Chapter 42: Hunting Hound

“Get off the him!” Lu Daomeng shouted at the hound which had Zen pinned. It seemed to listen to Lu Daomeng and stepped off Zen, allowing him to crawl back on his hands and rear away from the large dog.

“What-What is that?”

“Oh, this is a hunting hound, a Grey Stalker.”

Zen got up and dashed for the nearest bush where he began emptying his stomach. While he did that, Lu Daomeng spoke to the carriage driver before he left while Shibi growled and barred his fangs at the Grey Stalker which kept a lazy eye on the ape.

“Come on, Wang Zen.” Lu Daomeng said in an annoyed tone. “Do you not think you’ve done enough of that?”

“That dog,” Zen said, “drooled in my mouth!” The thought sent him into another session of throwing up.

“Is that all? There are worse things that could’ve been in your mouth. Man, nobles are so sensitive.” Lu Daomeng whispered the last part to himself.

Zen finished with his business, wiping his mouth as he glared at the Grey Stalker.

“I,” Zen took out his storage crystal, “am going to,” he touched it and the Zen Blade appeared in his hands in yellow spheres of light, “TO KILL THAT DAMNED DOG!” he charged for it.

Lu Daomeng touched a storage stone on his garb and a single edged sabre appeared in his hands in white spheres. He stepped in front of Zen and blocked his short blade with his own normal sized one.

Forgetting himself in his anger, Zen swung his sword but was once again blocked.

Lu Daomeng made a manoeuvre, swatting the sword away and brining the edge of his blade to Zen’s neck before Zen could recover and block.

Zen stopped. His anger immediately dying down in light of the blade next to his neck.

“Calm down, Young Wang.” Lu Daomeng said. “Instead of being angry at the beast, you should be thanking it.”

“What?” Zen said as Daomeng dropped withdrew his blade from his neck. “Why?”

“The dog just kissed you in the new way, didn’t it?” Daomeng’s sword disappeared into white spheres, going back into his storage crystal. “I’ve heard how you kids called it, swapping spit, wasn’t it? Yes, the dog is your first spit swapping kiss.”

“I don’t want to kiss a dog!” Zen said. “I wanna kiss a girl!”

“Hey, a kiss is a kiss.” Daomeng said. “Now you can brag to all your friends about how you’re no longer a spit swapping virgin.”

“Urgh! What are you saying?”

“And anyways, I can’t let you kill this dog.” Daomeng said. “It is on loan and I imagine its master would not be happy with the academy if one of its students killed his beast in a fit of rage.”

“Why do you even have this mutt here?”

“Hunting,” Daomeng said. “One of the students Flying Possems was killed last night and then it was devoured roar.”

“You think there’s a beast on campus?”

“Yes,” Daomeng said. “This Grey Stalker is here to help us find it.”

“Where did this beast even come from?” Zen said. “Did it escape from the Goixi Academy Forest?”

“Not likely. There’s a barrier around the forest and there’s no beast in the forest strong enough to break through it. Most likely, a wild beast from outside has entered the campus.” Daomeng began walking off.

“Where are you going?” Zen asked.

“I’m going to hunt and exterminate the beast,” Daomeng said nonchalantly as he walked away. “Be a good boy and get the dog into action.”

“Why can’t you do it?”

“Ah!” Daomeng moaned as he touched his side. “My side is still sore from the time you crashed into me, so I can’t do it.”

“Lazy bastard,” Zen whispered under his breath.

“And anyways,” Daomeng said, “You two seem to be close chums, since he broke your spit swapping virginity.”

“Would you stop talking about my virginity!” Zen shouted.

He heard giggling and saw a few girls laughing at him as they walked away.

Where did they come from?! Zen thought. He walked to the dog which was currently attacking Shibi by licking at him. “Aw, Shibi, don’t fraternize with the enemy!”

Shibi freed himself from the dog and climbed onto Zen’s shoulder while he kneeled down so he could look at the grey furred hound face to face.

“Man, you drool a lot!” Zen said, noting the globs of transparent liquid falling from the dog’s mound. “What is this mutt’s name?” Zen had to shout as Daomeng was pulling away.

“It has no name!” Daomeng shouted back. “Would you hurry up? How will you help me if your all the way back there?”

“I don’t even want to help you, you stupid man.” Zen said under his breath before turning to the dog. “Alright, Sir Drools-a-lot, let’s get a move on.”

The hound walked past Zen, sniffing the ground as it did so.