Chapter 39: An Unexpected Embrace and Lingering Shadows

Violairella pursued the Nightfiend with towering rage, and the terrifying pressure that had permeated the ancient castle abruptly lifted. However, a different, invisible kind of pressure instantly enveloped Jin.

She watched as Xia Yue, Lin Wan, and Yu Niannian turned their gazes towards her. Their expressions were no longer the sharp intensity reserved for enemies, but something far more intricate and profound.

Xia Yue’s brow remained subtly furrowed, and a hidden current seemed to swirl within the depths of her icy blue eyes. Lin Wan had shed her usual playful demeanor, her gaze holding a seriousness Jin couldn’t quite decipher. Though Yu Niannian still clutched her hand tightly, her large eyes brimmed with an unspoken apprehension.

This grave atmosphere, akin to the prelude of a judgment, caused Jin’s heart to clench violently. ‘It’s over,’ she thought. ‘Are they going to pursue Huo Hualan’s accusation from earlier? Is it finally time to confront my identity as a “witch”?’

And then there were the “first aid” actions she had performed on Huo Hualan—while intended to save a life, that kind of touch…

A colossal panic rendered her almost incapable of thought, and an overwhelming urge to confess everything, to plead for leniency, surged in her throat. Her lips trembled, tears began to well in her eyes, and her voice wavered with a sob.

“I-I’m so sorry! I… I didn’t mean to touch her! I saw she was bleeding so much, and she’d fainted. I was afraid she would die, so I… I gave her artificial respiration and chest compressions. I… I didn’t do it very well, and… and I touched places I shouldn’t have! I truly didn’t mean to! Please don’t kill me… or hand me over to the organization…”

Her words tumbled out incoherently, laying bare her minor “crimes.” The more she spoke, the more terrified she became, until her voice dwindled into soft sobs. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the final verdict—would it be a cold purification, or would she be escorted back to the organization for a more brutal interrogation?

Yet, the expected scolding, the chilling magic, or the binding restraints never came.

Instead, she was met with three embraces, so warm they left her utterly bewildered.

First, she was enveloped in an embrace that carried a faint, cool fragrance yet was remarkably firm. Xia Yue’s arms circled her shoulders, the grip tight enough for Jin to feel a subtle tremor running through her.

Immediately after, Lin Wan forcefully embraced her from the other side, burying her face in Jin’s neck. Her voice was muffled, thick with the hoarseness of a narrow escape and profound grievance. “You silly Jin! Who wants to hear about that? Do you have any idea how frantic we were when you were taken?”

Then, Yu Niannian squeezed in, wrapping her arms around Jin’s waist from the front. Her small face rubbed against Jin’s chest as she cried out, “Sister! We were so scared! So scared that bad witch would kill you! We were afraid we’d never see you again!”

The three embraces nearly overwhelmed her. Their genuine warmth, rapid breaths, and undisguised worry and fear washed over her like a torrent. It was a warm current that instantly shattered the psychological defenses Jin had painstakingly built, leaving her utterly stunned.

‘They… they aren’t angry? They aren’t interrogating me?’ Jin thought. ‘They’re… worried about me?’

Xia Yue drew a deep breath, seemingly trying to compose herself, yet her voice still held a subtle tension and lingering fear. “When we arrived at the battlefield, we only saw ruins and scattered dark magic. We couldn’t find you… In that moment…”

She trailed off, but Jin could feel the arms wrapped around her tightening further.

Lin Wan looked up, her eyes reddened. She vigorously ruffled Jin’s hair, her tone more serious than Jin had ever heard. “We nearly tore the entire school district apart! If Niannian hadn’t sensed a faint residual magic wave connected to you and tracked it here… we… we might have truly lost you!”

As she spoke, her voice caught, becoming choked. “Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to think you might never find someone?!”

Yu Niannian nodded emphatically, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked at Jin. “Sister, don’t run off alone again! And don’t let bad people catch you! We… we’ll protect you!”

Jin was utterly flustered by this sudden, overflowing warmth, her mind a complete blank. All her fear, her urge to explain, her grievances, transformed in that moment into a profound bewilderment and… a strange emotion that made her nose sting and her eyes burn.

‘They didn’t care about Huo Hualan’s accusation, or even her “offensive” actions from earlier,’ Jin realized. ‘They were just afraid, afraid of losing me?’

This… this was completely different from what she had expected!

‘Wasn’t she supposed to be an “anomaly,” someone to be monitored, coerced, and potentially purified at any moment?’ she wondered. ‘Why would they be so panicked, so desperate, for her sake?’

“I… I…” Jin parted her lips, only to find she couldn’t utter a single word; her throat felt as if something had lodged within it. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, mixing with the dust and bloodstains, leaving disheveled streaks.

She neither struggled nor responded, simply standing stiffly, allowing them to hold her. She felt the warmth and worry that threatened to brand her.

Deep within her heart, a cold, unyielding corner seemed to be quietly melting.

‘Perhaps… perhaps this world isn’t just about hiding and fleeing, as she had always believed?’ she mused. ‘Perhaps… there truly exists a bond that can transcend the boundaries of factions and identities?’

This thought terrified her, yet she couldn’t help but feel a faint longing, one she barely dared to acknowledge.

Meanwhile, Huo Hualan, unconscious on the ground, was largely ignored (Yu Niannian had merely cast a basic healing aura on her to sustain her life). The three magical girls’ attention was entirely focused on Jin, now found again; she was the one who needed careful, tender protection.

This strange, warm, yet chaotic scene made Jin, who had just endured a life-or-death escape, vaguely feel that perhaps… perhaps living wasn’t always so difficult and hopeless?

The surging warmth that had nearly melted Jin did not last long.

As if a switch had suddenly been flipped, Lin Wan abruptly lifted her head from Jin’s neck, her eyes wide. “Wait a minute! Did Huo Hualan say something before she passed out? Something about… artificial respiration? Pressing… pressing in the wrong places?”

Xia Yue’s arm, still around Jin’s shoulder, stiffened slightly. She slowly loosened her embrace, her icy blue eyes refocusing with a hint of scrutiny and disbelief as she looked at Jin. “Jin, what exactly… did you do to Huo Hualan?”

Yu Niannian also belatedly realized what had happened, her small mouth forming an ‘O’ shape. She glanced at Jin, then at the unconscious Huo Hualan on the ground, stammering, “S-Senior… did you… did you kiss Sister Huo Hualan? And… and touch her?”

Three sets of eyes, filled with shock, curiosity, and an indescribably complex mix of emotions, instantly converged on Jin like spotlights. The panic that had just receded surged back, making her scalp tingle even more intensely than when she faced Violairella!

“N-No, I didn’t! It’s not what you’re thinking!” Jin’s face instantly flushed crimson. She waved her hands frantically, attempting to explain in a jumbled rush. “I was trying to save her! She was bleeding too much and fainted! It was first aid! CPR! That’s how they do it on TV! I… I didn’t know where I was pressing… I didn’t do it on purpose!”

The more she explained, the more ashamed and despairing she felt, seeing the increasingly peculiar looks on their faces. This was arguably even more embarrassing than admitting her identity as a witch!

Just as the awkward and chaotic moment peaked, a calm, authoritative voice cut through the delicate atmosphere.

“It seems this place is even ‘livelier’ than I imagined.”

Everyone turned towards the sound, only to see Ouyang Na, who had arrived at the edge of the ravaged battlefield unnoticed. Behind her followed several personnel in Star Guardian uniforms, equipped with medical gear.

Her gaze was as sharp as ever. It quickly swept over the unconscious Huo Hualan and the severe wound on her abdomen, her brow furrowing slightly. She gestured to the medical personnel. “Prioritize ‘Blaze’ Huo Hualan’s treatment. Transfer her carefully.”

Two medical personnel immediately stepped forward, expertly examining Huo Hualan’s injuries and performing preliminary treatment and stabilization.

Only then did Ouyang Na’s gaze slowly shift, settling on Jin, who was subtly shielded between Xia Yue, Lin Wan, and Yu Niannian, her face flushed crimson and her eyes evasive.

Her eyes were calm and unruffled, yet they possessed an all-seeing penetrative power that made Jin feel as though all her disguises had been stripped away.

Xia Yue instinctively took a step forward, shielding Jin more completely behind her. Lin Wan and Yu Niannian immediately followed, the three forming a small protective circle. Despite facing a high-ranking inspector from the organization, their stance was remarkably firm.

Ouyang Na observed all of this, her sharp eyes sweeping back and forth between the four. Finally, her observation culminated in an almost inaudible sigh. She shook her head, her tone carrying a complex nuance that made it impossible to discern if it was mockery or contemplation.

“If not for the magical fluctuations on her being so faint they were almost negligible, I would suspect… she might have used some long-lost, powerful charm spell on you, one not even recorded in the organization’s archives.”

Her words caused Xia Yue and the other two to momentarily freeze, a flicker of unnaturalness crossing their faces. However, their protective stance around Jin remained utterly unchanged.

Ouyang Na did not pursue the topic further. Her gaze once again settled on Jin, a look that seemed to convey, ‘Our business is not yet concluded.’ Yet, she did not immediately react, instead addressing Xia Yue and the others in an undeniable tone.

“This is no place for discussion. ‘Blaze’ Huo Hualan needs to be immediately transported back to headquarters for intensive treatment. As for the three of you—Xia Yue, Lin Wan, Yu Niannian—you will return to the organization with me at once to provide a detailed report on the entire incident and face questioning and review for your unauthorized actions and the significant social impact caused.”

Her tone reverted to a cold, businesslike demeanor as her gaze swept over the three magical girls. “As for her…” Her eyes flickered to Jin once more. “She will temporarily remain under your ‘custody’ and be brought back with you. The specific handling will be discussed once the investigation is complete.”

The atmosphere once again grew solemn and taut.

While the worst outcome—immediate purification or arrest—had been temporarily averted, her future remained shrouded in thick uncertainty.

The Organization, witches, an unknown past, and these three magical girls before her whose attitudes were unclear yet who fiercely protected her… Jin felt her mind devolve into a chaotic mess. The flicker of warmth that had just ignited was once again eclipsed by the fear of the unknown.

She watched Ouyang Na turn to direct her personnel in clearing the aftermath. Then, she looked at the three girls in front of her, whose faces were grim yet who still shielded her. A myriad of emotions swirled within her.

‘Returning to the organization… what would await her there?’