Chapter 14: The Golden Serpent’s Demise

At the critical juncture, Ling Wei snapped back to her senses.

She clapped her hands together, and scorching, vibrant solar flames roared forth, cascading from between her fingers.

A searing impact erupted, sending both her and Lu Chen, who was embracing her, flying to the side, narrowly evading the destructive golden spear.

Failing to strike its target, the formidable weapon naturally maintained its speed, transforming into a blurry, distorted golden afterimage that shattered the air, slamming into a distant wall like a cannonball.

And, just as Ling Wei had anticipated, it pulverized the surrounding floor and walls, along with the metal pillars storing artifacts, into high-speed, flying fragments!

Countless lethal shards burst forth, raining down like a torrential downpour, piercing towards Lu Chen, who was still clutching the girl.

Even a graze, let alone a direct hit, would grievously wound the young man, and the half-piece of the Silver Moon Heart within him would vanish forever into the void and darkness, rendering it utterly irrecoverable.

Ling Wei internally cursed the ‘shitty setting,’ then surged her overflowing magic through every fiber of her being.

Flames flickered in the girl’s eyes as small, fiercely dancing fireballs continuously emerged, colliding with the incoming fragments with extreme precision, deflecting every single one from its trajectory.

With unparalleled casting speed and unerring accuracy, Ling Wei’s response was nothing short of flawless.

However, Lu Chen’s sudden intrusion had left her with far too little time to react.

One fragment, deflected by a fireball, did not cease its flight; instead, it struck a nearby pillar.

Carrying its still-terrifying kinetic energy, it ricocheted wildly within the warehouse, tracing an erratic path before finally slamming into Lu Chen once more.

The girl detected the fragment in time, but there was no longer any opportunity to fully block it.

She could only slightly alter its trajectory to avoid vital points, then watched as it pierced Lu Chen’s side chest, leaving a trail of blood.

With that strike landing, the rain of fragments finally ceased.

“…Ah.”

The young man let out a short cry of pain, and his rigid body immediately went limp.

Ling Wei gritted her teeth, conjuring flames to staunch his bleeding as she examined his wound.

His ribs were fractured, a lung perforated, and the surrounding flesh utterly shredded.

Without immediate professional medical attention, his life would undoubtedly be in peril.

‘Big brother, are you out of your mind? If you hadn’t come, I would have escaped long ago.

Do you just get uncomfortable if you don’t throw yourself into danger?’

‘Do you have any awareness of being the host of the Silver Moon Heart?

Do you have an objective understanding of your useless, frail body?

Have you considered how Xia Shi would feel, having died?

You are truly foolish, idiotic, utterly lacking self-awareness, arrogant, sickening, and absolutely disgusting—’

“…Th-this.”

Lu Chen’s lips parted, uttering a few difficult syllables as he extended a clenched fist towards the girl.

Despite her irritation, Ling Wei professionally took his hand.

Feeling the girl’s warmth, the young man relaxed and unclenched his hand, revealing what lay within.

It was a small iron key—the very key used to activate the teleportation device and exit the warehouse.

Ling Wei paused, then a faint, speechless curve touched her lips.

‘To be foolish and conceited to such an extent, it’s almost amusing.’

“Hmph… Fireworks, poor Fireworks, how does it feel to lose your beloved?”

The colossal serpent coiled its massive body, drawing closer to the girl with a sinister chuckle.

Its vertical pupils, narrowed with excitement, gazed down condescendingly at the two lambs awaiting slaughter.

“Do not despair, I shall send you to reunite with him—”

An invisible, colossal force crushed Chrysomallos’s mouth, interrupting its incessant chattering.

It tried to open its mouth to cry out in pain, but not even a hiss could escape.

‘What’s happening?

Where did that attack come from?

I was clearly winning!’

Amidst the excruciating pain, the giant serpent looked around in confusion, only to see the girl’s crimson hair gradually change color, reverting to an inky black, and her ceremonial attire vanish, transforming back into the trench coat she had worn upon arrival.

Transformation was the magical girl’s ritual to activate their powers.

Remaining in their normal state, without transforming, meant their abilities differed little from ordinary humans—this was common knowledge Chrysomallos had long known.

The girl before it had undeniably dispelled her transformation… yet, the magic swirling around her had not diminished in the slightest; instead, it surged and overflowed explosively!

This seemingly endless, tsunami-like magical energy, this sharp, destructive magical characteristic… it had only ever witnessed it in one other being.

‘But wasn’t that scum, who was an enemy to its master, dead?

Hadn’t they been utterly destroyed?’

Ling Wei paid no heed to the serpent’s shock.

She lifted Lu Chen’s eyelids, revealing pupils that were already dilated and unfocused—a telltale sign of deep unconsciousness.

She rose to her feet, then looked towards the direction where the golden spear had struck.

As anticipated, the wall had been pierced through, leaving a gaping hole large enough for one person to pass.

The girl walked to the edge of the breach, then beckoned with a finger towards a distant metal pillar.

The pillar lifted from the ground, floated across the warehouse to Ling Wei’s side, and sealed the opening tightly.

The girl summoned Zero, who had been observing from the side, and addressed it:

“Lu Chen must have called for rescue.

What’s the average deployment time for local magical girls?”

Zero fluttered its wings, making a respectful gesture by placing a wing over its chest, much like a Michelin-starred chef.

“Ten minutes, Master.

Accounting for the time he spent running back and forth, you have approximately seven minutes remaining.”

“Understood.

I’ll leave the surveillance footage to you to alter.”

Zero levitated Lu Chen onto a floor tile, ready for immediate teleportation.

Ling Wei returned to the warehouse, advancing towards the colossal serpent.

Chrysomallos instinctively tried to flee, but even with all its might, it couldn’t move an inch, unable even to slightly twist its head.

As panic and despair swelled, the girl arrived before it, gazing up at its deep, lightless eyes.

The colossal serpent suddenly felt the pressure on its mouth lessen, and it hastily spoke with subservience:

“Great and mighty one, please forgive me!

I was blind, failing to recognize your true identity, and inadvertently made a disrespectful provocation.

You have deigned to grace this place with your presence, may I ask for what purpose…”

Ling Wei cut it off.

“That move you just used was quite interesting.

Perform it again.”

“Ju… just now?”

“Yes, the golden spear that was charged.

Hurry.”

The girl’s tone was flat, yet it held an undeniable authority that brooked no defiance.

Chrysomallos dared not question further, gathering its magic to fully condense a dazzling, golden spear at its side.

“It’s—it’s complete.

This insignificant trick is utterly beneath your notice, please—”

“No, it’s quite interesting.

Let me see… is this how it’s done?”

Ling Wei flicked her finger, and immediately, sparkling specks of dazzling golden light surged forth in the air.

They vied with each other to coalesce, instantly forging a heavy golden spear far more potent than the serpent’s own.

Sensing the imminent danger, Chrysomallos immediately raised its voice:

“I have done exactly as you commanded!

Please forgive me!

I possess thirteen secret magic books from the Candlestick Council, and an entire warehouse of Frostflame Steel!

All of it is yours, should you but ask!”

Ling Wei rotated the golden spear, examining it from top to bottom.

Chrysomallos’s body trembled, desperately wanting to escape, yet it remained utterly immobile.

It cried out loudly:

“I am a trusted confidant of ‘Envy,’ and we are incredibly close!

Even as an Incarnation of Sin, you cannot act with such impunity!”

Ling Wei completely ignored its words, stating:

“Throw the spear at me.”

“Throw the spear…?”

“Yes.

I’ve just learned your unique magic, and now I need to test the results.”

The girl blinked, and the magic surrounding her abruptly receded, instantly dropping to the level of an ordinary spellcaster.

She released Chrysomallos from its binds, dispersed the spear she had just conjured, then raised her right hand, forming a pistol gesture, and aimed it distantly at the serpent’s brow.

“Don’t worry, to ensure fairness, I’ll only use one-tenth of your magical power.”

The colossal serpent looked down at the girl’s slender fingers, and its massive body began to tremble.

“Arrogant, foolish wretch!

I shall now purge and slay this madwoman for my master…!”

The colossal serpent roared like thunder, conjuring countless golden spears, their luster cold and their magic wild, and hurled them with full force at the diminutive figure before it.

The girl offered a playful smile, then cast a single golden spear towards the colossal serpent.

****

“And so, I pushed the ‘Golden Serpent’ onto its own thrown golden spear, utterly destroying it and forcing it to self-destruct.

I did well, didn’t I?”

“Yes, of course.”

“In contrast, you completely disbelieved I would win, rushed in on your own accord, and ended up in this state.”

“…I’m sorry.

There won’t be a next time.

This conversation has been repeated thirty-seven times over the past few days.”

Three days later, in a familiar hospital, in a familiar ward.

Lu Chen lay in the familiar hospital bed, apologizing to the girl seated beside him.

Hearing his apology, the girl showed no sign of pleasure; instead, she frowned slightly with dissatisfaction.

“…Because I always feel like you’ll make the same mistake again.

I’ll go to the cafeteria and get you some pears and apples.”

Saying this, she stood up and left the ward.

Lu Chen watched her retreating figure, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his eyes.

During this time, he had repeatedly reviewed the investigation reports written by the logistics department afterwards and watched the surveillance footage left at the scene.

Everything was precisely as the girl had described.

Within the warehouse, she had used the mobility granted by her flames to evade all of the colossal serpent’s attacks, seized the opportunity to repel it, and caused it to be struck in a vital spot by its own assault.

Therefore, the girl’s words should have been entirely factual, and her demeanor and emotions were no different from usual.

‘…So, the scene he witnessed that day in the warehouse, while severely injured, unconscious, and then inexplicably regaining consciousness, must have merely been a feverish delusion.’