Chapter 16: The First Test

On Sunday morning, the branch office building stood as it always did, a prominent silhouette against the backdrop of a blue sky dotted with white clouds.

Numerous advertising screens adorned its facade, continuously cycling through thrilling combat highlights of various magical girls.

On these colossal screens, the girls appeared as towering giants, their gazes sweeping over the bustling, vibrant streets below.

Office workers, clad in crisp suits and sporting Shin-kou Group badges, hurried past with purposeful strides.

In contrast, young devotees arriving for leisure or pilgrimage would occasionally pause, their gazes drawn upwards to the resplendent, glittering billboards, where they would beam with unadulterated adoration at their idols.

Amidst this vibrant throng, Lu Chen moved.

He emerged from the subway station, crossed the bustling thoroughfare, and approached the girl who stood silently before the imposing structure.

As if on cue, the advertisement screen transitioned to a compilation of Fireworks’ most dazzling combat feats.

A brilliant, pyrotechnic glow spilled forth, casting the girl’s exquisite features in an interplay of light and shadow, half-illuminated, half-obscured.

Lu Chen regarded her intently for a moment, a subtle clenching of his fist betraying his inner turmoil, before he carefully formulated his words.

“Good morning.”

Ling Wei, in turn, was scrutinizing Lu Chen.

Despite his greeting being nothing more than a mundane pleasantry, his voice betrayed a faint tremor.

Moreover, his breathing was noticeably shallower and more rapid than its usual cadence.

Far from resembling someone about to embark on a romantic rendezvous with his beloved, he appeared more akin to a combatant steeling himself for a five-round, no-holds-barred bare-knuckle brawl against a polar bear within an octagon cage.

His tension was palpable.

‘Why is he like this? What could possibly be the matter?’

‘Did he, perhaps, succumb to a craving for Wallace’s at breakfast and now teeter on the brink of gastronomic distress? Or did he inadvertently purchase ill-fitting underwear, discovering its uncomfortable restrictiveness only en route, thus precluding any opportunity for a change?’

‘…Ah, it seems his suspicions have, predictably, resurfaced.’

For the past few days, his gaze had become evasive the moment he saw her.

Even their casual hand-holding, a simple gesture, had plummeted by eighty percent, yet he deluded himself into believing his act was flawless.

As for the genesis of his renewed suspicion, Ling Wei found herself utterly bewildered.

She was confident she had committed no acts overtly abnormal or uncharacteristic of Xia Shi, nor had her ‘Eye of Scrutiny’ revealed any peculiar scenes.

If truth be told, Lu Chen’s abrupt and complete recovery struck her as the more peculiar anomaly.

The confluence of these two anomalies… could it be that the Heart of the Moon was finally exerting its influence?

The notion of a precious treasure, one with whom countless days and nights had been shared and innumerable memories forged, only to be casually snatched by a stranger after painstaking cultivation, then swiftly morphing into the assailant’s weapon to turn against its creator… such a narrative would irrevocably shatter Ling Wei’s worldview, its detrimental impact on impressionable youths immeasurable.

When she initially forged the Heart of the Moon, she had prudently embedded a command: ‘Hey, be loyal to your dear master, me.’

This was a safeguard, lest it should unexpectedly declare, during a future evolution, ‘You repulsive wretch, you’re unfit to touch me; begone!’ and then unilaterally refuse her, thereby echoing the tragic fate of a certain grim reaper, or perhaps even precipitating a full-blown AI uprising.

Yet, the Heart of the Moon’s internal architecture was terrifyingly intricate, with fully half of its mechanisms remaining an inscrutable black box.

Furthermore, it had been fractured once by Xia Shi during its development, rendering it a chaotic system long ago.

As things stood, Ling Wei could no longer ascertain whether it would forever remain loyal to her, forever shedding tears of unyielding devotion.

Perhaps the crucial ‘me’ had already been excised from the command ‘be loyal to your dear master, me,’ leaving only ‘be loyal to your dear master.’

‘…Never mind,’ she mused.

‘It matters not. Let anyone try to obstruct; it will make no difference.’

Given that Lu Chen had not directly lodged an official complaint with Morning Star, nor initiated any formal proceedings, his suspicions, she reasoned, were destined to remain mere conjectures.

Ling Wei’s lips curved subtly upwards, as she offered Lu Chen a faint, distinctly Xia Shi-esque smile.

‘Poor, naive child,’ she thought.

‘Surely you yearn for a blissful life with your resurrected beloved, rather than succumbing to suspicions about those closest to you?’

‘Rest assured, I shall systematically dismantle each of your fragile, baseless doubts.’

‘By the end of this day, you will once again be utterly devoted to me, contentedly basking in this haven of tenderness.’

“Good morning,” she greeted, her voice sweet.

“Your hairstyle looks truly charming today. And you’ve arrived an entire hour ahead of our scheduled meeting.”

Having endured a restless night, Lu Chen’s hair was a disheveled bird’s nest, a state he had entirely neglected to rectify before stepping out.

With a touch of self-consciousness, he smoothed down his unruly strands, offering a wry smile.

“Thank you for the observation,” he replied, a hint of awkwardness still lingering.

“Though you, too, are an hour early.

Lin Wan has likely not even reached her office yet… Would you care to explore somewhere else first? Or, if that seems too bothersome, we can simply wait.”

Ling Wei nodded, allowing her smile to brighten by a fraction, radiating a touch more warmth.

With delicate, measured steps, she closed the distance, coming to stand beside the young man.

“With you by my side, nothing could ever be a bother,” she murmured.

“Anywhere you wish to go is perfectly fine.”

A faint, sweet fragrance drifted to him on the breeze.

The girl’s eyes, clear and luminous, sparkled with the same eager anticipation as a child poised for an autumn outing, filled with innocent delight.

For a fleeting moment, Lu Chen felt a profound disorientation, almost succumbing to the impulse to abandon the meticulously crafted plan he had devised the previous night.

He drew a deep, steadying breath, resolute in his effort to regain his composure.

“In that case,” he suggested, his voice carefully neutral, “why don’t we first visit that place you hold so dear?”

Ling Wei subtly pressed her lips together, a conscious effort to prevent her burgeoning smile from appearing overtly derisive.

‘This, without question, marks Lu Chen’s inaugural attempt at probing my authenticity.’

‘For a pitiable simpleton such as him, it’s a rather commendable effort, perhaps deserving of a paltry seven points out of a hundred.’

‘During every interview, Xia Shi had consistently offered only platitudes, seldom divulging details of her private life.’

‘Shin-kou Group, commendably, had never aggressively sensationalized her image, instead diligently safeguarding her privacy.’

‘Consequently, her culinary preferences, the figures she admired, and the places she frequented during her leisure hours—these were almost exclusively secrets known only to a select circle of intimate friends.’

‘——Alas, in the intricate tapestry of modern society, absolute privacy remains an elusive myth, particularly for a figure as prominent as this young woman.’

Ling Wei concentrated her arcane energy, activating her unique magical ability.

Instantly, a deluge of surveillance footage flooded her mind, countless screens flickering and playing back at an accelerated, almost dizzying, pace.

This was her exclusive magic: ‘Omniscience.’

Empowered by this spell, her cognitive speed, mnemonic capabilities, and overall comprehension transcended those of ordinary mortals by a vast margin.

To flawlessly embody Xia Shi, prior to her infiltration, Ling Wei had procured all available surveillance footage from the Shin-kou Group’s vicinity and from every combat zone where Miss Fireworks had engaged.

She then meticulously etched these voluminous records deep into the recesses of her mind.

By meticulously cross-referencing the individuals captured in various recordings, she had gained a comprehensive understanding of Xia Shi’s habitual patterns of movement and behavior.

‘——Aware that an excessive burden of memories could easily lead to cognitive overload and a ‘red-temperature stage play’ (a state of mental collapse), Ling Wei had prudently archived the bulk of non-essential data within her personal database, tasking Zero with retrieving information as required.’

‘Nevertheless, every single nuance and detail concerning Xia Shi herself remained diligently etched into Ling Wei’s memory, ensuring she could, at a moment’s notice, furnish Lu Chen with the most impeccably authentic experience.’

Ling Wei swiftly navigated through the deluge of images, effortlessly pinpointing Miss Xia’s most cherished haunt within the branch office building.

She arched a delicate brow, allowing a flicker of feigned surprise to cross her features.

“It’s only 8 o’clock now. Isn’t it too early for cake?”

Upon hearing the girl’s response, the knot of anxiety in Lu Chen’s chest loosened perceptibly.

Xia Shi harbored an intense fondness for sweets, holding a particular affection for a cake shop named ‘A Spoonful of Sweetness.’

She was known to run ten kilometers daily to offset the calories, ensuring her weekly indulgence without fail.

At least on this count, Ling Wei’s knowledge aligned perfectly.

‘…Very well,’ he mused, ‘though fraught with a degree of risk, it is time to proceed with the next phase of the test.’

Steeling himself mentally, he offered a reassuring smile, then raised a hand to indicate a specific spot along the roadside.

“You have a point,” he conceded smoothly.

“What do you say we explore that establishment just over there? I’ve long harbored a desire to experience it, especially with you.”

“Mm, of course. That sounds delightful,” Ling Wei responded without hesitation.

Ling Wei nodded, her gaze unfocused, a distinct wave of ennui washing over her.

‘Zero points, utterly failing.’

‘Though, truthfully, he was already failing.’

‘This shop or that shop, are they not both within the scope of surveillance? Is there any fundamental difference?’

‘Truly, I wish for a more challenging test, you unimaginative minnow.’

She languidly lifted her eyes, directing her gaze towards Lu Chen.

A series of small, pink-hued objects immediately came into view.

There was the shop’s name, written in rounded, charming artistic script, and images of omurice plastered across its glass walls.

And standing at the entrance, two maids, impeccably dressed in white, adorned with cat ears, greeted incoming patrons with beaming smiles…

——It was, unmistakably, a maid café.

‘…Well done, Mr. Lu. You pass.’