As Jing’an City slipped into darkness, the lights across the river gradually flickered on.
Neon signs shimmered, reflecting a dazzling sea of colors on the river’s surface. Giant screens lit up the entire night sky, and the beautiful music from the shopping plaza never ceased.
But by the time the city’s music reached here, it was reduced to faint, indistinct murmurs.
On the other side of the river lay deep darkness, swallowing half of the city whole.
The streetlights below flickered intermittently, with only a few pedestrians passing by.
In the row of apartment buildings, only a handful of windows glowed with light; the rest were black voids, like empty eye sockets gouged out.
From somewhere came a cough.
This summer night should have been stuffy and hot, but here it was unnaturally cold. The chilly wind forced people to wear extra layers to avoid catching a cold.
This place had once been full of life—it was just forgotten for far too long.
“This week, Donghai City’s S-Class Magical Girl Tianlin will visit our city. We warmly welcome her. Tianlin is the rising star among our nation’s S-Class Magical Girls.”
“At a young age, she single-handedly defeated a Kingdom-Class Aberrant Beast. She is expected to join forces with Luo Xi from our province to carry the baton from their predecessors and become the future strongest force of our country’s Magical Girl Armed Forces…”
The glow from the television was the only source of light in this cramped room. The floor was a mess; plastic bags stuffed with a week’s garbage emitted a faint stench.
Unfilled payment forms lay mixed with yellowing documents, buried beneath a cardboard box full of miscellaneous junk.
The moldy wallpaper looked like it had contracted some rare skin disease, covered in spots that made one want to vomit…
“Now, please welcome Mr. Lu Gaoyuan, the newly appointed CEO of Saint Li Group’s Eastern Division, to talk about Saint Li Group’s latest plans for our province…”
“As everyone knows, Saint Li Group has trained a large number of outstanding Magical Girl talents for Hua Country.”
“Our services cover provinces in the central and western regions, but the eastern provinces, especially Zhonghe Province, have yet to be deeply developed by Saint Li Group.”
“Therefore, our group’s next key focus is accelerating our deployment in Zhonghe Province, providing top-quality services to the province’s Magical Girls while nurturing more local talents to strengthen Zhonghe Province’s power to combat Aberrant Beasts…”
“Mr. Lu, a Duke-Class Creature appeared yesterday in the city center. Thankfully, Miss Luo Xi resolved it in time. I heard Miss Luo Xi cooperates with Saint Li Group—is that true?”
“Yes, I personally spoke with Miss Luo Xi. She is an exceptional woman, far more mature than many of her peers with better judgment.”
“That’s why she chose to trust our group’s services and try out our latest products. Meanwhile, I am also discussing cooperation with another A-Class Magical Girl from Zhonghe Province.”
“I believe more and more Magical Girls from Zhonghe will communicate and cooperate with Saint Li Group in the future, contributing to humanity’s common fight against our enemies…”
“Our people in Zhonghe Province deeply appreciate Mr. Lu Gaoyuan and Saint Li Group for their selfless contributions to our province. Next, we will interview some Magical Girls who have deep cooperation with Saint Li Group…”
Suddenly, the television shut off. The host’s voice was replaced by a burst of curses.
On the old sofa, a middle-aged man threw the remote control at the TV, shattering it.
“A bunch of hopeless fools, sooner or later they’ll be wiped out by those demons!”
At that moment, the balcony door opened, and soft footsteps approached.
“I say, no need to be so bitter~ After all, revenge will come soon enough.”
The purple-haired girl removed her mask and tossed it aside.
“What, afraid to turn on the lights? Don’t you think it’s creepier in the dark?”
She pressed the wall switch a few times; the fluorescent tube flickered before going out again.
“Broken again, I’ll have someone fix it tomorrow.”
Feeling around in the darkness, she found a candle and lit it.
“Tianlang, why are you so late this time?”
“Dealing with those troublesome corpses took me a while. Want to see their death faces? I even took some pictures. Those damn Saint Li Group lackeys.”
“I have no interest in that. When you’re out doing business, be efficient. Don’t let your hobbies delay things.”
“Mind your own business~”
Tianlang pulled out several ID documents from the cabinet, studying them in the flickering candlelight.
“Why did you give her the location of that nest?”
“That’s my plan. Want to hear it?”
“I’m not interested in your crazy schemes. I think you’re probably the most rebellious in our organization. For a group with grand goals, being rebellious isn’t good—you have to follow discipline.”
“So what? They trust me and gave me Zhonghe Province’s mission. I won’t let them down.”
Tianlang flipped through the files.
“Hmm… Tian Lan, born in 2002, from Jiangnan Province, well-off family, became a Magical Girl at 17, A-Class. Another one, Ziyuan, born in 2003, also from Jiangnan Province, family assets over ten million. What kind of rich girl comes to be a Magical Girl? Are all Jiangnan folks this wealthy?” Tianlang found it absurd.
“Jiangnan Province, truly a nostalgic place,” the middle-aged man lying on the sofa said.
“In 2010, when I was leading troops in Jiangnan Province, I met a Navy Vice Admiral who took me to visit the Donghai Fleet docked there.”
“The battleships were impressive. Unfortunately, those Navy folks had a rough time back then—I listened to that admiral’s complaints all day.”
Tianlang placed the candle on the coffee table in front of the sofa, then sat down next to the man, crossing her legs.
“Let’s see the next… hmm, this one has potential, and so does this one. Their abilities will be useful to us.”
“What about that Porcelain Moon? What do you think?” the man asked her.
“The organization specifically told me to target her, ideally capture her alive. Honestly, they’re overestimating me. She might not be sharp, but she can take on ten of me when it comes to combat.”
“I won’t confront her head-on—I want to torture her little by little until I completely crush her will to fight. My plan is flawless. I’m really looking forward to it~”
“That girl is actually a good person. I’ve met her a few times before. She’s essentially a grassroots soldier, truly carrying the responsibility of a Hua Country soldier. It’s a pity such people are becoming rarer.”
Tianlang glanced disdainfully at the man beside her.
“You better not forget who we are. The more loyal someone is to Hua Country now, the stronger their resistance to our cause. And the stronger the resistance, the more meaningless casualties there will be. You should understand this.”
“I’m just expressing a sentiment; don’t take it so seriously.”
RING RING RING
“Your phone’s ringing,” Tianlang reminded him.
The man took the call.
“Han Zhenguo, it’s me,” a familiar voice came from the other end.
“Yo, Lieutenant General Chen Hanjun, it’s been a while. You still remember me?”
“Nothing much, just feeling a bit nostalgic. It’s been a few years. How’s life treating you?”
“I’m getting by. At least I’m not starving. I’m not asking for much else.”
“Zhenguo, are you still angry? I know that matter was unfair to you. I’ve always defended you over the years, and I’ve taken care of the 72nd Division officers for you. Rest assured, no need to worry about the troops anymore.”
“I know. You’ve worked hard too.”
“Are you in Jing’an City now? Be careful lately. Aberrant Beasts are appearing more often and growing more rampant. Safety first—stay away from dangerous places.”
“Got it. You take care of yourself too. Don’t overwork yourself.”
“Hey, let’s meet up when you have time?”
“I’m always free, though it’s a pity Bai Rong isn’t around.”
“Sigh, that guy… no idea where he’s gone…”
“Alright, alright. It’s late, you have plenty of tasks. Let’s talk more tomorrow. Get some rest.”
“Yeah, you too. Early to bed is good for your health.”
The call ended.
“Your friend from the troops?” Tianlang asked curiously.
“More or less. Haven’t been in contact for years.”
“What do you think would happen if he knew you were working with us? Heh…”
“He wouldn’t find out.”