Family History of Witches

In this world, a witch's total magical power was like proof of a person's social credit and assets.

Some witches might even forget their own birthdays, yet still remember their total magical power down to five decimal places.

Little Comrade Jiang Zhenling had a total magical power of 670 Coulombs, a little more than twice that of a Weak Witch. In terms of combat power, that was equivalent to a submachine gun with a twenty-round magazine. She could only cast one of the Evocation School's Fireball Spells, beloved by her countrymen, before going dry. Still, considering she had not even gone through her first developmental period, her future remained promising.

Mother A, Ye Keshu, had roughly 1,100 Coulombs of magical power, while Mother B, Jiang Xuan, had around 1,300.

Looking back through the Republican Era witches of both family lines within five generations, most had around 1,000. Only seven generations back in Ye Keshu's family history had there been a witch with 3,500 magical power, who had once served as a seventh-rank official under the Qing Regime. Jiang Xuan's family records, meanwhile, documented a witch from the Song-Yuan era with 82 Spring Units of magical power. Archaeological evidence suggested that a Spring Unit from that era was roughly equivalent to 50 Coulombs today, meaning Jiang Xuan's family history had once produced a witch with a suspected 4,100 Coulombs of magical power.

The highest in the paternal family history was 3,500, while the highest in the maternal family history was 4,100.

By the principle of no doubt, Jiang Han was already suspected of being an illegitimate daughter.

"Don't worry, sis. Your appearance has traits from both sides of the family. Your magical power probably just mutated."

Jiang Han did not believe Little Comrade Jiang Zhenling's words—because of her eyes. Her little sister's gaze carried the suspicion of Is this really my sister? It was the same scrutinizing expression as a Kuomintang agent. Jiang Han knew that look well. Her sister had once worn it when she suspected Jiang Han of secretly wearing her dress, but that was another story.

In any case, Jiang Han knew exactly what her younger sister looked like from the age of sixteen this year to twenty-six ten years later.

Especially when it came to lying through her teeth, Jiang Han's sister could righteously promise her nephew, "I'll take you to Happy Valley tomorrow," while buying him five workbooks on Taobao. She was a cruel, bloodless woman who never did anything decent, yet whose mouth was sweeter than sugar.

"We are definitely biological sisters," Jiang Han stressed.

"Mhm, sisters more genuine than real gold." Comrade Jiang Zhenling looked deep in thought. "Let's set this matter aside for now. We should buy the pet first."

The clerk, who had been quietly watching, immediately resumed her sales pitch upon hearing that. "Large pets suitable for an Archwitch are illegal. We'll need to sign a contract saying you won't tell anyone."

Illegal? Seriously...? Jiang Han stared in shock, but the younger sister beside her nodded as though this were perfectly ordinary and agreed on her behalf.

People in 1994, so long as they were in the country, all had that same streak of madness. The timid starved, while the bold ate their fill. At worst, they would go study behind iron bars for a while.

Besides, this davarish was an international friend... Though the country's attitude toward Soviet Union friends was rather conflicted at the moment. On one hand, people looked down on the Soviet Union, which possessed tens of millions of witches yet had disbanded on the spot without firing a single shot or throwing a single Fireball Spell. On the other hand, the country had gained both a warning and a great many talents from the Soviet Union. There was a natural bonus of goodwill toward Soviet Union witches who came seeking refuge, mixed with a measure of hatred and disgust.

If one had not lived through that era, one would likely struggle to understand such a uniquely contradictory sentiment toward the Soviet Union.

But a davarish, a good international comrade, held a higher status than other foreigners. Even bringing illegal goods in from the Soviet Union was treated with particular leniency—or rather, the country now badly needed all kinds of illegal goods brought in by the Soviet people.

Jiang Han felt that even without knowing much, she could guess a thing or two. The country's supporting equipment for Archwitches was likely incapable of meeting demand through self-sufficiency, and the production of all kinds of things Archwitches needed was probably insufficient as well. After the Soviet Union collapsed, large numbers of Soviet witches came to the country carrying Archwitch supplies that had once been mass-produced by Soviet industry, and some had even brought large numbers of pets...

No wonder this plaza was not only Soviet-style, but also had so many shops run by Soviet witches. So it was a smuggling plaza!

Jiang Han's mouth twitched. There had been no smuggling plaza in this style in her previous life. At most, people in the countryside bought a few Soviet "homemade guns" for hunting or "big business." It seemed that after this world gained extraordinary force, people even dared to openly run such businesses. They had power, so they had confidence.

Once the contract was signed, the clerk smiled in satisfaction. She crouched behind the counter, then stood back up holding two bottles of liquor. Coming before the two sisters, she hugged each of them once and stuffed a bottle into Jiang Zhenling's arms. "Dear comrades, we are now three guns in the same trench, using the same single-link belt and loading the same 7.62-millimeter rifle rounds. I am Natalia Sergeevna Ulyankinich."

Her younger sister also pulled Jiang Han over to introduce her, then shoved the liquor bottle into Comrade Jiang Han's hands. Jiang Zhenling pointed at her. "I'm underage, so I try not to drink. She can drink."

Jiang Han had no choice. The clerk, Natalia for short, dragged her into drinking several cups first. The moment the liquor went down her throat, its fiery taste told her it was Natalia's "hometown liquor." Seeing Little Comrade Jiang Zhenling standing there with her arms folded and a smile of detached amusement, Jiang Han turned her grief and indignation into strength.

She made up her mind to stay rational while drinking with Natalia, choose her pet properly, and pry some more information out of this Russian.

Damn, this liquor was spicy... Jiang Han silently stuck out her tongue.

"Ura!"

"Ura ura!"

By the time Jiang Han woke up, she was already lying in her own bed, and the sky outside the window had darkened.

Perhaps because she was a witch, she did not even have a hangover after getting thoroughly drunk. There was only a heavy smell of alcohol clinging to her body—yes, not even any drunken ugliness, just the scent left behind after liquor had been splashed over her and evaporated.

"Sniff, sniff..." Jiang Han sniffed twice, burped, and got out of bed.

The aftertaste of the strong liquor had yet to fade, and Jiang Han's cheeks were still flushed. Once she came fully awake, she wished she could slap herself.

Fuck, why had she tried to outdrink a Russian? In her previous life, her drinking capacity had been built up through countless banquet tables. This body had only just turned eighteen, yet she had seriously gone head-to-head with an experienced Russian... That Russian had really dared to pour, and Jiang Han had really dared to drink. One who dared to pour and one who dared to drink—they had directly drunk this newly adult witch into unconsciousness.

Though she did not have a hangover, Jiang Han still pressed a hand to her head. The part she touched felt as if her brain had turned to mush. She also sensed that part of her magical power was currently occupied. Not much, roughly one-fiftieth of her total. That expended magical power was like a trail, and she could sense where it ended. It was currently downstairs.

Jiang Han went downstairs. The house was empty, and both mothers seemed to have gone out.

As she reached the door, she heard her younger sister Jiang Zhenling outside. "Sit!"

What was she doing?

Jiang Han stepped outside in confusion, and the sight in her garden came into view. Wearing that large witch's hat, Jiang Zhenling stood in the middle of the garden and commanded a gigantic bear with ice-colored fur. "Sit. Good. Raise your right paw, your right paw... Bear! You can't tell left from right. That's the wrong route, my bear."

The Ice Bear was enormous. Even sitting down with both paws braced against the ground, it was twice Comrade Jiang Zhenling's height. Standing up, it would probably resemble a little Godzilla.

That fantastical scene left Jiang Han stunned once again.