In the basement of a villa in South China.
The monitor flickered intermittently, and screams could be heard.
" Jialan, help----"
Jialan silently watched as yet another stronghold was destroyed.
The magical girl, with her eyes closed, slightly raised her head. Although she didn't open her eyes, Jialan could clearly feel that the other person was looking at her.
The slightest movement of her lips caused Jialan's face to turn ashen.
"You're next."
A flash of sharp magic, and her crystal ball shattered.
Jialan overturned everything on the table and threw it out in one go!
" Azure Cloud Sect!"
Xilan whispered from the side, "Lady Jialan, they shouldn't be able to find this place—"
"They've already fought their way into South China, and you're saying they can't find this place!"
Jialan pointed a finger at Xilan's head and said, "Didn't you say you wanted Si Motu to take my place?"
With each tap, Xilan's head slammed against the wall behind him, making a loud "thump, thump, thump," almost turning him into an idiot.
She was on the verge of tears, crying out, " Jialan, that was Si Motu's intention, not mine! Then let him come! Take my place! Let me see how he handles these crazy girls!"
Jialan tapped Xilan's forehead twice more, then put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath.
The biggest gain this time was originally Si Motu.
The items from the Land of Mirrors and the power within the Mental Image Remnants are not that important to the Witch Association.
It's no secret that the Witch Association lacks mid-level combat power capable of fighting magical girls head-on.
The power of the Si Motu is clearly something that can be mass-produced, if they could obtain controllable transformation powers of the Calamity Beast.
It's not a dream that the Witch Association one day rival the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau.
As a result, she rescued Xilan, and that good-for-nothing said he didn't know where Si Motu was!
What the hell do I need you for!
Do you know how much risk I took to get you out of there?!
" Si Motu has always been capricious, there's nothing I can do about it—" Xilan said with a mournful face, "In the end, his final attempt to reach the highest level likely resulted in him falling into the mirror world of the Land of Mirrors— "
"Bullshit!" Jialan couldn't help but curse. "I know the Prince of the Land of Mirrors, how could I not know whether he went to the Mirror World or not? He simply vanished!"
Xilan's previously mournful face suddenly turned somewhat unpleasant. "Ah? You have an affair with the Land of Mirrors?"
"Yes, what's wrong?"
"We are the Witch Association, how could we have ties with the Land of Mirrors? This is treason! For the sake of the Witch Association, for the sake of Si Motu, we absolutely cannot allow it—"
Jialan slapped her on the forehead. "For the Witch Association, is that it?"
"No, the Witch Association is to change the world—"
He grabbed a book from the side, rolled it up, and slapped Xilan across the face. "Changing the world, huh!"
" Si Motu—— "
Another blow landed on his head. " Si Motu, is that you!"
Xilan clutched her head and begged for mercy, "I was wrong, I was wrong, please stop hitting me, Jialan!"
Finally feeling relieved, Jialan snorted and casually tossed the book aside.
He kicked Xilan again.
I prefer Shuangsheng.
After returning from the Mental Image Remnants, the Prince had been warning her that her Shuangsheng was not of pure heart and that she had betrayed him at the last moment, trying to steal his seed.
But in Jialan's view, this was the true nature of their Witch Association members; betraying allies at crucial moments was the Witch Association's style.
Although they have lost contact now, as the first Complete Witch to survive Shion's clutches, Si Motu possibly dead, she is the only To Live legend of the Witch Association.
Even Jialan couldn't find the Shuangsheng, let alone the Azure Cloud Sect. The Shuangsheng had probably already hidden in some unknown place to save their lives.
She also greatly admired this decisiveness.
She sent the Shuangsheng to lead the way, hoping to give the Prince a big surprise at the last moment.
The Shuangsheng did not disappoint her.
Unfortunately, the Prince had a photographic memory, and the plan ultimately failed.
The opening of the Land of Mirrors would be troublesome; there's been no news from the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, and the Shuangsheng can't be relied on for the time being.
The Azure Cloud Sect is now acting mad everywhere, making everyone in the Witch Association insecure.
With the guild leader not showing up, it seems the Witch Association truly about to be crushed by the Azure Cloud Sect.
Even the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau couldn't stop these lunatics despite their best efforts; instead, they took down the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau as well—it's utterly incomprehensible!
Jialan was also a little scared.
If things continue like this, even if I survive, all the Grief Seed and Calamity Egg I've accumulated over this period, and even those precious experimental subjects, will be wasted.
"What?! Shion's boyfriend, Jiang Si?! Who the hell knows who that is?!"
Jialan grew angrier the more she thought about it, and kicked Xilan hard again, leaving Xilan speechless with rage.
Si Motu, where are you? Waaaaah, Xilan is being bullied like a madman!
If Si Motu were still alive, Xilan would never have fallen to this state!
"Do these magical girls have any professional ethics?! Instead of studying to save the world, they're talking about romance!"
He gritted his teeth. "Don't they still want to know about Si Motu? Go and tell them that Si Motu is dead in the Mental Image Remnants. We don't know anything about their sect leader's boyfriend, Jiang Si."
Xilan pointed blankly at herself, "Should I go?"
"Otherwise what?"
Xilan immediately cried out, "Lord Jialan, this is betrayal—"
Before Xilan could finish speaking, Jialan raised her hand and instinctively curled up into a ball.
"If we don't tell them now, we'll be the ones dying! People are about to die, what do you care about betrayal! Go now!"
Of course, Jialan soon regretted it.
After the news was spread, the Azure Cloud Sect became even more violent!
" Xilan, what have you done!"
" The Azure Cloud Sect has gone mad."
In the hospital, Hongmian looked at the report and rubbed her forehead.
"They've practically slaughtered their way from East China to South China, trying to uproot the Witch Association. They're ruthless. Look at this, ten..."
Both experimental sites were turned into ice sculptures; not a single survivor was left!
Golden Tea, who was sitting next to her, was peeling an apple for the unconscious Iris while watching a silent TV.
This is the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau Bureau's dedicated magical girl hospital. Every magical girl, whether injured or sick, can receive free treatment here as long as she has official certification.
The hospital is quite luxurious, with each magical girl having a large private room fully equipped with all necessary living supplies. If a magical girl suffers lifelong aftereffects from a battle, living here for the rest of her life is not a problem.
"After all, it's their sect leader's boyfriend who got lost," Golden Tea chimed in. "It's normal for them to be anxious."
"There's no need to take control of our Disaster Countermeasures Bureau branch!"
Hongmian was a little agitated, "Several police stations have crippled them, they can't even contact them anymore. They've been helping them find people. She lost her boyfriend, she's going to be at odds with the whole world!"
"Calm down, calm down."
Golden Tea pressed Hongmian, "Don't disturb Iris. Besides, it's not just her boyfriend Jiang Si; aren't they also looking for Si Motu of the Witch Association? If they can find him, it will be like eliminating a threat for us."
"Snort."
Hongmian sat down angrily.
It's no wonder she was angry, because the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau she was in had already been taken over by the Azure Cloud Sect long ago.
As a Disaster Countermeasures Bureau in a large city, it had a total of five Full Blossom Magical Girls. However, they simply refused the Azure Cloud Sect's request to help find someone, and the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau lost contact with the headquarters the next day.
By the time they made contact, the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau in Hongmian's hometown had already begun working at full capacity to help the Azure Cloud Sect find people.
That's why illegal organizations are dangerous.
Hongmian stood beside her, holding her forehead, worried that something might have happened to her friend at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau in her hometown.
But now they can't leave the headquarters. The headquarters has issued a ban, prohibiting magical girls from leaving without permission. "You've made such a mess just because you lost your boyfriend. If you're in a bad mood one day, you might destroy the world. The only difference between you and the Witch Association is that you're generally safer."
Weren't you worried when Qingluan and Iris got lost?
"I—I didn't mean that!"
Golden Tea patted Hongmian's head. "Alright, alright, the Azure Cloud Sect really went a bit too far this time. Let them search for now. We'll discuss this matter slowly after they've calmed down. It's always good to have some restraint."
"We're an official magical girl organization, and you're just backing down like this?!"
"Then you saw it too, the power of that magical girl Winter Lord."
Upon hearing this, Hongmian immediately quieted down.
It possesses the power to Freeze the ocean in an instant, alter the climate, and create wonders.
Most importantly, at that time, Winter Lord was just New Sprout magical girl.
"We have observed that Miss Winter Lord has Full Blossom of her advancement. Her current strength is probably even more terrifying than what you saw before entering the Mental Image Remnants. Although the Azure Cloud Sect being somewhat impolite towards the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, they haven't ultimately harmed anyone."
Golden Tea smiled and said, "Then there's no need to make enemies with them. It's better to suffer a little, because having such a powerful ally in the future will be a good thing for us."
"Who knows if it'll be a help or a hindrance?"
Golden Tea stroked Iris's hair, her eyes filled with excitement. " Iris's existence proves that Full Bloom isn't an unsolvable problem. Perhaps by cooperating with the Azure Cloud Sect, we can resolve Full Bloom's nightmare."
" Qingluan secretly messaged me later," Hongmian said. "She discovered their problem, but didn't dare say anything while we were at the Mental Image Remnants."
" The Qingluan have really matured a lot; it's truly impossible to talk about them there," Golden Tea said in a low voice. "Not only that, we must also try our best to keep what's happening at the Azure Cloud Sect a secret."
"Hmph, they're clearly going crazy on us, but we still have to help them."
"This isn't a problem between you and us," Golden Tea said softly. "It's for the magical girls. As long as we're all magical girls, we're partners, Hongmian."
"I know," Hongmian snorted. "But even though they're going crazy, the Azure Cloud Sect still knows their limits, otherwise we wouldn't be able to help even if we wanted to."
"Yes, because everyone in the Azure Cloud Sect is a good kid, and also very smart."
As Golden Tea said this, she still sighed, "I hope they find the person soon, and don't make too much of a scene."
Just as she finished speaking, the local East China TV program playing silently on the opposite wall suddenly switched to breaking news, immediately attracting Golden Tea and Hongmian's attention.
After turning the volume down, I saw the program host nervously give up his seat to a magical girl wearing a fox mask.
Then she spoke, " Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, Witch Association, and all you free magical girls watching TV, let me make things clear today. Our Azure Cloud Sect has worked diligently and sacrificed so much to protect this East China. However, Witch Association, Si Motu East China leader of the Witch Society, has taken advantage of our strength and, while our sect was dealing with the Mental Image Remnants, has kidnapped our sect leader's boyfriend Jiang Si— "
This is a solemn declaration.
"Announce to the Jianghai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!"
"Announce to the Lixia Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!"
"Announcement to the Chengying Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!"
"Announcement to the Jixia Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!"
"Announcement to the Chenming Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!"
"Announce this to the Zengcheng Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!"
"Announce to the Nanning Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!"
"To the South China Witch Association of East China and South China, I hereby declare!"
"To all the free magical girls of East China South China, I declare!"
"If you cannot provide the whereabouts of Si Motu and Jiang Si, my sect will annihilate all magical girls and witches outside all sects in East China South China!"
Hongmian stared back at Senior Golden Tea, speechless.
Golden Tea covered her face.
Girls in love can be terrifying when they go crazy.
"Recently, the Azure Cloud Sect declared that if the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau and the Witch Association cannot provide information about Si Motu and Jiang Si, they will annihilate all magical girls and witches."
Beihai, Jiang Si's home.
Standing at the doorway, Keke looked at Ms. Shion, who was leaning against her bedroom door.
I stood there blankly for a long time before the news broadcast snapped me out of my daze. Then I felt nauseous; the food I had just eaten kept rising in my throat. I felt nauseous, my heart was racing, and I had some difficulty breathing. "How could this be? I can't find it?"
"Previously, the Mental Image Remnants were unstable and fluctuated. In order to prevent the Mental Image Remnants from affecting the surrounding cities, I went to Anyang with everyone from the Azure Cloud Sect to deal with the Mental Image Remnants."
Shion spoke slowly and deliberately, trying to maintain her composure, but her increasingly rapid speech betrayed her. "Then, when the situation was critical, I went into the Mental Image Remnants to check, and he followed me in. Later, when the Mental Image Remnants collapsed, we got separated, and Jiang Si disappeared."
Shion murmured, somewhat lost and dejected, repeating again, "Where... I can't find it."
Keke listened quietly, seemingly lost in thought for a while. Then, she seized upon the inconsistency and tried hard to refute the claim. "No, that doesn't make sense. Jiang Si isn't a magical girl, so why would he go to the Mental Image Remnants?"
He's just an ordinary person; he shouldn't have gone to such a dangerous place at all!
That's impossible! He just came back a few days ago, and even went out with Ms. Shion. Everyone was scrambling for the room opposite his brother's.
How is that possible? He suddenly went to the Mental Image Remnants and then disappeared?
Shion's lips moved slightly before she slowly replied, "I thought it would be fine—"
Ah, the same thing happened with Jiangming that time, when Shion- sensei went to deal with the Witch Association.
I brought Jiang Si with me specifically.
I said I was going to take Jiang Si to a hotel for tutoring, but actually I was going to take him on an adventure.
Keke bit her lip, the image of Jiang Si before she left flashing through her mind.
"We can definitely find it, right? Right?"
Shion remained silent for a long time. "I don't know."
"Ha."
Keke seemed to smile, but there was no real smile in her somewhat dazed eyes. After a long while, she said in a daze, "I don't understand."
" Shion- sensei, isn't she the strongest?"
A magical girl who can do anything, is omnipotent, and can protect everyone.
Why couldn't Jiang Si be protected?
If you like him, shouldn't you do everything in your power to protect his safety? Shouldn't you even prevent him from taking any risks in the first place?
"Isn't Shion my brother's girlfriend? Why would she send him to such a dangerous place?"
Just like that, so easily and simply, she lost her lover?
"Why, Ms. Shion, Ms. Shion, can you tell me so casually that my brother is missing?"
Why did this happen? Why did it turn out like this?
Our relationship had only just begun to improve, and I hadn't even properly apologized to him or explained things to my brother about what happened before.
There was no response, and no reason given.
In the end, all that remained was Shion's meaningless response, "I... didn't—"
"----sorry."
A silence so long it was almost unbearable.
The news ended, and the television played pleasant evening music. A chill seeped through the window, constantly assaulting the two of them. Children outside cheered that it was snowing. Cars roared past, their brakes screeching, until all the sounds entered the living room and were swallowed by deathly silence.
Keke took a step forward, and Shion instinctively took a step back.
The slightly taller Keke weighed down on Shion, making it impossible for her to lift her head. As she took a step back and leaned against the wall, something fell down.
That was a family photo hanging next to the television.
Shion looked down at the group photo: Keke's parents, Keke's brother, and Keke.
Only Keke ----
When I tried to bend down to pick it up, I was too late.
The girl who picked up the family photo gently wiped the dust off the picture.
"I only have my brother left."
Her voice, so weak it was almost transparent, was incredibly jarring in the living room, "This is the only family I have left, Ms. Shion."
She clutched the purple-gold dress tightly, the magnificent garment becoming wrinkled and unsightly in her hands. The snowflakes clinging to the window melted, turning into a single drop of water that slid down, leaving a tear stain on the windowpane.
"I really only have my brother left—I have no one else, Ms. Shion— "
As more and more snowflakes fell onto the window and melted, the glass looked as if it had been washed by rain.
Vague and indistinct.
After a long while, she bit her lip, reached out, and tried to comfort the trembling Keke.
However, her hand was coldly pushed away in mid-air.
I hate you.
The girl choked back tears and hugged the photo tightly.
" Shion."
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