Earth World.
Lu Liang’s entire body was shrouded in black smoke, with only his eyes shining a pair of dangerous red lights.
Now, he had completely transformed into a Monster.
Holding Bai Wanqing in his arms, his figure moved like a ghost, slipping through different parts of the world.
His senses were sharp; even a single fallen leaf drifting to the ground could not escape his perception.
After Monsterization, his physical constitution, speed, strength, and senses had all reached a terrifying level. Lu Liang was now truly a Monster in every sense.
Every step he took on the ground caused the concrete beneath to tremble slightly and crack.
Then, with a forceful stomp, Lu Liang would leap into the air and reappear eight or nine meters away at a higher position.
The shadow cloaked in darkness drifted and moved like a terrifying ghost, or like a strange mist that floated endlessly in the wind.
Lu Liang was using this method to achieve a unique form of flight without touching the ground.
Along the way, he pondered a question.
Why did those bug Monsters in the sewer suddenly explode?
The explosions of the bug Monsters were not caused by Lu Liang, nor had there ever been any precedent for such self-destruction before.
Lu Liang vaguely felt that the explosions were not coincidental. Just a moment ago, Lin Deqing had been on the phone with a Magical Girl, and the next moment, the bug Monsters brazenly blew themselves up.
That was far too coincidental.
It was almost as if the explosions were deliberately triggered to cover for the escape of some other presence.
Lu Liang was somewhat self-aware; he would never link the cause of the bug Monsters’ explosions to himself.
If there was a connection, then it must be that the bug Monsters self-destructed for the sake of the Mother Bug.
Could it be that…
Ding!
Your Alipay has been charged five yuan!
Your Alipay has been charged ten yuan!
“Damn it!”
The notification sound from his phone interrupted Lu Liang’s thoughts.
Although his strength had soared after becoming a Monster, his phone account was losing money every second.
If this continued, he probably wouldn’t make any profit today, and might even lose both principal and interest!
Yet he couldn’t stop, because Lu Liang sensed several powerful pressures coming from the direction pursuing him.
Panicking, Lu Liang plummeted from the air like a kite with a broken string.
He finally stopped in an unnoticed corner and set Bai Wanqing down gently.
Moving together was too conspicuous.
If a fight broke out, Lu Liang couldn’t take care of her.
Since the Magical Girl was targeting him, it was better to do her a favor and put Bai Wanqing aside for now.
At this moment, Bai Wanqing looked like a frightened quail, curling her body into a ball, too scared to move. Her exposed peach blossom eyes glistened with tears as she stared at Lu Liang.
“Wait here for me while I lure the Magical Girl away. Don’t run off before I get back!”
Faced with this sincere and adorable girl, Lu Liang didn’t quite know how to handle her.
By all rights, once someone discovered his Monster identity, he should have killed to silence her.
But Lu Liang was not a bloodthirsty man; he couldn’t bring himself to silence her.
Besides, after spending several hours together, he realized Bai Wanqing was kind-hearted enough to pity even a single bug Monster.
Her nature was actually quite pure.
That was why Lu Liang decided to spare Bai Wanqing this time. With anyone else, he wouldn’t have done so.
“We’re now grasshoppers on the same boat. If you reveal my identity, they’ll arrest you too! Understand?”
“Okay.”
Bai Wanqing responded shyly. She understood what Lu Liang meant by “grasshoppers on the same boat” and replied blankly:
“I… I won’t tell. I’ll wait here for you.”
Lu Liang nodded.
The best he could get was a verbal promise from Bai Wanqing.
If she broke her word, he had no other choice but to trouble her the next time they met.
Just as he was about to leave, Lu Liang suddenly remembered something and looked back at Bai Wanqing.
“Take off the hood. If the Magical Girl sees it, she’ll get suspicious.”
“Okay.”
Obediently, Bai Wanqing removed the hood, revealing her face underneath.
It was the first time Lu Liang had seen Bai Wanqing’s appearance.
She truly lived up to her surname “Bai.”
Her face was as white as snow, with softly curved brows and a high nose bridge.
Her entire visage looked like an elegant beauty from a classical painting.
Her peach blossom eyes dared not meet Lu Liang’s gaze, instead looking down at the worn canvas shoes on her feet.
Lu Liang’s heart skipped a beat, inexplicably unsettled.
He had never expected that the once adorable and naïve girl was hiding such a handsome face.
Bai Wanqing, feeling Lu Liang’s stare, grew a little uncomfortable and shyly lowered her head. Lu Liang snapped out of his daze.
“You’re quite pretty.”
Lu Liang genuinely complimented.
“Oh… thank you?”
Bai Wanqing answered blankly. This wasn’t the first time she’d heard those words in her life.
“For what?”
Lu Liang shook his head.
“With a pretty face like that, I’ll remember you more easily. Bai Wanqing, you wouldn’t want your past as a Cleaner exposed… If that happens, you won’t be able to go to school.”
“?”
Bai Wanqing’s face paled, tears flashing in her eyes.
Seeing her frightened and anxious expression, Lu Liang chuckled softly, feeling inexplicably better.
Then he pushed off the ground with both feet, leaping into the air, and jumped toward the distance.
Only then did Bai Wanqing come to her senses from Lu Liang’s laughter. Wasn’t it obvious he was teasing her on purpose?
“You jerk.”
Watching Lu Liang’s retreating figure, she whispered softly.
Afterwards, Bai Wanqing nervously glanced around, afraid someone might have overheard her.
When she saw no one nearby, she relaxed and genuinely stayed put to wait.
“Star Splitter! The situation’s changed. I can sense the Monster’s position shifting again!”
The white familiar, Buddhist Monk, perched on Star Splitter’s shoulder, chirped excitedly, pointing in a direction.
“It’s running toward five o’clock! But… isn’t that where True East Tower is?”
Buddhist Monk fluttered her wings vigorously in agitation.
“That’s the Public Zone. If a real fight breaks out there, a lot of damage will be caused. Star Splitter, that Monster must have realized this and is deliberately heading for True East Tower! It’s so sly and hateful!”
“Hmph.”
Unimpressed, Magical Girl Star Splitter clicked her tongue. She knew this very well.
The Magical Girl Association gave different levels of battle reimbursement depending on the Magical Girl’s rank.
If battle damage exceeded the reimbursement limit, the excess would be automatically deducted from the Magical Girl’s salary.
Magical Girls had four ranks, from lowest to highest: Sprout, Leaf Eater, Dormancy, and Metamorphosis.
Star Splitter’s rank wasn’t low; she had reached Leaf Eater, and her battle reimbursement limit was 500,000 yuan.
But if a battle broke out in the bustling Commercial Street, her reimbursement limit clearly wouldn’t be enough, even with the various insurance policies she purchased.
Fortunately, she was prepared.
If one person’s reimbursement limit wasn’t enough, she could bring more people to share the burden.
Star Splitter pulled out her phone and dialed a number, saved under [Intern Magical Girl Group for Donkey Work].
Most of these trainee Magical Girls were graduates of Magical Girl University, characterized by their pure foolishness.
Though as interns they hadn’t even reached Sprout level, the Association only provided them with weapons and equipment during the internship, without other benefits.
But these interns could help share the losses in battle!
As long as she provided an internship certificate, she could attract a large number of trainee Magical Girls, foolishly scouting ahead and doing the dirty work for Star Splitter!
“This is Star Splitter. The Monster is running toward five o’clock, which should be near True East Tower. Set up an ambush there. I’ll be there soon.”
“Roger, senior!”
Youthful, vibrant voices came from the other end of the line.
“So excited! Us interns are finally going to hunt Monsters!”
“Senior, we won’t let you down!”
“Hopefully after the battle, senior can help give each of us an internship certificate, hehehe.”
“Hmph.”
Star Splitter snorted coldly, making no reply, and ended the call sternly.
Beep beep beep—
With the call ended, several girls wearing trainee Magical Girl uniforms near True East Tower couldn’t help but stomp their feet and clap in celebration.
“Ahhh, Star Splitter senior is so cool and fierce!”
“When can I become a Magical Girl like Star Splitter senior? So many people admire her, and she enjoys high pay and benefits from the Association.”
“Star Splitter senior’s rank is so high, she probably already paid off her university loans! So enviable!”
A trainee Magical Girl wielding a scythe Magical Weapon shook her head.
“To become a Magical Girl like Star Splitter senior, we have a long way to go. When Star Splitter senior just joined, she broke the 24-hour Magical Girl performance record. She hunts Monsters for pure justice, unlike you guys who only think about money.”
Her words made the other trainee Magical Girls feel ashamed.
“Indeed… our mindset is too small.”
“Such a cold beauty like Star Splitter senior wouldn’t be bothered by money.”
“This operation is the same. Star Splitter senior arrived first at the scene for everyone’s safety as soon as the Monster appeared!”
As the trainee Magical Girls praised Star Splitter, on Star Splitter’s side:
“Bastard!”
After ending the call, her eyes caught another notification popping up on her phone—
Your Alipay has been charged one cent!
Eight hours!
Since fighting that Monster, for eight whole hours, Star Splitter’s account balance had been deducting one cent continuously.
Even if she withdrew all her money from her bank card, the Monster’s miracle power would keep drawing money from her like a loan.
God only knew how she had survived these eight hours!
That was all her money!
“I’m going to kill you for sure!”
The image of Lu Liang as a Monster flashed in her mind, and Star Splitter could no longer suppress the fury inside her.
She transformed into a silver meteor and chased after Lu Liang’s direction.