She lifted her leg.
Yin Lin watched the entire transformation process of Xia Shiyao with keen interest.
Xia’s ordinary magic wand looked slightly different from Yin Lin’s—there were subtle distinctions in appearance.
Observing a magical girl’s transformation from a third-person perspective felt somewhat strange.
Unable to resist, Yin Lin pulled out her phone and started recording.
If anyone asked, it was just a recording obsession kicking in.
Xia Shiyao’s transformation was quite captivating, full of dazzling light effects.
She also knew how to coordinate with the transformation sequence: raising her hand as her clothes appeared, stepping forward as her shoes materialized.
After the clothes finished forming, it was time for the weapon.
That wand morphed into Jin Luan’s blade.
The Human Alliance’s drone had arrived as well, hovering close by to observe them.
Jin Luan gestured for the drone to leave, and it retreated a bit but continued to monitor from the rooftop.
Neither side interfered with the other.
Though, in truth, interference had already begun.
It was no longer convenient to use their original bodies to replenish magic power, nor to discuss private matters, for fear of being overheard.
This actually made Yin Lin feel relieved—finally, she didn’t have to listen to Xia’s rambling.
But the peace only lasted for half an hour.
After thirty minutes, another drone took off and arrived here, carrying a phone with the speaker turned on.
“Can you hear me? Hey, hey, magical girl Yin Lin,” came a middle-aged man’s voice from the phone. “I know you can hear me. Come here and answer the call.”
Ugh, such a nuisance.
Yin Lin had no choice but to approach the drone.
“Who is this? What do you want?”
The man spoke through the phone: “I’m the person in charge. No need for small talk. There’s a reason for today’s events, so let’s each give a little ground. We won’t arrest you today. When you’re fighting the aberrant beasts, don’t use large-scale indiscriminate attacks, and avoid combat in densely populated areas to prevent harming humans. Deal?”
“No deal.” Yin Lin rejected immediately.
“My main attack is exactly that move. If I don’t bombard, am I just here to watch the show?”
The person in charge replied, “I’m not here to negotiate. I’m here to warn you—not to harm humans, or else don’t blame us for being ruthless.”
“Hah.” Yin Lin chuckled.
She wasn’t one of those teenage girls who were easily intimidated.
“Uncle, get it straight. I’m not begging you to let me fight the aberrant beasts. It’s you who begged me to deal with them. If you piss me off, I’m out. Who’s afraid of whom?”
Both sides were probing each other’s bottom lines, a silent battle continuing beneath the surface.
They were both middle-aged men, surely able to understand the basic relationship between humans and magical girls.
Of course, he knew that humans were under the protection of magical girls.
That was why, despite the Human Alliance claiming they wanted to hunt magical girls, they never launched an all-out siege.
It was all just for show.
No one wanted to truly do such a thing.
They merely wanted to manipulate the magical girls, keeping them hidden and powerless.
Hearing Yin Lin speak so clearly, the middle-aged man realized this little thing wasn’t easy to handle—much smarter than those foolish magical girls.
“Since you want to leave after getting angry, then leave. Why are you still hanging around? As the person in charge, I never asked you to fight the aberrant beasts,” the man continued to test the waters, his tone quite convincing, his acting decent.
“Fine, goodbye.” Yin Lin left immediately, without even giving Jin Luan a chance to grab her.
She flew away.
Jin Luan stayed behind, facing the phone.
“She’s just a kid. Are you also a kid? Why get mad at a kid? What’s your point?”
The middle-aged man sounded a bit nervous.
“She doesn’t act like a kid. Maybe she’s more mature than you.”
Jin Luan said, “Then why don’t you try winning me over? After all, it’s been me and Huan Hong protecting this city for years. Why didn’t you ask for my opinion?”
The man was confident.
“You don’t need to be deliberately courted. You’ll protect this city just like Huan Hong. But even so, our policy toward you won’t change. If there’s a chance, we’ll still capture you.”
Jin Luan scoffed, “What a bunch of disgusting adults. Using us up, then asking us to keep performing with no benefits.”
The man replied, “You could consider officially settling down. We offer the Five Insurances and One Fund, dormitories, and cafeteria meals included. Think about it.”
Jin Luan refused instantly.
“No plans for that.”
“Alright then.”
Seeing no further room to negotiate, he shifted the topic.
“Tell me about your plans.”
Still wary of this guy, Jin Luan shared most of their plan but kept some details to herself.
In short, their primary aerial surveillance target was the hospital.
Secondary targets were crowded places.
If Lightning Man appeared, they would engage him—Jin Luan providing cover while Yin Lin dealt the main blows.
One Full Power Magic Cannon blast to finish Lightning Man.
As for the unspoken part?
Of course Jin Luan could also act as the main attacker.
Yin Lin would use her magic cannon to block and buy time, while Jin Luan charged her ultimate move to take Lightning Man down.
The success rate was low either way—whether Jin Luan or Yin Lin led the attack, hitting Lightning Man was difficult.
“Wait.” After hearing the plan, the man paused thoughtfully.
Voices could be heard nearby; it seemed many people were around him.
Two minutes later, he returned to the phone and spoke to Jin Luan.
“We made some adjustments. About nine kilometers in a straight line from your location, there’s a Convention Center. It’s large enough. If Yin Lin absolutely has to fire, then target that place. We’ve already issued evacuation orders,” the man said, his tone serious and earnest. “This is our final bottom line.”
It was clear he meant business—no jokes, no more testing.
He was sternly telling them: either don’t shoot, or if you must, shoot at the Convention Center.
Of course, if they could lure Lightning Man even further out to the suburbs before firing, that would be better—less property damage, fewer innocent casualties.
But that was a difficult task.
The battle in the sewers that night showed it clearly—three girls versus one strong man almost ended with the girls being killed.
They were simply outmatched.
Now, only the injured Jin Luan and Yin Lin remained.
How could they possibly have the strength to drag Lightning Man out to the suburbs and finish him off?
The man didn’t ask for such an impossible demand.
Jin Luan, however, knew the truth.
“Alright, I’m off.”
The middle-aged man said goodbye.
“When she returns, please pass on the message for me.”
“Got it,” Jin Luan replied.
Before leaving, the man asked one last question: “By the way, how did she get better? Yesterday she looked half-dead.”
Jin Luan answered lightly, “Magical girls always have some secret magic.”
The farewell was casual.
Jin Luan let out a breath of relief.
This so-called person in charge wasn’t too hard to deal with after all—a reasonable man who knew when to bend.
Another ten minutes passed before Yin Lin returned.
She certainly hadn’t flown far, just keeping watch from above—probably wanting to get some air that wasn’t so foul.