Chapter 72: The Ambush Begins

After bidding farewell to Huanhong, they left the hospital.

Evacuation was underway here as well.

The old doctor came to see them off.

“I hope we never meet again.”

He wasn’t very happy and sensed that a great battle was about to begin.

Jinluan nodded. “I don’t want to see you again either. Hopefully, this will be the last time.”

Just as she turned to leave, a cough sounded from behind.

Diamond ran over, grabbed onto Yinlin’s skirt, then climbed onto her shoulder to stay.

“You little guy, you’re coming too? You’re not in good shape.”

The old doctor was a bit surprised.

“Must you go?” Yinlin glanced sideways at Diamond.

A gesture.

Diamond fell silent, unwilling to lie or reveal the truth.

Yinlin grabbed Diamond, hugged it tightly, and handed it to the old doctor.

“Take care of it. Don’t let it get out.”

“Yin, you need me in this battle.” Diamond pleaded.

“I know, but I just want to defy fate.” Seeing Diamond’s actions, Yinlin already understood everything.

Not long ago, Diamond had mentioned there was one last mission.

Now, suddenly showing up again, wanting to join the fight against Lightning Man.

The intent was obvious—it meant that the battle with that guy required Diamond, and Diamond’s only displayed ability was time stop.

Looking at the weak Diamond, its life force was almost gone.

If it used the time stop ability again, it might die directly after this battle.

That was why it said there was one final mission.

Therefore, Yinlin didn’t want to bring it along.

To defy fate, either she would die, proving the future could be changed.

Or she would defeat Lightning Man herself, proving victory was possible without Diamond, and the future could be altered.

With this in mind, she resolutely left the corridor, reached the hospital rooftop, and took off from there.

Jinluan flew alongside her.

Seeing Yinlin’s determined profile, she couldn’t help but ask, “Can you tell me now? What’s really going on? Something’s off between you and Diamond.”

Flying at a slow pace, the wind wasn’t loud, and they could hear each other clearly.

Yinlin pressed a hand against the drifting silver strands of her hair and answered, “With our current level of trust, you’re not worthy of knowing these important secrets.”

That was harsh—she said it outright.

Jinluan’s irritation rose a little. “Cut it out. Seriously, I’m sure you’re hiding something big from me.”

Yinlin still denied it.

“That’s between Diamond and me. Outsiders shouldn’t pry.”

With that, she increased her speed, heading toward the largest hospital according to the map’s navigation.

Jinluan had no choice but to keep up.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the largest hospital, located in the bustling CBD Area.

This place was far more prosperous than the area near Song Wuli’s company.

Zebra crossings intersected at all angles, tall buildings crowded tightly together, sidewalks packed with pedestrians, and vehicles coming and going without pause.

It was as if it wasn’t the end of the world, but a perfectly ordinary, normal city.

Outside lurked the watchful demonic beasts, but inside the city still maintained normal operations, even continuing to develop technology and improve productivity.

The two landed on top of a tall building.

Yinlin could have hovered in the air indefinitely, but Jinluan couldn’t.

Maintaining the Magical Girl Transformation State consumed magic power, and flying also consumed magic.

Together, Jinluan just couldn’t handle it.

She had to land and rest, even canceling the Magical Girl Transformation State to slowly recover magic in her true form.

Now, she had even lost her magic perception and was like an ordinary person.

If someone ambushed her, she wouldn’t have time to react.

She dared to do this solely out of trust in Yinlin.

Yinlin could protect her temporarily.

With no energy charged up, Lightning Man wouldn’t sense them.

On this rooftop, two hundred meters high, a cool breeze blew.

It was quiet and pleasant, with no sense of the imminent confrontation with Lightning Man.

“On the hospital bed, you didn’t react at all. I was terrified. What exactly happened to you?” Xia Shiyao looked at her gently.

She wasn’t wearing any clothes, sitting bare, only using her legs and hands to cover her private parts.

Yinlin looked into the distance and didn’t reply, not wanting to talk about it.

She was very troubled.

The Contract Goddess, the World Tree, Diamond, Lightning Man, and the work layoffs—one issue after another weighed heavily on her, far more stressful than working overtime.

“Sometimes I really forget your age. You look like you’re only a teenager, but sometimes you’re so calm, like a forty or fifty-year-old.” Xia Shiyao kept talking.

That wasn’t entirely wrong. Yinlin wasn’t really that age.

At this moment, she lacked the vitality and innocence of youth, too lifeless and dull.

Xia Shiyao continued, “You carry so many secrets—the source of the lightning attacks, Diamond’s condition, the creation artifact. You hold so many mysteries. If possible, try to share some with me. You can rely on me.”

Yinlin said, “Let me ask you a tired old question—do you believe in fate?”

Xia Shiyao replied, “What exactly do you mean?”

Yinlin said, “The world is like a line. All stories progress orderly along this line. None deviate. All plots are already written. No matter what we do, we cannot change it. Do you believe in this theory?”

Xia Shiyao didn’t think deeply, as if just mentioning it casually.

“You mean the future is destined, and we’re just pieces on a chessboard?”

Yinlin nodded. “Something like that.”

Xia Shiyao continued, “I don’t know where you heard this or why you’re so obsessed with it. But if the future really is fixed and unchangeable, then all your worrying is pointless. Can it change anything?”

Those words almost convinced Yinlin.

If she believed the future was unchangeable, then no matter how sad or painful she felt now, the future remained the same—unchanged.

If she just happily lived each day, the future was still unchanged, but she would be much lighter herself.

The Contract Goddess had said something similar.

The thirty-four-year-old Song Wuli had already formed firm beliefs that were hard to change.

Even if Xia Shiyao made some sense, Song Wuli merely appreciated the girl slightly without being persuaded.

People at this age were stubborn, resistant to outside opinions and strong against personal agendas.

Suddenly, Xia Shiyao noticed a small drone released by the Human Alliance rising near this building.

She furrowed her brows, took out her magic wand, and prepared to transform, so her true form wouldn’t be exposed.