The BOSS Aberrant, completely at a loss, could only struggle like a trapped beast, launching one futile leaping attack after another, but Waterhua merely needed to shift slightly to dodge every time.
The Ability Bureau’s backup arrived quickly.
A figure crashed through the glass and entered the scene.
Waterhua turned to look at the newcomer, who was shimmering with Golden Light.
Coincidentally, it was none other than Magic Girl Liu Jin.
“No problem, now that reinforcements are here, I…”
The BOSS Aberrant was still trying to throw out some tough words.
However, before he could even finish, a Light Sword condensed in Liu Jin’s hand, turning into a golden flash that pierced his shoulder in an instant, pinning him firmly to the wall behind.
“Where’s the Aberrant?”
Liu Jin looked up at Waterhua, who was hanging from the ceiling.
Waterhua pointed at the struggling figure on the wall.
“There, the one you just nailed to the wall.”
“Oh, that one? I thought that was just a minor monster…”
Liu Jin raised an eyebrow.
With a casual motion, her Magic turned into Magic Thread, glowing gold, binding the BOSS Aberrant tightly as he tried to break free.
“That’s how we C-Class Heroes are,” Waterhua floated down from the ceiling, scratching her head a bit sheepishly.
“We don’t have enough offensive power. Facing these Self-Healing types, we can only scratch at them. You S-Class Heroes really are something else…”
“Mm, it’s fine.”
Suddenly, an awkward silence fell between the two.
After that incident the other day, Waterhua hadn’t contacted Liu Jin again, so this unexpected encounter was a bit uncomfortable.
But Liu Jin soon took the initiative to speak, her attitude sincere.
“Um… about last time, I’m sorry.”
Liu Jin shifted out of battle mode, her voice softening considerably, immediately apologizing as if she’d been holding it in for a long time.
“I said a lot of strange things then, probably made things really hard for you, didn’t I? I just wasn’t thinking things through and said those things on impulse.”
Faced with such a sincere apology, Waterhua couldn’t bring herself to say anything harsh, and offered a way to smooth things over.
“It’s fine, really. Even if we can’t be lovers, we can still be friends, right?”
“Thank you, Waterhua.”
Liu Jin let out a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her previously tense face.
“Waterhua, if you’re on a Patrol Mission today, you should be able to clock out early when you’re done, right?”
“Uh… yes, why?”
“The meal last time, I’d meant it as a thank-you for saving my life, but because of me, it ended badly… Since you’re free today and my mission is finished too, could we… get together again? Just to make up for last time.”
Is this really Lin Ling?
That’s some impressive planning…
Waterhua was stunned inside, unable to believe her bookworm roommate could say something so strategic.
Truly, hardship does make people grow…
But since she’d already made clear that they could only be friends, Waterhua wasn’t worried about their friendship changing.
She could always pull out that line and firmly reject any over-the-line actions, so she simply nodded to Liu Jin’s invitation.
“Sure, but this time it’s not you treating me. Let’s just go out as friends and split the bill, alright?”
“Mm, that’s perfect.”
Liu Jin nodded vigorously, her face blooming with a smile.
Together, they escorted the BOSS Aberrant to the nearest Ability Bureau Containment Station.
Afterward, Waterhua remembered that she still had to do a final patrol check.
But most of her Magic was already spent—she could barely fly, let alone scan for Anomalous Power.
Feeling a little embarrassed, she turned to Liu Jin.
“Um… Liu Jin, could you help me out again? I’m almost out of Magic. Could you accompany me on patrol?”
“No problem.”
If it meant being with Waterhua, Liu Jin wouldn’t refuse.
The two took to the sky once more.
As expected of an S-Class Hero, Liu Jin maintained a high flight speed while continuously scanning for signs of Anomalous Power below.
Waterhua focused solely on her flight Magic, barely managing to keep up.
Liu Jin quickly noticed Waterhua’s strain and, without a word, slowed her pace just enough for Waterhua to follow comfortably.
When they reached the end of the Patrol Route, Liu Jin naturally turned her head to ask, “Waterhua, after this… is there anywhere you especially want to go? Or anything you’d like to do?”
“Uh…”
Caught off guard by Liu Jin’s question, Waterhua couldn’t think of anything in particular.
“I don’t really have any place in mind. I’ve always been pretty easygoing.”
“So you’re leaving the arrangements all to me, then?”
Liu Jin tilted her head slightly, golden hair shining in the sunlight.
While thinking, “Where did she learn that line?”
Waterhua could only reply, “Sure, you decide.”
“In that case…”
Liu Jin seemed prepared.
“How about we go to my dorm?”
Straight to the dorm?
What is she thinking…
Waterhua suddenly felt inexplicably nervous.
Had Liu Jin discovered some of her secrets?
But after flying a while, Waterhua realized they were heading toward the outskirts and understood she’d gotten the wrong idea—Liu Jin wasn’t taking her to the university dormitory, but to the exclusive residence of “S-Class Hero Liu Jin.”
As one of only two S-Class Heroes in Water City, Liu Jin’s status and resources were beyond question.
She and her Elite Squad had an independent Base, nestled deep within the forests on the outskirts of Water City.
The place wasn’t meant for Liu Jin’s personal enjoyment, but as a strategic fortress stocked with all kinds of advanced weapons and equipment to counter major crises, always ready to intercept Aberrants that could threaten the city’s safety.
Of course, Liu Jin wouldn’t take Waterhua into the core areas where high-risk weapons were stored.
She led Waterhua down at the edge of the Base, landing by a separate building—her so-called dorm.
“This is… the dorm?”
From the air, Waterhua spotted a three-story modern art-style building, secluded in the forest, with a garden several times larger than the building itself.
It was hard to imagine her studious, introverted roommate Lin Ling living in such a grand house.
“That’s right. I have a roommate here too. You’ve met her before.”
“The one with the pink hair?”
Waterhua could guess—it was probably the pink-haired Magic Girl who’d helped heal Liu Jin.
Liu Jin ignored the iron gate to the garden, landing directly on the lawn and walking to the villa’s entrance to unlock it with her fingerprint.
Waterhua followed behind, and, based on the stereotypes she’d picked up from movies about the wealthy, half-expected to see things like infrared alarms, hidden cameras, or at least rows of security guards.
But in reality, the two strolled in as casually as if they were walking in a park, completely unobstructed.
Waterhua quickly realized that for an S-Class Hero, she herself was the most powerful security system in the place—there was no need for anyone else to provide protection…
In fact, it would be more accurate to say that Lin Ling, as an S-Class Hero, was the real security for the entire Base.