“What are you planning to do?”
“Nothing much, just that I don’t want to let you leave my side anymore, even if it means using some harsh methods.”
Luo Jialan’s gaze burned intensely into Su Mu.
After receiving a sorrowful look in return, she instinctively averted her eyes, yet her resolve remained unshaken.
Su Mu’s already weak body finally gave out after several bouts of struggle, collapsing heavily into Luo Jialan’s arms.
Even though Su Mu weakly hammered on Luo Jialan’s shoulder, it was like a canary flapping in a cage—only evoking pity for her frail state.
“I regret it so much…”
Summoning her last ounce of strength, Su Mu whispered near Luo Jialan’s ear in a voice as thin as a thread.
Then she lost consciousness, fully entrusting her body to the dazed Luo Jialan.
Though Su Mu didn’t finish her sentence, Luo Jialan understood perfectly.
She regretted it—regretted trusting her, disappointed and disillusioned by her own blind faith.
At that moment, Luo Jialan’s slender legs wobbled, staggering as the rushing river water pounded against her, but she narrowly managed to protect Su Mu in her arms, refusing to let her fall into the water.
“Sorry, I’m so sorry…”
“Hehe, who are you apologizing to? For bringing trouble to your comrades because of your fall? Or are you still clinging to some unrealistic dream?”
The “Desire Witch” that had been tempting Luo Jialan all along—formed from words and fantasies—seemed to take on a physical form beside her.
Smiling slyly, she looked at the soaking wet Luo Jialan, mocking her foolishness.
Surprisingly, this figure wasn’t Luo Linglan, but someone who looked almost exactly like Luo Jialan herself, only with a smile far more radiant than any she had ever worn.
“Instead of torturing yourself here, I’d recommend you hurry up and take her back to do what you want. After all, more troubles are waiting for you down the road.”
Listening to the buzzing noise in her ear, Luo Jialan stood frozen, holding Su Mu close.
Su Mu’s body remained limp but had grown cold from being soaked in the river water too long, making Luo Jialan feel that no matter how tightly she hugged, she could no longer truly hold the pink-haired girl in her arms.
Her warmth no longer belonged to her; her tenderness and trust had been torn apart by Luo Jialan’s own hands.
Thinking this, Luo Jialan felt as if the sharpest arrow had pierced her chest, causing unbearable pain.
But even so, why couldn’t she shed a single tear?
“Cry? Now’s not the time to cry. I’ve never been one to be sentimental. Come on, if you can be reckless for one day, then make it one day.”
Luo Jialan lifted Su Mu, her magic power rippling through the water, the moist air completely overwhelming the faint milky scent she carried.
The magic power dancing on the water’s surface had become as murky as the river itself.
That’s right, there was never any actual temptation.
From beginning to end, it had only been Luo Jialan playing two roles in her mind, like a split personality talking to herself.
“I really am an idiot.”
***
“Didn’t make it in time.”
When Ning Ling arrived at the train accident site, all she saw was chaos—unconscious Edma and Ye Wanqing, and countless panicked passengers.
After frowning and scanning the area, Ning Ling turned her gaze to where Luo Jialan’s residual aura lingered, then hesitated and looked back.
If she chased after her now, what would happen here?
Containing Edma required specially forged shackles, and that girl named Miti didn’t seem to be doing well either.
It would take some time for the rest of the Combat Division to clean up the mess, but Ning Ling had a more urgent objective to fulfill.
Yet, just walking away like this… she found it hard to let herself do so.
What exactly was Tang Nai thinking?
Was she really managing things as required?
She should understand better than anyone how serious the consequences were and know exactly how to suppress the fall of the Magic Girls, but judging by the current situation, she seemed to have done nothing to stop Luo Jialan’s downfall.
Was this also part of her plan?
Or was she just tangled up with this troublesome Edma…
As far as Ning Ling knew, Tang Nai was the only one in B City capable of opposing Edma.
But if Tang Nai had truly intervened, it wouldn’t be this quiet.
Edma would definitely not be unconscious so simply.
Ning Ling couldn’t make sense of it.
Her mind wasn’t the most subtle, so she chose not to dwell on it and focused instead on the matter at hand.
At least, she had to ensure that the highly dangerous Edma posed no threat to those around her.
Approaching Edma, Ning Ling sensed the magic power within her, and her expression grew increasingly grave.
Such intense Dark Magic Corruption—only Tang Nai in all of B City could do that, yet this magic power did not belong to Tang Nai.
The same source of Dark Magic Power also filled Ye Wanqing’s body.
Fortunately, her condition had eased considerably; the cracks on her skin were no longer so ferocious, and her face had regained some color.
Ning Ling carefully began extracting the Dark Magic Power that clung stubbornly inside Ye Wanqing.
The closer she got, the more alarmed she became.
‘What overwhelming authority—this magic power was trying to seize control over the will of those around it’.
Yet Ning Ling easily dispelled the effects brought by the Dark Magic Power, not even furrowing her brows.
She was unlike a typical C-Rank Mutant; it was as if she had dealt with Dark Magic Power for many years.
Now she was almost certain this magic power came from another unknown Witch.
But why would she target Edma?
Moreover, if Tang Nai had truly abided by her contract with the Combat Division and properly managed B City, there shouldn’t be any B-Rank Witches appearing here.
With her abilities, that would be an effortless task.
So the only possibility was—
This was all part of her calculation.
Thinking this, Ning Ling helplessly retracted her hand.
On the ground, Ye Wanqing recovered a lot within seconds, her vital signs stabilizing completely.
Tang Nai’s thoughts… who could ever understand them?
But one thing was clear—there was nothing she wanted to do but couldn’t.
Perhaps Ning Ling herself was just another pawn in someone else’s game.
After settling things around her, Ning Ling resolutely resumed her journey.
Though she had come to many realizations, she hadn’t changed her mind.
She would just regard all this as part of Tang Nai’s plan.
After all, that woman rarely disappointed, which was why she had entrusted Jialan to her in the first place.
Lost in thought while approaching Luo Jialan, a strange sensation in the air suddenly made Ning Ling jump.
She smelled that familiar free-flowing magic power, forcing her momentum to stall and plunging her into hesitation.
Not far away stood the person she least wanted to see right now—and she looked quite disheveled.