The first thing that caught the eye was a broad avenue paved with brownish-yellow bricks, flanked by straight, unknown trees whose leaves moved on their own even without wind, as if they were swaying to a rhythmic breathing.
Although it seemed somehow off to describe it this way, this was indeed how Li Qing felt.
These trees were alive.
About fifty meters down this avenue, a rather ornate gate came into view, appearing to be constructed of red bricks stacked meticulously. Two large iron doors opened outward, revealing a towering, sharp-pointed building.
In Li Qing’s eyes, this so-called Magic Academy exuded an air of gloom and wickedness. The building loomed like a gigantic beast in slumber, ready to devour any who approached.
The most peculiar aspect was that, even though it was the middle of the night, here it was broad daylight.
Yes, daytime, yet the sky was so intensely overcast that Li Qing sensed something was lurking within it.
"Is this the legendary Gray Magic Academy?"
A sharp, excited voice snapped Li Qing back to his senses.
While he had focused his attention on the academy, he suddenly realized that, at some unknown point, a dozen or so figures had gathered behind him.
All of them were dressed in black robes with hoods, concealing their faces in shadows, making it difficult to discern their features.
Taking advantage of their preoccupation with discussing the Gray Magic Academy, Li Qing inconspicuously edged backward, blending into the crowd.
Standing at the front would be too conspicuous; Li Qing had never liked drawing attention to himself.
After a while, one of the black-robed figures moved forward, and seeing all fourteen others begin to follow suit, Li Qing quietly matched their pace in silence.
When in unfamiliar territory, one should never make any overtly noticeable movements.
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
This was a principle Li Qing had learned through years in the working world—understanding one’s own abilities and placing oneself in a non-prominent yet indispensable position within a company.
Thus, from graduation until now, his life had been steady and uneventful.
"Jes, why do we have to wear this black robe and hood?"
A woman with a distinctly graceful figure murmured softly beside him.
Li Qing acted as though he hadn’t heard, continuing at his relaxed pace while secretly straining his ears to listen.
"Hey, don’t bring discomfort upon yourself. The last person who did that ended up being eaten by a scarecrow!"
Jes, standing next to her, quietly reproached her actions, then complained, "Anna, you have to understand what kind of price we paid to come here. This isn’t your palace, nor is it your private domain. Here, we are just students, and you need to adjust your attitude accordingly."
"I know, I know! I’ll keep that in mind."
Anna waved her hand impatiently.
Li Qing, who had been observing cautiously, suddenly had his pupils contract, momentarily halting before casually continuing forward.
He had just seen the woman called Anna reveal a white, sucker-covered tentacle from her trailing black robe!
Involuntarily, he swept his gaze around, scrutinizing the fourteen other black-robed figures surrounding him.
What exactly was hidden beneath those black robes?
Li Qing realized that this was definitely not any ordinary Magic Academy.
He also understood why the acceptance letter emphasized that wearing this black robe uniform was mandatory.
Everyone here was problematic.
Only at this moment did Li Qing regain his senses, realizing that the language these figures spoke was entirely different. Yet, he could still understand them.
The miracle of magic, perhaps.
As they neared the academy gates, they saw from afar a figure also cloaked entirely in a black robe, adorned with blue silken outlines on their sleeves and collars. This person was exceptionally tall, at least over two meters.
Upon seeing the group from a distance, the figure spread their arms, their robe’s long sleeves engulfing their hands.
"Chosen ones, welcome to Gray Magic Academy. Today is the day of initiation—ensure nothing goes wrong, or the consequences could be dire, even life-threatening."
The man’s voice was calm, with a faintly mocking smile.
Seeing the group respond in silent assent to his jest, the black-robed man seemed slightly uninterested.
"Alright, I’m the enrollment registrar, Zhuang Xu. Next, I will register your information. Welcome, and remember I am also your life mentor. Should you encounter any difficulties in your studies, you may seek my guidance, though I may not answer."
This fellow clearly had a don’t-bother-me attitude, which left Li Qing speechless—he had seemed so enthusiastic over the phone before.
"There’s another thing," Zhuang Xu continued, "I must remind you, all would-be students of Gray Magic Academy, never remove your uniform while on campus. If it’s damaged, please report to the administration office for replacement, though it won’t be free of charge."
He paused and clapped his hands, causing Li Qing’s heart to skip a beat. Zhuang Xu’s fingertips were sharp and sinewy, his skin a ghastly blue-black like that of a corpse, entirely inhuman.
"Also, is the thirty-year-old human selected to become a mage here?"
Zhuang Xu scrutinized the fifteen figures, his face hidden in the hood’s shadows.
His words sparked murmurs of astonishment among the group.
"A human, selected to be a mage at thirty?"
"That means they were single until thirty!"
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"Who would have thought a human could come here?"
"Heh, all chosen by the Evil God. Do frail humans even have the right to refuse?"
Amidst the strange mix of comments, Li Qing felt only the malice and undisguised hostility from these ’people.’
Li Qing cursed internally, sensing that Zhuang Xu’s words were intentionally provocative.
"One more thing," Zhuang Xu’s voice drifted eerily, "If anyone attacks a student at the Magic Academy, regardless of identity, they will face grave, eternal punishment. Should you insist on doing so, believe me, you will be eager for me to kill you then."
Zhuang Xu’s slightly crimson eyes glimmered with a bloodthirsty smile. Yes, despite his entire face being obscured beneath the hood, Li Qing unmistakably sensed an emotion radiating from him.
He eagerly anticipated ’bad students’ who would break such rules.
The air here reeked of bizarre oddities.
Seeing all fifteen fall silent, Zhuang Xu quietly intoned, "If you don’t step out now, you’ll regret it when I find you later."