Chapter 2617: Chapter 838: Reinterpreting the Reversed Card

The door of Sakura Pub was ajar.

Jingle jingle.

Accompanied by the sound of the doorbell, Zheng Qing pushed the door and entered, not seeing any other guests or waitstaff.

Sunlight poured through the large windows, onto the pub, glossing a layer of light onto the dark red bar counter, resembling toast spread with fresh jam, filling one’s heart with a sense of satisfaction.

The air was filled with the mixed aroma of wood and liquor, pure in the spacious room due to nobody being present. A swarm of Fireflies gathered between the ceiling beams, seemingly disturbed by the three unexpected guests, vibrating their wings collectively, and their bellies puffed, sprinkling a field of orange light, making the whole pub even brighter.

Like they heard the sound of the doorbell, a rag quickly jumped onto the bar counter, started to scrub the table diligently, and several glasses clattered out from the cabinet, lining up neatly, while a bottle filled with juice bowed, pouring into glass after glass.

"What’s that?" The Fat Wizard’s attention was entirely on those glasses.

Xiao Xiao went up first, picked up a glass, and sniffed it.

"Apple juice, a mild magic power replenishing drink."

While speaking, his eyes slid over those rows of colorful bottles in the bar: "According to the old rules of wizards, the no-drinking tradition during the Ban Magic Festival truly exists, but these days, few people abide by these stipulations..."

"Sister Korma surely knows we’re here," Zheng Qing raised the last glass, clinking it with the one in the fat man’s hand: "It’s probably her intention for us to wait here for her..."

"Just waiting so foolishly?" Xin gulped half a glass of apple juice, smacking his lips.

Bam!

Several thick stacks of newspapers and magazines appeared out of thin air, landing heavily in front of the three young wizards.

The meaning was quite clear.

Meanwhile, the bottle filled with juice subtly rose and fell on the bar counter, emitting a sequence of hesitant collisions, seemingly undecided whether to refill the emptied glass of the Fat Wizard.

Zheng Qing paid no attention to the malfunctioning bottle, casually picked up the top issue of the "Beta Town Post," and looked at the date; it was today’s, which he hadn’t read yet.

It had been over a week since the Shanglin Garden Spring Hunt.

Linda Barnes’ ’Rumor Battle Plan’ had also been underway for nearly a week, just as she had initially predicted, in this information-rich era, no hype lasts long, unless intentionally driven, otherwise media cannot waste too many resources on a not-yet-graduated little wizard.

He flipped through casually, only finding three reports related to himself—two of which were merely small column articles—it was evident that the editorial department of the Beta Town Post realized that focusing too much attention on him wasn’t worthwhile.

The young teaching assistant nodded in satisfaction.

According to Linda, as long as rumors are plentiful enough, it will inevitably bewilder the old folks in the editorial department, eventually forcing them to give up. And once losing the support of big newspapers, whispers within the school would gradually settle down.

Korma came downstairs when the three warlocks had already drunk two large bottles of apple juice.

Xiao Xiao and Xin Fat Man were sweating over the chess game in the newspaper, while Zheng Qing was engrossed in reading a love story between a female ghost and a scholar in "Ladies in Flowers," thus when the pub owner greeted them, he was momentarily dazed, forgetting today’s purpose.

"You’ve been coming quite frequently lately."

Korma greeted with a smile, her gaze falling on a few cardboard boxes placed on the bar, containing fruit preserves, jerky, dried fruits, and various snacks, she distinctly recalled that her pub didn’t provide these snacks.

Zheng Qing promptly dropped the chicken popcorn in his hand and stood up with his two companions.

He last visited Sakura Pub on the evening of last Tuesday, when he had just reached an agreement with Linda Barnes at noon, thus he purposely came in the evening to visit the North District Great Wise Person, vying for an exclusive interview opportunity for the blond witch.

In terms of timing, indeed, he came quite frequently.

"Here you are... Would you like something to drink?"

The young teaching assistant greeted warmly, but as soon as this greeting was uttered, not only did Korma pause, even Xiao Xiao and Xin Fat Man glanced sideways, looking rather startled. Zheng Qing suddenly realized he was in someone else’s pub, feeling extremely awkward, raised the juice in his hand, chuckling dryly, and gulped it all down.

Despite the coolness of the juice, he felt a surge of heat, even without looking in a mirror, he realized his face must be beet red. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"I’ll also have a glass of apple juice, thanks."

The owner of Sakura Pub did not make things difficult for Zheng Qing, she waved with a smile, the glass and juice bottle followed successively, offering the witch a drink the color of Amber.

Conveniently refilled someone’s already empty glass.

"I read the report from last time’s exclusive interview, it was well written." Korma glanced at the Fat Wizard beside her, speaking in a light tone: "Was it written by you, or Miss Barnes?"

"Both of us wrote it together." Xin rarely showed a hint of bashfulness.

The witch raised an eyebrow, a look of enlightenment surfacing on her face: "No wonder the article was published in the campus newspaper... I originally thought that interview would be claimed by Thomas."

The Thomas she mentioned wasn’t the one from the Assistant Team, but Thomas Barnes, Linda’s uncle, and also the deputy editor-in-chief of the Beta Town Post.

At this moment, Zheng Qing’s brain, which had overloaded due to awkwardness, was gradually restoring its ability to think, thus easily deducing this connection.

He touched his nose, picked up the glass, moistened his lips, just when he was about to speak, he saw Korma pull out a deck of Tarot Cards from below the bar, and shuffle them simply.

"Do you still remember the card you drew the last time you came to Sakura Pub?"

She glanced at Zheng Qing, with significant meaning: "I remember that day you had just learned face-touching divination... and then touched your nose at my bar."

Zheng Qing was momentarily stunned.

In face-touching divination, touching the nose represents things not proceeding smoothly, just like the Tarot Card he drew at Sakura Pub on that day, none of which were good omens, hence he discarded them early on.

"Reversed Tower?"

The warlock’s tone carried a slight uncertainty, but he quickly recalled the conversation from that evening—the Reversed Tower can be seen as a warning, reminding us to stay vigilant and be prepared to handle unforeseen events and potential crises. Like the calm before the storm, it signifies a tense atmosphere.

Originally, he assumed that card warned him of risks associated with rumors, but at this very moment, gazing into Korma’s eyes, he suddenly realized—the minor issue of rumors couldn’t influence the destiny shaping cards, the Reversed Tower he drew in front of the North District Great Wise Person that day was actually a warning for two people.

Or rather, what the Tarot Card revealed, was the fate of the North District Wizard Hunting Team that perished in the Silent Forest.