The next day.
Under the afternoon sun, Qing was wandering aimlessly through the bustling city streets.
Like a toddler who had just learned to walk, her exploration had no clear destination; she simply followed her instincts, drifting from place to place.
This extreme sense of “ethereal emptiness,” combined with her stunning beauty, radiated an aloofness that warned strangers to keep their distance. Among the jostling crowds, she stood out sharply, like the only still focal point in a moving oil painting.
***
At a street corner, a stylishly dressed man who looked like a talent scout was frantically on the phone, his tone frustrated.
“…Do you even know how hard it is to find someone these days? The kind of aura Director Li wants—cool, pure, and distinctive, not surgically enhanced. But now, with all these plastic surgery templates everywhere, where on earth do you find natural beauty… Hello? Hello? The signal’s terrible!”
No sound came from the phone anymore.
“Damn it.”
The scout angrily hung up, instinctively raising his head to scan the crowd—a professional habit he’d been scolded for many times but could never break.
“Seriously, all they do is rush me, as if I can just snap my fingers and find a genuine beauty in the crowd.”
***
Then his gaze suddenly froze.
A few meters away, a figure in pale blue was walking slowly.
Time seemed to slow around her. The sunlight flowed over her smooth, light-blue hair, shimmering faintly with a subtle glow. Her profile was sharp and clear, with a high nose bridge and full lips pressed tightly together, not a hint of a smile.
“I was wrong.” The scout was stunned.
It was as if he really had found the person he was looking for among the crowd.
He could swear this girl’s looks were completely natural. Her pale green eyes were large and bright, like two bottomless pools of cold spring water, reflecting the chaotic world without a trace of emotion—calm and detached, as if nothing here concerned her.
Even dressed in tattered clothes, the aura she exuded couldn’t be faked by plastic surgery.
“Heavens…” the scout murmured, nearly dropping his phone.
His heart pounded wildly. His professional instincts screamed that he’d struck gold! This aura was too unique! It wasn’t a pretentious coldness or coyness—it was… a kind of inhuman, pure “emptiness.” This was exactly the kind of aura the high-end fashion world was desperate to find!
Holding his breath, he jogged to the front of Qing, pretending to casually observe her again.
Not to mention her looks, even her walking posture was flawless—exactly the runway strut of a top supermodel, radiating undeniable presence.
“Miss… Miss! Please wait!” He steadied his excitement and forced a warm smile, blocking her path and quickly handing her a minimalist-designed business card.
Qing stopped walking. Her hollow gaze fell on the card, then slowly shifted to his face, without any sign of annoyance or surprise—she just quietly looked at him.
Her silence and direct stare made the seasoned scout feel an inexplicable pressure. Clearing his throat, he spoke faster, barely able to contain his excitement.
“Sorry to bother you! I’m Liu Zhe, Chief Talent Scout of the Apple Pie Modeling Agency. May I ask your name? Would you be interested in trying some photo shoots or runway work? Your appearance and aura are incredibly special! The most unique I’ve seen in years! You definitely have the potential to become a top model!”
Qing’s eyes scanned the card again.
She understood the concept of a “model”: displaying clothes, being watched, being photographed. It seemed like an efficient and legal way to be “observed,” matching her basic desire to understand humans.
Seeing no reaction from the young lady before him, Liu Zhe awkwardly smiled.
“Miss?”
Qing pulled herself out of her thoughts, realizing she needed to respond with a name.
She was silent for a few seconds before raising her hand.
Liu Zhe was momentarily stunned but quickly realized what she was doing. He hurriedly unlocked his phone and handed it over, assuming she wanted to enter a phone number.
Her fingers deftly tapped the screen, but instead of opening contacts, she typed a single character into the blank memo:
【Qing】
The dark green font appeared on the pure white background—clear, cold, and emotionless, just like her eyes.
***
Liu Zhe stared at the character, then at her, and suddenly understood.
Could it be that she couldn’t or wouldn’t speak?
But that only added to the mysterious, cool aura she carried! Wonderful! This was like heaven feeding him by hand!
“Qing… Qing?” Liu Zhe read the character aloud, growing even more excited. “It’s beautiful! Just like you—clear and unique! Miss Qing, would you mind finding a place to sit down and chat for a bit? Or maybe you could visit our agency? I guarantee our credentials are top-notch!”
He pushed eagerly, afraid this hidden gem would slip through his fingers.
Qing looked at his enthusiastic face and almost imperceptibly nodded once.
She liked human emotions. She wanted to learn more.
Liu Zhe almost cheered inside but restrained himself, courteously stepping aside to lead the way. “Great! Miss Qing, please this way. My car is nearby—we can talk on the way!”
Qing started walking, following silently behind him.
***
But—
“Ah!!!”
A sudden scream shattered the afternoon calm.
Just as Liu Zhe was politely guiding Qing toward the curbside parking spot, a sharp sound of glass shattering came from the sidewalk ahead.
A fashionably dressed young woman recoiled in panic. Her handbag fell to the ground, and a small, delicate glass bottle rolled out, smashing to pieces.
The bottle was adorned with rose patterns.
A thick, inky black smoke shot up violently from the shards, rapidly expanding.
Within seconds, the smoke coalesced into a grotesque creature resembling a millipede but covered in countless pale, white eyeballs. It let out a shrill screech, its segmented limbs flailing wildly as it easily tore a rip through a nearby billboard.
“C-Calamity! It’s a Calamity!” The crowd instantly descended into chaos, screaming and scattering in panic.
Liu Zhe’s excitement vanished, replaced by stark terror. His legs buckled, nearly sending him collapsing to the ground.
“It’s a Calamity! Run! Miss Qing, run!” He instinctively gripped Qing’s icy, slender wrist tightly, fear giving him unexpected strength as he pulled her toward a nearby parking lot.
But no matter how hard he tried, Qing didn’t budge an inch.
What was going on? How could a grown man not move this little girl?
Liu Zhe’s mind went blank.
Qing swayed slightly from the sudden tug. Instead of following, she turned her head toward the Calamity’s location with a confused, distant expression.
Her gaze passed over the panicked crowd and fixed on the writhing, roaring monster.
Her pale green eyes held no fear—more like a child seeing a strangely shaped toy for the first time, full of curiosity.
She tilted her head slightly, her light blue hair brushing her cheek.
***
“Stop looking! Run! You’ll die!” Liu Zhe was nearly crying. It felt like he was trying to pull a statue.
This hesitation could be deadly at such a critical moment!
Qing glanced at the terrified but unwilling-to-leave Liu Zhe and seemed to understand something. She finally stepped forward.
She was dragged along by Liu Zhe, stumbling as they fled into a dark alley.
Behind them came the crashing sounds of destruction and the faint rush of a Magical Girl arriving.
“Lian Xue! Find a safe spot and activate your Domain!”
“Yes! Captain Lu Yuan!”
【Lu Yuan?】
Qing glanced beyond the alley as she ran. Amidst the chaos, she seemed to catch sight of a black-clad Magical Girl battling the Calamity.