Lady Sister Knew How to Make Money Too!

"Not for free."

Liang Bing held up a finger.

"The bureau's collecting leads across the city on someone's whereabouts—Ziwei, and the Star Magical Girls organization."

"If you can provide a confirmed lead on Lady Ziwei's movements, the Action Team can approve a twenty-thousand-Federal-Coin Tip Fee on the spot."

"And if you can arrange an in-person meeting between the authorities and the Magical Girl herself—"

She paused.

"One million."

Su Bai's eyes lit up.

One million!

I almost want to report myself!

"Master!" Kabi's fur bristled against his back. "You're not thinking of reporting yourself again, are you?! You had the same idea when the reward was only a hundred thousand, right after you first transformed!"

Shut up.

That was then. This time it's a million... No, I still can't do it for a million.

"Twenty thousand." Su Bai tucked the card into his pocket and clicked his tongue. "Officer, twenty thousand won't even buy a bathroom in Xinghai City."

"A million's more like it. Enough for a down payment."

"Shame I'm just a delivery guy. Where am I supposed to find you a Magical Girl? She flies through the sky; I run around on the ground. We'll never cross paths."

Han Dong made one last circuit of the apartment with the detector. Its needle stayed flat.

He shook his head at Liang Bing, packed the recorder into his bag, and stood up.

"If you get a lead, call the number on the card." His voice was rough. "If you don't, pretend we were never here."

"Sure thing." Su Bai opened the door. "Take care, officers. The hallway light's been out for two days, so watch your step."

The security door shut.

The bedroom door flew open with a bang.

Su Xiaoxiao charged out clutching her phone, her twin ponytails bouncing.

"Bro! Did you hear that? Officially confirmed! Federation secret! Savior!"

"I didn't hear a thing." Su Bai kept his face blank. "They were here to check the water meter."

"You're lying! I heard every word from behind the door!"

"You didn't hear squat." Su Bai shoved the remaining boxed meal into the microwave. "Confidentiality rules. Leak a secret and you get detained. Say one more word and the Monster Hunting Bureau will come for you tomorrow."

Su Xiaoxiao's mouth hung open, the words stuck in her throat.

After three seconds, she managed, "Then... I'll just say it in my head."

"Not even in your head."

"Hajige, you're a monster!"

Outside, in the hallway.

Han Dong stopped short.

Liang Bing took two more steps before looking back. "What is it?"

Han Dong didn't answer.

He tilted his head, one ear turned toward apartment 703.

A Three-Star Enforcer could pick out someone's breathing through two walls. A moment ago, he had distinctly heard a high, thin sound from inside that belonged to neither sibling.

But listening now—

"Hajige, you're a monster!"

The girl's full-throated yell carried through the door.

Then came the hum of the microwave, the young man's footsteps, and a chair leg scraping the tile.

Two people. Just two.

"Han?" Liang Bing stopped and watched him.

"Nothing." Han Dong looked away, shook his head, and headed downstairs.

"Must've heard wrong..."

An engine started downstairs.

Su Bai pulled back a corner of the curtain. The black Enforcement Vehicle backed out of its parking space, rolled over the speed bump by the entrance, and turned onto the main road. Its taillights flashed twice before it disappeared into traffic.

He let the curtain fall.

"They're gone."

"Bro!" Su Xiaoxiao rushed out of the kitchen with a bowl, sauce still on her lips. "I heard it all! A million! They'll pay a million for a lead!"

"Can't you keep your mouth shut while you eat?"

"Let's team up!" She thumped her bowl onto the table. "I'll play Lady Ziwei, then you catch me! We'll split the million!"

"..."

"How do we split it?"

"Seventy-thirty, my way! It's my intel!"

"Fine." Su Bai headed for the bedroom. "Let me know when you become a Magical Girl. I'd like that million too."

"Hajige, you're not taking me seriously!"

Su Bai shut the door behind him and locked it.

"Bro! Come out! Sixty-forty! How about sixty-forty?"

"Do the dishes!"

Silence held for two seconds outside the door. Then came a long, drawn-out wail, followed by slippers slapping away.

"..."

Kabi popped out of the shadows, fur standing on end, and gasped for air in midair.

"I thought I'd suffocate!" He did a somersault. "Master, are those two officers really gone?"

"Gone. Their car's two streets away." Su Bai sat on the edge of the bed and suddenly laughed. "Kabi, did you see that Enforcer's face?"

"Which one? When?"

"When I slapped that magazine onto the table." Su Bai copied Liang Bing's stern expression. "I threw their own fake notice in their faces. I nearly hurt myself holding in the laughter."

"I saw!" Kabi rolled around clutching his belly. "She turned green! She personally oversaw the stamp on that issue! How did you keep a straight face, Master?"

"Pinched my thigh." Su Bai tugged up his pant leg. "Look. Purple."

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

After a while, the laughter died down.

Su Bai stared at the ceiling for a moment, then spoke.

"Kabi, tonight was the first time, but it won't be the last."

"Hm?"

"If they can search every apartment once, they can do it again." Su Bai counted on his fingers. "This building has no Barrier, no hidden compartments, and only a railing separates our balcony from the one next door. I've stuffed all those cores and stones under the bed."

"Under the bed seems fine."

"Fine?" Su Bai glanced at him. "What happens when Xiaoxiao does a big clean and finds two Lord Cores? What am I supposed to tell her—that they're pebbles I picked up?"

Kabi pictured it and drew his neck in.

"Then what do we do?"

"Let's count what we've got first." Su Bai nodded toward the desk. "Open the terminal."

Kabi floated over to the desk and waved a stubby hand. The Star Magical Girls' dedicated terminal projected a screen into the air.

Settlement notifications popped up one after another, their chimes overlapping.

"Two Lord Cores from West District. Black Crow has already sold them, and the money's in your Private Account."

"Six crates of Spirit-Breath Primeval Stone. They're awaiting appraisal; no reply yet."

"Total tips from patron 'C': seven million Federal Coins."

"Public Fund Pool payout: six million six hundred and twenty thousand."

"Tips plus the pool, total—" Kabi paused. "Eighteen million six hundred and twenty thousand Federal Coins."

Su Bai froze with his water glass halfway to his mouth.

"How much?"

"Eighteen million six hundred and twenty thousand!" Kabi swung the screen right up to his face. "And that's not counting the six crates of stone! Master, we're rich!"

Su Bai stared at the number for three seconds.

"Where did all this money come from?"

"Good question!" Kabi swiped a stubby hand and brought up the account details. "See for yourself."

The details scrolled down.

Top-up records filled the screen: a few hundred here, a few thousand there. The largest was three million eight hundred thousand. Every payment had come through the same portal—

"Lady Ziwei Support Pool."

Organizer: Dark Dragon Pitch-Black Flame Envoy.