Somewhere in Yun Jing, there was a bar—or rather, a quiet lounge. The lighting inside was dim and yellowish; there was no DJ, no wild parties, just soothing jazz music filling the space.
A woman sat alone in the farthest corner of the lounge, away from the crowd.
A man or two noticed her solitude and tried to strike up a conversation, only to be refused and leave sullenly.
She wore a simple trench coat and pants, her long hair casually tied up, revealing the graceful lines of her neck. On the table before her sat a nearly untouched glass of whiskey, with a few Ice Bombs inside. Droplets of condensation slowly trickled down the glass.
She looked like any other urban white-collar worker enjoying a quiet drink after work—languid, carrying a just-right hint of fatigue.
Yet, her eyes fixed on the phone screen betrayed the relaxed atmosphere around her.
On the phone, an emergency news bulletin from Yun Jing local news played silently. The footage shook as the background showed a chaotic live broadcast scene amidst ruins, the reporter rapidly relaying the recent incident.
The woman picked up the cold glass and took a small sip.
As the reporter narrated the replay, the camera suddenly jolted to reveal a black-haired girl clad in a black lace combat outfit, wielding a long rifle, storming into view.
【I am Magical Girl Lu Yuan. Emergency situation! I’m taking control here—everyone evacuate in an orderly manner!】
Despite interference blurring the image, and the girl’s face smeared with dust and sweat, the woman recognized her instantly.
The Ice Bomb in the glass clicked softly, cracks spreading rapidly across its surface.
Rose’s pupils constricted slightly in the dim light, like a venomous snake locking onto its prey.
“…Lu Yuan.”
How was she here?
A flood of questions and calculations flashed through Rose’s mind in an instant.
Lu Yuan’s appearance was completely unexpected. Watching the disheveled figure on the screen, Rose’s expression turned amused.
What was this? A twist of fate?
She gently swirled the glass; the cracked Ice Bomb floated amid the whiskey.
“Heh…” Rose let out a low, ambiguous laugh. She switched off the news broadcast and drained the remaining drink.
Perhaps the original plan needed some adjustment.
A new “variable” had entered the complex game unfolding in Yun Jing.
For her, was this trouble…
or an unexpected opportunity?
Rose set down the glass, pressed cash under it, and stood up. Without a sound, she slipped out of the bar as if she had never been there.
The waiter watched her leave with a puzzled expression, then collected the cash.
“Cash…? Didn’t she need change?”
***
Lu Yuan was harshly scolded.
She walked down the street with a pouty face, just after spending nearly a whole day reporting to the Magical Girl Headquarters in Yun Jing and confessing the reason for her arrival to Commander Lingyan. Lingyan had immediately ordered her to leave: the current enemy in Yun Jing was beyond Lu Yuan’s reach.
Drooping her head like a drenched kitten scolded by its owner, she listlessly kicked small stones along the roadside. Lingyan’s uncompromising order echoed in her mind:
“Yun Jing’s current situation is beyond your level. As a Magical Girl, your abilities are still ‘unqualified.’ Take your ‘client’ and return to Tongmen City immediately. Await further instructions.”
There was no anger, no reprimand in that tone—yet it was harsher than any severe criticism, making her feel utterly ashamed.
“What… I was fighting so hard too…” Lu Yuan muttered softly, her mouth curving down in grievance. “And if it weren’t for me… uh…”
She wanted to say, “If I hadn’t drawn Si An’s attention, Liu Zhe and Qing wouldn’t have escaped so easily,” but recalling she had already been turned into a human firework once, she swallowed the words bitterly.
The gap in strength was an objective fact. Lingyan’s judgment, though painful, was irrefutable.
Though Lu Yuan could rewind time, the thirty-second limit was far too short. The operational window was narrow and prone to freezing.
She took out her phone and gloomily messaged Liu Zhe to prepare tickets to return. The thought of facing Lin Wan’s “Why are you back again?” and potential Headquarters disciplinary actions made her lower her head further.
Sister Su Li was also asleep, drained of magic. Lu Yuan had never seen Su Li’s magic depleted like this in all her time as a Magical Girl. Was she dragging her down?
“…Am I really too weak?” She stared at her hands, feeling powerless like never before.
Not just against Si An, but in the face of the General’s absolute power and authority, she felt so small. Lu Yuan trudged back to the hotel suite, mood heavy.
***
She gently closed the door, as if sealing out the pressure and failure from the outside world.
The main lights were off in the living room, only the dazzling night view of Yun Jing spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows, outlining a quiet figure sitting on the sofa.
Qing seemed to have been waiting for her all along.
Hearing the door open, Qing turned her head. Her pale green eyes shone unusually clear in the dimness. Unlike usual, she didn’t immediately lift her phone to type, but quietly watched Lu Yuan, as if sensing the deep gloom radiating from her.
Lu Yuan forced a smile. “I’m back… Still not asleep?”
Her voice was weak.
Qing stood and didn’t reach for her phone. Instead, she slowly approached Lu Yuan, slightly taller, lowering her head to carefully observe the face filled with grievance and exhaustion.
Then, before Lu Yuan could react, Qing suddenly reached out and gently embraced her.
It was a very gentle, almost clumsy hug. Qing’s body carried a slight chill and her unique, unfamiliar scent.
Lu Yuan instantly stiffened, her mind blank.
“Wait… Qing? You…?”
Qing couldn’t speak, so her comfort came through body language and actions.
She didn’t let go but rested her chin lightly on Lu Yuan’s shoulder, one hand awkwardly patting her back. The motion carried reassurance, as if saying, “It’s okay.”
After a few seconds, Qing released her and stepped back half a pace. She picked up the phone long placed on the nearby coffee table and quickly typed, then turned the screen toward Lu Yuan:
【You look very sad.】
Lu Yuan looked at the words on the screen, then at Qing’s concerned eyes, and suddenly felt a sting in her nose.
Her fragile facade cracked in that moment.
“…Yeah.” She lowered her head, voice choked. “Being told I’m too weak by someone so powerful… that I can’t help, only cause trouble… and to just go back…”
Qing listened silently, then looked down and typed again:
【But you protected Liu Zhe and me. You tried very hard.】
Those words hit the softest spot in Lu Yuan’s heart like a small arrow. Her eyes instantly reddened.
Yes, she had tried so hard—had even died a few times for them… so why was the final judgment only “unqualified”?
Qing seemed to hesitate, then typed one more line:
【Want… to take a bath? Hot water might make you feel better.】
She gestured toward the bathroom, her eyes carrying a simple, sincere offer to help.
Lu Yuan looked at Qing—this peculiar girl who often gave her headaches—but now, through this clumsy gesture, was showing care. A complicated warmth welled up inside her.
“Yeah… okay.” She nodded gently.
Qing seemed pleased by the answer. She went over to the bathroom door, turned on the light, adjusted the water temperature, then awkwardly tried to take down the towel hanging on the wall for Lu Yuan.
Watching her more clumsy than helpful actions, Lu Yuan couldn’t help but chuckle quietly, tears still lingering at the corners of her eyes.
“Alright, alright, I can manage,” she said, feeling a bit lighter inside.
Qing stopped, watching Lu Yuan smile. She tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into what looked like a faint, unpracticed smile. Then she stepped outside the bathroom, standing quietly as if guarding.
Lu Yuan looked at the vague, silent figure by the door. The coldness of rejection and expulsion inside her heart seemed to thaw little by little.