Luo You deactivated her transformation and spent over two hundred yuan on a cab to rush home that very night.
“Zining should be in class right now. Perfect time to set a trap…”
“She actually dared to screw me over like that—how can I rest until I get revenge?”
She was never one to swallow her grievances. It didn’t matter if the person was her adopted daughter or her biological child—if you crossed her, you’d cry either way!
“…There are a lot of people hanging around my place, huh.”
Luo You stared at the passersby.
Besides the occasional admiring glance, there was something else in their eyes—something with a purpose.
Were they from the Magic Alliance?
Or maybe… No, there was no hostility or killing intent. Couldn’t be anyone from the Altered Ones.
Still suspicious, Luo You took out her keys and unlocked the door to her home.
Creak—
“Morning, old geezer… finally decided to show up, huh?”
“…Good morning. What’s with the setup?”
As soon as Luo You walked in, she saw her daughter sitting like a gatekeeper on a small couch dragged right to the entryway, exuding an overwhelming presence.
Honestly, even a real guardian spirit would’ve been mistaken for an evil specter under that glare.
“Zining? Shouldn’t you be in school right now?”
“Let’s not talk about that.”
“That’s kind of important, don’t you think?”
“Ugh! Classes are canceled for a week because of the dimensional beast attack a few days ago. Got it now?”
Luo Zining shot her a look like she was some kind of reptile.
If this were a test, that glare would score at least eight out of ten.
“So? That female body of yours must’ve been fascinating, right? Was it as ‘refreshing’ as you imagined?”
“Yeah, I found it pretty interesting too. I mean, how does such a small body even hold that much water… Uh!”
Luo You trailed off mid-sentence.
“Maybe we should first discuss if there was some sort of misundersta—”
“Pervert!”
Luo Zining spat on the floor.
Okay, now that glare has gone up to twelve out of ten.
“You didn’t even know your daughter’s classes were canceled, and disappeared for two days without a word, not even a call. What were you doing—spreading your legs in some dark room with a man or something?!”
“Hey! That’s not how it happened—I wasn’t the one spreading my legs!”
“Oh? So you’re saying you were on top?”
“This isn’t even about a man! Ugh, why am I explaining this to you?!”
Just looking at this pain-in-the-neck daughter of hers put Luo You in a foul mood.
This girl was the whole reason her five years of effort went down the drain!
And now she had the nerve to lecture her?
“Oh, I see how it is. If you love fooling around so much, maybe don’t bother coming home next time.”
Luo Zining’s gaze turned icy, void of any warmth, as if she were utterly disappointed.
She turned away, leaving her with a cold silhouette.
Well, well—who’s the boss now?
Luo You stuck out her tongue behind her daughter’s back.
I’m not done with you yet.
Just wait and see—
But then, as if possessed by the god of emotional intelligence, Luo You suddenly grasped the meaning behind Zining’s cold behavior.
The words slipped out of her mouth before she even realized:
“You were… worried about me?”
“…!”
Zining’s body froze like she’d been struck by lightning.
Her neck and ears flushed red in an instant.
She stomped her foot hard, spun around, baring a sharp little fang, eyes darting wildly as she shouted:
“Dad, can you have some self-awareness about how you look right now?! I was seriously wondering if you got drunk and were dragged off by some creep to be used as a Starwrath battery!”
“Bit much, don’t you think…? Still, sorry.”
If smiles had a temperature, Luo You thought the one tugging at her lips must’ve been incredibly warm.
It might’ve been the first time her rebellious daughter ever showed something close to “care.”
Some hidden part of her fatherly heart felt unexpectedly fulfilled.
Alrighty then!
From now on, this day is a holiday!
In high spirits, Luo You took out her phone.
Today was September 16.
From now on, this would be the day the whole family would go to the hot springs together.
“Dad, did someone inject too much ‘essence’ into your brain? Why the hell are we going to a hot spring in the middle of summer?”
“I’m in a good mood today, so I’m not gonna hit you.”
Luo You raised her hand threateningly, then let it drop.
Today, she would be the gentle, loving parent—not the one who used to pin her daughter to the floor with one hand.
Not a good look.
“Just think about it. There’s a place where it’s cold all year round, right?”
“The Arctic? Antarctic? They have hot springs?”
“It’s the Jiuyin Sea.”
“Where?! Jiuyin Sea??”
Zining looked like she’d just seen a ghost.
It wasn’t that the place was far.
In fact, geographically, it was still within the country.
And it wasn’t even a real sea—just a half-abandoned human city, perpetually covered in ice and snow, impervious to seasonal changes.
Four years ago, a Light-Devouring class dimensional beast appeared there, bringing with it a horrifying substance from the deep Sea of Realms and wreaking havoc on the local ecosystem.
These beasts were terrifying enough to require coalition-level warfare.
They couldn’t be killed, only sealed using specific tools after their weaknesses were discovered.
Even if you won, it was a pyrrhic victory—leaving behind nothing but death and ruin.
The Magic Alliance, Altered Ones, and human military all clashed there in a desperate battle.
The Alliance even deployed their ultimate “Rank Zero” magic.
Though they eventually sealed the beast back into the Sea of Realms, the land was left barren and the climate unstable.
The place became known as “Jiuyin Sea” because of a strange meteorological phenomenon—the cold winds would whip the sky into an endless, crashing sea of clouds.
It was a local marvel.
Because of its unique climate, the government had started developing it into a tourist spot over the past two years, with the epic battle against the Light-Devouring beast becoming a marketing highlight.
Zining rested her chin on her hand.
“That place is way too close to the Sea of Realms… Feels kinda dangerous.”
Hah! Dangerous?
Luo You scoffed.
A magic girl talking to me about danger?
You should be charging toward it, not running away!
“No worries. It’s been years since anything’s happened there. Not a single incident with dimensional beasts since.”
Maybe it was the lingering aura of the Light-Devouring beast, but no other creatures had dared approach since the battle.
A small blessing in the aftermath of catastrophe.
The real reason Luo You picked that place was because she’d been active in Huahai City as “Aurora Witch” Herrera recently.
The Altered Ones were bound to make a move. She needed to lay low.
Back then, she’d absorbed far more divine particles than Zining—nearly ten times as much.
The Altered Ones would never let her go so easily.
Divine particles are probably related to the ‘Box.’
It might not just be the Altered Ones looking for me…
The “Box” referred to a mysterious object said to be connected to the origin of dimensional beasts and secrets buried deep within the Sea of Realms.
Everyone in the world was searching for clues.
If Luo You held a key, she intended to chase it down.
“Anyway, you’ve got time off. Let’s go.”
Luo You twirled in her skirt with an exaggerated spin, struck a flirtatious pose, and teased, “Don’t you wanna see what I look like in a swimsuit?”
Zining’s face remained deadpan.
“Old geezer, try sticking to your original character, will you?”
“So? Going or not?”
“Ugh… I’ll think about it.”
Zining didn’t give a clear answer.
She wanted to ask the Magic Alliance for their input.
Given the recent disaster in Huahai, she should be staying behind to help.
And after everything she’d been through, she wasn’t exactly in the mood for hot springs.
But—!!
Since it was her adorable dad asking, how could she resist?
Besides… Zining had another secret reason.
I’m dying to see what he looks like in a swimsuit!
And also—she wanted to visit her aunt in the Jiuyin Sea…
“Hot spring trip? Sure! Approved,” Zhao Xin said with a carefree wave of her pen.
“Huh? That easy?”
Zining whispered into her phone from her room. “I don’t need to stay back? What about the others? Yueyuezi and the others haven’t recovered yet, right?”
“No worries. HQ just sent in more frontline magic girls. The city’s safe for now. Besides, you need rest too. A hot spring sounds like the perfect way to unwind.”
“Then I’ll enjoy it guilt-free?”
“Oh, one more thing—mind bringing someone with you? She needs to lay low for a bit.”
***
Standing in front of Luo You’s car was a girl in light summer clothes.
“Dad—uh, no, Youyou—this one you should recognize, right? I don’t need to introduce her.”
“Isn’t that a magic girl?!”
Luo You pointed at Zhou Xi in shock.
Since her identity was public, Zhou Xi hadn’t disguised herself much.
She was easy to recognize.
After seeing her again so soon, Luo You felt a bit awkward—she had just slept with her.
She could even tell Zhou Xi was still a little sore.
“Why is a magic girl… with you, Zining?!”
Luo You acted surprised.
Before Zining could answer, Zhou Xi stepped forward.
“All magic girls are part of entertainment agencies. Zining works part-time at mine. She invited me along. And you are…?”
“I’m Zining’s guardian. Luo Youyou.”
“But I thought she only had one guardian…?”
“I’m that guardian’s girlfriend. Girl-friend!”
Luo You puffed out her chest proudly.
This setup was already part of her bones—starting now, she was Zining’s mom.
Cough cough cough! Let’s just get going, Zining quickly said, practically dragging Zhou Xi into the car and pushing Luo You into the driver’s seat.
“You’d better explain later why a magic girl is coming,” Luo You whispered.
“Ugh…”
Zining felt guilty as hell.
She was terrified her unauthorized use of divine particles would be exposed.
But it had been Zhao Xin’s idea.
She’d casually suggested a hot spring trip, and Zining just… kind of agreed.
She had no real reason to say no.
After all, Zhou Xi had sacrificed everything to protect her—her purity, her pride—enduring so much under Aurora Witch Herrera’s ‘training.’
…Though honestly, Zining suspected Zhou Xi had some personal interest in that suffering, too.