Melodious music filled the coffee shop. Golden Tea listened to the voices around her, and although there was some malice, most of them were normal sentiments.
He finally regained his calm and elegant expression and sipped his coffee.
[That Xiami is so slow! She was the one who initiated the duel challenge, but she's late... Here she comes!]
[Oh no, oh no! I wanted to overpower Taotao by arriving earlier, but I overslept. Waaah, I'm such an idiot...]
The girl's sweet, thoughtful words drifted over, Golden Tea smiled slightly as she watched the girl clumsily run into the coffee shop to find her companion.
As expected, cases like Keke's and Li Yi's are still rare.
During her trip to the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, Golden Tea realized that human malice was not so terrible.
What's frightening is the unknown language.
Things like "Which girl should I go on a date with today?", "I wish I could marry a magical girl!", "I really want to blow up the company!", and "Should I poison my whole family while cooking so we can all go to heaven together?" are actually pretty ordinary...
No, what's going on with the last one?
Golden Tea glanced at the housewife below, sighed, took out a card, blew on it, and the card turned into starlight, scattering onto the woman.
[Sigh, forget it, let's just get a divorce...]
Although we don't know what happened, it would be best to solve the problem in a normal way.
Seeing the woman leave her seat, and then many other people walk out, the noise level soon dropped considerably, and Golden Tea picked up her coffee cup again.
Magical girls are beings that bring miracles and happiness, but having heard countless heartfelt words, Golden Tea knew long ago that true happiness is not so easily obtained.
True happiness requires one to strive for and acquire it.
The process and the result together make up the experience of happiness.
Magic is not omnipotent; magical girls can only provide an environment for pursuing happiness, but they cannot directly make people happy.
The more you interfere in other people's normal lives, the more unhappiness you will bring.
Extraordinary power can only protect everyone's ordinary life.
If it's intended to change people's ordinary lives, it will only lead to disaster.
The Witch Association with the Calamity Beast was born from this mistake.
Moreover, who can say that these hardships are not part of a happy life?
If we persevere through the difficulties until the clouds part, happiness will surely be found.
I took another sip of coffee, which had been filled with more than half a cup of sugar.
In fact, Golden Tea doesn't like coffee.
Because coffee is bitter, she has never liked bitter things since she was a child, but since becoming a councilor at the General Bureau, Golden Tea has decided to become like an adult.
Magical girls are still children, and they don't handle many things very well, especially when it comes to adult matters. There aren't many people who would stand up for the interests of magical girls, and as their representative, she has to do just that.
She must not let others see her immaturity and naivety; she must always maintain elegance and composure. As a councilor, she must protect the other magical girls and fight for their interests and assistance.
You must act like a mature adult and not let others see through you.
Therefore, they dress in mature clothes, drink mature coffee, and constantly imitate adults in their words and actions.
With her mind-reading ability, she always maintained a sense of ease and composure.
If you can always pretend to be an adult, then who can say they are a child?
Although deep down, Golden Tea always considered herself a child.
When buying train tickets, I subconsciously want to buy children's tickets; when ordering food, I always glance at the children's meals; when talking about children's activities, I always think about participating myself.
But she kept it very well hidden.
The Azure Cloud Sect was very sincere, choosing a coffee shop in the city center as the location for the negotiations, which clearly showed that they had no intention of taking action.
Therefore, Golden Tea simply sent the rest of the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau members who had followed her back.
The members of the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, on the contrary, somewhat disturbed her thoughts.
The coffee shop is high-end and seems to be an asset of the Ice-Colored Era Group. As a behemoth group that gets involved in every industry, even the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau has related business cooperation with the Ice-Colored Group.
When I first entered, there was even a small welcome from below.
That was done very well.
Compared to the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, they have much more self-respect and value this meeting much more.
After I took a sip of my coffee, the waiter turned on some music.
The melodious classical music put me in a good mood, even though Golden Tea doesn't actually like classical music that much.
She prefers pop music, especially pop music related to love.
The chattering of the girls, including their innermost thoughts, drifted over again.
My sister ate an extra bite of cake earlier, so we have to get it back this time!
My sister ate one less piece of cake before, so she has to give it back this time, or she'll definitely throw a tantrum.
[Ugh, if the hood covers it, the hair clip won't be visible, but it's so uncomfortable without a hood...]
[Hehehe, three golds in ten pulls. Too bad nobody plays, so they don't know how valuable my pulls are. What can stop me now? But why is the next featured character Iris? I remember she's not popular, right?]
The heartfelt words brimming with youthful energy made Golden Tea feel a few years younger herself.
And that girl in the blue dress, Iris is quite popular.
After internally refuting this notion, Golden Tea began to miss Iris and Qingluan again.
I hope their assessment goes well.
From a distance outside the cafe, she could not ignore the voice in her mind: [Huh? Wasn't the cafe supposed to be booked for private use? Why are there so many people on the first floor?]
[Wow, they Return to Truth booked the whole place! I'm off!]
Private room? Golden Tea frowned, but those few thoughts had already faded away, drowned out by the growing clamor of voices downstairs.
Golden Tea, who was just about to ponder the implications of "booking out the entire venue," suddenly noticed something in the whispers downstairs that she couldn't ignore—
[I've already hunted 20 Calamity Beast and five members of the Witch Association this month. I'm going to advance to the inner sect, sister. This is my victory!]
[She probably doesn't know I've already passed the inner sect assessment, you foolish little sister, I've won again!]
[Why do I always fail the inner sect assessment? Is the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau setting me up? I've retaken it 30 times and paid 3000 yuan, but I still can't pass. Is this assessment really that hard? Harder than a driver's license test? Does it mean I'm not worthy of entering the inner sect if I don't have a bit of luck?]
[Ugh, I really want to go home and play games. I should have brought my Steam frame over if I knew it would be this boring. Let's review this morning's ranked matches... Review my ass! They were completely disorganized and played like nobody else. Why are these guys only good at teamwork when they surrender? Are you guys really King rank? Seriously, when it comes to teamwork, we Azure Cloud Sect are the best...]
Inner Sect? Azure Cloud Sect?
[However, this mission was quite profitable; you could eat and drink for free at a place like this, and also get rewards and bonuses.]
[It's so delicious! The sect mission rewards include a free monthly card. If we choose this, it can become our Magica Band's exclusive gathering place. I'm going to come here every day to make videos, hehe.]
[Quite a few disciples from both the outer and inner sects have come. Actually, this is just the sect finding an excuse for team building.]
Suddenly, I felt a chill.
Private event?
"Yes, "Golden Tea finally realized.
This coffee shop has been booked by the Azure Cloud Sect, so who else could be in besides her?
Azure Cloud Sect, do they have this many magical girls just in Beihai? Have I stumbled into a den of magical girls from the Azure Cloud Sect? The noise downstairs is getting louder and louder, and it's almost impossible to tell how many magical girls there are.
What's even more unsettling is that the voices downstairs contain many unknown languages that sound inhuman and feel even more terrifying than the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!
Golden Tea told herself not to panic, but she didn't notice that a thin layer of ice had formed on the steaming coffee in her cup.
Then, everything fell silent.
Not only the sound of voices, but also the unspoken thoughts, vanished from my ears in an instant.
Only endless chill remained.
When she came to her senses, the ice-blue magical girl sat opposite her, her posture elegant and composed, a faint smile on her face, looking her over. "Hello, Miss Golden Tea."
The voice carried a strange chill, traveling from my ears all the way to my head and heart.
Golden Tea stared at her blankly, then steadied her breathing.
New Sprout magical girl.
However, the sense of oppression is completely different.
The feeling of being covered in ice all over my body was as if I were completely under her control.
Elegant and composed.
More importantly, there was that confidence that seemed to indicate that everything was under control.
A mature and elegant temperament, and the goals one pursues.
Golden Tea smiled. Now their personas were going to overlap, and what was even more frightening was that she seemed to be inferior to the other person.
"Hello, Magical Girl Winter Lord?"
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
It didn't take that long.
Golden Tea tilted her head, wanting to pick up her coffee and take a sip, but Winter Lord stopped her hand, saying, "If you don't like it, you don't have to drink it like this."
As he said this, he called over the waiter next to him, and soon a cup of hot milk was brought over.
"While half a cup of sugar can alleviate bitterness, it doesn't necessarily make the coffee taste better. Adding milk makes the texture smoother, and most importantly, it allows you to enjoy the aroma of the coffee without tasting the bitterness."
Winter Lord personally added milk to her coffee, saying, "This might suit you better; try it."
Golden Tea stirred the milk, took a sip, and found it to be a lukewarm milk coffee made from the mixture of iced coffee and hot milk. After taking another sip, she sighed and nodded, "It's really good."
But how did the other person figure out that you don't actually like coffee?
"Your actions and expressions reveal your preferences. For example, when you pick up your coffee, your lips twitch noticeably. If you don't like something, just don't drink it. If you really want to drink it, you can choose a way that suits you."
Golden Tea was taken aback, looking up at the ice-blue magical girl opposite her who still wore a smile. "You can hear my thoughts?"
"No, this is called Echo." Winter Lord didn't hide anything and explained frankly, "Ice is like a mirror, reflecting light. So, if developed properly, it can create Spell that reflects the abilities of others. I call it Echo. Your Echo is especially useful, particularly during negotiations."
"I'm sorry, I don't see any similarity between reflecting light and reflecting abilities, or how they are related. I can't imagine how to develop reflecting abilities using reflected light..."
"Well, that's a secret of my Azure Cloud Sect," Winter Lord said with a faint smile. "If you're curious, you can join our Azure Cloud Sect and see for yourself."
Shaking her head with a chuckle, Golden Tea sighed, but still maintained a calm expression. "I really lose to you. Are all the magical girls of the Azure Cloud Sect as powerful as you?"
"No," Winter Lord stirred his coffee, "There are many people more capable than me."
"That's Return to Truth frightening." Golden Tea crossed her arms, leaned forward slightly, and carefully examined Winter Lord's face. "But that's precisely why the Azure Cloud Sect seems reliable. You possess such great power, yet you're still willing to coexist peacefully with the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau and protect the citizens."
"You didn't come to see me just to talk about that, did you?" Winter Lord didn't accept her flattery. "Our time is precious, and I hope Miss Golden Tea won't waste our patience."
I can no longer hear any of my own thoughts.
She couldn't even hear the thoughts of the girls below.
This was the first time Golden Tea had negotiated and engaged in discussions without knowing what the other party was thinking.
"Alright, let's get straight to the point." Golden Tea gracefully added another sugar to her coffee. Noticing Winter Lord's frown across from her, she couldn't help but smile. "As you said, I'll do it my way."
"Please go ahead."
"You've probably heard about the Mental Image Remnants lately. They're the personal spaces left behind by the Full Bloom Mental Image Remnants, and for the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, they're a top priority," Golden Tea emphasized. " Witch Association. We've been busy finding solutions all this time."
"You want the Azure Cloud Sect's help?"
"I don't have that authority," Golden Tea explained, then continued, "However, if the Azure Cloud Sect is willing to enter the Mental Image Remnants and help deal with such a dangerous thing, Golden Tea would naturally be very grateful to you. After all, the Mental Image Remnants of the Full Bloom Magical Girl is huge, and a slight mistake could even overturn the world. Even just to protect themselves, the Azure Cloud Sect might have no choice but to intervene."
Winter Lord smiled, neither confirming nor denying.
"The main reason I'm here is to share some information about the Mental Image Remnants with you."
Golden Tea downed the overly sweet coffee in one gulp. "Do you know about the Land of Mirrors that once existed in South China?"
Winter Lord seemed to remember something, her expression changing slightly. "I've heard a little about it."
Although she noticed the change in the other person's expression, Golden Tea knew there was no need to change the subject. "The culprit that once paralyzed South China, forced a large number of people to leave their homes, and caused the economy to plummet, from which it has yet to recover, the influence of the Land of Mirrors still lingers today."
This information is all classified by the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau. Although Winter Lord has found some clues, he obviously still doesn't know the more specific details.
"Under the influence of the Land of Mirrors, even Calamity Beast cannot be generated, so magical girls cannot be born in the South China region. We can only send magical girls from outside to provide support, but we are completely unable to stop the invasion of the Land of Mirrors. At one point, they even wanted to rule the entire South China."
At this point, Golden Tea's expression became somewhat complicated. "Later, a magical girl, unable to bear it any longer, ventured deep into the Land of Mirrors and entered the Realm of Full Bloom."
Winter Lord's expression turned serious. "Is this the magical girl with the Mental Image Remnants?"
"Yes, Magical Girl, Mujin," Golden Tea continued. "She defeated the Mirror King of the Land of Mirrors and sealed the entire Land of Mirrors before disappearing forever. It took us a long time to confirm that the Mental Image Remnants that have appeared are those of Magical Girl Mujin. She entered the Full Bloom to save everyone in South China, and even sacrificed her life."
"But in the end, the remaining Mental Image Remnants became a huge hidden danger and disaster."
"That's truly regrettable," Winter Lord sighed regretfully. "But this information isn't important, is it? At least it's not worth the trip you made."
After a moment of silence, Golden Tea finally spoke.
"The key to unlocking the sealed Land of Mirrors lies within the Mental Image Remnants; this was said by the Incubators of the Magical Girl Mujin."
Winter Lord paused in stirring his coffee, his expression finally turning serious.
However, just as he was about to speak, Blue Flower loud shout came from below.
"Waiter, waiter! This coffee is way too weak!"
A waiter quickly came over to reassure them, "Sorry, sir, this is Kopi Luwak (civet coffee), that's how it tastes."
"How can I drink something so bland? Add more shit to my drink!"
Golden Tea, who had been keeping a straight face, suddenly covered her mouth and burst out laughing.
Winter Lord smiled helplessly, and then said:
"Understood, our Azure Cloud Sect will be mindful."
"By the way, the Azure Cloud Sect's methods are too cruel, causing considerable resentment and hostility. Many people feel you're not magical girls enough," Golden Tea thought for a moment and then said, "After all, the Witch Association that has emerged now is no match for you. A slightly gentler approach would make it easier to gain public support."
"Sorry, our Azure Cloud Sect isn't some magical girl organization." Winter Lord smiled slightly.
"We are cultivators, please don't expect us to act like magical girls."
The piercing screams outside gradually subsided, but the Hyacinth, who were conducting experiments, remained silent.
Si Motu was still lying on the lab table, quietly continuing his experiments.
"Shouldn't we go save her?" Hyacinth asked, concentrating on injecting the medicine and performing the surgery. " Xilan, is she your companion?"
"No need."
Hearing Si Motu's emotionless voice, Hyacinth shook her head with some regret, "What a pitiful child, Xilan, who trusted you so much."
Focus on your experiment.
Hyacinth didn't refute, but continued modifying the other person's body. "Why did you join the Witch Association?"
"It's best not to chat while doing experiments, right?"
"It's alright. I've done the Complete Witch experiment many times before, and it's not complicated. It's just time-consuming. I can do it with my eyes closed without any problems. Getting to know each other will be more beneficial for the experiment."
"Is there a single word of truth in your mouth?"
"What do you think?" Hyacinth chuckled, genuinely, "I just wonder why someone with your strength would join the Witch Association?"
"I need power, I want to become stronger, but I can't become a magical girl, so I can only join the Witch Association."
"That makes some sense."
Noticing that the other person paused slightly in their movements, Jiang Si frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, sorry, I accidentally left the tweezers in your stomach."
"... Didn't you say it was okay to close your eyes?"
"It's not necessarily the case if your eyes are open." Hyacinth wasn't embarrassed at all. "Let me take it out for you."
"No need."
Jiang Si sat up. "Mere tweezers? My body can digest them."
Hyacinth, who had originally intended to make some demands, paused for a moment, "The human body cannot digest metal, Si Motu."
"A well-trained body is not all the same." Jiang Si looked at her disdainfully, as if she were a country bumpkin. "You'd better brush up on your common sense."
"I've never heard of such common sense." Hyacinth thought for a moment, but ultimately didn't untie the stitches, since the other party had already said so.
Then let's just leave it inside.
"However, your physical strength and pain tolerance have truly exceeded my expectations. You didn't react at all during surgery, which required pure magic enchantment to cut through, without anesthesia or any medication. Hmm, how about this?"
He deliberately used a needle to prick a nerve—a technique that would make even the toughest man cry out in pain—but Si Motu let out a cold laugh, "Are you tickling me?"
His muscles were very relaxed, not even tense, and not a drop of sweat appeared on his forehead.
All the physiological reactions proved that the other person really did not feel any pain.
Unbelievable.
"Someone like you Witch Association."
Suddenly, the Hyacinth seemed to remember something and asked, "Are you interested in the Land of Mirrors?"
"Not interested."
" The Witch Association is actually just a representative of the Land of Mirrors. Much of their power comes from Alice of the Land of Mirrors. If you want to be stronger and have more power, the Land of Mirrors is a better choice."
"It doesn't feel as good as the Witch Association."
You'll see once you try.
"Shut up, let me be Complete Witch."
The Hyacinth didn't say anything.
Instead, they put down the scalpel and other tools that contained magic, for the other person's body was as hard as stone.
Without magical enhancement, it cannot even be opened.
After packing up the props, I wiped away the bloodstains and took off my gloves.
"It's finished."
Hyacinth put her hands back into the pockets of her black coat and quietly watched Si Motu sit up.
How are you feeling?
Jiang Si got up and stretched.
This time, when the Filthy Magic Power flowed through his internal organs, it no longer brought any pain or rejection.
However, the Filthy Magic Power itself did not experience a qualitative change.
"I'm not entirely sure; we need to find an opponent to test it out."
Hyacinth tilted its head. "There aren't any lab opponents here, are there?"
"Isn't there one right here?"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than a fierce whip kick suddenly slammed into Hyacinth's head!
He instinctively reached out to block, and a crisp cracking sound came from his right arm. Then, with terrifying force, he was kicked flying and crashed into the window with a loud "thud!"
Before Hyacinth could even react, another powerful kick landed squarely on her stomach!
It flew directly out of the window and crashed into the Hyacinth at the bottom of the building, spitting blood as it struggled to extract its Miracle Seed.
Sunset, dusk, afterglow.
"Listen to the final lament before nightfall."
The instant the invincible transformation frame disappeared, Si Motu once again leaped out of the laboratory like a meteor, carrying terrifying power, and kicked towards the head of the black magical girl!
However, only ripples of water spread out in front of the magical girl's head.
The next second, it was Si Motu's body that was launched like a cannonball along the path he had just rushed out!
After bumping into the laboratory, it emerged from a window on the other side of the building and crashed into the lake in the center of the campus, splashing up a huge Splash!
As the school alarm sounded and students and teachers screamed, the magical girl Hyacinth slowly landed.
He waved his hand and used magic to catch the falling rubble and glass, protecting the teachers and students.
In a gentle tone. "Hitting me is like hitting yourself, Si Motu."
With a splashing sound, Jiang Si emerged from the bottom of the lake, her mask already half-shattered.
He casually took out a Grief Seed, passed it through the mask, and placed it on the Blood Cross between his eyebrows.