At the crossroads, the traffic light suspended high above flickered to yellow.
A few seconds of countdown ticked by, triggering a subtle pulse of magical energy within its intricate mechanical structure.
With a faint hum, the light shifted to red, its glow sustained by a mere trickle of mana—enough to keep the device running for a decade or more.
Noi paused at the edge of the zebra crossing, her hands tightening around the handles of two opaque shopping bags.
Behind her, Tina, laden with her own assortment of bags, noticed Noi’s halt and tilted her head.
“Why’d you stop?”
“It’s a red light,” Noi replied, her voice calm as she tugged the bags’ drawstrings tighter, concealing the daring black lace lingerie nestled within.
It had been three weeks since Noi arrived in the world of Tria.
Tomorrow was Sunday, a day for confession, and the bishop’s return yesterday had lightened their workload considerably, granting the trio a rare day off.
Noi had also received a special bonus for her work on the Andy disappearance case.
That afternoon, an impromptu “girls’ meeting” had been called.
After some lopsided discussions and a quick vote, Chenxi and Tina unanimously decided it was time to take Noi shopping—specifically, to buy some much-needed undergarments.
The reasoning was simple: Noi had been grumbling about her chest feeling constricted, a complaint that left her red- and blue-haired sisters seething with envy.
Their own figures paled in comparison, and they half-jokingly threatened to unleash a “grand spell of retribution” to vent their frustration.
But there was another motive at play.
It had been ages since they’d indulged in the thrill of shopping, their hard-earned wages burning a hole in their pockets, begging to be spent on a day like this.
Their first stop was a lingerie shop.
Noi, ever the conservative, picked out a modest camisole.
In the fitting room, she struggled to squeeze into it, only to find the fabric too tight, her curves spilling out in a way that was anything but flattering.
Chenxi, stationed like a sentinel outside the changing room, caught one glimpse of Noi’s wardrobe malfunction and promptly shoved her back inside, thrusting an oversized bra into her hands.
Once Noi slipped into the new garment, she couldn’t help but marvel.
These native girls really knew their stuff.
The bra fit perfectly—not too tight, not too loose—and as she gazed at her reflection, she felt a newfound sense of confidence.
It was a little strange at first, but the relief of a properly fitted bra was undeniable, and Noi embraced it wholeheartedly.
As for why she’d also bought that scandalously seductive set of lingerie…
Well, that was a one-time splurge.
A chance to leave an unforgettable impression on Lyte, no matter the cost.
They moved on to a clothing store next.
In her past life, Noi had never shopped for herself.
Her wardrobe consisted of plain white hospital gowns, leaving her with little concept of fashion or the joy of trying on clothes.
Tina, treating Noi like a living mannequin, gleefully handed her outfit after outfit to try on in front of the mirror.
With each new ensemble, Noi felt a spark of delight she hadn’t expected.
Shopping, it turned out, was surprisingly fun—an unexpected revelation that warmed her heart.
At the crossroads, Tina glanced up at the countdown timer on the traffic light, her lips pursing in a pout.
“Ugh, I’m still not used to this. The Star Alliance and their silly three-light system, making us wait thirty seconds. Such a hassle.”
Chenxi, her hands free of bags, strode up and rapped her knuckles sharply against Tina’s head.
“There are more cars on the road now, you know. If we just crossed whenever we felt like it, like in the old days, what happens when you get hit? Even with your C+ grade physique, a truck would still mess you up. Learn from Noi and pay attention to the lights!”
“Alright, alright, I get it! Stop hitting me, you’re gonna make me dumber!” Tina whined, rubbing her sore head, her eyes glistening with mock tears.
Just then, a bicycle whizzed past, ignoring the red light and leaving a trail of rainbow-colored exhaust in its wake.
A trainee from the Demon Suppression Division leisurely pulled out a recording device to capture the violation.
Tina’s curiosity piqued.
“Why isn’t the Demon Suppression guy chasing that cyclist down?”
Chenxi smirked, “Don’t get any ideas. They upload the footage to the data processing department. Then the logistics team tracks down the offender for a fine.”
“How much is the fine?” Tina asked, eyes wide.
“About a week’s worth of your salary.”
Tina gasped, her jaw dropping.
As a third-tier priestess, her weekly pay hovered between six and seven thousand star coins.
A single red-light violation could wipe out that much?
No wonder people followed the rules.
On the side of a nearby office building, a massive screen blared the latest news.
“On October 31, Year 889 of the Star Calendar—last Monday—Black Star experienced its first-ever anomaly. The Star Alliance’s Conqueror has entered a state of emergency, with the blood moon lingering for twelve days straight.”
“Yesterday, High Priestess Gni Preto spoke with Star Alliance leader Shang Chen. After productive discussions, they reached an agreement. The Church has dispatched Saintess Liana, Judgment Knight Lix, and Saint Lan to board the Conqueror via starship. Tune in tomorrow at 9 p.m. for the historic convergence of the blood moon and Black Star!”
“Whoa, Black Star?” Tina’s eyes sparkled.
“I’ve never seen it up close. Think it’s some kind of evil spirit awakening? They’re sending the Saintess, a Judgment Knight, and a Saint. That’s a huge deal—short of the High Priestess herself showing up!”
The news was gripping enough to hold even Tina’s attention, despite her usual disinterest.
Chenxi, however, glanced around warily, ensuring no one had overheard Tina’s careless words or recognized their nun attire.
Then she delivered another sharp knock to Tina’s head.
“Are you trying to get us fired? You can’t just blabber about stuff like that! Have some faith in the gods!”
“Okay, okay, I won’t do it again…” Tina mumbled, chastised.
“You better not!” Chenxi snapped.
The sisters bickered until the light turned green.
Noi led the way across the street, their squabble fading into laughter.
Along the way, snippets of conversation about the blood moon floated from passersby.
Tina, eavesdropping as they walked, let out a dramatic sigh.
“Such a rare blood moon, and we don’t even have a camera to capture it. Don’t you think that’s a shame, Noi?”
The Conqueror, often called the artificial moon, was a floating fortress.
Alongside the artificial sun, it served as a source of illumination, a satellite, and a node for the magical network—all proposed and built under Shang Chen’s leadership.
The artificial sun, powered by a massive fire-element magic stone and stabilized by a runic ring from the Nest, blazed like a fireball visible to the naked eye as it orbited Tria.
Unlike Earth, Tria’s nights rarely featured a moon.
The Conqueror’s primary role was to explore the mysterious Dead Star Zone nearby, occasionally appearing as a blood moon when its magic-stone coating glowed crimson.
Tina’s mention of the blood moon was a not-so-subtle hint to her money-managing sister about buying a phone, roping Noi in for support.
Chenxi, unimpressed, shot back, “You could return those clothes you’re carrying. That’d cover the cost of a phone.”
“No way!” Tina clutched her bags like a child guarding candy.
“Clothes are a girl’s life! I’d rather go without a phone!”
Chenxi rolled her eyes and turned to Noi, helping her carry a bag.
“You don’t shop much, do you? You seemed pretty shy picking out clothes.”
“Hardly ever,” Noi admitted, meeting Chenxi’s gaze with a shy smile.
“I’m still learning all this nun stuff. Could you teach me, Chenxi?”
“Hey, what about me?” Tina butted in, grinning.
“I can teach you too, Noi!”
Chenxi shoved Tina’s face away playfully.
“You? Teach her? What, the ninety-nine ways to order takeout? Or your ultimate guide to slacking off?”
Tina wailed dramatically, her true nature laid bare.
Despite being the older sister, she relied on Chenxi to manage her daily life, making her seem even less put-together than Noi, who was still “evolving” into her new world.
The summer heat bore down as they walked, leaving all three drenched in sweat.
Chenxi squinted at the blazing artificial sun overhead.
“It’s getting hotter every year. Isn’t the artificial sun supposed to fall next year?”
Tina tapped her chin, calculating.
“Let’s see… fifty years… yeah, it’s next year! Imagine if we found a piece of it—those fragments would be worth a fortune!”
Her mind wandered to dreams of selling a sun shard, becoming fabulously wealthy, surrounded by luxury and charm.
She practically drooled at the thought.
Noi, watching her friends, hesitated before speaking.
“Um… how about I treat you both with ice cream? You’ve been so kind to me these past few weeks.”
“Ice cream? Yes!” Tina cheered, throwing her arms around Noi in a bear hug.
Chenxi, exasperated, yanked her sister back.
“Tina! Have some dignity in public!”
The trio laughed, their voices mingling with the hum of the city, as they set off toward the promise of a cool, sweet escape from the summer heat.
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