“Ask Diamond, Diamond knows best.” Yin Lin shifted the focus onto Diamond.
What was Diamond doing now? Of course, resting.
It hadn’t realized the topic had been switched.
Huan Hong grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and lifted it up.
“Ask Li then, what exactly is a Genesis Artifact?” Huan Hong stared it down.
Yin Lin tapped Huan Hong’s hand with her twin staves.
“Don’t be like that, it’s uncomfortable.”
Only then did Huan Hong put Diamond down, and it curled up, coughing a few times.
“Diamond, can you explain this thing to two clueless big sisters now?” Yin Lin asked.
“Now I can talk about it, oh, cough cough.” Diamond deliberately added a time phrase.
Jin Luan and Huan Hong were annoyed—that meant before, it couldn’t tell them.
Even if relations were strained, it wasn’t like they would withhold that kind of information, right?
Actually, Diamond didn’t know about the Genesis Artifact either—it had been kept in the dark by the Contract Goddess, so Diamond was taking the blame this time.
Yin Lin began explaining the Genesis Artifact but didn’t mention the Contract Goddess.
She only said that according to Diamond’s information, during the last battle with that super-regenerating Evil Demon, a green orb had fallen to the ground.
Later, it was taken by Lightning Man, and that orb was one of the Genesis Artifacts.
Its name: the Immortal Pearl.
What was its function?
What exactly was a Genesis Artifact?
All unknown.
Yin Lin knew it was trouble, so she didn’t ask further—sometimes, less is better.
Jin Luan and Huan Hong’s curiosity wouldn’t be quelled; they kept asking.
Yin Lin answered with “I don’t know,” and when asked, Diamond didn’t answer either.
They noticed the word ‘one of’.
Jin Luan asked, “So there are many Genesis Artifacts?”
Yin Lin nodded.
“And then? What do we do with the Genesis Artifacts?” Jin Luan’s gaze sharpened, sensing this wasn’t simple.
“Are we supposed to collect them?”
Yin Lin: “Yes, big sister really knows the typical magical girl story arc. Whoever wants to collect that broken thing, let them.”
Jin Luan gently tapped Yin Lin’s head. “You can’t pretend it’s none of your business; that stuff is dangerous.”
She seemed really passionate about being a magical girl.
She kept pestering Yin Lin and Diamond, wanting to know what the Genesis Artifact was all about.
Serious, intense.
For the questions Yin Lin couldn’t answer, Diamond couldn’t either—after all, Diamond had only heard it from Yin Lin’s mouth.
They discussed for a long time, only certain that the Genesis Artifact was very dangerous and best kept together.
The Immortal Pearl was only for Intermediate Evil Demons to use, and Jin Luan was already sweating profusely fighting them.
If that thing got into the hands of an Officer-level Evil Demon, who could possibly stand against one?
That would mean invincibility.
The three of them had almost been wiped out fighting Lightning Man; if Lightning Man had the Immortal Pearl, that’d be like a father fighting his own daughter.
Jin Luan thought deeply and firmly decided they had to get their hands on it before the Evil Demons did.
Yin Lin just listened, not joining in the discussion.
She couldn’t help but think Diamond was indeed more suitable for Jin Luan—the two were both career-driven, taking the magical girl role very seriously.
Together, they were a textbook example of a serious, dramatic magical girl story.
Why then had Diamond and Jin Luan fallen out?
Yin Lin couldn’t help but ask, “By the way, I’m curious—why do big sister and Diamond have a grudge?”
At those words, Jin Luan suddenly gasped and calmed down, refusing to speak.
On the other side, Diamond kept coughing but remained silent.
“Should I tell the story?” Huan Hong broke the silence.
“You know? Then say it.” Yin Lin was very curious.
Seeing neither Jin Luan nor Diamond object, both silent, Huan Hong continued.
“It’s about the Qianlong Island incident. At least, that’s what I remember. I don’t know if they had a grudge before then.”
Neither of them responded, so Huan Hong pressed on.
“During Qianlong Island, many magical girls joined the battle. At the peak of the fight, the plan was to press the attack and wipe out the Officer-level Evil Demons in one go, then…”
“And then?” Yin Lin was hooked, listening attentively.
“If you call me big sister, I’ll tell Li.” Huan Hong suddenly played around.
Yin Lin: “Okay, little sister.”
Huan Hong: “Big sister!”
Yin Lin: “Hmm, little sister.”
Huan Hong: “I said call me big sister.”
Yin Lin: “How old are you? Stop being childish and just tell me.”
Huan Hong blushed and dropped the topic.
“Fine. At Qianlong Island, two opposing strategies emerged. Jin Luan insisted on all-out attack to finish off the Officer-level Evil Demons, but Diamond made a decision to pull back the magical girls under his charge to avoid their deaths.”
What?
Diamond would do that?
The Diamond who always sent Lao Song to die was now ordering the magical girls to retreat?
It seemed unbelievable.
Yin Lin forced Diamond’s eyes open to look at her.
Their gazes locked as she asked, “Did you really do that?”
Diamond weakly nodded. “Yes.”
Yin Lin guessed, “In that situation, someone has to cover the rear. Your retreat must have led to heavy casualties among the other magical girls.”
Diamond: “Yes.”
Yin Lin: “And Jin Luan was firmly for attacking. Your retreat prevented her team from applying enough firepower on the Officer-level Evil Demons, leaving the magical girls undermanned.”
Diamond: “Yes.”
Yin Lin: “So you caused many deaths?”
Diamond hesitated briefly but said, “Yes.”
Yin Lin looked at Huan Hong, who shrugged with no further comments, just as Diamond said.
Jin Luan tilted her head, staring out the window, occasionally wiping her eyes.
It should have been a sorrowful moment, but knowing that Jin Luan just wanted to dote on her little sisters and play with them.
Her tears were from not being able to play with her sisters anymore, not genuine grief over the loss of comrades.
Thinking of this, Yin Lin found herself unable to feel sad, yet she couldn’t laugh either.
Her emotions were complicated.
She held it in until her stomach cramped painfully.
After a while, the old doctor arrived.
Noticing the strange atmosphere in the ward, he didn’t think much of it.
He asked about Diamond’s condition and conducted a scientific examination.
After a full checkup, no major issues were found—only a slightly slowed metabolism.
Preliminary scientific methods seemed unable to detect anything else.
With Yin Lin and Diamond’s consent, the doctor decided to run more tests, which might take several days.
Yin Lin thanked him, but the doctor smiled and said, “No, I should be the one thanking you—for your efforts, and for humanity.”
He then gave a perfectly formal bow.
After he left, Yin Lin grew more curious and asked Jin Luan.
“This old doctor’s attitude toward us…”
Before she finished, she caught Jin Luan’s sharp glare.
Yin Lin quickly corrected herself, “Why is this kind and friendly old doctor so polite to us?”