3:00 a.m., Dorm 404, Shuicheng University of Technology.
The phone on the pillow buzzed incessantly, dragging the already half-awake Yuhua completely out of his drowsiness.
He fumbled to silence the alarm, shrugged off the thin blanket barely covering him, and slid nimbly down the rusted bunk ladder, barely making a sound.
The four-person dormitory was deathly silent, with only the faint sound of his roommates’ breathing.
He tiptoed into the private bathroom, locked the door behind him, and at last, impatiently lit up his phone screen and opened that familiar APP.
After a brief white screen, two cartoon girls in fancy dresses appeared on the display, saluting toward the screen.
Below them, in standard Song font, were the words—Supernatural Department Magical Girl Administration Bureau.
He tapped again, entering the “On-Duty Magical Girl Information Management System,” and immediately, the fingerprint verification interface popped up.
“Why do you have to do fingerprint verification every single login? Whoever designed this process must have a screw loose,” Yuhua muttered under his breath, while pressing his ear to the door to listen for any movement outside.
Once he was sure it was safe, he took a deep breath and murmured, barely audibly, those two words:
“Transformation.”
In response, colorful light surged from the Star Pendant on his chest, quickly enveloping him.
The light, like living liquid, solidified from the bottom up: first, blue ankle boots, then white over-the-knee socks, then a billowy blue-and-gold dress covering his whole body.
Within the glow, his body shrank, becoming short and slender.
An unknown force guided him through a simple spinning dance in the cramped space.
Long blue hair sprouted instantly, falling down, and two ribbons appeared out of thin air, deftly tying his hair into twin tails.
Finally, the corners of his mouth twitched into a forced businesslike smile.
Transformation complete.
She was Yuhua, an ordinary male college student at Shuicheng University of Technology—and also an active “Magical Girl.”
About four years ago, the world was struck by the phenomenon of “Awakening,” where some organisms and even inanimate objects mutated, becoming threatening “Awakened Entities.”
At the same time, humans with special abilities—Heroes—emerged.
Under the coordination of the official Extraordinary Power Department, social order was gradually restored.
The earliest, most powerful First-Generation Heroes shone like superstars, commanding fame and immense commercial rewards thanks to their strength and charisma.
But Yuhua received no such treatment; she was one of those who got royally duped.
And it all began that afternoon.
He had just started college, dragging his luggage around campus like a headless chicken.
As he puzzled over a blurry map, a gentle voice sounded behind him.
“Need any help?”
He turned to see a Senior Sister.
She wore a neatly tailored shirt and long skirt, exuding a capable aura, and even had a Student Union badge pinned to her chest.
“I… I’m looking for Dormitory Building 7.”
“Perfect, I’m headed that way. Let me take you.”
The Senior Sister naturally took a piece of his luggage, chatting as they walked, her words full of warmth for a Freshman Brother.
She spoke elegantly, with clear logic, making her instantly likable.
When they reached a secluded tree-lined path, the Senior Sister suddenly changed her tone.
“Yuhua, to tell you the truth, I approached you for a reason.”
She stopped, turning around as sunlight dappled through the leaves, her smile still gentle.
“I’m actually a Hero. And I can sense you have a rare, high Ability Adaptation constitution.”
Yuhua froze.
“Ability Adaptation? Does that mean… I could become a Hero?”
“That’s right.”
The Senior Sister lowered her voice.
“Though the wave of mutations has passed, the crisis is far from over. We need fresh blood—young people with your potential to stand up and protect order and peace.”
“But being a Hero… can I really do it?”
“Of course!”
she replied decisively, pulling a thick Contract from her elegant folder.
“You’ll be formally employed by the Extraordinary Power Department, enjoy special allowances and Resource Preference. More importantly, you’ll gain power and become someone admired by all. Sign this, and your life will change forever.”
She spoke quickly, pointing to the signature line, her fingertip tapping lightly.
“Here, sign your name. Don’t let your talent go to waste. Do it for humanity’s future.”
Bathed in the sunset’s golden light, her words carried an almost magical allure.
Yuhua was swept up by the words “Hero,” “talent,” “protect”—his blood surged.
Without even glancing at all the tiny print on the back about “no guarantee of specific ability forms,” “must obey all department arrangements,” and “minimum years of service,” he signed his name solemnly under her encouraging gaze.
The Senior Sister put away the Contract with practiced efficiency, her smile even more dazzling.
“Welcome aboard, Yuhua. The organization will never forget your Contribution.”
She gave his hand a firm shake, her eyes shining.
“I look forward to seeing you shine.”
At that moment, Yuhua felt his future was full of promise.
***
Back in the present, Yuhua stared at the girl’s reflection in his phone’s black screen, grinding his teeth audibly.
What Hero, what protector—just a prettily packaged indenture.
The First-Generation Heroes really were stars, but all the subsequent In-System Heroes like them were nothing but overworked Grassroots Civil Servants.
The salary barely covered living expenses, the workload was endless, and there was constant danger to life.
The ten-year mandatory Contract locked out any other job prospects—unless you could cough up a ruinous penalty fee, there was no choice but to walk the Hero’s path to the bitter end.
The worst part was, her Awakening form was “Magical Girl.”
Not only did she have to patrol and fight daily, she also had to appear on variety shows and shoot promotional events—all without a single cent of overtime pay.
Today was no different.
She had spent her entire afternoon performing magic for kindergarteners, rushed home at night to work on her thesis deadline, and could only sneak into the bathroom at this hour to write her weekly report.
Worst of all, the next ten years would be just like this.
The thought made Yuhua feel her life was shrouded in darkness…
Numbly, she opened the task report page and started typing.
Life had to go on, even if it was as a “Magical Cow-Horse.”
Fingerprint unlock.
Not wasting another second, Yuhua immediately undid the Transformation.
Ending the Transformation was nowhere near as dramatic as the start—just a flash of light, and he was back to normal.
After nearly half an hour finishing the mission report, Yuhua finally let out a long sigh of relief, flushed the toilet, pretended he’d just gotten up for a midnight bathroom break, and opened the door.
Just as he lowered his head to check his phone, a flash of golden light “swish!” landed on the dorm balcony.
He stared blankly at the figure now standing there—a blonde girl in a short skirt and long boots—just as stunned to see him.
“Who are you?”
Yuhua asked tentatively.
The girl seemed to snap to her senses and immediately grabbed the balcony railing, about to leap away.
But Yuhua had realized something and stopped her.
“Who are you from our dorm?”
The girl froze, clearly caught, and Yuhua pressed the advantage.
“If I check right now and see whose bed is empty, I’ll know.”
“Shh, can you keep it a secret?”
The girl saw her cover was blown and gave in willingly.
But instead of commiserating, Yuhua’s lips curled into a malicious smile.
“You wouldn’t want anyone else to know you’re a Magical Girl, would you?”