High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 399: Chapter 68: The Hunting Team in the Late Night Campus_1

”I think it’s good this way.”

When Zheng Qing hinted at the hidden dangers brought about by the ’chaotic time’ to Lin Guo, the young wizard replied bluntly.

The two of them stood at the meetup point set up by the patrol team by the lake, in the cold wind, feeling a bit awkward.

The weather was already a bit chilly in the late autumn season. While Lin Zhong Lake could somewhat influence the surrounding temperature to a certain extent, it was still helpless against the cold wind sweeping across the lake surface.

”Weather is getting cold....” The young cost student changed the topic awkwardly with a laugh, stuffing the stack of paperwork back into the grey cloth bag, then wrapping his thin woolen cloak a little tighter.

Lin Guo also seemed a bit taken aback by the awkward atmosphere, bluntly agreeing: ”Good thing the school distributed the winter coats.... they’re warm when worn.”

As time slowly transitioned to winter, patrolling, especially night patrol, gradually became a bothering duty. For this, the school work committee specifically equipped each patrol team wizard with a warm coat and cloak. However, these ’work clothes’ were stored in a small cabin by the lake, only to be worn during patrol.

Zheng Qing nodded without continuing the previous topic.

Perhaps it was indeed rash, he pondered. For any wizard, time and soul are two very private areas. He should discuss this with Lin Guo in a warmer environment and in a more relaxed way.

”Anyway, I think you should talk to a professor.” The young cost student didn’t give up in the end: ”Any professor will do.”

Lin Guo’s face relaxed a bit.

He could still sense the concern in Zheng Qing’s tone.

The young wizard nodded slightly with a stiff face.

...

...

When all the patrol team members arrived, a middle-aged school worker took the place of old man Ferna, standing in front of the team loudly distributing today’s patrol tasks.

The patrols members were whispering to each other. Zheng Qing was focused on catching the some words from the seniors’ conversations that he didn’t even catch the name of the newly appointed person in charge.

So when the middle-aged school worker stood in front of him, the young cost student, whose face had already been slightly pale, turned even paler and was at a loss for words.

”Are you sick?” Unexpectedly, the middle-aged school worker’s attitude was very gentle.

He glanced at the young wizard and added, ”If you’re not feeling well today, you can rest first.... You can make up the missed patrol duty on another day. Just submit a form before you leave.”

Zheng Qing’s heart jumped with a touch of gratification when he heard the first part.

But the next sentence stopped him from asking for leave.

”It’s okay.” The young wizard sniffled, muttered, ”It’s just a bit cold today, just a minor flu.... I can hold on.”

Also, I hate filling out forms. He grumbled inwardly.

”Very good!” The middle-aged school worker encouragingly patted his shoulder and then patiently assigned the day’s patrol tasks to the two first-year students.

As usual.

It was still the patrol area along the Lakeside Corridor on the West Bank of Lin Zhong Lake - the most relaxing route in the entire Night Patrol Team.

Without the annoying underbrush, nor bugs running around and climbing up the trouser legs from the ankles. Just patrolling up and down the dry and flat corridor, at most to pay attention to the lake edge, to prevent the Kappa who were foraging from crawling up to the bank.

”I’ve always wondered why Kappas don’t hibernate.” When Zheng Qing once again poked this toothy creature back into the lake with his wand, he couldn’t help but complain, ”Both frogs and water snakes know to stay at the bottom when it’s warmer in winter... how can they be so stupid!”

”Because they need to bask in the moonlight by the shore.” Lin Guo responded gloomily while looking down.

Perhaps the recent conversation had influenced the young wizard’s mood, as he seemed to be feeling a bit down.

Zheng Qing sighed, glancing behind him.

The big black ram raised by Lin Guo was leisurely following the two young wizards, its hooves clopping softly. Nestled between the ram’s horns was a fluffy little fox.

It was Poseidon.

Before today’s patrol, Zheng Qing finally remembered this matter, rushed to the administrative building of school’s worker committee midway, filling out a bunch of forms.

However, the little fox clearly acted against its master’s intentions, appearing slightly disgruntled about being dragged out of its nest to sunbathe in the moonlight in the cold. Thus, from the beginning, it chose to lounge on the head of the black mountain goat, maintaining an attitude of ’non-violent non-cooperation’.

”Do you know where Uncle Ferna went?” The young cost student tried to change the topic, attempting to divert the attention of the little wizard.

However, apparently, his choice of topic only made the atmosphere heavier.

”I heard that, because of last week’s night patrol encountering a Wild Demon, due to Uncle Ferna’s negligence, he was dismissed from public service by the school...” Lin Guo’s mood plummeted even further: ”But I’ve heard from the seniors that he is still the ferryman on the Silent River.”

As for Ferna’s fate, Zheng Qing had heard some rumors.

It was said that Ferna’s dismissal was connected to the power-struggle between two vice principals—because Ferna was a veteran of the school’s worker committee, and a crucial ally to Vice Principal Ruoyu, belonging to the conservative faction in school. Several reform plans proposed by Vice Principal Shi Hui were forced to cease due to the obstruction of these elders. Thus, his departure carried significant implications.

Despite learning about these rumors, Zheng Qing neither dismissed them nor considered them seriously.

He was simply a bright-eyed freshman at the First University.

Even if he had a stroke of luck in becoming a cost student, and then another tremendous fortune in earning the Merlin Medal—it was just so. To this profoundly extablished school that produced numerous formidable figures, he was merely a bright leaf on the towering tree.

He had absolutely no standing or ability to influence the growth direction of this massive tree, be it upward or outward.

Zheng Qing wisely ended the topic about Ferna.

His attention was captured by another unsettling discovery.

”Are there a few shadows in the forest over there?” The young cost student nudged the little wizard beside him, his voice filled with anxiety: ”Are they students escaping the night classes? Or have the Fishmen from the lake come ashore again? Should we alert the other patrol teams?”

Lin Guo squinted, scrutinizing for a while, then shook his head.

”The hunting teams from our school are training at night,” The young wizard gave him a strange look: ”The man before clearly said while assigning tasks that since Moon Hunting is about to begin, all the hunting teams will intensify their nighttime training recently... didn’t you hear him?”

Zheng Qing smiled awkwardly and mustered a laugh.

He couldn’t admit that he was so engrossed in the meaningless chatter of veterans nearby before that he hadn’t noticed what the middle-aged school worker had said earlier.

As they spoke, the night training hunting team was becoming increasingly closer.

It seemed like they had noticed the curious gazes of the two young patroller officers.

A tall and thin wizard turned around, surveying them for a while, then had a quiet discussion with his partner before heading straight towards them.

”Zheng Qing?” From a few meters away, the thin and tall wizard greeted him, extending a hand to Zheng Qing, ”I hope didn’t interrupt your patrol...”

Zheng Qing hesitated, shaking the hand extended to him.

Although the person before him looked familiar, he was sure he didn’t know the tall and thin wizard.

”Hello, you are...” the young wizard asked hesitantly.

”Ah, I haven’t introduced myself yet.” The tall wizard flashed a bright smile: ”Let me introduce myself...my name is Deng Xiaojian, Deng from Deng Lin, Xiao from small, and Jian from sword... friends all call me ’Deng Zi’.”