A Cadre’s Welcome: Teasing and Tensions

“So… now that the footage has been viewed, I shall introduce Cadre Yue Ling to the other cadres present.”

The Commander, wearing his black fedora, cleared his throat gently before beginning to introduce the others in the room to Yue Ling.

“First… there is Maositog. He boasts the highest attendance among all cadres and is also the most experienced, adept at inflicting devastating blows upon Magical Girls with his formidable physique. He currently commands three direct high-ranking subordinates. His extensive knowledge of Magical Girls means that should you, Cadre Yue Ling, have any questions, you can readily seek his assistance.”

As the Commander spoke of Maositog, Maositog deliberately crossed his arms, fixing Yue Ling with a condescending gaze that held more than a hint of disdain.

‘This one… doesn’t seem to welcome me much, does he? Well, it hardly matters. After all, these overtly brawny, villainous cadres are usually just ‘experience fodder’ (TL Note: A slang term referring to an enemy character designed to be easily defeated, serving as a source of experience or loot for the protagonist.) the antagonists prepare specifically for Magical Girls. Any experience gained from him… would likely be useless.’

Confronted with Maositog’s provocation, Yue Ling did not grow angry; instead, she responded with an equally dismissive chuckle.

Witnessing the newcomer’s audacious arrogance, Maositog clenched his thick fists in a fit of rage.

Were it not for the Commander’s presence, he surely would have charged forward to pummel Yue Ling.

“Maositog, you’re at it again.”

“Commander, this one has provoked me repeatedly, showing absolutely no respect! I request to engage her in…”

“Oh, come now, little sister Yue Ling is a newcomer after all~ Don’t be so harsh.”

Just as Maositog was about to request some sort of duel from the Commander, a voice, imbued with a distinctly alluring charm, suddenly interjected, cutting off his words.

Yue Ling turned at the sound, her gaze falling upon an incredibly enchanting white-haired fox-girl.

Like almost every fox-girl depicted in myths, legends, and anime, she possessed a beautiful face, fair skin, and… an utterly exquisite figure.

‘Slender branches bearing abundant fruit’… this description almost perfectly matched the sight that greeted Yue Ling.

Of course, beyond her figure, beauty, and tone of voice, the most crucial aspect of the fox-girl was her attire.

The fox-girl before her… was clad in a red yukata adorned with floral patterns, and strikingly, it was clear she wore nothing else. With no ties or deliberate tightening, it hung open… revealing both the eastern and western hemispheres of her ample bosom. In such a state, even the slightest breeze would undoubtedly expose the ‘snow-capped red plums’.

‘Wow… this is incredibly provocative… How did I not notice her earlier?’

Observing the white-haired fox-girl’s daring ensemble, Yue Ling offered a faint smile, propping her head with one hand as she regarded her with an almost predatory gaze.

The fox-girl, sensing Yue Ling’s stare, shifted her eyes from Maositog, turning a gaze brimming with allure towards Yue Ling instead.

Their eyes met in that moment, engaging in several silent skirmishes; as for the nature of their ‘clash’… that was beyond the comprehension of others.

“Oh my~ Is little sister Yue Ling interested in me, looking at me with such eyes?”

The fox-girl inquired with a teasing tone, her dark eyes filled with anticipation for Yue Ling’s reaction.

In that moment, had Yue Ling been a normal girl, she would likely have been blushing crimson from the fox-girl’s words. But what the fox-girl surely didn’t know was that Yue Ling was anything but an ordinary girl…

“Can’t big sister fox-girl feel whether I’m interested in her?”

Yue Ling responded in an equally provocative tone, even winking at the white-haired fox-girl.

Noticing the peculiar atmosphere between the two cadres, the Commander cleared his throat, ruthlessly shattering their moment.

‘After all, if left unchecked, they might very well be found together in some love hotel in a few days…’

“Cadre Yue Ling, the one who just spoke with you… is the Demon Fox — Yin Luo, also a cadre. Do not let her attire deceive you; her combat prowess is formidable. When she was transferred to our team, she successfully charmed six Magical Girls with her abilities, and currently has two high-ranking subordinates.”

‘To be able to charm six Magical Girls… her charm attribute must be incredibly high.’ Hearing of Cadre Yin Luo’s achievements, Yue Ling felt a flicker of surprise. Primarily, she hadn’t expected that in a world blending passion, darkness, and Magical Girl elements, someone could genuinely subdue Magical Girls with a charm skill—and six of them at that, despite being a woman herself. ‘Could it be… that this world is actually an R18 yuri (TL Note: A genre of Japanese media focusing on romantic relationships between female characters.) Magical Girl world?’

‘If that’s the case… perhaps I could conquer her too~’

“Hehe, it’s just a few Magical Girls she’s taken down~ If I were to make a move, it wouldn’t be just a few Magical Girls, oh no~”

The female voice that emerged this time was distinctly girlish—high-pitched and childish. Yet unlike an ordinary girl’s voice, it lacked innocence and simplicity, possessing only the arrogance and impudence characteristic of a ‘bratty girl’ (TL Note: A Japanese slang term, ‘mesugaki,’ referring to a young, usually female, character who acts overly confident, mischievous, and often speaks condescendingly, despite their age.).

The source of this voice was equally peculiar, emanating from within a large, clown-shaped roly-poly toy.

“The one who just spoke… is Avila Dolly. Like you, Cadre Yue Ling, she has only recently arrived here. She currently has no achievements in our region and no high-ranking subordinates, but in the ‘Quyin’ (TL Note: The name of a region or area.) region, she successfully defeated the local Magical Girls, demonstrating extraordinary strength. Oh, and by the way, this roly-poly toy is not her true form; she herself is inside it.”

“So… this roly-poly toy, which seems to be in rather poor taste, wasn’t just here as decoration after all?”

Yue Ling pointed at the roly-poly toy, voicing her complaint to the Commander. As she muttered, she suddenly heard a creaking sound. When she turned to examine the roly-poly toy, she was startled to discover… that it had spun itself around, now facing her with its clown-faced side.

“A small fry (TL Note: A derogatory term for someone insignificant or weak.) like big sister Yue Ling, with absolutely no achievements, shouldn’t be so conceited as to judge others~”

Upon hearing the word “small fry,” a classic line from a bratty girl, Yue Ling felt something harden for the first time… her fists.

‘You detestable bratty girl… If I get the chance later, I’ll definitely beat you to your knees, then thoroughly ‘stir-fry’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘baochao,’ which can imply a severe beating or, in a sexual context, intense sexual activity.) you.’

“Avila, your language is quite aggressive. While Cadre Yue Ling hasn’t yet acted, the fact that the higher-ups transferred her to our team indicates she undoubtedly possesses exceptional qualities, and I am certain she will achieve great things in the future.”

After the Commander intervened, Avila Dolly, the bratty girl, surprisingly obediently shut her mouth, then wobbled the roly-poly toy back to its original orientation.

This couldn’t help but pique Yue Ling’s curiosity… ‘How strong must this Commander be to be able to train even such a quintessential bratty girl to be so obedient?’

‘Could it be that the team I’ve joined is actually an exceptionally powerful one?’

“Next, I will introduce you to two more cadres.”

“Eh? There are more?” Yue Ling turned her head, looking around, but found no one else in the room.

“The other two cadres are not with us this time. The Commander of the ‘Tanuoh’ (TL Note: The name of a region or area.) region was counter-attacked by the local Magical Girls and requested my assistance, so I dispatched the other two cadres, Ling Tian and Imidella, to provide support. According to the battle report, the Magical Girls in that region should have been temporarily repelled.”

As he spoke, the Commander extended one of his mechanical hands, opening his palm. A circular projection device slowly emerged from the center of his hand, and then, images of two white-haired girls materialized.

Of these two girls… one possessed golden pupils and was clad in a white halter-neck robe. The fabric of the robe was indistinct, but its highly revealing cut… coupled with the aura of sanctity emanating from the girl… made her appear almost like an angel. This girl also had her eyes covered with a white cloth, and three pairs of ear-feathers sprouted from either side of her head. A golden cross adorned the left side of her hair as an ornament. Considering all this… perhaps she truly was an android (TL Note: A synthetic human, often indistinguishable from a biological one.) created by their superiors, modeled after an angel.

Why did Yue Ling think she was an android? Because she herself had been reincarnated as an android.

‘Though I was forcibly gender-bent (TL Note: Referring to a character undergoing a s*x change, often in a fantastical or magical context.), this body is truly beautiful… If I ever have free time, I’ll definitely have to test its sensitivity myself.’

The other white-haired girl in the image… wore a black witch’s hat and a black witch’s cloak over a red, low-cut inner garment. Her attire seemed quite mature, yet… her appearance was still rather youthful. ‘Well, Yue Ling doesn’t dislike it; on the contrary, this contrast is quite to her liking.’

“This girl with golden eyes is Ling Tian. Though her actions are few and her enthusiasm low, her combat power is terrifying, making her a top-tier combatant in our team. She currently has no requests for high-ranking subordinates. The other is Imidella; her breadth of knowledge is vast, and she commands numerous spells, capable of contending with Magical Girls in many aspects. She currently has one high-ranking subordinate. So, excluding you, Cadre Yue Ling, all five cadres have now been introduced. Cadre Yue Ling, is there anything else you wish to know?”

“Hmm… I have no questions regarding that, but… there’s one more thing I’d like to ask… Why don’t we simply ambush the Magical Girls before they transform?”

“Hmph, what nonsense. If we knew the true identities of the Magical Girls, we would have done so long ago. Why would we need you for that?”

Maositog lifted his chin high, letting out a disdainful snort, as two streams of hot air puffed from his nostrils.

Ignoring Maositog’s provocation, Yue Ling rose to her feet, leaning forward with her hands braced on the table. She then snatched the remote control from Maositog’s grasp, and before Maositog could erupt in anger, rewound the footage to the beginning. Pointing at the three beautiful girls in the corner of the screen, she turned to the Commander and spoke.

“See? Aren’t these three the Magical Girls before their transformation?”