High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2929: Chapter 1148: Survival Is the Highest Goal of All Choices

"Wow! These guys are sharper than I thought!"

Yellow Flowered Cat looked at the tea bowl in front of him in amazement. The amber-colored tea inside gently rippled, reflecting the temporary gathering of the big wizards on the terrace of the Astronomical Tower: "—I thought the long peace had worn down their vigilance. I didn’t expect them to sense the malice of destiny so quickly!"

"It’s not malice, but balance, as they say, ’the way of heaven, diminishes the surplus to fill the void,’ and the First University is now the most ’surplus’ one."

Mr. Wu had already returned to his recliner, slowly correcting the Flower Cat’s wording with the leisurely swaying of the chair: "Professor Yi is ultimately a very talented diviner, detecting reality from the slightest hints is not surprising... Furthermore, didn’t they stir up a commotion at Black Prison just last year? How can you call it a long peace?"

"Last year? Black Prison?"

Yellow Flowered Cat snorted briefly from its throat, commenting with an old-fashioned air: "The setup was quite grand, but were there even enough fallen big wizards to count on one hand? Not daring to have more dead, yet hoping to avert disaster? It’s not that I look down on them!... Hey, with one backhand slap, R’lyeh gave them a wake-up call!"

As he spoke, he kept glancing sideways at the bookstore owner.

Seemingly hoping he would say something more.

But Mr. Wu merely shook his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, without making any comment on the sharp remarks of Flower Cat.

Yellow Flowered Cat evidently noticed this scene.

Feeling a sense of unease within.

Sitting restlessly for a while, finally unable to contain himself, he coughed: "—But little Yi, uh, I mean Professor Yi, Professor Yi said something that was quite accurate, ’For low-level wizard, the attitude of high-level wizard is the Order,’ sometimes, a word from those above can save many lives below."

Every word seemed aimed at urging Mr. Wu to take action.

However, Mr. Wu gently reiterated his stance instead of addressing his words head-on.

"One person being too burdened, leaving is more of a relief—for everyone it is a relief."

The elderly man let out a big yawn, indifferent: "I think the Order that suits me might not feel comfortable for others. Forcing your ideas onto others, you’ll eventually feel the fate imposed by others... As for the matter of dying, well, this world has long been a world of devouring, only sometimes it’s done discreetly, other times it’s done crudely. While I’m here, they might hide away to devour secretly, if I’m not here, they devour openly without care. I can’t control everything under the heaven and earth, can’t control someone passing gas? I can’t control that. And moreover, who can be certain the world would be more beautiful without me?"

Yellow Flowered Cat was choked by Mr. Wu’s words.

After a while, he muttered, "—No matter what, eating people is always bad."

"Your judgment is too absolute."

The bookstore owner shook his head slightly: "Morally speaking, indeed bad; but logically, heaven and earth are heartless, treating all things as straw dogs, humans and sheep and grass, essentially there is no difference... Speaking of which, suddenly reminds me of Nicolas’s past comments on the Alliance—although high-level wizards always act realistically, they often declare they are driven by higher moral goals rather than equilibrium considerations, moreover, they depict opponents as evil and immoral others—such behavior is despicable, yet based on an eternal truth: survival is the ultimate goal of all decisions. Even those who sacrifice willingly, do so for greater survival. Upon this foundation, all moral ’improvements’ are open to negotiation."

"Aren’t you afraid they might start breeding low-level wizard for consumption in the future?" Yellow Flowered Cat finally couldn’t hold back, stood upright, waving his paws, and started painting some of the worst possibilities to the bookstore owner.

Mr. Wu chuckled.

"I’ve spent a lifetime studying magic, and learned one thing."

He raised one finger, waving it in front of Flower Cat: "That is that life will not accept any oppression, it always finds a way to break through various barriers or shackles, explore new realms, overcome all obstacles... Of course, it’s a painful and lengthy process, even dangerous. But that is life. It always finds a way."

...

...

"—We have no other options left."

Professor Yi spread his hands, looking around, his gaze sliding over the faces of each big wizard, his expression and tone as calm as his words were shocking to all present: "Professor Yao was tricked into Nicolas’s territory, unable to escape promptly; Mr. Ruo Yu is stalled by the Black Mountain Goat; Lady Shi Hui stands off with KOTOS and Six Fingers off the coast; Professor Emma is currently engaged in a fierce battle in the sky with Montelio... Regardless of how much coincidence, innocence, or accident there is, the reality is, the legends of the First University are too busy to break away, while the dark clouds looming over Buji Island are restless... So we must make a choice."

"Hmm, I remember..." A witch furrowed her brow, still seemingly unable to accept Professor Yi’s terrifying assumption.

The Divination Team Leader apparently guessed what she wanted to say, and without waiting for her to speak, interrupted directly: "The school indeed still has a few retired elders, but no one knows where they’ve gone off to enjoy themselves. Just like the Dean. I’d say the risks I can already feel, there is no way he is completely unaware, yet until now, he has not given us any clear instructions, indicating that this matter can only be borne by us."

"What is this choice you speak of?" Another big wizard cautiously asked back.

Professor Yi’s gaze fell on the wizard wearing the emblem of the relevant department, yet did not linger, but quickly turned back to face the questioning warlock: "—Choose to continue maintaining independence, or choose to ally, or choose to accept Montelio and his companions."

This last option made everyone frown.

No one was willing to reaccept a colleague almost defined as a ’thief’ and ’renegade.’

"—If we choose to ally, we need to relinquish some of the First University’s independence."

Professor Yi looked up at the sky, slightly accelerating his speech: "At the very least, the soon-to-be-established position of Dean of the Peripheral College will need to be handed over to someone from the Alliance, I speculate this is one of the reasons they chose this timing to launch their actions, beyond this point, what they can offer the Alliance as bargaining chips will be much reduced."

"What if we choose independence?"

"Then we need to immediately prepare for Forbidden Curses, at least prepare three... or all of them be ready. Because assuming the worst outcome, the enemy will not give us a leisurely chance to respond."