Ci Yue stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the one hundred and twentieth floor.
The elevator stopped at a middle floor, and a girl wearing glasses stepped in.
It was that elevator girl again. Back when Ci Yue was slacking off in logistics, she often sat beside her. Although they hardly spoke, Ci Yue had a deep impression of her.
“Yu Feiyu, why are you still here? This work isn’t safe. You should quit as soon as possible, for your own safety,” Ci Yue advised her.
“Lady Ci Yue!? How do you know my name?”
“Nothing much. Are you still working here?”
“Yes, but I can’t quit. I really need the salary—my younger brother was severely injured by a beast, and I have to earn money for his treatment.”
What a strong girl—quiet on the surface but reliable behind the scenes… so much like Luo Xi used to be.
“I can send you the money. Give me your WeChat. You need to quit this job quickly. It’s too dangerous here. Didn’t you hear about the attack a few days ago?”
“No need, no need! Thank you, Lady Ci Yue. I’m actually packing up now to move to a safer workplace. Thanks for your concern! I’ll be going first!”
The elevator arrived just then, and Yu Feiyu hurried out.
Ci Yue wondered where Luo Xi was now but knew the current mission was more important.
As the elevator doors opened on the target floor, two voices immediately clashed.
“I reviewed Tian Lan’s autopsy report. It said she died of suffocation combined with heat dehydration. How is that possible? Lei Mang, didn’t you promise your uniforms had protective functions?”
“Chen Lisi, you should understand that St. Li Group’s uniforms at best offer cushioning against physical attacks.”
“They can’t defend against suffocation from being crushed or lethal high temperatures from flames. Her death was unavoidable.”
“Then what about that single blurry photo? The rest are just written descriptions. I was even refused when I tried to conduct a personal autopsy.”
“Later, I found part of her tissue at the scene, fragments with bloodstains. I secretly took samples and commissioned an investigation—it confirmed they were Tian Lan’s.”
“If the uniform really protected her well, how could those traces remain?”
“Perhaps those were left before the Defensive Mechanism fully activated. In any case, Chen Lisi, your accusations are baseless and damaging to St. Li Group’s reputation.”
“I could sue you for defamation right now. You’d better stop.”
Chen Lisi turned to leave and then noticed Ci Yue eavesdropping behind them.
“Senior Ci Yue!? How is your recovery going?”
“I’m fine. By the way, what were you arguing with Lei Mang about?”
“Senior Ci Yue, this is none of your business. Please don’t get involved. It’s just a personal matter…”
“Chen Lisi, if there’s something going on, you should tell me as your senior. I’ll help if I can.”
“Okay, thank you, Senior. I’ll reach out later.”
Chen Lisi left.
Now it was Ci Yue’s turn to face off against Lei Mang.
“Miss Ci Yue, it’s fortunate to see you unharmed.”
Without a word, Ci Yue manifested several Magic Power Spikes around Lei Mang, pointing them directly at her.
“Ci Yue, what do you mean by this? I think we’re not enemies, right? Didn’t I save you? Don’t you remember?”
“Don’t play innocent. The assassinations targeting certain S-rank magical girls—that was your St. Li Group’s doing, wasn’t it?”
“On what grounds?”
“I know a bit about Tian Lin. She harbored serious grudges against St. Li Group and came all the way to Zhonghe Province, probably to interfere with your plans.”
“Killing her benefits you in no way, and you could even frame the organization behind Tian Lang. That’s the same to me.”
Ci Yue took a deep breath and continued: “First, the person who tried to assassinate me is not Tian Lang. Tian Lang’s goal was to capture me alive.”
“She used various means—psychological torment to break my will, to make me obey her and fall into her trap.”
“While I was inside the Earthfire, she lurked in the shadows, waiting for me to exhaust myself so she could capture me.”
“A few days ago, she caught Bai Lingluo to lure me back into her trap. The subsequent betrayal by Miao Ke’er and the others was to capture me—but you stopped them.”
“I suppose you feared I’d join their side. If Tian Lang wanted me dead, she’d have succeeded long ago.”
Lei Mang retorted, “If killing you was our goal, I could have done it when I caught you unconscious. It would have been easy.”
“You should know that’s impossible. Your St. Li Group can’t kill openly—because I’m watched every moment. Even inside Earthfire, the tracker on me reported my location and survival in real time.”
“The Council of Elders constantly surveils me, so you can only hire assassins to kill my human form indirectly. You never expected your Special Action Team, who secretly protects me, could be bribed.”
“St. Li Group is impressive. But I’ve long since ditched my tracker at the Safe House, transferring it to someone else. That’s how I escaped surveillance and fled.”
Lei Mang’s face darkened.
“Your sister is in our hands. If you share your suspicions with the Elders, you know the consequences, right?”
Ci Yue gritted her teeth.
“I knew you’d use her as leverage…”
“Heh, let’s ease the tension first. You should know a lot of people are looking for you right now.”
“Along with a murderer trying to assassinate me?”
“No, no! Miss Ci Yue, you’re overthinking. Even if there’s a secret plan within the group to assassinate S-rank magical girls, I don’t have access to it.”
“Whatever your theories are, I know nothing. So, can you put your weapons down? We’re still comrades on the same front.”
Ci Yue waved her hand; the Magic Power Spikes vanished.
“You have to promise there are no further plans to target me or other magical girls.”
“I can’t promise that. But personally, I think there won’t be another attempt on you. The risk of failure is too high for another assassination.”
“What about Luo Xi? What are you planning to do with her?”
“As long as you don’t reveal your suspicions to her, she’s safe. I guarantee that. Although my superiors probably want you dead, for now, I can only reach a temporary compromise with you. Using Luo Xi as leverage—how about that?”
“I still can’t fully trust you. You and Lan Xi came to Zhonghe Province to gather intelligence, to recruit, and to covertly eliminate magical girls unfavorable to you. Tian Lang is the perfect cover for this, allowing you to shift blame.”
“You’re right. So what?”
Lei Mang pulled out a report.
“We finally found a bomb planted by Tian Lang. It’s probably her ultimate plan. We have no data on this unknown bomb. Judging by its size, if it’s a Tactical Nuclear Bomb, we’re in serious trouble. And it’s planted not far from us.”
Lei Mang walked to the glass window.
“Look over there—that building.”
She pointed to a skyscraper two kilometers away—the Securities Exchange in Jing’an City.
“Intelligence indicates the bomb is a Remote Bomb. Knowing Tian Lang’s unpredictable nature, who knows when it’ll explode.”
Ci Yue took the report. The Seal of Intelligence Bureau on it guaranteed its authenticity.
“You understand now, right? How about we put aside our differences? Tian Lang is our greatest enemy.”
“Where is Luo Xi now?”
“Dealing with newly appearing beasts elsewhere. Several duchy-level beasts have appeared around Jing’an City.”
“A diversion tactic…”
At that moment, a tall man approached.
He was the newly appointed director of the Magic Administration Bureau.
“You must be the magical girl Ci Yue.”
“Yes.”
“Lei Mang has briefed you on the mission, right?”
Lei Mang nodded at him.
“Good. Your task is to disarm that bomb. There are several A-rank magical girls on standby within the Bureau to assist you.”
“I understand. Where are they now?”
“Chen Lisi, Ying Xian, and Kong Ling. Just the three of you?”
Ying Xian walked over and hugged Ci Yue.
“Senior Ci Yue, I’m so glad you’re safe. I heard an S-rank magical girl was assassinated. It’s a relief you’re unharmed.”
“Uh, Ying Xian, I’m fine. Don’t hug so tight…”
“Heh, Senior Ci Yue, did you escape from the Safe House? Many people are looking for you. Risking your safety to carry out this mission—that’s truly admirable.”
“Ying Xian, stop it. I’ll return on my own after the mission.”
Ying Xian released her, and Ci Yue handed her a set of issued combat uniforms.
“Chen Lisi, Kong Ling, one set each. These are the last things Ma Xinyin entrusted to me.”
“Ci Yue, aren’t you wearing one?” Kong Ling asked.
“No need. You wearing them is enough.”
Chen Lisi examined the uniform.
“Not developed by St. Li Group?”
“Correct. Put them on quickly. By the way, Lei Mang should have briefed you on the Mission Briefing, right?”
“Yes.”
Outside the Magic Administration Bureau, several soldiers surrounded them.
“Ci Yue, return to the Safe House immediately!”
A general stepped down from a military vehicle.
“Chen Hanjun?”
“Ci Yue, listen to me. Go back. It’s too dangerous outside,” Chen Hanjun said.
“No need for you to pick me up personally. It’s a special period now; the real danger should be you.”
“I have something to tell you.”
Chen Hanjun glanced meaningfully at the magical girls behind Ci Yue.
“No, General…”
Suddenly, a soldier hurried over from the armored vehicle.
“General, urgent orders from the Military Commission!”
Chen Hanjun’s face changed drastically after the whispered report.
“The bomb, right? Your military is slow to react…”
“Ci Yue, you’d better come with me. This bomb may be a trap aimed at you,” Chen Hanjun said sternly.
“What about the others? The innocent civilians within the blast radius—are they just to be ignored?”
“We have a Special Action Team to handle that. Right now, your safety is paramount! This is the Military Commission’s highest order!”
“No, I’m the only one who can handle this mission.”
Chen Hanjun looked again at someone behind Ci Yue, his thoughts conflicted for a few seconds.
“Sigh, go then. Remember—don’t let it explode, understood? I’m breaking the rules just this once.”
“I guarantee the mission’s success!” Ci Yue saluted him.
Chen Hanjun patted her shoulder.
“Don’t let a single person die, got it?” he said before getting into the military vehicle and leaving.
With the warning issued, the city center—including the Magic Administration Bureau—began emergency evacuation.
“Chen Lisi, you check floors one to twenty. Kong Ling, you cover twenty to forty. Ying Xian, forty to sixty. I’ll take the remaining top floors.”
Ci Yue shattered the glass facade and flew into the building, methodically searching every suspicious spot.
“Tian Lang, what exactly are you planning?”
When Ci Yue reached the top floor, no bomb was found.
She communicated with her remaining teammates—no trace of the bomb was reported.
But the purple-haired girl standing at the edge of the rooftop turned around to face her.
“Tian Lang.”
“At last, we stand together on this grand stage, Ci Yue.”
In her hand was a black remote controller.
She wasn’t wearing her signature gas mask. Her usual madness replaced by a solemn expression.
“This is the final showdown—just the two of us.”