Chapter 73: A Shadowed Reunion

A heavy weight settled in Duanmu Jin’s heart, a stark contrast to the tumultuous emotions swirling within Gu Xuanyu.

Her deeper concern wasn’t for the black-haired girl, now blooming with desire and awakened dark magic, but for Violet, whose whereabouts remained unknown.

According to Gu Xuanyu’s account, Violet was the architect of all these events. It was a truth Duanmu Jin was reluctant to face, yet knew she must.

“Please excuse me for a moment.”

Duanmu Jin sought refuge in an empty room, retrieving a selfie of a purple-haired girl from her pocket. It was Violet’s magical medium.

At some unknown point, the photo had lost its magic, reverting to a mere picture. This implied Violet had broken free from the medium’s constraints.

In a corner of the photograph, a line of childish, lively script was penned. Even now, after all this time, the ink had not faded.

“—I will definitely become the best Magical Girl!”

Despite the many trials Duanmu Jin had endured, seeing those words still brought a dryness to her throat and a pang to her nose.

That had once been her dream, too. If only she hadn’t entrusted Violet to Silver Moon…

When Silver Moon began her tenure, Duanmu Jin herself was but a fledgling, ignorant of the darker aspects of their world, willing to place complete trust in her colleagues.

Duanmu Jin was not a native of Jinzhou; she was born in Yuzhou. Her assignment in Jinzhou was purely coincidental, and she had been pleasantly surprised upon receiving the organization’s transfer order.

However, the Magical Girls of Jinzhou were not suitable to leave with her. Duanmu Jin had no choice but to reluctantly hand them over to a new supervisor.

“It’s just a change of supervisor. I haven’t disappeared, have I?”

“Don’t be sad. I’ll come back to visit you often.”

The Magical Girls had been visibly dejected then, each embracing her in farewell. Only Ceng Qing had stood behind the others, arms crossed, perpetually indecisive.

Noticing the girl’s awkwardness, Duanmu Jin had approached, giving her a gentle hug.

She still remembered the shy expression on the golden-haired girl’s face, her earlobes flushed crimson, almost as if they could bleed. It truly had been adorable.

Now, she was not adorable at all. So tall, and still so utterly impatient.

Fortunately, she was still safe and sound.

Duanmu Jin’s unfocused gaze sharpened, refocusing on the photograph. Her heart grew heavy once more.

She pulled out her phone, dialing the familiar yet estranged number of the purple-haired girl from memory, hoping for an answer.

“Beep—beep—”

The call connected. But sadly, the person on the other end was no longer the Magical Girl Violet she knew, but an unfamiliar, mature woman.

“Long time no see, Duanmu Jin.”

Hearing the woman’s gentle lilt, Duanmu Jin was momentarily speechless, unsure how to begin.

Then, from the background of the call, she heard a girl’s piercing shriek of agony.

Duanmu Jin instantly gripped her phone tighter, her anxiety spiking.

“What are you doing?”

Despite the accusatory tone, An Yueying’s enthusiasm didn’t wane. She lowered the candle in her hand, allowing more dripping wax to transfer its heat onto Silver Moon’s skin.

This was no low-temperature candle meant for pleasure; the residual burn marks on the girl’s body clearly indicated an act of torture.

“I am… thanking dear Miss Silver Moon, in the unique manner of an evil organization.”

Hearing Duanmu Jin’s voice after so long brought An Yueying a surge of satisfaction. Regardless of their current circumstances, she still harbored a lingering fondness for her old friend.

Her cold gaze swept over Silver Moon’s face, contorted with pain and fear. An Yueying tore off a piece of tape, firmly sealing Silver Moon’s mouth to prevent any more annoying sounds from disturbing her mood.

“…You’ve joined the Tea Party?”

“Yes.”

An Yueying’s reply was curt. She didn’t wish to linger on the topic; she preferred to reminisce peacefully now.

“Why?”

Duanmu Jin’s question was bitter. Upon receiving the affirmative answer, a wave of powerlessness surged from her heart, spreading through her limbs, forcing her to grasp the windowsill to steady herself.

“It was a transaction, but I don’t regret it. In fact, it’s surprisingly liberating.”

An Yueying set down the dripping candle. On a nearby table lay many similar items, along with a black slime.

“If you’re only calling to ask about these matters, then there’s likely no need for us to continue this conversation. It will only make us both unhappy.”

Duanmu Jin gripped the windowsill, a look of struggle on her face. After a moment, she sighed softly.

“Then let’s talk about what you want to discuss.”

An Yueying curved her lips into a smile. She knew her old friend would soften, even if she was a staunch apostle of justice.

After years of friendship, she had long understood that bonds held greater weight in Duanmu Jin’s heart than rules. If one day these two were placed on opposite ends of a scale, forcing her to choose, she might even choose to betray…

“‘Is Xiao Leng there? Is she alright?’”

“She’s recovering well, but she’s become a bit too reliant on me…”

Upon learning that Luo Leng was safe, the coldness in An Yueying’s eyes involuntarily softened a few degrees.

She knew precisely how severe the injuries Luo Leng had sustained were. Her recovery was nothing short of a miracle.

“‘You’ve already seen Xiao Qing, haven’t you? Remember to give her a good scolding.’”

Duanmu Jin was speechless, caught between tears and laughter.

“‘Oh, right. You’ve met that little girl named Ye Qing, haven’t you?’”

Hearing the sudden mention of this somewhat unfamiliar name, Duanmu Jin was taken aback.

“She… what about her?”

“She’s very cute, isn’t she?”

An Yueying’s words left Duanmu Jin bewildered.

“She is quite cute, yes… So, you’re also interested in that little girl? But she’s clearly that silver-haired girl’s childhood friend…”

“That’s right…”

“I’ll come to pick her up. Until then, please look after her for me. Of course, if she’s unwilling, then so be it.”

Duanmu Jin keenly caught the dangerous signal in An Yueying’s words.

“What are you going to do?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry, I have no intention of harming anyone, provided you don’t harm her.”

If the previous sentence contained a hint of caution, this one was a naked threat.

Duanmu Jin planted her feet firmly again, her slender fingers whitening at the knuckles from the force with which she clutched her phone.

“I’ve decided to return to Jinzhou. Xiao Leng is here too. You’d best not act recklessly.”

An Yueying chuckled softly, unfazed, as if she had forgotten the formidable reputation of Fading Star.

Or perhaps, she clearly understood that Duanmu Jin was warning her, yet she didn’t perceive Luo Leng as a threat.

“You don’t need to worry about that. However, if you can convince Ye Qing to willingly stay with you and her childhood friend, I will naturally give up.”

Duanmu Jin fell silent.

“I’m sorry, did that make you a little sad? But perhaps one day I’ll be caught and returned to your hands?”

An Yueying casually made a joke to lighten the mood, but the continued silence made it difficult for her to maintain her composure.

“Alright, in that case, we can talk later when we have time. I won’t be changing my number.”

📚 Also on NHV Novels

We Got Married

BLBoys LoveOmegaverse

Read Now →
Not interested