High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 3035: Chapter 48: The Big Pit

”—Don’t walk any further.”

A lazy warning came from the top of the wall.

Forty-one hastily withdrew his foot after just stepping over the doorway threshold, standing with hands clasped, properly on the small patch of bluestone behind the door. Working in the department, the most important thing was to follow rules, because the tasks handled by the department often involved many high-dimensional space-time state projects, which were very prone to losing control, and ’rules’ were the most effective way to address uncontrolled phenomena.

As he stopped walking.

The courtyard before him, though somewhat dilapidated, yet with its inner framework still standing, swayed slightly like a mirage, then shattered with a bang, transforming into a different scene.

The winding corridors, nearly dried-up pond, arch bridge, temples, pavilions, stone statues, and the giant pagoda tree in the original courtyard all vanished completely, replaced by an elliptical concave deep pit, with a strange large tree standing at the center at the pit’s bottom.

The tree seemed to be enveloped in a twisted time-space bubble. Although Forty-one stood at the entrance, theoretically, the distance between him and the tree should not exceed the length of the Xuanhuang Palace, yet he could not see the tree clearly, only faintly perceiving several figures lingering under the tree, seemingly arguing over something.

The edge of the pit almost adhered to the wall, sinking. Debris hung on the pit wall, and as the breeze brushed through, the fragments fell with a rustle, as if dropping into a cliff or abyss, striking the deep pit with elongated, hollow sounds.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Forty-one’s temple.

He was very certain that if it weren’t for the recent warning, another step forward would surely result in falling into the pit. Outcomes would then be difficult to predict.

Recalling the warning. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

He quickly looked up, following the direction from which the sound came.

And saw the Yellow Flowered Cat lounging with its paws tucked on the wall top—this cat wasn’t a member of ’Order’, but it was an aide of the Order Chief, more importantly, it was a legendary-level being.

Any wizard would show adequate respect to a legend.

”Mr. Huang,”

Forty-one respectfully greeted the cat on the wall.

A thought flashed through his mind—a shadow of the Order Chief is a cat, an avatar is a cat, and even the aide is a cat. Perhaps he should also adopt a cat to bridge his relationship with this small group? Or simply practice the Directional Transformation Technique and transform into a cat himself.

The Flower Cat drooped its eyelids, lazily twitching its ears.

”Hmm.”

In front of outsiders, it remained a legend, naturally possessing the reserve and pride of a legend.

Forty-one certainly did not think the cat was impolite—getting a response from a legend meant a high level of regard for wizards of his rank.

”—How do we handle those magic books and containment items sent from Babel Tower?” A grumbling voice sounded behind Forty-one, belonging to the fist-sized black kitten.

Which was the avatar of the Order Chief.

Its inquiry, naturally, wasn’t to Forty-one, but to the cat on the wall.

Theoretically, the Yellow Flowered Cat was not a department employee and shouldn’t know about such matters. But working in the department required adhering to rules while maintaining flexibility. So Forty-one wisely shifted his gaze back to the vague shape of the pit-bottom tree, pretending not to hear the black kitten’s question.

The Yellow Flowered Cat raised its chin slightly, its whiskers quivering.

”—Why ask me about such matters? You are the one responsible for Order!” It impatiently wagged its tail, seemingly trying to swat away an annoying fly, almost appearing on the verge of turning its rear and walking away.

”I’m just an avatar!” the black kitten emphasized.

”An avatar is still his avatar!” The Flower Cat snorted.

”—If it weren’t for you giving him such a bad idea, how would this place have turned into such a state! Don’t you think you should bear responsibility for this?” the black kitten’s fur bristled, its tone sharp and aggravated.

”—Nonsense!”

The Yellow Flowered Cat remained unfazed and stopped turning away, its head dipped slightly forward: ”Did I chase away the old locust tree? With a pit in the courtyard, wouldn’t you consider using something to fill it?”

This was indeed true, Forty-one lowered his eyelids, pondering quietly.

Even for him, if he found a tree pit suddenly appearing in the courtyard, he would think of ways to fill it. The problem was, according to the conversation between the two cats, the pit wasn’t originally this large, something the Order Chief did caused it to become like this?

The young operative quietly exhaled, feeling somewhat weary.

At the same time, deeply regretting his previous thought of becoming a cat.

”—Besides, I only offered a suggestion! A suggestion! If the department’s head can casually accept others’ suggestions without bearing any consequences, what exactly is he ’responsible’ for?”

The Yellow Flowered Cat’s stance grew increasingly firm, nearly leaning half its body forward: ”If it weren’t for his arbitrary actions here and there, how would he end up blocked by two witches, and then in desperation, threatening that old tree? Ultimately, it’s all his responsibility!”

Forty-one started considering whether to plug his ears.

Could he really listen to such things?

”—You two, shut up!”

An unsteady and slightly stern voice came from the void, the next moment, the void above the pit twisted, rolled, a young wizard clad in a broad cloak stepped through the void, appearing at the doorway, exuding a suffocating legendary aura.

But immediately, Forty-one noticed the faint red light enshrouding the Order Chief was swiftly receding, disappearing into the Ruby Ring on his hand in the blink of an eye.

That suffocating aura also dissipated along with it.

”Thank you.”

Zheng Qing nodded slightly at the blue robe before him, looking at the row of carriages outside the door.

Then he glanced back at the huge pit behind him.

Sighing somewhat troubled.

”—The new library hasn’t been fully refurbished.” The master of Xuanhuang Palace paused, turned to look at his shoulder: ”Well, then keep troubling you for now, thank you...”

Forty-one saw no one behind the Order Chief.

Confused.

He soon saw the Blue Snake hanging from the Order Chief’s ear suddenly stretch out its neck, its head swelling in the wind, instantly becoming as large as a palace, opening its mouth like a house door, inside empty, only a bright red slide extending from the door to the dark, unseen depths of the house.

Then the head of Order patted Forty-one’s shoulder.

”Thank you, just pile those magic books and containment items into this room... Hmm, no need for you to enter, it’s rather complicated inside. Just throw the items onto the slide.”