High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 349: Chapter 18: Red Eyes?_1

More forms appeared by the lakeside.

The patrolling members in various cloaks, hurrying and bustling gray-robed school workers, teaching assistants carrying all sorts of tools, black-robed professors with stern expressions and hands behind their backs. Almost every corner was a scene of suppressed yet fierce disputes, with all faces painted grim.

A wild demon had dared to infiltrate the core area of Jiuyou Academy, the heartland of the first university.

Almost all of the school’s external affairs staff could already imagine tomorrow morning’s newspaper headlines.

First, the school’s chartered plane was invaded by a demon; then, a swarm of wild Sand Hour bugs churned up a storm on campus. Without even allowing two days of peace, the school had managed to stir up yet another incident.

Like a sieve, anything could pass through!

Professor An imagined the school leaders’ roar, his plump round face all scrunched up. He was scurrying to and fro between collecting evidence and re-conducting a search, hoping to obtain some more positive news.

”Is it a lab specimen that leaked?”

”Do you know where this wild demon came from?”

”Are there any other wild demons nearby?”

He continued to repeat these questions, but silence and shaking heads were his only answers.

This made him even more dejected.

Time trickled gradually into the depth of the night.

The atmosphere on the lakeside did not cool down; it became increasingly bustling.

Dozens of small Ze Meng boats shuttled back and forth across the shimmering lake, stirring up ripples.

The Fishmen at the bottom of the lake remained wholly quiet, seemingly oblivious to these dream-disturbing intruders.

Occasionally, gorgeous spells of all colors rose up from the boats and exploded mid-air. Invisible ripples repeatedly swept across the sky above the lake.

Even standing in the hallway, Zheng Qing occasionally experienced goosebumps, and a tingling sensation on his skin.

On the lawn, several slender dogs wearing grey vests lowered their snouts, going around on the grass. Their ears were spinning wildly like kites, but their tails were tucked between their legs, unmoving.

Fireflies hung on the branches of the bushes. These little bugs inserted their sharp mouthparts into the bark, sucking sap. Their semi-transparent abdomens pulsated, gradually releasing a pale green light. As time passed, the lights grew brighter, turning into palm-sized light clusters. These clusters hovered in place, illuminating the entire lawn.

A row of bamboo cages with narrow spouts and wide bellies were neatly arranged in the corridor.

The creatures, composed of small white bugs, created trails of light pouring from the cage openings. All originating from the location of the Kappa monster, and following a Fermat spiral, they expanded outward.

The creatures closer to the monster were redder, almost black, while those farther away were whiter—those further away seemed almost blended into the moonlight.

”The color-changing bugs up there are really interesting.” Zheng Qing, craning his neck to stare at the fading colors in the sky, muttered, ”They look like watercolors spreading.”

”That’s the research result of Assistant Hilda...they are some mutated fireflies.” Standing quietly next to Zheng Qing, the white-haired assistant seemed to have no plans to join the hustle on the lawn.

Seeing Zheng Qing’s puzzled look, he nodded slightly and extended his hand, introducing himself. ”Zhang Yu...we meet again...we saw each other on the chartered plane for admission.”

”I remember, I remember.” Zheng Qing nodded repeatedly, expressing his gratitude, ”I haven’t had the chance to thank you... My name is Zheng Qing.”

”Everyone knows you,” Zhang Yu chuckled, ”The freshman who received the Merlin Medal this year...you are very famous among the assistants.”

Zheng Qing’s face reddened again.

At that moment, snippets of conversation floated to his ears:

”...Definitely not from the lab...every wild demon there has been restricted in movement...the only consequence of trespassing is becoming a pile of meat paste...”

”...I’m not talking about escaping from the lab...I meant are there possibilities in the lake...”

”...Fishmen...it’s hard to say...”

Looking back, two gray-robed school workers responsible for the search were having a low-volumed argument.

He tried his best to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t capture much information.

Then he remembered the white-haired assistant standing beside him and a line he said not long ago.

”I remember...you mentioned earlier that this wild demon wasn’t caused by the Fishmen?” Zheng Qing, after a moment of hesitation, couldn’t suppress his curiosity and asked, ”Isn’t this wild demon a transformation of a Kappa?”

”I am just a few years older than you all. You don’t need to use honorifics...I have yet to congratulate both of you for suppressing this wild demon.” Zhang Yu smiled kindly and patiently explained, ”The moment you sent the alarm, the university’s special agents entered the elder’s cave of the Fishmen tribe...By the time we arrived, the agent had confirmed that the Fishmen had nothing to do with this.”

”But aren’t Kappas under the jurisdiction of the Fishmen?”

Zhang Yu turned his head to look at the wild fireflies in the orchard and after a pause, said, ”The magical creatures in the lake are indeed under the jurisdiction of the Fishmen...but not every Kappa is a slave to the Fishmen.”

Lin Guo seemed to have been lost in thought, suddenly proclaimed loudly, ”Fishmen are not that scary...when Zheng Qing went on patrol last time, he went one-on-one with a Fishman that was this tall and sturdy...”

He exaggeratedly demonstrated the terrifying stature of the Fishman, his voice sounding very loud.

Zheng Qing coughed loudly a few times.

”I can see that you certainly live up to your reputation.” Zhang Yu noticed the young wizard’s embarrassment, his gaze moved away from him and fell on the wild demon lying on the lawn, his voice full of praise. ”This should be the second wild demon you have subdued this year...I suggest you take part in this month’s school hunting party’s freshman competition, you would certainly achieve great results with your skills.”

Zheng Qing said nothing, but he felt his cheeks grow warm.

Fortunately, a familiar figure walked over, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere.

”Zheng Qing...Why is there trouble again?!” Thomas’s large palm landed on Zheng Qing’s shoulder. Seeing the boy’s slightly surprised and uneasy look, he broke into a smile, ”Just kidding...Are you hurt? Do you feel discomfort? The professors are still conducting further examinations, so they asked me first to come check on you two and see if you need anything...”

The two freshmen shook their heads at the same time.

”Even if there are no abnormalities, I suggest both of you stay the night at the school hospital,” Zhang Yu’s voice remained calm, ”After all, neither of you have extensive experience in dealing with wild demons alone...It’s possible you have hidden injuries without realizing it.”

Zheng Qing shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, then looked back at Lin Guo.

The young wizard seemed to have discovered something. He moved towards Zheng Qing and examined him, from top to bottom.

Zheng Qing felt a bit creeped out under his scrutiny.

”Is something the matter?” He asked quietly.

Lin Guo furrowed his brows, staring at Zheng Qing’s face. After taking a long look, he exclaimed in surprise:

”Why are your eyes red?!”