Chapter 41: Who Are You? Where’s My Brother?

When Lin Yu stepped out of Manager Qian’s office, his legs felt feather-light, as though he were walking on a cloud of cotton.
He couldn’t even recall how he had said goodbye to Manager Qian, nor how he managed to walk out of that office building reeking of “decadent capitalist corruption.”
His mind had been completely taken over by the glittering Official Employment Contract—and, more importantly, by the string of magical numbers printed on it.

(…Forty thousand a month…)

Even after squeezing onto the crowded, noisy subway back to the Hive, his thoughts still circled endlessly around that number.
When he finally arrived home, the very first thing he did was fling himself full-body onto the creaking, cheap single bed in the shape of a giant starfish.
He didn’t immediately start grumbling about the narrow, shabby room like usual.
Instead, he rolled around on the bed in excitement, burying his face into the yellowed pillow that smelled faintly of mildew, and let out a muffled, uncontrollable, silly laugh.

“Heh heh… heh heh heh…”

Clutching the pillow, he rolled like a happy groundhog across the bed.
Only after a long while did the first wave of excitement subside.
Lin Yu sat up, unable to contain himself, and activated the brand-new Contract Bracelet on his wrist.

“Ding-dong～”

With a cutesy chime, a holographic interface full of pink bubbles unfolded before his eyes.
This time, he no longer felt the shame or resistance he had the first time he’d seen it. On the contrary, he leaned in with eager curiosity—like a child with a new toy—ready to explore this piece of “magical girl” black technology.

Naturally, his first destination was that mysterious and enticing Anonymous Gossip Forum.

(Let me see… let me see what kind of shady things you little girls gossip about behind each other’s backs…)

He tapped the air with a finger, and the forum interface blossomed open.
The posts inside were all over the place, brimming with the hormones and irrepressible snark of teenage girls.

***

[Pinned Post][Emergency Help!]
Sisters! Does anyone know how to get Old Mei to agree to add a “cat-ear” shaped tactical scope to my Xiaoguang-7 model?! I’ll trade my entire next month’s performance points for it! — Poster: RedFoxIsn’tASeductress

1F: Wake up, sis. Yesterday Old Mei threw my rhinestone-studded magazine straight into the smelter and told me, “Bring me this flashy garbage again and I’ll toss your head in with it.”

2F: Seconded. Old Mei is literally the only woman in the company scarier than Director Bai.

3F: But… a cat-ear scope… I want it so badly…

[Hot Post][Deep Dive] About Our Team C’s One and Only “Male Magical Girl” — Gray Crystal. Aren’t you curious?
1F OP: I saw her in the cafeteria yesterday! Way cuter in person than in pictures! Skin’s amazing, eyes are this gorgeous shade of green… though she kinda seemed… uh… how to put it? A little dumb? Like the easily-tricked type.

2F: Dumb is an understatement! Heard from someone in training that she got killed by D-class Originals over FOUR HUNDRED times in the simulator! She set the company rookie death record! I laughed so hard hahaha~

3F: Four hundred?! No way!! Then how’d she even pass the exam?! Σ(っ °Д °;)っ

4F: Connections, duh. What else? (eyeroll.jpg) I heard Manager Qian and Director Bai personally greenlit her as a “special project.” They gave her top-tier resources.

5F: Tch, I hate nepotism. Just because she’s cute, so what? (…though she really is cute…)

6F RedFoxIsn’tASeductress: Hey hey hey! Don’t talk about her like that! She’s super
hardworking, okay?! You haven’t seen how badly Ice-sis drills her! And her shot at the aquarium was awesome!

***

(…Seriously? These girls gossip about everything. Is nothing off-limits?)
(And that “RedFoxIsn’tASeductress” has to be Li Qing, right? She basically pasted her codename there. That’s hardly anonymous. If she badmouths a superior, won’t her paycheck get docked?)
(Still, this little pink devil is unexpectedly protective. Hah… maybe I should buy her a present sometime. A stuffed toy, maybe? Kids like her probably love that stuff.)

Grinning at the thought, Lin Yu clicked open the Cafeteria Menu Feedback module.
As expected, his beloved “Deluxe Pork Chop Sandwich” still sat at number one on the popularity chart with overwhelming votes.

(Hmph, at least they’ve got taste.)

Feeling smug, he gave it a like.
After playing with all the fun little functions, he finally opened the module that mattered most—the one that gave him a sense of security: Salary Inquiry.
Seeing those neat figures and payment records settled something deep in his heart.

He opened his rental app.
This time, he didn’t bother checking the cheap single rooms in Hive’s B7 district. Instead, he filtered for the area near the company’s C district. He switched housing type from “shared single room” to “one-bedroom apartment with kitchen and bath.”

One by one, bright, spacious, well-furnished apartments floated before his eyes—like blueprints of a brighter future.
He began to imagine it.
Moving into his new place. Cooking a steaming dinner that first night. Recording a video for his family.

“Mom, Dad, guess what? Your boy’s made it! Hotpot, real authentic style~”

He imagined inviting his buddy Wang Wei over for a full weekend of gaming on his brand-new PC—no more worrying about noisy neighbors or disturbing others.

(That way… maybe I can finally be “presentable” in front of everyone…)

“Heh heh heh…”
Lin Yu chuckled again.

(…Alright.)

He closed the app, stood up, and walked to the window, gazing at the neon-lit nightscape.

(…For that future…)
(…So what if I have to be a magical girl?)
(…This guy—no, this girl—)

He clenched his fist.

(…I’m in!)

***

And so, the second payday arrived right on schedule.
That night, when Lin Yu dragged his exhausted body back to his cramped little den, the Contract Bracelet on his wrist chimed with the sweetest sound he had ever heard in his life.

“Ding-dong～❤ You’ve received a new salary and bonus! Please check your account~”

His heart nearly leapt into his throat.
Hands trembling, he tapped open the golden Salary Inquiry module.
The numbers that popped up nearly blinded him:

Base Salary: ¥20,000

B-Class Mission “B7 Station Nest Purge” Special Contribution Bonus: ¥50,000

C-Class Mission “Deep Sea Dream Mental Contamination” Emergency Assistance Bonus: ¥100,000

…

Deduction: Advance Payment –¥15,500

Deduction: Insurance & Taxes –¥XXXXX

…

Final Total: ¥153,875.50

***

One hundred fifty-three thousand.
A sum he’d never even dared to dream about.
At that moment, Lin Yu felt drowned in happiness.
He no longer felt like the “loser” who lived in fear over a few hundred in rent. He was now a capable, qualified “citizen of Xinhai City” who could plan for the future.

But joy quickly turned into “happy troubles.”

(…How much should I send home? Fifty thousand? A hundred? No, too much at once and Mom will think I’ve joined a pyramid scheme…)

(…And the new apartment! That one-bedroom near C district with the balcony costs more than twenty grand up front… maybe I should rent cheaper on the edge instead? But that adds half an hour to the commute…)

(…And the PC! My old hunk of junk is way overdue. The latest “MachRevo Extreme Titanium 50” costs eighteen grand… ugh, pricey… but the graphics card is cutting-edge! With it, I could run not just 2177, but any game for the next ten years on max settings!)

These sweet dilemmas left him giddy.
But soon, Manager Qian’s deeply ingrained “KPI anxiety” dragged him back to reality.

(…No, can’t just be happy. Only three days left till my two-week assessment deadline… and that forty-thousand salary isn’t guaranteed yet. No time to slack off.)

Spurred by both money and looming evaluation, Lin Yu made a shocking decision—one that even surprised himself.
He would voluntarily work overtime.

He reopened the bracelet interface, navigating to the shameful yet alluring Magical Girl Training Manual.
Rows of glittery pink skill icons sparkled before him.

(MP-01: Kitty☆Softstep… silences footsteps? Oh, that’s good! Perfect for murder and robbery, leaves no trace. Practical 10/10!)

(DP-02: Don’t Touch Me☆Hmph… pops a shield if grabbed? Comes with a kaomoji?! (￢︿̫̿￢☆)… Damn, this is just self-defense class! Ugh… another blow to my male dignity. But… might actually be useful in close quarters…)

(AP-03: Justice☆Love Bomb… throw a giant pink heart while striking a cute pose? Absolutely not! Too humiliating! I’d rather let Chen Bing throw me 800 more times than use this girly crap in battle! Not learning it, even if you kill me!)

After much agonizing, he settled on the flashiest skill—the one most useful for “impressing supervisors.”

SP-01: Sparkling☆Entrance
Transforms with dazzling star and heart effects, briefly blinds enemies, gives allies a small morale boost. Effects customizable in settings.

(…So it’s basically a filter? “Blinds enemies”? More like blinds teammates…)

Still, Lin Yu’s practical side won.

(If I look impressive during assessment, maybe I’ll score bonus points. Yes. This is called “image management.” Perfect!)

Thus began his secret overtime practice.
Drawing the curtains shut, he stood before the cracked mirror.
The young man staring back wore a look that was equal parts grim determination and utter despair.

“Come on…”
He whispered to himself.
“…It’s just transforming. Nothing to be shy about. It’s for the job, for that forty-grand salary.”

Closing his eyes, he pressed the Gray Crystal brooch to his chest.

“—Gray Crystal, activate.”

This time, no stabbing pain.
Instead, a gentle warmth—like invisible hands lifting his soul free of his male body and easing it into a lighter, softer vessel.
Bones shrank, muscles reshaped, height dropped.
Hair spilled down in soft gray strands, brushing her cheek with a faint tickle.
A familiar weight blossomed on her chest, making her heartbeat skip.
A chill passed between her legs, leaving her squirming.

The glow faded.
Lin Yu opened her eyes.

The mirror reflected a girl in a blue sailor uniform and pleated skirt—green eyes clear, bright, tinged with shyness—staring back at her.

(…Damn.)

Her cheeks flushed hot.
She pressed her hands to the flimsy skirt, clamping her white-stockinged legs together.

(Why… why does it feel more embarrassing than ever today…)

The bracelet chimed, pulling her back.

“Training Mode Activated: Sparkling☆Entrance. Please strike the demo pose to channel energy.”

A chibi pink-haired idol appeared, demonstrating an exaggerated, cutesy transformation stance.
Hand on hip, the other raised skyward, beaming a “In the name of the moon!” smile.

Lin Yu twitched.

(Are you kidding me? This is idol crap! Why’d Dawn Corp design something this humiliating?)

But pragmatism (and poverty) prevailed.
She mimicked the pose, stiff and awkward, face frozen in despair.

“…”

The mirror showed a cute girl locked in the same rigid stance, expression screaming: Who am I? Where am I? Why am I doing this?

“Standardization: 12%. Sync failed. Please infuse the power of love~❤”

(Power of love?! I’ve never even dated!)

Her blush deepened until she could fry eggs on her cheeks.
Still, she tried again.
This time, she cleared her mind—focusing not on contracts or money, but on:

Ye Yeying’s divine figure amidst light.
Chen Bing’s stern, reliable gaze.
Li Qing’s mischievous yet expectant smile.

(…Protect them… grow stronger… live up to their expectations…)

A surge of energy flowed to her fingertips.
A spark of pink light bloomed.

She gasped.

(…It worked!)

“Standardization: 46%. Sync failed. Keep going! You’re improving~❤”

“Damn, so close…”

Still pouting, she scrolled through a guide.

“Smile sweetly, imagine getting a love letter, tilt knees inward, blink cutely… basically, the cuter you look, the higher the score…”

She tried adjusting her stance, face unconsciously softening—when suddenly—

Beep beep beep—click.

Her door lock disengaged.
The door opened.
A voice rang out:

“Huh? Who are you? Where’s my brother?”