Chapter 98 - Number Seven Gazebo
Chapter 98 of "High School of Demon Hunting" opens presenting: The administrative building of the work-study committee is not within the campus boundaries.Belonging to the... Donât stop now!
The administrative building of the work-study committee is not within the campus boundaries.
Belonging to the public area of the school, the building is hidden deep in the Silent Forest by the work-study committee.
Whether theyâre students or professors, they can only approach it via a few limited paths.
The corridor under Zheng Qingâs feet serves as the passageway connecting Jiuyou Academy with the work-study committee.
This secluded corridor starts from the West Chinese Garden, following closely along the campus wall, and finally vanishes near Lin Zhong Lake.
The whole corridor is covered by thick vine canopies, with only occasional small gazebos for people to enter and exit.
These gazebos are built at different areas of the university, serving like nodes that connect seemingly unrelated worlds.
They are both a place for pedestrians to rest and an entryway for students to the corridor.
The corridor is primarily constructed with obsidian.
The ceiling is decorated with many intricate ornamental sculptures that dazzle the eyes.
However, Zheng Qing is presently in no mood to appreciate these artistic masterpieces.
Xiao Xiaoâs warning resonates in the depths of the corridor, leaving Zheng Qing with a perpetual feeling of âa demon always wanting to harm meâ.
He holds a talisman in each hand, carefully scanning the stone pillars on both sides.
The ivy clinging to the stone pillar audaciously extends its leaves.
The tomato-red tendrils curled up, emitting a faint red glow under the mildly intoxicating sunset.
A gentle breeze brushed through.
The ivy leaves collided with each other, producing a rustling sound that adds to oneâs irritation.
The vine canopies resemble ropes, and the leaves look like swords.
Zheng Qing feels there is a great risk beneath the seemingly normal scenery.
Luckily for him, he exits the corridor without encountering any dangerous creatures.
âNumber Seven Gazebo.â Xiao Xiao flipped his notebook, looked at the wooden plaque hanging above the gazebo, and nodded, âThis is the place.
The work-study committeeâs office building is right outside of this gazebo.â
Zheng Qing sighed in relief, put away the deformed talisman in his hand, and slipped it back into the grey cloth bag.
âI always feel that wizards need to improve their naming skills.â Looking at the warm sunshine outside the gazebo, Zheng Qingâs mood improved significantly.
He couldnât help but complain, âLetâs not mention depressing names like First University and First Hall.
Just regarding these gazebos, I think they can totally be adorned with more elegant words.â
âLike?â
âFor instance, the gazebo leading to the work-study committee can be called âWork-Study Hallâ, the gazebo leading to the Hundred Herb Gardens can be called âHerbs Hallâ, and the gazebo leading to Beta Town can be called âBeta Hallâ.â
âWhatâs the difference between these names and Number One Gazebo or Number Seven Gazebo?â Zhang Ji Xin squinted at Zheng Qing.
âIt will help us to recognize the gazebo locations,â said Zheng Qing with certainty.
Zhang Ji Xin made a vomiting gesture.
âIn fact, these names were not confirmed by the wizards.
Did you guys forget that Nicolas once mentioned that this university is a living one?â Xiao Xiao explained to them voluntarily, âThese names on the gazebos are all given by the First University itself.
Maybe this university prefers those logically clearer names.â
The hand that Zheng Qing had placed on the obsidian pillar quickly retreated as if it had been scalded and it swiftly went back into his pocket.
âAlive!â He incredulously looked at the corridor covered by vine canopies, âI always thought that was an exaggeration.â
âIn the magical world, there is no such thing as âexaggerationâ.â
After finishing his sentence, Xiao Xiao was the first to walk out of the gazebo.
Not far away, Lin Guo, dressed in a white gown, was hopping and skipping towards them.
Behind him, Blue Bird stood smiling with his longsword in his arms.
It was already evening.
On the horizon, the sun was leaving behind a vague silhouette.
The slightly pale sky was filled with the mystical atmosphere of the approaching night.
A tense mood permeated throughout the air.
In front of the freshmen, a pitch-black, three-story building quietly lay there.
Silent and soundless.
Blue Bird didnât say a word.
In Lin Guoâs tittering explanation, the few new students who had just arrived began to understand why the two were standing outside the building.
âWe went around in many circles, but never found the building entrance.â Lin Guo said, while leading the others around the building again.
The entire building was encased in cold, hard black boulders, with the lowest window at a height of above three meters from the ground.
Just as Lin Guo mentioned, this building didnât have a main entrance.
A few new students stood helpless before the silent building.
âDoesnât the penalty notice mention any way to enter or exit the building?â Zheng Qing unfolded the vivid red notice, squinting against the blurry daylight, trying to find a few hidden spells in the corners of the paper.
âNo.â Blue Bird gave a concise one-word answer.
âYour cufflinks are really nice, are they products of Alchemy?â Lin Guo, who was younger, seemed relaxed at this moment, pointing at the dĂŠcor on Zheng Qingâs cuffs with a face full of curiosity.
Zheng Qing quickly retracted his arm and hid his hands into his pocket.
How many students had already noticed his cufflinks?
He couldnât quite remember.
After the dormitory meeting last night, Dylan had indeed rummaged through his collection and found a pair of eight-trigram cufflinks, insistent that Zheng Qing should wear them.
According to this Werewolf, with the Blood Raceâs upbringing, the hat, belt, and cufflinks were the three key elements of a Wizardâs robe.
School uniforms were tailored, and the hats and belts followed certain standards, thus leaving little room for change.
The cufflinks were the only things left, becoming the battleground for the first-year students attempting to show their taste in details.
This was indeed the case.
After wearing that pair of eight-trigram cufflinks, Zheng Qing received more curious glances.
During the Alchemy class on Friday morning, the always arrogant Matthew Karen surprisingly greeted him!
That shocked their classmates.
But this wasnât what Zheng Qing wanted.
Thinking about it, he glared angrily at Xiao Xiao.
Watermelon Head buried his head into his black notebook, ignoring the murderous look.
âItâs just a small decoration, not a magic item.â Zheng Qing vaguely replied, then he turned to Lin Guo: âIâve been meaning to ask, what class are you in at Alpha?â
Lin Guo looked at him confusedly.
âIâm in Ninth-Grade Astronomy Class 08-1 at Jiuyou Academy, what about you?â Zheng Qing added.
âAlpha doesnât split into classes,â came Xiao Xiaoâs voice from the side.
âNo classes?â Zheng Qing raised his eyebrows in surprise: âYou donât have fixed classes?â
âRight, we donât have fixed classes.â The young boy seemed to understand what Zheng Qing meant now and explained: âAlpha only sets credit requirements for all students.
As long as you pass more than sixty courses during your four years of college and gain the required credits, you can graduate normally.â
âThe key point is, Alpha doesnât have any repeating students,â Zhang Ji Xin looked a little gloomy as he stared into the distance.
âSo, donât you have corresponding majors?â Zheng Qing couldnât help but continue to ask.
âWe do have them, Iâm majoring in Alchemy.
But the Education Committee of our school only set a few mandatory courses.â
âWe freshmen like you also have three courses âFu,â âYi,â âWenâ that are compulsory.
However, we can freely choose instructors for each course.
For instance, I am taking Charm course under Professor Zhang Huaigu this month, next month I could switch to Johnâs Charm course,â He explained.
âAside from mandatory courses, we can pick any other subject we want.
The school only requires you to present a qualified thesis at the time of your graduation,â Lin Guo added.