The police are always the last to arrive at the scene.
With a few muffled puffs, three figures shrouded in black robes abruptly appeared in the middle of the venue. Several law books emitting all sorts of colors floated in front of them. The books slightly spread open, the pages turning slowly in the faint light, the small and complicated runes rolling around from page to page.
Zheng Qing could clearly feel the heavy pressure emanating between those pages.
Just like when Thomas had cast a spell before.
"Who released 'Yin Qi Lei' on the street!" A furious voice came from beneath the hood of a chubby, short, black-robed figure. "Don't you know there are two alchemy workshops three hundred meters away? Are you trying to blow up the Great Ming Pavilion?"
Next to him, a tall black-robed wizard silently touched his law book, causing four or five large vines to burst from the ground, firmly binding the snoring pig demon to the ground.
The remaining two black-robed wizards turned their gaze to Zheng Qing.
Scattered bystanders on the street were watching from a distance. Only Zheng Qing was sitting not far from the pig demon.
"Magic Association Investigation Bureau, the Rapid Response Team for Emergencies, registered wizard, Commissioner Andrew." The plump black-robed wizard nodded to Zheng Qing: "You were at the scene. Do you know who cast the Thunder Curse?"
The chubby black-robed wizard was an Easterner, with a baby face, no beard, and long fuzz clearly visible at the corners of his mouth. There was a trident symbol on his robe.
Zheng Qing obediently pointed towards the corner of the street.
"Thomas!" The plump black-robed wizard turned his head for a glance and yelled very surprised, "Weren't you an assistant at the school? How come you have time to wander in the Four Seasons Pavilion now!"
"Bastard!" Thomas's face dropped, his mouth twitched, and he replied fiercely, "I am only staying at school, not in jail. Why can't I come to the market?"
He put away his brown law book, dusted off his robe, and quickly walked towards the group.
"It seems like you haven't been at school these past few days." The chubby wizard said with deep meaning, shaking his head.
Thomas frowned.
"Was it necessary to release a Thunder Curse just for a wild demon!" A tall black-robed wizard next to him interjected, "And besides, why is there a piece of talisman paper pasted on this wild demon's forehead?"
Zheng Qing looked at the talisman paper pasted between the pig's nose and forehead and pondered. Turns out, pigs also have forehead space.
"We were previously in 'Ost's Guard'." Thomas walked forward, knelt in front of the pig demon that was tied up securely, examined it in detail, and then said, "This pig demon saw us and ran over directly."
Only then did Zheng Qing understand the proper name of the light barrier that lit up the street moments ago.
Ost's Guard? Sounds like a protection spell invented by someone called Oster.
"You're suggesting that this wild demon can see through 'Ost's Guard'?" The tall wizard shook his head, very confidently denying, "This spell has been discussed multiple times in the Magic Alliance Conference and can even block the vision of large demons. A mere wild demon should not have such ability."
"So I'm curious too." Thomas produced a bunch of bottles and jars from somewhere, a pair of earthy yellow leather gloves, and some tools like tweezers, bone saws, hammers, knives, and scissors.
"I plan to collect some samples and take them back to the lab at school."
The Investigation Bureau commissioners looked at each other, nodding silently.
"Those are the gloves you got in your sophomore year, aren't they?" Andrew took off his hat, revealing his baby face, and said, "What a romantic fool. I heard she got married earlier. Didn't you know?"
"I just can't afford new gloves." Thomas's tone was very flat.
He squatted on the ground, put on the gloves, and skillfully dissected the pig demon with the assorted tools by his side.
Saliva, blood, brain matter, flesh, hair, tooth sockets, cartilage, hard bone, and other connective tissues he couldn't name, were skillfully separated by him and put into different containers categorically.
Zheng Qing looked at his focused yet relaxed demeanor and felt a little uneasy.
"He could be the fat guy from earlier!" Zheng Qing whispered, "Shouldn't we notify his family? He isn't dead yet, is he?"
All three wizards from the Magic Association Investigation Bureau looked at him in astonishment.
"Any wizard contaminated by a demon will degenerate into a real demon. There are no exceptions." Thomas clearly and ruthlessly said, "In the wizarding world, there is only one way to deal with demons."
Zheng Qing wisely chose not to stupidly ask what that way was.
Backing away a few steps from the dead pig, he frantically checked the exposed skin on his body to see if there was anything unclean on it.
"New guy?" the tall wizard asked Thomas.
"Freshmen this year. Can't get any newer." Thomas bottled up his tools, stood up with a smile, "I just lit a small firecracker and scared him half to death."
Zheng Qing forcefully resisted the urge to snort indignantly through his nose.
"Don't be so casual about it! You just released a Thunder curse! You almost blew the people in this street to smithereens!" Andrew lamented in a tired voice, "Starry Academy is full of lunatics."
Hearing this familiar comment, Zheng Qing couldn't help but chuckle.
Andrew turned his head and gave him a look.
Zheng Qing returned a friendly smile.
"Thomas, the bureau has a coordinated investigation mission. Do you want to lend a hand?" Andrew asked, looking back at Thomas.
"No," Thomas refused straightforwardly.
"If you accept, the bureau could negotiate with the Great Ming Pavilion and not hold you accountable for your reckless spellcasting," Andrew lowered his voice, softly tempting him.
"No time!" Thomas stated, frowning: "I have official duties. I need to write an 8000-word interviewer report tonight. If you need my spellcasting report, I could write it as well."
"Official duties?" Andrew glanced at Zheng Qing, stepped forward and slung an arm over his shoulder: "It's this year's freshman! He looks green. You can bring him along to broaden his horizons. Young man, do you want to see what a great demon looks like?"
Zheng Qing glanced at the wild pig sleeping on the ground and shook his head violently.
The head wild demon had nearly consumed him, and from their conversation, it was clear that a great demon was an even more terrifying entity!
Zheng Qing was just a student - his normal reaction when encountering demons should be to run!
There was no logic in running towards a demon.
"Which institute is he from?" Andrew released his grip, an exasperated look on his face as he turned towards Thomas: "He doesn't display any of the energy typically seen in young people."
"Jiuyou Academy. He came second in the overall rankings for this year's freshmen. He's a publicly funded student." Thomas revealed a mocking smile, "As I recall, aren't you also from Jiuyou Academy? What was your ranking when you first enrolled – second or third from last?"
"A top student!" Andrew exclaimed loudly, reaching over to put his arm back around Zheng Qing's shoulders, "We should take a picture together! It'll be worth a lot in the future!"
Zheng Qing straightened stiffly, his face burning with embarrassment.
"You're too shy, young man." Andrew turned to look at him, grinning, "Speak your mind, don't be so hesitant."
"Can I get reimbursed?" Zheng Qing finally plucked up his courage, raising his voice, "Earlier, when suppressing that Pig Demon, I used one of my Calm Heart Talismans. Does your bureau reimburse for this?"
Andrew was dumbfounded.