High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 973: Chapter 35 Dent Area Sights

If one could say that First University is like the dazzling sunlight at noon and Silent Forest is like the eternal black hole, deep and somber, then Beta Town, this little town situated between the academy and the forest, would be the color between black and white, just like the color of its streets, which is gray.

In the afternoon, walking on the bustling streets of North District, Zheng Qing gained a deeper understanding of this description.

As the notorious ’Dent Area,’ North Beta Town hosts the largest community of Tricksters in the Wizard World, and naturally, it also hosts the largest impoverished population in the Wizard World.

The clearest reflection of this was the attire of the pedestrians walking in the streets.

In the school, the majority of the students’ robes were made of materials like ice silkworm silk and dragon skin, and some from wealthy families might even use shark silk or dragon skin as fabric. However, in North Beta Town, these commonly seen materials were rarely used. As far as Zheng Qing could see, the vast majority of clothing was made of linen—regardless of gender or age.

It was that kind of dull, coarse, and somewhat prickly linen.

At First University, only a few at Atlas Academy who espoused a life of ascetic practice could tolerate such material.

This discovery gradually quieted the trio as they walked. Especially when the North District locals measured them with inquisitive eyes as they surveyed the passersby—those eyes held a mix of timidity, unease, but also malice and scrutiny—these were not eyes that could reassure anyone.

”I think maybe we should find an inn in another district, right,” Xin Fat Man whispered to his two companions in a lowered voice.

Zheng Qing immediately seconded the idea.

Although he hadn’t traveled much before and lacked experience, he had read many history books in middle school and had a profound understanding of the moral standards of people under conditions of material scarcity.

”For safety, we indeed should switch districts,” the young scholarship student said.

”It’s not really a matter of safety,” as if stung by Zheng Qing’s words, Xin Fat Man’s face reddened slightly, ”It’s just a bunch of Tricksters, what threat could they possibly pose... I just think that the environment here is rather poor, the smell is unpleasant, and there’s nothing good to eat!”

As he spoke, he even mockingly pinched his nose.

Zheng Qing disapproved of his antics, yet he could understand them. Asking a Wizard from First University to admit being intimidated by a group of Tricksters was like asking a tiger to show fear in front of a cat, ultimately, it was a matter of shame.

However, what the fat man said wasn’t entirely without reason.

Due to uneven development, the overall environment of North Beta Town was indeed poorer compared to other districts. Throughout their journey, residues from potion making, ghastly thin beast bones, and some indescribable gooey substances were visible all along the road.

The air was filled with a strange odor mixed from the remnants of potions, cat urine, and burning wood.

Now and then, seven or eight-year-old little Tricksters, wearing filthy robes and holding strands of thin red tendon-like objects, would approach the three visitors, clamoring, ”Sir, buy an amulet! Buy an amulet! Just for one copper!”

Under normal circumstances, one copper definitely couldn’t buy an amulet.

However, seeing these children in a pitiable state, Zheng Qing and others still spent some money begrudgingly and bought a few.

”Move to another district? Which district do you want to live in? Let’s not talk about whether you have that much budget, just ask a simple question, how do you plan to go there?” Xiao Xiao unsurprisingly struck down his companions with his question.

Zheng Qing pondered for a few seconds and immediately became dejected.

As a town with attached qualities, Beta Town wasn’t small in size, but it was very dispersed. A few streets meandered and intertwined, running along the Silent River, following the walls of Alpha Fortress, entangled like the dragon bone of a large umbrella, supporting the entire off-campus commercial area.

The tip of the large umbrella was Alpha Castle.

Between the ribs of the dragon bone lay large expanses of Silent Forest, serving as an isolation belt, filling the spaces between different areas.

Especially the North District, due to historical legacy issues, the forest area isolating North District was huge, making this district seem particularly remote. Apart from the porch system of the First University and the docks at Silent River, there were no other passageways connecting North District with other areas of Beta Town.

This meant that Xin Fat Man’s idea of moving districts had died before it could be put into practice.

Thinking of this, Zheng Qing looked up at the Doctor, hoping to see if he had any better ideas, but saw Xiao Xiao muttering something while holding the ’Red skin tendon amulets’ he had just bought.

”What are you doing?” The young cost student immediately forgot his recent question and asked curiously.

”Testing what effects these amulets have and what attacks they can withstand,” Xiao Xiao answered solemnly. ”Magic items have their worth, no matter their cost; even a one copper amulet should have the value of one copper coin.”

”Unless that’s not the amulet you think it is.” Xin Fat Man chuckled on the side, pinching a ’Red skin tendon’ and swinging it in front of Xiao Xiao, ”This is actually a frog’s tongue, soaked in potion. It doesn’t really have any magical patterns engraved on it... Old people always say, since frogs are loudmouthed, cutting off their tongues and hanging them on your body can ward off gossipy attacks. But I’ve always thought this notion hasn’t been tested by magical standards, it’s just a sort of superstition.”

The fat man had investigated the North District several times before, so he knew the area quite well.

After listening to his explanation, Zheng Qing twiddled the ’Red skin tendon’ tied on his wrist. Whether it was a psychological effect or not, after Xin Fat Man’s explanation, he always felt a sleazy, nauseating sensation from the tendon.

He felt an urge to chop off his own wrist.

”Since you know so much about North District, why did you ask such a silly question just now?” The young cost student tried to distract himself with another topic, thus criticizing Xin Fat Man’s earlier suggestion about moving districts.

”Oh, that?” Xin Fat Man said nonchalantly, raising his stumpy forefinger, ”Previously, I only came to North District during the opening of the school term, when the campus passages were almost always open. I never worried about accommodation issues... When have you ever seen me staying outside campus?”

Zheng Qing ignored the fat man’s reply.

Because he finally couldn’t bear the greasy feeling on his wrist any longer, he felt he now needed a torch to burn this so-called amulet into ashes.