Evening, Clara and the others finally returned to Central City.
To take responsibility for the moon bus incident. As the organizer of this collaboration event, the Sigma Hero Corporation naturally had to handle the aftermath, while the dream witch seized the opportunity to slip away.
“We’re back!”
The five-member dream witch group, including Mossima, finally returned to the company dormitory after seven days.
“Whew, I’m exhausted.”
Lucia tossed her luggage by the door, hugged the Moon Rabbit Combat Unit, and collapsed onto the sofa.
“It’s still more comfortable in familiar surroundings.”
Not just familiar, but also because the dream witches’ dormitory was even more luxurious than the high-end resort.
It was winter in Central City, and the dorm’s air conditioning hadn’t warmed up the room yet.
The Moon Rabbit was fluffy and had body heat, making it a very handy hand warmer. It was just a bit heavy. As long as she inserted her icy fingers into the rabbit’s white fur…
“Eek!!”
On the other side, Clara, who had just entered the room, let out a rabbit-like squeak from the sudden cold, stiffening her back and looking at Lucia.
Clara waved her hand, signaling Nyx to deactivate the Moon Rabbit Combat Unit, simultaneously removing the black rabbit ears from her own head.
“Alright! Enough playing with that!”
The Moon Rabbit vanished, and Lucia immediately looked crestfallen.
“Huh? Where’s the rabbit?! My big, fluffy rabbit?!”
Clara had no choice but to explain, “That familiar’s mission was completed long ago, so let it disappear here!”
Seeing her little sister’s disappointment, Clara hesitated for a moment, then sat down beside Lucia.
“But the rabbit was so comfortable to hold…”
As soon as these words left her mouth, before Lucia could hug her, Qiexiya and Mossima simultaneously reached out, giving Clara a good feel and trying to fend off their “claws.”
“Hey! What do you think I am?” Clara protested loudly.
“You can hug me instead…”
“Small animal,” said Mossima.
“Mascot?”
“Pet!” declared Qiexiya.
Lucia ultimately hugged Clara, saying,
“Senior Clara is the face of our company, so calling her a mascot isn’t wrong! Even in Central City, heroes as cute as you are rare…”
After the resort incident, Lucia’s admiration for Clara had deepened, which was precisely what gave Clara a headache.
They were supposed to be… siblings…
“I’m going to unpack.”
Realizing that restoring her original relationship with her sister was becoming increasingly difficult, Clara felt a profound lack of motivation from the bottom of her heart.
“I’ll go unpack in my room.”
She stood up and dragged her luggage toward her bedroom.
She took the clothes out of the suitcase, folding them one by one and placing them back in the drawers under the wardrobe. Several swimsuits had only been worn once, and she wondered when they’d be useful again.
“Alright, next…”
After finishing with the clothes, Clara sat back down at her desk.
Her daily drawing habit had been interrupted for a week. Picking up the pencil again felt unfamiliar, and she had no theme in mind. She simply started sketching herself in a swimsuit on the paper.
That said, most people lack a clear understanding of their own appearance. Thinking she needed a reference, she turned on her computer, intending to look at the videos and photos the Sigma series had posted online…
“Huh?!”
However, several unread emails caught Clara’s attention.
Could it be…?
Indeed, it was the long-awaited reply from Miss Nangong.
The first email was from seven days ago.
[Dear Zhenjian Yingxiong-sensei, I apologize for the long delay. I was busy with other authors’ matters recently and was even hospitalized because of it, so I forgot to reply. I’m sorry to have worried you.]
Hospitalized?
Could she have been injured in the explosion at the Bamen subway station?
There had indeed been a serious accident involving a magazine detonation, with many pedestrians injured. It wasn’t impossible for Miss Nangong, who was inside the subway station, to have been caught up in the incident…
But since she was replying to her email, she should be alright now.
Clara felt a bit uneasy that she hadn’t visited Miss Nangong while she was in the hospital.
The second email was also from seven days ago, but nine hours later.
[I have reviewed all your comic manuscripts. The first chapter is excellent, and I can see the passion you’ve poured into it. However, the second chapter requires some revisions. Let’s meet again.]
Phew, Miss Nangong is finally willing to meet me.
As luck would have it, this coincided with the solar storm filming trip.
Clara, who had originally thought Miss Nangong held some grudge against her, finally felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
Still, the tone of Miss Nangong’s email was very formal, feeling somewhat distant…
Then came the third email.
It was sent the next day, the day the variety show livestream officially began.
[I watched the livestream program you participated in. That resort environment looks great, but the solar storm outside seems severe. It looks like you won’t be able to return for a while. Enjoy your vacation. Remember to reply to me once you’re back.]
Next was the fourth email, sent after the incident occurred.
[It seems the cadres of the “Fourth Calamity” have set their sights on you and the Sigma Heroes’ lives. This isn’t surprising; you are all on their bounty list. I hope you can thwart the enemy’s schemes.]
After that, Miss Nangong sent no more emails.
Now that she was finally back from the resort, perhaps she should find a time to meet her?
It was too late today, and there was still the celebration party Qiexiya had organized.
Hmm, tomorrow then.
Tomorrow during the day, she could organize the storyboard drafts for chapters two and three at the company, and go see Miss Nangong after she got off work…
It was a bit late, but she should still buy a get-well gift.
Mossima had also been persuaded by Qiexiya to stay for the evening celebration party, so she was now sitting quietly on the sofa waiting.
As a fungus, she wasn’t a very active person.
But just then, she heard Lucia on the balcony calling her older brother.
Understanding what was happening, Mossima glanced toward Clara’s room. Clara happened to walk out just then, but at the same moment, the ringtone belonging to “Squill” also sounded from her person.
Attracted by the familiar ringtone, Lucia also turned around in surprise, looking at her flustered Senior Clara…
In a panic, Nyx quickly took over the call, letting Clara’s phone continue to ring to divert suspicion.
“Little sister, you’re back?”
“…Yeah, brother, we’re back in Central City.”
“Are you okay? I couldn’t reach you all week.”
Although she was on the phone here, Lucia still looked suspiciously at Clara, who hurriedly pulled out her phone and ducked into the kitchen.
Pretending to take a call, she was actually complaining to Nyx.
“Hey! Nyx, why did you let the phone ring?”
[It was an oversight in Nyx’s work.]
“Now Lucia is going to be suspicious again!”
Her experience at the resort made her understand the dangers more deeply and appreciate President Qiexiya’s careful planning.
If people knew Lucia was the sister of a popular hero, she could easily become a target for evil organizations like the “Fourth Calamity.”
Clara was now firmly in the camp of keeping it a secret.
[The problem is not significant. Later…]
[We can simply ask Minister Mossima for another favor.]