Chapter 45: Aquarium

A wisp of Black Mist silently slipped into the alley.

Mu Xi’s figure condensed from the Black Mist like a phantom.

She stepped out of the darkness, her expression indifferent.

Mu Xi looked at her hand.

This power—she wielded it more and more effortlessly, as if she was a Witch by birth.

She gazed toward the amusement park in the distance, then walked deeper into the darkness.

Mu Xi first returned to her own Home.

She opened the door.

The house was as cold and quiet as ever; her younger sister wasn’t there.

Mu Xi then went to her sister’s Home—the place she lived before moving out.

A wisp of black smoke drifted in through the window.

Mu Xi’s figure appeared inside, and she glanced around this familiar house she hadn’t returned to in years.

She went into her old room.

It was clean, no dust had gathered.

It was hard to imagine that no one had lived here for so long.

Does Xiaorou clean often?

Mu Xi’s gaze swept across the room, finally settling on a photo on the desk.

She picked it up.

The background was the sea, her sister stood in the center, smiling the familiar smile.

This was a photo Mu Xi had taken of her sister in Haibin City.

If possible, she wanted to visit Haibin City once more, to feel that salty sea breeze again.

Her thoughts drifted back to the present from her memories.

Mu Xi entered her sister’s room.

As expected, it was empty.

Xiaorou isn’t here either.

Where did Mu Ming take her?

Unease grew in Mu Xi’s heart.

She picked up the phone and dialed her sister’s number.

***

“See, see~ That’s just how we are. Neither of us dares express our feelings, both waiting for the other to take that step.”

Mu Yurou looked at Huang Xi in her arms with gentle eyes.

Thank you for taking that step.

“So that’s how it is? I really envy you for having feelings like that.”

Mu Ming lay on the ground, black silk-wrapped feet swaying in the air.

“Alright, I’ve said so much. Can you let us go now? Or did you come here just to talk about romance with me?”

Mu Yurou sensed that the Witch before her held no hostility.

“Nope…this is a kidnapping. How could I possibly let you go so easily?”

“Then what is your purpose? A Witch kidnapping a Magical Girl can’t end well, but you haven’t harmed us. I’ve never heard of a Witch not hurting her prey. What do you really want?”

“What I want…isn’t you…”

Mu Ming smiled softly.

“You’re not my prey. You’re…Bait.”

“Bait? You kidnapped us to lure someone here?”

“Bingo. Correct~ As expected of Xiaorou. So smart.”

Dululululu—

“Eh?”

Mu Yurou’s phone rang in her pocket.

She picked it up.

The caller displayed as “Older Sister”.

“It’s my sister… Eh, wait, my phone!”

A Shadow Tentacle snatched the phone from Mu Yurou’s hand, bringing it to Mu Ming’s ear.

Mu Ming answered, and Mu Xi’s voice came through.

“Xiaorou, where are you and Huang Xi? I didn’t see you at the amusement park. Are you okay?”

Mu Ming cleared her throat, then spoke in Mu Xi’s familiar sweet and sticky voice.

“Xiaorou’s sister, hello…I’m Xiaorou’s classmate…”

“Mu Ming? Where is my sister? Where are you?”

“Ahahaha, Xiaorou and Huang Xi are fine.”

“Where are you?”

Mu Xi’s voice growled lowly.

“We’re at the Aquarium. It’s really fun. Xiaorou is very happy. But she wants you to come pick her up alone to go Home.”

“What do you want?”

“Hmm, okay, we understand. We’ll wait for you to come. Hanging up, bye-bye~”

“Hey!”

Dududu—

The call was cut off.

Mu Ming looked at Mu Yurou again.

“Xiaorou, you don’t want your sister involved, right? So be good~ It’s time for you to sleep again~”

“Wai—”

Before she could finish, Mu Ming controlled a Shadow Tentacle to pierce Mu Yurou’s neck.

Mu Yurou collapsed onto Huang Xi, and the two lay together.

“Alright~ Now, let’s wait for the prey to arrive~”

Mu Ming used Shadow Tentacles to bind them and left them on the floor.

Then she retreated into the darkness, waiting for Mu Xi to arrive.

***

“Better not leave them here. If Xiaorou catches a cold, it won’t be good.”

Not long after, Mu Ming reappeared, scooping up both girls and placing them on a warmer chair, letting them lean on each other.

***

Mu Xi pondered the place Mu Ming had mentioned.

Aquarium…

Why?

Why choose the Aquarium?

Memories from the past stirred in Mu Xi’s mind.

When we were young, my sister loved dragging me to the Aquarium.

Xiaorou always liked things related to the ocean.

Mu Xi transformed into a wisp of Black Mist.

Soon, her figure appeared before the Aquarium gates.

The abandoned Aquarium’s rolling shutter was layered in dust.

Weeds grew in the front yard.

The familiar scene merged with memories of the once-lively Aquarium.

She became Black Mist, drifting through an open window.

She looked at the empty Exhibition Tank before her, and her thoughts returned to the past.

“Sis! Look at this! So cute!”

Xiaorou pulled my hand in front.

We reached an Exhibition Tank full of jellyfish.

Xiaorou’s eyes sparkled as she watched the jellyfish dance inside the tank.

Mu Xi walked past the empty Exhibition Tank and stopped before a giant water tank, the water inside long since murky.

Xiaorou pressed her face to the glass, watching a shark approach from the other side.

“Be careful…”

“Hahaha, it can’t bite me~”

Xiaorou made faces at the shark, not caring if it understood.

Mu Xi passed through a door and entered the tool room.

The Bloodstained Ritual Circle and filthy blood stains on the floor had long been cleaned.

“Watch out!”

In the corridor, giant octopus arms suddenly appeared, grabbing tourists still inside.

I pulled Xiaorou as we fled from the Shadow Tentacles, but they quickly caught up.

Mu Xi walked through the tool room and entered the hall.

Finally, she saw Mu Yurou and Huang Xi tied to a chair.

Seeing them sleeping peacefully, Mu Xi let out a breath of relief.

“Hahaha~ You came. I had a great chat with your sister. Don’t worry, I didn’t expose my identity.”

Mu Xi turned her head.

Mu Ming was slowly emerging from the darkness.

“What are you planning?”

Mu Xi turned, eyes wary.

“I’m a Witch~ I’m the Demon Woman Personality born from your Pollution~”

Mu Ming giggled.

What I want is simple.

For you to look at me.

To hold me.

To acknowledge my existence…

Is that so hard?

“What I have to do, of course, is to replace you… Hehehe.”

Mu Ming drew a Sword from her shadow, Shadow Tentacles winding around its blade, the eye on it glaring at Mu Xi.

“You won’t succeed…Mu Ming.”

Starshine Energy gathered in Mu Xi’s hand, glowing pink and purple.

“……”

Soon, you’ll always be by my side.

You’ll keep watching me, watching as I live in your place.