Chapter 6: I Can Help You, But the Price Is You

“Bai Zhi, is this one really that hard to beat?”

As expected, these quests the system hikes up the reward for are never simple. Just 40,000 more, and they expect us to risk our lives!

“Yes. If Wailing emerges from the rift, I’m afraid none of us can handle it.”

Bai Zhi’s tone was heavy, as if she had already envisioned the worst outcome.

“Then, is there no way for us to deal with it?”

“Difficult!”

She had only just arrived in this world, and now it was about to be destroyed? What kind of joke was this!

The Stone Guardian advanced step by step towards the magical girls, its massive form easily blocking all their attacks, not even taking a scratch.

Just as the Stone Guardian raised a boulder, ready to smash them, an arrow shot from afar—a streak of green light—and the beast instantly shattered into pieces.

“Bai Zhi, looks like even you can’t take care of this mess!”

Bai Zhi, upon seeing who it was, immediately felt much better.

“Liu Yuyan, if you’d been any later, this place would’ve been leveled to the ground.”

“Oh, come on, I just got back to the academy and barely received the notice, you know?”

“But, not being able to handle such a simple Tidal-class beast? You’ve gotten rusty!”

Liu Yuyan raised her magic wand, ready to attack again, but when she saw the crack in the sky, cold sweat broke out on her brow.

“Hey, hey, hey, this isn’t funny…”

Raging Wave-class? No, it had to be even worse!

At that moment, Wailing’s arms had already stretched out from the rift, its level now reaching Tsunami-class.

A complete form like that—definitely a natural disaster!

Liu Yuyan knew full well she couldn’t let it emerge, but all the magical girls at her level were out on missions. Lately, the number of beasts had increased, and they were all Raging Wave-class or higher. None of them even had time to rest.

“You all hold off these small fry, I’ll go stop Wailing!”

“Bai Zhi, at the same time, contact any magical girls still able to fight. I can’t handle this alone.”

With that, Liu Yuyan rode the wind into the air and unleashed magic on Wailing. The moment the spell hit, the rift did shrink—so it worked!

Bai Ningbing… right! Bai Ningbing still hasn’t shown up—wasn’t she the strongest in the class? Why wasn’t she here on the mission?

Lin Guanqi was deeply confused.

So, she turned to Bai Zhi and asked.

“Seems like you don’t know Bai Ningbing that well. She’s powerful, yes, but she only takes missions if she feels like it. That’s also why she has no friends.”

What?

In a crisis where the city’s people might live or die, she acts based on her mood?

Lin Guanqi pulled out her phone and immediately dialed Bai Ningbing’s number. The other end picked up right away.

“Where are you? Wailing’s coming—you’re not coming?”

“Why should I?”

That line left Lin Guanqi stunned. Was she really just going to stand by and watch as Wailing descended? But this world—these are real, living people.

Whether it was Ling Xue or Bai Zhi, they were all real.

“……As long as you’re willing to help, what do you want?”

The call suddenly ended. As expected… was there really no way?

“My price for taking action is you. Are you sure?”

That cold, icy voice sounded right by her ear.

Bai Ningbing gripped a drawn blade, her entire figure clad in snow-white JK attire. Unlike the other magical girls, she exuded an unmistakable chill.

“Sister? You…”

Sister?

Bai Zhi? Surname Bai. Bai Ningbing—also Bai?

They were sisters?

“Who’s your sister? I followed Mom. You followed Dad. You’re the traitor!”

Bai Ningbing’s tone was frosty, and Bai Zhi hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but stopped.

She stepped up to Lin Guanqi and asked, “Are you sure you want me to act? The price is you.”

Lin Guanqi took a few steps back, confused about what this price meant.

“As long as you can solve this crisis, I’ll agree to any one condition.”

“Hmph, fine.”

Bai Ningbing unsheathed her sword, cold air gathering all around her—kacha.

She gripped the hilt with both hands, misty breath spilling from her lips.

A sword’s cry rang out.

The hands that had been tearing open space were suddenly severed, crashing down onto the high-rise buildings below.

The space rift shrank as well, but with Wailing’s terrifying regeneration, it wasn’t enough for a fatal blow.

After settling the civilians, Ling Xue also saw Bai Ningbing and was shocked—she hadn’t expected her to come for this mission.

“Didn’t think you were this tough-skinned!”

Bai Ningbing took a deep breath. Suddenly, the energy around her exploded.

Ling Xue twitched her lips.

“Hahaha… as expected of Bai Ningbing…”

In the blink of an eye, a wave of tremendous energy surged straight toward the rift.

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, the monsters that had been escaping from the rift were obliterated, not even ashes remaining, and the rift was sealed with a single stroke.

Liu Yuyan saw the display and instantly knew it was Bai Ningbing’s handiwork.

“Eh, if I’d known Bai Ningbing was here, I wouldn’t have wasted my strength.”

Bai Ningbing grabbed Lin Guanqi’s hand. “Let’s go.”

Amidst everyone’s shock, she led Lin Guanqi away.

Girls’ dormitory, Bai Ningbing’s room.

“I—I promised you a condition, but I never said it would be something like this!”

“Why are you afraid of me?”

Bai Ningbing’s sudden question caught Lin Guanqi completely off guard. Didn’t she drag her to the dorm just to do what happened yesterday? Could she have misunderstood…

“Right now, you must think you’ve misunderstood me, don’t you?”

She poured a cup of hot water and placed it in front of Lin Guanqi.

“I—I’m not thinking that, don’t flatter yourself.”

Lin Guanqi picked up the cup and turned away.

“So, you were thinking about that day? Well, it’s not out of the question.”

“Who—who’s thinking about that! By the way, you still haven’t told me—why are you so set on sticking to me…”

This had always troubled Lin Guanqi; she just couldn’t figure out why Bai Ningbing kept clinging to her.

“Because, I like you.”

Bai Ningbing didn’t hide it at all, stating it plainly. There was simply no reason to conceal such feelings.

She was used to facing her emotions head-on.

“Huh? L-Like me?”

For a moment, Lin Guanqi thought she’d misheard. After all, both of them were girls, weren’t they?

“Is it the kind of ‘like’ I’m thinking of?”

Bai Ningbing nodded.

Oh no, she was being confessed to—and by another girl!

The problem was, she was also a girl!

“Bai Ningbing, you’re not joking, are you? That’s not funny at all!”

Bai Ningbing leaned in closer to Lin Guanqi.

“Do you really think I’m joking?”

Bai Ningbing’s expression seemed to say that if she denied it now, those lips would come down on hers in the next instant.

“But—but isn’t this a bit too hasty? We don’t even really know each other…”

Lin Guanqi turned her face aside.

Suddenly, Bai Ningbing pinched her cheeks, forcing her to meet her gaze.

“Didn’t we get to know each other well enough yesterday?”