again picked up another bun, stuffing it into Zheng Qing’s mouth, urging: ”Don’t bother Su Councilor with such trivial matters... God says you come from dust and to dust you shall return. You came from rumors and will transform into rumors. The transformation of things has always been subtle and irrational.”