Chapter 38: For life

Li Huayu lowered her head and stared at her toes.

She could feel the car stop, the door open, someone get out, and footsteps approaching her.

“Li… Hua… Yu.”

Luo Tianyou saw Li Huayu standing unharmed by the roadside and felt a wave of relief, followed by anger and confusion.

She spoke too loudly, walked too fast, and the dizziness from the car hadn’t faded yet—her stomach lurched, and she nearly threw up, crouching down to cough dryly.

Li Huayu heard the sound and hurried to Luo Tianyou’s side, gently patting her back.

“Are you okay?”

“Li Huayu, why are you here? Didn’t I tell you to wait at the hotel?”

Luo Tianyou’s face was pale, her cheeks puffed out slightly, looking both upset and unwell.

“I’m sorry, Tianyou. I felt uneasy staying at the hotel. I kept thinking that Lord Qingluan and Hongying disappeared because of me, so I wanted to see if I could find any clues. I didn’t mean to disobey you. It’s just that this place is so far, I didn’t have money for a car, so I walked… It took a long time.”

Li Huayu caught sight of faint tear marks on Luo Tianyou’s face, and guilt welled up inside her, but warmth spread too—Tianyou was truly worried about her, even braving carsickness to look for her.

But mistakes must be punished.

She tensed, turned her left cheek toward Luo Tianyou, and closed her eyes.

The expected slap didn’t come.

Instead, her cheek was gently pinched.

“Who said I was going to hit you? What’s with this bad habit? Your first reaction to doing something wrong is to wait for a beating?”

Luo Tianyou was a little angry, wanting to pinch harder, but worried that it would be what Li Huayu wanted, so she just squeezed twice.

She had gone to the Administration Bureau, found Zhou Zheng, and checked the surveillance to see that Li Huayu had come here.

It was too far—even with carsickness, she had to take a car.

“I came to find you because I was worried. What happened with Qingluan and Hongying is dangerous. Even they disappeared. What if something happened to you while you were alone? I wouldn’t even know where to look for you.”

Li Huayu felt the touch on her cheek—so different from any punishment in her memory—and her body grew hot.

No one had ever said such things to her.

No one had ever worried about her facing danger.

Back at Sister Wang’s place, making a mistake meant fists and even harsher punishments awaited.

Her safety didn’t matter to anyone. Her feelings were worthless.

But Luo Tianyou cared. She truly worried.

“I’m sorry.”

Li Huayu choked up a little.

“I really didn’t mean it. I just wanted to help. I discovered something important.”

She explained everything that had happened in the alley and the strange state of the Residential District.

The more Luo Tianyou listened, the darker her expression became.

Two controlled Magical Girls—one used as a Sacrifice, the other as a magic Blood Bag.

The Sacrifice probably referred to Qingluan, who was sealed and controlled by Kiriel and had now been rescued.

Then the one used as a magic Blood Bag would be Hongying.

Even the dead members of the organization were still under Kiriel’s control.

Why was it always people from this organization?

All signs pointed to this not being a simple criminal group but one deeply connected to the invading Kiriel.

Especially since Li Huayu said the entire Residential District felt wrong, a terrifying thought surfaced in Luo Tianyou’s mind.

Could the entire old industrial area of the city’s west side have been infiltrated and controlled by a more insidious power of Kiriel?

They had to leave immediately.

“Let’s go. We’re heading back to the city.”

Luo Tianyou grabbed Li Huayu’s hand and headed for the car.

But the driver was slumped over the steering wheel, as if asleep?

No… Something was wrong.

Li Huayu peered through the car window, then drew a sharp breath.

Her face went pale as she pointed to the driver’s profile and mouthed to Luo Tianyou: “His… his face…”

Luo Tianyou leaned in for a look.

Under the driver’s cheek skin, dark purple veins squirmed slowly.

It wasn’t as obvious as what Li Huayu had described with the fat rat’s companions, but the signs were there—labored breathing, bulging eyes—his condition was clearly bad.

“He’s infected too. Let’s leave quietly.”

Luo Tianyou pulled Li Huayu, preparing to slip down the nearby alley.

But at the street corner ahead, the Administration Bureau staff who were manning the checkpoint all turned their heads at once.

Their expressions were stiff, lifeless, and unnervingly strange.

“Run!”

Luo Tianyou tightened her grip on Li Huayu’s wrist and bolted in the opposite direction.

The three staffers’ faces twisted, eyes bulging unnaturally, mouths stretching into hideous grins as they hissed inhumanly and began a crazed chase.

Three pale golden Lock Chains materialized out of thin air, wrapping around the ankles of the pursuers and yanking them down.

They crashed face-first into the ground, utterly subdued.

The chains didn’t fade, binding their hands and feet as they struggled and shrieked in vain.

Luo Tianyou and Li Huayu stopped and looked back.

On the edge of a low Factory Building’s rooftop nearby, a petite golden figure sat.

Yuexia Liuli swung her short legs in the moonlight, wearing a white T-shirt with a cartoon bear and denim overalls.

“Master, your doggy arrived just in time, right? I only found out you were here after going to the Administration Bureau.”

She lifted her chin, trying to look cool as always.

But because of her appearance and outfit, she looked more like a puppy waiting to be praised.

Luo Tianyou’s expression instantly turned cold when she saw her.

She didn’t glance again at Yuexia Liuli, as if the girl were no more than a stone by the roadside.

Instead, she squeezed Li Huayu’s hand tighter and whispered, “Let’s go. Far from here.”

She pulled Li Huayu and headed for the street corner.

Yuexia Liuli’s expression stiffened.

She climbed down from the low roof on all fours, then chased after them with her short legs, her footsteps tapping loudly.

“Master! Master, wait for me!”

Her childish cry echoed down the empty street.

Luo Tianyou didn’t stop, walking even faster.

Yuexia Liuli trailed after her, determined, her short legs forcing her into a trot just to keep up, leaving her slightly out of breath.

She tried to make conversation.

“Master, slow down. Doggy legs are short, I can’t keep up!”

“……”

No matter what she said, Luo Tianyou acted as if she didn’t hear, giving Yuexia Liuli only the cold back of someone who wanted nothing to do with her.

Li Huayu sneaked a glance behind her.

The legendary Moonlight Witch, dressed in comical cartoon children’s clothes, was struggling to keep up with her short legs, her golden ponytail bobbing as she ran, her cheeks flushed red, every few steps muttering soft, aggrieved words in an effort to win favor.

Where was the dignity of an S-class Magical Girl?

She was the picture of a big dog punished and ignored by her master, desperately trying to wag her tail and regain attention.

Well, now she was a little dog.

Suddenly.

Yuexia Liuli gave a soft “ah,” tripped dramatically forward, and fell.

Her eyes grew misty with tears, and she let out a pitiful sob.

“Master, doggy fell. My knee hurts….”

No response.

Yuexia Liuli looked up—there was no sign of Luo Tianyou ahead, only emptiness.

“Tsk.”

She pouted, got up, and kept chasing.

Time for a new tactic.

She caught up to Luo Tianyou, flopped onto the ground, and hugged Luo Tianyou’s leg, looking up with pitiful eyes.

“Master, weren’t we supposed to be dog and master forever?”