Contagious Panic

(Bai Ziye)

The unusually strong red thread dissipated along with the disappearance of the wormhole, and I, who was hanging upside down, was thrown to the ground.

In the end, I did nothing. Like a clown trying to stick his neck out, I watched helplessly as the bound and gagged Heat Haze was carried into the wormhole by that crazy woman.

He clearly had the ability to stop it, but...

Click--click--

The heavy air-raid shelter door was forcefully pried open by a giant arm of light.

Hey! Are you guys alright?

Falcon was the first to fly in, taking in the mess inside the air-raid shelter and the wheelchair overturned on the ground.

"Kagerou... Where's Heat Haze?"

Xiao Yi replied, "Sister Heat Haze has been taken away."

"By whom? Kidnapped? From where did you get out?" Sirius pressed.

"A wormhole... they opened a wormhole inside the air-raid shelter."

I dare not look into Sirius's eyes.

Because only she understands my identity.

Back in the auditorium, of course, there were no more media reporters present.

However, SpiCa arrived from headquarters.

"The wormhole was fake; nothing was actually sent through it. It was just bait to lure the 'magical girl' away... I thought the target was Ceruno- chan, but it turned out to be Heat Haze... Is there anything special about that child?"

Sirius was pondering with his chin in his hand when SpiCa slammed his hand on the table.

She angrily demanded, "Sirius, why did you take her out of the treatment facility on your own initiative? Why did this happen with you present? Can you give me an explanation?"

"... This was indeed my oversight."

SpiCa was unusually excited, and Sirius was unusually unable to lift its head.

I can't lift it either...

Ceruno crouched down beside me and whispered, "Yezi, what exactly happened?"

"Xiao Yi already said that."

She lowered her head and said, "Those people were probably sent by Father, Miss SpiCa."

SpiCa replied, "There is currently no evidence to prove that A-Ji is involved in this kidnapping incident."

"But the red-haired woman, isn't that Secretary-General Anjie!"

When it comes to his own father, this idiot is even more flustered than I am.

Sirius, however, said, "The other party has already mastered the Association's exclusive wormhole technology... If this was leaked by A-Ji... then that's a serious crime."

"Do you also think he did it?"

"If there's no evidence, even if he did it, there's nothing we can do, right? As long as it's done cleanly enough..."

Sirius looked at me.

"... Bai Ziye, do you have any clues?"

Clues...

The leak of wormhole technology...

Wait, a while ago...

"Geneva."

Geneva? Why mention Switzerland?

"My parents are the Association's 'secret police.' I don't know what to call them, but they're in Geneva investigating a mole within the Association, and it seems the leak was about wormhole technology."

"... I know about that, but why do you always tell your family about things like that?"

SpiCa rubbed his temples and said, "I'll contact those two prosecutors. Sirius and I will go back to the branch. The rest of you can leave for now."

"Disband?"

"Gathering together like this won't get us anywhere; it's more efficient for me to act alone."

Ceruno raised her hand.

"... Actually, I have a question?"

"What."

"The magic that Xiao Yi mentioned... the magical girl... is it really about creating wormholes?"

I don't understand Ceruno's intention in asking that question. To me, that halo clearly looks like a wormhole.

But SpiCa seemed lost in thought, resting her chin on her hand.

"I see, those two ordinary bodyguards also passed through the wormhole... so it was probably just a short-range teleportation spell that looked like a wormhole."

"Hmm! I think they should still be in this city, or even near this library. We should launch a thorough search as soon as possible; perhaps we can find Heat Haze before they leave Skyreach City."

Ceruno's analysis is not without merit.

The Wormhole Generator, which requires an independent power supply, cannot be sustained by the magic of a single magical girl.

Falcon flew out of the window and began searching the vicinity.

My friend was kidnapped as soon as we arrived in Skyreach City. Even she wasn't in the mood for laughter anymore. I had to do something...

"Then I'll go look around nearby too..."

I had just stood up when Ceruno pressed me back into my seat.

"Yezi, just stay here! Even if you find the person, there's nothing you can do, right?"

"I..."

Ceruno's words made me even more tormented.

For whatever reason, in order to keep my secret, I chose not to help Heat Haze.

This is an undeniable fact.

"Something terrible has happened, Director SpiCa!"

Yin Lu rushed in from outside the lecture hall.

"Don't panic, explain calmly."

SpiCa patted her on the back, and Yin Lu continued, "Something... something terrible has happened! Those media reporters just reported what happened in the air-raid shelter! It seems like over a dozen media outlets coordinated their reports almost simultaneously, probably to grab headlines and traffic..."

"Spreading rumors and misleading the public! Do they think that because there are so many people, the Association can get away with anything? What have they even reported?"

"An unknown terrorist organization possesses the technology to forcibly use Star Crystal, as well as wormhole applications more advanced than the Association's... and the fact that the magical girl Heat Haze was kidnapped by them... It's foreseeable that these reports will severely damage the Association's credibility."

Such shocking revelations explain why entertainment reporters lost their minds.

"Director, what should we do about this?"

"It's probably already spread. We need to implement intelligence control. I need to call an emergency meeting..."

"Yes!"

Upon receiving the order, Luer ran out again.

"Go ahead and look for them if you want, but be careful and don't get caught again... and don't make too much of a commotion."

SpiCa looks like he has a headache.

It wasn't just because of Heat Haze, but more because of the reports by those unscrupulous journalists.

Anyone can forcibly use the power of Crystal; the consequences of this technology being exposed would be unimaginable.

The Star Crystal were originally meant to be a filter, preventing those with malicious intentions, a lack of justice, and a sense of responsibility from being chosen. However, if anyone could adapt, the character of the heroes known as "Magical Girls" would be compromised.

Even if the Association can distinguish between "genuine magical girls" and "pirated magical terrorists," the general public cannot. The image of magical girls will be impacted, and magical power will become a "commodity" that can be bought with money...

The mere thought is chilling; what would the world become?

"This is a trap set by 'the Other Side.' Without firing a single shot, they can turn the world upside down by distorting public opinion. Even if we successfully destroy this third-party organization, it will be packaged by those with ulterior motives as 'the Association's actions to monopolize the power of magical girls.' The public won't think that way."

Sirius said, trying to smooth out his furrowed brow.

"Pandora's box has been opened. I'm afraid even the Association won't be able to control the situation from now on."