Chapter 39: The Arrival of String Moon

A famous line once appeared in a certain movie: “Within seven steps, the fist is faster; beyond seven steps, the gun is faster.”

This line circulated widely among martial arts enthusiasts. Within the movie’s world, it explored the practical advantages of unarmed combat versus firearms, and a similar principle exists in reality, such as the “21-foot rule,” which cautions that while firearms are powerful, they do not always hold an advantage at extremely close range.

However, in contrast to these ideas, another saying often circulates online today: “Beyond seven steps, the gun is fast; within seven steps, the gun is both accurate and fast.”

The scene unfolding before them perfectly demonstrated this very point. The bullet, erupting from the muzzle, surpassed the swinging fist in a blink, striking its target first. Unhindered, it then continued its trajectory, effortlessly piercing through the dark, bulky body before embedding itself directly into the wall behind.

The fist, its glory usurped, did not halt; instead, its fingers unfurled into an open palm, catching the falling figure almost simultaneously.

“Hmph, they beat me to it.”

Asherah slowly guided the unconscious man beside her towards a nearby bench, a lingering sense of unfulfillment stirring within her, having barely thrown a few punches all day.

Seeing the Corroded (TL Note: A type of monster or corrupted entity.) successfully defeated, Baoyu holstered her pistol at her waist, then righted the trash can that the Corroded had knocked over during the fight, tossing the spilled bottles and cans back inside.

Finally, they were encountering more conventional battles. Gazing at the lingering sunset, which seemed to bask in the moonlight, Baoyu exhaled a silent sigh of relief. Before this mission, she had genuinely worried what she would do if confronted with more unusual circumstances, but thankfully, this encounter concluded peacefully and without incident.

This in-situ Corroded was one they had encountered on their way to meet Polaris. Upon arriving at the scene, they found it aimlessly wreaking havoc throughout the park. While Baoyu was still preparing to contact Polaris, Asherah, having confirmed there was only one enemy, had already swiftly dived in, sounding the battle cry.

Although the opponent possessed a robust body over two meters tall, with fists truly as massive as clay pots, it fell into an irreversible decline after just half a minute of grappling with Asherah. Asherah, wielding her fists in a fierce assault, inflicted punch after punch of solid damage upon the Corroded, effortlessly swapping offense and defense with her pink-padded cat paw gloves.

For Asherah, this in-situ Corroded was likely not even a worthy punching bag for a warm-up. Had her initial punch not sent the enemy flying so far, Baoyu might not have even had the chance to fire that final shot.

As Asherah helped the man move, several papers slipped from his unclasped briefcase. Baoyu hurried forward to pick them up, and upon inadvertently glimpsing their contents, her expression subtly shifted.

“…”

‘Even the same day can appear vastly different through the eyes of various people, simply because they measure time by different scales.’

Silently, she folded the paper, which bore the words “Resignation Certificate,” several times before returning it to the man’s bag, then walked towards a nearby vending machine.

“Want something to drink? My treat.”

“Really? Then I’ll have pure fruit juice~”

“Okay.”

Baoyu selected the fruit juice and soda, then hesitated briefly before finally pressing the button for sugar-free tea from the two rows of drinks.

“Hehe, thanks, Baoyu.”

“No problem, I’m a bit thirsty myself.”

Tossing the fruit juice to Asherah, who had just emerged from the restroom, Baoyu turned and placed the tea drink beside the man lying unconscious on the bench.

The adults handling the aftermath arrived exceptionally quickly this time. Faced with a largely intact scene, one of the men even praised them for promptly stopping the Corroded and minimizing the impact on nearby facilities and the environment, thereby making their job considerably easier.

Asherah quite candidly accepted the praise, likely oblivious that if she had landed that final punch, the Corroded would probably have flown into the public restroom wall, causing additional damage. Baoyu, however, lowered her gaze, her eyes fixed on the bullet hole in the wall.

As guardians protecting the city’s order, Magical Girls bore far more responsibility than people imagined. While some Magical Girls focused solely on achieving victory, entirely disregarding factors unrelated to combat, Baoyu felt it was her duty to consider such things. They fought to rescue and help people, not to prioritize their own convenience and leave chaos in their wake. They should not be privileged.

As July arrived, the shift in Jingping City’s temperatures became readily apparent. Lightly dressed pedestrians grew common on the streets, while popsicles and ice cream of various flavors gradually reappeared in people’s minds. The plants cultivated on campus also bloomed profusely in the summer, leaving behind vibrant splashes of color. After lunch, an increasing number of students would choose to gather beneath the leafy trees, seeking refuge in their shade from the sun while enjoying the breeze rustling through the branches.

Final exams were scheduled for next week, and her preparations were reasonably thorough. After that came summer vacation, for which she currently had no plans, and then… A faint buzzing near her ear interrupted Baoyu’s thoughts. Speaking of summer, these annoying mosquitoes had become active again. Although for some inexplicable reason mosquitoes wouldn’t actually land on a Magical Girl to bite them, her long-standing habits still made it intolerable to have these blood-sucking, virus-spreading insects flying around her. Thus, she waved her hand, shooing away the bothersome mosquitoes, and stepped out from under the lamppost.

“All the on-site work is done, Baoyu! Shall we keep going?” Asherah bounced over to her side. “Our senior is waiting for us.”

“No need. I just messaged our senior in the group chat; she said she’s coming to find us.”

“Eh? When?”

“While you were chatting with the men.”

“Oh, I see. Huh, then why didn’t my phone ring—wait, where’s my phone?!”

The impulsive cat-girl frantically patted herself down, yet her outfit offered no visible pockets whatsoever.

“Could you have left it in the restroom over there? You just went, didn’t you?”

Asherah paused for a moment, her large, bewildered eyes blinking. Then, with a sudden jolt, she bolted towards the restroom behind them, moving even faster than she had during her fight with the Corroded (TL Note: A type of monster or corrupted entity.).

‘At this rate, she’ll expose her identity completely one day due to her carelessness,’ Baoyu thought, shaking her head helplessly. She silently added reminding her forgetful companion to her official list of duties.

Two rapidly approaching lights appeared in the distant sky. The straight pink one was familiar; it had to be Senior Polaris. However, the accompanying blue-green glow, whose trajectory curved as if tracing some mathematical function, was entirely new to her.

As the figures descended, an unfamiliar Magical Girl appeared before Baoyu, trailing behind Polaris. Only upon closer inspection did Baoyu realize the newcomer was slightly taller than herself.

The girl before her possessed a slender build, with slightly long, light blue hair tied into a neat wolf tail, its tips swaying in the evening breeze like a running beast’s tail, exuding a hint of unrestrained freedom. Her eyes reminded Baoyu of a deep lake stirred by a gentle breeze, a peculiar lake blue punctuated by a vibrant, lively green. Her attire, primarily shades of blue, resembled swirling clouds beneath the firmament: a sharply tailored short overcoat on top, and form-fitting but not tight dark trousers below.

Baoyu had noticed it just as she landed: the way her sleek ankle boots met the ground was as if invisible hands cushioned her descent, like a falling leaf returning to its roots, without a single superfluous sound.

“It seems the Corroded has been successfully defeated. Good work, Baoyu. By the way, where’s Asherah?”

“Oh, she’s in the public restroom over there, Senior. And this is…”

“Yes, perfect timing. Let me introduce you: this is ‘String Moon’ (TL Note: ‘String Moon’ (弦月, Xiányuè) refers to a crescent moon or half moon, often implying elegance and a musical connection.).”

Polaris stepped aside slightly, though her stature wouldn’t have blocked much anyway. The Magical Girl whose name was called stood with her arms crossed in a casual pose. After nodding her head towards Baoyu in greeting, she unreservedly let out a yawn, making her previous nod appear almost drowsy.

‘She seems a bit nonchalant,’ Baoyu mused.

Just then, Asherah’s voice echoed from behind: “Senior, I’ve missed you so much~!” Immediately, a swift blur flashed past Baoyu, lunging towards Polaris with the force of a whirlwind.

‘Well, whether it’s a cheetah or a house cat, both belong to the feline family,’ Baoyu thought.

“Good evening, Senior! Oh, Senior is so cute today too~”

“Wait, stop that, Asherah, let me down!”

The lightweight redhead, before she could even refuse, was scooped up by Asherah like a ragdoll. Although Polaris’s strength should have made escaping such a predicament effortless, she merely flailed her short legs and voiced harmless protests, an indulgence that only made the doted-upon recipient grow more audacious.

Finally, perhaps deeming such behavior in front of others a bit embarrassing, Polaris raised her hand like a chopping knife and gently tapped Asherah on the head. The force was minimal, but the message was clear enough. Thus, Asherah reluctantly set her down, allowing her feet to touch the ground once more.

“Be serious, Asherah. Do you do this to other seniors in your daily life?”

“No, not really, Senior.”

“Then, since that’s the case—”

“But Senior is special, after all! Not only are you gentle and reliable, but you’re also fragrant and soft. I can’t be blamed for being like this with such a cute Senior.”

Polaris was a rather serious person; if Asherah tried to change the subject to slip by, she would likely face a barrage of parental-like lectures. However, Asherah was, by all appearances, a guileless individual, and she also seemed to be aware that she was, to some extent, favored. Her forthright acceptance and articulation of her desires consequently left Polaris feeling somewhat flustered.

In the end, the petite senior could only clear her throat to mask the awkwardness, then spoke in as calm a tone as possible: “Asherah, please don’t say such strange things in front of our new companion.”

“But it’s true, Senior—hmph, new companion?”

At this moment, Asherah belatedly noticed the unfamiliar face standing beside them. Her gaze swiftly swept over the blue-haired girl before her, and after a moment of apparent contemplation as if trying to recall if she knew her, she immediately flashed a friendly and brilliant smile.

“Hello there! I’m Asherah, it’s a pleasure to meet you, newbie.”

Calling someone a ‘newbie’ so readily might seem inappropriate, but in Baoyu’s estimation, Asherah’s behavior had a legitimate reason.

Magical Girls always operated in teams, and as far as Baoyu knew, the composition of these teams was generally very stable, with transfers or member exchanges rarely occurring. Thus, new faces in a team were typically newcomers like Baoyu herself.

However, Asherah unconsciously overlooked one point: she herself had been a lone wolf since Senior Polaris’s Rainbow Team (TL Note: 彩环小队 (Cǎihuán Xiǎoduì) is a team name, literally ‘Colored Ring Team’ or ‘Rainbow Ring Team’.) disbanded, never joining another team. Therefore, the premise of her assumption lacked practical support.

“…String Moon.” Faced with Asherah’s curious and enthusiastic gaze, the other girl’s response was remarkably subdued, as if accustomed to brief introductions.

“String music? Do you use a musical instrument-type magical armament (TL Note: ‘Magical armament’ refers to a magical weapon or tool.)?” Asherah clapped her hands excitedly. “That’s amazing! I’ve never seen a Magical Girl with a magical armament (TL Note: ‘Magical armament’ refers to a magical weapon or tool.) like that before.”

In response, the blue Magical Girl turned her head, glancing at Polaris beside her.

“It’s the ‘moon’ as in the moon, her name is String Moon (TL Note: ‘String Moon’ (弦月, Xiányuè) refers to a crescent moon or half moon, often implying elegance and a musical connection.), Asherah,” Polaris corrected the spelling of the codename. “And String Moon is not a novice; on the contrary, she’s a very skilled and experienced Magical Girl.”

“Eh, really? Well, in any case, welcome to the Star Team, String Moon! It’s great to have you as our teammate.”

Asherah seemed less concerned with her new teammate’s abilities. To further bridge the gap, she thumped her chest and began introducing herself.

“I’m Asherah! I can knock down any Corroded (TL Note: A type of monster or corrupted entity.) with just a few punches (she swiftly threw two punches into the air, then bumped Baoyu with her fist). And this is Baoyu. Even though she only recently became a Magical Girl, she’s already a very reliable companion. Not only does she possess a very rare firearm magical armament (TL Note: ‘Magical armament’ refers to a magical weapon or tool.), but also…”

Asherah’s enthusiastic introduction failed to capture her audience’s full attention. Before she could finish, String Moon suddenly turned and took half a step towards the woods, as if she had noticed something.

Immediately afterward, she took an impressive leap.

Without any run-up, with just a light spring, String Moon’s body launched into the air, leaving an impossibly long arc in her wake. This posture, as if briefly freed from the shackles of gravity, reminded Baoyu of astronauts leaping on the moon in certain movies.

Just like before, some force clearly made her body exceptionally light; in a single step, she covered nearly ten meters through the air.

After landing steadily in the woods, String Moon slowly walked a few steps deeper, then turned her back to the others and crouched down.

“Hmm? What is she looking for?”

When String Moon stood up again to face them, the trio noticed a fluffy white ball cradled in her arms.

A stray cat.

Only when she carried the stray cat to the nearest lamppost did Baoyu clearly see its appearance: a small, scrawny stray with dirty white fur, yet exceptionally spirited eyes. Stray cats living in the city like this would typically be wary of humans, but this one was cradled by String Moon with remarkable naturalness, its movements languid and demeanor serene, as if it had found a warm sanctuary in her arms.

String Moon extended a finger, gently waving it before the stray cat’s eyes.

The stray cat blinked, then subtly tilted its head up, rubbing its head against her fingertip, even emitting a soft purr.

“Wow! So cute!” Asherah was instantly captivated. She quickly moved closer. “I want to pet it too!”

However, just as she reached out to the stray cat, the animal, which had been so docile in String Moon’s embrace, proved quite unapproachable. With a flick of its tail, it swatted Asherah’s hand away with a soft ‘thwack,’ then, pushing off with its hind legs, it leaped from String Moon’s arms, leaving a faint scratch on Asherah’s arm in the process.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow—!”

Asherah immediately retracted her hand, teary-eyed as she looked at the stray cat now sitting behind String Moon. “Why does it only like you? That’s so unfair! I’m a cat too!”

‘To be precise, Asherah’s cat form actually looks more like a miniature leopard,’ Baoyu recalled from images she’d seen of Asherah’s cat. Still, the stray cat’s profound comfort with String Moon was indeed somewhat astonishing. It was said that some people naturally attracted animals, and the stray’s completely unguarded demeanor toward String Moon was the clearest proof of this.

Baoyu also tried to approach it, but ultimately failed; the moment anyone else drew near, it would immediately retreat cautiously, maintaining a distance that allowed for a quick escape.

“That’s illogical,” Asherah grumbled, pouting. “I like cats a lot too…”

“It only cares if it likes you,” String Moon replied, crouching down to stroke the stray cat’s sleek back. This casual petting scene filled Asherah with intense envy.

‘Cats are cute, but Senior didn’t call us here just for String Moon, did she? …Huh? Where’s Senior?’

Baoyu glanced around, realizing that Polaris, who had just been nearby, was suddenly nowhere to be seen. Looking further afield, she spotted Polaris jogging back from a distance, carrying a plastic bag.

“Senior, did something happen?”

“Nothing, I just went to the convenience store next to the park.” Saying this, Polaris took a small bottle from the plastic bag; it appeared to be milk.

“Senior, do you want to feed it? Let me, let me!”

“Don’t rush, Asherah, be careful not to scare this little guy off again.”

“Milk…”

String Moon looked as if she wanted to speak but hesitated, and Polaris understood her meaning, showing String Moon the contents on the bottle.

“Yes, I know. This child looks young, and cats are generally lactose intolerant, so I bought lactose-free milk.”

Polaris crouched down, unscrewed the cap, and poured some of the milk into a plastic container she had also taken from the plastic bag.

“Of course, I also asked the store clerk to warm it up a bit for me. The temperature is just right now.”

String Moon reached out and touched the bottle; a faint warmth met her hand, so she nodded, releasing her hand from petting the cat.

The scent of milk immediately attracted the little creature, and it promptly moved closer to lap at the milk in the container.

“Oh, oh~ It looks like it’s enjoying its meal, that’s wonderful.”

“Alright, now let’s let this little one eat in peace for a while.” Polaris watched the stray cat for a moment, and after confirming it was fine, she stood up and faced the other three.

“I gathered everyone here today not only to introduce String Moon, our new companion, but also because there are some important matters I need to clarify with all of you.”