Chapter 23: The Art of Covert Operations

“So, let’s review again. Simply put…”

In the training room on Saturday, Jasmine gestured towards the updated lesson plan displayed on the light screen.

“The Purification Faction seeks to have the ‘Eroded’ willingly dissipate, which is akin to redemption and transcendence. The Suppression Faction, however, advocates for a swift and decisive elimination, where the ‘Eroded’ are usually forcibly dispersed, filled with hatred and reluctance. The crucial difference lies in how that final blow is handled.”

Su Xinxin was exceptionally serious. She had specifically brought a notebook this time and was diligently taking notes, her head bowed.

Although the content could be directly synchronized to her phone, she found that writing it down by hand helped her remember it more firmly. As the saying goes, ‘the palest ink is better than the best memory.’ This was, after all, an old habit of hers.

“…But the subsequent effects differ.” Jasmine switched the page, revealing a concise comparative diagram.

“Purification, which is like asking an opponent to ‘drop their butcher’s knife,’ is currently recognized as the most thorough method of eradication, with almost no residual risk. Its drawback, though, is its slowness. The higher the rank of the ‘Eroded,’ the harder it is to purify. On the battlefield, there’s often no time for such a gradual process, unless the threat is completely neutralized, allowing for spare time.”

She paused, then with a swipe of her finger, the screen shifted to the Suppression Faction’s section. “As for the Suppression Faction, its advantage lies in high efficiency and swift response. However, forcibly slaying, especially certain unique ‘Eroded,’ might prevent their hatred from dissipating, allowing it to re-gather and revive through other channels—Question!”

She suddenly turned around, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Su Xinxin, a hint of ‘look how much like a teacher I am’ pride on her face.

“Ah?” Su Xinxin, who had been engrossed in organizing her notes, was startled by the sudden classroom query.

“How are the ‘Eroded’ typically formed? Xiao Jasmin? Could you answer that, please~” Jasmine’s tone became even more cheerful.

After the malevolent spirit incident on Star River Arcade Street last time, she had wanted to find an opportunity to act on her idea of ‘making friends.’ But then she reconsidered, thinking it might be more fun not to reveal her intentions, allowing her to tease this junior, whose reactions were always a little peculiar, a bit longer.

Su Xinxin lowered her head, quickly flipping two pages in her notebook. Finding the record, she read aloud, “They are usually formed by the condensation of excessive negative emotions from humans or other beings, such as… malicious mockery, pent-up resentment that cannot be vented, or grudges with harmful intent…”

As she read this, she looked up, a flash of understanding in her eyes—she realized why Jasmine had suddenly asked this question.

“Exactly!”

Jasmine snapped her fingers, and several keywords lit up on the light screen. “Thus, research reports indicate that if the hatred of ‘Eroded’ forcibly dispersed by suppression methods, especially those already laden with deep resentment, is not properly handled, it could ‘revive’ by latching onto other negative emotions, forming a threat once more. So, you see…”

Her tone grew more serious, her hands clasped behind her back as she leaned slightly forward. “I personally lean towards the concept of purification, but the reality is that efficiency and safety are often more important. If there’s no time to purify, then they must be eliminated. I think… I’d consider myself a compromiser who leans towards purification.”

Su Xinxin nodded, indicating her understanding and agreement.

She then recalled the argument she had overheard in the ‘Apricot Grove’ hospital ward last time and asked, “Did Senior Gentian get lectured by Senior Cornflower afterward?”

“She certainly did~” Jasmine shrugged. “But both of them, you see, are actually more skilled in combat. Purification, theoretically, anyone can do, but for some, direct combat simply comes more naturally.”

“I see…”

“Alright, that’s all for today’s content.” Jasmine turned off the light screen and clapped her hands, then suddenly leaned closer, her tone becoming lighthearted. “Tomorrow’s Sunday. How about you accompany me on a mission?”

“A mission?” Su Xinxin looked up, a hint of surprise and even eager anticipation on her face. “I… I have a mission too?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s my mission,” Jasmine winked. “But it’s a very small errand, at the Provincial Library not far from Star River Arcade Street. There’s something that needs to be handled. It’s the weekend anyway, so it’s like picking up a small side job, and you can earn a little money~”

Upon hearing the words “earn money,” Su Xinxin’s eyes visibly brightened. Finally… could she have some actual income?

“Hehe~” Jasmine couldn’t help but laugh, watching the changes in her expression. “Jasmin, do you feel like I’m trying to lure you into being free labor?”

“Labor?” Su Xinxin caught the keyword and asked cautiously, “Does that mean… you won’t share the money with me?”

“Ah, no, that’s not it!” Jasmine quickly waved her hands. “But you’re an apprentice. According to regulations, you don’t actually get performance bonuses, which means… you won’t receive money for now. However, all your records of handling ‘Eroded’ will be counted towards your assessment, and once you officially become full-time, everything will be settled together. Of course…” Her voice dropped slightly. “If you don’t pass the probation period, then…”

Su Xinxin froze.

Working for free during probation? Wasn’t this what young people often called ‘trial periods’ or ‘training periods’ where they didn’t get paid? Was this rule… truly legal?

She instinctively wanted to call Xiao Ming out to ask for clarification, but the little one had been grumbling about “class being so boring” and had long since slipped away.

“Oh, don’t worry!” Seeing her furrowed brow, Jasmine immediately patted her chest in assurance. “With me, your teacher, here, I guarantee you’ll pass the assessment!”

“…Thank you, Teacher.” Su Xinxin’s voice was complex, gratitude mixed with a trace of uncertainty about the future.

“Then we won’t gather specially tomorrow. Just navigate directly to the library.”

“What about… my clothes?” Su Xinxin looked down at her short, goose-yellow battle skirt. “My transformed appearance…”

She had already tried it privately. This iridescent dress, seemingly delicate, felt like a second skin that had ‘grown’ out of her, with no seams and impossible to remove—it was a ‘conceptual shell’ constructed by magic, completely integrated with her transformed state. As an apprentice, she simply didn’t have the authority to change her ‘skin.’

“Oh right! I forgot you can’t change ‘skins’ yet.” Jasmine realized with a start, then waved her hand. “Then just go in your original form, without transforming. I won’t transform either. Anyway, for handling those low-level ‘Eroded,’ not transforming is enough.”

“Not transforming?” Su Xinxin hesitated. “Then how will we… know who the other person is? What if we encounter…”

“Hahaha, afraid of exposing your real identity?” Jasmine chuckled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “That’s the key! In our untransformed states, unless it’s a department like ‘Ti Ting’ with full-domain surveillance authority, or a high-ranking figure like a ‘Flower Envoy’ with special sensory abilities, magical girls are ‘invisible’ to each other—they can neither sense each other’s magic nor see the Spirit Blooms around them.”

She leaned closer, lowering her voice as if sharing an industry secret. “This is our most basic barrier for protecting our real identities; these aspects certainly need to be robust. So, even if we brush past each other in the library tomorrow, in your eyes, I’ll just be an ordinary passerby, and vice versa. Very safe, right?”

Su Xinxin pondered, then confirmed, “What about the Spirit Blooms…”

“It’s the same for them. In an untransformed state, Spirit Blooms can usually only be seen and communicated with by their own contractors,” Jasmine affirmed, then winked. “Of course, when we’re both transformed like now, I can see your Spirit Bloom—hey? Speaking of which, where has your little darling run off to play again?” She quickly brought the conversation back. “In short, this is part of the contract rules. Just relax; tomorrow we’ll act independently. If you find an ‘Eroded,’ deal with it quietly. If you encounter something tricky, send me a message anytime. Anyway, no one will recognize anyone, it’s very fair~”

“So, you mean… we go to the same place with different identities, but act separately? Like two strangers?” Su Xinxin tried to grasp this rather unique mode of operation.

“Exactly! Consider it a small ‘covert operation’ practice.” Jasmine’s eyes curved into crescent moons, clearly finding the arrangement amusing. “To put it simply… it’s like online friends who agree to go to the same comic convention but ‘don’t meet up’! We’ll both be at the venue, might even pass each other, but we won’t know each other’s real-life appearances, and no one will, or can, actively try to recognize anyone.”

She looked at Su Xinxin’s slightly bewildered gaze and added with a smile, “Of course, if you truly encounter trouble you can’t handle, we can still ‘contact each other online,’ so you’re not truly isolated and helpless. And now that you’re not transforming, dealing with N-rank ‘Dust’ shouldn’t be a problem, it’s a good chance to practice.”

“Oh…” Su Xinxin slowly processed the arrangement.

She felt like she sort of understood, and sort of didn’t. She had recently heard words like ‘comic convention’ and ‘meet up’ a few times and knew they were popular activities among young people, but she truly had no concept of what they were like or why they could be used to describe the current situation. Was it similar to a book and art exhibition, but livelier? She would have to ask Xiao Ming later.

“Then it’s settled! No overrunning class; I’m off now, bye-bye~” Jasmine walked briskly towards the door, then suddenly turned back, winked, and left a smiling reminder: “Oh right! If you’re worried… just in case, I mean just in case I ‘accidentally’ recognize you, you can dress up a bit more~ Add some ‘disguise’ for yourself!”

With that, she slipped out of the training room like a breeze carrying the fresh scent of jasmine.

“Mm, alright.”

Watching Jasmine’s lighthearted figure disappear at the door, Su Xinxin stood alone in the training room, gazing out the window.

Earning money was always good, though she had to wait until she became full-time… She sighed softly.

****

On the way back.

[Master, are you sure this arrangement is a good idea?]

Xiao Li’s ethereal shadow emerged from Jasmine’s phone screen.

[Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?]

Jasmine walked with a light step. [Jasmin currently needs practical experience the most, especially this kind of relatively safe, covert, solo operation. She’ll have to get used to it eventually. Besides, I’ll be watching from the side, so nothing will go wrong. Oh—are you trying to say I’m treating her as free labor?]

[No,]

Xiao Li twitched her ears. [I mean… Master, you already know her real-life appearance, and you’re still playing like this…]

[Hehe, you can’t blame me for that, though.] Jasmine stuck out her tongue. [Who told her not to hide properly when she transformed in the alley last time? Besides, I only accidentally glimpsed her back then, I didn’t get a clear look at her face. And anyway, I’ll be in my original form this time too, so she might see me. It’s fair~]

[Ugh… fine, it’s done now,]

Xiao Li gave up arguing and rubbed her stomach. [Let’s eat first.]

[Then… what should we eat today?]

[Yeah, what to eat?]

[Stop with the old gags! Talk properly!]

Jasmine reached out to poke Xiao Li in the screen. [Otherwise, I’ll eat you first!]

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Night Has Fallen, Mafia—Send Your Text Messages

BLDramaModern

Read Now →
Not interested