High School of Demon Hunting-Chapter 407 - 76 End of Regular Meeting_1

"Quiet down, everyone!"

"The ones reading the newspapers... and those asleep, wake up! After the meeting, you can return to your dormitory to sleep!"

"A few more words from me."

Professor Yao, holding his pipe and leaning against the podium, crossed his arms and surveyed the room with a grin.

The classroom erupted with a splash of noise.

The newspaper readers hurriedly rolled up their papers and stuffed them into the drawers; the ones asleep straightened up as if electrified, the deep marks made by the pressure on their faces fading quickly. Some students, who had left their seats, were like thieves, stalking their way back to their seats along the aisle with bent waists and stealthy steps.

Zheng Qing noticed that Tang Dun and Jiang Yu were still standing next to the podium, each holding a large pile of documents, arguing softly but intensely about something.

The professor seemed to not mind the slightly lax discipline in the classroom. Only when the atmosphere became quiet again, he began to speak with a pause-and-release tone:

"Starting next week and continuing until early November, is our school’s ’Moon Hunting’."

"As I mentioned earlier, next Thursday, we have an opening ceremony for our school’s hunting party. This would be considered as the formal initiation of ’Moon Hunting’... a very solemn, grand, and serious ceremony."

"At that time, the school will invite many well-known wizards from within and outside the school to attend as guests - including Councilman Su Shi Jun, who you all can’t stop talking about. They will also be attending."

A restrained cheer rose in the classroom.

Old Yao didn’t immediately suppress everyone’s excitement and enthusiasm, but paused before continuing:

"As per tradition, this year’s hunting party’s main venue is set at Jiuyou Academy, our own school. So the opening ceremony of the hunting party will also be held at our academy. This is a great honor."

"I’m telling you this not to put any pressure on you."

"After all, you are freshmen and are not familiar with these processes... The preparation for the hunting party and its opening ceremony have been well handled under the organization of the student union and the club union by the senior students. You just need to follow the announcements and procedures. I have instructed the two class monitors to keep in touch with you."

Tang Dun stood next to Old Yao with his hands behind his back, straightening his spine, his face displaying a serious expression.

Jiang Yu furrowed his brow slightly, but said nothing.

"I only ask for one thing." Professor Yao raised his pipe and swung it down, trailing a thin stream of smoke:

"Everyone must attend - even if you are in a coffin, you have to bring the coffin to the venue; I don’t demand you dress in fancy cloaks, but you must be clean and tidy, don’t present a disheveled appearance in front of outsiders."

"Remember, in the upcoming month, each of you represents the image of Jiuyou Academy!"

Zheng Qing smacked his lips, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with these somewhat pompous official words.

However, these words seemed to make many people feel honored, and they sat more upright, their expressions became somewhat solemn.

"Lastly, about the hunting competition, I want to emphasize again." Professor Yao shoved his pipe into his mouth, took a few puffs, and after exhaling a thick cloud of smoke, he spoke leisurely:

"Even though you are freshmen and can’t participate in the official hunting competition. But according to tradition, there’s always a newcomer competition set up at each school hunting event... This is specifically prepared for the first-year freshmen and is regarded as a very low-risk hunting activity."

"Every year after the school hunting party, hunters who excel in the newcomer competition have the opportunity to participate in the selection of the school’s five hunting teams, with a high chance of directly entering the substitute seats of these teams."

"What I want to say is that regardless of whether you achieve excellent results in the newcomer hunting competition or receive a pass for the school’s hunting teams, you will be rewarded with generous academic points... It’s no exaggeration to say that as long as you usually complete your homework on time, even if you fail all your final exams, if you have these academic points, moving up to the second year won’t be a problem."

Hearing this, Zheng Qing couldn’t help but turn to look at Nicholas.

He was still sitting in his corner, engrossed in the exercises at hand, seeming to pay no mind to the tempting option the professor mentioned on the stage.

But unlike usual, there was a witch sitting next to Nicholas today.

Zheng Qing gave a slight smile and turned his attention back to the podium.

Old Yao’s concluding remarks were reaching their final moments:

"The hunting party is an age-old tradition."

"Demon hunting is also a grand sport."

"I do not expect you to achieve outstanding ranks in a school-wide competition like this, but I do hope each of you will give it your all and be a real Jiuyou People!"

With that, the professor struck the blackboard heavily with his pipe.

Accompanied by scattering sparks and billowing smoke, nine characters were fluidly inscribed in the middle of the blackboard:

"Respect! Contemplate! Settle Down!"

"Dismissed!"

The classroom atmosphere fell silent for several seconds, as Professor Yao prepared to leave, a student in the front row suddenly seemed to realize something, raised her hand and shouted:

"Professor, when will Councilman Su Shi Jun visit our class?"

She asked the question that concerned many.

This question ignited the last suppressed emotion in the classroom, and many people joined in the uproar and chaos.

Professor Yao turned back, raised his eyebrows without saying a word, instead returned the pipe to his mouth, and wobbled away holding his lecture notes.

His reaction was rather thought-provoking.

After the originally noisy classroom quieted down for several seconds, it became even noisier. Some people blamed each other for being disrespectful and unsettled, ruining everyone’s efforts for a month.

Even more people flocked to the two class monitors, attempting to get some more precise news from them.

Zheng Qing was not one to join the fray.

Though quite intrigued by the rumored ’Number One Beauty of the Wizard World’, he was hardly obsessed. His curiosity could be categorized as ’cat-like’ at best.

Compared to this matter, as the team leader of the Absolution Knight Group, he had other matters to worry about.

"So, we have to form our own hunting team now?" The young scholarship student scratched his head in frustration as he looked at the several companions sitting in front of him.

"Weren’t you originally planning to participate in the Freshmen Hunt anyway?" Xiao Xiao looked at him surprisingly: "I remember you made an agreement with Sepulano..."

"That’s a different matter!" Zheng Qing waved his hand and interrupted the doctor’s words, bluntly saying: "My agreement with Sepulano is a matter between the two of us... It has nothing to do with the Knight Group."

The others exchanged glances, their gazes slightly subtle.

"If everyone wants to join the Freshmen Hunt..."

"It’s not about wanting, but must." Zhang Ji Xin’s red face shone slightly, ranting fervently: "Not only is this an excellent opportunity for practice... But as the professor said, it’s a great opportunity to earn credits."

"But," Zheng Qing still hesitated: "We’ve all just started school, we haven’t learned much..."

"The Freshmen’s Hunt does not test how much you’ve learned at the university, but how much you’d learned before university." Xiao Xiao grabbed his brush and lazily added while spinning it between his fingers: "Anyway, it’s not very dangerous. Consider it our Knight Group’s first appearance after its establishment."

Between their conversation, there were fewer and fewer lingering figures in the classroom.

"Let’s discuss this when we get back," Zheng Qing pressed his somewhat throbbing temple, said tiredly: "We’ll have a meeting at the dorm tonight... If others are free, they can come too."