Qi Yue’an awoke to an empty space beside her.
The velvet bedding still bore a slight indentation and warmth, a silent testament to Lin Xiao’s recent departure.
She slowly sat up, her bare feet touching the cold obsidian floor, her long black hair cascading down like a curtain partitioning her from the world.
Life in captivity proved calmer than she had anticipated; Lin Xiao had honored his word, never again mentioning ‘completion’ nor forcing her into anything.
He had even granted her a considerable degree of freedom within the castle. Apart from being unable to leave and needing to report her status periodically, this colossal, vacant, tomb-like edifice was her entire world.
She walked to the immense floor-to-ceiling window and gazed outside.
The height was dizzying.
Once, such a height would have filled her with dread, but now, a cold, pleasurable sensation, intertwined with dangerous thoughts, bloomed within her.
What kind of profound devastation would mar the face etched into her very soul if he were to return and find her plummeting from this height?
“Awake?”
Lin Xiao’s voice drifted from behind her, devoid of discernible emotion.
Qi Yue’an did not turn, merely offering a soft “Mm.”
She felt him approach, stopping a step away.
“Li Yan has brought breakfast.”
“And… some things you might find interesting.”
She finally turned.
Lin Xiao wore his usual black attire, his complexion somewhat pale, the chasm in the depths of his eyes seeming even more profound than the castle itself.
In his hand, he held a silver tray laden with exquisite pastries and fruit, alongside a sketchbook and a box of colored pencils.
Qi Yue’an’s gaze lingered on the sketchbook for a moment.
“I remember… you used to enjoy drawing.”
Lin Xiao placed the tray on the small round table in the center of the room.
He did not utter phrases like ‘I hope you’ll be happy’ nor did he display any obvious concern; he merely stated a fact.
Yet, Qi Yue’an understood this was his clumsy attempt to preserve some semblance of ‘beauty’ between them.
“Thank you.”
She spoke, her voice as faint as a sigh.
She picked up a red berry and ate it in small bites; the cloyingly sweet juice melted on her tongue, yet she tasted nothing.
“Today… what should I do?”
She was performing, playing the role of a prisoner gradually accepting her fate, her heart utterly stripped of purpose.
She knew he saw through her act, yet he would not expose it.
They were both performers in a silent play, a drama of unspoken understanding.
“Nothing.”
Lin Xiao looked at her.
“You can do anything you wish.”
“Then…”
Qi Yue’an raised her silver eyes, reflecting no light.
“Watching you is what I wish to do… Could you accompany me on a walk? Just within the castle. I haven’t properly explored our ‘home’ yet.”
She uttered the word “home” lightly, tinged with a faint, almost imperceptible regret.
Lin Xiao’s fingertips curled inward, almost imperceptibly, for he knew what he had previously snatched from her grasp.
“Alright.”
****
The castle’s interior appeared far more bizarre than its exterior.
The corridors twisted and turned as if alive, and the walls bore not paintings, but rather a series of frozen, silhouette-like ‘fragments’ – byproducts of Lin Xiao’s abilities, shards of the apocalyptic visions he had witnessed.
Qi Yue’an paused before a silhouette depicting a burning city.
At the center of the depiction, a blurred figure turned to look back at them.
“Is that me?”
She asked.
“Mm… it’s one of the possibilities.”
Lin Xiao did not deny it.
“How regrettable.”
Qi Yue’an remarked, her tone utterly flat.
She continued walking, her skirt sweeping across the cold floor.
They passed through empty halls, traversed a skybridge constructed of glowing crystals that resembled the interior of a starship, and finally stopped in an indoor courtyard.
No sunlight reached here, yet luminous moss and peculiar flowers provided a faint glow, and the air was filled with a cool, delicate floral scent.
In the center of the courtyard stood an ancient black piano.
Qi Yue’an walked to the piano, opened the lid, and gently pressed a key.
A muffled, solitary note resonated through the silence.
“Do you play this?”
She asked Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao shook his head.
“No, it’s usually just for decoration.”
Qi Yue’an’s fingers glided across the black and white keys, but she pressed none.
“‘Qi Yue’ certainly would, wouldn’t she? As another personality, or perhaps the product of her desires, no one understands her better than she herself. She excelled academically, she was beautiful, popular… and multi-talented. She was once her own aspiration, but now she is her greatest fear.”
She paused, her voice dropping lower.
“I… I am nothing; merely a defective creation.”
The air grew heavy.
Lin Xiao remained silent.
Those eyes, usually so resolute in their ability to glimpse the end of fate, now seemed unable to focus.
Suddenly, Qi Yue’an turned, a smile blooming on her face – exceptionally bright, yet utterly devoid of warmth.
“Just kidding, don’t mind it.”
She needed neither his apology nor his explanation.
She merely needed him to remember this moment, to remember her smile, the veiled meaning in her words, and how this thorn had sprung from the seeds he himself had sown.
Just then, a dull thud echoed from somewhere within the castle, accompanied by faint magical fluctuations.
Lin Xiao’s gaze sharpened instantly.
He pulled Qi Yue’an behind him, an aura of chilling oppression emanating from his very being.
“Stay here. Don’t move.”
He commanded, and with a flicker, his figure vanished from the spot.
Qi Yue’an stood motionless, the smile slowly fading from her face, leaving only placidity.
She harbored no fear of external intrusion; the castle itself was part of Lin Xiao’s Demonkind Domain.
She slowly walked out of the courtyard, following the lingering energy fluctuations.
At the end of a corridor, she saw a previously sealed stone door now cracked open, with violent energy spilling out from the fissure, carrying a scorching, destructive aura.
Inside the door was a training ground.
Li Yan knelt on one knee, breathing heavily.
The ground and walls around him were scarred with scorched marks and deep slashes, evidence that he had lost control during training.
Lin Xiao stood at the doorway, observing it all with an expressionless face.
“Apologies, Boss, my power went a little wild.”
Li Yan, noticing Lin Xiao’s arrival, immediately apologized.
“I didn’t control my power well…”
Lin Xiao did not reprimand him.
He merely raised a hand, and an invisible force swept through the room.
Time in the training ground began to flow backward; the scorch marks and cracks swiftly vanished, restoring everything to its original state.
Only the chaotic aura still clinging to Li Yan served as proof that the earlier loss of control had truly occurred.
“The power of the Rage lineage requires guidance, not aimless detonation after suppression.”
Lin Xiao said calmly.
“Your lineage’s characteristic, if it goes out of control, can cause significant self-harm.”
“Yes… I understand, subordinate.”
Li Yan looked up, his gaze inadvertently falling upon Qi Yue’an standing in the shadows of the corridor.
He froze for a moment, then a complex array of emotions flickered in his eyes—concern, worry, and even a hint of curiosity.
Qi Yue’an met his gaze, then slowly offered him a smile that held no hint of blame.
From their respective positions, he had done nothing wrong.
Li Yan quickly averted his gaze.
Lin Xiao also noticed Qi Yue’an.
He frowned slightly but said nothing.
After tidying up the training ground’s aftermath, he walked towards her.
“Just a small incident.”
“Mm, I know.”
Qi Yue’an nodded, then reached out and gently took hold of Lin Xiao’s sleeve.
“Let’s go back.”
Her fingers were cold, and her touch held a faint, almost reliant pressure.
Lin Xiao’s body stiffened for a moment but ultimately he did not pull away, allowing her to lead him.
Like a pair of intertwined phantoms, they walked silently through the endless corridors of the Eternal Night Castle.
Within Qi Yue’an’s heart, her plan was slowly but surely taking shape.
She would weave these fleeting moments—her compliance, her occasional probes, her despair, and her complete surrender—into the sweetest poison, designed to seep into his already numb heart.
Until that moment arrived—when, before his very eyes, she would shatter herself in the most spectacular fashion.
Then, this eternal prison and fate would, with her demise, carve an indelible memory deep within his soul.
****
Ultimately, Xiyin brought Xiao Ru along.
The girl carried an unsettling obsession, but at this moment, an extra helper might offer a greater chance of finding Qi Yue’an, and Xiao Ru seemed to know something.
As they stumbled back to their shared apartment, supporting each other, Bai Zhi opened the door.
Upon seeing Xiyin, drenched and wounded, alongside Xiao Ru, whose eyes gleamed with an unusual brightness, Bai Zhi gasped in alarm before quickly pulling them both inside.
“Xixi, what happened to you? You look badly hurt… Where’s Yue’an?”
Bai Zhi asked anxiously, her gaze searching behind them.
Xiyin leaned against the wall, closing her eyes wearily, rainwater dripping from her hair.
“She was taken away… by Lin Xiao.”
“Lin Xiao?”
Bai Zhi froze, then her expression drastically changed.
“You mean that childhood friend? Wait… that name… could it be… the ‘Demon Lord’?”
“Demon Lord?”
Xiyin’s eyes snapped open.
“Yes, the Demon Lord!”
Bai Zhi’s face was etched with unprecedented horror, and Bai Jin, standing nearby, began to recount their tale, her usual casual demeanor replaced by urgency.
“In the days you two were gone, Sis and I… we encountered some things.”
She helped Xiyin sit down and quickly began her story.
Just the day after Xiyin and Qi Yue’an successively disappeared, Bai Jin and Bai Zhi felt a growing unease in their hearts.
They attempted to search near the school for clues but discovered that the area where Qi Yue’an was last seen, along with a part of the school, had been sealed off by a strange force field.
Outside, uniformed individuals patrolled with vigilant expressions – a mix of Magical Girls and others, clearly Demonkind, among those in uniform.
As they attempted to approach and investigate, they were spotted.
However, the opponents did not immediately attack.
After confirming their identities as Magical Girls, a composed female Magical Girl, who appeared to be their leader, stepped forward to engage them.
“This area is temporarily under the jurisdiction of the ‘Watchmen.’ Unrelated personnel, please leave.”
The woman stated, her gaze sweeping over Bai Jin and Bai Zhi with scrutiny.
“Judging by your appearance, are you ‘wild’ ones?”
“Watchmen?”
Bai Zhi repeated, puzzled.
“A loosely organized group dedicated to maintaining the secrecy of anomalous events and handling troublesome matters.”
The woman explained.
“It seems you might be involved in what’s happening here. Care for some tea at our office?”
She meaningfully glanced at the discreet, prying eyes that clearly did not belong to the ‘Watchmen’ lurking around.
It seemed this place was surrounded by wolves, who dared not act only because those they called their ‘hounds’ were still present.
Bai Jin and Bai Zhi exchanged a glance; a lack of information was their greatest disadvantage at the moment, and these ‘Watchmen’ seemed to know a great deal.
“Of course, you may refuse. We are generally lenient with wild Magical Girls, but you’ll need to sign a confidentiality agreement before entering…”
To acquire information, they signed the agreement, half-wary, half-curious, and followed her into a temporary base entrance within the sealed zone.
“Sister Lan, brought new recruits again?”
The unassuming girl at the front desk asked curiously.
The woman nodded, pointing to the scanning device at the entrance.
“If you wish to join or visit, please register your identity and other information here first.”
Bai Jin walked over first.
She was quite curious about her own capabilities; previously, their combat evaluations relied solely on Xiyin’s ‘crater-making’ theory of warfare.
“Scanning… Scan successful, generating results.”
Listening to the mechanical voice, Bai Jin stood with her hands on her hips, confident that her data would be astonishing, surely marking her as a genius of her generation.
“Lineage: Pride, Level: One
• Strength (Physical Strength): B
• Assessment: Capable of easily severing reinforced concrete pillars with a greatsword, possessing excellent close-combat destructive power, but not yet reaching the peak level of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.
• Defense (Defense): C+
• Assessment: Normal physical and magical resistance is superior to that of ordinary Magical Girls, capable of withstanding attacks from regular Demonkind, but still susceptible to injury from high-intensity, penetrating attacks.
• Speed (Speed): C
• Assessment: Movement and attack speed are average, relying on bursts of power for short-distance dashes, not proficient in prolonged high-speed combat or evasion.
• Mana (Mana Capacity): B
• Assessment: Mana reserves are relatively abundant, sufficient to sustain moderate-intensity combat for a considerable duration.
• Output (Mana Output Efficiency): B
• Assessment: Mana output is smooth, capable of effectively coordinating with the greatsword for explosive slashes, with good mana conversion efficiency.
• Precision (Precision Control): D
• Assessment: (Target practice test) Greatsword attacks have a wide range, but technique is relatively unrefined, with poor precision control, making fine manipulation or long-range accurate strikes difficult.”
Looking at the data displayed on the screen, Bai Jin’s once proud face fell, especially at ‘Defense C+’ and ‘Precision D,’ which she found utterly unfair.
“What?! How can my defense only be C+! And this D… I just haven’t practiced it yet, I’m not some weakling!”
Sister Lan calmly explained from the side:
“The instrument measures current baseline data. Some potential, such as special inherent abilities, cannot be scanned.
Actual combat performance often varies due to these characteristics.”
When it was Bai Zhi’s turn to be tested, she was considerably calmer, picking up her longbow and walking to the designated position.
“Lineage: Lust, Level: One
• Strength (Physical Strength): C
• Assessment: Arm strength is ordinary, primarily relying on mana to drive the bowstring, with weak physical attack capability.
• Defense (Defense): D
• Assessment: Physical defense capability is weak.
• Speed (Speed): B
• Assessment: Agile movement, excellent evasion capability, able to quickly adjust firing positions.
• Mana (Mana Capacity): B
• Assessment: Mana reserves are good, sufficient to support her combat style.
• Output (Mana Output Efficiency): S
• Assessment: Mana output efficiency is extremely high, possessing nearly limitless instantaneous mana injection capability, which can greatly enhance the power and range of a single attack; extremely rare.
• Precision (Precision Control): A
• Assessment: In target practice tests, maintains extremely high shooting accuracy even at super long ranges, with precise guidance and control over mana.”
“Wow, it’s my first time seeing an S-rank level.”
The girl at the front desk exclaimed.
S-rank output meant that as long as there was enough mana, an attack far exceeding current levels could be unleashed in a single strike.
While her defense appeared to be that of a ‘glass cannon,’ her long-range attack type allowed her to mitigate this.
“Alright, once you sign this agreement, you’ll be accepted.”
Sister Lan, less boisterous, handed them four copies of the agreement.
“We will then inform you of the inside story.
Due to special circumstances, our organization requires strict secrecy from all ordinary people, and you should not easily tell other wild Magical Girls.
One of these is a confidentiality agreement, and another is an application form.
Remember, once you join us, you must abide by our rules, complete your missions, and sever all ties with ordinary people.”
Her expression grew solemn.
Behind that hidden door, they also saw the familiar emblem.
“Our mission will be remembered by no one, but always remember that we fight for the people.”