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The courtyard served as a vital operational base, and Lily of the Valley had naturally outfitted it with the most comprehensive defenses.
Vines that absorbed magic.
Pitcher plants that sensed enemies.
Numbing flora that paralyzed foes.
Armored trees that blocked intruders.
These plants, meticulously designed by the theoretically astute Old Nie, were then flawlessly materialized by Lily of the Valley’s magic.
Layer upon layer, they encircled the entire amusement park, forging an impenetrable green barrier.
Lily of the Valley was confident that even an Incarnation of Sin themselves would find it difficult to breach.
***
Yet, the magical girl before her had, in a mere instant, incinerated and obliterated every obstruction, arriving directly in front of her as if strolling through her own backyard, granting Lily of the Valley no time to react.
In the five years since awakening as a magical girl, a period of relentless, machine-like combat, this was the first time Lily of the Valley had encountered an opponent of such overwhelming disparity.
Lily of the Valley pushed off the ground, swiftly retreating to the opposite end of the stage, putting significant distance between herself and Fireworks.
As she withdrew, she summoned several tentacle-like vines, which deftly snatched the firearms and blades from her back, preparing herself for battle with utmost readiness.
The gun muzzles gaped menacingly, the blade edges gleamed with sharp light, yet Fireworks remained utterly unfazed, appearing to watch a tedious juggling act.
The red-haired girl raised a single finger towards Lily of the Valley, and from its tip, a brilliant white flame ignited, its extraordinary heat causing the surrounding air to shimmer and tremble.
“You have four seconds left.”
In stark contrast to the eager flame, Fireworks’ tone was bone-chillingly cold.
Lily of the Valley, ignoring her accelerating heartbeat, replied:
“Then I shall ask directly.
No offense intended, but are you truly Xia Shi herself?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“To be precise, I suspect you are an accomplice of ‘Envy,’ which is why I requested assistance from the gentleman behind you…”
Mid-sentence, Fireworks had ghosted forward, appearing directly before her, a bone-searing wave of heat washing over Lily of the Valley.
Startled, Lily of the Valley instinctively swung her weapons, intending to retaliate.
However, before she could even complete her motion, a blinding flash of fire engulfed all the plants, firearms, and blades, reducing them entirely to useless ash.
The red-haired girl retracted her flames, her icy gaze fixing upon Lily of the Valley.
“It is my duty to bear scrutiny.
Whether you question my identity, my strength, or my character, you are free to do so.”
“However, do not involve innocent parties.
Do you understand?”
Lily of the Valley bit the tip of her tongue, the sharp pain barely preventing her from trembling.
“Yes, I understand.”
Upon hearing this reply, the fiery glow in Fireworks’ eyes finally diminished slightly.
Lily of the Valley, in turn, exhaled a silent breath of relief.
Nevertheless, with the red-haired girl’s next words, a crushing wave of tension once again settled upon her spine.
“Very good.
Then, tomorrow afternoon, I will return.”
“…Return again?
Why?”
Fireworks flicked her finger, and a partially unburnt vine immediately flew obediently towards her.
“Naturally, it is to fight you while my magic is suppressed, so as to dispel your doubts.”
“You filled this amusement park with magic-absorbing vines… was that not precisely your method for confirming my identity?”
“Objectively speaking, my situation is indeed suspicious.
Your desire for verification is entirely reasonable, and I can understand it.”
“As for your punishment for abducting Lu Chen, I personally am not qualified to arbitrate.
Let the New Light Group and the courts decide.”
Lily of the Valley was certain she had not divulged her plan to anyone other than Lu Chen, yet Fireworks had, in a single encounter, accurately divined all her intentions.
‘This person before me… not only wields immense power, but their intellect is also impeccable.’
Lily of the Valley took a deep breath and replied:
“Alright, thank you for your cooperat—”
Fireworks clenched her fist and delivered a hook punch, cutting off Lily of the Valley’s thanks.
This strike carried no magic, nor any flame, and its trajectory was crooked, lacking power, yet it stung unexpectedly.
“That being said, I’m still rather displeased, and I can’t just stand by while others give you a slap on the wrist.
Do you have any objections?”
Lily of the Valley clutched her cheek, staring blankly at the stern-faced red-haired girl.
“…No, none.”
Fireworks nodded, then averted her gaze from Lily of the Valley.
She walked directly to Lu Chen’s side, grabbed his hand, interlaced their fingers tightly, and leaped out of the theater.
***
Lily of the Valley’s courtyard lay in a desolate suburb, quite a distance from the city center.
There were, naturally, no subway stations or taxis, and even a public bus would only arrive once an hour.
Flying back would undoubtedly be swift, but Lu Chen truly did not wish to be an ‘air-man’ again, nor did Xia Shi want to draw too much attention.
Since it was Sunday and they had nothing pressing to do, the two simply found a small path leading towards the city, intending to walk leisurely for a while and figure out further transportation once they grew tired.
The spring sky was crystal clear, the vast grasslands shimmered with verdant green, and the two walked silently side-by-side along the path, their hands remaining tightly clasped together.
The girl said nothing, her gaze fixed downwards on the ground ahead, while light and shadow played across her face.
Lu Chen secretly observed her profile, his mind a jumble of thoughts.
‘She doesn’t seem angry anymore; her hand is clasped much tighter than usual, almost like a mother who has found her lost child.’
‘Still, an apology is definitely necessary.’
‘If he pretended the morning’s quarrel hadn’t happened, he might indeed get by for the moment, but it would undoubtedly sow seeds of dissatisfaction and grievance in her heart.’
‘That wouldn’t be a healthy relationship.’
Lu Chen steeled himself, just about to speak, when the girl squeezed his palm first.
She softened her tone, speaking clearly and quietly:
“I’m sorry.”
“…You have nothing to apologize for, do you?”
“Of course I do.
This morning, I was overly sensitive.”
“Perhaps it’s because I spent a year alone in an isolated place, but since returning, I’ve felt a constant unease, a fear of disappearing again, of leaving again… of never seeing you again.”
“So, when you suddenly started teasing me and wouldn’t tell me why, I reacted a bit excessively.
My apologies.”
After quietly and bravely delivering her apology, the girl’s tone brightened perceptibly.
“However, thinking it over carefully, you’ve always been very methodical in your actions.”
“There must be a perfectly reasonable explanation for your reluctance to be honest with me this time.
I won’t force you for an answer.”
Lu Chen tightened his grip on the girl’s hand and said:
“I also need to apologize to you.
It’s not a big reason, in fact, it’s a bit strange…
You see, didn’t that Lily of the Valley just now suspect you were a strange person?”
“Yes.
What about it?”
Lu Chen steeled his resolve, then stammered out his thoughts.
“The truth is… I also had a tiny bit of doubt, feeling that you seemed subtly different after you returned.
So, I wanted to see you get angry, to confirm your identity.”
“I’m sorry.”
His confession finished, Lu Chen nervously studied Xia Shi, awaiting her verdict.
The girl stopped, lifted her head, and her clear eyes fixed upon the young man.
She said briefly:
“Bow your head.”
“Bow my head…?”
“Just do it.”
Lu Chen complied.
The moment he bent down, the girl raised her hand and delivered a sharp flick to the young man’s forehead.
“How was that?
Was the force different from before?”
“…Honestly, it hurt more than before.”
“Good, that means the extra force I used wasn’t wasted.
I forgive you.”
Lu Chen paused, then involuntarily chuckled.
Though the girl had no reason to smile herself, seeing Lu Chen’s laughter, she too curved her lips into a faint smile.
As she smiled, she suddenly caught sight of the tote bag in Lu Chen’s other hand.
The girl’s eyes immediately lit up, and she said:
“Is that a chestnut cake?”
“It certainly was two hours ago; now, I’m afraid it’s just chestnut cake mush.”
“A cake is a cake!
Hurry and give it to me… oh, let’s go sit on that bench over there.”
The girl snatched the tote bag, then trotted over to the bench and sat down, eagerly tearing open the packaging.
Lu Chen followed, watching her joyful profile.
The sunlight was warm, and a sweet, cloying aroma wafted from the bag.
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, I Became a Vampire Girl is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : I Became a Vampire Girl
