High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2305: Chapter 526: Zheng Qing’s Review Results

”Family relations, top secret.”

”Hobbies, confidential.”

”Marital status, secret; skilled in magic, confidential... very well, is there anything about you that isn’t classified?... Hmm, hunting experience... finally something of substance... formed the Absolution Hunting Team, served as the Hunting Team Leader, participated in the 2008 and 2009 Campus Cups, won Best Newcomer, took part in the Battle of the Black Prison... Ha, these details are even more concise than that chubby guy before! Wait, is your name real?”

The examiner cast a suspicious glance at Zheng Qing, but quickly looked away.

”No, you don’t need to answer that question.”

The examiner behind the desk chuckled as he quickly flipped through the young student’s file, clicking his tongue in wonder: ”I’ve been in the examiner’s seat for over a decade, and it’s not the first time I’ve seen a Hunter’s file with pages blacked out, but a student? Without a doubt, you’re the only one, so what should I do with this?”

Zheng Qing opened his mouth, then obediently closed it.

Primarily because he wasn’t sure who had caused his information to be classified—was it the gentleman, Professor Yao, Su Shi, or even that black cat from the relevant department—they were all possible. Depending on the reasons for the confidentiality, the extent of ’candor’ he could offer naturally varied.

”If necessary, could you perhaps submit a relevant request to the school?” the young student suggested tentatively, not wanting his information to prevent the hunting team from completing its designated tasks.

”Necessary? No, not necessary.”

The examiner bent down from his chair and rummaged through a drawer by his boot, finally pulling out a crumpled form and spreading it out in front of him: ”The Trident Sword has precedents for such cases... you just need to answer a few simple questions. Hmm, first, do you have any contact with Black Wizards?”

”No... um, does the Wandering Wizard at the Wandering Bar count?”

”Hey, that guy!”

The examiner smirked, made a clear check mark with the feather pen in his hand, and then continued to ask: ”... alright, next question, have you ever conducted any illegal magical experiments?”

”No.”

Zheng Qing shook his head decisively, though he worried to himself whether the little snake in his head or the forbidden curse seed in his body counted as ’illegal.’

The examiner made a second check mark and looked up again: ”Do you think you can handle the enemies during a hunt? It’s enough if you can handle those at the registered level.”

Zheng Qing felt this was the question he could most confidently nod to among the three.

”Very good.”

The examiner placed the crumpled parchment into Zheng Qing’s file, nodding: ”That’s all, you’ve passed the examination... Next, hmm, that short warlock with glasses, you call him over.”

Zheng Qing nodded in a daze—he had no idea what had just been checked, but somehow he had inexplicably passed, though the examiner’s conclusion was still quite clear.

Before turning away, the young student hesitated for a few seconds, finally stopping to ask a question he wasn’t sure was appropriate: ”I heard from one of your colleagues that student hunting teams rarely carry out such tasks... If you were to rate the danger of this mission from one to ten, what would you give it?”

”So, you’re still just a bunch of students.”

The examiner rubbed the corner of his eye, casually tossing the feather pen onto a nearby pen rack, and sighed deeply: ”Only students think everything can be rated... But if you really need a score... Firstly, for any student, the danger of a Trident Sword mission is above five; secondly, based on the mission’s special nature and your entire team being in the second year, I’d be inclined to increase the risk by three more; finally, based on rumors and the completion rate of similar past missions, I think a score of thirteen is a fairly objective assessment for you.”

From any angle, thirteen is not a good number, or rather, it’s quite a bad answer.

The young student let out a couple of awkward laughs.

”That too is a joke, right?” he thought of the examiner’s way of joking with the Fat Wizard earlier.

”No, that’s a very serious rating.”

The examiner lifted his eyes to give the Atonement Hunting Team’s leader a deep look, grabbed the brass seal from the desk, and stamped it heavily on the seal of Zheng Qing’s file bag.

The bright red mark left by the ink resembled a split wound on the skin, emanating an unsettling aura.

...

...

When Xiao Xiao was undergoing the qualification check, the tall, thin wizard in the File Management Office stared intently at Zheng Qing, with a teacup in his hand that hadn’t touched his lips for quite some time.

His gaze made the young student feel somewhat uncomfortable.

”Is there a problem?” the boy slightly furrowed his brow.

”Are you Zheng Qing?”

Lewis lifted his teacup, carefully examining Zheng Qing, with an odd look in his eyes, muttering: ”I’ve always thought your name sounded familiar... only just remembered... Zheng Qing, still at the First University... When the ’Daily Horn Newspaper’ came out, I thought it was another rumor... every year some fools try to defame Su Councilor... But later, even the ’Beta Town Post’ reported it... are you really, really connected to Councilor Su?”

His gaunt face wrinkled into a mass, resembling a well-weathered old corn cob, with the messy hair mirroring its tassels.

From behind Zheng Qing came a repressed, peculiar laugh from Xin Fat Man, who clearly enjoyed seeing the student in some sort of trouble. Zheng Qing cautiously took a small step back, discreetly placing his hand on the bronze book at his waist.

”It’s all nonsense, everything in the newspapers is rumor!” He lied boldly without a hint of embarrassment.

Lewis noticed where Zheng Qing’s hand was and quickly took a small step back as well: ”Oh, oh, don’t be nervous, I’m just a bit curious... I’m a formal employee of the Trident Sword, fully capable of controlling my emotions... believe me... I even sent you a gift!”

Perhaps he intended to express goodwill with the term ’gift.’

But this statement instead made Zheng Qing even more wary, distinctly remembering the flood of ’gifts’ following the leak, a memory he would never forget, especially the rows of beheaded nightmare dolls by his pillow.

”So?”

”So, I’m just a little curious.” Lewis touched his chin, let out a couple of dry laughs: ”It seems you could be at most called ’fair-skinned’... barely ’delicate’... the swordsman in your team is much better looking than you... It’s hard to understand why Councilor Su chose you.”

”With her beauty, does it matter what her lover looks like?” Zheng Qing recalled Su Shi’s rather narcissistic comment from the ball.

Lewis nodded slightly: ”So you’re acknowledging the content of that report?”

”Blue Bird! Student Blue Bird, come over here! It’s your turn!”

The examiner’s slightly irritated voice interrupted the tall, thin warlock’s words: ”This is the hunting team qualification review office, don’t discuss unrelated topics!!”