High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 771: Chapter 119: Cat Grid_1

Up until now, the business scope that Zheng Qing had planned for D&K only included the sale of talismans, potions, live mice, and discounted items from the Wandering Bar.

This was not solely due to issues with their business license — the Beta Town Trade Association expressly limited the business scope of each store. Any store that operates beyond these limits could be fined or even asked to suspend operations for rectification. The Absolution Hunting Team had only managed to get one commercial license, so they could only engage in some reselling. However, the main reason limiting Zheng Qing and his team’s business scope was a matter of capability.

Or rather, it was a matter of specialization.

Many years have carved profound traces into the cobblestone pedestrian streets of Beta Town, leaving many long-established, highly specialized, and reputable stores on both sides of the streets.

For example, the Huck Brothers Watch Shop, famous for manufacturing a variety of clocks, has earned a reputation across the island. The clocks they made were said to be able to ’cross boundaries for timing’, meaning that the accuracy and timing effects of the clocks sold from their store weren’t affected even if they left Earth and went to other new worlds.

Then there was Green’s grocery store, known for its low-profit and abundant products, boasted that there was no product that couldn’t be found in their store — from stationery like feather pens, rice paper, cinnabar, and ink, to bundles of standard talisman, various types of crucibles, knives, silk gloves, and even uncharged Peach Charms, swords made of lightning wood, voodoo dolls, and human skin tangkas, etc., almost every useful item on the market could be found in this grocery store.

Beyond that, there was the Fizer Magic Medicine Company that had a drugstore on the pedestrian street, Sam’s Pass opened a branch on the pedestrian street, and the Sorcerer Alliance - Moonlit Airline Company also had a ticket office there. In addition, there was Shangyuan Bookstore selling magic books, Three Flavor Bookstore selling textbooks and other magic books, Green Xifang, Cloud Think Boutique, and Ground Brush selling clothes, Shepherdess Jewelry Store selling jewelry, Apple Pavilion selling gifts, Linjinghua selling cosmetics. Even Nina Company, which mainly engaged in the perfume business, managed to open some counters in several cosmetics stores on the street.

This didn’t include all the eateries, bars, and food streets on the streets.

It could be said that the new store that the Absolution Hunting Team was planning to open had no confidence or capability to fairly compete with the other businesses on the street. Fortunately, their goal in opening the store was not to do business, which greatly relieved the pressure on everyone.

Having said that, if they had the chance to grab some profitable crumbs under the siege of other businesses, the young mages of the Absolution Hunting Team wouldn’t be scared.

Just like what Zheng Qing and his team are currently planning.

The early return of the Silent Forest is not news for Beta Town. The low-ranking wizards and tricksters who have been venturing into the forest in the North District for years have paid a bloody price to declare to the town’s traders that the restless forest is becoming more dangerous.

Although the traders are aware of opportunities that lie in danger, their more focused attention is on the stream of cheaper magic materials flowing out of the forest, and on the potential beast tide that may come at any time. Few traders pay attention to the impact that this early return might have on Jiuyou Academy.

Or rather, no one thought that the early return of the Silent Forest would impact Jiuyou Academy.

Thus, when Jiuyou Academy assigned the students the task of clearing mice, spiders, carrion beetles, and other small creatures, there was not much reaction from Beta Town.

On the one hand, this was a task assigned by the school, and it was associated with the students’ evaluations. The merchants on the street weren’t clear whether these tasks would involve some sensitive points of school management, so they wouldn’t gamble their reputation and jade coins for the profits from a few mice and bugs.

On the other hand, the entire market’s silver supply was somewhat tight at present. Capable stores were preparing to stock up to cope with the coming storm, while less capable stores wrapped themselves in quilts and huddled in their little shops.

As a result, when D&K started hoarding mice in hopes of making a small profit, no second competitor emerged to fight for this bland but not useless piece of meat.

”Our goal is to make Jiuyou Academy mouse-free!” The black cat stood in front of a group of cats, waving its claws, giving a passionate speech:

”Our vision is to provide every student in Jiuyou Academy the opportunity to buy a mouse from our store!”

”Our future- won’t be limited to Jiuyou Academy, or these mice! We will lay out a sales network throughout Jiuyou Academy selling eight-eyed spiders! Carrion beetles! Red Chain Snakes!”

”We are the greatest cats of this era!”

”Meow, meow, meow!!!” A large group of cats of varying sizes in front of the black cat may not have understood their leader’s rant, but they still very politely lifted their paws and slapped vigorously while making approving meowing sounds.

At some point, the spectacle attracted some foxes, who mixed into the group of cats, bouncing around, wagging their tails, and yelling in shrill voices. The scene was quite lively for a while.

Xiao Xiao silently turned around, standing with his back to the crazy little animals, speechlessly staring at a poplar branch in front of him, as if trying to imagine a flower on it.

On the other hand, Lin Guo and Ding Dang Ears were engrossed in the spectacle.

”I originally thought that the captain was just using force to make those cats catch mice for him!” The little male mage praised, full of admiration for his captain, ”I didn’t expect him to use his personal charisma! He’s really amazing!”

”Cat-ma, cat-ma!” Interjected the clothed Mouse King from the side, ”He’s a cat, not a person!”

Lin Guo ignored the mouse and continued: ”This is what the professors always called the quality of a leader, the tolerance of a great general... truly extraordinary!”

Hearing this, Xiao Xiao, who had been silently staring at the poplar tree, finally couldn’t hold back. He turned around and said irritably to the male mage, ”I feel like you may have misunderstood something...”

”Huh?” Lin Guo tilted his head, looking at Xiao Xiao, completely confused.

”The main reason the cats are obedient and catch the mice is due to the fitness pills concocted by Xin the Fat Man. Ten mice can be exchanged for a pill; these pills can very slightly enhance the body’s function when consumed by the cats... It’s quite tempting to them.”

”As for your so-called cat charisma... do you think those cats understand the nonsense that he was spouting up there?” Xiao Xiao extended his finger pointing at the black cat, showing the emphasis, ”Have you forgotten how we communicated with these cats before? With drawings! Simple sketches!”

”Hmm.” Lin Guo crossed his arms in front of his chest and touched his chin, deep in thought, ”Yeah, the previous communication wasn’t very smooth...”