Devious Beyond Measure

The interrogation continued.

They obtained more information about the Blood Purity Court.

Using such a vast factory as its base, the Blood Purity Court could not possibly trust a bunch of minor lackeys with no access to the organization's upper ranks. There had to be an officer-level member stationed here.

"You really weren't afraid of the blood pact's backlash, revealing so much information to magical girls. It seems my judgment needs some improvement."

The voice seemed to come from all directions. An adult male Bloodkin slowly emerged from the shadows, looking like a refined gentleman.

He wore a gold-rimmed monocle and a bowler hat, resembling an elegant aristocrat.

"Wayne!?" Magnet shouted in shock.

The newly appeared Wayne applauded as he stepped forward. Stopping at an appropriate distance, he slowly tipped his hat in greeting.

"Good evening, dear ladies. Today's little drama should be coming to an end, shouldn't it?

"Our organization has paid the price, and you have had your fill of playing heroes. Let us each take a step back and leave it at that. How does that sound?"

Feiyan and the other two frowned, watching him warily.

Unable to judge his strength or intentions, they did not dare act rashly. Their gazes instinctively drifted toward Qingyin, the teacher leading them.

"If you hadn't shown up, then yes, it would have ended here," Qingyin replied calmly.

What was this?

Overtime?

She had already been preparing to leave.

Wouldn't it have been better if he had obediently stayed hidden and slunk away after everything was over? Why did he have to come out and show off?

"I wanted to experience the abilities of magical girls and see how they compare to my improved self!"

The moment he finished speaking, Wayne burst into motion, his figure vanishing from where he stood.

Yuyan and Yalin did not see what had happened. Only Feiyan caught his movement, and she immediately turned worried eyes toward Qingyin.

Wayne swiftly pulled a short-handled bayonet from his waist and gripped it in his palm, stabbing toward Qingyin's chest. He did not seem to be aiming for a killing blow.

His lightning-fast ambush failed to hit Qingyin. She shifted aside and evaded it.

The bayonet came one after another like a torrential storm, but Qingyin casually sidestepped every attack. The blade could not even touch the hem of her clothes.

The trio of students, who had absolute confidence in Qingyin, had no intention of intervening. Instead, they obediently watched her battle to learn from it.

Judging from his display, Yuyan and Yalin knew they were no match for Wayne.

Feiyan also felt the pressure. If it had been her facing that kind of speed, she definitely could not have remained as composed as Sister Qingyin.

"What skillful dodging. What impressive footwork." Wayne stopped attacking and narrowed his eyes as he observed her, attempting to draw information from her. "Does this evasive technique have a name?"

"It is Stringform Meow," Qingyin replied expressionlessly.

"Meow?" Yalin looked over, her eyes filled with confusion.

"It is a nice name for a technique. Compared to an experienced magical girl like you, I still have quite a considerable gap to make up," Wayne said, shaking his head as he recognized the difference in their strength.

"Have you had enough?" Qingyin tilted her head. "Can you surrender now and let me take you back to the Association to report my completion of the mission?"

"That will not do," Wayne refused.

He had only come to test his strength.

He had not planned on losing his life.

"You think you can get away?" Qingyin's indifferent face seemed filled with pride.

"I do not yet possess the ability to slip away right under an experienced magical girl's nose," Wayne replied with an evil grin. "But if an accident happens, escaping will not be a problem."

He snapped his fingers lightly. Two deafening explosions rang out, and towering flames erupted to the west and north. Even from inside, they could see the blaze outside illuminating the entire night.

"A fireworks show of bombs. Please enjoy it slowly." Wayne bowed. "Magical girls would not abandon the lives of nearby ordinary people, would they?"

"How is that possible!? I clearly cleared all the bombs!" Feiyan said in disbelief.

"Me too! I confirmed there were none left!" Yuyan was equally shocked.

"There was no explosion to the south. That is good." Yalin's tightly held breath eased slightly.

After all, that was where the most people were. Fortunately, she had not made a mistake and had removed every bomb.

"You three, stop the fire from spreading, rescue any civilians who may be in danger, and prevent curious people from entering again." Qingyin turned and gave them orders. "Leave this place to me."

Hearing her reminder, they quickly came to their senses. They answered casually and efficiently flew out of the central factory.

"I am not the only magical girl here." Qingyin looked at Wayne again. "Surrender, and you only lose half."

"Surrender? Hmph, you still do not know, do you?" Wayne said, convinced that victory was in his grasp. "The Blood Purity Court is an organization that purifies bloodlines, and the purest bloodlines belong to Bloodkin children.

"I will tell you now: more than several dozen children are being transported away to the west. Will you capture me, or will you save them? Hahahaha!"

His smile grew increasingly arrogant, and by the end, he burst into wild laughter.

The feeling of plotting against magical girls from the shadows was so wonderful!

Wait another twenty-nine seconds? He could not wait. He would laugh out loud now!

"Capture you," Qingyin replied without changing expression.

"You are not saving them?" Unease arose in Wayne's heart.

Magical girls were the sort who liked to wear every emotion on their faces.

Wayne had never encountered such an utterly unreadable, stone-faced character before.

He could not see through her thoughts. It was extremely troublesome.

"Because I have already saved them," Qingyin explained.

"Impossible!" Wayne reacted violently. "All organization members signed blood pacts and cannot reveal related information, and the one transporting the Bloodkin children was also an officer.

"I knew about you from the moment you entered the factory. With the information you lacked, there was absolutely no way you could have rescued those children in such a short time!"

"Believe it or not."

Too lazy to argue with him, Qingyin manifested her Magic Weapon and looked at him with cold indifference.

Wayne immediately felt as though he stood before an abyss. His legs trembled, and without another word, he sprinted backward, flying hundreds of meters away in an instant.

A cool voice drifted eerily into his ears from afar. Those words seemed like a curse, drawing nearer and nearer, impossible to escape.

"You are already dead."

"Wha↑t↓!!"

Wayne let out a shrill, broken scream and fell from the sky, hitting the ground so hard that his head spun.

But when his eyes regained focus, he found himself still in the center of the factory, lying motionless on the ground.

The gap between them was like an uncrossable chasm, and with it vanished his desire to flee.

"Can you tell me how you managed to save the Bloodkin children in time? There truly was not the slightest leak of information." Wayne gave up resisting, seeking only to satisfy this small curiosity.

"A magical girl's intuition," Qingyin answered honestly.

Intuition? Intuition alone?

She had dared confirm that the transport route was to the west based on intuition alone?

She had intercepted another officer's escort based on intuition alone?

She had successfully rescued the children and destroyed their long-laid plans based on intuition alone?

Magical girls were devious beyond measure.

Wayne passed out from anger.