High School of Demon Hunting-Chapter 1517 - 261 ’Friendly

Zheng Qing jolted awake from his slumber. Without opening his eyes, his consciousness was still hazy, and his mind churned with remnants of what he had encountered in the dream.

Various winds, black grass, gemstones of all colors, massive iron gates and bronze doors, the embodiment of the Outer God draped in yellow robes, and that unequivocal offering.

Offering!

The wizard shook his head vigorously, casting off the haze in his mind before opening his eyes.

Dawn had already broken.

Then, he saw a mass of panicked brown figures scurrying away.

It was those Zu Ge.

They carried the snacks, gifts, and toys he had prepared for Zhu Si in their claws, shredding blankets and scattering tattered packaging everywhere. The air was thick with the sweet scent of torn bread.

Zhu Si!

Upon seeing the items clutched in the Zu Ge’s claws, it took Zheng Qing only a second to wrest himself from the chaotic dreamscape and recall the scene before he fell asleep last night—the little witch gleefully playing with toys on the blanket while he gulped down seven or eight bottles of Magic Potion in one breath.

He glanced around but didn’t see the small figure in a tattered robe.

The last fragments of the dream were swept away by surging thoughts, and lucid awareness returned to his mind—only to be immediately followed by an intense, piercing headache.

"Ahh!" The wizard groaned as he cradled his head and rolled on the ground. His black feline tail lashed violently like a thick whip, striking tree trunks with resounding snaps and sending leaves fluttering down. Mushrooms were pulverized into mush.

The Zu Ge scattered even faster.

This time, the headache was more severe than ever before. Zheng Qing felt as though it wasn’t just a matter of someone chopping into his skull with an axe—his head was split open, boiling salt water poured inside, and then vigorously stirred with chopsticks.

The blankness in his mind brought on by the pain lasted for a long time.

When the agony subsided, the young wizard regained his clarity, finding himself sprawled limply on the grass, utterly drained of the strength to get up.

"Awake?" A familiar, icy voice rang beside his ear.

With effort, Zheng Qing turned his eyes slightly.

Through the corner of his vision, he glimpsed a massive purple spider, with Nikita perched atop its back. He sighed inwardly, his gaze sweeping across every edge of his field of view. Then, he saw more disturbing sights.

Thickly furred giants with four arms, sharp fangs, and antennae sprouting from their heads; black, toad-like creatures with tentacles around their gaping mouths; red, bat-winged birds resembling horses covered in scales; and filthy, humanoid monsters with canine faces and sharp claws, emanating an aura of corruption.

A congregation of unspeakable entities circled the giant purple spider, kneeling before Nikita as though they were paying homage to an empress.

Compared to them, the Houdou Zheng Qing had encountered in the Black Tide seemed as tame and innocent as baby rabbits.

He doubted he could deal with so many monstrosities in his current state—his headache was so crippling that he couldn’t even enter a meditative state, let alone visualize the Charm Gun hidden in the chest inside his mind.

"Where is she?" Zheng Qing had no interest in answering Nikita’s question and instead directly responded with one of his own. His voice was hoarse and dry, as if he hadn’t had water in days.

He was asking about Zhu Si’s whereabouts.

Nikita dismounted the gigantic purple spider, her steps light as she approached the wizard and leaned in to scrutinize him, her gaze brimming with curiosity.

Zheng Qing felt weary, closed his eyes, and hummed softly in response. "Where is she?"

"When I arrived here, you were the only one around," the demoness answered with surprising patience, seemingly unaffected by his cold tone. "The Zu Ge told me that after you fell asleep last night, that little girl watched over you for a while before falling asleep herself. When she woke up, she immediately left on her own."

Zheng Qing exhaled softly.

But in the very next moment, the breath caught in his chest again.

"I’ve sent Zhuzhu and the Zu Ge to search for her," Nikita said casually yet considerately. "Relax, the Zu Ge are the finest trackers in the Dreamland—they’ll definitely find her."

Which meant she hadn’t been found yet.

Grinding his teeth, Zheng Qing silently prayed for Zhu Si to run fast and far, hoping she wouldn’t fall into the demoness’s grasp. He wished she could borrow a bit of his luck—after all, his luck had always been good.

As if hearing his inner voice, Nikita echoed his sentiment.

"Seems like my luck is quite good," she mused as she crouched beside Zheng Qing. Though her crimson eyes and chilling voice remained cold as ever, her face wore a cheerful grin. "Originally, I planned to wait by the tree for a rabbit to come along. Unexpectedly, the rabbit jumped straight into the pot... even skinned itself and prepared with scallions, ginger, and seasonings."

Zheng Qing tugged at the corner of his mouth, finding this joke utterly unamusing.

After all, he was the rabbit.

"How did you end up here?" The demoness asked curiously.

Zheng Qing was willing to talk to her for a bit longer, betting he could regain enough strength during the conversation.

"I don’t know," he answered honestly while narrowing his eyes and scanning his surroundings with subtle glances. "Originally, I was lying on the Hunting team’s stretcher... then everything went black, and when I woke up, I was here. Zhu Si was beside me... I suppose it’s because I was thinking about her all along, so I ended up near her."

Nikita’s smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.

"I see," she nodded. "Perhaps my previous methods were all wrong... to find one’s target in the Dreamland, you have to approach it like fantasizing or dreaming."

Zheng Qing didn’t fully grasp her words.

Nor did he bother to dwell on them.

Because any activity requiring mental exertion could trigger another headache. He had no intention of reliving that torment.

"What do you plan to do with me?" He lay on the ground, closing his eyes again, asking lazily—meanwhile, the Charm Gun in his mind was starting to take shape. He just needed to stall a bit longer.

"Haven’t decided yet." Nikita grabbed hold of Zheng Qing’s tail, stroking it lightly. Watching the wizard involuntarily shiver, she chuckled. "If I’d met you before, I would’ve eaten you without hesitation... but now, I’m a little conflicted."

"Conflicted about what?" Zheng Qing gritted his teeth, straining to keep his voice steady.

Though, having his tail clutched causing his tone to waver ever so slightly.

"Because in your current state, you look more like a demon than I do." Nikita tilted her head and wrapped Zheng Qing’s tail around her wrist a few times, comparing it to the bracelet formed by the three-headed Black Flood Dragon. Deciding which was more beautiful.

The Black Flood Dragon extended a head and snarled ferociously at the feline tail.

But the feline tail paid it no heed.