"No way, surrounded by three people before even entering?"

At the edge of the banquet hall across an aisle from Zheng Qing, by the long dining table, Balash·Sasan held a white porcelain teacup, carefully observing the reflection on the calm water, and laughed in surprise.

As the president of the ethics review committee of the campus newspaper, Balash had an unusually keen sense of smell for ’not very ethical’ news happening in Shanglin Garden.

"Surrounded by three people for what?"

Balash’s dance partner, the current director of the student union’s foreign affairs committee, Louise Cody, asked absentmindedly, looking somewhat worriedly at the ’plain food’ on the dining table, couldn’t help but sigh and mutter, "Is it bitter vegetable soup again?"

Before coming to Shanglin Garden, she never imagined that the food at the Spring Hunt would be so simple.

"Zheng Qing...is surrounded by three witches." Balash paid no mind to his dance partner’s muttering, enunciating word by word with strong interest in his tone.

"Zheng Qing?"

Louise Cody instantly forgot the bitter vegetable soup in front of her—regarding the young witch who came to Shanglin Garden, she still had a bit of sensitivity to such news—she instinctively raised her hand to tug at the hair falling on her chest, twirling her fingers around the hair ends: "The one rumored to be Councilor Su’s husband? He really doesn’t care about Qingqiu’s reaction? And who are the other two?"

The incident on the Magic Stage left a very deep impression on the young wizards by Crescent Lake, so Louise Cody quickly guessed the identity of one of the ’three people’.

The Zhongshan Jiang Family is a behemoth comparable to the Qingqiu Family, so she was very interested in the identities of the other two brave enough to get involved in the giant’s struggle.

Louise Cody is a third-year student at Alpha Academy.

The Cody Family is a small family, and she actually wasn’t particularly qualified to come to Shanglin Garden, but because she is now serving as the director of the First University’s student union’s foreign affairs committee, she was extended an invitation to this year’s Shanglin Garden Spring Hunt. For this ambitious witch, about to graduate, there’s no better hunting ground than Shanglin Garden.

"The other two?"

Balash carefully examined the image reflected in the cup: "Hmm, one is Vivian from the O’Brien Family, and the other is...uh, the one called Wen something in your academy, the short one with a round face..."

Balash·Sasan is also a third-year student, a believer of Zoroastrianism, from Atlas Academy, and therefore not very familiar with students from Alpha Academy.

"Anna Wintour?" Louise immediately guessed the party’s identity from Balash’s vague description, raising an eyebrow: "She went to join the fun too? Should we..."

She dragged out her tone, leaving her meaning unsaid but clear.

The Wintour Family, although slightly stronger than the Cody Family, still wasn’t very strong, and now only had an old surname to boast. Louise considered herself not much inferior to the other side.

"Of course." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Balash decisively nodded, flicking his wrist to shatter the reflection in the teacup, then turned to look at the entrance of the banquet hall, a glint of heat in his eyes.

...

...

"It feels like half of the future of the Alliance is in this hall tonight."

In another corner, a red-haired witch nervously clutched her skirt, her eyes darting nervously around, seeming a bit breathless: "...Is that person over there looking at me?"

"No one’s looking at you, Jessica, your body is too stiff...relax a bit."

Betsey Black, adjusting the angle of her companion’s hat, squeezed her shoulder.

Her tone was light, her demeanor relaxed. Unlike Balash or Louise, she was a girl who had seen the big scenes and had prepared early for this evening’s banquet, familiar with many of the warlocks’ identities and preferences: "...Do you want to go greet Lei Zhe first? After greeting him, you won’t be as nervous in front of other male wizards."

"Why?"

"Because that man is very imposing." Betsey’s mouth curved slightly: "Having seen a true mountain, you won’t feel intimidated by a little hill. Having seen a genuine sea, you won’t hesitate at a small lake. Having met a real man, you’ll handle other softies with ease."

"I see."

Jessica nodded with a hint of admiration. Unlike Betsey, despite the Nott Family not being small, due to her personality, she rarely interacted with outsiders, and this year was her first time participating in the Shanglin Garden Spring Hunt.

Betsey, having grown up with her yet very different in character, popular in both school and social circles, had always been her object of admiration and attempt to emulate.

"Of course, saying half the future of the Alliance is in this room isn’t entirely wrong." Betsey, supporting her companion’s arm, pointed out with her eyes those familiar faces in the crowd: "Uncle Zhang Zhi, Friedman, Boomer, Zhao Qiao, Commander, Zhan Yuchen...and with the two Adams from the Black and O’Brien families, if you’re a little proactive, it’s easy to settle lifelong matters. You’re very pretty, don’t doubt yourself."

"Compared to Tushan Chujiu?" Jessica couldn’t help but ask softly.

"Why would you compare yourself to a Fox Spirit out of nowhere?" Betsey, surprised, withdrew her gaze, glanced at her companion, and answered her question with a gentle counter-question.

"I mean, even a witch as beautiful as Tushan Chujiu gets fiercely thrown to the ground," Jessica recalled some terrifying scenes here, couldn’t help but shiver, her eyes anxiously scanning the venue: "What about me, who’s not as pretty as her..."

The words went unfinished, but the sense of frustration in her tone was clearly expressed.

"Oh! That pervert."

Mentioning this matter, Betsey too felt a toothache. She had a hard time convincing this cowardly companion to come to Shanglin Garden, not expecting something ’horrifying’ to happen on the first day at the Magic Stage.

"Don’t mind that pervert," she squeezed her companion’s small hand hard, cheering her up: "After tonight, Councilor Su will finely shred him into minced meat, then roll it into a toast with sauce and eat it..."

Jessica smiled gratefully, changing the topic: "Stop talking about me, what about you? You’re different from me...you must have your own target, right?"

"Me?"

Betsey’s lips slightly lifted, her eyes narrowing, revealing a trace of a dangerous aura: "My target is that little bitch Vivian...I want every man who dances with her to have their eyes glued to me!"

As she spoke, she tugged at her collar, revealing a deep cleavage.