Chapter 17: The Secret Line and the Unpaid Bill

That deranged, buxom young lady must be dealt with.

However, this foolish magical girl beside me also requires looking after.

Left unattended, she might once again act recklessly and throw herself against the evil magical girl organization.

Given this predicament… I can only resort to activating the Dark Organization’s secret communication line!

Capitalizing on the fact that classes had not yet ended, and the school was still largely consumed by the chaos of the Magitech Squad’s intrusion, a moment of deserted quiet presented itself.

Ling Xing picked up the school’s old-fashioned rotary phone and inserted a coin.

With practiced ease, she then retrieved the coin using a string tied to it, before dialing the number.

Indeed, this rotary phone, entirely shunned by anyone in this era, was none other than the Dark Organization’s secret communication device!

“Doo… Nee-haha, it’s Dal speaking! My strongest, most formidable combatant, Ling Xing! Are you seeking my assistance?”

Dal’s voice, childish yet deliberately elevated in an attempt to convey authority, emanated from the receiver.

The primary reason for this was that the Dark Organization currently lacked the funds to issue high-end products like mobile phones!

Adhering to Dal’s principle of never taking a single thread or needle from innocent civilians, the organization relied entirely on plundering the Magical Girl Organization’s supplies for sustenance. As a result, merely maintaining basic living necessities proved a struggle, leaving no room for any extravagant high-tech gadgets.

Currently, all communications were restricted to landlines… ‘Damn it,’ she thought. ‘One day, the Dark Organization will surely utilize advanced PHS phones!’

‘…Though that might be a bit too luxurious. Perhaps we should start by making do with pagers? That would surely be better than nothing at all.’

“Oh—Great Lord Dal! Your elite combatant, Ling Xing, extends her greetings! The evil magical girls have openly trespassed into the school and are now plotting to encircle and annihilate our righteous Dark Organization! I must investigate and thwart their wicked schemes—”

“What?! How dare the magical girls commit such an act! Not even sparing the sacred school campus… *Guh-woo-woo*, Ling Xing, I, Dark Cadre Dal, authorize you to deal with them with full force! Hold nothing back!”

As a formal communication between a combatant and a cadre, a formal tone was naturally required.

This was precisely why she had to avoid drawing attention. ‘Hmph,’ she mused. ‘If any ordinary bystander were to witness this, they would undoubtedly fail to grasp the profound implications of the Dark Organization’s communications, dismissing it merely as a bout of typical chunibyo.’

To prevent them from developing strange misconceptions about the Dark Organization, it was imperative to remain discreet.

“Understood! Great Lord Dal, I have also rescued an innocent girl from the clutches of the evil magical girls. I shall place her in the ‘cargo’ position; please arrange for her retrieval!”

“Excellent work, Ling Xing! Proceed with your mission without restraint, and thwart the magical girls’ wicked schemes. I, Dark Cadre Dal, shall handle the aftermath!”

Truly, Dal was the best.

As a cadre, she had never once rejected the proposals of a mere combatant like herself; it was as if they shared a perfect understanding.

‘What? Because she was the only one in the organization who counted as actual combat strength? Impossible, absolutely impossible! Dal was invincible!’

She ended the secret communication.

With the foolish magical girl now taken care of, it was time to consider how to deal with that deranged, buxom monster.

That being said, the pretense had certainly been maintained, and the aura of determination was undeniable, but…

But how exactly was she to resolve this?

Whether in terms of strength, influence, available personnel, or resources, the opponent held an overwhelming advantage. While Ling Xing, as an elite combatant, didn’t believe herself inferior to a magical girl, the numerical disparity was, after all, plain to see.

Even if her mental state was somewhat… nuanced, her intellect didn’t seem particularly lacking. She was, at the very least, adept at using her resources and influence to suppress and hunt Ling Xing.

Had it not been for her opportune, unspeakable back-channel dealings with some of these Magitech Squad members, and the fact that the opponent was new to the scene and unfamiliar with the team’s composition, even if she could resolve the situation, it would likely expose much and deplete a significant amount of her strength.

This certainly wouldn’t be the extent of the young lady’s tactics; she was bound to continue her machinations. If Ling Xing merely remained on the defensive without launching an offense, she would inevitably be defeated by the young lady’s crushing advantage in power.

She had to attack, to win by surprise, to deal with her before she could fully consolidate and leverage her advantages, or at the very least, to prevent her from acting so brazenly.

‘Ugh, what a hassle! Just thinking about that buxom monster gave her a headache…’

‘Damn it, now that things had come to this, then—’

She would eat first.

Complex problems could be pondered later; having just undergone strenuous exertion, now was precisely the time to fill her stomach!

****

Like most other places, the school was flanked by numerous eateries.

Considering the students’ spending power, most of them weren’t particularly expensive.

Among them, the one most favored by Ling Xing, where she would occasionally indulge in a splurge to satisfy her cravings, was…

It was, of course, the four-yuan, unlimited refill ‘budget noodles’!

Casually scaling the wall with practiced ease, Ling Xing tapped her boots and strolled leisurely towards the roadside noodle shop, her jacket draped over her shoulders.

Since school hadn’t yet dismissed, she enjoyed the rare luxury of not having to jostle for a spot, reveling in a sense of being the center of attention.

‘Ah, she truly was too cool; everyone was staring at her,’ she thought.

Completely lacking the self-awareness one might expect from a beautiful girl, Ling Xing swaggered towards the noodle shop, meeting the gazes of others head-on—

Then, she halted at the entrance.

It wasn’t that she had suddenly realized she was a beautiful girl from her reflection in the glass door, but rather…

“Can’t I use a bank card here?”

“Apologies, but we only accept cash and WeChat Pay…”

She saw an unexpected acquaintance.

It was Hane, the petite girl with short purple hair, the young lady’s attendant, and the very magical girl whose cash Ling Xing had relieved her of during their earlier ‘treat.’

“This is quite troublesome now. My phone is broken, and I don’t have a single cent of cash left. Hmm…”

The petite, purple-haired girl lightly twirled a gold-embossed bank card between her fingers, tilting her head in thought.

Her gaze met Ling Xing’s, who stood by the entrance with one hand on her hip.

Generally speaking… what would a thief’s reaction be upon encountering their victim?

Awkwardness? Cowardice? Turning tail and fleeing?

Nonono, only common thieves would react that way. As an elite combatant, Ling Xing—

“Hmph, don’t think for a second that I’ll help you just because you’re acting all familiar and trying to curry favor! That money is mine now; not a single cent will be returned to you! Pay for your own meal—”

She took the initiative, striking first and overwhelming her opponent with sheer presence!

Despite being the culprit who had stolen the other girl’s wallet and phone, Ling Xing brazenly seized the initiative with an air of righteous indignation.

With her head held high and chest puffed out, she strode proudly into the shop.

‘Hmph, a wicked magical girl, daring to dine and dash at an innocent noodle shop. How utterly evil!’

‘Let’s see how you react. I’ll make sure you’re thoroughly embarrassed!’

Ling Xing pursed her lips, a hint of a mischievous smile playing at their corners.

“No… rather, it was my own lack of skill. Losing everything is my own problem, and it truly has nothing to do with you. Those funds are your spoils of war; you are free to do with them as you please.”

However, the unexpected acquaintance gave an unexpected response.

She neither flared up nor refuted; she simply raised her hand calmly, making a gesture of surrender and concession.

Then, she slipped a beautiful ring from her fingertip and tossed it onto the counter.

“Besides, I still owe you a meal, don’t I?”