Lao Qian’s Tracking Technique

Chen Xi had always prided herself on being intelligent and composed, often boasting about her sharp logical thinking. But today, she wasn’t as meticulous as she believed herself to be.

From the moment she woke up, a restless irritation had gnawed at her. After fidgeting at her desk for over an hour, she finally sorted through her thoughts.

—You Dong must be hiding something from her. And who’s to say the whole affair incident wasn’t a setup to begin with?

She considered confronting him, but these suspicions were nothing more than a woman’s intuition—nothing concrete.

The only thing she had that could even be called a clue was the phone number that had sent her the tip about You Dong’s infidelity.

—A group number registered under his company.

That connection tugged at her like a hook, impossible to ignore.

Fine. She’d start the investigation from that number. That was her plan.

But before she knew it, she found herself standing in front of You Dong’s office building.

It was 11 a.m. You Dong usually came out for lunch in about forty-five minutes.

So what now? Should she go straight to him and confront him?

Honestly, she didn’t want to.

She wasn’t even sure what role she should play—was she the wronged ex-girlfriend seeking revenge? Or just a detective chasing the truth?

Either way, it made her feel pathetic, like some clingy, bitter woman. So no, she had no intention of speaking to You Dong today.

It was still before lunch break. The entrance was nearly deserted. The security guard in the booth was absorbed in his phone, barely noticing her.

Chen Xi was about to leave.

She’d come here on impulse, with no real plan. And if she stayed, she might run into You Dong. The thought of that awkward encounter made her stomach turn.

But just as she was about to get in her car, she caught a glimpse through the tall iron fence—of a figure she knew all too well.

It was You Dong.

Her heart leapt.

Even though he couldn’t possibly see her from his angle, she instinctively ducked into the car like a thief, slamming the door shut. She was suddenly grateful she’d borrowed her mother’s car today.

Strange. It was still work hours. Why was he going to the parking lot? Was he leaving early?

As Chen Xi pondered this, she watched You Dong’s Clover slowly exit the side gate, turn signal blinking as it waited to merge onto the main road.

Without hesitation, she started the engine and followed.

According to Lao Lin, the new aberration had appeared in an office building.

It was peak work hours—crowded with people. By the time anyone realized the threat, one person was dead and another injured.

Even more tragically, during the evacuation, chaos led to a stampede, injuring over a dozen more.

By the time Raging Flame arrived, the building was completely empty.

“Raging Flame, Commander is on the way. Your job is to hold it here—don’t let it move to another location.”

“Got it.”

Raging Flame took a deep breath, tightening her grip on the sword’s hilt.

The empty building loomed like a jungle of steel and concrete—silent, deep, and unnerving.

The moment she stepped inside, You Xi felt as though she’d entered another world.

Danger. The unknown. And with them, a sharp, electric thrill that heightened every sense—her skin, her fingertips, everything felt alive.

“…Nervous again? Can’t blame you. Not to mention, most magical girls don’t start off solo like you. No teammates, just you and your sword.”

Lao Lin had shrunk himself to the size of a soda can, now perched quietly on Raging Flame’s shoulder.

“But don’t worry. I’m here. I’ll guide you. Just focus on the fight. Stay calm.”

What he didn’t know was that You Xi’s current state wasn’t just due to the tension of facing an aberration.

Deep in her heart, the events of that morning still replayed in vivid detail, making it hard to focus on the battle ahead.

—Don’t bring real-life emotions into the fight.

At that moment, Violet Lightning’s words echoed in her mind.

“Don’t bring real-life emotions into the fight… don’t bring real-life emotions into the fight… don’t bring real-life emotions into the fight…”

Repeating the phrase in her mind, Raging Flame exhaled slowly. Her gaze grew steady.

Noticing her heartbeat had stabilized, Lao Lin gave the next instruction with confidence:

“The thing’s on the third floor.”

“How do you know?”

“Basic magic detection. Low-tier aberrations like this don’t, or can’t, hide their magical traces. Their movements are obvious to me.”

“Oh. I see.” Raging Flame nodded, though clearly only half-understanding, then asked:

“How do I learn that?”

“You’ll be taught later. No time to explain now,” Lao Lin said.

They climbed the stairs, the girl and the cat reaching the third floor.

“That’s it…”

At the turn of the escalator, at the end of the corridor, Raging Flame saw a creature—half-human, half-monster.

It was humanoid in basic shape, but its limbs were sickle-like bone blades, and its head curved into a crescent moon—resembling some new breed of alien horror.

Aberration—Shadow Hunter. Rank C. Its razor-sharp limbs could slice through human bones like tofu.

The moment You Xi spotted it, the Shadow Hunter spotted her too.

It tilted its head. Its insect-like scissor jaws scraped together, producing a dry *shshshsh* sound that echoed unnervingly in the silent floor.

The creature stared at Raging Flame, its pea-sized eyes darting in their sockets, scanning the surroundings—calculating the perfect way to strike its prey.

“The thing’s danger lies in—”

Lao Lin’s explanation barely began when the Shadow Hunter acted, rendering words unnecessary.

Without warning, its eerie, slender form seemed to *melt* into nothingness—vanishing on the spot.

The entire process took less than a second. Raging Flame didn’t even comprehend what had happened.

“Upper left! Raise your sword!”

A moment of confusion passed—then Lao Lin’s shout rang in her ears.