The Shadow of the Mole

(Miluno)

This is troublesome.

In conclusion, we lost this time because our base was raided.

But it wasn't that we couldn't Fomalhaut; rather, we hadn't considered the actions of the other witches, especially Betelgeuse, who was Voldemort's best at stealing dogs.

"I already know what happened, but I can't get back in time. My advice to you is to rescue SpiCa as soon as possible... at all costs! Xiao Yezi, I'm afraid you'll have to go to the Other Side again, otherwise we'll be in big trouble."

My mom sounded very serious on the other end of the phone, but I had absolutely no idea what to do. I just replied:

"Mom, this isn't something to be taken lightly; it requires careful planning."

"Lin Xi, let me say a few words to the child."

My dad's voice came from the other end of the phone.

In critical moments, the head of the household is the most reliable person.

"Son, my opinion is similar to your mother's, but don't be too anxious. You still have at least half a day to prepare. The Other Side won't make a move against SpiCa so quickly. At this time, the time difference between the two worlds is our biggest advantage."

I responded:

"I understand. Once Minister Hefi wakes up and the Magic Supply System is repaired, we'll prepare to take action."

The old man continued:

"SpiCa has long been in charge of the Association's strategic planning and knows many of our secrets that you, I, and even Sun Ji don't know. If she is also transformed into a witch by Aldebaran, then the Association can really disband on the spot. On the other hand, her magic will be very troublesome once she becomes a witch. We will have a hard time guarding against mind control magic. We must save her."

To this, I said:

"Witchification takes time; it won't happen so quickly."

"This operation could be very dangerous, and as a father, I don't want my child to take such a risk, but it concerns the life and death of all humanity, and you happen to have the ability to resolve it..."

"Dad, stop talking. I will definitely do what it's my turn to do. I'm not a coward."

"But I'm... better safe than sorry."

My dad is worried about me too.

After hanging up the phone, I leaned against the corridor instead of going straight back to the Wormhole Laboratory.

"Miluno, what did your aunt say?"

Ceruno ran out of the laboratory.

"She can't come back for now, but she told us to rescue SpiCa as soon as possible."

Ceruno grabbed my hand and walked towards the lab, saying:

"Miss Yin Wei thinks so too. Oh, she's in temporary command right now."

Sirius and SpiCa were both unavailable, so she filled in temporarily?

"So what are her plans?"

Ceruno countered with:

"She doesn't know you can go directly to the Other Side yet. Do you think we should tell her?"

According to my mother, no one in the Association is trustworthy now, and besides, it's difficult for anyone other than me to help with this rescue mission.

I thought about it and answered anyway:

"No need to tell her, we'll handle things on our own from now on, but we'll have to wait for Minister Hefi to wake up..."

Because she dragged me into the wormhole research lab, I shut up and didn't say anything more.

Metal and Minister Hefi were taken to a treatment facility by the medical team, while Yin Wei was at the control panel reviewing the connection records of the Wormhole Device.

"The positioning module was indeed turned off by Metal, in other words, the wormhole we just created wasn't opened by us."

Yin Lu tilted her head and leaned against her younger sister, asking:

"Xiao Wei, does that mean the 'The Other Side' can also directly use our Wormhole Device? Wouldn't that be incredibly dangerous?"

Yin Wei shook her head and replied:

"No, 'The Other Side' can't, but other Wormhole Device can connect through a pre-defined scheme... Then, other Wormhole Device with normal positioning modules can open the door to 'the Other Side'."

Ceruno chin on her hand, gathered her thoughts, and asked:

"So, Betelgeuse used other Wormhole Device as a springboard to get here?"

Yin Wei simply nodded in affirmation, Ceruno then asked:

"But their arrival was too sudden. Were they lying in ambush here, waiting for an opportunity to strike?"

Impossible.

Fomalhaut's arrival here was entirely due to my mishap. It's hard to imagine that "the Other Side" had any plans for this; they must have noticed Fomalhaut and Sun Ji's situation and dispatched Betelgeuse for an emergency operation...

Yin Wei turned around, pushed away her older sister who was clinging to her, and then said:

"Is it because the timing doesn't match? But there's a way for them to seamlessly arrive here from the Other Side via Wormhole Device."

What is it?

"It's very simple. Open two adjacent teleportation channels at the same time, one connecting to the Sky Branch's Wormhole Laboratory and the other leading to 'the Other Side.' Using these as transit points, enemy troops can be deployed into any Wormhole Device."

"But where can you find such adjacent... Ah!"

Ceruno slapped her forehead; I understood what Yin Wei meant.

"Let's go, Ceruno, let's go back and investigate."

The only place I can think of that could do what Yin Wei described is the entrance hall of the "Zodiacal" Magic Academy.

Ceruno clearly thought the same thing as me.

The mole gave himself away, but we failed to catch him.

But it can still be salvaged. That mole definitely hasn't left the City School yet. As long as she's not allowed to escape, catching her is only a matter of time...

Back at the City School via the Wormhole Device, I said to Ceruno:

"There are surveillance cameras in the entrance hall. Go to the Control Tower and check the footage. At the same time, issue an order via broadcast prohibiting any magical girl from leaving the City School."

She nodded and then asked, "And what about you?"

"I'll go find Principal Xiao Yi, and while I'm at it, I'll also find two trustworthy helpers."

"OK!"

Most people in the city don't trust him. Although it may sound harsh, the magical girls in Skyreach City are all suspicious, given that the Sky Branch has always been Sun Ji's base.

But there are two... inhuman guys who are still trustworthy.

Back at Skyreach Dormitory, I picked up the Doggy by the neck from the next dormitory and carried it out. It was enjoying the steak that Jaeger was feeding it.

"Woof?" (What's wrong?)

She shook her body and transformed into a human form in my hands.

I explained:

"Something's come up to me. You need to come with me."

"There's even something about me being a mascot?"

So, she sees herself as a mascot?

"I need to borrow your keen sense of smell. There's a mole in the City School; SpiCa has been captured by 'the Other Side.' You should be of use following me."

"Woof! Leave it to me!"

She rubbed her nose with her index finger.

I then opened the teleportation portal and went directly to the library in the teaching area.

"Antarctic Star, are you there?"

The library was rather empty; even my shouts echoed.

"Miluno, I know why you've come."

The Antarctic Star suddenly appeared behind me.

She was wearing the City School's long robe uniform, but on her head she wore a khaki plaid deerstalker hat.

"What do you know?"

She pressed down on the brim of her hat and stated:

"I have my own intelligence network. I know everything about the Sky Branch. I have informants planted by Sun Ji at the school. You want me to help you find them?"

Wow, that's amazing! She's clearly a divorced penguin girl.

"It seems I haven't chosen the wrong person. I'd like to borrow your brain to help me find the mole within the City School."

"No problem."

She then pulled out an unlit wooden pipe and put it in her mouth.

"Let's go find Principal Xiao Yi first, Watson."

She seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit.