It feels great to be praised and complimented.
But it's terrifying to be praised for something you didn't do.
Zheng Qing didn't cast the Thunder Spell; it was the interviewer Thomas who cast that Spell. The Spell didn't destroy half a street; it just made a slightly louder noise. Most importantly, the so-called powerful suppression Talisman was just an ordinary Tranquility Talisman, and the Pig Demon merely fell asleep under its effect.
Zheng Qing looked up, his face flushed red.
He didn't know if his face was red from coughing or if the undue praise made him uneasy.
He let out a heavy breath, intending to turn around and have a good chat with the people at the next table about what happened in Daming Ward, to prevent rumors from spreading.
Across from him, Xiao Xiao was sipping juice in small sips, narrowing his eyes, listening intently to the conversation at the other table.
Seeing the topic drift off again, the Curly-haired Wizard grew anxious. He coughed heavily a few times, interrupting the others' discussion about the Publicly Funded Student, and asked in a very serious tone, "Do you know who that Wild Demon in Daming Ward is?"
The table next to them immediately fell silent.
Zheng Qing gave up on explaining immediately and pricked up his ears curiously.
He knew that the Pig Demon was originally a fat man with a triple chin because he had dealt with both the Pig Demon and the fat man.
What did these strange Wizards know?
"Who is it?" The people at the next table couldn't help but urge him on.
"I won't say the name, you guess first." The Curly-haired Wizard played coy, saying mysteriously, "He is an Alpha Publicly Funded Student, ranked seventh in the arcana. He is the Vice Chairman of the Alpha Student Union and also owns a club. The Hunting Team he formed ranks seventeenth in the entire University."
A collective gasp could be heard, clearly indicating that his companions had already guessed who the male was.
Zheng Qing looked bewildered.
This riddle didn't sound like it was talking about the dead fat man, but rather the fat man's older brother.
He remembered that the fat man with the triple chin once boasted to him that his older brother was also a Publicly Funded Student at First University, and a senior one at that. But the fat man never revealed his older brother's name.
"Impossible!" From the table behind him, a voice suddenly rose, "I saw him in Jinling Ward yesterday morning, how could he have turned into a Wild Demon a month ago?"
"That's ridiculous, how could someone ranked seventh in the arcana only transform into a Wild Demon?" Another voice also objected.
"I didn't say he was the Wild Demon in Daming Ward, I haven't finished yet." The Curly-haired Wizard finally stopped playing coy and lowered his voice, saying, "The Wild Demon in Daming Ward is his younger brother, his direct, full-blooded younger brother!"
A realization dawned upon the table.
Afterward, a series of sighs and exclamations of regret and pity continuously poured from their mouths at the next table.
Zheng Qing viciously stirred the corn chowder in front of him, as if he were stirring his own brains.
This is information asymmetry! He thought indignantly, if I knew more about the University, I would definitely know who that guy was.
The Wizards at the next table had finished their meal and were preparing to return to their cabins.
They continued to discuss as they got up.
"I heard he wants to seek justice for his younger brother."
"From whom?"
"Who else?" A voice sneered, "This matter originally had nothing to do with the Four Seasons Square Management Committee; the Trident Sword did capture the Wild Demon, but they were purely on official duty, and he probably doesn't have the guts or the power to provoke the Trident Sword."
"So he can only go after that Freshman then." Another voice sounded a bit schadenfreude-filled, "A Freshman from Nine Provinces who loves to show off so much, not understanding at all how to keep a low profile. He's just going to be used to vent anger."
"After all, we're from the same academy, we probably won't be able to stay out of it when the time comes."
"That's right, if people from Alpha come to Nine Provinces to cause trouble, those senior students will definitely get angry."
The Curly-haired Wizard and his companions chatted idly, leisurely leaving the restaurant.
Behind them, Zheng Qing stared glumly at the mashed potatoes on his plate, lost in thought.
Li Meng's Older Cousin, the fat man's older brother.
He hadn't even entered the University yet, and he already had to face two very real threats, and also figure out how to earn living expenses. Why was going to University so difficult?
Turning his head, he happened to see Little Monk Shiyuan put down his chopsticks.
The white rice and the small plate of green vegetables were eaten cleanly.
"Are you under a vow?" Looking at the austere Little Monk, Zheng Qing suddenly felt that he shouldn't have so many worries.
"No, this humble monk gets airsick." The Little Monk shook his head, his face full of pain.
Li Meng giggled across from them.
Zheng Qing pretended not to see, and nudged Xiao Xiao next to him:
"When they were chatting just now, I could understand most of the words. Only 'arcana sequence' I didn't understand at all. Can you explain it to me?"
"To explain 'arcana sequence', we have to go a bit further back." Xiao Xiao tapped the empty cup beside him, looked up and around, "Where did those Little Elves go?"
Zheng Qing also looked up and searched. Indeed, the Little Elves that had been flying around the restaurant had all disappeared.
"They also need to eat and rest." Zheng Qing impatiently snatched his cup and asked, "Still orange juice?"
Xiao Xiao nodded demurely.
"I want qing feng'er!" Li Meng called out from the side again.
"No alcohol for minors." Zheng Qing decisively refused.
When he returned to the table with two cups of orange juice, Xiao Xiao had already pulled out his thick, black-covered notebook and began to slowly turn the pages.
"One hundred years ago, the First University Student Union Chairman, Maki Wood, founded the First University Comprehensive Rating Club — Wand."
"Every New Year's Day, on January 1st, Wand releases a rating report called 'arcana'. This report includes twenty-two individuals who had a significant impact on First University during the year — they are called 'Major arcana'; and fifty-six individuals who had a unique influence on the four academies during the year — they are called 'little arcana'."
"These individuals include, but are not limited to, University professors, Lecturers, School Workers, and students."
"How does Wand produce this report?" Zheng Qing couldn't help but ask, "Does a report issued by a student organization like this have any authority?"
"I know about this." Li Meng eagerly raised her hand and replied, "I heard my grandpa, my dad, and my older brother, they all said that being listed in the 'arcana' by Wand, whether for professors or students, is a very excellent, very remarkable achievement. The Beta Town Post has the exclusive right to reprint this report, so on January 2nd every year, the Post will issue an extra special edition, specifically publishing this report; it is said that this report will also be used as supplementary Materials in the Wizard Alliance's professional rank review meeting."
Zheng Qing nodded noncommittally; Li Meng's words still left him feeling impressed but confused.
"Students who make it onto this list will receive corresponding academic credit rewards from the University." Xiao Xiao added.
Zheng Qing immediately gained a more intuitive understanding of the report's authority.