Chapter 35: Found You

Hot Spring Hotel

“This was much simpler than I expected.”

A man disguised as a renovation worker wiped the cold sweat from his brow.

He thought there would be a fierce battle, but they took her down without breaking a sweat.

“Even a Magical Girl is just like this when she’s not transformed.”

“So what about this girl?” someone pointed at Luo You.

“…She was pretty close with Zhou Xi before, probably connected to the Magical Girl as well. Let’s take her along.”

“This girl’s figure is amazing. Can I have some fun with her after we’re done?”

“Don’t do anything unnecessary. The organization has been cracking down hard lately. If we get caught, you won’t come out unscathed!”

“Tch, what a waste of that figure!”

“Honestly, I don’t understand what the higher-ups are thinking. They’ve been playing law enforcers for years to win public support, acting like they’re the good guys or something. So many of our brothers are getting restless from all the restrictions.”

After some casual chatter, the group dared not linger and stuffed Zhou Xi and Luo You into a sack, placing it on a cart before pushing it away.

They avoided heading straight to the alien organization’s base to prevent anyone from tracing them back and catching them red-handed.

However, while transporting them to a deep mountain cave nearby, one of them received a message from the organization.

“Damn it, the situation’s changed. That woman, Xingyue, has returned. We’ve been ordered not to let anything happen to that Magical Girl!”

“Xingyue!?”

The others looked over in shock.

“How is she back!? Wasn’t she missing for seven years?”

“Didn’t Lord Herrera capture her?”

That Magical Girl was so famous, leaving a deep impression on everyone from before.

If most Magical Girls’ fighting styles were varied and flashy, Xingyue’s aura exuded the demeanor of a true queen—embodying the ideal that ‘Justice will inevitably triumph over evil.’

Under this portrayal, it seemed as if only she was the real Magical Girl.

“We have four hours. Headquarters only gave us four hours. By then, she must be released unharmed. Absolutely unharmed!”

“How is that even possible?! And only four hours?”

Xingyue’s return made the Magical Alliance unstoppable, so it was no wonder the alien organization forbade Zhou Xi from getting hurt.

Any damage to Zhou Xi would mean all-out war with the Magical Alliance.

“What if she doesn’t cooperate?”

“There’s still that companion here.”

Luo You’s shoulder was gently kicked.

“If Zhou Xi doesn’t cooperate, then we’ll just rape this little girl right in front of her.”

“Ugh, if only Lord Herrera was still around, what could Xingyue’s return do?”

[I am Lord Herrera, the one you want to rape, you bunch of idiots.]

Luo You closed her eyes tightly, using only her hearing to capture every movement around her, deducing they were inside a mountain cave.

The plan had gone smoothly so far; if it continued, Ji Yue should be able to track the trail she left and find them.

But upon hearing about Xingyue’s appearance, Luo You’s tightly furrowed brows involuntarily twitched.

After all, the woman had once brought her bad memories; Luo You felt a resistance deep in her heart.

[Next time I see her, I’ll beat her until she loses the will to resist, then lash her with a whip! …Oh? Zhou Xi is waking up.]

Not far off, Zhou Xi’s eyelids fluttered slightly and slowly opened.

“…!? You? Why are you—!”

Her blurry vision cleared in seconds, and Zhou Xi sat up, quickly surveying the surroundings.

Her hands and feet were bound, and the accessories needed for her Magical Girl transformation were missing.

Two men wearing animal masks were nearby.

The man with the monkey mask—let’s call him Monkey Man—crouched down to Zhou Xi’s eye level.

“We won’t waste time with you. We heard Lord Herrera appeared in Huahai City a few days ago. Is that true?”

Zhou Xi was stunned that they had gone through the trouble of capturing them just to ask this. She quickly regained her composure and asked coldly, “Who are you? Why are you looking for her?”

“Sigh… I hope what I hear from you is the answer, not some foolish reverse interrogation.”

Monkey Man gave a signal to the bull-masked man beside him.

The bull-masked man sneered, then dumped a pot of ice water over Luo You’s head.

“Ugh…!”

“Good evening, pretty little sister.”

Luo You snapped back to reality just as a tremendous blow landed on her right shoulder, the sharp cracking of bones audible to everyone.

“Ugh—!”

Her mouth was gagged, unable to scream even in pain.

“You You!”

Zhou Xi shouted, lunging forward but was pulled back by Monkey Man.

Monkey Man signaled his accomplices again.

One reached out and stripped Luo You’s thick outer coat, leaving only two thin layers of clothing that could barely cover her exquisite figure.

Then, Monkey Man nonchalantly patted Zhou Xi’s face.

“From now on, every useless word you say will cost your friend a piece of clothing. Of course, if you don’t mind watching us bring your friend to ecstasy right here, you can just make up anything you want.”

Anger burned in Zhou Xi’s eyes as she clenched her silver teeth.

If it weren’t for fear of Luo You being harmed, she would bite down without hesitation, tearing flesh off her enemies even if it meant death.

“Enough. Answer my question. Did you see Lord Herrera in Huahai City or not?”

“Oh, that’s not enough. Don’t drip-feed us answers like squeezing toothpaste. We’ll have a hard time.”

This time, without Monkey Man’s signal, Bull Man smirked and reached toward Luo You’s cotton leggings.

“Ugh!”

Luo You’s eyes blazed as she twisted her body, springing up to slam her head straight into Bull Man’s chin, then hopped away.

“Bastard—that hurts!”

Bull Man was furious, his cruel nature rushing to the surface.

He took off his belt and lunged at Luo You.

Luo You panicked and dodged clumsily in the confined cave, narrowly avoiding each attack.

After more than ten seconds, she still hadn’t been caught.

“Stop!”

Zhou Xi shouted, “I did see Lord Herrera, and I left with her in exchange for a hostage. What else do you want to know?”

“Hey, stop it!”

Monkey Man tripped his overly excited comrade.

No matter what happens, the important thing must be done first.

The hostages are here and can’t run!

Bull Man’s knuckles cracked as he whispered into Luo You’s ear, “Just wait and see how I take care of you later.”

“Ugh ugh!”

Luo You feigned fear, though inside she didn’t even have the energy to mock them.

Judging by the time, not much had passed since they were tied up, and the plan would still take some time.

Zhou Xi’s will to resist wasn’t completely broken but she no longer cared to hold back.

She would say whatever they wanted.

At this rate, it wouldn’t take four hours—maybe only half an hour.

Luo You thought hard; if all else failed, she could imitate those brainless, naive female leads in movies.

The kind where everything is about to settle peacefully thanks to the main group’s mediation, but some dumb teammate can’t help but say the wrong thing, angering the enemy and ruining the whole situation.

Anyway, the goal was to waste time!

The more miserable she looked, the better!

Although it was impossible for them to actually succeed in raping her, at least she had to appear to have fiercely resisted and been badly hurt.

That way, when Ji Yue came to the rescue, her suspicions would be minimized.

Now, the best way to anger the enemy was…

Luo You’s gaze locked onto the most vulnerable spot between Bull Man’s legs.

A dread more terrifying than death suddenly filled Bull Man’s heart.

—Just as Luo You thought this,

“That’s enough, you cowardly bastards.”

From somewhere unknown, a voice sounded.

Suddenly, Monkey Man and Bull Man’s legs began to tremble, their breathing erratic with fear.

Luo You noticed—

Outside the cave, a surging, overwhelming magical power.

That voice was…

“Lord Xingyue!”

Zhou Xi called out joyfully. She had just attended the Ten Seats meeting that morning and was deeply familiar with that voice!

No wonder she was the head of the Ten Seats; that magical power was simply terrifying!

“Xingyue?!”

Monkey Man’s eyes bulged in disbelief.

“Impossible! Why is she here in person!?”

“Can you stop comparing Magical Girls to the likes of you?”

Zhou Xi sneered, “Unlike you pawns discarded by the big shots, Magical Girls always help each other regardless of rank or status when in trouble—even the Ten Seats do.”

“Shut up!!”

Bull Man stomped his foot anxiously.

“How did she track us here!? I cleared all traces! Took off all the trackers!”

Bull Man and Monkey Man exchanged a glance.

“Grab the hostages first!”

“Even if you want to do that, don’t let me hear it, okay?”

Xingyue’s voice echoed from outside as she slowly entered the cave.

Without casting a spell, her immense magical power alone was enough to settle everything.

With a single raised hand, that overwhelming magic surged.

In an instant, the two men felt as if they were ripped from the scene and thrown onto a stormy beach under a night sky thick with clouds.

Hundred-meter-tall waves crashed down from above, extinguishing their pride and souls within the raging surf.

[Stop ruining everything!! Why! Are! You! Here!!]

Luo You’s mood was terrible.

There was one possibility: Ji had already confirmed her suspicions and called the entire Ten Seats led by Xingyue to surround and eliminate her.

“Are you all right?”

Without any suspense, Xingyue subdued the kidnappers.

Wearing a silver dress, her exquisite and stunning features made her look like a celestial being.

Zhou Xi’s heart was completely captivated by this radiant Magical Girl.

Just one glance from her eyes, which seemed to pierce through fate itself, left others feeling ashamed of themselves.

So this was… the goal all Magical Girls pursued?

Xingyue spotted Zhou Xi and glanced sideways to see Luo You in disarray.

A faint, almost imperceptible gleam of delight flashed in her eyes.

Found~ you~