High School of Demon Hunting

The encounter with the Big Fox in Old Yao’s office at noon on Friday wasn’t the only thing that made Zheng Qing feel distressed that day.

In the evening.

At the Seven Sins gathering, he received another troubling message.

The current ’Mammon’ received a commission from the previous ’Mammon,’ hoping the Seven Sins could obtain some biological information from the Great Elves through the school’s channels.

As a loosely managed yet strictly regulated organization, under normal circumstances, most of the time, only the Sin Bearer in the Seven Sins would come in contact with external task commission information, while the Devils in the organization would mostly only engage in ’intelligence exchanges’ and ’resource sharing’ and similar things.

A rather appropriate example, the Seven Sins is like a coffee shop where every member is a guest coming for coffee. They can hear the chatting between other patrons in the store and see the task information listed on the small blackboard behind the bar, but they don’t have a strict obligation to do any specific thing. Just like those coffee shops that have been operating for a long time, after guests become familiar with the store manager, they sometimes bring snacks and drinks to the store to share with others. Similarly, the Seven Sins doesn’t restrict members from issuing external commissions.

Sometimes, Zheng Qing thinks the operation model of the Seven Sins is somewhat similar to the business model of the United States’ CAA (Creative Artists Agency) — flattening management, cooperative equality, sharing client lists — every member joining the Seven Sins can have the organization serve them; each member also provides their resources to the organization.

More importantly, this relaxed management model gives many of the former members who have since departed from the Seven Sins a chance to maintain a tenuous connection. They can maintain indirect contact through the relationship between ’former and successor’ with the Seven Sins. Similarly, it provides indirect support to the Seven Sins.

As if a spiderweb.

The Seven Sins are like the few ’vertical threads’ forming the core framework, while generation upon generation of retired members are like the ’horizontal threads’ spreading outward, forming a relaxed and flexible organization.

Return to the topic.

The amber light only illuminated the wilting bonsai in the center of the table and the black cat crouching beside it — Zheng Qing certainly did not ask the black Gem Cat to take his place in such a risky place — the candles hanging upside-down from the ceiling gathered together, of varying lengths, spitting out clusters of golden flames, occasionally making crisp popping sounds in the quiet room.

Around the oval conference table, the silhouettes of seven ’Devils’ were shrouded in the flickering shadows of candlelight, only their masks, which concealed nothing, appeared unusually clear.

Just like the black cat still wore its mask resembling a peeled egg, although the other Devils had now become accustomed to using the Transformation Technique in meetings, they still had not abandoned their fine tradition of mask-wearing.

As if a single mask wasn’t enough to give them a sense of security.

"The term ’obtain’ is a bit subtle."

Samael, typically reserved, surprisingly spoke first upon hearing Mammons’ new commission, commenting with its coarse and harsh voice: "— it sounds like the former Mammon isn’t suggesting we use certain coercive methods?"

Perhaps it’s the cat-dog rivalry.

Upon hearing Samael’s words, the Persian Cat Lady Leviathan opposite it let out a crisp and melodious laugh: "Ha? Coercion? Do you know where those Great Elves live?"

"Going after the guests of the Greenhill Mansion is indeed not a good idea." The white pig with black spots, Beelzebub, hummed and supplemented its viewpoint.

"Guests or owners, that remains uncertain." Lucifer, wearing a bat mask, tightened its large wing membranes, with a sound emitter under its chin letting out a deep thrum.

The black cat silently listened to the Devils’ debate.

Until everyone fell silent.

It tentatively threw out its first question: "— From everyone’s comments, the Great Elves mentioned by Mammon are the three Little fox ladies sent to Edge Academy by Greenhill Mansion some time ago?"

It bit the words ’Little fox lady’ exceptionally clearly.

It couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

After all, due to worries that these little ones might be coveted by ill-intentioned wizards, and also because their identities haven’t been fully certified by the Alliance, Zheng Su 123 entered Edge Academy under the Qingqiu Clan’s identity.

But apparently, many people seem to know their true identity?

The Devils in the shadows all looked toward the black cat crouched at the center of the table, their gazes somewhat meaningful.

"Honorable Lord Kannai," the Black Mountain Goat Asmodeus said in a slick voice similar to its shiny fur: "Have you seen a fox with wings, without a tail?"

The black cat shook its ears.

"— It’s possible they’re children from Qingqiu affiliated families," it chuckled, throwing out a pre-prepared phrase: "Authentic Qingqiu lineage wouldn’t visit a place like Edge Academy.".

Caw caw.

The peacock-shaped parrot clicked its beak impatiently.

"Don’t waste time on such matters."

Belfinger flapped its wings, gave the black cat a disdainful glance: "If our Lord Kannai wants to pretend ignorance, let him continue to do so... Weren’t you always declaring you’re the cat of a relevant department? The relevant department surely knows that Qingqiu submitted the identity certification materials of those Great Elves to the Alliance, right? This matter has spread all over the Alchemist circles! A new Sorcery Tribe was born in school, you don’t know this matter; either your previous identity was fake — a possibility not surprising — or you pretend ignorance to test everyone’s identity.".

"Another possibility is that our Lord Kannai simply lacks the level, really unaware of it." Beelzebub flicked its large pig ears, looking at the black cat with ill intent.

"— It directly linked the Great Elves mentioned in the task to those three freshmen at Edge Academy. Not knowing about this? I suddenly got curious why it would attempt to obscure this matter. Still using such a clumsy method." Mammon, clutching its fluffy red fox tail, squinted, scrutinizing the black cat.

Under the mask, the black cat’s expression stiffened somewhat.

These guys, truly perceptive to the extreme.

"No more nonsense!"

Samael emitted a warning whimper from its throat, looked around: "— Mamon’s task, what is the reward? Is there a time requirement? Should we accept it?"

Red Fox immediately assumed its posture: "The conditions my predecessor offered are very lenient, indicating that as long as the task is completed, the reward can be proposed upon delivery. If jade coins are needed, a drop of blood can pay one hundred jade coins."

The black cat clearly heard not just one Devil swallowing a gulp.

This made him suddenly feel somewhat exhausted — why is he surrounded by these bothersome matters! Why does the Seven Sins continuously receive such commissions — last time it was him, this time it’s his Sprites, what next? Will they even pull at his dog, Gouzi’s fur?