The core of a Cryptid, it is said to be the very essence of a Cryptid, possessing a variety of special attributes.
Under the unique radiance of a Cryptid Core, girls can awaken their innate abilities, becoming Magical Girls who save humanity from the claws of Cryptids.
As the saying goes, when God closes one door, He opens another—Magical Girls are gifts from the divine to mankind, compensation for the invasion of Cryptids.
Ordinarily, a Cryptid Core emits a violet glow—the stronger the Cryptid, the brighter the light.
Yet, the Cryptid Core before Yang Nini now shone so faintly that it was almost completely overshadowed by the illumination in the room.
“What am I supposed to do next?”
Yang Nini sat inside a sealed chamber, secured within a fixed container. Her entire body was restrained by mechanical devices, unable to move.
“You don’t have to do anything. Just relax, Yang Nini. Nothing bad will happen.” Qixing spoke through the intercom.
As a certain procedure began, the glow from the Cryptid Core intensified. Yang Nini felt somewhat uncomfortable, but it was still bearable.
“What’s happening? Why does it suddenly feel so warm…”
Something was changing… Yang Nini’s consciousness began to blur.
Next, the violet light of the Cryptid Core engulfed everything, and Yang Nini arrived in an unknown realm.
“Where is this?”
Stars filled both the sky above and beneath her feet… She suddenly realized that the ground was a faintly transparent membrane, soft underfoot, with starlight shining through the thin film below.
She found that her body was no longer restrained, able to move freely. Her whole being felt weightless, as if she were floating, nothing felt real.
In the far distance along the horizon, Yang Nini could not tell how far, stood a gigantic polyhedron.
It was constantly shifting its form in ways she could not comprehend; every time she observed it from a new angle, it revealed a different shape.
Yet at the heart of that polyhedron was a gentle, blue, luminous core, which never changed. If not for the blue glow reflected inside the polyhedron, Yang Nini would have thought it was just a distant star.
“What is that…”
No book had ever told her, nor would it ever tell her—this was an unknown existence unexplored by mankind, and this mysterious thing was quietly watching her.
Yang Nini had a natural curiosity that drove her to explore the unknown, so she started to run toward the polyhedron.
In this enigmatic domain, no matter how much she ran, she never grew tired. However… no matter how far she ran, she could never draw a step closer to the polyhedron.
“Why is that?”
Yang Nini pondered. Everything in this realm defied her common sense.
“Are you… intelligent?”
She opened her mouth and asked, but received no answer.
“Are you moving away from me?”
Though there was still no reply, Yang Nini’s intuition told her that it was alive.
“Let me come closer! Please! I just want to understand you!” Yang Nini shouted, reaching out her arms toward it.
But it remained silent, coldly repeating its cyclical transformations—perhaps some kind of metabolism? Yang Nini guessed.
After a long time, Yang Nini tried every method she could think of, all to no avail. Even if the body never tires here, the spirit does.
She finally lay down, resting atop the soft membrane, gazing at the unchanging starry sky above her.
“There are so many stars in the sky, but why are you so special, here on the ground?” Yang Nini muttered to herself.
“You must be lonely, without any other stars to keep you company.”
The soft membrane made a perfect bed. Yang Nini began to feel drowsy, slowly closing her eyes.
The membrane quivered gently.
Yang Nini sat up, realizing that the polyhedron was shifting more violently, faster than usual.
“Did my words move you?”
Yang Nini tentatively took a step, and to her surprise, the distance between them suddenly began to shrink.
When she got close enough, Yang Nini saw, within the blue core, a human figure seemed to appear…
“I’m here to keep you company.” Yang Nini blurted out.
It had an uncanny power, drawing Yang Nini toward the blue glow, but just then the membrane beneath her feet became uneven, forming a soft wall that blocked her path.
“But why…… do you still not want me to come near you?”
Yang Nini gripped the soft wall and began to climb.
“Are you afraid of me? Or is there something else? Can’t we at least try to communicate!?”
After she climbed over the wall, the membrane ahead formed rolling hills, making progress difficult.
But nothing could stop her—she was determined.
At last, she reached the polyhedron. The blue glow was right before her eyes. She stretched out her hand…
“Don’t go any farther.”
A hand grabbed her.
Yang Nini turned around in surprise, finding Xinyu behind her.
“Senior Xinyu!? How are you here?”
Xinyu pulled her behind herself.
“If you don’t want to never return to reality, do not touch that entity.” Xinyu said.
“What is that thing?”
Xinyu showed a devout expression and made a gesture of prayer.
“God.
That’s all.”
Yang Nini could hardly believe it.
“Uh… Really? There’s really a god in this world?”
“Of course. God is right before your eyes. But deities are not to be touched—once you do, you can never return to your own world.”
Xinyu held Yang Nini’s hand.
“Come on, let’s go back now. Everyone outside is worried about us.”
“But…” Yang Nini wanted to refuse, but then thought of Qixing and the others, who might be waiting for her to return, and could only acquiesce.
“Hold tight, Nini, I’ll take you back.”
Xinyu embraced Yang Nini, and used some sort of magic. Yang Nini again felt dizzy, as if traversing through space and time…
When she awoke, she found herself lying on a bed, surrounded by other Magical Girls concerned for her.
“You’re awake.” Qixing said.
Yang Nini clutched at the bedsheet, searching for the sense of reality.
“So strange… I went to such a wondrous place. Luckily, Senior Xinyu brought me out—huh? She’s not here?”
Yang Nini looked around but didn’t see her.
“She’s busy. After making sure you were safe, she left.” Qixing answered, laying a hand gently on Yang Nini’s forehead, checking once more for fever.
“Sis Qixing, I… What’s wrong with me?”
“Sigh… You’re very special, that’s all I can say. Most people don’t stay unconscious this long when becoming a Magical Girl. Your mind entered a deep dream.”
“Dream realms can be dangerous for newcomers; if unprepared, it’s easy to get lost within. If not for Xinyu, you might not have woken.”
Qixing sighed.
“A dream… is that so?”
Recalling the events of that mysterious realm, Yang Nini asked, “Can Magical Girls’ dreams be linked together?”
Xia Xue stood akimbo, answering, “Of course! If you master dream manipulation abilities, you can even create a huge dream space where all sorts of things that aren’t possible in reality can be achieved.”
“It’s the so-called ‘wish fulfillment’—any wish you make in real life can come true in the dream, though it’s essentially fake. But it feels real!”
Qixing shot Xia Xue a look, conveying some message.
“Ahaha… Sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten so excited…”
Qixing gestured for the others to leave.
“I need to talk to Yang Nini alone,” she said.
Once the others were gone, Qixing’s expression grew serious as she addressed Yang Nini: “You are now a Magical Girl. Are you feeling any discomfort?”
“No.” Yang Nini shook her head.
“I’ve already taken care of your Magic Heart. Once you’re fully recovered, I’ll give it back to you and you’ll be able to use magic.” “Magic… Will I get some special ability?”
“Some Magical Girls do get rather extraordinary abilities, but it’s not guaranteed for everyone.”
Hearing this, Yang Nini’s heart filled with anxiety. She hoped to gain a powerful ability, so that she could…
“If only I could become really strong…” Yang Nini whispered.
Qixing noticed her unease and said, “Of course, Nini, I said you’re very special. You might become even stronger than most Magical Girls, but that’ll have to be confirmed after you take your magic aptitude test. For now, the most important thing is to choose your new name—your Magical Girl codename.”
“Codename… Like your name ‘Qixing’?”
“Yes. You can use your original name, but that’s rare.”
“Can I think about it?”
“Of course. There’s no rush.”
Yang Nini stared at the cross necklace on Qixing’s chest, which reminded her of what Xinyu had said in the dream…
“One more thing,” Qixing added.
“About the dream world—what Xia Xue said is true, but dreams can also be dangerous. You’ll learn to use it in time. It’s a tool for Magical Girls to communicate.”
“It’s just a tool, understand? It’s beautiful, but never let it become your entire world. The real danger of the dream isn’t that it’s easy to get lost, but that it makes you never want to return to reality.”
“Okay.”
“Now, rest here for today. While you were dreaming, your body had a persistent fever. Don’t exert yourself today.”
Yang Nini nodded, and Qixing left, closing the door behind her.
The room that had been packed with people suddenly grew empty and cold. Drip drip… Somewhere, the sound of water echoed, especially clear in the quiet room—just like the rapid beating of her own heart.
She gazed out the window. The underground city continued to operate according to its own rules, but for her, everything had changed.
She had truly become a Magical Girl now… She had the power to change the world.
“Everything is arranged for the newcomer. Next…”
Qixing looked at today’s schedule, which said she had to report to the Witch Committee.
After such a major incident, with gunfire and magic clashing in Song City—a rare occurrence—the atmosphere was extremely tense.
After all, this was a premeditated attack by a Magical Girl faction on the military.
In Song City, Magical Girls and the military each managed different domains: Magical Girls handled Cryptids and reclamation tasks, mainly working outside the city; the military maintained internal security, resource allocation, and infrastructure, mainly within the city.
Although their areas sometimes overlapped, both sides answered only to their respective superiors—the Witch Committee and the Military Committee.
They were two entirely separate systems, so to facilitate communication, the Witch Committee and Military Committee each sent an observer to the other side. Xinyu was the observer for the Magical Girls.
“A bunch of kids trying to handle grown-up affairs, isn’t that madness?”
“Those stiff-faced guys? I have no interest in playing with them!”
Qixing recalled words she’d heard before and felt a pang of unease. This attack was a terrible incident. She resolved that the members of Wings of Freedom must be brought to justice.
In the resource-strapped apocalypse, a crisis of trust dangerous to survival could not be allowed to take root…
Thinking of this, she arrived at the conference room.
Before her stood an ornate door, its wooden frame carved with elegant patterns, the door itself made from precious ancient timber, exuding an air of classical refinement—so different from the plain decor elsewhere in the underground city.
She knocked.
A moment later, the door opened automatically.
In the dim room, only the crystal ball at the center cast light, illuminating a large round table.
Seated at the table were the Magical Girls of positions No. 1 through No. 12—the highest members of the Witch Committee, embodying the highest authority among Magical Girls.
Directly opposite Qixing sat Yandong—the chief executive of Song City, with flowing pale pink hair and dressed in a white gown. At this moment, she looked at Qixing with melancholic eyes.
“You’ve arrived.” No. 1 said.
“Let’s get straight to business,” No. 3 said.
“The wards are set. The room is secure.” No. 6 said.
Qixing took her seat.
“Lady Yandong, is there something you called me here for specifically?” she asked.
“I… don’t have much time left. I must find a successor.” Yandong said weakly, her voice barely reaching Qixing.
“Lady Yandong!? How can this be?” Qixing shot up, but had to sit back down, obeying meeting protocol.
“Don’t worry about me, Qixing. We’re here to discuss your situation. You’ve been jointly recommended as the next chief executive.”
“The vote record is before you. We called you here mainly to inform you, and now I wish to hear your opinion.”
Qixing did not glance at the voting record. She gazed past the glowing crystal ball, eyes fixed on the pale Yandong.
“If this is the decision of Lady Yandong and the committee, I can only accept. But… is your health truly all right?”
Yandong said nothing.
No. 1 understood Yandong’s meaning and said to Qixing, “It’s settled, Qixing. Also, this is meeting time—no more unrelated questions. Yandong’s health is confidential and not open for discussion.”
“I understand.” Qixing swallowed her concern and turned back to the meeting.
Yandong flipped through a report on her desk.
“Today, a terrorist attack occurred in Song City. Fifty-three military personnel were killed. The culprits were from the organization ‘Wings of Freedom’, which I’m sure you’re all familiar with.”
No. 7 shouted angrily, “Those cowards, running away when they can’t win! They never dare to face me head-on, such despicable little fish!”
“Exactly!” No. 8 agreed.
“I’ve already sent people to watch every air traffic hub. They won’t dare try anything like this again,” No. 1 said.
Yandong looked at Qixing. “Qixing, you took part in the pursuit, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I was at the scene. Their target was a certain secret cargo the military was transporting by train. I think we should investigate what that cargo was to understand their motive, so we can prevent similar incidents.” Qixing said.
“If it’s secret cargo, the military will never tell us. What do we do?” No. 4 asked.
“Don’t meddle in the military’s internal affairs,” Yandong said, putting down the report.
“This is not our concern. Magical Girls should focus on matters among themselves—once bitten, twice shy. From now on, we must be vigilant for such incidents. Qixing, once you take office, your first priority is to resolve this matter and not harm relations with the military…”
Yandong took out a tissue to cover her mouth.
“Lady Yandong! Your health is no longer suited for these meetings. Please adjourn and rest!” Qixing cried out in distress.
No. 1, sitting beside Yandong, saw she could hold out no longer and announced the meeting’s end.
“Very well, I’ll adjourn on Yandong’s behalf!”
From the shadows, a man in military uniform stepped out.
“Huh? Yandong, isn’t this a secret meeting?” No. 4 exclaimed in shock.
“Idiot, you never noticed his presence all this time?” No. 1 retorted.
“The military’s observer… Li Tian.”
Qixing murmured.
She’d worked with Li Tian a few times before. He was an enigmatic figure, skilled at erasing his presence—even Qixing hadn’t noticed him in the room.
Were he not male, she’d have thought he had some kind of invisibility magic.
Li Tian approached Yandong, bending down in concern. “Chief Yandong, are you all right?”
No. 1 stayed on guard, standing in front of Yandong to prevent Li Tian from learning any more about her condition.
Yandong pushed No. 1 aside and, using all her strength, said, “Since I’ve let you attend this meeting, I might as well tell you outright—I am gravely injured, my time is short… Regarding this attack, I hope you’ll work with us to find the culprits, cough, cough, cough…”
Yandong could hold on no longer, and fainted.
“Ahhh!” A girl’s scream pierced the conference room.
The other committee members quickly gathered around and hurriedly took Yandong away to the hospital. Qixing tried to follow, but was ordered to stay back.
“Sigh… Lady Yandong, I hope you’ll pull through…” Qixing pressed her palms together in prayer, just like Xinyu had done.
“Qixing, we meet again.”
Now only two people remained in the dim meeting room.
Li Tian was no more than thirty years old, one of the youngest in the Military Committee, but Qixing knew never to underestimate him for his youth.
“I didn’t sense you at all just now—how did you manage that?”
In the faint light, she could see his dark green military uniform—an updated version based on the Type 87 uniform, plain but with a touch of sternness.
“Just standard military posture. By controlling all the body’s functions, an excellent soldier can stand perfectly still for two or three hours.” Li Tian replied.
Qixing couldn’t make out his expression beneath his cap, but imagined it was just as stern as those of the other officers, so she didn’t mind.
“Will you truthfully report Lady Yandong’s condition?”
“Yes, that is my duty.”
“What’s your take on this attack?”
“Just my opinion?”
“Yes.”
“In my view, the attack was understandable.”
Qixing was shocked.
“Why?”
“Why not ask Yandong herself? People on the verge of death do not let the truth be buried, heh.” Li Tian sneered.
Qixing clenched her fists, but could do nothing.