Chapter 7: The Corrupted’s Heart

“Rainstorm.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing, I just wanted to say that name.”

Jin Shiling responded with a soft chuckle. At that moment, she and Cheng Zhenzhen were making their way through the school building, searching for traces of the Corrupted.

Pressing close to a nearby window, Jin Shiling could clearly observe her appearance as a Magical Girl. Just as the rumors claimed, a Magical Girl’s appearance was optimized based on her original features; her already beautiful face had been elevated to an almost perfect degree.

Yet, this face still bore a noticeable resemblance to her former self. To Jin Shiling, it was about seventy percent similar to her original appearance, prompting a flicker of worry that her identity might be exposed.

Cheng Zhenzhen, walking beside her, seemed to pick up on the young girl’s apprehension. She pointed to her own face while shaking her hand dismissively.

“There’s no need to worry, Rainstorm. Every Magical Girl has harbored such concerns at some point.

But in reality, instances of being recognized by acquaintances due to our appearance are rare.

The reason we perceive our current selves as quite similar to our original forms is due to our preconceived notions.

For most people, there’s no direct connection that would link us to our true identities.

As long as we don’t overtly hint at our real identities to the public, no one will ever find out.”

“When I, too, was troubled by this in the beginning, my senior told me the very same thing.”

Hearing this, Jin Shiling nodded, acknowledging the validity of the statement. However, coming from Cheng Zhenzhen, who had almost proactively revealed her own identity, the young girl felt a slight sense of incongruity. This also served as a reminder to her that, when acting as a Magical Girl, she should avoid carrying any items related to her true self or interacting with people who knew her original identity, as it could potentially lead to trouble.

After obtaining the essential information and intelligence from Officer Chen, who remained at the scene, Jin Shiling and Cheng Zhenzhen passed through the aqueous curtain that the Corrupted had used to envelop the entire campus, entering the school grounds. Just as they had observed from the outside, the campus interior was eerily quiet, and their entire field of vision was tinged with a faint, watery hue. Both the transmission of sound and physical movement were noticeably affected. According to Cheng Zhenzhen, this was due to the magical energy released by the Corrupted, manifesting as if they were truly wading through water.

The middle school where the incident occurred was a boarding school, meaning a large number of students were still active on campus even after dismissal. This had been the primary concern when the Corrupted’s attack was first observed. Fortunately, after confirmation by Cheng Zhenzhen and Jin Shiling, no casualties had been discovered thus far.

While these students were unharmed, every single one of them had, without exception, fallen into a state of involuntary, silent weeping. No matter how Cheng Zhenzhen tried to engage them, they remained unresponsive, completely submerged in their sorrow.

Through the window, Jin Shiling frowned as she gazed at the tear-streaked, anguish-filled faces of dozens of people inside the classroom. While this state posed no immediate threat to life, prolonged mental pressure from the Corrupted could adversely affect their psychological well-being. Jin Shiling had heard rumors of ordinary people being catalyzed into Corrupted themselves after extended exposure to a Corrupted’s mental influence. It was imperative, therefore, that they resolve this crisis as quickly as possible.

The magical energy within a Magical Girl could resist the Corrupted’s direct mental influence. Yet, what they saw and heard still created a profound sense of unease and pressure on their minds and spirits. Jin Shiling found herself compelled to avert her gaze from these innocent victims, lest she, too, be drawn into the vortex of sorrow.

Experiencing the Corrupted’s influence on humans at such close proximity, Jin Shiling couldn’t help but feel a chill creep down her spine. She even felt a pang of regret for her hasty decision to accompany Cheng Zhenzhen here. The sheer power of a Corrupted capable of affecting so many people simultaneously was beyond her imagination. Could she truly contend with such a monster, when she knew next to nothing about Magical Girl powers, and hadn’t even fully grasped the reality of becoming one?

Nevertheless, these inner hesitations did not surface on Jin Shiling’s face. The young girl still expertly controlled her facial muscles, displaying the expression she wished to convey.

****

“I’m starting to sense the source of this power. The Corrupted lurking within this school is most likely located in…”

Standing on the sports field, Cheng Zhenzhen perceived the intricate shifts in the Corrupted’s power permeating the space. After a moment of hesitation, she pointed towards the building directly ahead and to the right, where the characters for “Laboratory Building” were carved into the wall.

“Really? Then let’s hurry over.”

“Mm, ah, mm…”

For some reason, upon hearing Jin Shiling’s reply, Cheng Zhenzhen instead displayed a hesitant demeanor. She seemed to want to speak but held back, compelling Jin Shiling to halt and inquire about the reason.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, how should I put it? It might be a little late to say this now, but… Rainstorm, aren’t you scared?”

Perhaps realizing that her words had made the atmosphere somewhat awkward, Cheng Zhenzhen somewhat bashfully crossed her claws together over her chest, her gaze flickering uncertainly.

“Even though I practically dragged you along this time, Rainstorm, the thought of fighting a Corrupted with you right now involuntarily brings back memories of my first time transforming into a Magical Girl.”

“Back then, even though I had become the Magical Girl I always dreamed of, I still couldn’t help but want to run away when facing a Corrupted. Without the help of my senior, I wouldn’t have been able to fight at all. Even after successfully defeating the Corrupted in the end, my legs were disgracefully trembling the whole time. I had absolutely no resolve for battle back then.”

“I know you’re a very gentle person, Rainstorm. Even though we’ve only just met, you’ve trusted and accommodated me in so many ways. I’m truly delighted and grateful that you’re willing to become a Magical Girl and be my partner.”

“But fighting Corrupted… if you feel you’re forcing yourself, Rainstorm, then… leave the rest to me. Don’t worry, I can handle it easily on my own.”

As if fearing her companion might doubt her capabilities, Cheng Zhenzhen’s tone immediately brightened. She puffed out her chest and patted it confidently.

“I don’t think you’d be a burden in battle, Rainstorm; I’ve never thought that. The reason I wanted to say all this is because I hope we can become companions who trust and rely on each other. And of course, Rainstorm… I hope you can truly come to love this identity of a Magical Girl, and the person you become as one.”

After blurting out these somewhat embarrassing words in one breath, Cheng Zhenzhen stood still, awaiting the young girl’s answer and her true feelings.

“—”

After a moment of silence, Jin Shiling softly lowered her gaze.

“Why, Asherah (TL Note: Cheng Zhenzhen’s magical girl name), are you only saying these things now?”

Cheng Zhenzhen couldn’t discern any intention behind the question from the other girl’s placid face. However, in this space permeated by sorrow, she assumed the young girl’s question was a complaint directed at her, and so she hastily began to explain.

“Because, because becoming a Magical Girl has always been my dream. Even though there have been some unpleasant things since becoming one, I still love the person I am now, helping others as a Magical Girl. And I’ve always wanted to share this experience I feel with my companions.”

“It’s just that, after truly walking side-by-side with you, Rainstorm, I realized I might have been too hasty. After seeing you successfully transform into a Magical Girl, I finally understood that I had become the senior Magical Girl I once dreamed of being. I’m truly happy about that, but whether I could shoulder this responsibility was something I had never considered before.”

Magical Girls fighting Corrupted and achieving glorious victories—this was the public’s common perception of them. Yet, battles don’t always end in victory, and even doing what’s considered absolutely right isn’t without its costs. The burdens Magical Girls had to bear far exceeded many people’s imaginations, and this was often the first thing newly-minted Magical Girls came to understand.

“So, Rainstorm, I’m sorry, if I—”

“Asherah, I don’t need your apology.”

Interrupting Cheng Zhenzhen was a statement that sent a chill through her heart. These words instantly pushed all the sentiments she had formed back down into her chest. The young girl lowered her head, rendered speechless.

‘I messed up. Ah, I really messed up. I guess I was too impulsive after all.

I just indulged in my own ideals, failing to provide proper guidance like my senior did.

Now that I think about it, perhaps things only went so smoothly before because Jin Shiling had been accommodating me.

And I, failing to understand her true feelings, dragged her to such a dangerous place.’

“What I meant to say, Asherah, is that I don’t need your apology. On the contrary, I’m very grateful to you.”

“—”

Cheng Zhenzhen abruptly lifted her head, meeting Jin Shiling’s gentle smile.

“Thank you for saying all this to me, Asherah. I’ve never considered becoming a Magical Girl, or becoming your partner, a troublesome affair.”

“Indeed, it would be impossible to say I feel no fear at all right now. But precisely because you are here, I can muster the courage to stand beside you and face this together. I wasn’t accommodating you, Asherah; becoming a Magical Girl was a decision I made of my own free will.”

“So, Asherah, you don’t need to apologize. Perhaps I can’t completely love this identity of a Magical Girl as much as you do right now. But as long as you are by my side, I can feel your passion for this identity, for this responsibility. That alone is enough to give me ample encouragement.”

“To me, you are already an incredible senior, Asherah.”

Cheng Zhenzhen yearned for affirmation and recognition, yet she had certainly not anticipated receiving such high praise. The young girl before her was willing to open her heart, echoing her emotions, understanding and accepting her ideals. Upon realizing this, her face flushed slightly, and for a moment, she was overwhelmed by the surging tide of emotions—joy, contentment, and happiness—that flooded her heart.

“Am I dreaming right now?”

The Magical Girl before her responded with a gentle, understanding smile.

“Shall I pinch your cheek to check?”

“N-No, there’s no need!”

Cheng Zhenzhen, at that moment, quickly recoiled two steps, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, letting out a startled cry. Though she covered her face with her hands, it was impossible to miss the irrepressible curve of her lips.

For this young girl, who always acted on her own initiative and habitually charged to the forefront, her love for Magical Girls and her self-confidence were the very source of her power. The more affirmation she held for herself, the more bravely she could fight—a remarkable positive feedback loop. And Jin Shiling’s words, landing in her mind, were like shoveling a basket of coal into a roaring furnace, now burning at its fiercest.

After several deep breaths allowed the warmth in her chest to subside slightly, Cheng Zhenzhen finally began to calm down. She confirmed Jin Shiling’s choice one last time.

“Are you really sure, Rainstorm?”

Taking the hunting rifle from her shoulder and raising it, Jin Shiling conveyed her resolve with this single action.

“…Alright, then let’s go in. The people in this school are waiting for us to save them.”

“Mm, let’s go. I can take care of myself.”

With their concerns resolved, the two Magical Girls swiftly rushed into the laboratory building, maintaining vigilance as they searched for the Corrupted. As they ascended the stairs to the third floor, they immediately felt resistance from the space above. Their movements became even more sluggish due to the surrounding forces. Jin Shiling swung her arm, and it felt as though she were underwater in a swimming pool, each movement stirring invisible currents around her.

“Be careful, it must be close.”

Cheng Zhenzhen leaned against the corner of the staircase, revealing the sharp claws on her gloves, while Jin Shiling placed her finger on the trigger, aiming the dark muzzle of her rifle down the corridor.

The surroundings remained utterly silent, eerily so. Cheng Zhenzhen cautiously peeked half her head around the corner, and to her surprise, she immediately spotted their target.

“Found it! It’s in the corridor… Strange, I’ve never seen a Corrupted like this.”

Seeing Cheng Zhenzhen emerge from around the corner, Jin Shiling followed her onto the third-floor corridor. Upon seeing the anomaly before them, the young girl’s eyes widened slightly.

“What… is that?”

Appearing before the two was an irregular blue ellipsoid that almost filled the entire passageway. Several grayish-green root-like structures extended from its periphery, connecting to the surrounding walls and floor. These roots not only subtly suspended the spherical body but also infused the visible space with a deeper shade of blue. It pulsed with a fluctuating glow, like breathing, its surface contracting and expanding in rhythm.

“A heart?”

“A cocoon?”

Both Jin Shiling and Cheng Zhenzhen immediately offered their guesses based on the anomaly’s features. Jin Shiling recognized the sphere’s striking resemblance to a human heart, while Cheng Zhenzhen, observing a faint, indistinct silhouette within the translucent “heart” and noting the surrounding root-like structures, thought it resembled a cocoon nurturing something.

The Corrupted and Magical Girls were sworn enemies, locked in a battle to the death. These monsters, born from negative emotions, harbored a far greater desire to attack Magical Girls than ordinary humans. Initially, Cheng Zhenzhen had speculated that this Corrupted was unable to move for some special reason and thus hadn’t attacked them. Yet, even at such close proximity, the entity remained inert, seemingly unaware of their arrival.

“Asherah, what should we do now? Should I shoot it?”

“Wait, Rainstorm, step back a few paces. Let me test it.”

Signaling Jin Shiling to lower her rifle, Cheng Zhenzhen moved along the wall to the nearest root-like structure connecting the Corrupted to the corridor. Up close, she observed a blue liquid substance flowing within it. This liquid continuously emanated from the heart-shaped cocoon, circulating throughout the entire space, forming the curtain that separated the entire campus from the outside world.

Undoubtedly, it was the culprit behind the abnormal situation, plunging everyone in the school into sorrowful weeping.

The next second, Cheng Zhenzhen, without hesitation, swung her claw, tearing through the root before her. Almost simultaneously, she leaped backward a distance, bracing for a sudden surge from the Corrupted.

The jagged rupture brought a measure of pain to the Corrupted. The sphere, suspended in mid-air, suddenly trembled violently, and the internal glow flickered more intensely. An irresistible repelling force surged from around the sphere towards the two Magical Girls, like a tidal wave attempting to push them back.

However, beyond this, the Corrupted did not exhibit any further counterattack or transformation that Cheng Zhenzhen had anticipated.

Incredulous, Cheng Zhenzhen wondered how such a non-aggressive Corrupted could exist. While astonished by the situation, she used her magical energy to resist the repelling force, approached the Corrupted, and swiftly tore off two more roots. The familiar scene replayed: the Corrupted trembled violently, and wave after wave of water-like power washed over their limbs. This seemed to be the only response this Corrupted could muster against an attack.

Given this, even a newcomer like Rainstorm, who had just become a Magical Girl, could easily deal with such a massive, immobile, and non-attacking “target.”

Despite possessing the ability to severely affect human minds over such a wide area, its true form was so weak and pathetic. This stark contrast continued to magnify in Cheng Zhenzhen’s eyes, disrupting her next plan.

“Asherah, if we defeat it, the people in this school will be saved, right?”

“Yes, it is indeed the culprit behind this abnormal situation.”

Cheng Zhenzhen didn’t elaborate further. A sense of contradiction in her heart prevented her from acting immediately. She recalled her senior once telling her not to overlook any anomalies in battle. This advice, applied to the present, made her vaguely feel that simply punching and destroying this Corrupted might not be the most correct choice. However, while she was still thinking based on her experience and intuition, someone had already made a decision and put it into practice.

A trigger was pulled, and a thunderous sound exploded beside Cheng Zhenzhen’s ear. At the same moment, a horrifying gap, blasted open by magical energy, appeared in the Corrupted’s central part. Deep, dark blue liquid splattered from within, flowing down the wounded surface and staining the surroundings a near-somber black, like a dying heart bleeding profusely.

Jin Shiling’s sudden action caught Cheng Zhenzhen off guard. She turned to see two shell casings jump out from the opened chamber of Jin Shiling’s hunting rifle. The next moment, two fresh bullets instantly materialized in the empty chamber. After completing the reloading motion, Jin Shiling aimed at the breach she had created, preparing for the next round of firing.

Only this time, to her bewildered gaze, an arm blocked her rifle’s muzzle.

“Why are you stopping me, Asherah?”

Jin Shiling couldn’t understand why Cheng Zhenzhen would block her attack. In her mind, a Magical Girl defeating a Corrupted was the most basic instinct. The other girl had previously, easily and without hesitation, suppressed and defeated the Corrupted that tried to attack her in the restaurant. Now, there should be even less reason to spare this entity, which posed a greater threat to humans.

“Wait, Rainstorm, stop for a moment. Something has changed inside it.”

Cheng Zhenzhen had been observing the blurry figure within the Corrupted, and after Jin Shiling had breached its surface, she saw that the figure was becoming increasingly clear as the dark liquid spilled out.

“It looks like… there’s a person inside.”