Chapter 78 - Jiang Yu
Chapter 78 of "High School of Demon Hunting" introduces new challenges: The campus, the lawn, under the tree.After exhaling a deep breath, Zheng Qing makes a... Keep following!
The campus, the lawn, under the tree.
After exhaling a deep breath, Zheng Qing makes a fist and resumes his steady pose.
As if sensing a change, the morning sun leaps above the horizon and darts across the sky.
Zheng Qing takes a long breath at the right moment.
The first strand of a seven-colored sunrise flare, draped over his body by the morning sun, transforms into solar radiance and vanishes into his mouth.
âDrink the sun in the morning, eat the twilight in the evening, and at midnight, cultivate the moonlight,â Xiao Xiao intones, shaking his head.
Snapping back to reality, Zheng Qing sees that the students around him have various expressions, some eager, some despondent.
âWhat?â he asks curiously.
âMerely didnât absorb the solar radiance.â Xiao Xiao has been sitting calmly on the boulder all the while and sighs a little: âPractice is done daily, but not all practices yield results.
We all do our morning practice, but not everyone can step out into the world as a result.
How many can, really?â
Zheng Qing doesnât quite understand, nor does he seek to.
Poseidon is currently bouncing around at his side, teasing him.
He grits his teeth, contemplating how to catch and crush this little creature.
Far away, Xin Fat Man is standing at the sports grounds holding a large bag of breakfast, shouting at them.
Feeling his stomach rumble, Zheng Qing gives the paper bag an appreciative look.
The classroom for the Curse class is located in room 601 of the main building.
Since itâs the first period of the day, a few of them arrive at the classroom early.
The classroom isnât full; the students are scattered around in small groups.
Some are wearing heavy vision aids, carefully rotating the glass ball they hold, watching the distorted rays of light inside; some lean against tables, casually flipping through their law books as they let the emitted rays of light weave into a glorious spectacle around them; some sit in meditation, ignoring everyone else, with white ribbons of breath flowing in and out of their noses.
Everyone seems to busy with their own thing.
Zheng Qing pauses slightly at the door.
The classroom looks just like a massive study.
Instead of a ceiling, the roof shows a deep starry sky.
A few egg-sized white light orbs sway within this narrow space, casting a gentle glow.
In the front of the classroom is a dark green blackboard; a crudely done stick figure, colored with chalk, is joyously doing somersaults on it.
The falling chalk dust behind it forms a stylish âWelcomeâ sign.
A group of elves, dressed in gray work clothes, are sitting in a neat row at the edge of the blackboard, smiling as they watch the chaotic classroom.
In front of the blackboard is a podium about a foot and a half high.
In one corner of the podium is a dark red
lectern, on top of which neatly stacked is a box of chalk and a few booklets.
The back wall of the classroom, which is opposite the blackboard, is completely taken up by a large beige bookcase.
The bookcase is crammed full of books of varying thickness.
In the corner of the bookcase, there are several different-sized globes.
On the left side of the classroom, a row of neat lab benches is neatly arranged, their silver-white surfaces shining brightly.
Lined up against the wall are an array of clean test tubes and other laboratory equipment.
To the right of the classroom are two large French windows, the silver-gray curtains neatly tied at the sides.
Through the tall windows, you can see Lin Zhong Lake glimmering in the distance.
The overall color scheme of the classroom is pleasing to the eyes, not the least bit chaotic.
âWelcome, welcome, heartfelt welcome.â
An apathetic voice comes from behind Zheng Qing, startling him.
When he turns around, he finds that a sketch is talking to him.
This painting must have been hanging behind the door for a long time.
The paper is slightly yellowed and the thumbtacks at the corners of the paper have even rusted.
The drawing paper is blank, except for a small figure outlined in pencil.
The oval-shaped head of the character isnât fully drawn, and the pencil line extends a bit as a stand-in for hair.
A few strands of hair are sparsely hanging to the side, as if a gust of wind could make him bald.
The eyes are two uneven circles, the nose is a triangle, the mouth, despite being the most spirited part, is just an elegantly curved line.
The artist seems to have run out of patience after drawing the head.
The body of the figure is exceptionally simplistic.
An oval, not much bigger than the head, is the body, while four thin lines serve as its limbs.
The artist didnât even bother to give the stick figure a pair of hands or feet.
At the lower right corner of the paper is a signature that reads âMAYâ.
Maybe the month May?
Zheng Qing doesnât know.
But he does know â this stick figure doesnât look happy.
Seeing someone looking in his direction, the drawing waves its stick-like arm and yells
âCould you do me a favor?
Draw a hat for me!
Itâs almost winter and my head is cold!â
Xiao Xiao stops Zheng Qing from grabbing his pencil.
âDecide whether or not you want to draw him a hat in a month,â the short fellow says solemnly, âThink thrice before you act.â
Zheng Qing shrugs his shoulders and puts his pencil back into his pocket.
Behind the classroom desks, Zheng Qing spots two familiar faces.
Li Meng hangs her head, sitting in the center of the first row.
To her left is Liu Fei Fei, who keeps a large snake, and to her right is a black-haired girl.
Liu Fei Feiâs eyes are half-closed as she engrosses herself in a large, thick book.
The girl with long black hair is apparently reprimanding Li Meng, looking quite serious.
The opening of the classroom door catches the attention of the young girl.
Upon recognizing who it is, her eyes shine brightly.
âSis!
That short guy is the freshman champion I mentioned to you before!â Li Meng pulls at the arm of the black-haired girl, and yells at the top of her lungs, âThat watermelon-headed guy!â
The classroom suddenly falls silent.
Everyone doing some sort of work all look towards the door.
Zheng Qing suppresses a laugh, subtly stepping sideways to reveal the short figure behind him.
Xiao Xiao stays silent, a dark expression on his face.
The black long-haired girl frowns, then pinches Li Mengâs ear.
âManners!â She fixes a stern gaze on the young girl.
Li Meng pouts, her face red.
She has teary eyes but stays silent.
Zheng Qing pulls Xiao Xiao a few steps forward towards the girls.
âAw, little college girlâs crying?â He looks at Li Meng with a mocking smile.
âYouâre the one whoâs crying!â The girl shouts back furiously, wiping her nose, âThe wind outside is just too strong!â
Zheng Qing glances at the French windows on the right side of the classroom.
All the windows are tightly shut.
He quickly looks away.
âAnd who might you be?â Zheng Qing makes a gesture toward the girl with long black hair sitting next to Li Meng.
âThis is my cousin!
Sheâs the third-place newcomer this year!â The girlâs attention is successfully diverted.
She holds her head high, looking proudly at the boys.
The cousin shows a slightly embarrassed smile and pinches the young girlâs ear again.
âMy nameâs Jiang Yu.â The girl blinks her bright eyes, tossing her hair to reveal a small section of fair neck: âMeng Meng told me you guys were really nice to her on the airbus.
Iâm really grateful for that.â
Li Meng makes a face, but she doesnât say anything.