Chapter 78: The Resurrected Sister and the Wavering Heart

Lu Chen slowly straightened in the rattan chair, a flicker of doubt in his heart.

At the time, Arrogance had already been entrusted by Morning Star to safeguard the Crescent Pendant. Even if he did nothing, that scoundrel could have easily accepted the pendant without question, so there was no reason for him to lie.

Afterward, the Group organized professional detectives who, alongside the police, conducted several searches. Yet, not a single clue had surfaced to this day.

How could Lily of the Valley suddenly find it?

The young man turned his head to face the girl, his voice laced with inquiry.

“Where did you get this information?”

Lily of the Valley hesitated for a moment.

“…My sister told me. She… she’s resurrected.”

Lu Chen froze, then leaned back against the chair, letting out a long sigh.

“Miss Lily of the Valley, resurrection magic does not exist.”

Lily of the Valley gazed silently at the ground, her voice dropping slightly.

“I know… Of course, I know. But she’s waiting right now in the amusement park. The cakes were actually bought for her.”

Lu Chen was stunned, his disbelief evident.

“She’s there right now? Are you certain it’s truly your sister? Please, consider what you told me about Mr. Murphy earlier. He believed he had mastered resurrection magic, but in reality, it was a monster—”

Lily of the Valley cut him off.

“I believe it’s her. Envy has already been apprehended, and no monster could imitate someone so flawlessly now.”

Xia Shi’s face flashed through Lu Chen’s mind. His heart tightened, and a chill snaked up his spine. He instinctively straightened his back, raising his voice with severity.

“Why haven’t you reported this to Sister Lin? She would undoubtedly arrange for professional warlocks to investigate the situation.”

The girl’s shoulders trembled slightly, and she averted her gaze as if guilty.

“No, I can’t. Gu Pan… she’s entangled with some magic similar to Envy’s. Others would surely misunderstand. That’s why I’ve temporarily kept her in the amusement park.”

Lu Chen’s voice rose again.

“This may not be a misunderstanding. Haven’t you killed many monsters? Surely, you understand that they are all tainted with various evil intentions, don’t you?”

‘I understand! But my sister… my sister’s situation is different.’

‘Is that so? What are you basing that judgment on?’

Lily of the Valley’s voice softened further.

‘…Intuition.’

‘Intuition? I’m afraid I cannot trust that this time. Please, do not let your emotions sway you, and do not waver when you know there’s a problem. Contact the Group immediately!’

By the end, the young man was practically roaring, his anger so profound that even he didn’t fully understand its source. He gripped the armrests of the chair tightly, his chest heaving with agitation.

A gust of wind swept past, shattering the young man’s shouts and carrying them away. Lily of the Valley fell silent for a moment, her neatly cropped short hair now disheveled by the wind.

She bit her thin lip, her voice hushed.

“…You are right.”

Lu Chen’s eyes brightened, and a wave of relief washed over him.

“Then, immediately—”

Lily of the Valley murmured another sentence.

“But she is my sister. What else can I do?”

The girl’s words reached the young man’s ears, distinct and clear. He stared intently at her, and in an instant, a flood of rebuttals formed in his mind.

‘This is truly absurd. We are currently discussing the authenticity of this ‘sister,’ yet you’re assuming she’s real, completely engaging in circular reasoning.’

‘Moreover, even if she were real, what then?’

‘She carries the magic of a Sin Incarnate and is at an age where self-control is low and emotions are easily agitated. Even without malicious intent, she could harm others. Entrusting her to the warlocks is the only responsible course of action for yourself and for the public.’

‘You are a Magical Girl, with such extensive experience and keen observation skills. Do you truly not understand this basic common sense, this fundamental principle?’

A tangle of words surged into his throat, yet they all remained trapped there.

Lu Chen clenched his jaw, his shoulders trembling, desperately wanting to articulate all these reasons and persuasions. But for a long time, he couldn’t utter a single word.

If he were in Lily of the Valley’s position, he knew he would be just as indecisive, just as conflicted.

Lily of the Valley remained silent, flying steadily through the air. The abandoned amusement park, once a tiny speck, was now clearly visible.

Lu Chen leaned back weakly against the chair. He suddenly noticed the plastic bag on his lap; the cake box lay within, gently trembling with the chair’s movements, many light-yellow egg tarts bouncing like tiny deer. There were quite a few cakes, certainly enough for a family of three to snack on for a day or two. Lily of the Valley alone couldn’t possibly eat them all; she was likely planning to share them with her sister.

Lu Chen picked up the cake box, a bitter smile gracing his lips. He spoke to Lily of the Valley.

“The other half of the Heart of the Moon, the location of the Crescent Pendant—you specifically called me here. It shouldn’t just be to tell me this, should it?”

Lily of the Valley nodded gently, her voice low as she recounted.

“Yes. Before telling me the location of the Heart of the Moon, my sister also told me something else. She said a strange uncle resurrected her.”

“And that uncle said that if she didn’t find the Heart of the Moon within three days… she would have to leave again. In reality, her condition has indeed been deteriorating day by day. Her appetite and energy are constantly declining, and now she even has difficulty walking.”

Only then did Lu Chen realize that Lily of the Valley hadn’t been to the training center for several days, nor had she shown her face at the branch building at all. He had been completely engrossed in his own affairs with Arrogance, momentarily neglecting those around him.

“When did she tell you all this?”

“Late Wednesday night, four days ago. I’ve been using Verdant Grace to treat her with all my might, but I haven’t been able to completely stop her deterioration.”

Lily of the Valley offered a weary smile, continuing, “But this morning, she suddenly regained her spirits. She said she was very hungry, wanted to eat delicious food, and missed Mom and Dad… so I came out to buy some cakes.”

As Lily of the Valley spoke, she reduced her speed, slowly descending to the ground of the amusement park. She retracted her vines and dispelled her transformation.

She looked towards Lu Chen.

“Mr. Lu, I know there might be some conspiracy behind this, so I truly didn’t want to look for the Crescent Pendant, nor did I want to trouble you. But I’m too foolish; I can’t think of any other way.”

“You possess some of the Heart of the Moon’s power, don’t you? Could I please ask you to try and heal her?”

Lu Chen observed Gu Pan. After dispelling her transformation, the emerald green light that had surrounded her vanished, as did her magnificent attire. She reverted to an ordinary girl with a pale, haggard face and dark circles under her eyes.

He picked up the plastic bag and handed the cake box to the girl.

“Miss Lily of the Valley, I apologize. The Heart of the Moon only granted me the power to heal myself. I cannot use it to heal others.”

Lily of the Valley’s eyes dimmed, and she let out a soft sigh.

“I understand. Thank you.”

“But please, take me to see Gu Pan first. There’s no harm in trying.”

Lily of the Valley paused, then a bright smile bloomed on her face, softening even her usually stern sanpaku eyes. She eagerly walked up to the young man, bowing five or six times in quick succession, her smooth black hair fluttering with each movement.

“Thank you! Thank you so very much!”

“It’s nothing. But if it doesn’t work, I hope you’ll seriously reconsider contacting the Group.”

“Understood! Of course. I’ve always received your help but have never been able to repay you. Oh, right, I also said I’d treat you and Miss Fireworks to a meal, but I haven’t seen her recently. After this is all over, I hope you’ll both honor us with your presence!”

Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback, then nodded. He smiled, following Lily of the Valley’s lead, and said softly,

“Of course, I look forward to it. At that time, let’s invite little Gu Pan, and Aunt Bai and Mr. Gu too.”

“Mm! Understood!”

The girl replied cheerfully. Her eyes sparkled, as if she could already smell the aroma of the food and envision her family and friends gathered around the dining table.