Wood fleas were also called bedbugs.
They were oval, flat insects of the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Hemiptera, genus Cimex. They lived by sucking blood, and the stink glands in their bodies could secrete a foul-smelling substance that they sprayed out like smoke when threatened. Adult specimens were usually a little over five millimeters long, but the one Zheng Qing had just crushed was nearly a centimeter in length—far larger than an ordinary wood flea.
"That is indeed a little strange."
Pinching his nose, Fatty Xin leaned closer to Zheng Qing's outstretched palm and said in a muffled voice, "It's not just the size... Generally speaking, these bugs wouldn't brazenly crawl onto people in broad daylight, especially not in a First University classroom. Aside from the Guardian Formation, the little sprites cleaned this place diligently every day... And Brother Qing isn't the kind of person so filthy he'd attract bedbugs."
"Besides, it doesn't seem all that smelly," Zhang Jixin added, sniffing.
"Where's your Dust Repelling Talisman? Aren't you wearing it?" Xiao Xiao unfurled his Bamboo Slip Spellbook, quickly copied out a Cleansing Charm and an insect-repelling spell, then tossed them onto Zheng Qing.
His companions' overlapping analyses pulled the young teaching assistant's attention away from the disputes among the colleges. At last, he noticed what was strange about the little bug in his palm.
"I'm wearing the talisman."
He reached into his belt with his left hand, felt around, then pulled out a folded square talisman paper and tossed it onto the desk. Pointing at the faint green glow leaking from its creases, he said, "And it's still active. In theory, no Gu Worm should have been able to get close to me..."
"If theory worked, there wouldn't be so many accidents in the world." Xiao Xiao shook his