Luo Zhizhou stopped in front of the car that was blocking the middle of the road.
He got out of the car and approached the Honda, observing it carefully. The engine was still running. “Wait, why is there no one inside?”
He circled the car and noticed several long tire skid marks on the ground. It was clear the driver had braked suddenly and swerved, causing the car to end up sideways on the roadside.
The fact that the engine was still running meant the driver had been in the car not long ago, but there was no sign of anyone nearby—if the tires had locked due to mechanical failure, the driver should have been waiting nearby for road assistance.
There was no way they just ran off to pee, right? They would have left warning signs fifty meters ahead and behind in that case.
Luo Zhizhou glanced around again but still saw no one.
He took out his phone and dialed the Road Administration Bureau’s number.
Beep beep beep…
“Hello, this is the Heping County Highway Administration.”
“There’s a car blocking the middle of the road, and the owner is missing. It’s somewhere between County Road X401 and X402, but I can’t be sure exactly—it’s too dark.”
Run.
There was a pause on the other end.
“Understood. We’ve already notified the rescue vehicle. Please wait, sir.”
“Can you hurry? I have urgent business… wait, what the hell…!”
“Sir, what’s wrong?”
“Damn it, notify the Magic Control Bureau! There’s an aberrant beast here!”
“What…” The call was abruptly cut off.
“Today really is a terrible day,” Luo Zhizhou muttered internally as he caught sight of the Knight-class aberrant beast after only two seconds.
Having undergone military training, Luo Zhizhou knew one principle well: if you’re unarmed and come across an aberrant beast at Soldier-class or higher, just run.
So without looking back, he sprinted away, the beast in hot pursuit.
The aberrant beast had four segmented legs and a huge gaping maw that looked downright terrifying.
How to quickly judge an aberrant beast’s class? If it’s about your size, it’s Soldier-class—you can probably hold your own with bare fists.
If it’s two or three times your size, it’s Knight-class or above—and it could swallow you whole in one bite.
The aberrant beast stomped on Luo Zhizhou’s car engine, crushing it. Driving away was no longer an option.
“Damn my car! Beast, you and I are sworn enemies!”
Of course, threatening the beast didn’t stop him from running.
Luo Zhizhou engaged in a thrilling chase with the aberrant beast.
“Damn, if only that girl was here… this weak aberrant would have been no problem for me to handle…” he muttered.
In the darkness, man and beast raced along the road. Because it was too dark to stray off the pavement, he had no choice but to run from one streetlamp to the next.
“I’m not asking for a magical girl, even a car to run it over would do,” Luo Zhizhou prayed silently.
But two legs will always be slower than four, and stamina between man and aberrant beast can’t be compared.
Soon Luo Zhizhou’s pace faltered, and the beast drew closer and closer.
Eventually, exhausted, Luo Zhizhou gave in.
The aberrant beast slowed as it noticed its prey had stopped running.
Luo Zhizhou leaned against the streetlamp, trying to catch his breath.
Die here? No way.
He collapsed onto the ground, watching the aberrant beast approach step by step.
Its gaping mouth was lined with sharp mandibles that looked like the meat grinders he’d seen in factories.
“Help!!!”
His shout was immediately answered.
A flash of light descended from the sky, striking the beast’s mouth and forcing it to retreat several steps.
“Sir, are you okay?”
A magical girl had appeared—a youthful figure with a high ponytail, dressed in the standard Apprentice Magical Girl uniform issued by the Magic Control Bureau.
With long yellow hair, she floated gently down to stand before Luo Zhizhou.
“Ta-da! Apprentice Magical Girl Yuying has arrived!”
She swung her Magical Rod, forming a spell circle that shot toward the aberrant beast. A flash erupted, nearly blowing the beast’s mouth apart.
“Magical Girls, at your service—24/7!”
Yuying struck a pose.
“What the… Are all magical girls this cheesy now?” Luo Zhizhou scoffed.
“Cheesy? Sir, you’re way too old-fashioned. That’s the popular entrance line all the magical girls in the capital use these days.”
Yuying put her hands on her hips. “See? Aren’t I awesome?”
Luo Zhizhou was speechless.
“I’m not even middle-aged yet… Besides…” He trailed off as the aberrant beast charged again.
“What the heck? It’s just a Soldier-class aberrant beast, but it’s so tough?”
“That’s not Soldier-class… it’s Knight-class, dammit!”
“Wha-what? Knight-class?! I’ve never even fought one before.”
Yuying stepped back, visibly panicked.
The beast had barely been hurt by her earlier attack since its core remained undamaged, and it launched an attack on Yuying.
“Don’t… don’t be afraid,” Luo Zhizhou reassured her.
“Given your strength, you should be able to take it down. Probably.” He said this to the petite magical girl before him.
“Really? But the instructor said I’m only supposed to handle Soldier-class beasts. Knight-class and above shouldn’t be my job!”
Yuying’s grip on her Magical Rod trembled as the aberrant beast closed in quickly.
“Attack its legs! Immobilize it first!”
Yuying obeyed, swinging her Magical Rod to release beams of light that struck the beast’s legs, causing it to lose balance and fall.
“Good! Now hit its body and expose its core!”
“I got it!”
Yuying’s Magical Rod waved rapidly, beams of light striking the aberrant beast until its form was badly disfigured.
At last, its purple-red core was exposed to the air.
“Take this!”
She raised her Magical Rod high, gathering energy above her head before swinging it toward the beast.
The energy shot out, instantly destroying the aberrant beast’s core.
***
After what felt like an intense battle to Yuying, she was utterly exhausted. That last move had nearly drained all her magic power.
With the crisis finally over, Luo Zhizhou exhaled deeply.
“See? No need to be afraid—you really can do it.”
“That was so scary! Luckily, you were here to guide me and tell me what to do.”
“No big deal. But seriously, as a magical girl, you don’t even know basic combat knowledge?”
“I’m just an apprentice~ Besides…”
“Well, now you’ve got a new entry in your record—single-handedly defeating a Knight-class aberrant beast! You’ll definitely pass the promotion exam next month! Hahaha!”
Yuying jumped up in excitement.
This batch of magical girls sure was nerve-wracking.
“By the way, sir, what’s your name? You can tell the beast’s class just by looking? That’s so impressive!”
“Don’t call me sir… I’m only 28 years old. My name is Luo Zhizhou. I served eight years in the military, so distinguishing aberrant beast classes is pretty easy for me.”
“Why would someone who served in the military be afraid of aberrant beasts?”
“Seriously… if I had my Magical Core taken away, let’s see how fast you’d run.”
After defeating the aberrant beast, Yuying didn’t linger long and went off to report, leaving Luo Zhizhou alone to wait for the Road Administration Bureau.
His Dong’an car was basically totaled, but thankfully it was insured, so he wasn’t too upset.
The Honda’s owner was later found, fortunately unharmed. He had seen the aberrant beast and ran for his life. Because the beast’s senses were poor in the dark, the owner managed to survive—a stroke of luck.
As for the business Liu Haochuan had entrusted to Luo Zhizhou… it looked like that wasn’t going to get done.
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