Shancha looked at the grand welcoming ceremony Disaster Countermeasures Bureau and felt somewhat frightened.
Starting from the entrance, several trains were sounding their horns, and they were covered with banners that read "Welcome to the Headquarters Magical Girl Inspection."
There were trumpet players on both sides, as well as drummers and violinists; the honor guard and orchestra were fully staffed.
Is Beihai really this extravagant and decadent?
Shancha muttered to herself.
I used to always complain to the General Administration about insufficient funding, saying I couldn't do this or that. Turns out they're super rich.
They still have the capacity to do these things.
She was greeted by Li Yi, the former captain of the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, as well as Susan, the captain of the security team, and the magical girl Peony, who were also present.
Keke still hasn't received permission to enter the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau —the previous director was forced to retire, and the new director, upon taking office, was too busy with a ton of other matters to care about this one.
Therefore, the only magical girl permanently stationed at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau is Peony.
After all, Li Yi couldn't transform, and Rose and the other magical girl usually worked in other departments.
Iris ran off to Jiangming again and hasn't come back yet.
I heard that he plans to return to headquarters with Qingluan first.
Shancha looked at the defensive capabilities of the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau and couldn't help but sigh.
If this were in another region, the Witch Association would probably have breached and occupied this place in less than a day.
"Welcome, Miss Shancha, for your inspection."
Li Yi wasn't very good at these things; Susan was always the one to step in during these situations.
Her blond hair, combined with her serious expression, made her perfectly suited to greeting guests at this time.
At least Shancha, who initially didn't have a good impression of the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, bowed slightly and politely after Susan spoke, just about to say something.
"Welcome, Miss Shancha, for your inspection!"
The honor guard behind Susan then shouted in unison.
Shancha shuddered, but still clung tightly to her Incubators, displaying a mature demeanor:
"There's no need to spend so much money. I'm not here to take up a position; I'm just here to inspect the situation at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau."
Peony, standing nearby, waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry, Miss Shancha, our Disaster Countermeasures Bureau has plenty of money. This was left for us by Miss Iris; she booked it for a month and already paid in advance. Why not take advantage of it?"
"Oh, it's Iris- sister. Oh, it's alright then..."
Shancha paused for a moment, then nodded, her expression softening slightly.
After all, everyone in the Bureau of Headquarters knew Iris's style, and besides, Shancha and Iris were acquaintances...
Seeing that the other party's attitude wasn't so bad anymore, Li Yi led her towards the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, asking as they walked:
"Miss Shancha, are you sure what you saw outside was an A-rank Calamity Beast?"
"Absolutely!" The Incubators spoke first from Shancha's shoulder, "It's not just an A-rank Calamity Beast, it even has the potential to advance to an S-rank Calamity Beast. You must understand, S-rank Calamity Beast are formidable monsters comparable to Full Bloom magical girls, and their appearance is always a huge catastrophe!"
"It's not certain yet, Xiao An, don't talk nonsense."
Susan rubbed her forehead.
She knew, of course, that it was the work of her own sect leader.
When Jiang Si returned, Master Bingtang and his true disciple Dandelion, had been keeping a close eye on her.
The sect leader had informed her well in advance of his journey to the Beihai to undergo tribulation. In the Azure Cloud Sect, not only inner disciples but even outer disciples knew that once they reached a certain level of strength, they needed to undergo tribulation to temper themselves.
This is basic knowledge of the Azure Cloud Sect. However, most magical girls have to overcome Heart Tribulation. In fact, from the perspective of the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, it is a manifestation of a magical girl's breakthrough of mental barriers and further advancement when she encounters difficulties.
Of course, the sect leader would naturally need to undergo a more difficult Heavenly Lightning Tribulation; the stronger a person is, the greater the Calamity they must overcome.
Upon receiving the news, Susan stayed at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau to prepare, in order to prevent the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau's people from causing trouble and ruining the sect leader's important tribulation.
I didn't expect the magical girl from the General Administration to arrive today.
Fortunately, no major disaster occurred. If he had hindered the sect leader's tribulation, he would have committed a grave crime.
But it's actually an S-class Calamity Beast?
Although she didn't know what had happened, Susan was still filled with admiration. No wonder he was the sect leader; he had managed to create such a commotion...
Susan tried her best to make the image of the sect leader in her mind resemble Shion, but Jiang Si would pop into her mind from time to time, making it impossible for her to fixate on the image of the sect leader as that petite and beautiful purple magical girl.
She shook her head violently, trying to clear her mind of everything.
This can't go on, Susan. If this continues, what's the difference between this and having a crush on Jiang Si?
Jiang Si is... but the sect leader, or Keke's brother, or... or...
It seems like there's nothing wrong with having a crush on Jiang Si, right?
Susan's heart started racing as she suddenly realized this.
"What's wrong, Susan?" Peony was beside her, immediately noticed that her reaction was a little abnormal and touched her forehead. "Do you have a fever?"
"No." Susan immediately brushed Peony's hand away, took a breath, and said, "It's nothing. I'm just worried that the Calamity Beast might reappear, and that the Witch Association have other schemes."
"Don't worry," Shancha said immediately. "We've already checked. The lightning left no trace. Neither that poor, unlucky boy nor the Calamity Beast survived. They shouldn't reappear."
"It's because I wasn't capable enough to stop them..."
As the girl spoke, she began to blame herself, so Li Yi went over and offered a few words of comfort.
The four people passed through the clouds and entered the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau building. The honor guard and the concert hall stopped, Shancha finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She was still very nervous with so many people around.
But since there were only four people present, and they were inside the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, their expressions gradually turned stern.
As an inspector, although she had only just entered the Full Blossom and her strength was not yet that great, she represented the General Bureau.
Naturally, she needed to project authority and imposing presence, especially since the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau had consistently received poor reviews from the General Administration over the years, so she naturally needed to interrogate them thoroughly.
"Let's go to the conference room first."
After saying this, the three current and former magical girls of the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau exchanged glances.
Everyone knows the main event is about to begin.
The fact that the General Administration sent an inspector this time is obviously not a simple matter.
After entering the conference room, as soon as Li Yi closed the conference door, the entire conference room suddenly went dark.
Turning around, I saw Shancha turn off the lights and stride towards the innermost podium, where she began placing things on it without saying a word.
Susan smiled slightly, walked to the side to prepare tea, leaving only Peony and Li Yi standing at the gate, at a loss.
The meeting room was suddenly filled only with the faint light from the curtains and the sounds from the table. The entire space began to exude a depressing atmosphere, which immediately made Peony and Li Yi see the evil thing.
Li Yi recalled the look and imposing manner her parents had displayed back then.
This made Li Yi start to miss her sister.
Peony, on the other hand, was thinking about the time she spent working at the school.
The teachers' meeting was a mess, and the dean of students' affairs was a mess! I've already resigned, but they're still chasing after me...
Please take a seat.
Peony and Li Yi exchanged glances and saw the awkwardness in each other's eyes. They had no choice but to walk towards the table to find seats.
"Huh?"
Shancha rummaged through the podium, but couldn't find what she was looking for. "Where are the computers in this conference room?"
"... because it was rarely used, the former director sold it a long time ago."
" Xiao An, make a note of this: embezzlement."
The Incubators immediately pulled out a laptop from somewhere, opened it, and started typing away.
"Wait a minute, what's the old director doing...?"
Please take a seat.
"..." Li Yi paused for a moment, then sat down in silence.
"Huh? You sell projectors now too?"
"How could that be? It never existed in the first place."
Shancha nodded. "Embezzlement of public funds, lining one's own pocket, I see."
"Hey! I'm talking to you..."
*Snap! Shancha took out a seal and tapped it on the table.
Please have a seat!
"..." Peony immediately became obedient and sat down next to Li Yi.
Shancha glanced at the notebook, then sat down with a serious expression.
"It is now 8:24. Before you stands the Magical Girl Shancha, Inspector, Instructor, and Lecturer of the East China Region Magical Girl University, Disaster Countermeasures General Bureau."
"Every word you utter will become the standard by which the General Administration evaluates the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau in the future. I hope you will be careful and honest in taking responsibility for every word you say."
As he spoke, he tapped the seal again. "Otherwise, my power as the inspector is Infinity."
Shancha's small body suddenly exuded immense majesty, making Li Yi inwardly groan.
Before she could even prepare, it suddenly started. The inspector's manner immediately made her hallucinate what her parents looked like before they got angry.
That seal was probably used to record and measure lies; Li Yi had heard her sister mention before that it was a magical item that inspectors would carry.
This is bad. We've already put ourselves on the defensive from the start, and now we're likely facing endless questioning.
Shancha's lips curled up almost imperceptibly. The training from her senior before the trip had indeed come in handy. As expected of a senior, it was effective immediately.
"Heh, how high and mighty you are." Susan placed the teacup in front of Shancha, looking down at the petite inspector girl with a hint of disdain. "Sounds like something you big shots from headquarters would say, someone who doesn't understand the difficulties of those below you."
Then, without any fear, she sat down in the first seat closest to the podium, slightly raised her chin, her attitude arrogant and somewhat indifferent, and said, "Ask me whatever you want."
Li Yi gave her a thumbs up in her heart.
Well done, Susan! You didn't disgrace our Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau! You've just turned the tide!
Shancha nodded nonchalantly.
"Resist censorship, Xiao An, keep writing this down."
Peony and Li Yi covered their faces, unable to bear to look.
Jiang Si opened the window and took a deep breath.
The air was nice this morning, but even better was the continuous flow of magical power emanating from my own Nascent Soul.
Yesterday, after some negotiations with my colleagues from the Witch Association, I not only obtained two Complete Witch potions, but also...
He also learned the locations of the Witch Association in other cities, and the Shuangsheng told him which city's Witch Association the most Calamity Beast.
It serves as a target for support from all sides.
After stretching my body, I was pleasantly surprised to have entered the Nascent Soul, and I even knew that this path was unobstructed.
But in reality, he simply stabilized his strength at the New Sprout Peak Great Perfection.
It's a little disappointing.
According to his own theory of benchmarking, his true form should actually have advanced to the Peak Golden Core Great Perfection stage, rather than being a New Sprout Peak Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage, which is a whole realm behind.
But the tribulations and trials have already been overcome; it's unreasonable to say there's no promotion at this point.
This contradicts the theory of cultivation.
But Jiang Si was no ordinary person; he had long been acquainted with the elders of the Azure Cloud Sect, so how could he not have foreseen this situation?
This matter is quite ordinary; it's simply a matter of lacking the necessary conditions.
With countless cultivation manuals in his mind, he could easily list several scenarios:
Those who haven't cultivated their innate magic—upon closer reflection, indeed haven't developed any Spell unique to their original form;
Those who haven't yet refined their natal magic weapon—once they retrieve the thumb tiger from Ruoyun, they can start considering refining their natal weapon;
The cultivation method has inherent flaws— the Witch Association's Calamity Beast Technique is ultimately a product of inferior cultivation. Fortunately, even with my improvements, it's unlikely to achieve great things. No matter, I can continue to humbly ask questions later.
The leap in level is too abrupt and requires time to settle down. Flame Emperor Yan took three years to settle down from King to Emperor, while my physical body has only jumped from the initial stage of the New Sprout to the New Sprout Peak Great Perfection in just a few days. It's not a bad thing for me to settle down more.
I'm missing a bit of innate energy to refine it—the spiritual energy here is so scarce that I have to deal with even the Heavenly Tribulation myself. At worst, I can just disperse my cultivation and start over later.
Ultimately, he's just Heretical Nascent Soul, quite weak indeed. No, a good heretical cultivator isn't inferior to a legitimate one. Once I've opened the Path to Heaven, I'll be a legitimate Nascent Soul!
Contemplating something extremely important, Jiang Si came out of the bedroom, washed up, and saw Keke dressed in a formal suit.
She had put on some light makeup and looked much more energetic than usual.
She wore a pair of red leather boots that she had previously been reluctant to wear, making her look like she was going out on a formal date.
After some thought, I wonder if it's a bit too early for middle school students to start dating.
However, thinking that the parents probably wouldn't care about such a thing, he decided not to interfere.
With the power of a magical girl, I won't be bullied anymore.
As he walked to the door, he asked, "Aren't you in class today?"
Keke: "It's a holiday today."
"Oh."
Keke turned her head stiffly to look at Jiang Si: "Teacher Shion, when are you coming?"
Jiang Si then remembered that she had promised Shion to come over yesterday.
Even during holidays, they still need to find a magical girl teacher for extra lessons.
As a student, Keke is undoubtedly outstanding.
Jiang Si glanced at the time, "They'll be here in a bit."
Keke glanced at her older brother again, while Jiang Si went straight to the door to change her shoes. "Aren't you waiting for Teacher Shion to come over?"
"No, I have something to do today."
After all, he still needed to carefully plan his cultivation path towards the Nascent Soul stage, and he had to go to the Azure Cloud Sect in the afternoon.
"Ah..."
Keke froze for a moment. "So, am I the only one talking to Ms. Shion?"
You're not a child anymore.
Keke's face fell immediately upon hearing her older brother's words.
It's not a small matter, but isn't it a bit inappropriate for me to say this to Ms. Shion...?
But seeing Jiang Si's unquestionable attitude, Keke didn't dare to say anything.
Since they didn't get along in the past, she naturally wasn't afraid of Jiang Si; at worst, she'd just kill herself.
Later, after becoming a magical girl, she figured the worst that could happen was she could beat up Jiang Si; their relationship was already like this, so it didn't matter.
But after the relationship eased a bit, his past fear of his older brother returned to him.
In the past, when Jiang Si got angry, not only her parents but also her parents would give in.
Although Jiang Si rarely got angry at home, he was mostly indifferent.
"Get along well and don't argue."
Jiang Si gave her a habitual instruction and then went out.
Keke was speechless.
How could I possibly get into an argument with Ms. Shion?
You're worrying unnecessarily.
However, the thought of having to tell Ms. Shion that Jiang Si actually liked Larkspur Keke Coco feel uneasy.
Won't they take their anger out on me and punish me too?
I also feel that Ms. Shion isn't that kind of person, even though she seems to really like Jiang Si...
However, the thought of the two of them breaking up stirred up feelings in my heart that I didn't know whether to be expectant or joyful.
That feeling even made her feel somewhat relieved.
She didn't know if this feeling stemmed from the fact that Shion- sensei wouldn't be taken away from her, or from the fact that her older brother wouldn't be taken away from her.
Or perhaps both.
Keke took a deep breath, patted her cheeks, and tried to stop herself from overthinking.
I tidied myself up carefully again.
Go for it, Keke! You can do it!
Shancha sat on the stage, her body tense and her face serious.
"First, I'd like to ask, does your Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau know about the mission of magical girls?"
"To make money?"
This is Peony, my former teacher.
"... To protect others?"
This is Li Yi, currently a JK (Junior High School Girl).
"Stop with the nonsense, what does this have to do with what we're talking about!"
This is Susan, who is eager to get revenge and dropped out of high school.
The girl on stage unexpectedly shook her head. "I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush."
"Before that, I'd like to show you something."
The Incubators immediately pulled out a small projector from somewhere, plugged it into the laptop, and after some fiddling, an image appeared on the white wall behind the podium.
"We have been conducting in-depth research on breast development, all for the benefit of all women..."
"Oops, wrong video, wrong video!" Shancha hurriedly closed the video and opened a new one.
Amidst the melodious and captivating music, Shancha picked up her teacup again, forcing herself to remain calm. "This is it."
As the music gradually intensifies, different women's smiling faces appear on the black screen. Then the screen disappears, and the title of the video gradually emerges in a moving broadcasting voice: "Magical Girl's Big Study".
Then Shancha said, "Magical girls must know why they fight. I hope you can watch the promotional video from the headquarters carefully, and then feel the responsibility you bear and the weight of the word 'magical girl'."
Li Yi noticed the number in the bottom right corner of the video – 33 minutes.
Huh?
Do you want the video to finish playing?
Here? Now?
Is it true or false?
"... In short, miracles and magic are not free. We must fight for our own desires, but also for the happiness of all!"
The rousing narration, accompanied by moving music, brought the video to a close, and the three viewers each breathed a sigh of relief after watching it.
It's finally over...
Then Shancha started clicking again, and a new video was released.
Magical Girl University Study 2: The Prequel.
"..."
Shancha played several videos in a row.
At this moment, the three magical girls from Beihai in the conference room had been bombarded with motivational speeches for more than three hours, leaving them dazed and slumped in their seats.
That should be about right...
Shancha thought to herself that she had already followed the procedure taught by her predecessors. First, she used her power as an inspector to intimidate them and take the initiative. Then, she interrupted their rhythm under the guise of magical girl university studies and used her role as an instructor to play a series of learning videos to spread the good qualities that magical girls from our Disaster Countermeasures Bureau should have.
If I were to question her again as the judge after doing this, even the most ill-intentioned magical girl would have her conscience awakened, and wouldn't continue to lie endlessly...
And they probably won't lay a hand on me; there have been instances where inspectors were injured by local Disaster Countermeasures Bureau in the past.
Shancha must be handled with extreme care.
The first patrol mission must be completed perfectly!
As I took out the USB drive with this thought in mind, I saw the three people below the stage suddenly look shocked, snapping out of their reverie:
"Wait, is there any more?!"
"It's over." Shancha blinked and opened the contents of the USB drive, displaying a series of PowerPoint slides about the economic development of BH City and its surrounding areas, as well as the development of the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau.
"These were compiled from reports provided by the former director of the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau."
"After you've read this, please start answering my questions."
After the three of them finished reading, Shancha noticed out of the corner of her eye that Susan and Peony exchanged a glance and sighed helplessly, their initial aggressive demeanor gone, and she felt relieved.
Great, everything is working as the senior predicted.
The road has been opened; all that's left is to move forward! With that thought, Shancha put down her teacup, picked up the seal, and tapped it on the table again.
"Now, begin the questioning."
Shancha's tone suddenly changed, "Why is the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau of Beihai so weak? I've also taken a look, and your magical girls are pitifully few, and you don't even have a single Full Blossom Magical Girl."
"Does this mean that your Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau has neglected its duties and has never worked seriously in the past few years? There are quite a few magical girls in Beihai. I have walked through the city and seen quite a few, but they do not work for the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau. Instead, they are members of the Free Magical Girl Organization, the Azure Cloud Sect, right?"
Seemingly caught off guard by Shancha's sudden change of tactics, Susan opened her mouth, intending to retort, but Shancha didn't give her the chance, continuing her serious interrogation:
"I heard that when you first arrived, the Beihai government specifically stopped a project and allocated funds to you. However, the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau made a complete mess of it, wasting all the resources. Not only did the original project lose money, but the investment in the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau also failed to yield any returns. All the resources that were just mobilized were also wasted. It can be said that you suffered heavy losses."
Susan tried to interrupt her, "This has nothing to do with the current situation of the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau..."
"How could it be unrelated!"
Another resounding stamp echoed, interrupting the opposing side's explanation as if a judge were delivering a verdict.
Shancha typed out a series of questions written on the computer, "My part, my part, and still my part."
Maintaining his imposing aura, he secretly used his magic to unleash Full Blossom level of magic suppression, exposing all the problems within the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau and preventing the other party from even considering making excuses.
This is the only way to get the most truthful answer!
Everything was prepared according to the training from my seniors, and with my careful and meticulous operation, I am confident that I can safely and perfectly complete the General Administration's inspection mission!
You can do it, Shancha!
"Are you in such a hurry because you feel guilty?"
However, Susan's casual remark reversed the tide. "Miss Shancha, do you really know Beihai like the back of your hand?"
Walking along a secluded park path, Jiang Si looked at the few not-so-high-grade Grief Seed in her hand and sighed.
It's becoming increasingly difficult to find high-level Calamity Beast in the Beihai.
He then put it to the test.
His magic could not expand to the entire city; he was ultimately only at the New Sprout Peak Great Perfection, only able to encompass half of the city.
Moreover, the rate of magic consumption is much faster than in magical girl form.
He had almost forgotten how fast magic was consumed during the New Sprout stage.
However, it's also possible that the Filthy Magic Power itself is consumed relatively quickly.
To be honest, this magical girl's magic power has a major flaw when it reaches its Full Bloom, especially from the perspective of traditional cultivation.
In reality, this magic is simply the spiritual energy of the human world.
Once a certain level is reached, spiritual energy either becomes difficult to advance further, or various defects begin to affect the level.
After becoming an immortal, one needs to upgrade one's spiritual energy and transform it into immortal energy to take a further step from the underlying logic.
Now it seems that this Filthy Magic Power is not Filthy Magic Power at all, but true divine power.
It's just that, for various reasons, its appearance isn't obvious.
The so-called pollution is more like a trade surplus caused by differences in status...
The Azure Cloud Sect also sent a message saying that the General Administration had sent people to inspect the area again.
He has little interest in the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau now.
They simply left it to the disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect to handle.
Now that we have mastered the method of controlling the Calamity Beast, the fastest way to increase our strength is to create and control more Calamity Beast.
He needs the support and help of the Witch Association in a nearby city.
Now that she is considered the head of the East China region, the Witch Association in other cities should also provide her with resources.
Unfortunately, the Beihai currently has almost no powerful Calamity Beast; they are mostly trashy C- and D-rank beasts, so even if you control them, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
He wanted to try and see if his method could control the A-level Calamity Beast.
According to previous information, the Witch Association in the neighboring Hulin City has been accumulating Calamity Beast for over ten years.
According to the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, Hulin City has always been classified as similar to Beihai in the past.
Because there have been no Calamity Beast or magical girls for many years, it is considered an uncontaminated area.
Therefore, the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau did not open a branch in Hulin City. However, in light of the previous experience in Beihai, a Calamity Beast monitoring agency was still maintained in Hulin City. Once Calamity Beast appears, the nearest Disaster Countermeasures Bureau will be notified immediately for handling.
However, the Inspection Section alone cannot detect the Witch Association's movements. Elite Witch Association members who have been lurking in Hulin City for ten years have secretly spawned hundreds and thousands of Calamity Beast legions.
They were just waiting for the right moment to take over the entire Hulin City in one fell swoop.
It seems that the opportunity they've been waiting for is now theirs.
It would be even better if there were some battles.
Having just advanced to the Nascent Soul, one inevitably needs some practical combat experience to consolidate their realm.
I was hoping to encounter some opportunities while out for a stroll.
Unfortunately, it's now so difficult to find even a single member of the Witch Association in Beihai.
As society goes downhill, opportunities are becoming increasingly rare.
After dealing with a few more small Calamity Beast, Jiang Si finally stretched.
I'm almost completely familiar with it now.
His coordination with the Nascent Soul became increasingly seamless; the Nascent Soul could even supply him with magic power on its own without him needing to control it.
Continuing would just be a waste of time.
He glanced sideways at Yumo, who was hiding in the corner; this girl's ability to conceal her presence was getting stronger and stronger.
Sometimes you don't even realize it yourself.
To have progressed to this level simply by following one's own practice suggests that one has crossed the threshold of "entering the path through visualization," which is truly gratifying.
Keke needs to accelerate her progress.
He glanced at the time and then took out the Miracle Seed.
It's time to go back and give Keke some special training.
Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, Conference Room.
While Shancha was lost in thought, Susan continued, "Do you really understand Beihai's current economic development?"
"That's irrelevant to the question..."
"Only children think it's irrelevant!" Susan immediately retorted.
Shancha held her hand behind her back and shook it.
Is this correct?
This step wasn't in the pre-set scenario, so why are you refutating me?
Shouldn't the Shancha have scared them into answering the question honestly?
What should we do now?
Susan seized the initiative and questioned, "City development has nothing to do with the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, so why does the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau ask the city government for money? The money in the city government comes from the taxes paid by the citizens. If you take the citizens' money, you have to ensure the safety and livelihood of the citizens! How can it be unrelated to the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau? Your Jiangming City's Disaster Countermeasures Bureau has developed well over the years, but what about the economy? What about the employment environment? In the end, when the Witch Association took control of half the city, what remedial measures did you take?"
Shancha sniffed.
Why am I the one being questioned now?
How strange, did Shancha do something wrong? Why is the direction completely wrong?
Senior, what should we do in this situation? Shancha doesn't know.
Shancha finally mustered her courage. "So the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau has been doing a good job all these years? The losses you've caused..."
"You don't need to ask the citizens of Beihai, just ask Jiangming and other nearby cities. Who doesn't know that Beihai's civil engineering is the best in the world?" Susan said proudly. " Beihai's economic development in recent years has been remarkable. No matter how many Calamity Beast have appeared, it has never affected the travel of BH City. Isn't that a credit to the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau?"
Li Yi and Peony's eyes lit up, and they nodded repeatedly.
"As for the losses, we do not deny that we incurred them initially."
Susan sighed, "I don't want to make excuses, but the truth is, even if we hadn't come, the Beihai government originally intended to stop the project. They just used us as an excuse, and later they pinned all the blame for the failure on us. You're too young to understand the ins and outs of this, so I don't blame you."
Shancha snapped out of her daze and nodded subconsciously.
Oh no, my consciousness is starting to drift, I didn't hear what Miss Susan said.
I really want to call my senior...
After taking a long, deep breath, Shancha said softly, "I see. I didn't investigate properly. However, the main task of the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau is still to eliminate the Calamity Beast..."
That's why the Azure Cloud Sect exists.
Susan said in a deep voice, "We intentionally established a Free Magical Girl Organization to protect the Beihai, reducing expenditures and the pressure on the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau. Doesn't it matter where the magical girls protect the city?"
Li Yi coughed, lowered her head, and carefully counted the ants on the ground.
There wasn't a single ant inside the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau.
Peony clapped excitedly beside her, "That's exactly it! That's the plan of our Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau! How could you children possibly understand! This is the work of adults! As expected of Susan! She saw through the old director's scheme at a glance!"
"Shut up."
"Oh."
Susan's words silenced Peony: "In short, that's how it is. Because we intentionally transferred the task of dealing with the Calamity Beast and the Witch Association to the Azure Cloud Sect, we were able to have more resources to develop the Civil Engineering Brigade, allocate more funds to benefit the citizens, and promote the economic development of Beihai. As for the evidence..."
"Did you really read the economic report you just showed me carefully? How many cities can compare to Beihai's economy? And how come the Azure Cloud Sect always manages to appear in time to handle problems that the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau can't solve? Was it a coincidence once, but is it all a coincidence this time? Miss Shancha, should you go and investigate?"
Although Li Yi and Peony felt somewhat uneasy, they still kept their faces serious as they looked at Shancha.
"I object."
Shancha raised her hand, interrupting Susan's long-winded talk, and then took out her phone, which was tucked inside a fluffy Little Bear case, looking very cute.
Shancha connected her phone to her computer, opened a folder, and clicked on one of the videos.
A taxi Driver was projected onto the large screen behind him.
Peony felt the face looked familiar, and after speaking, she became even more certain.
That road rage Driver gave me a ride back then!
" Disaster Countermeasures Bureau? Ha, I can't be bothered to talk about them. They're ambitious, deceitful, and their favorite thing to do is immediately claim credit for the Azure Cloud Sect's achievements. They're ruthless, truly ruthless! But what can you do? They're shameless, that's good..."
After the video ended, the entire conference room fell into a deathly silence.
Shancha tilted her head and looked Susan up and down. "What do you mean by that?"
After a long silence, Susan flicked her blonde hair and said earnestly, " Shancha, you need to know that no matter how much you do, you will offend just as many people. You can never avoid having one or two people who don't understand you or even oppose you."
"But I have more than a dozen here." The inspector selected another video from the folder. "Should I show them all to you?"
"No."
Susan immediately refused, then sighed, "I know the public doesn't understand or support me."
"You just said it's supported by the people."
"There are always supporters, but there are also those who don't; it's about fifty-fifty."
I don't even have half of it here.
"There's too little data; the survey might be biased," Susan coughed.
Both Peony and Li Yi sighed.
Even Susan probably couldn't hold out any longer; there's always a limit to how blatantly lying can go.
Now that the Shancha has exposed all their secrets, there's really no way to hide it anymore...
The General Bureau Inspector is terrifying.
Captain Susan, you've done your best, that's enough.
You don't need to face an opponent you can't beat at all...
"However, the Azure Cloud Sect is just a branch of my Disaster Countermeasures Bureau."
However, Susan's single sentence commanded their utmost respect.
A lie that wouldn't even fool a child can be uttered with such conviction.
What a powerful sense of conviction this is!
Shancha tilted her head, not refuting, but looking at Li Yi and Peony, asking, "Really?"
Both of them nodded repeatedly.
Shancha paused for a moment, then gave a relaxed smile, nodded slightly, and said, "Okay."
The other three also breathed a sigh of relief.
They finally managed to fool him.
Then, while packing her things, Shancha said somewhat embarrassedly, "Let's stop here for now. Where's the restroom? I need to use it; I think I drank too much tea."
After someone pointed out the location to her, Shancha came out alone and jogged into the corridor.
Her initially innocent smile gradually turned into one of fear. She hugged her Incubators, her voice a little hurried.
"We're doomed! Xiao An! The entire Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau is now under the control of the Azure Cloud Sect! The magical girls in the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau couldn't possibly have been so obediently studying for so long, and they even dared to contradict the Inspector—they must all be suspicious..."
As she said this, Shancha suddenly felt a little dizzy.
Then she discovered that the picture frames in the surrounding corridors, which used to depict all sorts of magical girls, had all turned into Four Leaves Clover.
Four Leaves Clover...
She suddenly remembered something.
She seemed to have seen Four Leaves Clover in that place where thunder was rolling.
She didn't notice the Four Leaves Clover floating in the air because of the dazzling lightning.
While wandering around BH City, I also saw... in the eyes of many people.
There was also Four Leaves Clover in the teacup I just drank from.
Why did it take so long to realize this?
A chill ran straight up from the bottom of her heart. Whether it was from dizziness or the cold, Shancha felt like she was about to collapse.
Why did she and Xiao An so readily conclude that the creation of the S-class Calamity Beast had failed?
The creation of the Calamity Beast failed?
Why?
Is what they saw the truth?
" Xiao An..."
She tried to call out to the Incubators, only to find that the Incubators also looked dazed, with Four Leaves Clover appearing in its pupils.
So many, so many Four Leaves Clover.
Consciousness was gradually submerged in the Four Leaves Clover.
S-class Calamity Beast, really, have never been born?
How terrifying, Beihai...
As the Four Leaves Clover gradually disappeared, Shancha blinked, her vision clearing.
The Incubators around them also came to their senses.
Then Shancha scratched her head, "Huh, what was I thinking about just now?"
The Incubators next to him reminded, "Contact the headquarters! Contact the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau of the headquarters. They're doing their best. Everything's fine, don't worry!"
"Oh yeah, oh yeah, how could I have forgotten that?"
Shancha chuckled sheepishly, picked up her phone, and said, "First patrol mission, a perfect success!"
Keke stayed at home waiting, occasionally going out to take a look.
But it never came.
In addition, she spent the whole night thinking about Jiang Si and Teacher Shion, which prevented her from sleeping well at all.
I originally intended to call Yiyi and chat for a while.
I feel less nervous after chatting with Yiyi for a while.
But Yiyi didn't answer the phone, so she could only sigh as she looked at the empty contact list on her phone.
I opened the text messages; there were many, many messages I had sent to my parents.
Actually, when her parents were still alive, she rarely sent text messages because she didn't use a mobile phone much back then.
I only started using a cell phone after my parents died.
Because Jiang Si wouldn't comfort her, nor would she sleep with her, Keke felt both scared and lonely many nights.
I'm always afraid of ghosts or monsters, especially when there's Thunder or other noises outside.
Keke was very timid. In the past, she would run to her parents' bedroom at the slightest disturbance. Although she would occasionally disturb her parents, most of the time, her parents would go along with her and let her sleep with them.
Since my parents passed away, even when I go to their bedroom, I'm always alone.
So every night, when I feel unbearably lonely, or so scared that I want to cry, I pick up my phone and keep sending text messages to my parents, messages full of complaints, grievances, and venting.
Even though she knew the number on the other end was invalid, she kept sending messages.
Lying on the sofa, looking at a bunch of old text messages, Coco Keke n't help but feel a little embarrassed.
But I was also filled with immense emotion.
As I grew older, I sent fewer text messages. Since becoming a magical girl, I haven't sent my parents a single text message.
Now that I have nothing to do and my mind is full of thoughts, I can't help but send text messages to my parents again.
"Mom and Dad, my brother already has a girlfriend."
Contrary to what you might think, it seems there are quite a few people who like the older brother.
Yiyi seems to like her brother a little too, and Susan always looks at him with a strange expression.
I've read a lot of romance comics, and it's clear that Susan cares a lot about her brother.
Caring is the prelude to liking.
Iris- senpai also said something very manga-like, "My brother is an interesting person, which caught my attention."
And there's also her brother's girlfriend, Shion also really likes him.
When they went on their last date, Ms. Shion looked very happy, and she was also very cute and beautiful.
However, the older brother didn't react at all when he saw that charming smile.
He was cold to Ms. Shion because he had fallen for someone who wouldn't like him back.
My brother is such a jerk. He clearly has someone he likes, but he's dating Shion- sensei.
But everyone really likes him, it's so frustrating! Mom, were you like that with Dad too?
I'm so afraid that when I talk to Ms. Shion, she'll get angry, and I'm also so afraid that Shion 'll be sad.
If she cries, Keke will probably cry too.
Ugh, why did it turn out like this?
But, Mom and Dad, I don't know why, I feel at ease if they break up.
Keke is a very selfish child.
I hope that I am always the most important one in their hearts...
She poured out her complicated feelings to her parents, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep on the sofa.
She saw that after she had explained Jiang Si's thoughts to Ms. Shion, Ms. Shion took her to confront Jiang Si.
Jiang Si admitted his feelings without hesitation: the person he liked was the magical girl who had saved them.
Seeking out Shion- sensei was simply a substitute, a way to find the shadow of that Shion girl in her.
Even when Ms. Shion was angry, she didn't show any expression; she just shed tears and suddenly attacked Jiang Si.
She tried to stop her, but Ms. Shion gave her a gentle push, and she fell to the ground, unable to get up.
Teacher Shion beat the older brother until he knelt down, and kept asking him if he had anything to say.
But Jiang Si remained silent.
Keke wanted to protect Jiang Si, but she couldn't beat Teacher Shion, so she could only watch blankly from the sidelines.
But as Ms. Shion was fighting, she suddenly knelt down and started talking to Jiang Si.
Covered in wounds and having remained silent, Jiang Si finally began to speak.
The lines sounded vaguely familiar; she felt like she'd seen them somewhere before.
It seems to be a line from a romance comic where the male and female protagonists break up due to a misunderstanding but then get back together.
Wait, how did it suddenly turn into a reconciliation storyline...?
A sense of panic began to creep into her heart. Dreams sometimes defy our control, and this development was just a plot she'd seen in a comic book. What would happen next...?
Sure enough, when she looked up, she saw Shion, who was crying, leaning down and cupping Jiang Si's face in her hands.
This gesture is exactly the same as the way the female protagonist kisses the male protagonist in a comic!
When their lips touched, Keke gasped and covered her face.
But I couldn't resist peeking through my fingers again.
Then she suddenly screamed:
"Don't stick your tongue out, Ms. Shion!"
Keke sat up abruptly, her face flushed, and gasped for breath before realizing it was just a nightmare.
I touched my forehead; it was covered in cold sweat.
Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she looked up and saw Shion standing coldly in the living room, quietly watching her.
"What? Don't stick your tongue out."
Keke felt like she was almost dead.
There's also a monthly pass giveaway! Thirty lucky readers will receive a Crazy Thursday gift, and the top ten readers in the voting are guaranteed a Crazy Thursday gift, plus next month's character merchandise (we'll be commissioning articles this month). The giveaway ends at 8 PM on the 7th. Tomorrow there will be two more chapters and a bonus chapter for monthly passes, " Shion's Nail Polish." Please give me your monthly passes!