Chapter 1 : Magical Girl? More like a welfare idol!

Huahai City, Dragon Country.

September still scorched like a furnace.

Luo You clocked out at the gym’s front desk and stepped outside.

Leaving the air-conditioned comfort behind, his cheerful face was instantly drenched in sweat.

“Damn it, is this weather trying to eat me alive?”

Grumbling under his breath, he was just about to open his sun umbrella when a muscular man walked out of the gym and called out to him.

“Coach Luo, what time’s your shift tomorrow?”

“Oh, it’s you, Xiaojie. I’m on from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.”

“Great, I’ll be here at nine then. Hope you don’t mind giving me a few pointers.”

“Sure, no problem.”

Luo You set a new alarm on his phone.

Just as he was about to leave, he noticed the muscleman still standing behind him, not moving.

“Ajie, something else?”

“Uh… well…”

Ajie scratched the back of his head, shifting awkwardly.

His cheeks flushed with a hint of shyness.

“I forgot my umbrella today. Do you mind if I share yours? Just to the bus stop ahead.”

“…No, no, take it. I think I need a bit more sun anyway.”

“Giegie, don’t leave meee—!”

Without hesitation, Luo You shoved the umbrella into Ajie’s huge hands and sprinted away, disappearing in seconds.

Ugh, seriously?

Why were more and more guys dropping hints lately?

If it were a girl, fine.

But why were they all men!?

“Come to think of it, all the gym members assigned to my group are dudes. Not a single girl! No way, I’m gonna talk to the manager about getting some female clients. I can’t keep doing this!”

He cursed under his breath.

Fortunately, his home wasn’t far from the gym—convenient for commuting.

But what truly brought him joy was the “hell corridor” that separated the two—a pedestrian food street that fitness fanatics both feared and longed for.

Luo You’s daily hobby was catching gym clients sneaking into the food street to snack.

He’d report them to their trainers and listen gleefully to their screams the next day during intense punishment workouts.

Nothing relieved stress quite like that.

“Let’s see which unlucky soul I’ll catch today… huh?!”

He was just scanning the crowd for his next victim when he spotted a familiar face.

One of his own trainees—the very one he’d been coaching for just two weeks!

Catching another coach’s client?

Pure comedy.

Catching his own?

Time to raise hell.

“Motherfu—what the hell are you eating—OH MY GOD! You’re actually chowing down on ultra-loaded luosifen with fried eggs, pork trotters, chicken feet, and fatty intestines?! That’s over 3,000 calories, you damned pig feed special!”

His jaw dropped in disbelief as he stared at the monstrosity in the trainee’s hands.

Luo You chuckled darkly in fury, slinging an arm around the guy’s shoulders with a wicked grin.

“Bro… how about we have a little chat in that alley over there?”

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

The guy let out a scream like he was about to get violated and bolted like lightning.

…A crow flew past in awkward silence.

Even though the guy was long gone, his scream still echoed in Luo You’s ears, leaving him momentarily stunned.

What the hell!?

You’re a grown-ass man—how do you even make a sound like that?!

Just for that, I’m adding extra sets next session!

Luo You was fuming.

That screech would haunt his appetite for the next two days.

“Clear the way! Everyone, make some space!”

A loudspeaker from a nearby security patrol vehicle boomed, “Two new magical girls stationed in this city have arrived! Please clear the road!”

No one protested.

Bystanders quickly moved aside.

Magical girls were a big deal.

Not only were they gorgeous, but they were elite protectors—so elite that even tier-one cities rarely received more than one.

Getting two assigned here was a massive boost for public safety.

Currently, supernatural authority is split between the Magical Girl Alliance and the Altered Ones Organization.

Seven years ago, the Altered Ones had the upper hand, but after the disappearance of the Aurora Witch, their momentum faltered.

Two years later, when the rivalry between the two sides reached its peak, interdimensional beasts appeared, forcing a reluctant truce.

Since then, they’ve maintained a delicate 60-40 balance.

While the Altered Ones might sound like villainous troublemakers, they actually fought crime and upheld order just like magical girls.

The difference lay in their approach—where magical girls valued love and justice, the Altered Ones were ruthless and efficient.

They were like mobsters in royal robes—brutal, but stylish.

Of course, back in the day, they were villains.

Now, the two factions competed for influence through public appeal instead of open combat.

In the media-driven modern era, image was everything.

Being a public figure, flashing a bit of skin—it wasn’t shameful.

Popularity ruled all.

“Move it! Especially you, bro, standing dead center in the road—get outta the way!”

Huh?

Luo You realized everyone else had already moved aside—he was the one being called out.

“Me? Bro? I’m—!”

The patrol car was still fifty meters away, but Luo You had already spotted the luxury car behind it.

That must be carrying the newly arrived magical girls.

“Damn, what a grand entrance.”

He muttered bitterly, stepping aside with the crowd to let the flag-adorned car pass.

“Back in my day, I was the kind of badass who could pin down the strongest magical girl, Xingyue, and—well… how did I end up like this?”

Sighing, he turned to leave.

But inside the luxury car, the magical girl Yueyuezi caught that muttered remark through a crack in the window.

“Who was that?! Talking smack about Lady Xingyue?!”

“What’s wrong, Yueyuezi?”

The other magical girl, Zhou Xi, followed her gaze out the window.

“Someone insulted Lady Xingyue?”

“I’m going down there to confront that loudmouth!”

“Whoa, hold on!”

Seeing her about to cause a scene, Zhou Xi quickly pulled Yueyuezi back.

“I know you admire Lady Xingyue, but don’t forget our current status. Pressuring a civilian only damages our image. Besides, with this many people around, how would you even know who said it?”

“Easy—just let me hear them speak one by one. My ears are sharp!”

“No way. We worked so hard to break into entertainment and build public recognition. If we get hit with a scandal, all that effort will be wasted.”

“Don’t bring that up! It just pisses me off. If the local government gave us better media access, the Altered Ones wouldn’t be hogging the spotlight!”

Zhou Xi sighed helplessly.

“What can we do? The local government prefers the Altered Ones. That’s already a settled matter.”

Sure, magical girls were more popular with the public—they were pretty and all female, naturally drawing attention.

But behind the scenes, local authorities favored the Altered Ones.

They delivered results, swiftly and thoroughly.

Take a hostage situation, for example.

The Altered Ones would eliminate both the criminals and the hostages if needed—no chance for future danger.

Brutal, but effective.

That’s why, even if the public didn’t like them, they always got airtime and coverage.

The authorities backed them.

As for magical girls?

They weren’t suppressed, per se—but compared to the Altered Ones, their support was minimal, almost like being raised by a stepmother.

Zhou Xi knew why magical girls were at such a disadvantage.

They clung too tightly to ideals: “No casualties,” “justice and love above all,” “never give up on anyone.”

Admirable, yes, but inefficient and unrealistic.

If magical girls handled the same hostage case, best-case scenario: the criminal escapes, hostages are hurt.

Worst case?

Criminal escapes, hostages die anyway.

Thankfully, some local leaders still remembered magical girls’ past help.

They offered limited media support and helped them transition into entertainment to connect with the public.

They knew the reason, but couldn’t change the outcome.

Magical girls were magical girls because of these ideals.

Those values defined their power.

They couldn’t just cast them aside.

Zhou Xi gazed out the window and murmured, “If it were Lady Xingyue… even while upholding those ideals, she’d still manage better than anyone.”

“Hmph! Of course! Lady Xingyue is the strongest magical girl—this kind of thing would be a breeze for her!”

But after the puffed-up pride, Yueyuezi deflated again.

“It’s been so long since she last appeared… ever since her battle with the Aurora Witch seven years ago, she’s vanished. I wonder how she’s doing…”

The moment the Aurora Witch was mentioned, Zhou Xi visibly flinched.

That woman was the nightmare of all magical girls.

No one knew how many had suffered at her hands.

Her post-defeat CGs alone sent chills down spines.

Cocky brats, aloof onee-samas, cool beauties—none were spared.

They were either broken, their spirits shattered, or never able to transform again.

Some who’d been “trained” by the Aurora Witch still operated today, but a number of powerful ones had quietly disappeared, to everyone’s regret.

The only silver lining?

The Aurora Witch vanished at the same time Xingyue did.

That gave the others a much-needed breather.

Because honestly, compared to dying in battle, getting played and broken might’ve been the better bad end.