The Demon Hunter Academy had not arranged any classes today.
In fact, the Demon Hunter Academy would not be arranging any classes for quite some time afterward.
The academy's upper management had officially passed down the news that a Spirit Fiend Abyss had appeared in Huaming District, and had also informed everyone in the academy that they would be heading to Huaming District to establish a defensive line over the coming period.
Under these circumstances, classes were impossible to continue. The academy simply gave all its students official leave, without counting attendance, allowing them to arrange their own schedules before setting off for Huaming District.
Thanks to this, the academy was especially noisy today. People could be seen coming and going everywhere.
The students hurried about in all directions. Some confirmed the latest news, some discussed matters with one another, and others prepared combat equipment and supplies with tense expressions, creating scene after scene that resembled the feverish tension of a military base.
Even the top students and elite students who usually ranked near the top, had considerable reputations, and rarely appeared in public could no longer hold back. From that day onward, they began appearing frequently throughout the academy, rushing around everywhere and being surrounded by throngs of students.
This was perfectly normal.
The academy had already issued a notice requiring the students to form their own teams and submit their team rosters to the academy so that work assignments and positions could be arranged during the establishment of the defensive line.
As a result, those top and elite students naturally became the focus of attention and were wildly pursued by their fellow students.
Since they were forming teams, it was hardly strange that the students wanted to team up with people who ranked near the top.
Even those top students who had always been rather unconventional, confident in their own abilities, and accustomed to undertaking missions alone had put aside their pride and begun seriously selecting their teammates.
No matter how good their grades were or how dazzling they were within the academy, they were still only students.
Placed in the professional world, they might not even measure up to a One-Star Professional.
As for this incident, Longyao Base City had directly summoned all its Hunters and Warlocks, preparing to resist the Phantom Demons invading from the Spirit Fiend Abyss.
Among all the Hunters and Warlocks in the Base City, there were certainly some high-star professionals. Even the highest-ranking Six-Star Professionals would have to go into battle.
Compared with those professionals, these students—no matter how good or outstanding their grades were—were nothing more than a bunch of brats who had barely grown any hair. They did not believe they could stand apart during this incident and survive the threat of the incoming Phantom Demon army on their own.
Therefore, whether they were top students or elite students, they had no choice but to put aside their usual pride and self-possession and start forming teams with others.
Su Ming also received a call from Xu Qianqian. She told him that this time, she would form a team with some of the academy's top students and head to Huaming District together.
This made Su Ming somewhat puzzled.
"You're not going to act together with your family?"
Su Ming asked Xu Qianqian this question.
With all the professionals in the Base City mobilizing together, the Xu Family, one of the foremost Hunter Families in Longyao City, would certainly send out all its available strength.
As the Xu Family's eldest daughter, it would have been perfectly normal for Xu Qianqian to act alongside her family and be protected by them.
Yet Xu Qianqian seemed to have no such intention.
The reason was simple.
"They have their own missions. I don't qualify to get involved, and they would also object to bringing me along because it's too dangerous."
Xu Qianqian's concise explanation made Su Ming understand what she meant.
Simply put, this young lady, like him, would remain behind the defensive line as a student.
For those professionals, this position was undoubtedly the safest. They would not need to go to the front lines, making it the perfect place to settle their younger family members.
"Then it seems the younger generations of the other Hunter Families will also stay behind the defensive line and carry out harmless logistical missions with us."
Su Ming shrugged.
Xu Qianqian made no comment. After remaining silent for a while, she asked Su Ming a question.
"If you want to join my team, I can arrange it for you."
There was no doubt that Xu Qianqian was inviting Su Ming to join her team.
After all, even now, Xu Qianqian still did not know Su Ming's true strength.
In this young lady's eyes, Su Ming was undoubtedly someone who kept his abilities well hidden. Bringing such a person into her team could only be beneficial.
But Su Ming refused without the slightest hesitation.
"Forget it. I don't want to go looking for trouble."
Anyone could tell that wherever Xu Qianqian was, there would be drama.
It was impossible for the team of this goddess-like senior sister to lack one or two admirers and supporters.
If Su Ming joined at this goddess-like senior sister's invitation, one could imagine how glaring his presence would be to those admirers and supporters.
Moreover, Xu Qianqian was being watched by assassins. Her team's strength was certainly extraordinary, and it would inevitably be assigned some relatively dangerous missions. All these unstable factors told Su Ming that it would be best to keep his distance.
Not to mention that Su Ming had no intention of revealing his strength yet.
If he hid his strength while joining such a powerful team, was he supposed to endure the disdain and ridicule of those Side Characters?
Who wasn't a Side Character with a fragile heart?
Thus, Su Ming firmly declined.
"All right." Xu Qianqian's slightly helpless voice came through the phone. She muttered, "I knew you'd refuse."
It seemed that this young lady had already mentally prepared herself to be rejected.
"I'll form a team with my roommates, coast along, and handle logistics. As long as I can keep my life, that'll be enough."
Su Ming said this cheerfully.
"...Why can you say something so embarrassing in such a happy, carefree tone?"
Xu Qianqian was rendered speechless.
"Let's not talk about me. Just take care of yourself." Su Ming offered a reminder. "Don't forget, given your team's role, you'll definitely have to deal with some troublesome missions later. And you're being watched by some rats. If you aren't careful, you'll end up in a world of trouble."
"I know what I'm doing." Xu Qianqian's tone was cool. "I'll make all the necessary preparations. If they dare to come, they can come."
"Then what about our mission?" Su Ming continued. "The investigation into that suspicious group can't continue under the circumstances, can it?"
"Put that mission on hold for now." Xu Qianqian answered without much hesitation. "I've already reported it to my superiors. They approved delaying it."
"That makes sense." Su Ming was not surprised. "Compared with the battle in Huaming District, investigating the private army of a Base City official is insignificant. Even if a Greater Phantasmal Demon hatchling appeared, it still wouldn't take priority."
Regardless, this incident concerned the safety of the entire Base City. Even the Base City's upper management should understand that this was not the time for internal conflict.
The politicians could not possibly fail to understand the principle that everyone prospered or suffered together.
Of course—
"Taking advantage of this opportunity, when all the Base City's professionals are heading to Huaming District together, that suspicious group may shed many of its scruples and begin acting more boldly." Xu Qianqian said, "If you discover them, you can investigate them while you have the chance. Given your position, you shouldn't be assigned any troublesome missions anyway."
"All right." This time, Su Ming did not refuse again. He nodded. "Before that, can I complete a transaction with you?"
"A transaction?" Xu Qianqian was startled at first, then realized what he meant. "You mean having me sell those supernatural items for you?"
"That's right." Su Ming stated the primary reason he had contacted Xu Qianqian this time. "I originally planned to find you for the transaction after completing this investigation mission. I didn't expect something like this to happen suddenly, so I need to make some preparations too."
What preparations?
Opening his packages, of course!
Although, given Su Ming's role in this battle, he probably would not encounter any danger, it was always better to be safe than sorry.
Who knew whether something earth-shattering would happen later?
Who knew whether the defensive line established by the Base City would collapse?
If the front line could not hold and the Phantom Demon army broke through, even the logistical positions behind the defensive line would come under serious threat.
Considering this, Su Ming felt he should seize the opportunity to open his packages properly and raise his strength first.
As long as he could open his packages, he would at least obtain some useful items, right?
And if he managed to obtain something capable of defying fate and changing his life, he would make an enormous profit.
"All right." Xu Qianqian thought it over and finally agreed. "I'll come find you after I finish dealing with what I have on hand."
After that, Su Ming and Xu Qianqian chatted a little longer before hanging up.
But as soon as Su Ming hung up, another call came in.
"Little Zijin?"
Seeing the caller's name displayed on his phone screen, Su Ming answered without much thought.
"Brother Su Ming!"
The next second, An Zijin's happy, cheerful voice entered Su Ming's ears.
Su Ming's heart softened involuntarily.
He had to admit that An Zijin's voice was indeed very pleasant. Although it was not as crisp and melodious as Xu Qianqian's, it was light and gentle, like the sound of wind chimes, immediately putting people in a good mood.
"What is it, Little Zijin?" Su Ming asked in a relaxed tone. "Why are you calling so late? Don't tell me you had a nightmare?"
"Of course not!" An Zijin said angrily. "Brother Su Ming, could you stop treating me like a child all the time?"
"Then do you need something?" Su Ming said cheerfully. "Instead of properly preparing to form a team and go to war, you came looking for me in the middle of the night to chat. That's not exactly something worth encouraging, you know?"
Su Ming had said it casually, merely teasing the girl.
Who could have expected that An Zijin's next words would make his joking attitude collapse instantly?
"I wanted to talk to Brother Su Ming about this!"
From the other end of the phone, An Zijin's even happier, more cheerful voice rang out as she said this.
"I want to bring my roommates and join Brother Su Ming's team. Is that okay?"
As soon as she said this, the expression on Su Ming's face froze.
Oh, no...
Before you continue