“Mr. Luo Zhizhou, is this… your past?”
Bai Lingluo kept her gaze locked on Luo Zhizhou’s eyes, deeply moved by the story he was telling.
He replied, “Yes.”
The rain started from the depths of Luo Zhizhou’s memories and had been falling ever since, soaking both of them to the skin.
Except for the part where he inherited Bai Lingyi’s Magical Core and became a Magical Girl, Luo Zhizhou recounted everything truthfully.
At the end, he said he was lucky to have escaped, though he doubted whether Bai Lingluo would believe his explanation.
“Sister…” Bai Lingluo’s heart sank, but seeing Luo Zhizhou’s weathered face, she didn’t dwell on her sorrow.
“Why did it happen like this? Why did the troops withdraw?” Bai Lingluo bit her lip and asked.
“I heard it was because a highly threatening Beast Horde appeared in the interior. Most of the frontline troops were redeployed, leaving only a delaying force behind,”
“…but I don’t know the details. By the way, what about your father? From what I remember, he should be an officer, right?” Luo Zhizhou asked.
Bai Lingluo pondered for a moment before answering, “He… never saw me. Since my birth, he has been on the battlefield, day in and day out for ten years.”
“When I grew up and wanted to find him in the army, I learned that he and his unit went missing… I don’t know anything else about him.”
“I see.” Luo Zhizhou seemed to recall something about the troops Bai Lingluo mentioned but wasn’t sure. “Well, I didn’t want to bring up these old stories again. But I didn’t expect she had a younger sister.”
“And also, about the mental realm you mentioned… I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Bai Lingluo said.
“That’s because it’s classified… After telling you today, you absolutely mustn’t spread it around,” Luo Zhizhou said, forgetting momentarily about the S-Class Magical Girl Confidentiality Ordinance.
He was just relieved that Ma Xinyin had no idea about this conversation, or else he would have been scolded again.
“Okay. Thank you, Mr. Luo Zhizhou, for sharing these past stories with me. You’re really a good person…” Bai Lingluo wiped away her tears.
“In the future, can we work together? Now that you’re an employee at the Magic Control Bureau, maybe we’ll have more chances to be together. I want to get to know you better.”
Bai Lingluo couldn’t help but say the words she had long suppressed—though she didn’t understand the feelings stirring inside her for Luo Zhizhou, since Sister Luo Xi had fallen for him at first sight, perhaps she might too.
Luo Zhizhou was stunned. He never expected Bai Lingluo to say something like that. Was his life destined to be at odds with the two sisters?
“Well… but I’m just a logistics department low-level staff member. I’m afraid we won’t have many chances to work together.”
Bai Lingluo shook her head and gave a rare smile. “If there’s no mission, I’ll come find you every day from now on. I don’t know why, but being with you makes me happy.”
Growl… Luo Zhizhou’s stomach rumbled at the most inopportune moment.
“Sorry… I was just thinking about myself. If you’re hungry, Mr. Luo, why don’t you come to my house? I’m good at cooking.”
Luo Zhizhou quickly declined, “No, no… How can I go home with a girl like you? Besides, we’re both soaking wet.
You’re an A-class Magical Girl—if anyone saw you going home dripping wet with a stranger, it wouldn’t be good. Let’s part ways for now.”
“Since Mr. Luo is unwilling, then so be it. I’m sorry for troubling you with today’s mission…”
“It’s nothing, Bai Lingluo. Don’t be too sad over the loss of a comrade. They wouldn’t want to see you like this in heaven. After all, who’s to say if this magical world even has a heaven?”
Luo Zhizhou stepped down from the stone steps at Bai Lingyi’s grave and glanced back at her tomb—at least Bai Lingyi was lucky in a way; she wasn’t sealed inside a Lead Coffin.
Being encased in thick lead must have been unbearable.
“Thank you for your comfort. I feel much better now.” Bai Lingluo tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear. “Well, it’s getting late. I’ll head back.”
“Yeah, take care.”
They waved goodbye.
Luo Zhizhou finally exhaled deeply and sighed, “I wonder what she would think if she saw me in my Magical Girl form. I look almost exactly like Bai Lingyi…”
***
Luo Zhizhou left the cemetery.
He rented a small apartment in West City District. It wasn’t large—just enough for a bed and a small table.
The only advantage was that through the window, he could see the bustling main street of Jing’an City, so it wasn’t too lonely.
Back home, he took a comfortable hot shower and changed into casual clothes.
Turning on his electric shaver, he trimmed the newly grown beard. Looking into the mirror, Luo Zhizhou still saw himself as handsome as ever.
He had negotiated with Ma Xinyin to live near the Magic Administration Bureau Headquarters—just two blocks away.
As a logistics department employee, he could slack off most days, only called upon for emergency missions, training, or patrol duty.
So even though he had returned to duty, it was almost as easygoing as his days in Xinping’an Village.
The only problem was the persistent “Dream Realm” that had been troubling him, and the mysterious girl within it.
What was their conspiracy all about? Luo Zhizhou was deeply worried—the enemy knew his true identity, his past, his secrets, while he knew nothing about them. It was a dark game he didn’t understand.
If things were really as serious as Ma Xinyin said, it would be troublesome. He had to protect Luo Xi and prevent her from being affected or harmed in the same way.
Thinking of Luo Xi… she had promised him yesterday, when he was in his “Ci Yue” form, to go relax two days later.
To Luo Zhizhou, this “relaxation” was basically a date… As for Luo Xi’s sexual orientation, well, it should be fine… right?
The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt. Luo Zhizhou gave up trying to think and just wanted to rest.
He ordered Pig Trotter Rice for delivery, which arrived quickly.
He took out his notebook computer and ate while watching a movie.
The film was about a superhero fighting against the Beast Horde—a fresh theme for Luo Zhizhou, since usually the protagonists were Magical Girls.
It was already late, and the rain outside had stopped.
Ring ring ring…
Luo Zhizhou’s phone rang.
“Hello.”
On the other end was Luo Xi’s voice. Luo Zhizhou was a bit surprised because she rarely called him.
“Brother, where have you gone? Dad told me you went to work in Jing’an City. How can you just abandon him like that?” Her tone was sharp. Luo Zhizhou knew he was about to get scolded by his sister again.
“Relying on you all the time isn’t good. I want to earn my own money. I’ll visit Dad during the holidays,” Luo Zhizhou replied.
“You don’t care about me at all… I’m enough for you. Don’t you have enough money? Why run off to the provincial capital like that?” Luo Xi reprimanded him.
“But my car broke down… I want to earn enough to buy a new one,” Luo Zhizhou tried to reason.
“Enough already. Quit your job immediately. Tell me how much you want and I’ll send it to you. Come back to the village. Big cities aren’t for you.”
“That’s not good… I’m not quitting. This job is important to me. Besides, there’s a penalty for breaking the contract.”
“Really, what kind of job is it?”
“Just a white-collar position in an office building.”
“Fine, I don’t want to argue anymore. Did you see the official warnings? Don’t go to any zones above Yellow Alert, got it? Don’t end up half dead again.”
“I know. Don’t worry, sister.”
She hung up.
Luo Zhizhou felt sorry for her. She cared so much, yet he had to keep making choices that hurt her.
After finishing his meal, he went to sleep.
He had to get up early tomorrow. Although he hated mornings, Ma Xinyin’s generous treatment kept him motivated.
He pulled the curtains and turned off the light. The small square room plunged into darkness.
Wait… something was moving.
Luo Zhizhou sensed something was wrong. It felt like something was dragging itself across the floor in the dark. But the sound didn’t come from his room or the hallway. He couldn’t tell exactly where.
Half-asleep, the thing called the “Dream Realm” began to trouble him again. Ever since the last mission and the mutation that happened, he had become increasingly sensitive to it.