Jiang Qingyue?
Qi Wu raised an eyebrow.
Well, well.
Wasn't this the future top-tier powerhouse he'd saved, the witch Jiang Qingyue?
She had contacted him out of the blue.
Could she be trying to repay him?
As Qi Wu looked at the name, his eyes lit up.
Right.
Wasn't his team short on members?
If he could recruit Jiang Qingyue...
That would be practically like pulling an SSR.
She's the one!
With that thought, Qi Wu accepted the friend request.
She immediately sent a message:
[Jiang Qingyue]: Hello. You saved my life that day, and I haven't had a chance to thank you!
[Qi Wu]: It was no trouble. But... you didn't contact me just to say thanks, did you?
Qi Wu tapped his fingers lightly against the table, his gaze resting on the screen.
[Jiang Qingyue]: I heard you're recruiting teammates. I'm only a Trainee Agent, but...
After Qi Wu replied, he noticed the typing indicator above the chat flickering on and off, yet no new message appeared.
She seemed terribly conflicted.
Qi Wu was quite surprised.
Was this really the future Death Witch?
Why was she acting like such a hesitant young girl?
In his memories, Jiang Qingyue had always struck him as ruthless and decisive.
It seemed time really could change a person considerably.
Still, it didn't matter.
Wouldn't nurturing her be even better?
If his guess was right...
Aside from thanking him, Jiang Qingyue...
Had another reason for adding him.
She probably wanted to learn the secrets of her Demon God Curse Mark ability from him.
After all, when he'd killed the Gluttony Lord that day...
He'd acted as though he understood Jiang Qingyue's ability very well.
A glint of understanding crossed Qi Wu's eyes.
Then let's wait for Jiang Qingyue's reply.
If he'd guessed correctly...
Jiang Qingyue would invite him out.
On the other side of the screen, Jiang Qingyue clutched her phone, a faint blush spreading across her lovely face.
o(*////▽////*)q
"What do I do? What do I do?!"
Jiang Qingyue buried her burning face in her pillow, muttering adorably to herself.
She had already typed out more than a dozen different replies on her phone, only to delete every one.
"Would writing it like this be too forward..."
"Would saying this make me look weak..."
"Aaah, will he think I'm annoying..."
Jiang Qingyue, the powerhouse who would later be known as the witch, was still just an obscure Trainee Agent.
She tossed and turned on her bed like an anxious little hamster. Finally, with trembling fingers, she sent a message:
[Jiang Qingyue]: C-could I treat you to milk tea?
The instant she sent it, she regretted it. She frantically tried to unsend the message, but accidentally tapped the sticker beside it instead.
[Jiang Qingyue]: [Kitten acting cute.jpg]
"Aaaah!" Jiang Qingyue let out a wail and curled into a ball beneath her blanket.
Her pale toes curled in embarrassment, and the tips of her ears turned scarlet.
Qi Wu nearly laughed aloud at the cute kitten sticker that suddenly popped up on his screen.
This was nothing like the Death Witch in his memories, who could reduce her enemies to ashes with a flick of her fingers.
[Qi Wu]: Sure. After training tomorrow?
Seeing his reply beneath the blanket, Jiang Qingyue abruptly sat up. Static sent her long black hair flying, making her look like a startled little animal. She hastily typed:
[Jiang Qingyue]: O-okay! I know a place near the base that makes really good...
Ah, no...
She deleted it and tried again:
[Jiang Qingyue]: See you tomorrow!
After sending that message, Jiang Qingyue tossed her phone to the foot of the bed and plunged into her pile of pillows.
Her heart raced as though she'd just run a marathon, and she was already agonizing over what to wear tomorrow.
"Should I wear my uniform to look more formal... or would casual clothes seem more natural..."
She muttered softly, like an easily startled ragdoll cat.
This was the future Death Witch who would slaughter countless people.
For now, she was just an unremarkable girl with social anxiety.
The next afternoon, Qi Wu arrived ten minutes early at the Wangba Tea Ji milk tea shop outside the branch office.
The moment he pushed open the door, he noticed a figure wearing a baseball cap in the corner.
"Jiang Qingyue."
Qi Wu walked over to her.
"Yes."
Jiang Qingyue jerked her head up at his voice, revealing a delicate face beneath her cap.
She had clearly put effort into her appearance today.
Light makeup made her already lovely features even more radiant. Pale pink gloss coated her cherry lips, giving them an alluring sheen beneath the shop's lights.
She wore a fitted black turtleneck sweater that perfectly outlined her slender waist and ample bust.
Over it, she wore a little beige blazer, its sleeves rolled up slightly to reveal her pale wrists.
Below was a plaid pleated miniskirt, its hem swaying gently as she scrambled to stand.
Most eye-catching were her beautiful legs, clad in black thigh-high stockings through which her skin showed faintly.
A pair of round-toed leather shoes completed her outfit, and she exuded a contradictory charm that was both innocent and sexy.
"Hello, Mr. Qi Wu..."
Jiang Qingyue's voice was soft and sweet. Beneath the table, her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her clothes.
She had never sat down for milk tea with a boy her own age before.
Qi Wu, dazzlingly handsome before her...
Left her feeling rather at a loss.
The moment they met, her social anxiety kicked in.
And she'd wanted to act a little more composed!
There it went again!
Mr. Qi Wu would definitely think less of her!
At that thought...
Jiang Qingyue felt her cheeks burning so fiercely they might start smoking.
Looking at this Jiang Qingyue, who was nothing like the future Death Witch, Qi Wu couldn't help smiling.
Could Jiang Qingyue have social anxiety?
That was what Qi Wu wondered.
Qi Wu sat down naturally across from her, an easy smile on his lips.
"You know my full name? Just call me Qi Wu."
"O-okay, Mr. Wu!"
Qi Wu couldn't help laughing.
"Mr. Wu. That's not a bad way to address me."
He noticed a cup of pearl milk tea in front of Jiang Qingyue. The condensation on its sides suggested it had been sitting there for quite a while.
Another, freshly made cup sat directly in front of his seat.
"For me?"
Qi Wu picked up the milk tea and found [Full sugar, less ice, double pearls] written on its label-exactly how he usually liked it.
Jiang Qingyue nodded and said quietly:
"I-I read your profile... It said you like full sugar."
"Thanks." Qi Wu took a sip.
"But you can just ask me next time."
Jiang Qingyue instantly flushed to the tips of her ears.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry into your private information!"
"I'm joking." Qi Wu smiled and shook his head. "Let's get down to business. Why do you want to team up with me?"
Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito's buzz, and her gaze kept wandering.
"Because you're really strong, Mr. Wu..."
Qi Wu propped his chin on his hand, looking intrigued.
"That's all?"
Jiang Qingyue unconsciously tugged at the hem of her pleated skirt, nervously crossing her lovely legs in their black thigh-high stockings.
"A-and... when you saved me that day, you seemed to know a lot about my ability..."
Finally, the real reason. Understanding flashed in Qi Wu's eyes, and his voice grew slightly more serious.
"The Demon God Curse Mark, right?"
Jiang Qingyue's eyes widened, her chest rising and falling sharply beneath her sweater.
"You really know about it?"
Qi Wu nodded slightly and lightly tapped the faint curse mark on her wrist.
"Not only do I know about it, I can teach you to control it."
The unexpected touch made Jiang Qingyue shudder, and the curse mark instantly glowed an eerie red.
She hastily covered it, afraid her ability would run out of control.
"Nothing will happen."
Qi Wu smiled softly and withdrew his finger.
"So, do you want to learn how to control it?"
Jiang Qingyue nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at grain, her long black hair swaying with the motion.
"Yes! Very much!"
Suddenly realizing she'd gotten too excited, she immediately shrank back into herself and added softly:
"I-if you're willing to teach me, Mr. Wu..."
Qi Wu laughed at her reaction.
"There's a condition."
"W-what condition?" Jiang Qingyue swallowed nervously.
"Join my team." Qi Wu took out his phone and sent Jiang Qingyue a team invitation.
"My Salvation team currently has only one member."
"Trainee Agents should have a chance to choose another team, right?"
Jiang Qingyue stared at the team invitation that popped up on her phone, her finger trembling slightly as it hovered over the screen.
She stole a glance at Qi Wu and found him watching her with his chin propped on his hand, the hint of a smile on his face.
"Can I really join?"
She asked quietly, lacking confidence.
Qi Wu nodded calmly.
"The Demon God Curse Mark is a very powerful ability."
"In the future, you're destined to stand at the pinnacle of ability users."
"Starting your development now, watching you grow from a little rookie into a powerhouse who can hold her own..."
Qi Wu explained with a smile, "Doesn't that sound interesting?"
Jiang Qingyue blushed again. She lowered her head and thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up as though she'd made up her mind.
"I-I'll join!"
Qi Wu smiled in satisfaction. He drained his milk tea in one gulp and leisurely rose to his feet.
"Welcome to the team."
"Then please join me tomorrow for your first subjugation mission."
With that, he turned and walked out of the milk tea shop.
The glow of the setting sun fell over them both.
As Jiang Qingyue watched Qi Wu walk away, her heart began to race despite herself.
She gathered her courage and nodded solemnly.
"I'll do my best!"
Before you continue