Late at night, at Qinghe High School.
Only one office on the fourth floor of a single teaching building remained illuminated.
Ling Qinghe, draped in a dark grey cashmere coat, sat in her office chair, the warm yellow halo of the lamp stretching her silhouette. Normally, Ling Qinghe rarely returned home. A red pen in her hand moved swiftly, scribbling annotations across a document. Amidst the rhythmic scratch of her pen, a subtle chime emanated from a tablet’s luminous screen.
The flickering numbers on the screen read: ‘[691/1327]’
This data, synchronized from Xia Naxin’s detector, represented the number of detected magic reactors in Monan Fortress. Noticing this, Ling Qinghe raised her hand to glance at her wristwatch; the hour hand pointed to two seventeen in the morning. It was the opportune moment for a predawn strike.
****
After a while.
“Creak—”
The carved wooden door of the office swung open. Ling Cheyin, rubbing the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes, twisted the doorknob and entered.
She wore a pink coral fleece nightgown, her rabbit ear headband askew in her hair, clearly having woken up in a hurry. As she entered, Ling Cheyin yawned, her soft, saccharine voice still thick with unshakeable drowsiness:
“Sister~ Why did you call me here so late?”
Upon hearing this.
The pen’s tip carved an abrupt diagonal slash across the document. Ling Qinghe removed her gold-rimmed glasses, the frames glinting coldly under the lamp. She crossed her arms on the table, the second hand of her wristwatch ticking softly.
“Why, to settle all accounts, both lingering and recent, at this very hour, of course~”
Ling Qinghe had summoned her sister for an important matter, naturally. The operation before dawn would require Ling Cheyin’s assistance~ However, before that, she intended to have a thorough ‘reckoning’ with Ling Cheyin.
Hearing her sister’s words, Ling Cheyin instantly became alert, furtively studying her sister’s somber expression. She seemed a little surprised. Could it be that her sister had discovered her recent antics as a keyboard warrior online, or the incendiary remarks she’d disseminated across forums?
Indeed, the little witch had been spreading rumors.
She had published statements suggesting:
‘That people should question whether the Magical Girl Association harbored other gender-shifting individuals like Zhennu Yibai—those who appeared to be women but were, in fact, men…’
Ling Qinghe hadn’t intended for things to escalate this far, but her sister was clearly acting on impulse. Although, by sheer coincidence, it had indeed led to further unrest among the populace in the southern part of the Iris Feather Kingdom.
Yet… this was nothing short of blatant recklessness!
Ling Qinghe had never instructed Ling Cheyin to do such a thing. She had merely asked her to hack into the city network of Ephemeral City’s TV tower—to broadcast the ‘truth’ about Zhennu Yibai.
“When you went ‘above and beyond’ to spread rumors about ‘gender-shifting magical girls’ on the forums, did you ever consider the consequences?”
As she spoke, Ling Qinghe conjured a holographic projection, and countless incendiary comments materialized in the air…
Upon hearing this.
Ling Cheyin’s rabbit ear headband drooped, and her toes nervously scuffed the carpet:
“I, I was just expressing my personal opinion… and besides, didn’t it cause more chaos? It’s… it’s still helping, isn’t it?”
“Opinion? Hmm…”
However, Ling Qinghe continued her interrogation:
“That morning, you deliberately provoked the Three Colors Squad, didn’t you?”
“Even after gathering enough resentment, you didn’t withdraw, and in the end, you were caught by Zhennu Yibai and chastised with a playful implement, which is how you lost the Dark Ring…”
“Uh… this…”
It was just as her sister said; that day, when she had explained things to her sister, she had indeed been evasive, glossing over the crucial details.
Next, Ling Qinghe brought up some ‘old debts.’ Specifically, there were several times a month when Ling Cheyin would use her name to invite Qiye to a hotel to indulge their desires and act without inhibition. At home, she would also clandestinely appropriate her intimate toys, cosmetics, and skincare products, utterly devoid of discretion…
After listening for quite some time.
Ling Cheyin, her neck hunched, was contemplating how to beg for mercy when she heard her sister’s command:
“Alright, transform first…”
“Oh~”
As the dark light dispersed, the little witch Aisi Aimu, clad in a tight-fitting sheer dress, stood timidly in place. Her shoulders trembled slightly; her sister’s fury was truly terrifying.
Next, Ling Qinghe reached out, snatched the magic whip from her hand, and then patted her own thigh:
“Come here, lie down on this…”
“Ah~ Sister, could you be a little gentler?”
Ling Cheyin was slightly stunned, realizing at a glance that this was clearly a spanking~ This whip was no ordinary item; it could disperse magic and double the sensation of pain… But for Ling Qinghe, a spanking was necessary; this was a display of a sister’s authority, especially when her own sister was disobedient. Of course, it would only be a gentle lesson… Indeed, Ling Qinghe was just a woman with a slightly stronger desire for control.
The next moment.
Ling Cheyin’s pleas for mercy abruptly ceased. With a sharp ‘smack,’ the magic whip landed lightly on her skirt. Though the force was gentle, the tingling pain still made her involuntarily curl her toes.
“Awwoo~❤”
Amidst the ‘smack-smack’ sounds, Ling Qinghe continued disciplining her sister while her mind meticulously charted the actions required before dawn. After a dozen or so exceedingly light lashes, tears welled in Ling Cheyin’s eyes, though she recognized her sister’s restraint.
****
Ling Cheyin nestled into Ling Qinghe’s embrace, the warmth of the cashmere coat enveloping both of them. At that moment, Ling Cheyin was tapping on her phone. She sent a long string of messages, the screen glowing green. Was she, perhaps, composing a ‘mini-essay’?
Immediately after.
Ling Qinghe noticed that the green light carried a hint of ‘red’…
At this, Ling Cheyin’s eyes reddened, and her fingers froze.
“Wuwuwu~ Why did she block me? Sister, Qiye… she blocked me…”
Upon hearing this, Ling Qinghe couldn’t help but smile faintly, raising an eyebrow as her fingertip hooked her sister’s flushed chin:
“What, did you upset her again?”
“No! Absolutely not!”
But Ling Cheyin shook her head.
“I just wanted to invite her out for a night, and I sent so many messages… all read, but no replies.”
“Sigh, I typed so hard, and she actually blocked me… I’m so sad~ Hmph, Sister, you have to help me. Compel Qiye to meekly report to the isolation room for punishment. Just wait until I have my way with her…”
Ling Qinghe chuckled softly.
“Is that so? But I just helped little Qiye suppress her demonic fervor for half a year. Wouldn’t it be too heartless to turn around and send her to the isolation room?”
“Sister~”
Ling Cheyin hugged her neck.
“Please help me…”
She swayed her sister’s arm, her voice dissolving into a plaintive whine.
“Hmm, it’s not impossible, it’s just that~”
But before she could finish speaking, Ling Cheyin interrupted Ling Qinghe.
“Sister, just give the order! This time, I’ll definitely be obedient and won’t cause any more trouble…”
She raised her hand, making a gesture as if swearing an oath.
Seeing this, Ling Qinghe finally nodded in satisfaction. Immediately, a wisp of abyssal magic coalesced at her fingertip, sketching the silhouette of Monan Fortress in the air.
“Soon, I’ll need you and another woman to go to Monan Fortress…”
“Who?”
Ling Cheyin tilted her head.
“Lina.”
Ling Qinghe’s voice suddenly turned cold. Next, she took a bottle containing a deep purple liquid from a drawer and placed it in Ling Cheyin’s palm.
“Don’t worry, I’ll have magic phantoms protecting you around. If she tries to harm you, remember to crush this bottle and let the holy water drench you… That way, she won’t dare to ‘touch’ you for a while…”
“Then, run as fast as you can, understand?”
Upon hearing this, Ling Cheyin murmured several affirmations…
Seeing her sister nod vigorously, Ling Qinghe playfully teased her, pulling her into an embrace and nuzzling her head against her chest, ‘rewarding’ her with a few playful rubs.
“You little rascal~”
Ling Qinghe chuckled softly above her head, her chin gently brushing against her sister’s soft hair.
“If you dare to act recklessly again, next time it won’t be as simple as a few spanks.”
****
Half an hour passed.
A blizzard raged and swirled across the rooftop. Ling Qinghe held Ling Cheyin’s hand, waiting for something… Before long, strange ripples appeared in the distant curtain of snow, and a crimson figure rent it asunder—
“She’s here.”
Ling Qinghe’s pupils constricted. She felt a palpable aura of bloodlust swirling around the newcomer; in less than half a day, Lina’s sanguine aura had intensified even further…
“According to the plan, you two are responsible for drawing attention to the front of the fortress, creating a diversion.” Then, Xia Naxin would seize the opportunity to disable all the magic reactor systems, coordinating the assault from both within and without…
As she spoke.
Ling Qinghe gently pushed Ling Cheyin forward, but her movement hesitated imperceptibly as she met Lina’s glacial gaze. The air shimmered, and thirty crystal-clear, glazed vials of blood materialized from thin air, settling into Ling Qinghe’s outstretched hand.
“Miss Lina, this is my sincerity. Please… do not make things difficult for my little sister.”
Lina, seeing this, responded with a frigid acknowledgment, yet accepted the vials of blood. She grabbed Ling Cheyin’s wrist, blood energy surging.
“Remember my words, if anything happens, run immediately…”
Ling Qinghe’s voice carried through the wind and snow. The next second, Lina, taking Ling Cheyin with her, transformed into a crimson streak and vanished into the boundless night.
****
On the rooftop, Ling Qinghe stood for a long time, her brow remained deeply furrowed. She knew that entrusting Ling Cheyin to Lina… carried a certain risk. But to ensure Xia Naxin could successfully disable the magic reactors, she was compelled to undertake that risk. After all, there were simply no other reliable, trustworthy individuals to turn to…
At that moment, the communicator in her palm lit up. It showed that Xia Naxin had reached magic reactor #1123—only a few steps remained before the plan’s activation. The first half of the plan had successfully begun.
“Hoo~”
Ling Qinghe exhaled a plume of white vapor. Next, she needed to ensure the follow-up forces arrived on time— Moreover, the plan was still missing one crucial step: the Magical Girl Association headquarters was probably still in the dark, wasn’t it? This would require her to… discreetly ‘leak’ some information. She needed to quickly activate Zhennu Yibai.
After all, she had promised Xia Naxin that she would not only rescue Zhennu Yibai but also help her ‘clear her name’… Of course, Ling Qinghe also had her own motives; she wanted to conduct a gender transformation magic experiment on Zhennu Yibai…
“Zhennu Yibai…”
She murmured to herself, outlining Silvia’s silhouette in the air with magic.
“You’ll soon regain your freedom, but before that…”
The silver-haired man in the projection gradually became enveloped in purple light, his features subtly shifting until he reverted to his former female form.
“I have a small experiment I’d like to try on you… The mystery of gender transformation magic might find its answer in you.”
“Ultimately, is it related to the magic power level of the spell’s target?”
The answer would soon be revealed…